Volume One

Chapter Nine: Final Tournament Clouds, Dragon and Tiger Secret Struggle

On the day of the finals, the sky was somewhat overcast.

The atmosphere in the martial arts arena was even more intense than previous days. The finals for the Qi Refining Middle Stage group had become a nearly one-sided crushing performance, and the protagonist was that "freak" Lin Xuan, who possessed no spiritual power. This topic was enough to keep all the Outer Sect Disciples and onlookers talking for days.

However, those with keen eyes could sense the turbulent undercurrents beneath the calm surface.

On the main viewing platform, Elder Sun Miao was accompanied by a fair-faced, yet slightly gloomy-looking young man in green robes. This was none other than Zhao Long, who had just rushed back from the Sect upon hearing the news. His aura was restrained, having already reached the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, and just sitting there, he naturally exuded a sense of oppression. His indifferent gaze swept over Lin Xuan, who was preparing to take the stage, and the corner of his mouth curled into a faint, cold smirk.

Su Qingyue sat in the front row of the Disciple seating area, her hands unconsciously twisted together, her knuckles white. The fellow Disciples beside her were whispering about the finals, but no one dared to speak loudly, and the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

Deacon Wang stood by the edge of the arena, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes scanning back and forth between Lin Xuan and his final opponent, carrying a trace of imperceptible worry.

Lin Xuan's final opponent was an Outer Sect Disciple named Liu Mang. He was tall, dark-skinned, taciturn, and his cultivation was also at the Peak of the Qi Refining Sixth Level. Unlike Wu Hao, who had been defeated by Lin Xuan earlier, Liu Mang did not follow the path of spells but was a rare dual Cultivator of body and technique, also practicing an external hard style called "Wild Ox Strength." It was said that his physical strength was astonishing, and he had once single-handedly toppled a rampaging Iron-Horned Ox. In previous matches, he had relied on his formidable defense and strength to fight his way into the finals.

When he drew Lin Xuan, Liu Mang just lifted his eyes to look at him and said in a muffled voice: "Your strength is great. But my strength is not small either." There was no contempt in his eyes, only the gravity of meeting a worthy opponent.

"Please." Lin Xuan remained concise.

The finals began.

Liu Mang let out a low roar, his already tall physique seemingly expanding another circle, muscles bulging, and his skin took on a faint earthy-yellow luster. He kicked off the ground, causing the arena floor tiles to emit a dull sound, and his entire body rushed toward Lin Xuan like a cannonball fired from its chamber! Without any fancy moves, he threw a straight punch; the fist wind was fierce and violent, causing the air to emit a whistling sound!

The power of this punch far exceeded any previous opponent!

Lin Xuan's eyes brightened. He did not dodge or evade, but stepped forward as well, meeting the punch with his right fist! He did not use [Source Martial Spiritual Energy], but relied solely on pure physical strength, wanting to test exactly how much substance this opponent who specialized in strength possessed.

"Boom!!!"

The two fists collided, erupting with a blast like two giant hammers striking each other! A visible shockwave exploded from the point of impact, blowing their clothes until they snapped loudly!

Liu Mang's body shook violently, and he retreated three steps, a look of shock flashing in his eyes. His fist felt numb, as if the finger bones were about to crack. As for Lin Xuan, his figure only swayed slightly, and his feet did not move an inch!

"Good strength!" Liu Mang took a deep breath, suppressing his roiling blood, his Battle Intent intensifying. He lunged again, using fists, elbows, knees, and shoulders. His offensive was like a violent storm, every strike heavy and powerful. Combined with the formidable defense brought by "Wild Ox Strength," he was unexpectedly locked in an evenly matched battle with Lin Xuan for a time, and the arena was filled with muffled "bang, bang, bang" sounds.

The audience below was mesmerized. This was a collision of strength against strength! It was far more exhilarating than those previous spell-based duels!

"This Liu Mang is truly powerful! He can actually trade blows with Lin Xuan!"

"It seems Lin Xuan didn't gain much advantage either?"

"This is what a match should be!"

