Chi Yuan's feelings had never been so complicated. He had thought that the higher Han Xuanji rose, the more unhappy he would become.
But when he saw Xiao Jiuyuan being blasted out of the battlefield by Han Xuanji's Ten Directions Return to Origin Seal, the pent-up frustration in his chest inexplicably dissipated a little.
He suddenly realized that if Han Xuanji could really win all the way, then his "defeated opponent" wouldn't be so embarrassing.
In the future, when others bring it up, it might be seen as a tale of rivalry that's quite remarkable, which doesn't seem like a bad idea...
"No..."
But he quickly shook his head, feeling he couldn't be so humble; he hadn't lost yet.
How could you so easily give up and admit defeat?
Although Han Xuanji was indeed very strong, he was not bad either.
He is confident that he can make it into the top five in this selection process.
Chi Yuan stopped thinking about it, calmed his mind, and began to seriously select his opponent.
He is, after all, a disciple of the Saint Venerable, and shouldn't be so immersed in Han Xuanji's shadow.
The road ahead is long; if he loses his composure here, he'll only make a fool of himself.
He quickly threw himself into his own challenge.
After being eliminated, Xiao Jiuyuan returned to the Galaxy Platform and stood there quietly for a long time.
His Qi and Blood were still churning, but the power brought by the Saint King Bloodline was slowly dissipating like the receding tide.
He stared at his name on the screen, which had fallen to eighteenth place, feeling no anger or resentment, only a profound silence.
"What a clever Han Xuanji!"
He had lost before, but in this battle, he accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.
Han Xuanji's strength wasn't in one area, but in every aspect; he surpassed him without resorting to any tricks or schemes, winning in a fair and square manner.
If it were a life-or-death battle, he might have died at the hands of his opponent.
Because the other side would never give him a chance to escape.
Xiao Jiuyuan let out a long breath, suppressing his chaotic thoughts.
Losing is losing; on the path of cultivation, losing to someone like this is not unjust.
After losing this match, he can only rest for a while, as someone might challenge him soon.
"Fifteen days, there's still a chance... at least back in the top ten."
Xiao Jiuyuan did not regret his decision; sometimes, retreating meant utter defeat.
On the other side, when Han Xuanji returned to the stage, she immediately felt countless gazes upon her.
There was shock, apprehension, curiosity, and undisguised hostility.
He was already used to this, treating it as a gentle breeze. He scanned his wristwatch with his divine sense and confirmed that he had entered the eighth position and that no one dared to challenge him for the time being.
Indeed, he just won the battle with an absolute advantage, and many people are still racking their brains to analyze him, but no one seems to think that he is very weak after the battle.
Han Xuanji was quite happy to have some free time, so he simply focused his mind on his sea of consciousness to receive the system rewards.
The Galaxy Sword Canon he had previously signed in to was also a top-tier Sword Dao technique. If he could master it, he would gain another means of attack.
The Galaxy Sword Canon the concept of "momentum." It draws upon the Milky Way and is based on the power of the Tianxing. Once the sword's Sword Force is formed, it is as if the Heavenly River is hanging upside down and all the stars are falling. Before the sword even arrives, its momentum already overwhelms the user.
Han Xuanji found it increasingly wonderful the more she looked at it.
He was already well-versed in the Star Dao Principle, and had just received the Favor of the Stars; the star power was as close to him as breathing.
If he could further comprehend the Galaxy Sword Canon, his offensive techniques would undoubtedly reach a new level.
He was quietly comprehending swordsmanship, while the others assumed Han Xuanji was resting with his eyes closed, and they breathed a sigh of relief.
Since he defeated Xiao Jiuyuan, none of the powerful figures who previously disregarded him have dared to underestimate him in the slightest.
Jiang Qingshan, who was ranked fifth, was particularly uneasy at this moment.
His current position is extremely awkward.
He might not be able to advance further than the top four, while the pursuers behind him are all eyeing him covetously.
Han Xuanji defeated Xiao Jiuyuan in this battle, so what security does Han Xuanji have in his fifth place position?
Others may not know, but he doesn't?
Even when Xiao Jiuyuan used his full strength, he was no match for him in a direct confrontation.
To defeat the opponent, one can only rely on one's speed to buy time; it's impossible to defeat them head-on like Han Xuanji did.
"This guy doesn't seem to have revealed any weaknesses."
Jiang Qingshan remained outwardly calm, but his heart was in turmoil.
He reviewed Han Xuanji's battle, and the more he analyzed it, the more alarmed he became.
In close combat, Han Xuanji to directly confront a physical monster like Xiao Jiuyuan, who possessed the Saint King Bloodline. In terms of Principle and Divine Ability, Han Xuanji's attainments were extremely profound, and his Divine Ability abilities were formidable.
In terms of speed, Han Xuanji possessed the Spacetime Dao Principle, and his Movement Method were unpredictable and elusive. He was like a perfectly polished divine stone, with no flaws to be found.
"This is going to be tough..."
Jiang Qingshan sighed, knowing that if Han Xuanji were to challenge him next, he would most likely be unable to stop him.
But he was fifth after all, and he had his own pride.
If it really comes to that, he won't back down.
Having secured these top-five positions, we cannot easily relinquish them.
Time passed slowly, and the first day of the selection battle gradually came to an end.
Hundreds of battles, large and small, broke out. Some dark horses emerged, while some veteran prodigies were unexpectedly defeated. But none of them could compare to Han Xuanji's feat of fighting his way up from outside the top 100 to eighth place in just one day.
As for the battle for the top ten, apart from Han Xuanji's previous battle with Xiao Jiuyuan, there was no second one.
Everyone tacitly remained on the sidelines, unwilling to exhaust their resources on the first day.
Only Han Xuanji seemed to completely disregard the so-called "rules" and "properties," making her stand out as an oddity.
He just sat there, closing his eyes and working through the newly acquired Galaxy Sword Canon.
Starlight flickered around him, his Sword Intent merging with the starlight, gradually condensing into Dao's Extremity phantom that appeared and disappeared behind him. The phantom was like a long silver river that stretched across the Starry Sky, sometimes surging, sometimes falling silent.
The system rewards already included some cultivation experience, and coupled with his Transcendent Comprehension, as well as the Favor of the Stars and the Saint Soul Physique, his cultivation speed of this sword manual was simply outrageous.
When Han Xuanji opened his eyes again, the essence of the Galaxy Sword Canon had already taken shape in his mind.
He exhaled a breath of stale air, a flash of starlight passing through his eyes, and his entire demeanor became even more composed.
"Next, it's your turn."
Han Xuanji looked up, his gaze falling on the name at the highest point of the light screen.
He slowly rose to his feet, and with a thought, the challenge was issued.
This single step immediately drew the attention of countless people.
Some were expectant, some were wary, and some were simply curious, wanting to know who this dark horse, who dared to dominate the Heaven's Chosen Ranking in a single day, would target next.
He moved!
"Are they aiming for fourth or fifth? Surely not the top three?"
"Given Han Xuanji's personality, she probably won't play by the rules."
But the moment the challenge information lit up on the screen, the entire Galaxy Platform fell silent.
Ying Yuan, ranked first, had a challenged glowing light next to his name.
Immediately afterwards, he moved, slowly stood up, and the next second, his figure appeared in the Starry Sky Battlefield.
Han Xuanji also entered the venue.
Two figures faced each other across the vast sea of stars, drawing countless gazes.