Chapter 171: The Contest Begins

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: The Contest Begins

After that battle, Yi Xiaoyao’s name was on the lips of every disciple in the Seven Kills Star Hall. The position of number one disciple had even shifted from the former Sword Wind Breaker to Yi Xiaoyao himself.

Only a few days remained until the contest for the Heaven and Earth Fire Essence.

During those few days, Yi Xiaoyao fully mastered the sixth style of the Nine Swords of Slaughter. He now had another trump card, a technique that, like the Instant Kill Sword, belonged to the advanced Earth Tier of Swordsmanship.

Although the Instant Kill Sword and the sixth style of the Nine Swords of Slaughter were of the same rank, their power was vastly different.

The Instant Kill Sword emphasized one thing: speed. It killed without a trace, so fast that the enemy wouldn’t even know how they died, let alone have time to react and defend themselves.

However, in terms of explosive power, it couldn’t compare to the sixth style of the Nine Swords of Slaughter. In a head-on clash, the sixth style was Yi Xiaoyao’s strongest move.

This was the difference between the two; each had its own advantages.

As for the Heaven-Shattering Demon Flame Palm and the Nine Heavens Dragon Soaring Technique—two other powerful Earth Tier Spiritual Skills—improving their grade and power required the aid of Demon Fire and Essence Blood. Both materials were incredibly rare, things one could only stumble upon by chance, not actively seek. It would be difficult to upgrade these skills anytime soon.

Therefore, Yi Xiaoyao didn’t dwell on those two Spiritual Skills. He focused on honing his Swordsmanship, preparing for the upcoming contest for the Heaven and Earth Fire Essence.

A few days passed in the blink of an eye.

The contest for the Heaven and Earth Fire Essence began.

On this day, a sea of people had already gathered inside and outside the Asura Arena.

News of the contest had long since spread through every city and region. Countless experts were sure to gather, and with nearly every powerhouse on the Hidden Dragon List in attendance, the event naturally drew an immense amount of attention.

Many people didn’t even know what the Heaven and Earth Fire Essence was. They had come almost entirely to witness the prowess of the experts on the Hidden Dragon List.

Although the crowd was enormous, there wasn’t the slightest bit of chaos, because a large number of troops clad in Cyan Armor were maintaining order among them.

"These troops must be the royal army, right? I didn’t expect even the royal family would be involved this time."

Seeing the soldiers, people in the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. Then, their gazes shifted to the area cordoned off by the troops, where those who had come to participate in the contest were gathered.

Although the contest was open to everyone at or below the Golden Core Realm, the Cultivation auras of those who came to participate were almost all at the Golden Core Ninth Realm.

Among them was a group whose auras were far more powerful than that of an ordinary Golden Core Ninth Realm cultivator.

They were all experts from the Hidden Dragon List.

Experts from the Hidden Dragon List, normally a rare sight, had mostly gathered here today. But what interested the crowd most were the few ranked at the very top.

"Look, that’s the princess of the Great Shang Dynasty, the fourth-ranked Shang Shiqie!"

"So beautiful! Sigh, but she’s already spoken for. I heard she’s Shangguan Tianjian’s fiancée."

"And that person, he must be the third-ranked Bo Qianyang, right?"

"That’s right. The Bo Family is one of the largest families in the Great Shang Dynasty. The one next to him is the twenty-first-ranked Ye Qingqing."

...

Everyone was pointing at the highly-anticipated geniuses of the Hidden Dragon List and discussing them animatedly, while these geniuses were also chatting amongst themselves in small groups.

"Qingqing, during this contest, you’ll stick with me. After all, you’re my fiancée. I’ll protect you," Bo Qianyang said to Ye Qingqing with a smile.

Hearing his voice, Ye Qingqing shot Bo Qianyang an annoyed glance. ’If my family hadn’t allied with the Bo Family, I would never be seen with this man.’

For although Bo Qianyang was ranked third, he was a notorious lecherous wastrel. What Ye Qingqing found even more unacceptable was that her family actually intended for her to marry him.

"Why don’t you go protect those women you hang around with all day. I don’t need your protection! And I will never marry you!" Ye Qingqing said coldly.

Bo Qianyang, however, was completely unbothered. He laughed, "How could those common trollops possibly compare to you?"

"Oh, right, Qingqing. I heard that a few months ago, that brat Yi Xiaoyao badly injured you and climbed to eighth on the Hidden Dragon List right over your head! During the upcoming contest, how about I settle the score for you and kill him?"

As he spoke, a frosty look crossed Bo Qianyang’s face as he looked at Ye Qingqing.

Upon hearing Yi Xiaoyao’s name, Ye Qingqing flinched, a complicated look flickering in her eyes.

’Yi Xiaoyao... Will he come?’ she murmured to herself.

’What’s killing one little Yi Xiaoyao if it means winning such a beautiful woman?’

’Eighth on the Hidden Dragon List?’ He, Bo Qianyang, didn’t give a damn.

Just then, the crowd suddenly erupted in an uproar, which made even Bo Qianyang look up.

The next moment, his pupils shrank as he let out a low cry, "Shangguan Tianjian!"

In the sky above, several enormous Griffins were flying over at high speed, carrying nearly ten people dressed in white robes.

"The people from the Cloud Transformation Sect are here!"

"The young man at the very front is Shangguan Tianjian!"

"Number one on the Hidden Dragon List, the strongest expert in the Golden Core Realm!"

A commotion swept through the crowd, all eyes converging on the young man with the imposing and nobly aloof bearing.

Shangguan Tianjian had once cut down three Nascent Soul Realm experts with a single slash. This combat record had yet to be surpassed and had already become the stuff of legend.

Behind Shangguan Tianjian, a few of the white-robed youths called out to him, "Senior Brother Shangguan, should we find a place to land?"

"No need," Shangguan Tianjian said indifferently. He had no desire to squeeze in with the vulgar crowd below; besides, he enjoyed this feeling of looking down from on high.

Shangguan Tianjian then swept his gaze over the crowd below. His eyes held an all-encompassing arrogance, as if no one present was worthy of his notice.

All who were caught in his gaze, even the top-ranking experts on the Hidden Dragon List, felt their hearts tremble as a profound sense of inferiority washed over them.

Before Shangguan Tianjian, no one had the right to display the slightest hint of arrogance.

The gap between them and this man was simply too vast—an abyss that no amount of effort could ever hope to cross.

"Senior Brother Shangguan, what are you looking for?" one of the white-robed youths asked.

"Yi Xiaoyao!"

Shangguan Tianjian’s icy voice rang out. He had heard that Yi Xiaoyao had been disrespectful to his father and had even killed disciples and elders of the Cloud Transformation Sect.

This time, his father, Shangguan Jingyun, had specifically instructed him to kill Yi Xiaoyao while he was at it.

The youths behind Shangguan Tianjian immediately understood and began scanning the crowd below, searching as well.

"Senior Brother Shangguan, found him! Yi Xiaoyao is over there!"

...