A Clash of Two Powerhouses, an Unexpected Move

The thunder dragon and the giant sword collided, and the instant they struck, wave after wave of shockwaves spread in every direction. Even with the Prince of Heavenly Sea's protective barrier shielding them, the world-destroying presence still made the hearts of the spectators tremble.

Qin Yi and Wu Pingjian exchanged a glance, then attacked at the same time. Streams of Sword Qi poured into the giant sword, which had turned fiery red, like a freshly forged sword blank. Peal after peal of sword cries rang through the sky.

The thunderbolts filling the sky grew restless as Qin Yi slowly raised his hands. After a thunderous boom, countless bolts poured into the thunder dragon, which let out a roar. Qin Yi rapidly formed seals with both hands, and in the blink of an eye, a profound totem appeared beneath his feet.

"Wu Pingjian, how can a mere mortal like you resist the might of the Heavenly Dao?"

"Divine thunder of the nine heavens, blazing might of heaven, Soaring Dragon's Fury!"

As Qin Yi's words fell, the thunder dragon, which had been locked in a stalemate with the giant sword just moments before, suddenly plunged into the thunderclouds. As the dragon continued to twist and turn, a destructive presence gathered. Wu Pingjian's pupils contracted slightly. He could not block this strike.

The thunder dragon roared in the dark clouds and revealed its enormous head. Not only was it much larger than before, but the destructive presence around it was several times stronger. The scene of red and blue dividing the sky into distinct halves had vanished. Now, pitch-black thunderclouds covered the entire sky, with bolts of lightning leaping through them.

Wu Pingjian clenched his fists, and all the spiritual power in his body surged into the giant sword. The sword hummed and continued to descend toward Qin Yi. Seeing that Wu Pingjian still refused to admit defeat, Qin Yi gently pointed his right hand at him. The thunder dragon in the sky roared and swooped down toward the martial arena.

Boom!

This time, the giant sword did not match the thunder dragon blow for blow as it had before. As they collided, the sword gradually broke into fragments that scattered on the wind.

Once the giant sword had been completely destroyed, Wu Pingjian closed his eyes and shouted, "I admit defeat!"

A sharp streak of Sword Qi descended from the sky and struck the thunder dragon, which instantly vanished without a trace. The thunderclouds slowly dispersed, and sunlight once again spilled over the martial arena.

Wu Pingjian opened his eyes and put away Heavenly Flame. Then he walked over to Qin Yi and gave him a long look. "You're a worthy opponent. This time, I'll count it as my loss by half a move, but the contest between us isn't over yet."

He truly had not fought with all his strength, because he still had one final sword strike, but that strike was not reserved for Qin Yi.

Qin Yi chuckled. Wu Pingjian's easygoing nature suited his tastes. He said, "All right. I hope we'll have another chance to spar in the future."

Wu Pingjian nodded and turned to leave. The spectators in the coliseum erupted. This kid nobody knew had defeated Wu Pingjian. He had actually defeated the strongest of Heavenly Sea City's younger generation? That was the Prince of Heavenly Sea's disciple!

"Interesting." Even the Third Prince, Yang Hua, had taken an interest in Qin Yi. If he wanted to compete for the throne, he needed people of his own. After witnessing Qin Yi's talent, he wanted to recruit him. At the very least, a genius like this could not be allowed to fall into the hands of either of his two elder brothers.

After Wu Pingjian was eliminated, the remaining contestants visibly breathed a sigh of relief. After all, if they faced him, even setting aside his status as the Prince of Heavenly Sea's disciple, his strength alone would leave them speechless. Qin Yi, that monster, was naturally an exception.

After nearly three double-hours of fighting, the final five had emerged: Qin Yi, Yang Hua, and three young masters from prominent families in Heavenly Sea City.

Yang Hua looked proudly at the other four. He felt certain that Qin Yi and the others would not compete with him. After all, who would willingly offend a prince? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

The Prince of Heavenly Sea appeared above the crowd with his daughter. Seeing the prince appear, Yang Hua immediately stepped forward. "Your Highness, Imperial Father specifically asked me to convey his greetings to you and the commandery princess."

The Prince of Heavenly Sea nodded. He still had to show the imperial family some respect. The commandery princess beside him, however, showed Yang Hua no warmth, merely nodding without expression.

Yang Hua had a resolute appearance, and the python robe he wore made him look imposing. But compared with Qin Yi beside him, he still fell somewhat short. Qin Yi was not only handsome, with an otherworldly bearing, but his purple robes also made him look like a god descended to the mortal world.

The Prince of Heavenly Sea gave Yang Hua a long look. This prince gave him something of a headache. If he rejected Yang Hua on the spot, wouldn't that be the same as slapping the imperial family in the face?

But the Prince of Heavenly Sea's wife had died young, leaving him with only this one daughter. He took a deep breath and asked Zhou Jiayue, "Yue'er, is there anyone among these five who has caught your fancy?"

Zhou Jiayue froze for a moment, then frowned slightly, her gaze sweeping back and forth among the five. She ruled Wu Pingjian out first. As for the remaining four...

"Then I'll choose him." Zhou Jiayue pointed at Qin Yi as she spoke. Though she and Qin Yi were complete strangers, she instinctively felt some aversion to Yang Hua, so she chose Qin Yi, who could silence the crowd's discussion. His strength left the others no room to question her choice.

Even though the Prince of Heavenly Sea had anticipated this, his heart still felt empty when Zhou Jiayue actually said it. Qin Yi, however, was somewhat surprised. He had only come to hone his martial techniques, so how had he been chosen? It seemed he had run into trouble.

Hearing this, Yang Hua's expression merely stiffened. But when he thought of Qin Yi's talent, he still spoke to the Prince of Heavenly Sea with an easy air. "Congratulations, Your Highness, on gaining a fine son-in-law."

Yang Hua was no fool. Zhou Jiayue did not like him, so what could he do? He was a prince, not an idiot. Wasn't doing the Prince of Heavenly Sea a favor now better than making a scene?

The Prince of Heavenly Sea gave Yang Hua a long look. This prince had some sense, at least, and had not made trouble for him. The prince then circulated his spiritual power, and the protective barrier in the coliseum dissolved into motes of light. The spectators immediately rose to their feet.

"I hereby announce that the final winner of this martial contest is Qin Yi."