At the ninth level of Qi Refinement, Fang Cairan was only a step away from Foundation Establishment. How could a gap like that be bridged by a top-grade magical tool?
Qu Zhanxing was naturally aware of his own shortcomings in strength, but Zhao Chun, also present on the field at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, was equally conspicuous. Fang Cairan had once sized Zhao Chun up, but ultimately chose him, leaving him with a sense of resentment in his heart.
What he did not know was that Fang Cairan actually held a sense of admiration for Zhao Chun; her tenacious Dao heart and outstanding strength had even made her take notice. As for Qu Zhanxing, she did indeed have a desire to fight injustice. Firstly, Fang Cairan had a fiery temperament and could not stand seeing someone unworthy of their position occupying a slot. Secondly, Gan Yuan, who had just left the field, was her junior sister from the same sect; though they were not inseparable soulmates, they shared a certain level of friendship. With both factors combined, it was inevitable that Fang Cairan would strike at Qu Zhanxing.
The battle between the two was already a mismatch in strength. Moreover, Fang Cairan was a fire-attribute cultivator, giving her an elemental advantage over Qu Zhanxing. Before the latter could even manifest his magical tool, he was struck heavily to the ground by her!
The outcome of the battle had long been decided, yet the spectators below continued to cheer. Qu Zhanxing’s face flushed red; unwilling to remain there any longer, he stood up, swept his sleeves, and left, casting several hateful glares at the field.
Fang Cairan did not fear him. With a cold snort, she took Qu Zhanxing's place. Though she was at the bottom of the ranking, no one dared to underestimate her.
Among those eliminated, there were several eighth-level Qi Refinement cultivators brimming with fighting spirit who took turns stepping onto the stage to challenge the others. However, the people remaining on the field were not easy opponents; they employed all sorts of unorthodox moves, ensuring that not a single challenger succeeded.
Because Zhao Chun had lost to Shen Youzhen, the eighth-level Qi Refinement cultivators did not dare to challenge her lightly. After observing her several times, a body-refining cultivator chose Shen Youzhen, who was ranked just below her. He was swiftly cut down and forced off the stage, feeling fortunate that he had not rashly chosen Zhao Chun.
Thus, with Du Fanzhi's concluding remarks, this competition came to a successful end.
While the participating disciples naturally felt some regret, the outcome determined after three rounds was convincing to most.
Among them, Zhuang Kun, Zheng Chenqing, and Fang Cairan could be considered the top tier of Qi Refinement disciples, earning continuous praise from the Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, the most eye-catching was the sixth-level Qi Refinement Zhao Chun. Her cultivation level was quite unremarkable among them, yet she truly showed everyone the meaning of a "natural sword cultivator!"
After the grand competition ended, Du Fanzhi hosted a banquet for the twenty winners, inviting them to drink and converse alongside the Foundation Establishment disciples.
During the banquet, Zhao Chun unexpectedly became a person of interest; those who had not met her before stepped forward to make her acquaintance. Fortunately, everyone present possessed a higher cultivation level than her and maintained a measured manner of speech, being neither overly familiar nor cold, which spared Zhao Chun from any sense of awkwardness.
Du Fanzhi was quite friendly toward her. His implication in his words was that Li Shu was occupied with many affairs, and it would not be convenient for a disciple to disturb him; therefore, his fellow disciples could interact more frequently to strengthen their bonds. Zhao Chun agreed repeatedly, but did not feel much of it in her heart; she had simply shown her talent in the Dao of the Sword, which was why he valued her. He had no interest in the other disciples under Li Shu who were eliminated, and even for those who made the top twenty, Du Fanzhi only offered a few words of congratulations.
Perhaps due to Li Shu's influence, the disciples under him rarely showed closeness, behaving less like fellow sect members and more like associates seeking profit.
