Chapter 152: Chapter 151: Breakthrough to the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade, The Last Day
A few hours later, it was deep into the night.
Inside the room, the oil lamp had long been extinguished. Only the cold, clear moonlight filtered through the paper window, blanketing the room in a hazy, silver glow.
Fang Han sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes gently closed and his face serene. Only the long, powerful breaths passing his lips revealed that he was in a state of deep cultivation.
The Xunfeng Technique circulated continuously. His pale green Inner Qi, like a rushing river, launched assault after assault between the already overflowing Zhongfu Acupoint and the next checkpoint—the Weijing Acupoint.
The bottleneck between the Early and Middle Stage of the Eighth Grade, while nowhere near as stubborn and resilient as the barrier of a Great Realm, was by no means easy to overcome.
His Inner Qi surged, crashing against the formless barrier and creating a muffled roar that only Fang Han himself could perceive.
The barrier trembled violently, sending out ripples. It felt as if it could shatter at any moment, yet it always lacked that final, decisive burst of power.
Fang Han’s mind was calm and focused, showing no signs of impatience.
He could clearly feel that after several hours of relentless assault, the barrier had grown extremely fragile and was now riddled with fine cracks.
’The breakthrough is just moments away!’
He held his breath and focused his mind, concentrating all his will. He guided all the Inner Qi in his body, transforming it into an even more condensed and violent flood, and sent it roaring toward the bottleneck, which was now like a spent arrow at the end of its flight!
CRACK—!
A crisp cracking sound, originating from the depths of his soul, suddenly echoed.
The obstruction was gone. The immense Inner Qi, which had been building for so long, was like a flood bursting through a dam. It poured into the newly opened Weijing Acupoint with an unprecedented and jubilant ferocity.
In that instant, the aura around Fang Han erupted violently!
Between the five acupoints—Qi Sea, Guanyuan, Mingmen, Central Mansion, and Weijing—a sturdier and broader bridge seemed to have been erected.
The Inner Qi flowed without cease, cycling again and again, forming a larger and more efficient circulatory system.
Within this circulatory system, the color of his Inner Qi deepened, its essence growing more condensed and pure. The sense of power it generated as it flowed far surpassed what he had experienced at the Early Stage of the Eighth Grade.
A feeling of being reborn, of shedding his mortal coil, spread through Fang Han’s entire body. His bones emitted a series of soft pops, and his blood surged like the tide.
And with the opening of the Weijing Acupoint, a new Divine Treasure was unlocked as well.
Fang Han felt a slight warmth spread through his feet, as if a light yet explosive power was silently merging into the bones and fascia of his legs.
This significantly enhanced both the agility and instantaneous explosive power of his legs.
This was the Divine Treasure ability for the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade: Swift Step.
Unlocking this Divine Treasure granted one’s legs agility and speed far beyond the norm, providing a tremendous boost to the execution of Body Techniques.
For someone like him, who already excelled at Body Techniques, the boost was even more pronounced.
Fang Han slowly opened his eyes. A faint, pale green glint flashed deep within them before vanishing, appearing exceptionally bright in the dim room.
He gently clenched his fist, sensing the potent Inner Qi within him—far stronger than before—and the feeling of light, abundant power suffusing his legs. The corners of his mouth curled upward in an irrepressible, genuine smile of delight.
"Middle Stage of Eighth Grade... I finally made it!"
Under the immense pressure of the Seven Sects’ tournament and the stimulation of successive life-and-death battles, he had actually managed to break through ahead of schedule!
Right now, he felt better than ever. His Inner Qi was abundant, his spirit was full, and his entire body brimmed with power.
He now felt a bit more confident about tomorrow’s final showdown with Tingyu Building.
He took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, and closed his eyes once more. He began to consolidate his new realm and familiarize himself with his newfound strength.
...
「The next day—the final day of the Seven Sects’ tournament.」
The atmosphere in the massive Martial Arts Arena at the center of the Commandery City was more feverish than ever.
The spectator stands were already packed to capacity. Members of the various factions had arrived early and were conversing in low voices, their eyes filled with anticipation and speculation.
