My father is the main character, but the female leads want to kill me.

"The competition in this secret realm is going to be fierce..."

Qiu Qingzi couldn't help but sigh. Every time a new secret realm, ancient ruin, or ancient legacy emerged, it would stir up a bloodbath. She wondered how many people would die this time...

……

Tianli Academy, Inner Courtyard.

At this moment, the Heavenly Ranking Competition is in full swing in the inner courtyard of Tianli Academy.

In the most spacious arena within the inner courtyard of Tianli Academy, the place was now bustling with noise. A dense crowd of people filled the arena, and the clamor of the bustling crowd merged into waves of sound that resounded through the sky.

In the center of this arena, the most anticipated battle of the day is currently underway.

Lin Chong, this year's dark horse, made a sprint as soon as he entered the inner courtyard, making it into the top 100 of the Heavenly Ranking. He continued to defy expectations in this Heavenly Ranking competition, making it all the way to the top 16.

Today's final and most anticipated match is the last one in the round of 16 to 8. If Lin Chong wins this match, he will advance to the top 8 and become the strongest freshman in history. He has achieved such success so soon after entering the inner academy that no one dares to underestimate him, a freshman who has only been in the inner academy for a year.

In this inner courtyard where the strong are respected, Lin Chong's strength has been recognized by many. Today, Lin Chong will encounter the biggest obstacle he has ever faced in the inner courtyard: Bai Jusheng, ranked fourth on the Heavenly Ranking, a one-star expert in the Spirit Pill Realm, while Lin Chong is only an eight-star expert in the Spirit Transformation Realm.

Given such a disparity in strength, most people don't think Lin Chong can continue to create miracles, because it's too difficult. The gap between the Spirit Transformation Realm and the Spirit Pill Realm is enormous.

But there are always people who are willing to believe in Lin Chong because he has been constantly challenging people of higher levels and defeating many people whose cultivation levels are far higher than his own. Even when facing such a huge gap, they still believe that Lin Chong can defeat Bai Jusheng, a powerful person who has just broken through to the Spirit Pill Realm and is ranked fourth on the Heavenly Ranking.

In the stands very close to the arena, Lin Chong saw the referee call his name and was about to stand up.

Beside him, Ye Wanxi, dressed in a long, dark blue dress typical of alchemists, tightly gripped Lin Chong's hand, her eyes filled with worry. She said softly, "If you can't win, just admit defeat, understand? This is just a competition. If it doesn't work this year, we can come back next year. Just don't fight until you're covered in injuries!"

"Don't worry, Wanxi, I have confidence!"

Lin Chong patted Ye Wanxi's hand and spoke gently.

Seeing Lin Chong and his sister so intimately entwined, Ye Qingyi couldn't help but snort and said, "It's time to go on stage, you big bad guy!"

Hearing Ye Qingyi say this, Lin Chong looked towards the arena and saw the referee calling his name. He lowered his head, kissed Ye Wanxi's hand, and smiled, "Wait for me to come back!"

Before Ye Wanxi could react, Lin Chong slammed his foot on the ground, a powerful force causing him to become a blur as he landed steadily on the arena.

Ye Wanxi glanced down at the back of her hand, which still seemed to be a little warm. This made her pretty face blush slightly. After calming herself down, Ye Wanxi surprisingly did something bold: she stood up and shouted at Lin Chong, "Go for it!"

Upon hearing the sound, Lin Chong glanced at the audience and then flashed a bright, sunny smile, giving Ye Wanxi a thumbs-up.

The onlookers, initially attracted to this unfamiliar goddess who could be described as a "campus beauty," were immediately heartbroken.

"Who is that campus beauty?!" an excited man shouted.

Soon, a kind person responded, "Don't even think about it, brother. That's a freshman who just arrived in the alchemy department this year. He's already taken as soon as he came in, and he's already a fourth-grade alchemist at such a young age. What about you?"

"Can't I just buy the elixirs made by the goddess?!"

"Hey... I have some original pills that the goddess refined today. Guaranteed brand new, still smelling of the elixir. Brother, do you want to buy them? They're not expensive, just a few tens of thousands of credits!"

Onlookers: "6!"

