C15 Do You dare to Fight??

To everyone's astonishment, Hua Hsing had emerged victorious over Men Feng.

Atop the dais, the Ninth Elder's gaze bore into Hua Hsing, his eyes narrowed as if trying to pierce through his very essence.

"How could this be? Men Feng actually lost?"

"My goodness, how is Hua Hsing so incredibly strong?"

"Has Hua Hsing been concealing his true power all along? Defeating Men Feng seemed almost effortless for him."

"Hua Hsing might just contend with Senior Brother Re Yunzheng for the top spot." Many disciples exclaimed in disbelief.

Men Feng lay on the ground, coughing up blood, his complexion ghostly pale. He regarded Hua Hsing with a mix of fear and complexity in his eyes.

As Hua Hsing prepared to step down from the platform, a voice suddenly resonated with the crowd.

"Hua Hsing, would you consider becoming my disciple?"

The question caught everyone off guard, from the Outer Sect disciples to the elders on the platform.

The speaker was none other than the Ninth Elder.

"The Ninth Elder is offering to mentor Hua Hsing? What incredible fortune for him."

This was the thought on many Outer Sect disciples' minds.

Within the Azure Edge Sword Sect, it was exceedingly rare for an Outer Sect disciple to attract the attention of any of the Nine Great Elders.

The Ninth Elder had presided over the Outer Sect Disciple Competition before, but never had he proactively offered to take on a disciple. Yet now, he had made the offer himself.

What secrets did Hua Hsing harbor that could compel the Ninth Elder to extend such an invitation?

Taken aback, Hua Hsing turned to face the Ninth Elder.

"Elder Ninth, his nature is malevolent. Why would you want him as a disciple?" Elder Ma interjected.

"Indeed, Elder Ninth, you are among the esteemed nine. You must exercise caution in choosing a disciple."

"Elder Ninth, he is unworthy of being your disciple," chimed in several elders in succession.

The Ninth Elder's brow furrowed at the chorus of objections, and he responded firmly, "The decision to accept a disciple is mine alone. It is not your place to judge."

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

"Elder Ninth, the Outer Sect is home to many exceptional disciples, like Senior Brother Re Yunzheng. He's incredibly strong and exceptionally talented. You could certainly consider taking him as your disciple."

Jiaang Xue was the one speaking. She was adamantly opposed to Hua Hsing becoming a student of the Ninth Elder, which was why she made that suggestion.

"Enough," Elder Ninth said with a hint of impatience. He turned his gaze to Hua Hsing and inquired, "Hua Hsing, would you like to become my disciple?"

Upon Elder Ninth's query, all eyes were on Hua Hsing.

After a brief moment of thought, Hua Hsing nodded and replied, "Master, I'll be in your care from now on."

"Hahaha, excellent. From today onward, you are my disciple," Elder Ninth exclaimed, his face beaming with delight as he laughed heartily.

The others began murmuring among themselves at this turn of events. Re Yunzheng's face contorted with discomfort; he hadn't anticipated the Ninth Elder choosing Hua Hsing as a disciple.

This development made his desire to eliminate Hua Hsing considerably more challenging.

Re Yunzheng cast a glance at Jiaang Xue on the platform and made up his mind.

"I must eliminate you for Jiaang Xue," he vowed silently.

The news of Hua Hsing becoming the Ninth Elder's disciple sent shockwaves through the Outer Sect, with all the disciples looking on in admiration.

With the Ninth Elder's mentorship, Hua Hsing was sure to receive an abundance of resources from the sect, easing his path in cultivation.

"He's one fortunate fellow," many disciples mused.

After Hua Hsing stepped down from the Martial Arena, the competition resumed.

Hsu Feng and Jiang He were thrilled to see Hua Hsing return, sharing in his joy.

"With the Ninth Elder's protection, Re Yunzheng won't dare to target you openly," Jiang He remarked.

"Indeed, the Ninth Elder will be your steadfast support from now on," added Hsu Feng.

Hua Hsing cast a glance at Re Yunzheng in the distance before shifting his gaze to Jiaang Xue and Elder Ma on the platform.

"Strength is what matters most."

Hua Hsing wasn't convinced that the Ninth Elder's protection meant Jiaang Xue and the others wouldn't dare target him.

They might not dare openly, but they certainly would in secret. The Ninth Elder could offer temporary shelter, but he couldn't guard Hua Hsing indefinitely.

In his cultivation practice, Hua Hsing remained diligent, continuing to exert great effort.

Two hours later, the competition round concluded.

Three disciples were eliminated, leaving four, including Re Yunzheng: Hua Hsing, Re Yunzheng, Ouyang Haifeng, and Shentu Chang.

Their advancement to the finals was a testament to their exceptional strength.

Re Yunzheng shone the brightest among them. Despite Hua Hsing's rise as a dark horse, the consensus was that Re Yunzheng would dominate his rivals in the final showdown.

"In the final round, each contestant will face the other three in turn, with rankings determined by the outcomes of these battles," the judge announced calmly.

No sooner had the judge spoken than Shentu Chang ascended the Martial Arena.

Hua Hsing noted that Shentu Chang was also in the late Third Level of the Qi Refining Stage, not yet at its pinnacle.

Shentu Chang's adversary was Hua Hsing. As Shentu Chang stepped onto the Martial Arena, Hua Hsing followed suit.