Today, the final rankings of the Seven Sects’ tournament would be decided. Everyone was wondering who would claim the top spot: Tingyu Building, the dominant sect that had won for many years, or the surging dark horse, Qingxuan Sect?
Led by their respective Elders, the disciples of the Seven Sects filed into the arena.
When the members of the Qingxuan Sect appeared, they immediately drew the eyes of the entire crowd.
Elder Chen Xuan’s expression was calm, his stride steady.
The five behind him—Fang Han, Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, Huang Ling’er, and Shi Meng—all had sharp gazes and focused auras, exuding an unstoppable momentum.
This was especially true for Fang Han. Having just broken through, he was still unable to perfectly control his surging Inner Qi. His aura was slightly unstable, making him seem like a newly unsheathed sword.
Many of the more perceptive individuals in the crowd noticed the change in Fang Han’s aura and began to speculate quietly.
The members of Tingyu Building remained as mysterious and low-key as ever. Elder Mo Hai wore a faint smile, while the five disciples behind him—including Mo Chen, who had yet to make a move—had obscure auras that were difficult to read.
The two groups faced each other across the arena. Though no words were exchanged, their invisible auras were already clashing, stirring up a chilling killing intent in the air.
However, the match between the two sects was scheduled for last, so it was not yet their turn to compete.
The referee, Xuanyuan Jing, stood in the center of the ring. As his gaze slowly swept across the arena, his invisible pressure gradually silenced the noisy grounds.
"The Seven Sects’ New Disciple Tournament!"
His voice was sonorous, reaching every corner of the arena.
"Nineteenth match: Overlord Blade Sect versus Vajra Temple!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the sections for the Overlord Blade Sect and Vajra Temple disciples immediately grew tense.
The Overlord Blade Sect’s Elder, Lei Qianshan, boomed like a great bell, "Alright, you lot, listen up! Get your act together and smash those bald donkeys’ turtle shells to pieces!"
The wizened old monk leading the Vajra Temple merely chanted a Buddhist mantra in a low voice, showing no signs of anger.
The eyes of the disciples behind him, however, all hardened, and a faint golden light began to shimmer around their bodies.
The match began.
Just as everyone had expected, it was a clash of completely different styles, a highly targeted contest.
The Overlord Blade Sect disciples’ Saber Technique was fierce and explosive, focused on overwhelming skill with pure brute force.
The Vajra Temple disciples, on the other hand, relied on their formidable Body Hardening Skills to defend as steadfastly as a mountain, often able to meet a saber’s edge with their own flesh and blood.
On the ring, the clang of metal was incessant, but it was mostly drowned out by the dull thuds of the Overlord Blade Sect’s frenzied attacks landing on the bodies of the Vajra Temple disciples.
The Overlord Blade Sect disciples usually started with overwhelming momentum, their wide and sweeping Saber Technique forcing the Vajra Temple disciples into constant retreat.
However, the Vajra Temple disciples’ defense was simply too formidable. Unless an attack struck a weak point in their technique, it was nearly impossible to inflict any real damage.
But against the stalwart defense of the Vajra Temple disciples, it was easier said than done for the Overlord Blade Sect disciples—who focused on brute force and were generally unskilled in Body Techniques—to land a blow on those weak points.
After attacking for so long without success, the Overlord Blade Sect disciples inevitably grew impatient and restless, accelerating their consumption of Inner Qi.
The Vajra Temple disciples, however, remained steady. The moment they caught an opening, such as their opponent tiring or a move growing stale, their counterattack would be earth-shattering.
Match after match, the scene was nearly identical.
The Overlord Blade Sect disciples possessed immense brute strength, but it felt like punching cotton. They couldn’t bring their power to bear, leaving them incredibly frustrated.
Ultimately, Vajra Temple’s top-ranked disciple, the young monk Wu Fan, used his formidable defense—which far surpassed that of his peers—to completely drain the Inner Qi of Overlord Blade Sect’s top disciple, Guo Lie, before landing a steady, powerful Vajra Palm seal on his chest.
Although Guo Lie managed to divert some of the force, the blow still sent his qi and blood into turmoil, forcing him to spit out a mouthful of blood. With that, the match was over.
