C13 Chapter 13

By the time the second round of the competition wrapped up, it was already afternoon. As the rounds progressed, the weaker participants had been eliminated, leaving only the stronger ones to compete. Naturally, this meant each round took more time.

After the second round, only 50 participants advanced. Most of them were at Qi Refining Stage Level Three, though a few lucky ones at the peak of Qi Refining Stage Level Two managed to make it through. In any case, those who advanced to the third round all had some degree of skill.

Jiang He and Hsu Feng also moved on to the third round. However, given their recent advancement to Qi Refining Stage Level Three, they were likely to rank no higher than the top 30.

With the second round complete, the third round was set to begin. It continued with one-on-one matches, with all the fighters drawing new numbers for their bouts. Before long, all the numbers were distributed.

Hua Hsing drew number 50, meaning he would compete in the final match of the round.

"Hua Hsing, you're really impressive. You have to push hard to make it into the top five," Jiang He said.

"Yeah, Hua Hsing, a lot of the elders are watching this competition closely. The better you perform, the more likely you are to catch their attention," Hsu Feng added. "If an elder takes notice of you, your future resources will increase significantly."

"Master, Re Yunzheng is the top disciple of the Outer Sect. His talent is exceptional," Jiaang Xue remarked. As time ticked by, the competition continued for quite a while. Another hour passed, and the battles involving Hsu Feng and Jiang He also concluded. Unfortunately, they faced opponents at the late stage of Qi Refining Stage Level Three and lost, getting knocked out of the competition. Despite this, both Hsu Feng and Jiang He earned recognition from the higher-ups of the Azure Edge Sword Sect.

As the final match approached, everyone eagerly watched the Martial Arena, curious to see if the man known for creating miracles could do so once again. On the Martial Arena, Hua Hsing was a bit surprised to see that his opponent was none other than Qii Yongqi, the man whose arm he had severed earlier.

"Hua Hsing, I told you before, I will have my revenge," Qii Yongqi said coldly, his single arm a stark reminder of their past encounter.

Hua Hsing shook his head slightly and said nothing. Instead of reflecting on his loss, Qii Yongqi was still bent on revenge. In the arena, the disciples buzzed with conversation, unaware that it was Hua Hsing who had severed Qii Yongqi's arm.

"Qii Yongqi probably is not a match for Hua Hsing, right?" one disciple said.

"He could not even beat Zhang Baiwu, so how could he possibly defeat Hua Hsing?" another replied.

"That does not make sense. Qii Yongqi is working with Re Yunzheng. If Qii Yongqi loses, why would Re Yunzheng send him to his doom?" a third asked.

Many disciples were puzzled.

"Hua Hsing, I will kill you myself," Qii Yongqi declared in a steely voice.

"You think you can kill me? That is impossible," Hua Hsing replied, unimpressed.

"Two thousand low-grade spirit stones. I told you, not a single one less. It seems you did not take my words seriously," Hua Hsing added suddenly, remembering the matter.

Qii Yongqi was furious at Hua Hsing's words.

"Hua Hsing, you are finished."

With a roar, Qii Yongqi channeled all his strength into his sword, determined to defeat Hua Hsing. Hua Hsing effortlessly swung his long sword and blocked Qii Yongqi's attack. However, a strange smile appeared on Qii Yongqi's face. In the next moment, a powerful aura erupted from his body and swept across the entire Martial Arena.

"Hua Hsing, I will kill you with my own hands," the one-armed Qii Yongqi said in a low voice.

"You want to kill me? Impossible." Hua Hsing had no favorable impression of Qii Yongqi. Then he suddenly remembered something and said, "2,000 Low Grade Spirit Stones. I said not a single one could be missing. It seems you did not take my words to heart."

With a furious roar, Qii Yongqi immediately mobilized all the power in his body and poured it into his longsword. He wanted to defeat Hua Hsing in one strike. Hua Hsing merely gave a light wave of his own sword and blocked Qii Yongqi's attack. However, at that very moment, a strange smile appeared on Qii Yongqi's face. In the next instant, a vast aura erupted from his body and swept across the entire Martial Arena.

"What is this?"

All the disciples were stunned by the sudden, overwhelming presence, and even the elders on the platform looked surprised.