However, on the main viewing platform, the coldness at the corner of Zhao Long's mouth deepened. He saw clearly that Lin Xuan was handling Liu Mang's wild offensive with ease; his footwork, movement, blocking, and counterattacking were precise and concise to the extreme, as if a precision killing machine was in operation. What alarmed him even more was that Lin Xuan's breath remained steady and long, while Liu Mang's breathing had begun to grow heavy, and the earthy-yellow protective luster was faintly fluctuating.

"Sure enough, he has some tricks, no wonder he could injure my brother." Zhao Long snorted coldly in his heart, glanced at the expressionless Sun Miao beside him, and transmitted his voice: "Junior Martial Uncle Sun, this child is wild and untamable, his origins are unknown, and he is suspected of possessing an ancient Body Cultivator Legacy. If we let him stir up trouble in the Outer Sect, I fear it will not be a blessing for the Sect."

Sun Miao lowered his eyelids and replied via voice transmission: "Nephew Zhao, you are overthinking. This child has promised to share a portion of the ruins' gains, and his strength is exceptional. If he can be brought into the fold, it would also be an asset to the Sect. As for the Legacy, everyone has their own fate, and forcing it is futile."

"Brought into the fold?" A cold glint flashed in Zhao Long's eyes. "I am afraid of raising a tiger that will turn on us. I have observed his attacks; they are ruthless and decisive, and he is definitely not one to willingly live under others. Moreover..." He paused. "My brother, Zhao Hu, still has his Qi Sea congested and his cultivation stagnant, all because this child secretly used foul play! If this grudge is not avenged, how can I, Zhao Long, have the face to stand in the Inner Sect? Junior Martial Uncle Sun, you do not need to intervene in this matter; I have my own discretion."

Sun Miao remained silent, not responding further. Although he was wary of the forces behind Zhao Long, he was even less willing to completely fall out with Lin Xuan at this moment, especially when the child's value was not yet clear and might involve deeper connections. Since Zhao Long wanted to act privately, as long as it didn't cause too much of a scene, he was happy to pretend he didn't know.

On the arena, the battle was nearing its end. Liu Mang had attacked for a long time without success, consuming a huge amount of spiritual power and physical strength, and his offensive gradually slowed. Lin Xuan seized an opening, dodged a heavy punch from his opponent by turning sideways, bumped into his chest with his shoulder, and released a hint of dark force.

Liu Mang let out a muffled groan and staggered back, his chest feeling stuffy, and his protective luster dissipated completely. Knowing he had no chance of winning, he was forthright and clasped his fists: "Senior Brother Lin's Divine Power is astonishing. This one admits inferiority and concedes." Having said that, he voluntarily jumped off the arena.

A wave of sighs and applause erupted from below the stage. Lin Xuan's performance had already won the recognition of many, at least in terms of strength.

Deacon Wang breathed a sigh of relief and was about to step forward to announce Lin Xuan as the champion of the Qi Refining Middle Stage group.

Suddenly, on the other side of the arena, a Disciple who had been defeated by Lin Xuan earlier, his arm still wrapped in bandages (it was one of Wu Hao's followers), stood up abruptly and pointed at Lin Xuan, shouting sternly: "Wait! Deacon Wang, Elders! This Disciple has a major situation to report!"

Everyone was stunned, their gazes fixed on him.

The Disciple looked excited and indignant: "This Disciple reports Lin Xuan! During the match, he used insidious methods to secretly harm fellow Disciples! Senior Brother Wu Hao is currently seriously injured and unconscious. Upon inspection, there is residual strange, cold, and yin energy within his body that is eroding his Meridians; this was definitely not caused by a normal match! How is this different from demonic paths? I ask the Deacon and Elders to investigate clearly! Cancel Lin Xuan's qualification for the match and punish him severely!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar!

"What? Secretly harm?"

"No wonder Wu Hao was defeated so miserably, one punch and..."

"Could he really have used underhanded means?"

Deacon Wang's face sank: "Stop spouting nonsense! The match was witnessed by everyone, how could Lin Xuan secretly harm him? What evidence do you have?"

"Evidence?" The Disciple sneered. "The cold yin energy in Senior Brother Wu Hao's body is the evidence! Furthermore," he turned abruptly to Lin Xuan, his eyes full of resentment, "Lin Xuan, do you dare to let Elder Sun or Senior Brother Zhao inspect the attributes of the power within your body in front of everyone? If you have nothing to hide, why fear inspection? If what you Cultivate is a Righteous Path technique, why is your power attribute so strange and insidious that it can erode others' Meridians?"

