If I stay in the Hehuan Sect, I'll live off the pampered daughters of the Heavenly Pride Sect.

If the previous day's "battle between Xie and Qin" was a grand performance showcasing human relationships and social skills...

So today's quarterfinals will be a brutal, no-nonsense battle, a true clash of titans.

The morning sunlight shone on the training ground, but it could not dispel the almost solidified, chilling atmosphere in the air.

The selection process to narrow down the field from 16 to 8 has concluded.

Those who relied on luck, connections, or, like the senior brother, "acting skills," have basically all left the stage.

The remaining eight people were all true killing machines of the Hehuan Sect.

Mo Chengyue remained huddled in that inconspicuous corner.

But he didn't eat sunflower seeds or drink tea today.

He even tightened his life-saving "soft armor" a little more.

The person standing on the stage made him instinctively feel a sense of... danger that made his hair stand on end.

Arena Number Three.

Second Senior Sister Qin Wanzhuang was still dressed in a black outfit, with a high ponytail and a blood jade hair clip.

After a night's rest, she seemed to have recovered from the anger of being "humiliated" by her senior brother yesterday.

Instead, a purer, colder fighting spirit has taken its place.

The feeling was like a sharp blade that had just come off a whetstone, its edge gleaming, eager to drink blood.

And opposite her.

He was an ordinary-looking young man.

Xiao Fan.

The "super rookie" from Tiantai Peak who had only been a student for less than a year but had risen to the top like a rocket.

He was dressed in a faded disciple's robe, his face resolute, his eyes calm and unwavering.

He held a long black spear in his hand, the tip of which was pointed diagonally at the ground, without any spiritual energy emanating from it.

He just stood there casually.

However, in Mo Chengyue's view of the Yin-Yang Qi Observation Technique.

The energy dormant within Xiao Fan's body is like an ancient ferocious beast taking a nap!

"This is only the early stage of Core Formation?"

Mo Chengyue's lips twitched as he mentally ranted.

"This spiritual energy density is three times more concentrated than that of my second senior sister, who is in the mid-stage of Core Formation!"

"Cheating! Where's the referee? Isn't anyone going to do anything about it?"

"This is absolutely a cheat code of the 'version' level!"

Mo Chengyue quickly pulled out a small notebook, drew three red skulls after "Xiao Fan's" name, and added a note:

[Extremely dangerous! Possesses combat awareness and trump cards beyond his current level; suspected to be possessed or reborn from an ancient monster. Do not attempt to fight him head-on. It is recommended to avoid him in the future, or finish him off when he is severely injured.]

……

"Tiantai Peak, Xiao Fan."

Xiao Fan slightly cupped his hands, his tone as indifferent as if he were asking a neighbor if they had eaten.

"Qingquan Peak, Qin Wanzhuang"

Qin Wanzhuang coldly returned the greeting.

She didn't waste any words, nor did she even try to probe.

After yesterday's frustrating battle, she desperately needs a satisfying fight to prove her Dao heart.

"Zheng—!"

The longsword was drawn, and a crimson light filled the sky.

"Nine Slashes of the Blazing Sun - Third Form: Heaven-Burning!"

Without any build-up, he immediately unleashed his ultimate move!

Qin Wanzhuang learned her lesson. Since technique might be neutralized, she would crush it with absolute force!

The terrifying fiery sword energy, like a roaring fire dragon, instantly engulfed the distance between the two.

The high temperature distorted the air, and even the protective shield around the arena made a "sizzling" sound.

The power of this sword strike is three times stronger than the one that struck my senior brother yesterday!

"Oh no, this kid's going to turn into a roast pig."

The audience gasped in surprise.

however.

Xiao Fan, who was at the center of the storm, didn't even lift his eyelids.

Just as the fire dragon was about to devour him.

He moved.

It's not about avoiding.

Instead, move forward!

Instead of retreating, he advanced, taking a step forward. The black spear in his hand, like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, instantly struck the fire dragon's weakest point.

"break."

He gave a soft shout.

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

That seemingly world-destroying fire dragon, under this single shot, was like a snake struck at its vital point, instantly disintegrating into a sky full of sparks!

"What?!"

Qin Wanzhuang's pupils suddenly contracted.

Her move was a full-force attack from the late stage of Core Formation, yet it was so easily... countered by someone in the early stage of Core Formation?

This unscientific!

"Senior sister, your sword is too slow."

