Chapter 216: Becoming The Target
If the battles of the Hundredth Rank and below were just warm-ups, and the battles of the middle hundred were gradually heating up, then the battles of the top hundred on the list were a grand event.
The ranking battles for the top hundred only lasted three days, and after three days, only sixty people could enter the Elimination Tournament.
This undoubtedly drove the bottom forty into a frenzy.
On the day the battles began, the Nine Tablet Spirit Platform was already packed with people, and the Tiger Ranking Disciples on the high platforms, whether newly ranked or those who had already battled, had all arrived on time.
All eyes gathered on these disciples, gazes burning with curiosity and eagerness.
Yin Mingchen’s figure appeared, his gaze sweeping over the scene, revealing a faint smile. He was greatly pleased by such a sight; the prosperity of the sect’s disciples was most reassuring.
“Battles begin, challenge one by one.”
Yin Mingchen looked toward the opposite high platform: “Those after the Hundredth Rank, from the top two hundred, any disciples wishing to challenge, step forward.”
As soon as the words fell, several disciples stepped forward, among them a woman Su Yan recognized—Qing Zixuan.
Those daring to challenge were all disciples ranked between one hundred one and one hundred twenty, not too many nor too few, all striving for a higher spot on the list.
“Ascend the arena, challenge the Tiger Ranking Disciples you wish to challenge.”
The crowd acknowledged with a chorus, leaping onto the arena.
There were nine high platforms in total, and among the first batch to ascend was the woman Qing Zixuan.
‘Spirit Merging Stage cultivation, everyone’s about the same, it’s a contest of techniques now.’
Su Yan was an observer. Though not a Dan Qiao Realm Martial Artist, with the boost from the Insect Consciousness Seed, his Spiritual Power far surpassed that of True Intent Realm Martial Artists.
Thus, in perceiving others’ strength, he was exceptionally keen.
Purely in terms of cultivation, it was hard to have a cliff-like gap between disciples with similar rankings.
But at the same realm, combat techniques could differ vastly.
‘Realm determines lifespan, techniques decide victory…’
Su Yan thought of such an analogy. Differences in realm naturally meant greater fundamental power like lifespan for higher realms, but at the same realm, bone structure, True Essence, Martial Skills, techniques, Spirit Tools… various means were the foundation of combat.
Why else would Dan Qiao True Persons, once their cultivation reached a certain level, spend time forging Natal Spiritual Artifacts and buying powerful Spirit Sealing Talismans?
Was it because they had abundant lifespan and money?
No, it was because their neighbor had a gun.
In the midst of his thoughts, the battle on the arena intensified, and soon a victor was decided.
Qing Zixuan, relying on her Second-order Late-stage Two-headed Jade-eyed Snake and her own Spirit Merging Stage cultivation, summoned Ink Flood Dragon True Intent upon it, defeating the Tiger Ranking ninety-third Hou Fangzhi.
Among those who ascended with her, only former Tiger Ranking one hundred third Zhao Dongxu succeeded, becoming the Tiger Ranking ninetieth.
The rest either challenged someone ranked too high and regretfully lost, or simply lacked the strength.
The spectating disciples watched with particular excitement, especially during Qing Zixuan’s match, where most crowded around that arena.
The second batch of disciples ascended; the first batch who had just challenged were not in this round.
Only about one in ten succeeded in this round of fighting.
This change truly made people feel the value of Tiger Ranking Disciples.
The rankings were right there, not something anyone could casually climb.
“Junior Brother Su, it’s our turn next.”
Gu Songde sidled over, his eyes slightly bright, whispering.
Su Yan smiled faintly: “Then let’s see who wants to make a move.”
Yin Mingchen watched the arena clear, his gaze sweeping over the top hundred Tiger Ranking Disciples.
He slightly raised his eyes, stroking his beard: “Tiger Ranking Hundredth Place, any challengers?”
“This disciple challenges the fifty-seventh Junior Brother Su.”
No sooner had the voice fallen than several more voices rang out in an instant.
Apart from Su Yan, the fifty-eighth Zhao Jinhu and fifty-ninth Liang Le behind him were also called out.
Gu Songde’s eyes narrowed slightly when a crisp voice suddenly sounded: “Courting death, trying to probe the depths already?”
Su Yan looked over; the speaker was Xia Wan’er.
For a moment, the disciples among the Tiger Ranking top hundred showed varied expressions.
“Xia Wan’er, even if your ranking is higher, what do you mean by looking down on us like this?”
The speaker was one of the challengers, eighty-seventh Li Junlong from White Python Peak, whose strength was also at the Spirit Merging Stage.
Xia Wan’er merely glanced at him: “Why not challenge me and see.”
