Dawn slowly crept over the region of the Heavenly Sword Sect.The thin mist hanging between the pillars of the stone buildings began to be swept away by the glow of the morning sun. The mountain peaks that previously appeared only as dark silhouettes now revealed their majestic forms, while golden rays pierced through the gaps in the pine foliage, warming the path leading to the main arena.From the row of lodging pavilions, the participants began to step outside. The atmosphere that on the first day was colored by tension now felt much calmer and more focused.Out of a total of forty-four participants who started the preliminary round, only twenty-four managed to survive. Those still standing here were no longer ordinary cultivators; they were selected talents proven to possess above-average endurance and combat capacity.Nevertheless, as Elder Bai Yun had warned previously: Yesterday's victory was not a guaranteed ticket to acceptance. And defeat did not necessarily close off all op

The echo of the bronze gong's sound had just subsided across all corners of the arena when Elder Bai Yun stepped forward, raising his hand to calm the atmosphere, then read out the next participant's name from the scroll of paper in his hand."The next match..."The atmosphere that had just begun to quiet down suddenly erupted once more with the whispering anticipation of the spectators.Bai Yun lowered his gaze for a moment before mentioning the two most anticipated names of the day."Qing Zilong." That voice paused briefly, creating a tense hiatus. "Versus... Wang Li."Instantly, the atmosphere inside the main arena exploded!"Qing Zilong!""Wang Li!" "Finally! This match is actually happening!""A duel between the top two geniuses!"The shouts and cheers of the spectators piled on top of each other, filling the air. Even the participants from other groups who were waiting for their turn at the corner of the stands immediately stood up or turned their heads toward the main arena.Th

Zilong tilted his body to the side. The fist passed by at an extremely close distance. Simultaneously, Zilong raised his right hand and tapped lightly on Wang Li's elbow.That touch used no heavy inner qi. Just a tiny push at the balance point.However, because Wang Li was pouring all his momentum and body weight forward to finish off his opponent, that tiny push proved fatal. His pivot point shattered instantly.Thud!Wang Li lost his balance, stumbling forward and nearly crashing down to kiss the ground. He hurriedly stomped his foot to brace his body, then looked up with a face flushing red with shame and fury.As soon as he straightened his posture, Zilong was already standing calmly a few steps away from him."Your movements are too rigid and easy to read," Zilong stated flatly."You...!" Wang Li roared in wrath, charging forward once more with his speed raised by a notch.BOOM!Spiritual energy exploded ferociously from both of his palms. "Mountain-Splitting Palm Technique!"A g

A sharp aura filled the arena. The ancient black sword slowly slid out of its scabbard, producing a soft blade-scratching sound that was clearly audible amidst dozens of pairs of eyes. Wang Li stared at the sword with ragged breathing. For some reason, an uncomfortable feeling suddenly arose in his chest, not because of Zilong's spiritual aura or cultivation level, but because the young man's gaze was too calm and cold, as if he had known the outcome of this fight from the very beginning."No," Wang Li growled inwardly. "I cannot be afraid. He is still Qing Zilong, the person I destroyed back then. I will not lose!"BOOM!Spiritual energy exploded from his body once again. Wang Li charged forward, launching a straight right punch toward Zilong's head. However, Zilong did not retreat. Just as the fist was about to reach his face, the black sword moved. The blade shifted slightly, altering the trajectory of Wang Li's strike so that it missed past the side of his head.Before Wang Li cou

Wang Li fell silent.His body was still kneeling in the middle of the arena, while his hands shook violently as he tried to channel Qi into his dantian.Nothing.Wang Li frowned, then tried once more with the remainder of his strength. However, the qi that usually flowed through his meridians like a raging river had now vanished, leaving a sharp, piercing pain across all of his joints."No..." His voice came out as a mere whisper.He bit his lip until it bled, forcing his pathways to channel energy even harder. But the next instant...Thud!Wang Li vomited a mouthful of fresh blood."Ugh!" His body lurched forward, and cold sweat instantly drenched his entire forehead.His meridians... were completely destroyed."Impossible..." Wang Li stared at both of his hands with a face as pale as a corpse. "Impossible!"He tried again. Once. Twice. Thrice. The result remained identically zero. No qi could flow normally, no strength could be gathered, and most terrifyingly, there was no longer an