Shen Xiang had now stepped into the eighth level of the Mortal Martial Realm, and his divine consciousness had grown even stronger. He could see that among the competitors on the stage, there were two who had reached the seventh level of the Mortal Martial Realm. One was a man in his twenties, dressed in golden robes.
The other was a woman with white hair. She was exceptionally beautiful, with soft hair tied into a ponytail, and a tall, slender figure. Her mature and stunning features, paired with a cold arrogance, made her stand out. Like Shen Xiang, she was wearing tight black clothes that perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure. However, her outfit was of far superior quality compared to Shen Xiang's.
The woman caught everyone's attention, not only because of her striking white hair, but also due to her mature appearance, her explosive figure, and her icy yet noble demeanor. Even Shen Xiang couldn't help but steal a few more glances at her.
"The rules are simple," an elder from the Yao Family announced, "The first round will be held today. You forty will be divided into eight groups, with five people in each group. The winner of each group will advance to the finals."
The rules were straightforward. Five people would fight on the stage in a free-for-all, and the last person standing on the stage would be the winner. Anyone who fell off the stage would be eliminated.
The Yao Family elder continued explaining some details about the tournament, emphasizing that dirty tricks were allowed, but killing was strictly prohibited.
As the groupings were announced, Shen Xiang wasn't placed with the two seventh-level martial artists. His group consisted of four young men, around nineteen or twenty years old, all at the peak of the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm, on the verge of breaking through. Shen Xiang guessed that this was a deliberate arrangement by the Yao Family to have him eliminated in the first round.
At this point, Shen Xiang had learned the identities of the two seventh-level martial artists. The girl was named Leng Youlan, the daughter of a famous general in the Southern Martial Nation, and she was only fourteen years old. Despite her mature appearance, Shen Xiang was astonished by how young she was.
The other young man was Song Nanming, the eldest son of the emperor and crown prince of the Southern Martial Nation. At twenty years old, he had reached the peak of the seventh level of the Mortal Martial Realm, a talent that was considered impressive. However, in Shen Xiang's eyes, Song Nanming couldn't compare to Leng Youlan, who was only fourteen.
Shen Xiang was in the last group, and it was the most unfair group. He was the youngest at sixteen, while the others were nineteen or twenty. It was obvious to everyone that this grouping had been deliberately arranged to make things difficult for him.
If it had been a one-on-one duel, Shen Xiang's chances of winning would be high. But in a five-person free-for-all, it was much easier for him to lose.
If Shen Xiang were still at the seventh level of the Mortal Martial Realm, he might have been worried. But now, at the eighth level, he had mastered immense power. With his divine skills and five-element true energy, his strength was close to that of a ninth-level martial artist!
Shen Xiang hadn't expected that after breaking through to the seventh level, he would ascend to the eighth level within just a few days. This was all thanks to the Devouring Devil Skill taught to him by Bai Youyou. He had now come to deeply appreciate the power of this demonic skill!
Standing below the stage, Shen Xiang observed the battles closely, watching the techniques used by the competitors. With his keen eyes, he could see the flow of true energy through their meridians when they performed their martial arts moves. The most difficult part of stealing someone's technique was learning their energy flow methods, but Shen Xiang, with his extraordinary divine consciousness, could now easily see through them, allowing him to imitate their martial arts effortlessly.
On the stage, the five competitors crowded into the center, none daring to stand near the edge for fear of being knocked off. In this kind of free-for-all, not only did one need skill, but also the strength to fend off attacks from multiple opponents while still counterattacking swiftly. It was a test of how well a person could apply their martial arts and how quick their reflexes were.
Although the martial arts displayed by the five elite youths on stage drew gasps of admiration from the audience, Shen Xiang wasn't impressed. While their techniques were good, there were too many flaws for him to bother copying them.
The first match ended quickly. The winner had solid true energy and managed to outlast the others. The four losers either got knocked off the stage or voluntarily stepped down after exhausting their true energy.
All of the participants were at the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm. In the eyes of most, they were considered geniuses with formidable strength. However, Shen Xiang could see that they lacked strong foundations. Their true energy wasn't dense or pure enough, and though they knew good techniques, they couldn't unleash their full power or use them effectively.
"After all, they've all been pampered. None of them would have endured the kind of hardship needed to truly hone their skills," Shen Xiang thought. There were few who, like him, practiced martial arts with relentless effort, even through the dead of night.
Now, it was time for Song Nanming, the crown prince, to take the stage. As a seventh-level martial artist, he quickly dispatched two of his sixth-level opponents, knocking them off the stage. Using his true energy advantage, he easily defeated the remaining two, earning cheers from the crowd.
Next up was Leng Youlan. The moment she stepped on stage, countless men in the audience fixed their eyes on her fiery figure. Dressed in tight black clothes, her long legs were straight and firm, full of elasticity. Her mature and graceful body, along with her cold and arrogant demeanor, made it hard to believe she was only fourteen.
"This girl's true energy is strange!" Shen Xiang murmured with a frown.
Su Meiyao chimed in, "She has both ice and fire veins. I'm not sure what grade they are, but her true energy should be a fusion of ice and fire. These two opposing energies combined create an eerie and unpredictable power. If you see her using fire, it's possible that the flames could freeze you. She's no simple opponent. It would be good for you to befriend her."
Shen Xiang's eyes narrowed as he stared at the beautiful and mature-looking girl on stage, amazed by her abilities. To receive Su Meiyao's praise meant that Leng Youlan was indeed exceptional.
"Begin!"
As soon as the word was spoken, Leng Youlan turned into a black blur, dashing around the stage, leaving behind a long trail of black shadows. Her speed was so fast that it stunned the audience, and her four opponents froze in shock.
Shen Xiang frowned as he struggled to keep up with her movements, only barely able to make out her beautiful yet stern face. The speed with which she moved left him in awe.
A loud "bang" echoed as one of the contestants was suddenly flung off the stage. Although no one could see how it happened, it was clear that Leng Youlan was the one who had attacked, using her speed to knock them down.
Shen Xiang, however, could see it clearly. Leng Youlan had kicked the person with such force that they were sent flying.
What followed was a series of shouts as Leng Youlan used her speed to launch surprise attacks, swiftly kicking each opponent off the stage one by one.
"Leng Youlan advances to the final eight. Next up is the last group!" the elder from the Yao Family announced.
Finally, it was Shen Xiang's turn. Everyone knew that he would be facing four other men in their twenties, all at the peak of the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm. These men had been stuck at this level for years, making them much stronger than the younger contestants. This put Shen Xiang at a serious disadvantage.