"I have not practiced any particular martial arts; I was merely attempting to break through to the Martial Spirit realm, but unfortunately, I failed."
Observing the curious expressions on Lin Fei, Prince Shisan, and Yun Shuiyao, Ye Tian smiled and deftly shifted the topic. "In a couple of days, the arena competition will commence. What rankings do you aspire to achieve?"
Seeing Ye Tian divert the conversation, Lin Fei and the others ceased their inquiries.
Prince Shisan chuckled, "I harbor no grand ambitions; if I can place within the top ten and gain entry into the inner sect, that would suffice."
"Likewise, my goal is simply to become an inner disciple of the Divine Star Sect," Lin Fei nodded in agreement.
In truth, it was not a lack of ambition that held them back, but rather the overwhelming talent of this year's cohort; both felt they would struggle to even breach the top five.
Yun Shuiyao, however, exuded confidence, her brows arching slightly as a self-assured smile graced her lips. "I am determined to secure a place among the top three!"
"That is no simple feat. The Seven Prince, Wu Ding, Bai Yunfei, and Meng Shiyun are all exceptionally formidable," Ye Tian remarked with a smile.
"How can that be? I am no weaker than them!" Yun Shuiyao declared proudly, lifting her chin defiantly.
"Ha!" Ye Tian chuckled softly. Truth be told, he held little faith in Yun Shuiyao's chances of entering the top three. It was not that she lacked strength; rather, the girl was too innocent and naive to withstand the true ferocity of combat against the likes of Wu Ding and the Seven Prince.
After their exchange, the group dispersed to continue their training, each hoping to enhance their abilities before the upcoming competition.
Ye Tian resumed his practice of the Nine Turns Battle Body, and with the innate talent of his azure martial soul, he progressed swiftly. At this rate, he would undoubtedly master the first layer within three months.
Lin Fei and Prince Shisan, having ascended to the Martial Spirit realm, focused on honing the Stellar Hand martial technique while stabilizing their newfound powers.
Like Ye Tian, Yun Shuiyao secluded herself within her quarters, seemingly engrossed in her own pursuits.
Similar to Ye Tian and his companions, the outer disciples of this generation were diligently striving to elevate their skills, eager to make a remarkable impression in the arena competition.
...
Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
On this day, the autumn winds howled, leaves danced to the ground, and the resonant chimes of bells echoed incessantly.
The arena competition was officially underway!
Many outer disciples rushed to the square at the sound, and even some inner disciples joined to witness the spectacle. Lord Nanlin led several city lords from Nanlin Prefecture to observe the event.
"Has Ye Tian arrived?"
"Why can't I see him?"
Xue Yuhai and Liu Hongwu were also present, scanning the crowd for Ye Tian's figure.
The vast square was a sea of humanity, with fifty arenas surrounded by throngs of spectators. A glance revealed a dense mass of people, making it nearly impossible to locate Ye Tian among them. Xue Yuhai and Liu Hongwu were compelled to abandon their search and patiently settled down to await the commencement of the competition.
"I heard that this time, the top ten not only gain direct entry into the inner sect but also receive generous rewards. The first-place winner could even obtain a Blood Bodhi, a rare spirit fruit capable of elevating a Martial Spirit expert by one level."
"There are rumors that the silver-robed elders of the Divine Star Sect are observing in secret, and they may take some prodigies as their closed-door disciples. These are Martial Sovereign level experts!"
"Who do you think has the best chance of claiming victory this time? Who will be in the top three?"
"Wu Ding, without a doubt. He ranked first in contribution points during the previous two assessments and possesses formidable strength!"
"The Seven Prince is no slouch either. High contribution points do not necessarily equate to superior strength; when they truly face off, it's hard to predict who will prevail."
"Bai Yunfei, Yun Shuiyao, and Meng Shiyun are also quite impressive. Unless something unexpected occurs, they are likely to occupy the top five."
"What about that Blood Blade Ye Tian? I think he's quite formidable; he might even break into the top three."
"Impossible! I've looked into it; even Prince Shisan and Lin Fei have ascended to the Martial Spirit realm, while this Blood Blade is still merely half a step into it. He might barely make it into the top ten, and even then, he would be at the bottom."
"He's a dark horse, though. I've heard many are keeping an eye on him."
...
Numerous outer and inner disciples engaged in discussions, while the city lords beside Lord Nanlin exchanged their own opinions, and some elders of the Divine Star Sect conversed quietly among themselves.
Ye Tian, clad in a white robe and carrying a large iron box containing his mysterious iron war blade, navigated through the crowd. His expression remained calm, his gaze steady, and his mind was exceptionally clear, with his spirit and energy attuned to their peak state.
Prince Shisan, Lin Fei, and Yun Shuiyao had been assigned to different arenas. With a total of fifty arenas, they were separated, clearly indicating that the elders of the Divine Star Sect were aware of their strengths and sought to prevent any encounters before the finals.
As time passed, the square became increasingly crowded, the cacophony of voices rising like a thunderous roar, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a bustling marketplace.
After approximately three hours, the number of people in the square reached its saturation point, no longer increasing.
At this moment, a silver-robed elder soared into the air, his authoritative gaze surveying the crowd below. As his piercing eyes swept across the assembly, the noise gradually diminished, until silence enveloped the square.
