Chapter 178

The fourth round of disciple duels was intensely competitive.

The time for individual duels was also being extended.

As time passed, Xiao Zhufeng of the Infusing Void Sect, Dongfangxiu and Man Yue of the Tai Sui Sect, Nan Feiyan of the Thunder Sect, Li Ji of the Dual Extremes Sect, Ling Huya and Di Qingye of the Holy Gate, Fu Qianli of the Heavenly Illumination Gate, and Wan Si Wujian of the White Crane Sect all advanced.

On the Carefree Sect side, only Song Yan, Xiao Lingwei, Cang Li, Xue Jin, Ying Wuji, Yuan Yao, Lu Xiangxiang, Shiziwen, Yao Linglong, and Ao Su — ten people — advanced.

The seventy-five advanced disciples must now begin a new round of competition.

With seventy-five people drawing lots, one will inevitably draw a blank.

On the stage, the seventy-five people drew lots simultaneously.

Yuan Yao drew number thirty-seven.

Song Yan drew number twelve.

Xiao Lingwei drew number four.

Cang Li drew number thirty-six.

Xue Jin drew number twenty.

Ying Wuji drew number one.

Lu Xiangxiang drew number thirty-five.

Cang Li saw his lot number between Yuan Yao and Lu Xiangxiang, felt shocked, and patted his chest, saying, "Fortunately I didn't draw thirty‑seven; otherwise this third senior brother would have given the junior sister a sound beating."

"Third senior brother, you're overconfident — if anyone's going to beat anyone, it'll be me beating you!" Yuan Yao put away her lot and gave a cold snort.

Cang Li poked her shoulder, "Don't think I dare not hit you."

"I don't believe you."

After speaking, Yuan Yao turned to look at Ying Wuji and said, "Junior senior brother, keep it up!"

Ying Wuji gave a soft "hng."

Soon, except for Ying Wuji and another disciple who also drew number one, everyone else stepped down from the stage and returned to the waiting area.

After the referee announced the start of the match, Ying Wuji defeated his opponent with a single sword strike, knocking him off the stage.

The crowd stared in disbelief.

Ying Wuji slightly nodded, "You're welcome."

The crowd: "……" You're actually quite humble.

Next up was the disciple who drew number two, Xiao Zhufeng.

Xiao Zhufeng also eliminated his opponent with a single sword; after the referee announced the result, he left the stage as if he had merely come up for a walk‑through.

The crowd: "……"

The disciple who drew number three, Di Qingye, went onto the stage.

He cut his opponent down with one blade, inflicting serious injury and quickly ending the fight.

The crowd's mouths twitched slightly.

The disciple who drew number four, Xiao Lingwei, went up and lashed her opponent with a whip, sending him spinning like a top.

The opponent spun and spun, then fell off the stage.

The crowd was so shocked they could not speak.

These four matches each lasted less than a quarter of an hour.

Aren't the matches supposed to get more intense as they go on?!

How did they end so suddenly?

Fortunately, the fifth match that followed returned to normal.

"That's more like it…," the crowd sighed.

Someone said, "It's not that this batch of disciples is weak; it's that those four are just too strong!"

"They're all so young and have already reached the Nascent Soul Realm! I'm afraid they've already…" the Infusing Void Sect leader said, trailing off, realizing something, he glanced furtively at the Formless Immortal and fell silent.

To reach Tian Jiaocheng you must possess a Heavenly Pride Token.

It's not something you can just talk your way into.

…

The two who drew number eleven went up on stage.

Fu Qianli of the Heavenly Illumination Gate faced Yao Linglong of the Carefree Sect.

Seeing this, the Carefree Sect members couldn't help but worry.

Although Fu Qianli is young, his strength is formidable.

Fu Qianli has a delicate, doll‑like face that looks innocent and weak, but his strikes are extremely fast, ruthless, and precise.

After a moment, Fu Qianli defeated Yao Linglong.

"Thank you, senior sister," Fu Qianli said with a narrowed‑eye smile.