Seated beside Du Fanzhi was a woman with phoenix eyes and a gentle temperament. Called the Nineteenth Junior Sister, she was likely a senior sister. After Du Fanzhi introduced her, she was revealed to be the Second Senior Sister, Liu Xuan, a genius of the sect's alchemy Dao with a very high status. After Zhao Chun paid her respects, she saw Liu Xuan take out a palm-sized white jade bottle and smile, saying, "I haven't seen you before, so I haven't given you a meeting gift. While watching the battle, I saw your gold and fire auras were extremely heavy; I fear this may hinder your future cultivation. When I traveled through the Southern Region, I saw someone similar to you. This is a Lotus Heart Qi-Regulating Pill, which may serve to soothe your condition. Please, take it."
When Zhao Chun fought, she rarely activated two elements simultaneously. It was only during her battle with Shen Youzhen that she had momentarily erupted with the spiritual power in her body, and in that single instant, Liu Xuan had spotted the hidden danger. Such insight could be described as monstrous. However, this Lotus Heart Qi-Regulating Pill was indeed extremely useful. After Zhao Chun expressed her thanks, she accepted it candidly. She then heard Liu Xuan mention that she could come to her for any matters regarding alchemy. While grateful for the kindness, Zhao Chun remained somewhat guarded, truly not knowing why Liu Xuan was treating her this way.
As a senior brother, Du Fanzhi naturally had to show his support for the gift given by his junior sister. He took out a green prayer mat and presented it to Zhao Chun, stating that its function for calming the mind and concentrating one's spirit was superior to other items, which would make her daily cultivation twice as effective.
In just a brief conversation, Zhao Chun had received two gifts. Fortunately, under the guise of being fellow disciples, it seemed somewhat reasonable.
Additionally, Fang Cairan, also a winner of the competition, stepped forward to make her acquaintance. She had a straightforward temperament but was very sharp-witted; the two talked pleasantly and became friends.
When Meng Han arrived, Xu Feng was not by his side. Meng Han sighed and said, "His son has caused trouble again. The opposing party has a clan backing them with several Foundation Establishment cultivators, and they are in the right. Brother Xu must go there personally to resolve this matter." It turned out that Xu Kuangrui was still being troublesome, and he had finally hit a brick wall, causing Xu Feng to leave in such a hurry that he didn't even have time to attend to Du Fanzhi's side.
"As for you, I suspected something earlier when I saw the light emanating from your sword, but now it seems you have truly entered the Second Realm."
As the two were exchanging pleasantries, Meng Han suddenly gestured toward a young man in blue and whispered, "That man is Jiang Yun. He is a martial fanatic. He is in the same Sword Radiance Realm as you, and I'm afraid he has set his sights on you."
"Anyone in the Inner Sect with even a bit of achievement in the Dao of the Sword will be targeted by him. He will keep coming to challenge them until he is satisfied."
"He truly is a martial fanatic..." Zhao Chun raised an eyebrow, feeling a hint of interest. Practicing the sword naturally prioritizes combat; having someone of a similar realm to spar with was a great stroke of luck for a sword cultivator!
As if to prove Meng Han's words, as soon as the banquet ended and Zhao Chun began her journey back, she felt a slight breeze beside her. She turned to avoid it, only to find the sword cultivator Jiang Yun charging toward her!
He did not use his cultivation to suppress her, but instead tested her solely with swordsmanship. Zhao Chun saw that he bore no ill will and immediately swung her sword to meet him!
The sudden battle startled the other cultivators. However, once they realized it was Jiang Yun and the newly promoted sword genius Zhao Chun, they laughed. Some waved and left, while others stayed to observe the sparring match between the two.
Jiang Yun had been in the Second Realm for some years, whereas Zhao Chun had only just entered it. In terms of swordsmanship, Jiang Yun was naturally more seasoned. However, knowing that Zhao Chun had only recently entered this realm, he also possessed a desire to nurture talent and did not defeat her immediately.
Back and forth, the fight became quite exhilarating!
Zhao Chun's eyes narrowed slightly. When Jiang Yun struck, a bronze-colored radiance clung to his body, looking remarkably similar to the "Minor Success" stage described in the *Fire-Forged Furnace Technique*. Furthermore, the radiance on him was smooth and mellow, possessing the quality of returning to simplicity—he was likely not far from the "Great Success" stage. Such a senior, whose sword Dao and body refining were so perfectly aligned, was someone she must seize the opportunity to learn from as she strove toward the Dao.