On the arena, Lin Chong faced Bai Jusheng. He had long heard of this senior student who ranked fourth on the Heavenly Ranking. This year, Bai Jusheng had just broken through to the Spirit Pill Realm, and the senior student's preferred weapon was a giant sword.

At this moment, Bai Jusheng was carrying the giant sword on his back. Bai Jusheng was thin, but he did not appear hunched over when carrying the giant sword. Instead, he stood straight as a mountain peak, with a majestic and imposing aura. Moreover, the aura he exuded made Lin Chong feel a little breathless.

"Is this what a Spirit Core Realm expert is like?"

Lin Chong took a deep breath. The first Spirit Pill Realm expert he had ever seen was his father, but the pressure he felt from the latter was not as intense as that from his father.

He couldn't help but recall his father's words when he taught him: "Even when facing someone stronger than yourself, don't shrink back in fear. If you want to become a true strong person, you should not be afraid of any challenge!"

"Lin Chong, I've heard of you. Your sword is formidable, but I think my saber is even more powerful!" As their eyes met, Bai Jusheng spoke in a hoarse voice, as powerful and domineering as his broadsword!

"Then let me try your sword!"

Lin Chong smiled and gripped the Azure Spirit Sword on his back. The Azure Spirit Sword seemed to sense Lin Chong's intense fighting spirit, emitting a buzzing sound. A thought entered Lin Chong's mind: "In your words, if you can't even beat this kind of weakling, then don't bother using me!"

"I will make you approve!" Lin Chong said with a smile.

"Since both of them are ready, then I, the old man, shall make the announcement!"

In the VIP section of Tianli Academy, an old man who had been drinking staggered to his feet, let out a burp, and shouted, "I hereby declare that the final match of the round of 16 to 8 has officially begun!"

As the old man finished speaking, the entire arena erupted in cheers. Everyone stared intently at the two people on the field, for this might be the most exciting match of this year's Heavenly Ranking Competition.

On the field, Bai Jusheng took down his giant sword. His thin figure wielded the giant sword with one hand, turning into afterimages as he rushed towards Lin Chong. Fiery red spiritual power poured into the giant sword, and wherever the giant sword passed, the space seemed to become illusory and distorted.

"Sword of the Earth!" Bai Jusheng roared suddenly, his thin body bursting with terrifying power in that instant. His face contorted as he gripped the giant sword in his hand, and he leaped into the air. The fiery red giant sword, carrying the momentum to split the earth, slashed down towards where Lin Chong was, and the invisible, scorching wind swept across the sky.

Lin Chong slowly raised his gaze, looking at Bai Jusheng's sword strike, a smile appearing on his face as he murmured, "Your sword strike lacks the power to shatter mountains and rivers that my father possessed!"

"Big Dipper - Tianxuan Break!"

Lin Chong's hands moved swiftly, forming hand seals. The next moment, his body suddenly erupted with a powerful aura, a terrifying wave spreading outwards. A bright blue light flashed in Lin Chong's eyes...

……

Chapter 108 The Power of the "Tao"

"He actually unleashed the strength of the Spirit Core Realm! This kid is no ordinary person!"

The old man drinking in the VIP section, seeing Lin Chong's secret technique, had a glint of light flash in his cloudy eyes. Such a level of secret technique was not something an ordinary person could use.

After using the secret technique, Lin Chong felt the surging spiritual power flowing through his body, and his fighting spirit became even more intense. The azure sword energy of his Qingling sword swirled upwards, immediately forming an azure barrier in an attempt to block Bai Jusheng's sword strike.

A disdainful smile crept onto Bai Jusheng's lips as he hissed, "This is nothing but a mantis trying to stop a chariot! Chop it down!"

The fiery red giant sword, carrying a powerful gust of wind and an incredibly terrifying force, slashed at the cyan barrier. Just when everyone thought the barrier would shatter in an instant, the cyan barrier not only did not break, but it even seemed to have elasticity, deflecting Bai Jusheng's giant sword.

"what!"

Lin Chong seized the opportunity during Bai Jusheng's momentary lapse in concentration, and a beam of sword energy shot towards Bai Jusheng's waist at a tricky angle.

