Chapter 428: The Yao Family’s Plan, the Young Hidden Dragon (5)

Chapter 428 -227: The Yao Family’s Plan, the Young Hidden Dragon (5)

The same was true for Xie Yuan. With his discerning eye, he could have spotted that man’s weakness at a glance, even without having studied common axe techniques.

Most of the fighters below used either sabers or swords, which were Xie Yuan’s specialties. He could predict the outcome of their fights with near-perfect accuracy after only three moves.

Having fought a Grandmaster, a Celestial Tier Assassin, Mr. Qian, and Monk Huie Jue, Xie Yuan’s standards had become extremely high.

The high pressure of facing such powerful foes might not have improved his stats much, but his combat techniques and adaptability had seen immense growth.

So now, watching these spars between cultivators at the Qi Blood First Transformation Realm, he felt rather bored.

But just as he was sinking into utter boredom, he was spotted by an equally bored Ning Zi. Her large, bewitching eyes glared as she slammed the table, making it shake a little—the table, that is.

“Junior Brother Zhang, even though you aren’t competing, you should still pay close attention! Carefully observing these spars between Martial Artists from all corners of the land will be a great boon to your own strength!”

“…”

Xie Yuan and Qin Zhenyang glanced at her simultaneously. Seeing her put on her ‘senior sister’ airs, they both remained silent.

However, Xie Yuan knew she meant well, so he just smiled and replied obediently,

“Yes, Senior Sister Ning.”

Ning Zi nodded, satisfied.

“Next year! With your talent, if you cultivate a bit more and build up your strength, you’ll be able to compete here next year! Your Senior Sister has faith in you!”

She gave Xie Yuan’s shoulder two boisterous pats, making him shake a little—Xie Yuan, that is.

The Sword Sect members watched the matches from the upper floor, offering their own commentary. During that time, Qin Zhenyang and Ning Zi would occasionally quiz their three junior brothers and sisters from the First Transformation Realm, testing their insight and knowledge of the fundamentals. The juniors’ answers were, of course, satisfactory.

The foundations and legacies of ninety-nine percent of the Martial Artists by the ring were far inferior to those of the Sword Sect disciples.

Thanks to the Yao family’s efficient organization, the contestants by the ring quickly completed two rounds of matches. Eight victors were decided, and they were then allowed a temporary rest.

Deciding the final winner in a single day was a test of a competitor’s raw power, their foundations, and even their luck; it wasn’t entirely fair.

However, no one raised any objections. The true martial world was even less bound by rules than this tournament ring.

With the matches by the ring concluded for now, it was time for the various sects and families from the upper floor.

Those upstairs were mostly from Major Sects. Many had come with the goal of winning the Second Transformation Realm tournament, but they had also brought along First Transformation disciples to let them see the world—just like the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect.

However, most of them hadn’t known before arriving that there would be a chance for the First Transformation Realm contestants to enter Jianzhen Lake. They now felt it was a shame; had they known, they would have brought their most competitive disciples.

The matches for these seeded contestants soon began.

The spars between cultivators from the prestigious Major Sects were a world apart from the previous fights.

While the victor wasn’t decided in a single blow, even the spectators who only practiced External Training and lacked a discerning eye could tell that the current fighters’ moves were far more exquisite.

It was a fundamental, all-encompassing gap in their basic training. After all, there was a vast difference between Major Sects and minor schools, and it wasn’t just about their Cultivation Techniques.

Cheers frequently erupted from the crowd, drawing looks of envy from many, both in the audience and on the stage.

‘If only I could join one of these Major Sects…’

Fights in the Qi Blood First Transformation Realm usually didn’t last very long. After all, with their limited Blood Qi, the toll of fighting an evenly matched opponent was significant. Unless two exceptionally cautious fighters were pitted against each other, most matches concluded within the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn.

Before long, several pairs of disciples had finished their spars, and it was Lin Zhen’s turn to enter the ring.

Lin Zhen stood up, her expression resolute, but her grip on her sword was still a bit tight. It was only natural to be nervous with so many people watching.

Many people would trip over their words while speaking in front of just a few dozen pairs of eyes. Under the watch of the thousands, even tens of thousands, in the crowd, not every resolute Martial Artist could keep their composure. There had already been several contestants who performed poorly due to nerves—the particularly bad ones were even met with a chorus of boos, piling on the pressure.

Fortunately, while Lin Zhen was nervous, it didn’t affect her much. She had been through her share of trials, after all, and this level of tension was just what she needed to get in the zone.

Her opponent was a young man wielding two sabers. While many used sabers, dual-wielders were a rare sight.

When Lin Zhen stepped onto the stage, her delicate and pretty features made many eyes in the crowd light up. After all, while it was common for female Martial Artists to have excellent figures and dispositions, truly beautiful ones were rare. Lin Zhen, who already had a natural, girl-next-door charm, had been nourished by Spiritual Qi and tempered by the Martial Dao. She had blossomed into a remarkable beauty, and many in the audience instantly knew who they were rooting for.

Hearing the crowd cheering for his opponent, the young man with the dual sabers scowled and grunted at Lin Zhen.

“Mad Blade Sect, Meng Fang.”

Clearly, this was a promising young man with no interest in women.

Lin Zhen held her Long Sword with the tip pointing down. She cupped her fist and said,

“Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, Lin Zhen.”

She gave her sword a flourish, pointed it at her opponent, and readied herself.

“Begin!”

At the referee’s command, Meng Fang, who had been standing ramrod straight, drew both his sabers with a sharp SHIING. He slashed them in a cross, sending a Cross Blade Qi flying toward Lin Zhen from afar. He then kicked off the ground and charged forward like a cheetah, his offense utterly ferocious!

The crowd gasped. Some even grumbled that Meng Fang was no gentleman and didn’t know how to go easy on a beautiful woman. If he defeated Lin Zhen in a single move, what would be left for them to look at? Him?

Seeing her opponent’s ferocious charge, Lin Zhen remained fearless. With a sharp thrust, her Long Sword pierced and dissipated the incoming blade energy. Then, to everyone’s surprise, she stepped forward. Her sword carved a hooked arc through the air, slicing toward Meng Fang’s chest like a swift crescent moon.