Su Yan had publicly provoked Qi Yufei, gaining the upper hand in aura alone, not to mention his unfathomable strength made him an unlikely first choice for challenge.
Everyone wanted to squeeze into the top sixty for the Elimination Tournament, not to get hammered.
This Li Junlong carried a bit of other intent.
“Hmph.”
Li Junlong merely snorted coldly, as the crowd turned to Su Yan.
Yin Mingchen on the high platform said calmly: “Challenged disciples, pick an opponent yourselves.”
“Then him it is.”
Su Yan was utterly nonchalant, his attitude turning Li Junlong’s face black.
Qi Yufei’s eyes flickered, and among the top hundred disciples, Yuan Yi, Suo Yunyi, Qiao Panyan, and other top ten disciples also showed subtle expressions.
Everyone wanted to know what this greatly renowned junior brother was truly capable of.
Su Yan moved, instantly arriving on the arena.
Li Junlong’s pupils contracted slightly as he flew over, like a soaring giant snake, fiercely menacing.
“How many rounds do you think Su Yan needs to defeat him?”
Wang Kun from Hundred Tiger Peak watched Su Yan land on the arena. He had starry brows and sword-like eyes, with a wild glint in his gaze, wearing scaled martial robes, his bulging muscles straining the fabric.
Among Tiger Ranking Disciples, Wang Kun ranked seventh, an exceptionally outstanding genius.
“Rounds? Better to see if Li Junlong can force out his True Intent.”
Yuan Yi shook his head; rounds might not mean much. If one hid their techniques, even a hundred rounds wouldn’t reveal their depths.
Suo Yunyi said: “At least make him use that Six-Winged Blood Centipede.”
The Six-Winged Blood Centipede’s prominence was known to all; clearly it was one of Su Yan’s main reliances.
Xia Wan’er stared at Su Yan: “I bet just one True Intent.”
The crowd gave her sidelong glances as Qi Yufei sneered coldly: “Xia Wan’er, have you gone mad over some guy? He cultivates Star Constellation Profound Beast Skill; just one True Intent, what can it do?”
With Star Constellation Profound Beast Skill, the more Profound Beast True Intents, the stronger the Star Array formed.
Everyone knew this, but it also meant that without deep mastery, a single True Intent might not match others’.
As they spoke, opponents on various arenas had taken their positions.
Li Junlong held a Spirit Python Steel Whip forged from Third-order Essence of Mystic Steel, eyes locked on Su Yan, his aura steadily rising, pressing forward oppressively.
“Su Yan, everyone says you’re the most talented disciple in a century, but I think you should tone it down.”
Li Junlong narrowed his eyes, issuing a threat.
Martial Arts sought longevity, but not everyone pursued it solely for longevity.
Fame, power, resources…
Su Yan’s great fame naturally made him an eyesore to others.
Su Yan merely lifted his gaze slightly, saying calmly: “Summon your Contracted Beast and all your True Intents, or you won’t get the chance.”
His voice carried clearly from the arena to the spectator stands, instantly causing an uproar.
Qi Yufei: What big talk.
Su Yan’s demeanor drew scorn from many; even if strong, this was too arrogant.
Opposite him, Li Junlong seemed to have swallowed gunpowder, his anger surging wildly.
“Fine! I’ll show you what I’ve got.”
A massive black shadow emerged behind Li Junlong—a White Python True Intent with a slightly protruding snake head and angular features.
The White Python was ten zhang long; upon descending, it shrouded the arena in shadow.
His Beast Taming Bag at the waist trembled slightly as a python beast clad in steel-like scales burst out—a Second-order Late-stage Mystic Armored Python Beast.
“Dual Snake Strangulate!”
With the Mystic Armored Python Beast in front, merging with Li Junlong’s White Python, True Intent embodying him like a giant python charging, striking at Su Yan’s left side.
He came ferociously, no hesitation in the surprise attack; the crowd couldn’t help but sweat for Su Yan.
Who among those bold enough to challenge Su Yan lacked some trump card?
The assault closed in on Su Yan, less than a meter away.
Yet Su Yan remained unmoved, as if Mount Tai collapsed before him without flinching.
“Not bad!”
Li Junlong suddenly heard Su Yan utter two words, eyes locking on as he saw Su Yan step forward.
A glow appeared on his single arm, faint golden patterns visible, then Azure Gold Scale Patterns emerged.
Hardening!
He was startled, a cold laugh in his eyes; daring to compare physical body to a Mystic Armored Python Beast?!
Beast Taming Seals within the Mystic Armored Python Beast activated one by one, in an instant its Demonic Essence covered its entire head, lunging straight at Su Yan.
In a flash of lightning, a heaven-shaking boom resounded.
Scales flew from the massive Mystic Armored Python Beast, fangs shattering like bullets.
