Mastering a technique meant reaching the absolute pinnacle of skill; beyond that, one could only grasp its true essence and achieve perfect integration.
On the field, the ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivators each possessed one or several mastered techniques; even among the eighth-level cultivators, some had achieved mastery.
But Zhao Chun was only in the middle stage of Qi Refinement, having joined the sect for less than three years!
Her sword Dao had entered the realm, and her sword techniques were mastered!
In terms of cultivation realm, she might only be considered middle-to-upper tier, but in her cultivation of the sword, she possessed such extraordinary talent!
Guo Leng crossed his arms in front of him, but how could a mastered sword technique be easily defended? Zhao Chun’s attacks were also cunning, aiming directly for vulnerable joints. A single successful strike would render half the body immobile! Arms, the backs of knees, the torso—Guo Leng’s mountain-like body crashed onto the stage, his large, gong-like eyes staring wide in indignation.
The judges waited for three breaths. Seeing that Guo Leng did not rise, they raised their hands and shouted, "The winner of this battle is Zhao Chun!"
Silence fell for a moment before a sudden tremor erupted like thunder. Guo Leng, a seventh-level Qi Refinement cultivator who could even contend with eighth-level cultivators, had fallen to Zhao Chun, whose cultivation was inferior to his!
She had used no unorthodox methods, but had defeated a powerful enemy head-on with her own skills. How could such a feat not command admiration?
Zhao Chun silently descended from the stage and returned to her position. Many were watching her closely. In the remaining battles, a sixth-level disciple defeated a seventh-level one, but that seventh-level disciple had sustained light injuries and exhausted much Qi in the previous round, making it less visually striking than the battle between Zhao Chun and Guo Leng.
By the time the final forty were selected, Zhao Chun’s luck seemed to improve. Not only did she draw a fellow disciple of the same rank, but even her seventh-level opponent was far weaker than Guo Leng. As for those eliminated, all sixth-level cultivators except Zhao Chun had left the field, and the number of seventh and eighth-level cultivators had also decreased significantly. There was even a pair of ninth-level cultivators where one ultimately failed to hold his ground and was defeated. Fortunately, there would be one final round to challenge again for a spot.
Among the forty who entered the second round, Zhao Chun was naturally at the very bottom when ranked by cultivation level.
The ranking among peers was determined by Du Fanzhi and the Foundation Establishment cultivators based on their performance in the first round. The top seven were ninth-level, followed by thirteen eighth-level cultivators. From the twenty-first position to the thirty-ninth, all were seventh-level. According to the rules of the second round, the lower ranks would challenge the higher ranks, causing the rankings to shift. Once the great drum sounded, the spectators inevitably turned their eyes toward those sitting at the bottom.
These twenty spots happened to coincide with the total number of ninth and eighth-level cultivators, meaning that to break into the top twenty, one had to defeat higher-ranked opponents!
Everyone knew that Zhao Chun, in the fortieth position, could fight seventh-level cultivators, but even if she defeated all the seventh-level disciples present, she would not secure a spot. They sighed inwardly; it was a pity her cultivation time was so short. If given a few more years, she would surely claim a seat.
Seeing Zhao Chun’s calm expression, devoid of disappointment or resentment, Du Fanzhi nodded inwardly. Perhaps he could report this to his master and request that she be brought along as an exception. He was already thinking of how to approach her and win her over.
On the field, the seventh-level cultivators in the twenty-second and twenty-sixth positions attempted to challenge the twentieth-ranked Xia Shende, but both were defeated by a single mistake. Seeing this, the disciple in the twenty-first position became even more cautious, frowning as he considered whether to strike. Before he could decide, a clear female voice drifted from the very end
"Zhao Chun, in the fortieth position, wishes to challenge the seventeenth position, Senior Brother Shen Youzhen. I ask Senior Brother not to hold back!"
The adjudicator froze momentarily. Seeing her serious expression, which seemed no pretense, he dared to raise his hand and announce, "The fortieth position, Zhao Chun, challenges the seventeenth position, Shen Youzhen!"
The rest fell into a profound silence.
"Reckless..." Du Fanzhi sighed softly.
Beside him, Liu Xuan smiled. "Since they haven't fought yet, how does Junior Brother know it is reckless?" She said gently, "When she faced that body-refining cultivator earlier, some thought Nineteenth Junior Sister would surely lose, yet she won flawlessly. Now that she has chosen this Shen Youzhen, she must have a plan in mind."
"Guo Leng only had some reputation among the seventh-level cultivators; he couldn't be compared to Shen Youzhen. If she had chosen Xia Shende, she might have had a chance. But Shen Youzhen is more than a level stronger than Xia Shende. This temperament is truly too stubborn..." Du Fanzhi felt a sense of regret, wondering how to temper her stubbornness. He feared that with such great talent, she might break too easily.
However, since Zhao Chun dared to go straight for Shen Youzhen, she certainly had her own reasons.
If she only defeated Xia Shende, there might be those in lower positions who, feeling lucky, would challenge her repeatedly, which would be quite taxing. This was because Xia Shende was at the bottom of the eighth-level rank, and in the previous two matches, two seventh-level disciples had narrowly lost to him. Furthermore, Xia Shende's position was at risk of dropping; if she could move higher, it would naturally be better.
During the first round, she had already calculated: among the thirteen eighth-level cultivators, the top five were opponents she could not defeat, so she disregarded them. Among the remaining eight, the strength from the thirteenth to the sixteenth position was very similar, and the rankings would surely undergo significant changes. From the seventeenth position, Shen Youzhen, down to the twentieth, Xia Shende, the strength decreased in a staircase fashion with noticeable gaps, meaning they were unlikely to make rash challenges.
She intended to defeat Shen Youzhen with thunderous force to intimidate those below her. In this way, her position would be more stable; others would not waste their energy on her unless they were certain of victory. If she could use this method to avoid a series of repetitive battles, why wouldn't she?
Those with keen minds understood her purpose; some laughed at her lack of discretion, while others praised her boldness.
Shen Youzhen, however, looked livid, feeling deeply insulted. In his view, cultivators below the eighth level mostly chose Xia Shende, and the arrogant or overconfident might challenge the nineteenth-ranked Gan Yuan. He hadn't expected to be looked down upon by a sixth-level cultivator who dared to challenge him. He strode onto the martial stage, holding a long saber across his chest—he was a saber cultivator!
Zhao Chun had watched him fight others; his saber strikes already possessed a certain radiance, suggesting he was not far from entering the Dao of the saber.
Aside from being on the verge of entering the Dao, he also had mastered saber techniques. His strength among peers was second only to the top geniuses of the inner sect. Based on the strength Zhao Chun had displayed so far, defeat was indeed certain.
However, is what is seen always the truth?
She leaped onto the martial stage, held her sword aloft, and pointed it at Shen Youzhen, thinking with exhilaration: *After this battle, I, Zhao Chun, shall be the number one sword cultivator among the Lingzhen Qi Refinement disciples!*
Thousands of rays of light converged into a single point at the tip of her sword. In an instant, her sharpness was fully revealed!