C15 Do You dare to Fight??

Hua Hsing actually defeated Men Feng, something no one had anticipated.

On the platform, the Ninth Elder squinted at Hua Hsing, as if trying to see through him.

"How is it possible that Men Feng lost?"

"My gosh, how is Hua Hsing so strong?"

"Has Hua Hsing been hiding his strength all along? He defeated Men Feng without breaking a sweat."

"Hua Hsing might have a shot at challenging Brother Re Yunzheng for the top spot," many disciples exclaimed in disbelief.

Men Feng lay on the ground, coughing up blood, his face pale. He looked at Hua Hsing with a complex mix of fear and respect.

As Hua Hsing prepared to leave the platform, a voice suddenly echoed through the crowd.

"Hua Hsing, would you be willing to become my apprentice?"

Hearing this, not only the Outer Sect disciples but even the elders on the platform were taken aback.

The speaker was none other than the Ninth Elder.

"The Ninth Elder wants to take Hua Hsing as a disciple? Hua Hsing is incredibly lucky."

This thought ran through the minds of many Outer Sect disciples. After all, in the Azure Edge Sword Sect, it was rare for an Outer Sect disciple to catch the eye of one of the nine elders.

The Ninth Elder had overseen many Outer Sect competitions before, but he had never taken the initiative to accept a disciple. This time, he actually spoke up.

What secrets is Hua Hsing hiding? Why does even Elder Nine want to take him as a disciple?

Hua Hsing was momentarily taken aback by the question, then turned to look at Elder Nine.

"Elder Nine, his nature is malicious. Why would you want him as your disciple?" Elder Ma spoke up.

"Exactly, Elder Nine, you're one of the top elders. You should be careful about whom you choose as a disciple."

"Elder Nine, he doesn't deserve to be your disciple," several elders chimed in.

Elder Nine frowned slightly at their words, then said, "Choosing a disciple is my decision, not yours to meddle in."

"Besides, I believe Hua Hsing's talent is on par with other disciples from the Outer Sect."

"Elder Nine, there are also outstanding disciples in the Outer Sect, like Brother Re Yunzheng. He's powerful and exceptionally gifted. You could easily take him as your disciple," Jiaang Xue interjected, clearly not wanting Hua Hsing to be under Elder Nine's tutelage.

"Enough, there's no need for further discussion," Elder Nine said, a bit impatiently. He then turned his gaze to Hua Hsing and asked, "Hua Hsing, are you willing to be my disciple?"

Upon hearing Elder Nine's question, all the disciples focused their attention on Hua Hsing.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Hua Hsing nodded and said, "Master, I will rely on your guidance from now on."

"Hahaha, excellent! From this day forward, you are my disciple," Elder Nine exclaimed joyfully, bursting into laughter.

Others began to chatter among themselves, while Re Yunzheng's face turned grim. He hadn't expected Elder Ma to take Hua Hsing as a disciple. This development made his plan to eliminate Hua Hsing much more complicated.

Re Yunzheng glanced at Jiaang Xue on the podium and made a firm decision. "For Jiaang Xue, I must take you down," he vowed silently.

Hua Hsing becoming Elder Ma's disciple sent ripples through the Outer Sect, leaving all the disciples in awe. Being under Elder Ma's wing meant Hua Hsing would receive ample resources from the sect, ensuring his training would be well-supported.

"He's one lucky guy," many disciples thought.

After Hua Hsing stepped down from the Martial Arena, the competition resumed. Hsu Feng and Men Feng were overjoyed to see him return and shared in his happiness.

"Hua Hsing, with Elder Ma's protection, Re Yunzheng won't dare to openly challenge you," Men Feng said.

"Yeah, Elder Ma is your shield now," Hsu Feng added.

Hua Hsing glanced at Re Yunzheng in the distance, then at Jiaang Xue and Elder Ma on the podium. "Strength is what truly matters," he thought.

Hua Hsing didn't believe that Elder Ma's protection would deter Jiaang Xue and the others from targeting him. They might not act openly, but they could still scheme in the shadows. Elder Ma could protect him for now, but not forever.

In his cultivation practice, he naturally wouldn't slack off and continued to work hard.

Another hour passed, and this round of the competition finally concluded. Three disciples were eliminated, leaving three remaining, along with Re Yunzheng, making a total of four participants. Hua Hsing, Re Yunzheng, Shentu Chang, and Ouyang Haofeng were the finalists. Reaching the finals indicated their exceptional strength. Among them, Re Yunzheng was the standout. Although Hua Hsing was the dark horse, people believed Re Yunzheng would dominate the finals.

"In the final match, each participant will face the other three competitors. The rankings will be determined by the number of victories," the referee announced slowly.

As soon as the referee finished speaking, Shentu Chang stepped onto the Martial Arena. Hua Hsing glanced at him, noting that Shentu Chang was in the late stage of the Qi Refining Stage, but not yet at its peak. Shentu Chang's opponent was Hua Hsing. Seeing Shentu Chang on the arena, Hua Hsing also stepped up.

