Chapter 504 502: Destined Battle

In the blink of an eye, Tang Yingxue was swiftly defeated, without even a chance to resist. It wasn't just her who was shocked; the entire audience was stunned. The match had ended so inexplicably. 'Wasn't Lin Xuan having a hard time defending just a moment ago?'

How had he launched a counterattack in the blink of an eye? It was as if the Illusion Technique had no effect on him. When he had charged forward earlier, the crowd thought he was being controlled. But now it was clear—it wasn't that Lin Xuan was being controlled, it was that the Illusion Technique was completely useless against him!

"Mu Shuang… is victorious!" The referee, just now snapping back to his senses, immediately announced the match's result.

Only with this announcement did the audience recover from their shock, erupting into a clamorous uproar as they all voiced their astonishment.

"What just happened? Was the Illusion Technique useless?"

"It was over in the blink of an eye. Could it be that Mu Shuang was holding back? Is this his true strength?"

"It's possible. That's terrifying. If even Tang Yingxue's Illusion Technique is useless against him, doesn't that make him invincible?"

"My goodness, how old is he? He looks to be in his early twenties, and I hear he's even younger than Tang Yingxue. In a few more years, wouldn't he be completely Heaven-Defying?"

…

The crowd was dumbfounded, and even Mu Qianlong was stunned. He knew the extent of Tang Yingxue's strength; although he could defeat her, it would still take him considerable effort. Lin Xuan had taken quite a while, but the moment he unleashed his power, he instantly brought Tang Yingxue under control.

In other words, Lin Xuan could have defeated Tang Yingxue in the blink of an eye. He was just toying with her! He couldn't compete in terms of Soul Power, but he could have just used brute force to defeat her.

He didn't defeat her with Soul Power, but with sheer martial force!

"Th-this is impossible! Everything was going fine just a moment ago! Wasn't he controlled by the Illusion Technique?" Su Feng shot to his feet in shock, never expecting such a powerful disciple to be so easily defeated by Lin Xuan.

It had been the same with Shi Yalong before. Su Feng had been completely confident in both of them, but who knew the final result would shake him to his very core? He simply couldn't believe this was happening!

"Nothing is impossible, Elder Su. You've lost this round yet again," Bu Feiyun laughed heartily, feeling incredibly pleased. "In the future, if you're not absolutely certain of victory, it's best not to speak so recklessly. You'll only end up embarrassing yourself!" The Yan Family had been trampled, and now the Su Family had suffered two consecutive losses to Lin Xuan.

This made Bu Feiyun admire Lin Xuan more and more. He felt Lin Xuan was truly a lucky star sent from the heavens, finally allowing the Bu Family to hold their heads high.

The Su Family wore expressions of humiliation, but weren't the Elders of the Yan Family looking just as grim? First, Mu Junjie had been killed, and now their recruitment offer had been rejected, bringing great embarrassment upon the Yan Family.

At this rate, Lin Xuan might actually break into the top three. For families like theirs, which had consistently dominated the top five, this was a humiliating prospect.

Winning and losing is a normal part of competition. The problem was, their prestige was widespread, and their resources and conditions were far superior to the Bu Family's. To use an analogy, it was as if they were millionaires and the Bu Family were paupers. Despite having all the advantages, they had still lost to the paupers. How could they possibly hold their heads high after that?

Was this not the same as saying that all the resources they had invested were like feeding pigs? If those resources had been given to Lin Xuan instead, he would have absolutely crushed their disciples.

"Do you think you can beat Mu Qianlong?" Tang Yingxue suddenly asked.

Lin Xuan was taken aback. He hadn't expected a woman as taciturn as her to ask such a question. After a moment of thought, he replied, "I will."

"I'll remember you." Tang Yingxue bit her lip, a flicker of vexation in her beautiful eyes, then turned and walked away.

Lin Xuan was the first person to ever make her feel so powerless, throwing her mind into such turmoil that it was forming a Heart Demon. Normally, no matter how vast the difference in Cultivation, her technique should have at least some effect. But against Lin Xuan, there was nothing. This was completely impossible.

"I'm honored," Lin Xuan said with a faint smile, then turned and left the stage as well.

Although Tang Yingxue was from the Su Family, he hadn't delivered a killing blow. It wasn't that he was some soft-hearted fool; he simply hadn't detected any strong killing intent in her attacks. It was clear she knew when to stop and wouldn't kill indiscriminately.

In fact, it was evident from her fighting style. Although her previous opponents had been injured, their wounds weren't severe—just enough to knock them unconscious. It showed she practiced restraint.

This was unlike Mu Qianlong, whose opponents were left clinging to life by a thread.

"Xue'Er, I didn't disappoint you, did I?" Lin Xuan said with a gentle smile. "There was a small mishap earlier. It's thanks to you calling out to me. I'm sorry for making you worry."

He had used the Soul Pearl because he wanted to end the fight quickly, so Lin Xue wouldn't have to worry. 'Perhaps it isn't my own true power,' he thought, 'but since I possess this Soul Pearl, it *is* my power!'

Qing Deyun and the others were still stunned, only now snapping back to their senses. They exchanged glances, and in each other's eyes, they could see looks of wild joy.

With this, Lin Xuan had broken into the top eight! If he won just one more match, he would be in the top four. It was an unbelievable achievement.

In fact, just reaching the top eight was already an incredible feat. To break into the top eight from among thousands of geniuses—did that not prove he was exceptionally formidable?

"As long as you're okay…" Lin Xue said with a soft smile. No more words were needed; the look they shared said it all.

Lin Xuan smiled, then sat down to the side and began meditating to recover his energy, awaiting the next match.

「Soon, the top eight contestants were decided.」 The arrangements for the next round began, and the referee started announcing the matchups.

"Arena One: Mu Yulong versus Fan Chengfeng!"

"Arena Two: Mu Shuang versus Mu Qianlong!"

"Arena Three…"

…

The pairings were finally announced. To no one's surprise, Lin Xuan was matched against Mu Qianlong. The man who had harbored such deep hatred for him from the very start was now officially facing off against the contestant from the Celestial Successor Empire. When Lin Xuan had dealt with Mu Junjie, no one had witnessed the fight, but now, everyone would get to see it all unfold. In this clash of two titans, who would emerge victorious?

The majority believed Mu Qianlong would win. His strength was simply too immense, too brutal, and his overall capabilities seemed a cut above Lin Xuan's. Only a small minority believed Lin Xuan would be the victor; they had a persistent feeling that he still hadn't revealed his full power.

"We finally meet…" Mu Qianlong said, standing on the stage with mockery in his eyes. "I believe I said it before, you seem quite confident in your own abilities, don't you? Fine. I'll grant you the first three moves. I won't lift a finger until after your third strike!"

The match hadn't even begun, and he was already offering Lin Xuan a three-move handicap, a clear sign of his overflowing confidence in his own power. Whether it was a Soul Attack or an attack on his Physique, he clearly felt it made no difference.

"Alright!" Lin Xuan said with a faint smile. "In that case, I won't be polite."

'How could I refuse such a generous offer?' he thought. 'If my opponent is so determined to court death, then I can't be blamed for what happens next.'