"This aura is beyond what Qii Yongqi should possess," the white-bearded elder muttered.

The Martial Arena was enveloped by this aura, and Hua Hsing felt a crushing pressure, as though he could no longer move.

"What is this?"

Hua Hsing stared fixedly at Qii Yongqi. Although Qii Yongqi's face was pale and his body weakened, the aura continued to grow stronger.

"Hua Hsing, today is the day you meet your end," Qii Yongqi shouted as his figure flashed forward and charged at Hua Hsing. The closer he came, the more oppressive the aura became.

"I cannot just sit here and wait for death," Hua Hsing thought.

This aura was far beyond what a Qi Refining Stage Level Three disciple should have possessed, and no one knew how Qii Yongqi could unleash such power.

Hua Hsing gripped his longsword tightly and instantly executed the third move of the Golden Light Sword Technique.

Hua Hsing was wrapped in dazzling golden light, and a flash of cold steel cut through the air. Ripples spread outward, and the overwhelming aura was interrupted by the golden glow, making Hua Hsing feel significantly less pressure.

At that moment, the white-bearded elder on the platform, who had been about to intervene in the match, suddenly understood. "How is this possible? Has he mastered the third strike of the Golden Light Sword Technique? Is he destined to become the next peerless genius?" The thought filled him with excitement. He restrained himself and remained seated quietly on the platform, and the other elders did the same.

On the Martial Arena, Qii Yongqi's face was twisted with disbelief and rage. He could not accept that his aura had failed to defeat Hua Hsing.

"How can this be? Hua Hsing, I will kill you!"

He seemed to have descended into madness as he desperately channeled the foreign power within him.

Suddenly, the golden light in the sky shattered under the force of the powerful aura, and Hua Hsing once again felt the crushing pressure. But Hua Hsing was also growing angry. From within him came three resounding roars, symbolizing the strength of three bulls and revealing the power of a Qi Refining Stage Level Three disciple.

When Hua Hsing unleashed his full strength, he decisively shattered the oppressive aura. Then the Golden Light Sword Technique pierced straight into Qii Yongqi's chest.

The Martial Arena was directly enveloped by that surge of aura, and Hua Hsing felt a crushing pressure. It was as if even his body could no longer move. "What is this?" Hua Hsing stared at Qii Yongqi. At that moment, Qii Yongqi's face was pale and his body weak, yet the aura around him was growing more and more overpowering. "Hua Hsing, today will be your death day." Qii Yongqi let out a furious roar, and then his figure flashed as he charged toward Hua Hsing. The closer he came, the more suffocating that powerful aura became. "I can't just sit here and wait to die." This aura was far beyond anything a disciple at Qi Refining Stage Level Three should possess, and no one knew how Qii Yongqi had managed to unleash such terrifying power. Hua Hsing tightened his grip on his longsword and instantly unleashed the third strike of the Golden Light Sword Arts.

Brilliant golden light burst from Hua Hsing's body, and a cold flash of sword light appeared in an instant, piercing through the air. A ripple spread outward, and the powerful aura was interrupted by the golden radiance. Hua Hsing immediately felt his body lighten, as though the pressure on him had eased considerably. At that moment, on the main platform, the white-bearded elder who had been preparing to intervene suddenly had his eyes light up, as if he had discovered something extraordinary. "How is this possible? He actually mastered the third strike of the Golden Light Sword Arts. Is he going to become the next Qih Nantian?" The white-bearded elder was overcome with excitement at the thought. He forcibly restrained himself and remained seated quietly on the platform. Seeing this, the other elders also did not move.

On the Martial Arena, Qii Yongqi's face twisted with fury when he saw that even this terrifying aura had failed to defeat Hua Hsing. "How is this possible?" he shouted. "Hua Hsing, I will definitely kill you." As the intense aura dissipated, Qii Yongqi collapsed heavily onto the Martial Arena, lifeless. The wild energy vanished, and the entire scene suddenly calmed. However, all the disciples stood in shock, staring at the spectacle, momentarily forgetting that Qii Yongqi had been defeated by Hua Hsing.