Just then, sensing the danger, Bai Jusheng forcibly adjusted his body in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the beam of sword energy, while the hem of his long robe was torn to shreds by the beam.

Bai Jusheng landed on the ground somewhat disheveled, but was immediately met with Lin Chong's fierce attack.

Lin Chong knew that his secret technique wouldn't last long, so he never intended to engage in a protracted battle with Bai Jusheng. From the very beginning, Lin Chong wanted to launch a swift attack and catch Bai Jusheng off guard.

However, Bai Jusheng lived up to his reputation as a veteran powerhouse on the Heavenly Ranking. Even when facing this fierce attack, he still defended very smoothly. Although he was a little flustered, he did not reveal any flaws.

The sounds of metal clashing echoed across the arena, and the sparks flying from the clash of swords, the powerful force, and the sharp sword energy became the main theme of the scene.

In the audience, Ye Wanxi clenched her hands tightly in front of her chest, her eyes fixed on the fierce battle on the field. She was very anxious. Based on her understanding of Lin Chong, she knew that Lin Chong's secret technique could not be maintained for long. Once he fell into the weakness period after using the secret technique, it would mean that Lin Chong would lose this battle.

"Go for it, Lin Chong!"

In the VIP section, next to the old man drinking, was a middle-aged man in fine clothes. Watching the battle on the field, he said to the old man, "Old Mo, it seems that this dark horse may have to stop here!"

The old man, known as "Old Mo," took a big gulp of wine, wiped his mouth with his dirty sleeve, smacked his lips, and then laughed, "How about I make a bet with you, the head of the inner courtyard?"

"Oh, what are you betting on, Mr. Mo?"

The head of the inner courtyard of Tianli Academy suddenly became interested and looked at Elder Mo curiously.

A glint of light flashed in Old Mo's eyes. He pointed to the two people fighting below and said, "If that kid Lin wins, let's reward him with a chance to break through to the Spirit Pill Realm. How about we let him enter the bottom of the Tianli Mountain Pool?"

Upon hearing the reward, the Dean of the Inner Court's eyes widened, and he stammered, "Elder Mo, you've taken a huge gamble. Giving such an opportunity to a freshman... this..."

"I don't care about you, are you going to bet or not!"

Old Mo took out a package of roast chicken wrapped in oil paper, tore one open and it was still dripping with oil. The skin on the surface was roasted to a crispy crisp. Old Mo took a bite and his mouth was filled with the aroma of oil. He said somewhat indistinctly, "Such a... promising child, and a newborn... you're getting dumber and dumber as you get older!"

"I'll bet, I'll bet, Elder Mo, what if I win the bet?" the Inner Court Dean said, sounding aggrieved. "It's not like I'll suffer a huge loss while you don't pay, is it?"

Old Mo waved his hand casually, looking disgusted, and said, "Alright, I'll get you a small pot of my brewed wine later!"

"Oh, that's good!"

The Dean of the Inner Court was overjoyed. Opportunities to get wine from Elder Mo were rare. Looking at Bai Jusheng, who had begun to fight back, the Dean thought to himself, "Whether I can drink Elder Mo's fine wine depends on you!"

While eating roast chicken, Old Mo glanced at the head of the inner courtyard next to the main courtyard, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. He was watching the battle below and had vaguely sensed that the little guy surnamed Lin was brewing something big. He hoped that Lin wouldn't disappoint him!

Everyone thought Lin Chong would lose, because they could clearly feel that Lin Chong's momentum was starting to wane, as if he was about to collapse at any moment. When Lin Chong fought against Bai Jusheng, he was also shaken by the powerful force, his clothes were torn, and he suffered a lot of internal injuries, with some bloodstains remaining at the corner of his mouth.

After blocking Bai Jusheng's powerful sword strike, Lin Chong couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, Ye Wanxi, who was in the audience, suddenly stood up. Just as she was about to shout, she saw Lin Chong rushing straight towards Bai Jusheng.

Lin Chong's actions immediately caused a commotion among the crowd in the arena. In the previous exchange, Bai Jusheng had already withstood Lin Chong's attack, which was at its peak and using a secret technique. Now, as time went on, Lin Chong's chances of winning would only weaken.

