Chapter 89

In the next round of the top-four battle, Jiang Ding defeated another contestant from School Seven using the same method.

Despite having deeper Qi and having refined over seventy thousand meridians—more than double the total Qi of an ordinary Small Circulation martial artist—he was helplessly slain beneath the sword.

At roughly the same time, Jiang Jinxian narrowly defeated his opponent, a contestant whose meridians had been nurtured and refined to over eighty thousand, nearing the peak of the Great Circulation.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the first-place winner in the Qi Refining cold-weapon exam between the two schools.

Though most had already seen the outcome.

“If not for my Blue Flower Foundation Elixir, you could never have reached this level!”

Jiang Jinxian said bitterly—he had exhausted every ounce of strength to win, yet the other had slain him with three strikes; the gap was too obvious.

“Yours?”

Jiang Ding froze—he actually believed that.

What had Jiang Chaoyang and his mother told him? It shattered the very limits of shamelessness; no wonder they were the true vessels of traitors and adulterers.

“One sword.”

Jiang Ding felt sick, unwilling to continue this topic, and ended today’s cold-weapon exam.

“One sword?”

Jiang Jinxian blinked, then realized—his face flushed crimson: “You’re too arrogant! Today I’ll make you understand true humiliation!”

Clang!

The sharp ring of a sword being drawn, a blurred shadow, translucent ripples—rushing toward him at astonishing speed.

Before he could even react, seven pale-white sword qi blades had already formed, engulfing him; each blade rivaled the strike of a Great Circulation martial artist.

Combined, they formed an inescapable net of death.

“This is impossible!”

Jiang Jinxian’s scalp prickled—wave after wave of deathly dread surged over him; each sword qi was terrifying.

But how could a Small Circulation martial artist unleash such a strike?

He didn’t even have enough Qi!

“Break it!”

No matter what, Jiang Jinxian had to act—his silver spear bent violently, Qi and strength gathered to their peak, then slashed out in a winding arc, severing all seven deadly sword qi blades, with two contacts feeling solid and heavy.

Then his gaze went blank.

He looked down at the sword tip protruding from his throat—pain and weakness flooded his body; he collapsed lifelessly onto the snow beside his silver spear, staining a large patch red.

“Winner: Jiang Ding.”

The arena spirit’s mechanical voice arrived belatedly.

Jiang Ding returned outside, glanced at the score sheet—first place in Qi Refining, twenty-five points.

This was the limit of mortals.

“Awesome!”

“I’m convinced, my Ding brother!”

Classmates cheered and clapped; several female students gazed at him with sparkling eyes, making Jiang Ding quickly find a hiding spot to cultivate.

In contrast, School Seven was deeply dejected.

Other categories aside, the Qi Refining cold-weapon exam had been School Seven’s absolute strength for years—the top in Rongcheng’s schools—and today, it was all gone.

The next stage: the Qi Refining students’ cold-weapon combat.

Flying swords sliced through the air, shields clashed, sets of turtle-shell magic treasures spread out in layers, forming an impenetrable defense; in terms of light, sound, and color, their battle far surpassed the Qi Refining stage.

As predicted, the students from School One crushed those from School Seven.

Wu Tianli, Gong Sun Ling, Ding Qi, and other Qi Refining fifth- and sixth-layer cultivators used their superior cultivation to utterly overwhelm School One’s students, leaving even their famed peer-level combat prowess completely invisible at the Qi Refining tier.

The only two Qi Refining fifth-layer cultivators were defeated in succession, failing to enter the top ten.

Only poor Hua Bing was left being beaten.

In the desert map, Li Tie summoned a three-meter-tall magnetic mountain to guard himself; Hua Bing’s silver flying sword trembled violently upon approach and took tremendous effort to break free.

“Artificially synthesized magnetic alloy—top-grade magic treasure!”

