Martial Arts Overlord

Chen Wan was a peak Martial Artist in the seventh layer of the Essence Storage Realm, her cultivation a whole level higher than Bing Ruolan's.

Unexpectedly, Bing Ruolan held her own against Chen Wan for over twenty exchanges, not falling behind in the slightest.

"Bing Ruolan's level of Swordsmanship is truly astounding." Xu Mei watched the two fighters on the stage with a touch of surprise.

Luo Feng nodded. Although Bing Ruolan's comprehension of Martial Arts couldn't compare to his, she was still outstanding among ordinary people.

Now that Bing Ruolan cultivated the Phantom Phoenix Sky Cloud Dance, her movements were as light as the wind. This perfectly complemented her elegant and agile swordsmanship style, allowing it to shine magnificently.

After over twenty exchanges, Chen Wan's initially relaxed demeanor gradually turned serious.

Although her cultivation was far superior to Bing Ruolan's, the latter proved unexpectedly tenacious. Her swordplay was unpredictable, her movement technique elegant and nimble. She advanced and retreated with ease, leaving no openings to exploit!

Thirty moves! Forty moves!...

The intense clash between the two beauties drew waves of cheers from the spectators, each louder than the last.

Fifty moves into the exchange, Bing Ruolan suddenly retreated a few steps. Her sapphire-like eyes fixed on Chen Wan as her presence shifted abruptly.

"Star-piercing Swordsmanship!"

The two-finger-thin sword quivered slightly, its tip aimed directly at Chen Wan. Bing Ruolan's sword momentum, initially flowing and graceful, suddenly turned as fierce as a thunderstorm!

WHOOSH!

The slender sword tore a terrifying gash in the air, like a comet streaking across the night sky, as it thrust towards Chen Wan. Its immense power made many in the audience shiver.

Chen Wan, enveloped by this sword momentum, felt an overwhelming force, and her face paled. She quickly brandished her broadsword, pushing the Yuan Qi within her to its absolute limit.

"Butterfly Cocoon!"

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!...

Chen Wan swung her broadsword, creating an impenetrable wall of saber images.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!...

Saber gleams and sword shadows clashed relentlessly, sending sparks flying across the platform. The intense sounds of impact were incessant.

Pressured by the sword momentum, Chen Wan retreated continuously, yet she couldn't dispel the pervasive force of the attack.

Suddenly, Bing Ruolan's aura subsided. She halted and said, "You've lost."

Chen Wan turned her head and found herself unknowingly at the edge of the high stage. If she retreated even half a step more, she would fall off the high stage.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Wan sheathed her broadsword and smiled. "I never expected your Swordsmanship to be at such a high level. I am utterly convinced of my defeat!"

With Bing Ruolan's victory over Chen Wan, the first round of the elimination tournament concluded.

The ten matches of the second round didn't take much time. In each match, the drawn opponents were either too strong or too weak, so there was little excitement.

Luo Feng's match was the ninth. Whether by fate or chance, his opponent turned out to be that same small-eyed Martial Artist, Song Jian.

The small-eyed Martial Artist had just been slapped by Xu Mei; his face was still swollen, and he had lost a few teeth. Upon seeing Luo Feng, he was like a mouse that had seen a cat and immediately conceded, not daring to even step onto the high stage.

「Third round of the elimination.」

The first eight matches were uneventful, and Luo Feng also easily defeated his opponents.

"Third round, ninth match: Gu Yunfei of Tianlan School versus Lu Shan of Wanluo School!"

As the elder's voice fell, the long-silent Martial Arts Plaza erupted once more with waves of cheers.

"'Sky Heart Swordsman' Gu Yunfei is going to fight Lu Shan!"

"I wonder which is stronger, Gu Yunfei's Hengtian Swordsmanship or Lu Shan's Iron Shirt Refining Body Technique!"

"I think Gu Yunfei will win. Gu Yunfei's Hengtian Swordsmanship is traceless and incredibly powerful. So far, no one has been able to withstand a single sword strike from him!"