Regardless of what those present thought, Lin Chong stubbornly charged towards Bai Jusheng. Although Bai Jusheng was somewhat surprised, he didn't let up; instead, his mind became even more tense. He had watched many of Lin Chong's battles and knew that Lin Chong was definitely not a reckless or brainless person.

However, just as Bai Jusheng was about to sweep Lin Chong away with his greatsword, a strong sense of crisis surged into Bai Jusheng's heart. He saw the almost tangible blue sword energy on Lin Chong's Qingling sword, which even carried a trace of mystery, and the dangerous aura originated from that.

The giant sword that was about to sweep out was abruptly pulled back by Bai Ju. Ignoring the consequences of the reverse flow of spiritual energy, he hurriedly retreated, but it was too late.

"Hahaha, it's too late!"

Lin Chong realized Bai Jusheng's intention and burst into hearty laughter, revealing his white teeth still stained with a few drops of blood. The Qingling Sword in his hand was covered with very faint runes, and he slashed it in Bai Jusheng's direction: "Sword pierces the sky to seek the stars!"

As the sound faded, a massive, azure crescent-shaped sword aura, seemingly capable of cleaving the heavens, slashed towards Bai Jusheng. The azure crescent-shaped sword aura was also shimmering with some blurry runes. If one did not pay attention, one would not be able to see at all the terrifying destructive power contained in this crescent-shaped sword aura. Even Elder Mo in the VIP seat could not help but frown and his expression changed.

The Dean of the Inner Court, standing to the side, was even more astonished, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. What had he just seen? The sword energy actually contained the "Dao"!

Just as Bai Jusheng's pupils contracted sharply, the cyan crescent sword energy arrived in front of him. Any defense he hastily put together shattered in that instant. Under countless horrified gazes, the cyan sword energy severed Bai Jusheng's giant sword as easily and effortlessly as cutting tofu.

Bai Jusheng could only watch helplessly as the crescent-shaped sword energy rushed towards him, a sense of death welling up in his heart. Just then, the referee arrived in front of Bai Jusheng, gathering numerous defensive measures to block the attack. However, even the referee was momentarily stunned when faced with this attack, as many memories surfaced in his mind.

Completely unaware that the defenses in front of him had been torn apart by the sword energy, Old Mo, who was still eating roast chicken in the VIP seats, rushed onto the field and used his powerful cultivation to forcefully trap the crescent sword energy in another space.

Meanwhile, the arena was in a terrible state, Lin Chong, his clothes torn and panting heavily, was slumped on the other side of the arena, watching the mess on the field.

The sword move he just unleashed destroyed most of the arena, and the ravine torn open by the sword energy was flashing with a blue light, with blue and green runes flowing within it, truly resembling the movement of stars.

Lin Chong grinned. He was truly overjoyed. He had failed countless times in his pursuit of this move, but today he had finally succeeded and unleashed this ultimate technique!

He silently gripped the Azure Spirit Sword in his hand, thinking to himself, "So, have I finally gained your approval?"

"It's a bit of a stretch, but I'll pass you!"

"Hahaha!"

Lin Chong smiled; he knew this meant they acknowledged him!

Elder Mo, the Dean of the Inner Court, and a group of high-ranking members of the Tianli Academy's Inner Court all arrived at the arena. When the Dean of the Inner Court saw the completely destroyed arena, especially the huge chasm containing the power of "Dao," his eyes twitched. He looked at Elder Mo and said angrily, "Elder Mo, did you already know?!"

"Oh, what are you saying? I had no idea, hahaha!" Old Mo hadn't expected Lin Chong to bring him such a big surprise, leaving the distraught inner courtyard dean to deal with Bai Jusheng and the events on the field.

Old Mo then approached Lin Chong and, seeing that although he was at his last gasp, his eyes were still bright and a smile played on his lips, he couldn't help but look at the young man with newfound respect, secretly praising him in his heart: "As expected of someone who can comprehend the Dao, at such a young age, his future is limitless!"

When Lin Chong saw the old man who suddenly appeared in front of him, he was taken aback, but he knew that the other party was a high-ranking member of the academy. He stood up shakily and quickly said, "Greetings, Elder!"