The crowd gaped as Su Yan’s fist landed on the beast’s seemingly iron-boned skull.
The huge body was sent flying backward, its upper snake body lifted off the ground.
Su Yan reached out and grabbed, the Great Hand Seal directly clamping the python head: “Get down here.”
He hoisted the massive python beast overhead, then slammed it to the ground with a thunderous crash; the entire snake body embedded three inches into the earth, arena debris shooting out and hitting several spectators.
Li Junlong was greatly shocked, gritting his teeth to drive his True Intent fiercely at Su Yan.
His steel whip crossed with the snake head, smashing into Su Yan.
A heaven-shaking crash echoed, smoke and dust billowing instantly.
The crowd watched unblinkingly, staring at the figure in the smoke.
Su Yan had caught the steel whip with one hand, holding it steady in mid-air.
Li Junlong’s veins bulged, True Essence surging through his body, yet he couldn’t budge the whip an inch.
“Your power is too weak.”
Su Yan casually remarked, his right fist punching over.
This punch was pure physical power, but its terrifying aura made Li Junlong feel like thorns pricking his back.
He wanted to retreat, but the steel whip was gripped in Su Yan’s left hand, immovable.
Boom.
One punch shattered the True Intent; Li Junlong couldn’t withstand it, spitting blood.
The fist continued unimpeded, smashing into Li Junlong’s body, sending him flying over seventeen or eighteen meters, collapsing unconscious on the ground.
So strong!
Everyone stared in shock; by the time they reacted, Li Junlong was already defeated.
“Su Yan wins.”
Yin Mingchen’s voice rang out, sealing the victory.
Yet the most shocked were the top hundred Tiger Ranking Disciples.
“Monster.”
Suo Yunyi muttered lowly, gaze somewhat dazed. He knew Su Yan would win; everyone did.
But who told them Su Yan hadn’t even used True Intent, barely used True Essence, and solely with physical body power crushed a Spirit Merging Stage disciple and a Second-order Late-stage Feral Beast.
Qi Yufei’s face flickered, darkening uncertainly; against this strength, he had no confidence.
Incredibly tough physical body, plus that powerful spirit—this guy was a formidable rival.
He subconsciously gripped his long sword; only relying on this sword might win.
Xia Wan’er withdrew her shocked gaze, giggling: “Senior Brother Yuan, he’s probably gunning for you all. Physical body rivaling Spirit Merging Stage Martial Artists—if he uses True Intent and Feral Beast…”
The crowd, especially lower-ranked Qiao Panyan, Wang Kun, and others, brightened at this.
The stronger he was, the less likely to challenge those at the back.
Tiger Ranking First was Shattered Moon Peak’s Yuan Yi, second White Python Peak’s Lan Yunyue, third Azure Dragon Peak’s Suo Yunyi, fourth Guizang Valley’s Zhao Mingcheng…
With Su Yan’s momentum, he surely wouldn’t target seventh or ninth place.
Yuan Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, voice unhurried: “The top sixty Elimination Tournament isn’t by ranking; who meets whom is uncertain.”
Damn.
Faces changed, expressions turning subtle as they realized the issue.
In the Elimination Tournament, drawing Su Yan meant direct elimination, unable to even reach thirtieth place.
The Blood Flood Dragon Secret Realm was crucial; if unable to go…
The tournament format had advantages and disadvantages, sometimes needing a bit of luck…
After Su Yan returned, the crowd’s gazes toward him had changed; though rankings weren’t out, he was firmly in the top tier.
Xia Wan’er sidled over: “Aren’t you cultivating Senior Wang Xuanxing’s skill? How is your physical body so powerful?”
Su Yan glanced at her: “Isn’t it possible our sect’s Hardening is even more renowned?”
The group chatted idly, battles continuing, but Su Yan and the others were no longer targets.
No one was that stubborn; those wanting to probe knew that unless the top few at Spirit Merging Stage Perfection acted, no one could fathom his depths.
Social bonds shifted, their tone more intimate.
After the first day’s battles, no one dared challenge Su Yan anymore.
Among sect disciples, his reputation grew ever louder.
While the crowd still wanted to witness Su Yan’s strength, Xia Wan’er suddenly found him on Xuan Shuang Mountain.
“Senior Sister Xia not preparing for the matches, what brings you here?”
Su Yan looked surprised at the visitor. Xia Wan’er wore a tight long robe embroidered with purple cloud patterns, jade belt at her waist, two flying knives at her outer thighs.
“Don’t call me Senior Sister; who knows, soon I might call you Senior Brother.”
Her lips curved slightly as her gaze swept over Xuan Shuang Mountain’s environment, sensing a faint heat, understanding dawning in her eyes.
“I’m here to ask you for a Seed Aperture Pill.”