"When did Hua Hsing break through to the third level of the Qi Refining Stage?" one disciple exclaimed. "Who said Hua Hsing was useless? He's clearly a genius," another said. "Has Hua Hsing been hiding his strength all along?" many disciples murmured. After a brief moment of shock, the referee glanced at the lifeless Qii Yongqi, then looked hesitantly at the white-bearded elder. At that moment, Re Yunzheng spoke up. "Elder, Hua Hsing deliberately killed Qii Yongqi during the match. Someone like him should not remain in the Azure Edge Sword Sect." "That's right, he killed Qii Yongqi," many disciples shouted in agreement.

This was the first time a death had occurred during the Outer Sect competition, drawing the attention of the elders. "Although Qii Yongqi used a forbidden technique in the fight, Hua Hsing should not have killed him," one elder said. "Indeed, we should punish Hua Hsing, or else what value do the rules of the Azure Edge Sword Sect have?" another elder added. "Hua Hsing went too far. Does he think he can kill fellow disciples at will just because he is strong? Such behavior cannot be tolerated in the Azure Edge Sword Sect." "Even though he has potential, his heart is far too vicious," Jiaang Xue's mentor remarked. A flicker of hostility flashed in Jiaang Xue's eyes. "Mentor, Hua Hsing is usually so arrogant and treats the sect members poorly. If anything does not go his way, he attacks others directly. Such a disciple does not deserve to remain in the Azure Edge Sword Sect," Jiaang Xue said.

At that moment, the disciples around the Martial Arena finally snapped back to reality and began whispering among themselves. Re Yunzheng's face was dark with anger. He had hoped to rely on Qii Yongqi to take down Hua Hsing, but things had not gone as planned. Still, he thought this outcome might work in his favor. He believed the elders would punish Hua Hsing for what he had done. "Elders, you all witnessed the fight just now. Qii Yongqi used a forbidden technique to try to kill me. Was I supposed to simply refrain from defending myself?" Hua Hsing asked.

At that moment, Qii Yongqi seemed to have fallen into madness, pushing with all his might the foreign aura inside his body. In an instant, the golden light in the sky shattered, blasted apart by that fierce force, and Hua Hsing once again felt a crushing pressure descend upon him. A flicker of anger rose in Hua Hsing's eyes as three resounding roars burst from within his body, the sign of the strength of three bulls and proof that he had reached Qi Refining Stage Level Three. When Hua Hsing unleashed the full power of Qi Refining Stage Level Three, he cleanly broke through that overbearing aura, and then the Golden Light Sword Arts drove straight into Qii Yongqi's chest.

As the powerful aura dissipated, Qii Yongqi crashed heavily onto the Martial Arena and lost his life. The wild energy lingering above the arena gradually faded, and the entire scene fell into sudden silence. Yet all the disciples stared in stunned disbelief, so shocked by what they had witnessed that they almost forgot Qii Yongqi had been killed by Hua Hsing. Voices soon rose from the crowd. "When did Hua Hsing break through to Qi Refining Stage Level Three?" "Who said Hua Hsing is trash? He's clearly a genius."

"If I hadn't been strong enough, it would be me lying there instead of him." Hearing Hua Hsing's retort, Jiaang Xue's mentor spoke again. "Hua Hsing, your potential is high, but you have made a mistake, and mistakes come with consequences." Jiaang Xue's mentor appeared to hold considerable influence among the elders, and they all nodded in agreement. Only the white-bearded elder remained silent, merely staring at Hua Hsing.

"Qii Yongqi struck first with lethal intent. I was only defending myself. If the elders want to condemn me, I refuse to accept it," Hua Hsing declared. "You're only an Outer Sect disciple, and you dare speak to Elder Ma that way?" "He harmed a fellow disciple. Such malice cannot be tolerated," several elders said sternly. "Reaching Qi Refining Stage Level Three at 15 is impressive, but the Azure Edge Sword Sect does not lack disciples like you," Elder Ma said with clear displeasure.

At those words, Jiaang Xue was delighted. On the Martial Arena, Re Yunzheng looked at Hua Hsing with disdain. As long as Hua Hsing was expelled from the Azure Edge Sword Sect, Re Yunzheng could strike at any time and ensure his death. Even though Hua Hsing had reached Qi Refining Stage Level Three, Re Yunzheng still looked down on him. "Ninth Elder, do you agree as well?" Hua Hsing stopped arguing and turned to the white-bearded elder for an answer.

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