The Qi Refining cultivators stared at the small mountain, drooling; such crude yet powerful magic treasures were easy to forge, but their only flaw was excessive material cost and exorbitant price.

This magnetic magic treasure offered strong defense against flying swords and other small magic treasures; on the battlefield, as long as one avoided being instantly killed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, survival was nearly guaranteed—compensating for the fragile defenses typical of Immortal Sect disciples.

A bit farther away, the Li Yun Sect cultivators watching intently flickered with doubt.

“Sister Li, the Immortal Sect emissary’s strength…”

A lean Qi Refining eighth-layer cultivator asked the blue-robed woman beside him: “Seems not particularly strong—could my eyes be too dull to perceive the subtleties? Your master is a Golden Core elder; have you discerned anything?”

He had assumed that Immortal Sect cultivators must be terrifyingly powerful—even imagining one could sweep them all away effortlessly.

But now it seemed only the cultivator wielding the magnetic mountain was truly strong—and even then, not beyond comprehension; several together could defeat him.

“I don’t know. My master told me nothing about the Tai Xu Secret Realm.”

The blue-robed woman shook her head, then sternly added: “But you must obey the Immortal Sect emissary’s orders. Do not forget the Sect’s Court of Justice.”

“Brother understands.”

The lean cultivator’s expression hardened.

Boom!

The unfortunate Hua Bing was crushed flat by the enlarged magnetic mountain, dissolving into a pool of white light.

Li Tie had held back, but he refused to yield—she had no choice but to end it this way.

“Winner: Li Tie.”

In the Qi Refining cold-weapon combat rankings, Li Tie ranked first, Hua Bing second.

Other students glanced at the two score sheets—their faces twisted strangely; each side had been ambushed in their own stronghold.

Ding!

“Ten minutes remain until the field exercise. Candidates, select your Dao Soldier units.”

A box of information appeared before each person.

【Second Sub-Realm—Canglan Sub-Realm—Li Yun Sect—Li Yun Dao Soldiers】

【Dao Soldier Type: High Mobility, High Burst, High Stealth—Dual Role: Reconnaissance and Close Protection】

【Specialty: First-Rank Li Yun Shengju Array—Effect: Acceleration, Combined Spellcasting. One hundred Qi Refining mid- to late-stage cultivators can form a Second-Rank Li Yun Jufa Array, temporarily blocking up to five standard Foundation Establishment cultivators for over six seconds.】

【Dao Soldier Team One, Captain Li Yunchen, Cultivation: Qi Refining eighth-layer, Mid-grade Magic Treasure: Li Yun Sword, Li Yun Robe, Li Yun Shield, Conceal-Spirit Robe; Specializes in: Transformation Cloud Sword Art, First-Rank Li Yun Shengju Array; Dao Soldier One, Low-grade Magic Treasure: Li Yun Sword… skilled in coordination with First-Rank Li Yun Shengju Array…】

Jiang Ding’s gaze sharpened—he immediately understood the true purpose of these Li Yun Sect cultivators: to force enemy outsiders into concentration, then annihilate them with concentrated firepower.

It also suited internal Immortal Sect conflicts.

Simultaneously, the Li Yun Sect cultivators received their orders—ten Qi Refining late-stage cultivators stepped forward without hesitation before Li Tie: “Immortal Emissary, we pledge our service under you!”

Though School One had twice as many Qi Refining cultivators with higher average cultivation, they saw no value in adding more mid- and early-stage cultivators; their lives were at stake, so they dared not hesitate.

Hua Bing and his group felt their hearts sink, but could not stop the others’ choice.

“Brother Li, Brother Zhou, and…”

Li Tie unceremoniously selected the four strongest Qi Refining eighth-layer cultivators and their Dao Soldier teams, plus the team of the Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator with the deepest magic power.

The remaining five felt disappointment but had expected it; they led their subordinates to bow before Hua Bing and the others.

“Dao Soldier selection complete. Field exercise begins. Candidates, answer the question.”