Ling Tian Sword God

"Horrifying! It's Sword Intent again! This Sword Intent is stronger than Wei Qingyi's Minor Sword Intent!"

The judges of Group Five were so astonished their mouths hung open. Ling Chen's Sword Intent had reached the pinnacle of Minor Sword Intent and seemed on the verge of advancing to Perfection Sword Intent.

"This kid has hidden himself too deeply."

The judge of Group Five sucked in a breath. He had originally thought Ling Chen hadn't mastered Sword Intent, considering it a great flaw. He hadn't expected Ling Chen's Sword Intent to be so strong; he had merely hidden it, only revealing it at the last moment.

Controlling Sword Intent so freely wasn't something an ordinary person could do.

On the battle stage, Ling Chen's aura was completely different. His white robe whipped about fiercely. An invisible Sword Momentum, infused with Sword Intent, instantly and mercilessly pierced Wei Qingyi's own. Wei Qingyi's rising Sword Momentum, under this attack that seemed to cut through nothingness, deflated like a popped balloon, utterly collapsing.

Wei Qingyi, standing opposite, felt terror bloom in his heart. Is this Ling Chen's true strength?

He knew just how powerful his meticulously prepared final, ultimate move was. Once unleashed, even those slightly stronger than him would be utterly defeated. But who could have predicted that Ling Chen not only comprehended Sword Intent but was also vastly superior in its application?

A sword light, gleaming like a shooting star, rushed toward him!

Wei Qingyi had no chance to even attempt a counter before the sword light struck him, sending him flying as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

CLANG! Sheathing his sword, Ling Chen walked off the stage. Wei Qingyi was defeated! The watching crowd was stunned into silence.

Before this, no one had anticipated Ling Chen was hiding Sword Intent. With such deep concealment, he had easily defeated his opponent. After all, in the eyes of many, Ling Chen was merely a rising star. He wasn't considered a favorite in this Martial World Tournament, which teemed with talents, and was thought to be a second-rate contestant at best.

What shocked them even more was that once Ling Chen unleashed his Sword Intent, Wei Qingyi was defeated without even a chance to make a move. The loss was swift and absolute!

Had Wei Qingyi been just an ordinary rising star, the crowd wouldn't have been so surprised. But in previous matches, he had defeated Leng Wu Xue, ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly List. Wei Qingyi had displayed astonishing combat power, convincing everyone he would be one of the new stars of this Martial World Tournament.

Thus, from any perspective, Wei Qingyi was no ordinary combatant; he was undoubtedly among the elite of the younger generation. Yet, such an expert couldn't withstand a single blow once Ling Chen revealed his true strength. This stark contrast left many in disbelief.

"Wei Qingyi's situation is rather unfortunate. If Ling Chen's sudden burst of power hadn't shattered his confidence, he might have had a chance to counterattack."

In the VIP seats, a prominent figure shook his head, lamenting Wei Qingyi's defeat.

"Wei Qingyi's defeat was no accident; it was inevitable."

Palace Master Xu Feihong of Sky Void Palace, who had also been watching the duel, commented.

Most people only saw that Ling Chen possessed Sword Intent, failing to grasp the subtleties of that moment. However, a Sky Apex Realm Swordsman like Xu Feihong could perceive much more.

As a swordsman, Ling Chen was indeed stronger than Wei Qingyi. Furthermore, Xu Feihong sensed that Ling Chen had yet to unleash his full power.

"Impressive! I didn't expect Group Five, considered the least competitive, to feature such an intense duel," a young prodigy couldn't help but remark.

Someone beside him added, "Indeed. I have a feeling that if Ling Chen had been serious from the start, Wei Qingyi probably wouldn't have lasted three moves."

"Possibly. Haven't you noticed? Has Ling Chen even fought at full strength yet? Only Wei Qingyi managed to draw out his Sword Intent."

"This Martial World Tournament is truly teeming with hidden masters. First, there are young paragons like Snow Endless and Young Master Huo Yu. Then, we have the gifted experts from the Heavenly List. And now, these rising talents have suddenly emerged. Every one of them is concealing their true strength; one wouldn't know what realm they've reached until the most critical moment."

"This truly deserves to be called the most glorious Martial World Tournament in centuries! If we knew the outcome from the beginning, what would be the point?"

"Haha, this is absolutely thrilling! I'm eager to see who among the younger generation will have the last laugh, who will rank in the top ten, and who will be inscribed on the Martial Arts Monument."

Far too many people had taken notice of this battle. After all, despite the numerous groups, it was obvious which one hosted the most exciting matches. The fight between Ling Chen and Wei Qingyi had been riveting. Initially, the outcome seemed uncertain, with neither gaining a clear advantage. But the situation shifted dramatically with many twists. First, Wei Qingyi was pressured into revealing his ultimate technique, his aura surging as if victory was his. Yet, Ling Chen held more surprises, suddenly unleashing his Sword Intent and overwhelming Wei Qingyi.

Such a thrilling battle made the spectators' blood boil with excitement. Many were itching to draw their own weapons, leap onto the stage, and test their skills against these combatants.

It seems you haven't wasted this past year. However, I'm sure you're capable of even more than this.

Despite the considerable distance, Xu Ruoyan had also watched the battle. A brilliant light shone in her beautiful eyes. The stronger Ling Chen appeared, the happier she felt. Only then would she have a chance to face Ling Chen and fulfill her purpose for participating in this Martial World Tournament.

Unlike others, her primary goal in this tournament wasn't to be inscribed on the Martial Arts Monument or achieve similar accolades; it was to defeat Ling Chen.

Elsewhere, a glint flashed in the eyes of Xue Wu Ya, the "Northern Snow Divine Sword." Ling Chen, having comprehended Sword Intent, had piqued his interest. How long this interest would last depended on the true extent of Ling Chen's strength. If this was all he had, Xue Wu Ya could finish him in three sword strikes at most—perhaps even fewer.

As for Fu Tian Jue, Young Master Huo Yu, Bai Qingwei, and the others, their expressions remained impassive. The strength Ling Chen had displayed so far was unremarkable to them. At their level, the disparity was immense. If he couldn't pose a genuine threat, he wasn't even worthy of their notice.

"Hmph. Too many people are still concealing their true strength—like the three of us. He's merely a showy clown," a black-clad youth in the crowd snorted dismissively.

This was the same black-robed youth who had earlier defeated Du Yifeng, the "Blade of Benevolent King."

Beside him, a woman in black, her face half-obscured by a hood, said indifferently as a deep red glint flashed in her eyes, "With this level of strength, reaching the top ten will be difficult for him."

Standing before them was a slender figure. Though appearing feminine, this person was, in fact, male.

Young Master Ye's eyes, like the night sky, held a hint of amusement as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Underestimate him, and you will suffer for it. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Yes."

Though reluctant, the pair nodded, their expressions somewhat odd. But since even he had spoken, there had to be a reason. Still, they struggled to comprehend what made this Ling Chen worthy of such attention; they truly couldn't see it.