Ling Tian Sword God

"Lose to me!"

Xue Jingfeng's gaze was fixated on the area consumed by the Sword Light. Given the strength of his strike, there was no way Ling Chen should have been able to withstand it. It might not kill Ling Chen, but it should, at the very least, severely wound him.

However, the next moment, as the Sword Light faded, a silhouette emerged from the dust cloud.

"How is that possible?"

Xue Jingfeng's pupils contracted abruptly, his face etched with disbelief.

The floor where Ling Chen had stood was completely shattered, pockmarked with craters and holes. Yet, aside from slightly torn clothes and a few minor scratches, Ling Chen was otherwise unscathed. He had weathered the attack almost flawlessly.

Just before the Sword Light struck, Ling Chen had drawn his Heavenly Emperor Heavy Sword, crossing it with his other sword before him to deflect most of the force. Of course, the primary reason for his resilience was the Beastman Blood Refining Technique he cultivated. Having refined the Yin Dragon Essence Blood, Ling Chen's current physical fortitude was comparable to an Exotic Beast at the early Third Grade. If he were to fully transform, his physical strength would increase even further.

"I lost."

Seeing that even his strongest sword technique had failed to defeat Ling Chen, Xue Jingfeng felt a profound sense of defeat. Even if they were to fight again, he knew he stood no chance of winning.

"That was a formidable sword attack. If it were the me from six months ago, I would have already been defeated."

Ling Chen sheathed his sword, speaking lightly. He was telling the truth. If he still possessed the strength he had displayed at the Sword Conclave in the City of Ze, Xue Jingfeng's attack would have been enough to defeat him then. However, Ling Chen's power was constantly increasing. He had undoubtedly widened the gap between himself and Xue Jingfeng.

The younger generation was brimming with potential. Everyone was progressing. Whoever progressed faster and improved more would become the king of their generation.

"But you are no longer the person you were six months ago."

Xue Jingfeng shook his head, unwilling to accept Ling Chen's comforting words. Despite his defeat, he showed no signs of dejection. Instead, he continued to look at Ling Chen, eager for a rematch in the future.

To fall is only a prelude to rising again. Failure itself isn't frightening; what's truly terrifying is to lose all spirit after a setback. That would be genuine defeat.

"After defeating two genius swordsmen in a row, it seems Ling Chen is likely to win the title of The First Swordsman of the younger generation in this conference."

"Excluding the Northern Snow Divine Sword, Ling Chen's only remaining opponent is Sky Heart Swordsman Feng Piaoling. I reckon even Feng Piaoliu might not be a match for Ling Chen."

"It's hard to say. We can't predict their strength. For all we know, they're hiding some unknown trump cards, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Indeed. Whoever wins consecutively until the end will be the king of the younger generation. A single loss means elimination. So, from this point on, no one can afford to lose. One defeat, and all prior efforts are for naught."

The spectators in the audience buzzed with discussion, speculating on outcomes and analyzing strategies. It was quite the event.

The duel concluded, and Ling Chen stepped down from the martial arts competition stage.

Just then, a familiar female scream suddenly echoed from a nearby martial arts competition stage, causing Ling Chen's brow to furrow.

Following the sound, Ling Chen looked over. On that stage, a familiar, graceful figure, covered in blood, was falling like a kite with a snapped string.

"Mu Yu!"

Ling Chen's pupils constricted. In a flash, he appeared twenty meters away, catching the falling figure.

Xiao Muyu was severely injured; two of her ribs were broken, and she had fallen unconscious.

Ling Chen retrieved a Healing Medicine from his Heavenly Mansion Ring and fed it to Xiao Muyu. Then, he transferred some of his True Qi to her, safeguarding her heart meridians to prevent her injuries from worsening.

"Hmph. With such meager skills, you actually made it to the second round? You're lucky you encountered this Lord Tian Sha! Otherwise, a minnow like you might have actually slipped through."

On the stage, the one who had defeated Xiao Muyu was a young man dressed in black—the same man who had previously defeated Du Yifeng, the "Blade of Benevolent King."

"Your Excellency, why did you strike so heavily?"

Ling Chen's gaze shifted to the stage, settling on Tian Sha.

"I gave her a chance to concede, but she refused. So, I had to teach her a lesson. Minnows should know their place. What are you looking at? In the eyes of this Lord, you're just another minnow."

Tian Sha's arrogance was palpable; he clearly held Ling Chen in utter disregard.

"You better pray you don't run into me. Otherwise, I'll beat you until you're searching the ground for your teeth."

A cold light flashed in Ling Chen's eyes. He then picked up Xiao Muyu and walked towards the Divine Intent Sect's area.

"Arrogant brat! 'Beat you until your fangs and claws are scattered all over the ground,' heh heh. No one has ever dared to speak to this old man like that... If I don't leave you completely crippled, I truly won't be satisfied!"

A chilling intent surged in Tian Sha's eyes; he had clearly developed killing intent towards Ling Chen.

I didn't expect Xiao Muyu to mean so much to him.

Xu Ruoyan watched this unfold from a distance, a complicated feeling stirring within her. She had almost never seen Ling Chen so enraged.

Over at the Divine Intent Sect's area, Shentu Yan personally attended to Xiao Muyu's injuries. With the help of a Top Sky Apex Strong, Xiao Muyu was out of immediate danger for the time being.

"Xiao Yin, do me a favor. Rig the drawing box so that fellow becomes my next opponent," Ling Chen whispered, pulling Ling Yin aside.

With sufficient Mental Power, one could manipulate objects from a distance. Ling Yin's Mental Power had reached Level 16. Never mind full telekinesis, manipulating a small drawing card posed no problem for her.

"Understood." Ling Yin nodded. "But, Brother Ling Chen, you must be ruthless. Avenge Sister Xiao properly."

"Don't worry. When have I ever let you down?"

A slight smile touched Ling Chen's lips, and a sharp glint flickered in his eyes as they landed on Tian Sha in the distance. His hands clenched into fists. This is the first time I've ever wanted to beat someone up this badly.

The second round of the elimination tournament concluded as match after match came to an end.

Some eliminations were unexpected. Warriors like Xue Jingfeng and Shangguan Qiushui possessed the strength to advance, but their luck was poor, and they encountered opponents who were too strong, forcing them to stop at the second round.

As for the other matches, there were no major upsets. Most of the favored competitors smoothly advanced to the third round.

The draw for the third round commenced.

The moment Ling Chen reached into the drawing box, Ling Yin closed her eyes. She carefully released an invisible wave of Mental Power that flowed into the box.

Almost instantly, before Ling Chen even moved, a drawing card flew into his hand.

"Hm?"

Behind Young Master Ye, the expression of the woman with blood-red pupils flickered; she seemed to have sensed something amiss.