This time, even Deacon Wang was speechless. Requesting an inspection of power attributes was extremely rare in Outer Sect matches, almost equivalent to suspecting the other party of practicing an evil art, and was a great insult to a Cultivator. But the other party had brought up the terms "eroding Meridians" and "Wu Hao's serious injury," making it difficult to refute directly.

Everyone's gaze focused on Lin Xuan. Sun Miao frowned tightly, while Zhao Long picked up his teacup with composure, a trace of smugness flashing in his eyes. This was the backup plan he had arranged. The cold yin energy in Wu Hao's body was naturally something he had secretly done, framing Lin Xuan's "strange" power attributes. As long as Lin Xuan didn't dare to accept the inspection, or if the inspection result was indeed abnormal (he had his own ways to make the result "abnormal"), he could confirm the charge of practicing evil arts and secretly harming fellow Disciples. Then, he could legitimately take him down, abolish his cultivation, and force the Legacy out of him!

Su Qingyue's heart jumped into her throat. She looked at Lin Xuan and saw that he was still calm, as if the sharp accusation had nothing to do with him.

Lin Xuan lifted his eyes, looked at the Disciple who accused him, then slowly swept his gaze over Zhao Long and Sun Miao on the main viewing platform, and finally let his gaze fall back on Deacon Wang. His voice was clear and calm: "He says my power is insidious and erodes Meridians?"

"That's right! Do you dare to accept an inspection?" The Disciple pressed aggressively.

Lin Xuan suddenly laughed. The smile was very faint, but it carried an indescribable mockery: "Whether my power is insidious, and where Wu Hao's injury came from, is actually very easy to distinguish."

He paused, and amidst the questioning gazes of the crowd, he walked to the edge of the arena and said loudly to the onlookers below: "The basic chapter of the 'Ancient God Body Refining Technique' records that the power of ancient Body Cultivators is supreme Yang and supreme hardness. It tempers one's own body and can also cleanse away filth. If there is insidious energy eroding, using supreme Yang blood and Qi to strike it will reveal the truth immediately."

Saying this, he turned to Deacon Wang and Sun Miao: "Elder Sun, Deacon Wang, can you bring Wu Hao here? There is no need to inspect Lin, I only need to take a drop of the stagnant blood from Wu Hao's body, and I am willing to use my supreme Yang blood and Qi to dispel the insidious poison for him. If it can be dispelled, it proves the insidious poison was not left by me, but was planted by someone afterward. If it cannot be dispelled, or if my blood and Qi resonate with it... I am willing to accept any punishment."

As soon as this was said, the whole venue was shocked!

Using one's own blood and Qi to dispel poison for others? This required such a precise level of control over one's own power! Moreover, this was undoubtedly exposing the nature of his own power to everyone! More importantly, he had directly pointed the finger at "planting evidence"!

Zhao Long's hand holding the teacup stiffened slightly, a glimmer of sinister intent flashing in his eyes. He didn't expect Lin Xuan to be so decisive and to propose such a method of verification. The cold yin energy in Wu Hao's body had been implanted by him using a secret technique, and its attributes were sinister. But if it really encountered a supreme Yang and supreme hard blood and Qi impact, it could indeed be dispelled or reveal traces of external origin... Could this kid's power really be of supreme Yang attribute?

Sun Miao's eyes flashed with brilliance. He looked deeply at Lin Xuan and said: "This method... is indeed feasible. Deacon Wang, go bring Wu Hao here."

Deacon Wang hurriedly agreed and left in a rush.

On and off the arena, there was whispering, and everyone was waiting nervously.

Soon, Wu Hao was carried up on a stretcher by two Disciples. His face was pale and gray, he was unconscious, and his aura was weak.

Lin Xuan walked to the side of the stretcher and stretched out his right index finger. A dark golden light flickered at his fingertip (he deliberately controlled the [Source Martial Spiritual Energy] to manifest a supreme Yang and rigid appearance) and gently tapped on a blue-black bruise on Wu Hao's wrist. A strand of pure, scorching, and vibrant dark golden energy slowly flowed into Wu Hao's body through his fingertip.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, a miracle happened!

