The Southern Region advanced.
Next came the contest between the Northern Region and the Western Region.
In the previous tournament.
The Western Region academy had ranked second.
The Northern Region academy had ranked first.
Although only one place separated them, the gap in strength was still quite large.
On the elevated platform.
Huang Tian Ming smiled and said, "With Jian Chaomian representing our Northern Region this year, we can probably take the crown again, can't we?"
No one found it strange that Huang Tian Ming favored the Northern Region.
After all, the Sunset Dynasty was located in the Northern Region.
Wu Deshi smiled. "Chaomian has already touched the threshold of Sword Intent, but the others aren't weak either. Dean Qin's disciple, for instance, has touched the threshold of Wood Intent,
and Zhang He's Buddhist Vajra Body has also reached a very high level.
So there are still uncertainties."
He sounded modest, but in truth, he still believed Jian Chaomian held the edge.
Hearing this, Huang Tian Ming looked down and smiled. "Then I'm rather looking forward to the Southern Region's sword cultivator's performance."
The Southern Region's sword cultivator?
Wasn't that Ye Qiubai?
Qin Tiannan looked over, frowning slightly.
As the dean of the Southern Region's Hidden Dao Academy, he naturally knew a few things about Ye Qiubai.
Now that he heard Huang Tian Ming say this.
His purpose in coming here was probably Ye Qiubai!
This gave Qin Tiannan a bad premonition.
"Someone who can crush opponents of higher realms with the strength of the late Purple Mansion Realm must be quite talented. I wonder how a match against Jian Chaomian would turn out."
"Let's watch the match against the Western Region first."
Elsewhere.
On the competition platform.
The battle between the Northern Region and the Western Region had already begun.
Each side had four people.
Three members on either side were not far apart in strength.
After Zhang He took the stage and defeated one opponent, the Western Region and Northern Region each had only one person left.
They were also the leaders of their respective sides.
The battle between Jian Chaomian and Zhang He!
The two were at the same cultivation realm.
Both were at the early stage of the Qi Sea Realm.
Zhang He cultivated the Buddhist Vajra Body, and his physical body was invincible!
Jian Chaomian had touched the threshold of Sword Intent, capable of piercing anything!
This battle was also highly anticipated!
But more people favored Jian Chaomian.
After all, Jian Chaomian's name was renowned not only in the Northern Region but in the other three regions as well!
The foremost sword cultivator of the younger generation!
Someone with the potential to become a Sword Saint!
These many halos made Jian Chaomian's reputation extraordinarily illustrious!
Ye Qiubai also looked up curiously.
He too wanted to know just how strong this man, hailed as the foremost sword cultivator among his peers, was in the Dao of the sword.
The elder withdrew, and the match began.
Zhang He clenched both fists, his whole body seemingly wreathed in Buddhist light. With a stomp, he charged toward Jian Chaomian!
Jian Chaomian held his sword in one hand, the other behind his back. Watching Zhang He close in, he did not move.
Only once Zhang He came within reach.
Did he thrust his sword!
This thrust was utterly ordinary, without any flashy sword light.
There was only the intent covering the blade!
That faint, barely perceptible, wispy Sword Intent!
Yet this very strand of Sword Intent made everyone present furrow their brows gravely.
It was incomparably sharp!
Even Zhang He's expression changed drastically.
He immediately gave a loud shout, and the Buddhist light around his body blazed!
Golden radiance covered him as well, like a suit of golden armor!
The Buddhist Vajra Body!
A body-refining technique of the Western Region's Buddhist sect!
Cultivated to perfection, it could break through anything!
But where in this world was there a technique that could break through anything?
Facing Jian Chaomian's Sword Intent.
Bloody holes were actually pierced straight through Zhang He's fists!
Before Jian Chaomian's sword, that Buddhist Vajra Body proved so utterly unable to withstand a single blow!
Everyone was shocked!
Zhang He's expression changed dramatically as he retreated, clutching his fists.
Jian Chaomian's expression remained unchanged.
"They're at the same realm, yet he can't even make Jian Chaomian move?"
"He broke Zhang He's Buddhist Vajra Body with just one thrust."
"He's only just touched the threshold. If Jian Chaomian truly comprehends Sword Intent, what level will his strength reach?"
Watching this, Huang Yuan also looked grave.
Searching his heart, although he had touched the threshold of Wood Intent, Wood Intent was far beneath Sword Conception in level.
If he went up, he probably wouldn't fare much better than Zhang He!
Moreover, Zhang He's cultivation technique was an extremely strong counter to Huang Yuan.
By that reckoning, the Southern Region would probably only manage third place.
Third place was still not enough to change the fact that Qin Tiannan would be replaced!
This made Huang Yuan's expression turn extremely ugly!
Xin Hongyi walked over to Ye Qiubai, her face still pale, and asked, "Ye Qiubai, if you fought Jian Chaomian, who would win?"
Ye Qiubai said calmly, "I would."
Sword cultivators were straightforward, and so was their speech.
They neither lied nor beat around the bush.
Things were what they were!
Just as Ye Qiubai believed Jian Chaomian was no match for him.
By then, the battle on the competition platform had also been decided.
Several bloody holes had appeared in Zhang He's body, which looked as though it were clad in golden armor!
His presence was extremely weak!
Yet Jian Chaomian still stood in his original spot!
His expression unchanged.
One glance was enough to tell who had won and who had lost.
The elder stepped onto the competition platform, gave Jian Chaomian an appreciative look, and announced, "Jian Chaomian wins this match!"
"With one member remaining, the Northern Region advances."
The Northern Region's advancement.
Was not as unexpected as the Southern Region's had been.
It seemed expected, something that ought to happen.
That was only natural, though; the Northern Region had maintained its position as host for the past several tournaments.
It would have been strange if they hadn't taken first place.
Zhang He left the platform.
But Jian Chaomian did not leave. He remained standing there.
Everyone was puzzled.
Even Wu Deshi looked over.
Just as everyone was wondering.
Jian Chaomian looked toward the Southern Region academy's team.
His gaze landed on Ye Qiubai.
His words stunned everyone!
"The rest won't be very interesting. The two of us can just settle the outcome."
Everyone was shocked!
"Who?"
"He's going to settle the outcome directly with someone from the Southern Region academy?"
"Could it be Huang Yuan? But Huang Yuan's strength isn't much different from Zhang He's. How could he possibly stir Senior Brother Jian's fighting spirit?"
But Huang Yuan did not think so, because Jian Chaomian's gaze clearly had not fallen on him.
Instead, he was looking at Ye Qiubai behind him!
In Jian Chaomian's eyes, Huang Yuan saw no trace of himself!
This startled Huang Yuan. Why would Jian Chaomian take the initiative to challenge Ye Qiubai when their cultivation realms were so far apart?
On the elevated platform, the four deans watched with interest as well, making no move to stop them.
Ye Qiubai met Jian Chaomian's gaze and said with a faint smile, "Is that within the rules?"
Jian Chaomian remained expressionless. "Why wouldn't it be? None of the others are my match. Only you are someone I can't see through."
Arrogant!
Arrogant in the extreme!
Yet no one contradicted Jian Chaomian!
Judging by how effortlessly Jian Chaomian had just defeated Zhang He, he was stating a fact.
But everyone wondered why Jian Chaomian would say he could not see through Ye Qiubai.
He was clearly only at the late Purple Mansion Realm.
A whole major realm below Jian Chaomian!
Ye Qiubai.
How was he worthy?