"That's hard to say. Lu Shan's Iron Shirt Refining Body Technique seems to have reached Great Accomplishment. To this day, no one has managed to breach his defense."

The spectators in the stands discussed this fervently, their gazes drawn to the first platform.

Luo Feng too turned his gaze to the first platform; his attention had also been drawn to these two.

「On the first platform.」

A teenager with a cold gaze stood expressionlessly, his right hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

Opposite the cold-eyed teenager stood a tall youth dressed in purple robes.

The tall youth had a square face and prominent ears. His bulging muscles strained his clothes. His entire being radiated tiger-like Jing Qi, and his eyes were fierce.

Noticing the position of the cold-eyed teenager's right hand, the tall youth sneered, "Gu Yunfei, I've been observing you. Judging by your stance, do you also intend to defeat me with a single sword strike?"

'Sky Heart Swordsman' Gu Yunfei's gaze was chilling, like two beams of sword light. "You are somewhat stronger than the others. However, three sword strikes will suffice!"

The towering Lu Shan roared with laughter. A thunderous sound rumbled from within him as his imposing aura surged, growing with each passing moment. The color of his muscles gradually deepened, as if they were turning into blocks of hard iron.

"You truly are arrogant! I'd like to see how you plan to defeat me in three sword strikes!"

Lu Shan advanced on Gu Yunfei step by step. With every step, his aura grew fiercer.

Gu Yunfei, expressionless, suddenly gripped his sword hilt.

He drew! He thrust!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Three streaks of sword light distorted the air, instantly materializing around Lu Shan.

Lu Shan smiled confidently. His arms whirled like windmills, sweeping left and right, easily shattering two of the sword light streaks.

When the sword light struck his clothes, it surprisingly produced the sound of clashing metal, yet his clothes remained entirely undamaged!

After shattering two streaks of sword light, Lu Shan let out a savage laugh and reached out to grab the third!

Just as his fingers were about to crush the sword light, the previously straight-traveling light suddenly arced. It leaped half a meter upwards, then plunged downwards with the force of a thunderbolt!

"Sky Snake Shoots Frog!"

WHOOSH!

This sword strike was unbelievably fast. Before Lu Shan could react, the sword tip was already at his throat, a thin line of crimson blood trickling down the blade.

Lu Shan stood frozen, staring blankly at the blood on the sword's edge, somewhat dazed.

"I've lost."

A moment later, Lu Shan finally spoke, his face etched with unwillingness.

Gu Yunfei nodded and sheathed his sword.

"Huh, Lu Shan lost so quickly? What on earth happened with that last sword strike?"

"I don't know either. Looking back now, that final sword strike was terrifying. My eyes couldn't follow it, my senses couldn't keep up, even my intuition failed! It was simply beyond prediction."

"Mm, 'Sky Heart Swordsman' Gu Yunfei truly lives up to his name."

Not far away, 'Traceless Young Master' Ji Wufa narrowed his eyes, glancing at Gu Yunfei.

After Gu Yunfei's victory over Lu Shan, the subsequent fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds offered no particularly striking battles.

Luo Feng also encountered no formidable opponents, advancing with a string of easy victories.

「The seventh round, the third match.」

"Seventh round, third match: Tianlan School's Gu Yunfei against Floating Snow School's Ji Wufa."

As the voice of the elder announcing the draw faded, the entire Martial Arts Plaza fell exceptionally silent.

Up to this point, any match in the ranking tournament where one of the Four Great New Talents was drawn had ended in a forfeit.

Everyone assumed this time would be no different.

However, Gu Yunfei suddenly strode onto the high stage!

The crowd was stunned for a moment. Then, instantly, the entire Martial Arts Plaza erupted in thunderous cheers.

"'Sky Heart Swordsman' Gu Yunfei is actually going to challenge Ji Wufa!"