Xiao Fan's voice echoed across Mars.

next second.

A black afterimage tore through the flames.

Xiao Fan had already appeared three feet in front of Qin Wanzhuang!

That's the optimal distance for a spear attack.

"When?!"

Although Qin Wanzhuang was shocked, her fighting instincts were extremely strong.

She immediately parried with her sword while simultaneously activating her protective aura.

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"

A series of rapid clanging sounds echoed throughout the stadium.

fast!

too fast!

Xiao Fan's spear seemed to transform into hundreds of black lightning bolts, piercing Qin Wanzhuang from all sorts of incredible angles.

Every shot was powerful and heavy, every shot aimed straight for the vital points!

Qin Wanzhuang's proud "Blazing Sun Sword Technique" was completely suppressed at this moment and could not be used at all!

She was like someone trapped in a tight, black net, only able to passively take the beating, without even a chance to catch her breath!

Mo Chengyue, sitting in the audience, felt a chill run down his spine.

"This is hardly a challenge beyond one's level."

"This is clearly a max-level character going back to the newbie village to stomp on noobs!"

"Such control over the rhythm of battle, such refined use of spiritual power... Second Senior Sister's defeat was not unjust."

Mo Chengyue saw it very clearly.

Xiao Fan didn't use his full strength at all.

He was dismantling Qin Wanzhuang's moves in an almost playful way, as if using her as a whetstone for practice.

"Is this the protagonist template?"

"Terrifying indeed."

On the arena.

Qin Wanzhuang was clearly aware of this as well.

humiliation!

This is an even greater humiliation than yesterday!

"Aaaaaah!!"

Qin Wanzhuang roared angrily, and the golden core in her body spun wildly, actually starting to burn her essence blood!

"Nine Slashes of the Blazing Sun - Forbidden Technique - Sunfall!"

boom--!!!

An extremely violent energy, even carrying a hint of destruction, erupted from her body.

The entire arena instantly turned into daylight!

She seemed to transform into a falling sun, crashing down on Xiao Fan with a sense of suicidal intent.

This is already an attack at the half-step Nascent Soul level!

This is also Qin Wanzhuang's last shred of dignity!

Faced with this desperate attack.

Xiao Fan finally stopped his attack.

He looked at the falling "sun," a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

But it was only a trace.

"That's interesting."

"But that's all."

Xiao Fan took a deep breath, gripped the gun handle tightly with his right hand, and the muscles on his arm bulged instantly, with faint black dragon scale patterns appearing.

"roar--!"

A vast and ancient dragon's roar suddenly resounded deep within everyone's souls!

Mo Chengyue felt a sharp pain in his soul, and the teacup in his hand was instantly crushed.

"Dragon's Might?!"

"Does this kid have dragon blood? Or a dragon soul artifact?"

On the arena.

Xiao Fan thrust out with his spear.

A simple, unadorned shot.

But the moment the spear was thrust out, the world seemed to dim for a moment.

All the light was swallowed up by the single black glint at the tip of the spear.

That was pure, ultimate destructive power!

puff--

There was no earth-shattering collision.

It's like puncturing a balloon with a needle.

The raging "sun" was instantly annihilated the moment it touched the tip of the spear!

Qin Wanzhuang's figure appeared.

The longsword in her hand had broken into two pieces.

Xiao Fan's cold, black spear tip was firmly positioned an inch in front of her throat.

If the message had been delivered even a fraction of a second further, this second senior sister of Qingquan Peak would have perished.

The entire room fell silent.

The wind stopped.

Qin Wanzhuang stared blankly at the tip of the gun so close to her, and at the young man in front of her who hadn't even taken a breath.

Her face turned deathly pale, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed.

Lost.

We lost completely.

If yesterday's loss to Xie Buci was due to the opponent's cheating, then...

So today, she was completely overwhelmed in terms of strength, skill, and awareness in a head-on confrontation.

Moreover, the other party's cultivation level was one level lower than hers!

This blow was devastating for a proud swordsman.

"Thank you for your concession."

Xiao Fan sheathed his spear, turned around, and stepped off the stage.

The movements were fluid and seamless, without any hesitation or delay.

It was as if he had just defeated not a top talent of the Hehuan Sect, but a stray cat or dog on the roadside.

Only after Xiao Fan's figure disappeared into the crowd did the elder referee come to his senses and announce tremblingly:

"The victor... is Xiao Fan from Tiantai Peak!"