"Hua Hsing, you've been strong all the way here, but I'm going to end your streak," Shentu Chang declared. Normally, Shentu Chang was considered a top disciple in the outer ranks, and facing Hua Hsing, he exuded confidence.

"You're not my match," Hua Hsing replied.

"You can say that after the match is over," Shentu Chang retorted, letting out a low shout as he unleashed his sword technique. The arena was filled with flashes of sword light as the two instantly engaged in battle.

After a fierce battle, a loud crash echoed through the air. Suddenly, a figure retreated rapidly, and everyone saw it was Shentu Chang.

"I'm not your match."

Shentu Chang, a man of honor, accepted his defeat gracefully. After a heated fight, he realized he couldn't best Hua Hsing and conceded.

With this victory over Shentu Chang, Hua Hsing secured another win.

The next opponent was Ouyang Haofeng.

"Begin."

As the referee's voice faded, Ouyang Haofeng unleashed the Tempest Sword Technique.

"Tempest Sword Technique."

This was Ouyang Haofeng's most powerful sword skill. Though a basic technique, it was nearly as effective as a higher-grade sword art.

Seeing Ouyang Haofeng use the Tempest Sword Technique, Hua Hsing didn't hesitate to employ the Golden Light Sword Arts.

Golden Light Sword Arts, Level Three.

A golden light flashed across Hua Hsing, and in the next moment, the sky was filled with dazzling brilliance. It carried a powerful sword energy that collided directly with the Tempest Sword Technique.

A series of clashes rang out, and Ouyang Haofeng was forced back, a look of shock on his face.

"The Golden Light Sword Arts are this powerful?"

Ouyang Haofeng struggled to calm his surprise, then gripped his sword tightly and charged at Hua Hsing once more.

"I just don't believe you can keep up this kind of attack for long."

Hua Hsing aimed to wear down his opponent's stamina with his strength, but his plan backfired. Thanks to the refreshing energy provided by his Golden Heart, Hua Hsing could maintain the third level of the Golden Light Sword Arts indefinitely. In contrast, his opponent, Shentu Chang, was starting to feel the strain. After a fierce battle, Shentu Chang was finally out of breath and lost to Hua Hsing.

With this victory, Hua Hsing won two matches and took a break. The next contender was Re Yunzheng, who saw Hua Hsing as his final challenge. He first faced off against Shentu Chang and another competitor, Men Feng.

Half an hour later, Re Yunzheng had finished his two matches. Both Shentu Chang and Men Feng were defeated, sealing their fate outside the top two positions. Re Yunzheng's strength was formidable, just a step away from reaching the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage, which was extraordinary.

However, Shentu Chang and Men Feng weren't weak by any means; they just happened to face powerhouses like Hua Hsing and Re Yunzheng. The upcoming match was crucial, as Shentu Chang and Men Feng would battle for third place. Everyone knew that the top three received rewards, while the fourth did not, making this a high-stakes fight.

On the Martial Arena, the two figures clashed intensely, neither willing to give an inch.

All the outer sect disciples watched in awe, their excitement palpable.

"Heavenly Wind Sword Technique."

Ouyang Haofeng unleashed the most powerful strike of the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique. In the sky, countless sword lights converged into a mighty beam, thrusting directly at Shentu Chang.

"Rising Sun Sword Technique."

Without hesitation, Shentu Chang countered with the Rising Sun Sword Technique, his sword strike as fierce as a rainbow, aiming at the overwhelming sword light above.

A loud crash echoed as Shentu Chang's Rising Sun sword light clashed with the Heavenly Wind sword light. However, keen observers noticed the Rising Sun sword light was slowly dissipating.

"Shentu Chang is going to lose," the elders on the platform nodded in agreement.

The next moment, with a resounding bang, the Rising Sun sword light shattered, and the formidable Heavenly Wind sword light struck Shentu Chang, sending him flying backward to the ground.

"Ouyang Haofeng is declared the third-place winner in this outer sect disciple competition," the judge announced.

Next up was the main event: Re Yunzheng and Hua Hsing, known rivals, were about to face off. No one knew what would happen.

"Am I dreaming? Hua Hsing actually made it to the finals?"

"Can Hua Hsing take first place? It's so exciting to think about!"

"Hua Hsing's chances of taking first place are slim. Senior Brother Re is incredibly strong; rumor has it he's mastered the Five-element Sword Arts to perfection."

"What? Senior Brother Re has perfected the Five-element Sword Arts? Looks like there's no doubt he'll take first place."

Many disciples whispered among themselves.

Of course, Re Yunzheng never considered Hua Hsing a rival. From the beginning, he thought of Hua Hsing as worthless. No one knew what kind of stroke of luck Hua Hsing had encountered to boost his strength so rapidly, but in Re Yunzheng's eyes, he was still a nobody.

Re Yunzheng stepped forward onto the Martial Arena, looking at Hua Hsing with a challenging gaze.

"Hua Hsing, do you dare to compete with me?"