Chapter 408 - 406: Pride of Heaven
Chapter 408: Chapter 406: Pride of Heaven
After the top hundred, there’s only one battle each day, yet it eliminates half the contestants.
Simple, yet highly efficient.
When Zhong Lin left the arena, Yu Shu, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time, suddenly appeared before him, looking at him full of resentment.
“If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t look at me with that expression. Or have you finally improved your taste in aesthetics?”
Zhong Lin looked at Yu Shu in her male outfit with speechless humor and made a quip.
“Tell me, how exactly are you cultivating? We clearly condensed our Xuandan at the same time, but now I’m still stuck in the Early Stage while you’ve reached the Late Stage.” Yu Shu said fiercely.
Zhong Lin adjusted his clothes and said calmly, “I am a genius.”
“…”
Really makes you want to hit someone!
But then a wave of helplessness surged in, because apart from being a genius, there really was no way to explain this scene.
Always called a genius herself, she now felt a genuine sense of powerlessness.
Seeing Yu Shu’s defeated expression, Zhong Lin laughed heartily and said, “How’s it going? Have you made it to the top hundred?”
“Too many geniuses.”
“Hm?”
“No.”
“Hahaha.”
Yu Shu glared at Zhong Lin discontentedly, “Enough! I came here to deliver a message, and if you keep mocking me, I’ll leave.”
“A message?”
“Yes, someone has set their eyes on you. It won’t be long before they contact you.”
“What makes you say that?”
Zhong Lin wondered.
“Have you heard of the Turtle Head Association?”
“Never heard of it.”
“Turtle Head refers to dominating the top. It’s a society formed by a group of Outer Disciples. They gather exceptionally talented disciples from the Outer Sect, attempting to dominate the top ten in the tournament through alliances to gain Sect rewards and training.” Yu Shu explained.
“Dominate? How do they dominate? Do they dare to use tricks offline?”
Though Yu Shu hadn’t heard the word “offline,” her intelligence easily grasped its meaning.
“’Offline’ is quite accurate. Don’t worry, they don’t dare to use tricks outside the arena. The Outer Sect tournament is a talent selection for the Sect. If they ruin the Sect’s plans, even True Disciples can’t save them. However, within the rules, they can use sneaky tactics, like forcing opponents into life-or-death fights, causing severe injuries even if one wins, rendering them unable to continue competing.”
Zhong Lin’s eyebrows furrowed as he pondered, “Are the members of this Turtle Head Association truly so selfless? Hurting others at the cost of their own losses? If they do so, they too will miss the top ten.”
“Without such tactics, they have no chance of making the top ten. As they put it, ’a vanguard for the king.’ When the king ascends the throne, they gain Secondary Merit. Those they push into the top ten will find ways to gather resources and help them grow, enabling them to become new ’kings’ in the next Outer Sect tournament.” Yu Shu said with a grim expression.
This tactic is extremely disgusting and doesn’t violate Sect rules. After all, forming a tight-knit group in the Sect is a common strategy, but applying it to the Outer Sect tournament feels wrong.
Zhong Lin raised an eyebrow, “First enrich yourself, then help others. The founder of this Turtle Head Association is quite talented! Must be the work of a True Disciple!”
“No, I heard from the ancestors it’s the work of a Saint Heir.”
Zhong Lin’s smile faded, and his expression became solemn.
Saint Heir.
The strongest among True Disciples, the face of the Sect, and the focus of Sect cultivation.
Heavenly Sword Sacred Land has five Saint Heirs, from first to fifth, possessing not only great strength but also authority surpassing some Elders.
The roots of this Turtle Head Association lie in a Saint Heir’s machinations, which shows deep and strong backing.
“Zhong Lin, now that you’re in the top fifty, you’re surely on their radar. Expect someone to contact you soon when you return, and prepare to handle it well, or the top fifty might be your limit,” Yu Shu said worriedly.
Zhong Lin nodded expressionlessly, “Thank you for informing me. I’ll be careful.”
Without further delay, they parted ways, and Zhong Lin returned to Juying Peak.
The next day.
“Ring number nine, Zhong Lin, You Hao.”
By this time, the Outer Disciple tournament had reached its final phase, which was the most thrilling phase.
The top fifty had been decided, and next, half would be eliminated.
Getting to this stage, every participant was a dragon among men, truly favored by the heavens.
Heavenly Sword Sacred Land is the ruler of the Sword Domain, gathering talents from a hundred nations within the Sword Domain. Those who stand out from hundreds of thousands of geniuses are geniuses among geniuses, true prodigies.
The midway point of Heavenly Sword Peak’s twenty-five rings was surrounded by spectators witnessing the birth of the top ten.
“I didn’t expect Zhong Lin’s opponent to be You Hao. It’s two tigers clashing; we don’t know who will prevail.”
“I think it’ll be Zhong Lin. Though I’ve never heard his name before, he’s one of the shining stars of this tournament, cultivating to the Late Stage of the Xuandan Realm, defeating opponents without needing a second move each time.”
“Not only that, he has already comprehended Sword Intent, and his Sword Dao is unparalleled. Since the beginning of this tournament, no one has forced him to draw his sword. It’s unimaginable what terror his sword would unleash if drawn.”
“That’s not necessarily true. I’ve heard his Lifebound Weapon isn’t a sword. Even though he comprehended Sword Intent, a non-sword Lifebound Weapon diminishes its power. Moreover, You Hao follows the path of the sword and comprehended Sword Intent, called the Blade Hero. It’s anyone’s game.”
“Indeed, I’m more favorable towards You Hao. It’s said that his mastery of blade techniques is innate, able to learn any technique after seeing it just once and even improve upon it. To be honest, he should be in the Sword Domain. Heavenly Sword Sacred Land indeed restricts his growth.”
Amidst the discussions, two figures flew onto the platform, each sizing up the other.
You Hao appeared as a young man in his twenties, donned in a black robe, his stance upright, his face chiseled and imposing, with a robust and muscular physique, sporting clean short hair.
Those bright eyes were especially daunting, making one dare not to look directly, as if a Heavenly Blade was about to slice through.
The two remained silent, gazing quietly at each other.
A sudden breeze arose, and in the next moment, both moved simultaneously.
An invisible force burst from You Hao, stirring the air within a thousand feet radius, as silent yet deadly Sword Qi spread.
“Kill!”
Thunderous sound erupted, and a dazzling blade light rose, piercing the sky, descending with force capable of cleaving rivers and seas.
This blade shone like Sun and Moon, blocking rivers and breaking seas, fiercely domineering.
Zhong Lin also snorted coldly, throwing a punch as his formidable Fist Power explosively emerged.
Boom!
The clash of fist and blade gleamed, a massive thunderous roar resounded across the heavens and earth, layers of ripples spreading, turning everything in their path to dust.