Chapter 500: The Ying Twins

Xue Jin faced his fierce assault without a hint of panic, and even counterattacked even harder!

He directly pressed Jiang Shuai down and struck!

Xue Jin's fighting style was without any restraint, so Jiang Shuai accumulated many fatal wounds.

Jiang Shuai's complexion changed repeatedly, a flash of panic flickering in his eyes.

"Are you scared?" Xue Jin said lightly.

Another sword followed!

It directly blasted him a short distance away!

Xue Jin lifted his eyes, and in a calm tone asked, "What are you afraid of?"

The onlookers felt a chill of horror at the scene.

In the next instant—

The youth's figure flashed, and a sword thrust toward Jiang Shuai's relatively weak under‑rib area!

That sword, swift as lightning, silent, yet bearing deadly cold light!

When Jiang Shuai sensed the danger, it was already too late!

He strained all his strength to twist his body, trying to dodge the vital spot, but ultimately he was a heartbeat too slow.

"Pfft!"

The sound of the blade entering flesh was clearly audible.

The tip of the sword had already penetrated Jiang Shuai's left rib by more than an inch; the icy sword qi instantly seeped inside, causing Jiang Shuai to let out a muffled hum, his complexion turning pale instantly.

Xue Jin's strike landed, and without lingering in battle, he flicked his wrist, drawing the long sword, which sprayed a string of bright red blood droplets.

His figure retreated several zhang, reestablishing distance; a few blood droplets stained his pale‑white long hair, making his already cold face appear even more uncanny.

Jiang Shuai clutched his bleeding wound, his face pained and unsightly; he stared at Xue Jin, his eyes filled with shock, anger, and a hint of unwillingness.

He knew he had lost.

In that instant, the opponent had aimed at his heart; he feared his life was already over.

The outcome was decided.

After the referee announced the result.

The seating area of the First Province was now a dead silence.

But the seating area of the Ninth Province erupted in uncontrollable euphoria. The Ninth Province crowd slapped each other's hands, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"We won! We won again!"

"Xue Jin!"

The Ninth Province crowd shouted Xue Jin's name.

Qian Shan Liuzi, truly lived up to the reputation!

Xue Jin ignored the clamor below, turned, still bearing that indifferent cold demeanor, and gracefully stepped down from the arena.

At this moment, the Immortals atop the high platform could hardly smile.

Except for Immortal Fan Quan, who feared offending the other Immortals, so he suppressed his laugh.

Heaven intends to favor their Ninth Province!

Their Ninth Province finally made a breakthrough!

Not easy!

Meanwhile, the contestant disciples from the Seventh Province and Boundless Island were all eliminated.

At this moment, the cultivators watching from the Seventh Province, Boundless Island, and Fusang Island wore disappointed faces, their moods extremely complex, harboring a helpless resentment that their iron had not become steel.

It was clear that in this year's Immortal Gate Grand Competition, they would finish at the bottom.

Above the stands.

Cang Li spoke leisurely, "Tell me, in those gambling houses, was anyone betting that our Ninth Province would be first?"

"Definitely not," Ao Su replied, "Before this, the idea of the Ninth Province taking first place was unimaginable!"

Ling Huya crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Looks like the casino house made a killing this year."

Zhai Qingye let out a light sigh, "After the Immortal Gate Grand Competition ends, I reckon many cultivators will be weeping."

Cang Li clasped his hands, speaking earnestly, "Our Ninth Province hasn't secured first place yet; all benefactors, please don't be too flamboyant."

"You're the most flamboyant in everyday life," Yao Linglong snorted lightly.

Ao Su asked, "Can't you trust Senior Brother Song and the others?"

Cang Li frowned slightly, "Of course not."

His gaze fell on the First Province team, looking at Xie Zixu, Sikong Banxue, and Ying Wuhuan.

He then glanced at Qian Yunzhou of Feiyun Island, Yu Jing of the Sixth Province, and Hua Chengyan of the Eighth Province.

Only these six are the true rivals of Eldest Senior Brother.

The participants in the next round are: Xiao Lingwei, Feng Xuanji, Dong Jiao, Qian Yunzhou, Yu Jing, Hua Chengyan, and four others, ten in total.

Xiao Lingwei faced a contestant from the Third Province and won.

Feng Xuanji faced Yu Jing, and Yu Jing won.

Qian Yunzhou faced Dong Jiao, and Qian Yunzhou won.

Hua Chengyan faced a disciple from the Fifth Province, and Hua Chengyan won.

The people of the First Province fell into silence again.

Even Feng Xuanji lost...

At this moment, the Immortals atop the high platform, upon seeing Yu Jing defeat Feng Xuanji, simultaneously envisioned the silhouettes of two people in their minds.

"Yu Jing..." Immortal Fang Tai said slowly, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hoarseness. He instinctively brushed his long beard hanging on his chest, his deep eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze seeming to pierce the void before him, reaching into the distant past, "Yu family..."

He finally let out a deep sigh.

Over a hundred years ago.

First Province, there once was a prominent noble clan surnamed Yu, known as the Yu Clan. At that time, the Yu Clan was full of talent, masters like clouds, occupying a pivotal position in the First Province and even the entire cultivation world, its momentum unmatched, its fame even overshadowing some long-established great sects of the time.

And during the Yu Clan's peak, a brother‑sister pair emerged, hailed as the "Dragon and Phoenix Twin Stars."

The elder sister was named Yu Hanxiang, the younger brother Yu Qingxue.

Both were rare cultivation geniuses encountered once in a century, with extraordinary talent and exceptional comprehension, reaching heights that left others in the dust at a young age.

However...

What a pity.

Fang Tai Immortal Venerable's gaze fell once again on Yu Jing.

The Yu Clan, it seems, has produced another peerless genius.

In the next round of the competition, the Ninth Province sent Ying Wuji.

And the First Province's Ying Huan also stepped onto the stage at the same time.

Initially, no one paid much attention, until Ying Wuji and Ying Huan became opponents.

Everyone was startled.

"They're both from the Ying family, yet they're facing each other?"

"Their positions differ now; one represents the First Province, the other the Ninth Province..."

"Now there's a good show to watch!"

"Ying Huan is famously a genius monster! In the previous matches, he hardly needed to exert himself seriously before his opponents fell! I dare bet, in this match, the victor will surely be Ying Huan!" said a cultivator optimistic about the First Province, speaking with conviction.

"Exactly! If Ying Huan can defeat Ying Wuji, then the Ninth Province's hope of seizing first place will likely be dashed!"

"Go Ying Huan!" the disciples of the First Province shouted, as if they had seen hope of securing the top spot, their spirits roused, they raised their arms and cheered.

Seeing this, the disciples of the Ninth Province refused to yield; they sprang to their feet, faces flushed, shouting with all their might: "Ying Wuji must win!"

As they chanted, someone started it, and the slogan turned into: "Ying Wuji, Ying Wuji, number one under heaven!"

Upon hearing this slogan, the First Province's disciples' faces slightly changed; they glanced at each other and shouted even louder: "Ying Huan must win! Ying Huan is invincible!"

This is not merely a contest between the two individuals, but also a rivalry between the two provinces.

On the high platform, Fang Tai Immortal Venerable twirled his long beard, a hint of teasing smile on his face, he turned his head to look at Ying Tian Immortal Venerable beside him and said slowly: "Old friend Ying Tian, I never expected that your Ying clan's two juniors would end up fighting each other on this stage today—how interesting!"

Ying Tian Immortal Venerable smiled and said: "It's about time they had a match."

He also wanted to see, among the two juniors, who would come out on top.