Yao Linglong waved her hand, "No need to thank me — I didn't want to give you that anyway."

Having been eliminated, she had to go to another waiting area; she could only wave goodbye from afar to Yuan Yao and the others.

"I will do my best to improve my ranking," she opened her mouth, but spoke silently.

Because she is currently among the top‑ten ranked disciples of the Carefree Sect, her performance will affect the sect's standing.

Yuan Yao and the others waved back in response.

Next up was the contestant who drew number twelve, Song Yan, whose opponent was one of this year's sect grand competition dark horse disciples, Long Yushu.

Long Yushu, from the Flying Serpent Sword Sect, is seventeen years old and cultivates at the Initial Golden Core. His appearance is handsome, though he is a bit short; standing on the stage opposite Song Yan, he is a full head shorter than Song Yan.

Song Yan's cultivation is at the Mid Golden Core.

He did not let his guard down when facing Long Yushu.

After a brief exchange of blows with both hands.

Jade Dragon Tree formed hand seals with both hands, summoning a totem from midair; in an instant, a huge flying serpent rode the clouds and mist and surged forth.

At that moment——

Everyone felt the tremendous pressure emanating from the flying serpent.

"This is... a fifth-grade spirit beast!" someone exclaimed.

"I can't believe it! Isn't this the guardian beast of the Flying Serpent Sword Sect?! How did this kid form a contract with it?!"

"I heard before that the Flying Serpent Sword Sect would spare no effort to nurture this Jade Dragon Tree; I didn't expect it to be true!"

"With a fifth-grade spirit beast out, how can we even compete?!"

In the cultivation world, spirit beasts are ranked from first to eighth grade, corresponding respectively to cultivators' realms: Qi Refining Realm, Foundation Establishment Realm, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul Realm, Spirit Transformation Realm, Void Refinement Realm, Body Integration Realm, Great Perfection Realm.

An eighth-grade spirit beast, after undergoing a heavenly tribulation, becomes a Holy Beast.

Above the Holy Beast lies the Divine Beast.

The power of a fifth-grade spirit beast corresponds to that of a human cultivator at the Spirit Transformation Realm!

Seeing this, the members of the Carefree Sect's faces instantly turned worried.

Even Sect Zhan furrowed their brow, their expression grave.

Some elders whispered, "In the previous sect tournament, Song Yan could still place eighth; this time, at best they might only rank thirty-sixth."

A sect leader commented, "Among the Six Disciples of Thousand Mountain, Song Yan is the most ordinary. Three years ago, at sixteen, they had only late Foundation Establishment cultivation; three years later, they had only reached mid Golden Core. Though their talent surpasses that of ordinary cultivators, compared to Ying Wuji and the others, they are far lacking."

"Wait, they placed eighth on the disciple rankings in the previous sect tournament with only late Foundation Establishment cultivation?"

Upon hearing this, everyone also sensed something was off.

"Right, three years ago their cultivation was so low—how did they manage to rank eighth on the disciple list?"

"Do you still remember how Song Yan defeated the other competing disciples three years ago?"

"Ah, I just can't seem to recall."

Most people present either completely forgot, had vague memories, or, like Character: Fan Quan (pinyin: Fan Quan) and the leaders of the seven major sects, remembered everything clearly.

"Not simple." The Holy Sect sect leader chuckled lightly.

How could the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord have chosen the wrong disciple?

As the audience murmured, Yuan Yao secretly tugged at Ying Wuji's sleeve and whispered, "Is Eldest Senior Brother really that strong?"

Ying Wuji heard this and gave a light chuckle.

"Yes."

Cang Li yawned, "You don't need to worry about Eldest Senior Brother."

Yuan Yao heard this and fell into thought.

She had previously gone to the Wuduan Mijing for training with Eldest Senior Brother, but at that time she hadn't noticed Eldest Senior Brother's strength.

Moreover, at that time Eldest Senior Brother had been gravely wounded by the black dragon.