"The nineteenth match is over. Vajra Temple is victorious!"
Xuanyuan Jing announced in a clear voice.
Elder Lei Qianshan of the Overlord Blade Sect looked displeased, but he had no choice but to accept the result.
It was a matter of their Cultivation Techniques being countered, not a failure in combat.
The old Vajra Temple monk remained expressionless, merely giving a slight nod.
A murmur of discussion rose from the stands. The result was not surprising; Vajra Temple’s "defense-as-offense" strategy had completely neutralized the Overlord Blade Sect.
After a short break, Xuanyuan Jing’s voice rang out again.
"Twentieth match: Netherworld Pavilion versus Baihua Valley!"
The disciples of these two Sects were both renowned for their nimble Body Techniques and cunning moves.
The Netherworld Pavilion’s Cultivation Techniques were sinister and vicious, and their Body Technique was like that of a phantom.
Baihua Valley’s Martial Techniques were dazzling and varied, their Step Technique light and graceful.
This duel was truly a case of diamond cut diamond, a contest that pushed skill and speed to their absolute limits.
On the ring, figures flew and tumbled, the flashes of sword light and palm shadows dizzying to behold.
Disciples from both sides displayed their full abilities, leading to incredibly hard-fought battles that often required hundreds of moves to decide a victor.
The spectacular scenes of intense combat drew continuous gasps of astonishment from the stands.
In the end, Netherworld Pavilion’s more ruthless and decisive style in actual combat gave its disciples a slight edge, allowing them to eke out a hard-won victory.
"The twentieth match is over. Netherworld Pavilion is victorious!"
Xuanyuan Jing announced.
There was a brief pause. Everyone’s heart was in their throat.
The first two matches of the day were over. Now, only one remained—the final, most anticipated showdown of all!
The bustling Martial Arts Arena gradually fell silent. Countless gazes focused on Xuanyuan Jing on the ring, as well as the two teams below the stage, both with profound auras.
Xuanyuan Jing’s gaze swept slowly across the arena, lingering for a moment on the delegations from the Qingxuan Sect and Tingyu Building. He then took a deep breath, and his voice, like a clap of thunder, resounded clearly in every corner of the Martial Arts Arena.
"The twenty-first match, and the final battle of this year’s Seven Sects’ New Disciple Tournament..."
He paused deliberately, stretching the crowd’s anticipation to its absolute peak.
"Qingxuan Sect versus Tingyu Building!"
BOOM—!
The moment the words left his lips, the entire Martial Arts Arena erupted like a pot boiling over. A wave of sound surged to the heavens!
’It’s finally here!’
The only two powerhouses in this year’s Seven Sects’ tournament to maintain a perfect winning streak were finally about to face each other head-on!
The outcome of this battle would directly determine who claimed the title of champion!
Would Tingyu Building continue its reign of dominance in the new disciple tournament and once again take the crown?
Or would the surging Qingxuan Sect manage to dethrone them?
All would be revealed in the upcoming series of matches!
In the Qingxuan Sect’s area, Elder Chen Xuan slowly rose to his feet. His gaze was like lightning as it swept over the five disciples before him.
Fang Han’s eyes were calm and unflustered, but the fingers gripping his sword tightened slightly.
Yun Qianyue’s expression was hidden beneath her purple veil, but the aura around her grew even colder.
Li Feng cradled his long saber, his gaze as sharp as a blade, his fighting spirit surging.
Huang Ling’er’s small face was tense, betraying a hint of nervousness, but even more excitement.
Shi Meng cracked his knuckles, eager for a fight.
Over in the Tingyu Building’s section, Elder Mo Hai still wore a smile, but a trace of gravity flickered deep in his eyes.
The auras of the five disciples behind him were linked, making them seem like a single entity.
This was especially true of Mo Chen, who stood at the very back, seemingly one with the shadows. He slowly lifted his head, revealing a pair of ink-black, bottomless eyes. His gaze traveled across the crowd, landing squarely on the Qingxuan Sect’s disciples.
Invisible sparks clashed violently in the air.
The final confrontation was about to begin!