"Let the competition begin!" the silver-robed elder declared coldly, announcing the commencement of the arena battles.
Subsequently, fifty black-robed elders ascended to their respective arenas, each holding a roster.
"Zhang Wei!"
"Huang Aolong!"
A booming voice from the black-robed elder resonated across Ye Tian's arena, followed by two figures leaping onto the stage, facing each other in anticipation.
"This competition forbids killing; let the match commence!" The black-robed elder cast a cold glance at them, his voice low yet commanding.
In an instant, the two combatants charged towards one another, engaging in a fierce battle.
Simultaneously, the other arenas erupted into combat as well.
With fifty arenas accommodating five thousand outer disciples, each arena was perfectly allotted one hundred participants.
With each match featuring only two combatants, a mere one hundred participants would result in only fifty matches, and soon it would be Ye Tian's turn to compete.
"Ye Tian!"
"Zhou Yun!"
Upon hearing his name, Ye Tian immediately leaped onto the arena. At the same time, a youthful figure landed opposite him.
"Ah! Half-step Martial Spirit?" Ye Tian regarded the youth, Zhou Yun, with mild surprise; he had not anticipated that his first opponent would be a half-step Martial Spirit.
"Blood Blade? Hmph, high contribution points do not equate to superior strength. We are both half-step Martial Spirits; I will not be defeated by you!" Zhou Yun shot a cold glance at Ye Tian, confidence radiating from his expression.
"Is that so?" Ye Tian replied with a faint smile.
"Let the match begin!"
The black-robed elder commanded in a low voice.
Boom!
Almost as soon as the black-robed elder's words fell, a figure appeared before Ye Tian—it was Zhou Yun, grinning savagely as he hurled a fist towards Ye Tian.
However, in the next moment, Zhou Yun's pupils contracted, his eyes widening in disbelief as his fist passed right through Ye Tian's chest.
"Wait!"
"An afterimage—"
Zhou Yun's expression shifted dramatically, his cold eyes filled with incredulity as the Ye Tian before him slowly dissipated, a fierce gust of wind rushing in from the side, accompanied by a sharp, slicing sound.
"You realize it now, but it's too late!"
As a mocking voice echoed in his ear, Zhou Yun was sent flying, struck by an immense force that propelled him over ten feet away.
"You are too weak!"
Ye Tian approached Zhou Yun, shaking his head with indifference.
Zhou Yun's pupils contracted, his face turned pale, and he could not help but spit out a mouthful of blood before collapsing into unconsciousness.
The surrounding disciples of the Divine Star Sect erupted in astonishment, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief. Despite being a fellow half-step Martial Spirit, Zhou Yun had proven utterly defenseless against Ye Tian, defeated in a single move.
"Uncle City Lord, look! It's Ye Tian! Ye Tian! He won!" In one corner of the square, Liu Hongwu cheered joyfully, her face alight with excitement.
Beside her, Xue Yuhai nodded, equally exhilarated. "Yes, it's Ye Tian. He's truly remarkable; that last strike was comparable to a first-level Martial Spirit!"
"Indeed!"
"Impressive!"
"What a formidable strike, on par with a first-level Martial Spirit!"
The surrounding city lords, along with the Prince of Nanlin and the elders of the Divine Star Sect, wore expressions of astonishment.
As the sixth-ranked genius in this assessment's contribution points, Ye Tian attracted considerable attention upon his entrance, particularly from the elders of the Divine Star Sect, who regarded him as a focal point alongside Wu Ding and the Seventh Prince.
"Ye Tian wins!" proclaimed the black-robed elder in a resounding voice. Ye Tian descended the arena with an air of indifference; given his prowess, he scarcely regarded anyone other than Wu Ding and the Seventh Prince as worthy opponents.
Time passed swiftly as Ye Tian unabashedly showcased his strength, defeating each adversary with a single strike upon every appearance. Ultimately, he vanquished all challengers, emerging as the strongest on the platform and securing a place among the top fifty.
At this juncture, the silver-robed elder made adjustments, distributing the top fifty evenly across five arenas for competition, with the two most formidable contenders earning the right to advance into the top ten.
"Ye Tian, I never anticipated we would be placed in the same arena. You had better pray that you do not encounter me prematurely; otherwise, you shall have no chance of breaking into the top ten," Wu Ding remarked with a chilling smile.
"Is that so? Those are precisely the words I wished to convey to you!" Ye Tian retorted sharply, his piercing gaze brimming with combat fervor.
"Hmph, arrogance! You dare to challenge me without having ascended to the Martial Spirit realm; your defeat is inevitable!" Wu Ding scoffed at his words.
"A half-step into the Martial Spirit realm is still sufficient to surpass you!" Ye Tian replied coldly.
Whether by coincidence or deliberate arrangement, just as Ye Tian finished speaking, a commanding voice resonated through the air.
"Ye Tian! Wu Ding!"
As the black-robed elder's words fell, a profound silence enveloped the crowd, which was soon followed by a tumultuous uproar that echoed to the heavens.
"Ye Tian? Wu Ding? Surely I did not mishear?"
"This is a clash of titans; how have they faced off so early? It is both surprising and exhilarating!"
"This is going to be quite the spectacle!"
The square erupted in a frenzy of discussion, all eyes drawn to the impending confrontation.
Meanwhile, the other four arenas garnered little attention.