The blue-black color on Wu Hao's wrist faded at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his complexion gradually regained a hint of ruddiness. More obviously, a wisp of extremely fine black mist, emitting a cold and resentful aura, was slowly forced out of his mouth and nose by the dark golden energy, emitting a "hissing" sound in the air and rapidly dissolving!

"It really is insidious energy!"

"It was forced out! Look at that color, how evil!"

"Lin Xuan's blood and Qi... it really is of supreme Yang attribute! How pure!"

Facts speak louder than words! The moment the insidious energy was forced out, its attributes were completely different from the supreme Yang blood and Qi displayed by Lin Xuan, and they even mutually suppressed each other! The matter of framing was self-evident!

The face of the accusing Disciple turned pale as paper instantly, and he trembled all over.

The teacup in Zhao Long's hand made a soft "crack" sound, and a fine crack appeared. His face still had no expression, but his eyes were ice-cold to the bone.

Sun Miao stood up abruptly, his gaze shooting like lightning at the accusing Disciple, and he shouted sternly: "Audacious villain! How dare you frame a fellow Disciple and plant evidence! Speak! Who instructed you!"

The Disciple was scared out of his wits and knelt down with a "thud," kowtowing repeatedly: "Elder, spare me! This Disciple... this Disciple was confused for a moment! It was... it was..." His eyes glanced in terror toward the direction of Zhao Long on the main viewing platform, but upon making contact with Zhao Long's icy gaze, he felt as if his throat had been grabbed, and the second half of his sentence could not be uttered, only constant kowtowing.

How could Sun Miao not know the ins and outs? But he was also unwilling to completely fall out with Zhao Long at this moment. He snorted coldly: "Take this slanderer away and interrogate him strictly! The matter of Wu Hao's injury will be investigated separately!"

After handling this emergency, Sun Miao looked at Lin Xuan on the arena with complex eyes and finally announced loudly: "After investigation, Lin Xuan has committed no violation, but instead helped a fellow Disciple dispel insidious poison. The title of champion for the Qi Refining Middle Stage group is well-deserved! Reward: one hundred Spirit Stones, three hundred contribution points, and access to the first floor of the Outer Sect Library for three days!"

The dust settled. The title of champion finally fell to Lin Xuan.

Sparse applause, which then became enthusiastic, rang out below the stage. Many people looked at Lin Xuan with completely different eyes.

Lin Xuan accepted the reward calmly, and his gaze met Zhao Long's cold gaze on the main viewing platform in mid-air, as if sparks were flying.

Zhao Long slowly put down the cracked teacup and used voice transmission, his voice as cold as the wind from the Nine Netherworlds, entering Lin Xuan's ears directly: "Lin Xuan, good methods. Let us... see each other in the future."

The corner of Lin Xuan's mouth curled up, and he replied via voice transmission as well, with only two words: "Waiting for you."

The turmoil of the finals seemed to have subsided.

But everyone knew that Lin Xuan and Zhao Long, along with certain forces hidden within the Yunni Sect, were already at daggers drawn.

And this, perhaps, was exactly what Lin Xuan was looking forward to. Only wind and rain can temper the sharpest blade.

(Chapter Nine of Volume One Finished)

[Next Chapter Preview]:

Final tournament clouds, Dragon and Tiger secret struggle! Lin Xuan breaks the situation with strength, takes the championship, but also stands completely on the opposite side of Zhao Long!

Sun Miao's attitude is ambiguous, the Sect reward has been issued, can Lin Xuan truly establish a foothold in the Yunni Sect? In the Outer Sect Library, can he find the answers he needs?

Zhao Long's killing intent is set, and more insidious retaliation will surely follow. How will Lin Xuan deal with the power and means of an Inner Sect elite?

Su Qingyue's Dao Heart is crumbling. Facing pressure from her Sect and inner turmoil, what choice will she make?

The secrets of the Black Wind Ridge ruins have not been fully revealed, and the cultivation of the "Ancient God Body Refining Technique" is about to officially begin. Lin Xuan's path of "Martial Dao Spiritualization" reaches a critical node!

Next Chapter: Within the Library, Killing Intent in the Dark Night!

Lin Xuan: "Trouble will always find its way to me. That is fine, it saves me from having to find a whetstone."