"Hua Hsing, you may be formidable, having made it this far, but I intend to put a stop to your streak," declared Shentu Chang.

A prominent disciple within the Outer Sect, Shentu Chang now faced Hua Hsing with his full presence unleashed.

"You're no match for me," Hua Hsing retorted.

"We can revisit that claim after the match," Shentu Chang countered, his voice low. He then unleashed his sword technique, filling the sky with a dazzling display of swordplay, and the two combatants engaged in a fierce battle.

Moments later, a resounding boom echoed through the arena, followed by a figure swiftly retreating. The crowd's eyes turned to follow the motion, only to see that it was Shentu Chang who had been forced back.

"I'm not your match."

Shentu Chang was a formidable figure, able to take a loss in stride. After an intense battle, he recognized he was no match for Hua Hsing and gracefully conceded.

With Shentu Chang's defeat, Hua Hsing secured his first victory.

Next up was Ouyang Haifeng.

"Begin."

At the referee's call, Ouyang Haifeng unleashed the Heavenly Wind Sword Arts.

"Heavenly Wind Sword Arts."

This was Ouyang Haifeng's most powerful sword technique, an ordinary cultivation method that neared the prowess of a second-grade sword technique.

Witnessing Ouyang Haifeng's display, Hua Hsing wasted no time in executing the Golden Light Sword Arts.

Third level of the Golden Light Sword Arts.

A golden radiance enveloped Hua Hsing, and in the blink of an eye, the sky was awash with golden brilliance. It surged with formidable sword energy, clashing directly with the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique.

The sound of impact after impact rang out. Ouyang Haifeng was forced back, his face betraying a flicker of astonishment.

"The Golden Light Sword Arts are this formidable?"

Struggling to suppress his inner turmoil, Ouyang Haifeng gripped his sword and launched another assault on Hua Hsing.

"I refuse to believe you can sustain such an assault indefinitely."

Ouyang Haifeng aimed to deplete Hua Hsing's stamina with his strength, but his calculations were off.

Thanks to the sustaining power of the Golden Heart's Clear Current, Hua Hsing could indefinitely maintain the third level of the Golden Light Sword Arts, whereas Ouyang Haifeng was the one who began to falter.

After a grueling exchange, he was gasping for air and ultimately fell to Hua Hsing.

Thus, Hua Hsing claimed victory in two bouts and took his leave to rest.

Re Yunzheng was next to enter the fray, viewing Hua Hsing as his ultimate adversary and choosing to face Shentu Chang and Ouyang Haifeng first.

Half an hour later, Re Yunzheng's two battles concluded.

Both Shentu Chang and Ouyang Haifeng had been defeated. Their losses to Re Yunzheng sealed their fate, eliminating any chance of ranking in the top two.

Re Yunzheng's power was formidable, just a hair's breadth away from the impressive Qi Refining Stage Level Four—a level far from ordinary.

Shentu Chang and Ouyang Haifeng were also strong contenders, but it was their misfortune to face the monstrous Hua Hsing and Re Yunzheng.

Next up was the battle for third place between Shentu Chang and Ouyang Haifeng. With rewards only for the top three and none for fourth, the stakes were high, and neither competitor took the challenge lightly.

In the Martial Arena, the two figures clashed fiercely, their battle captivating all the Outer Sect disciples who watched with bated breath.

"Heavenly Wind Sword Arts," Ouyang Haifeng unleashed the mightiest strike, as countless sword lights swirled in the sky, converging into a formidable beam aimed straight at Shentu Chang.

"Sunlight Sword Arts," Shentu Chang countered without a moment's hesitation, his sword piercing the sky with a force as unstoppable as the rising sun.

A resounding boom echoed as Shentu Chang's Sunlight Sword Light met the Heavenly Wind Sword Light head-on. Yet, the keen-eyed among the crowd could see the Sunlight Sword Light gradually fading.

"Shentu Chang is on the brink of defeat," the elders murmured in agreement from their seats on the platform.

Then, with a thunderous crash, the Sunlight Sword Light shattered, and Ouyang Haifeng's relentless Heavenly Wind Sword Light struck Shentu Chang, sending him hurtling through the air to crash to the ground.

"Ouyang Haifeng claims third place in the Outer Sect Disciple Competition," declared the referee.

The stage was now set for the main event. With Re Yunzheng and Hua Hsing as arch-rivals, the air was thick with anticipation for what would unfold in their encounter.

"Is this a dream? Hua Hsing has actually made it to the finals?"

"Can Hua Hsing take first place? The suspense is thrilling."

"The odds are against Hua Hsing for the top spot. Senior Brother Re is incredibly strong, rumored to have mastered the Five-element Sword Arts to the Perfection Stage."

"What? Senior Brother Re has perfected the Five-element Sword Arts? It looks like the first place is his for the taking without a doubt."

Many disciples whispered among themselves.

Re Yunzheng, for his part, had never considered Hua Hsing a rival. He had always seen Hua Hsing as nothing more than trash, from start to finish.

Whatever stroke of luck had boosted Hua Hsing's abilities, Re Yunzheng was convinced that trash would always be trash.

With a confident stride, Re Yunzheng stepped onto the Martial Arena and fixed Hua Hsing with a challenging gaze.

"Hua Hsing, do you have the courage to spar with me?"