Chapter 83

How can a young person be called young if they aren’t bold and fiery!

Li Feng smiled and replied:

“Personally, I strongly support Ye Chen’s actions—challenging opportunities come only once, and not everyone has the courage to challenge the top ten on the Immortal List!”

I don't believe your ghost!

He Fei muttered inwardly.

That day, after Ye Chen foolishly revealed himself, Li Feng immediately convened a team leader meeting overnight and completely revised the previously established arena battle rules.

Under the original rules, the first phase of the arena battles was not a free-for-all, but one-on-one pairings.

Now that it’s been changed to a free-for-all, while still requiring ten points to advance, the difficulty has increased dramatically.

Fortunately, Ye Chen still managed to pass with flying colors.

After seeing Ye Chen pass, He Fei exhaled a sigh of relief.

Good—now that he’s cleared the first round, he has a solid chance in the second phase.

At that moment, a nearby team leader asked curiously: “He Brother, does Ye Chen really intend to challenge Lin Mo? Is he that confident?”

“Yeah, Lin Mo’s initial test score was average, but he still scored perfect in the Immortal Exam’s secret realm—his strength can’t possibly be weak.”

“His luck is even more outrageous—he obtained two orange-light secret treasures, one of which was an Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment technique! Something unheard of in Qinzhou in the past hundred years!”

“Immortal-grade Dao art—wow, even if Lin Mo’s talent is ordinary, his cultivation after Foundation Establishment could skyrocket.”

“...”

Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment Dao art is among the most elite techniques even among the Nine Great Dao Academies, and their numbers are exceedingly rare.

Although we are all Dao Academy disciples, most of us never get the chance to practice Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment techniques.

Only the truly top-tier Immortal Seedlings of each cohort—like Chu Wange, Chen Xuanzhi, and others—are pre-selected by the academy’s elders before the Immortal Exam and granted the right to study Immortal-grade Dao arts.

Even then, among this year’s newcomers, aside from Chu Wange and Lin Mo, all other prodigies study only the “Dao Foundation Chapter” of Immortal-grade Dao arts; the full chapters can only be learned after officially becoming a disciple and receiving a master.

Thus, in their eyes, Lin Mo, holding an Immortal-grade Foundation Establishment technique, is already regarded as a true Dao Academy prodigy.

Even if Ye Chen became a Sword Attendant, he’s merely top among ordinary Dao Academy disciples—still far inferior to the prodigies on the ninth level.

Facing the doubts of others, He Fei smiled and said:

“Lin Mo’s luck is indeed impressive, but his strength… might still be slightly lacking.”

“After all, his elemental roots are five-element—he’ll likely progress much slower in Foundation Establishment techniques than Ye Chen.”

Li Feng frowned: “Lin Mo really has five-element roots?”

He Fei nodded: “Confirmed.”

The team leaders fell silent.

Frankly, a five-element root making it into the Nine Great Dao Academies is already extremely rare.

Now Lin Mo not only made it in, but also sits at tenth place on the Immortal List.

It’s simply unbelievable!

“If that’s the case, Ye Chen certainly has a good chance.”

Li Feng said this.

The other team leaders offered no rebuttal.

No matter how powerful an Immortal-grade Dao art is, its effects only manifest after the Dao Foundation is fully established.

Judging from Lin Mo’s talent, even a hundred days of Martial Qi radiance may not be enough to solidify his Dao Foundation.

He might need to stay on the Awakening Cliff for two or three years just to firmly ground his foundation before ascending to the Spirit Realm.

Leaving aside his future Dao achievements, for now, Ye Chen’s strength might genuinely surpass Lin Mo’s.

After all, Ye Chen already possesses the external sword granted by He Lian of Qingshan Sect—even if not fully refined, it grants him a portion of sword cultivator combat power.

Just as everyone thought this, Zhuang Weiwang, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke: “Not necessarily.”

Everyone turned their gazes toward her in the corner.

“Oh?”

He Fei raised an eyebrow: “What insight does Zhuang Sister have?”

Zhuang Weiwang shook her head:

“Lin Mo isn’t as weak as you say—he’s the one I’m betting on!”

He Fei furrowed his brow, as if recalling something, but said nothing more, only replying:

“Then let’s wait—it won’t be long before we get the result.”

The team leaders from other academies also noticed the unusual atmosphere—apparently, even Qingshan Sect’s internal unity is shaky…

…

…

The number of registrants for the first phase arena battles fell slightly short of nine hundred, divided into nine rounds of combat.

The match order was completely randomized, not based on rankings.

Amid heated discussions by team leaders and spectators, the first phase arena battles progressed rapidly.

The fastest rounds concluded in under ten minutes; even the slowest didn’t exceed the twenty-minute limit.

In a little over an hour, all nine rounds of the first phase were complete.

Simultaneously, the fifty winners of the first phase sat on the waiting bench.

On average, fewer than six victors were selected per round, far below the nine expected.

This group of qualifiers were undoubtedly the elite among this year’s Immortal Seedlings.

“Shhh!”

A talismanic light flickered in the Mirror Flower Water Moon, and Li Feng’s illusionary Dao robe host reappeared on the arena, his voice echoing across the empty battlefield:

“Congratulations, younger brothers and sisters, on advancing to the second phase—no more idle talk, let’s begin the second phase!”

At that moment, both spectators and competitors focused their attention entirely.

Li Feng continued:

“Before the challenge round officially begins, we must first enter the selection phase!”

“I’ll restate the rules: challengers may select any newcomer ranked higher than themselves for a challenge.”

“If a contestant is chosen by more than three challengers, they may then counter-select their own challengers.”

Here, he paused deliberately, then said:

“Additionally, before the selection phase begins, allow me to introduce today’s special guests—”

“The top prodigies of the ninth level Awakening Platform!”

As his words ended, the pitch-black realm beyond the Mirror Flower Water Moon suddenly lit up.

Several beams of light descended from above, illuminating the dark spectator seats.

First to come into view was Chu Wange, seated at the center.

Then came Chen Xuanzhi, Feng Ji, Cang Qianhao…

Lin Mo, Long A, Zhang Cai…

All the top prodigies of the ninth level Awakening Platform, ranked in the top twenty on the Immortal List, appeared on their seats.

Their seating followed the arrangement of the Awakening Platform’s meditation cushions—clearly ordered, staggered and balanced.

Their seats were much higher than the waiting bench on the other side.

Bathed in the special beams, they looked from afar like twenty celestial immortals seated in lofty isolation.

This grand entrance stunned the spectators before the Mirror Flower Water Moon.

“My god, it’s Chu Wange!!!”

“Wow! Feng Ji—my idol!”

“Chen Xuanzhi—the pride of Jibei Province!”

“Murong Taotao—so adorable!”

“...”

The sudden appearance of these top prodigies instantly ignited the atmosphere.

Apparently, these elite prodigies had been watching the entire match from within the Mirror Flower Water Moon—only now revealing themselves.

Ye Chen, seated on the waiting bench, saw Lin Mo glowing brilliantly across the light beams—his gaze darkened slightly, and a cold smirk curled his lips.

Lin Mo, wait.

That seat will be mine soon!