Chapter 510 508: Array Master

Lin Xuan's match had just ended, and so had the matches in the other arenas. All bouts had started simultaneously—it wasn't a system where one round had to finish before the next could begin.

While this meant some exciting moments might be missed, the truly fierce battles were the final four showdowns. And of course, the most anticipated of all was the championship match. That was the main event, and no one knew who would ultimately claim the title.

Of the four remaining contestants, the Yan and Su families accounted for two spots, while the Chen Family claimed one. As the third-ranked family, the Chen Family's disciples were quite formidable. The Zhang Family, however, had no one left, and the Bu Family was represented solely by Lin Xuan.

Usually, neither the Bu nor the Zhang Family would make it this far, while the Chen Family might occasionally have a few disciples place high.

"Hm?" Lin Xuan looked up to find a gaze filled with fighting spirit directed his way. He followed the line of sight and saw Mu Yulong staring at him.

Mu Yulong's face was expressionless, but his eyes blazed with the will to fight. He held no killing intent for Lin Xuan, no hatred—only the pure desire for battle. And that was the most terrifying thing. A man radiating killing intent might be a villain, but a man overflowing with endless battle lust was a madman.

A madman was far more terrifying. To win, he would do anything, regardless of the consequences.

Lin Xuan didn't look away, meeting Mu Yulong's stare. After only a few breaths, a smile formed on Mu Yulong's lips. It looked stiff and unnatural. 'He must not smile often. It's an ugly smile, but at least he's smiling.'

Lin Xuan didn't know what Mu Yulong was smiling about, but it sent a shiver down his spine. It made him deeply uncomfortable, like he was a predator's new target.

'Strong! Incredibly strong!'

That was the impression Mu Yulong gave him. His Cultivation was the same as Mu Qianlong's—both were at the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Pill Stage. But despite having the same Cultivation Level, Mu Yulong felt far more powerful, as if he possessed the ability to instantly kill Mu Qianlong with ease.

'If I keep advancing, I'll probably face him. In fact, I might face him in the very next round.'

'If I can help it, I'd rather not fight someone like him,' Lin Xuan thought, shaking his head. He didn't want to face him, but he had a strong feeling Mu Yulong would win his next match. The other two semifinalists were certainly not weak, but he sensed Mu Yulong could defeat either of them with ease.

As for facing Mu Yulong himself, Lin Xuan felt immense pressure. He suspected Mu Yulong possessed some kind of unconventional ability. He had secretly watched his previous matches, and Mu Yulong had ended every single one in a single move. He never needed a second.

The crucial part was that his technique was shockingly ordinary. He would simply rush forward and land a heavy punch—no fancy flourishes, just a simple, decisive blow. While it was a one-hit victory, it wasn't particularly lethal. He merely defeated his opponents, unlike Mu Qianlong, whose matches ended with his opponent's death.

If Mu Yulong had thrown a second punch, his opponents would surely be dead. He just couldn't be bothered; it was meaningless to him.

"Grand Elder, I was wondering... am I permitted to use this Yunlan Sacred Robe?" Lin Xuan decided to ask Bu Feiyun directly. If the Grand Elder didn't intend for him to keep it, he would have no choice but to hand it over.

Bu Feiyun was a supreme expert; how could he dare to refuse? 'Still, it would be pretty disheartening if he took it back,' Lin Xuan thought.

"There's no need for that," Bu Feiyun replied, giving the perfect answer. "You earned it. Besides, wearing it in the tournament will give you a significant advantage."

"Thank you, Grand Elder!" Lin Xuan felt he had made the right choice in joining the Bu Family. If Bu Feiyun had taken the robe back, his goodwill toward the family would have plummeted.

Next came a week-long rest period. After several consecutive matches, even an Iron Man would have consumed a great deal of Elemental Power, so a proper rest was essential.

After a bout of excitement, Qing Deyun and the others sent Lin Xuan to the Recovery Chamber. Restoring his strength was, after all, the most important thing right now.

"Brother Lin, you've worked so hard..." Lin Xue leaned against him. She couldn't help him in any way; all she could do was watch from the sidelines, lacking even the qualifications to participate.

"It was nothing," Lin Xuan said with a smile. He retrieved the Yunlan Sacred Robe from his Storage Ring and held it out to her. "Here, put this on. It will keep you much safer."

He gave the precious Yunlan Sacred Robe to Lin Xue without a moment's hesitation, not even frowning. He felt that she needed it more than he did. His greatest wish was for her to be safe.

"Brother Lin, I... I can't take this! You need it for the tournament, you can..."

Before Lin Xue could say more, Lin Xuan gently covered her mouth with his hand. "There's no need for discussion," he said softly. "You just have to listen to me, understand?"

A gentle look filled Lin Xue's eyes, and she finally nodded. When Lin Xuan released his hand, she leaned softly against his chest. "I'll listen to you, Brother Lin," she murmured. "But I still want to say this... even if you want to give it to me, can you please wait until after the tournament is over?"

"Sigh... I'm worried the Yan Family might try something against you," Lin Xuan admitted, voicing his true concern. Who knew what they might do to Lin Xue? With the protection of the Yunlan Sacred Robe, she would be at least a little safer.

"If they really decide to make a move, even the Yunlan Sacred Robe won't be able to stop them..." Lin Xue looked up, her gaze fixed on Lin Xuan's resolute face. "If you want to protect us, the most important thing you can do right now is stay alive. That's why you have to wear the Yunlan Sacred Robe!"

She didn't ask him to get into the top three, only to stay alive. As long as he was alive, there was hope.

"Sigh... Alright, then." Lin Xuan finally yielded to Lin Xue and agreed to wear it.

After their brief, tender moment, Lin Xuan went to the Recovery Chamber. A few days later, just as he emerged, he received a summons to see Bu Feiyun.

"Grand Elder, you wished to see me?" Lin Xuan asked as he entered the council hall. He saw that the faces of the many Elders present were grim, and the atmosphere felt tense.

Bu Feiyun looked at Lin Xuan as he entered and sighed. "Your next opponent has been chosen. It's Jiang Xuanyuan of the Su Family. His greatest strength is that he's an Array Master. Very few people practice the art of Arrays, and he's considered the one with the best chance of contending with Mu Yulong. Based on your current strength, you will most likely suffer a crushing defeat. Mu Qianlong and Jiang Xuanyuan are on completely different Levels. If you can, you should consider surrendering before you get injured."

No wonder the atmosphere was so somber. His opponent was Jiang Xuanyuan, an Array Master. Array Masters were exceedingly rare, mainly because their Cultivation was incredibly difficult, but their power was correspondingly immense.

Facing an Array Master was like fighting against the heavens themselves, which was why Bu Feiyun was already advising him to surrender. They had all thought his next opponent would be from the Chen Family, but that hope was now dashed. It was someone from the Su Family.

Against someone from the Chen Family, he would have had a chance to win. But against Jiang Xuanyuan of the Su Family, the difficulty was on an entirely different scale.