"Both are masters of Swordsmanship; this duel will surely be magnificent! But Gu Yunfei must know he's no match for Ji Wufa. Why is he still challenging him?"

Looking at the two figures on the platform, heated discussions filled the Martial Arts Plaza.

Luo Feng clearly understood Gu Yunfei's intention in challenging Ji Wufa. For a Swordsman, a worthy opponent is a rare opportunity. Ji Wufa had comprehended Sword Intent. Gu Yunfei undoubtedly hoped to gain insights into Sword Intent by sparring with him.

What a pity, comprehending Sword Intent is not that easy. Luo Feng, having comprehended Grand Momentum, knew the difficulty involved and shook his head slightly.

「On the platform.」

Ji Wufa stood ten paces before Gu Yunfei. His gaze was calm, his back ramrod straight, like a drawn treasured sword.

"I knew you wouldn't concede. You are worthy of me drawing my sword."

With that, Ji Wufa slowly unsheathed his sword.

The Three Feet Green Edge, cold as frost, glinted with faint, snow-like light. A mere glance from afar was enough to send a bone-chilling cold through an observer. It was a Spirit Weapon.

"Huh, Ji Wufa actually drew his sword!"

A collective gasp swept through the Martial Arts Plaza. Ji Wufa suddenly drawing his sword sent a huge shock through the crowd.

In previous spars, Ji Wufa had always used his fingers in place of a sword.

A Swordsman without a sword is like an unsharpened treasured blade; their strength is greatly diminished. A Swordsman with sword in hand, however, projects an entirely different presence!

In the VIP seats, Tianlan School's Headmaster, Zhou Zhiyun, smiled. "A duel between two great Swordsmen, and one has even comprehended Sword Intent. Interesting."

"Unfortunately, Gu Yunfei's cultivation is too shallow. We won't be able to see Ji Wufa's true strength," sighed Huo Tianqing, Headmaster of Floating Snow School.

With the Three Feet Green Edge in hand, Ji Wufa's entire presence transformed. His eyes, sharp as sword light, seemed to pierce the void. Waves of keen aura emanated from him.

Gu Yunfei's expression flickered. The instant Ji Wufa gripped his sword, Gu Yunfei felt a tremor in his heart.

Yet, instead of alarm, Gu Yunfei's eyes burned with eagerness. He wanted to experience Sword Intent through this clash. Only when Ji Wufa held a sword was he a true Swordsman!

"Make your move," Ji Wufa said calmly.

Suppressing his aura, Gu Yunfei tensed every muscle, poised to unleash a fatal strike at any moment.

WHOOSH!

In the next instant, Gu Yunfei moved. He shot towards Ji Wufa like an unsheathed blade.

In the blink of an eye, the distance between them shrank to five paces.

"Sky Sword Kill Heart!"

Only at the very last moment did Gu Yunfei abruptly draw his sword.

The instant the sword left its sheath, a distorted, chilling sword light transformed into a thunderbolt, striking upwards at Ji Wufa.

The twisting sword light seemed to merge with the heavens and earth, vanishing from sight. Only the intense killing intent allowed one to sense the reality of this strike.

Ji Wufa's eyelids twitched slightly as he thrust out with a seemingly ordinary strike.

The strike appeared unremarkable, as if devoid of force. Yet, the moment its sword gleam emerged, all nearby Martial Artists who wielded swords were startled.

The instant Ji Wufa struck, the swords carried by these martial artists began to hum and tremble uncontrollably, as if resonating with the blade in Ji Wufa's hand.

From the spectator stands, many prominent figures cried out in astonishment, "Sword Intent! That's Sword Intent!"

While the crowd reeled in shock, the situation on the platform had already drastically changed.

The sword strike, imbued with Sword Intent, precisely struck Gu Yunfei's blade.

CLANG!

Without any doubt, Gu Yunfei's sword was sent flying. He coughed up a mouthful of blood in mid-air as he was flung backwards!