Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

After returning to his room,

After closing the door, Xia Jin went straight to the bed and sat cross-legged.

I didn't care about tomorrow's competition at all. However, the system task requires me to become a disciple of the Cloud Academy, so winning tomorrow's competition and obtaining the recommendation letters from the five city lords has become crucial.

Shen Jinghong, a fifth-level Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator, is skilled in swordsmanship, and no one has ever been able to force him to reveal his true strength. This is the information the Grand Hall Master wrote in his dossier. But Xia Jin knows in her heart that what is recorded in the dossier is always only the surface.

We still shouldn't underestimate this opponent.

He was currently only at the third level of the Immortal Ascension Realm, two minor realms behind Shen Jinghong.

A cultivator at the fifth level of the Immortal Ascension Realm possesses spiritual power at least two to three times greater than that at the third level. Coupled with Shen Jinghong's mysterious aura, which has never revealed his true strength, this competition is far more difficult than it appears on the surface.

"If it were anyone else, they might have conceded defeat immediately in tomorrow's match against you. Unfortunately, your opponent is me, the King. Even a difference of two minor realms can be overcome!"

Xia Jin remained calm.

He also has quite a few trump cards up his sleeve.

The Great Sun Burning Heaven Technique is one of his greatest reliance now.

The Eastern Emperor Bell is his trump card.

Xia Jin closed her eyes and began to mentally rehearse the outcome of her fight with Shen Jinghong the next day.

With each simulation, he continuously adjusted his strategy, searching for the optimal response.

About an hour later, Xia Jin opened her eyes and came to a preliminary conclusion.

If he only used the two newly generated flames from the Great Sun Burning Heaven Technique to deal with Shen Jinghong, whose cultivation level was two minor realms higher than his own, the probability of winning would only be about 50%.

In other words, it's a 50/50 split.

This result wasn't bad, considering his opponent was two minor realms higher than him. Achieving a 50/50 split was enough to demonstrate the power of the Great Sun Burning Heaven Technique. But Xia Jin wasn't someone who was content with a 50/50 split; he wanted a sure victory, a guaranteed win.

If we also consider the fact that the upgraded Donghuang Zhong secretly intervened...

A glint of light flashed in Xia Jin's eyes.

The probability of winning is at least 90%.

With a 90% chance of winning, it's practically a sure thing. The remaining 10% is simply to account for various unexpected situations that might arise during the battle, such as Shen Jinghong having some unknown and terrifying trump cards, the opponent's swordsmanship being far beyond expectations, or some uncontrollable factors appearing during the battle.

But a 90% certainty was enough to give Xia Jin confidence.

However, there is one problem that must be solved.

Donghuang Zhong.

This incomplete ancient artifact, though incredibly powerful, is also one of his greatest secrets. Once exposed, it will undoubtedly attract the covetous eyes of countless people. Which of those powerful city lords, those old monsters lurking in the shadows, wouldn't want such a powerful treasure?

Therefore, he had to find a way to prevent the aura of the Eastern Emperor Bell from leaking out during the battle, and to prevent anyone from discovering that he had such a treasure hidden in his sea of ​​consciousness.

"When fighting, I can't directly release the true form of the Eastern Emperor Bell..." Xia Jin muttered to herself, frowning, "but I can try to guide a portion of its power and attach it to my attacks..."

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the sea of ​​knowledge.

Within her sea of ​​consciousness, the incomplete Eastern Emperor Bell floated silently above Xia Jin's soul. Although it was mostly incomplete, its aura of suppressing heaven and earth still inspired awe.

Xia Jin's consciousness approached the Eastern Emperor Bell, cautiously sensing its power fluctuations.

A moment later, a smile appeared on his face.

He discovered a clever method: the power of the Eastern Emperor Bell could not only be released through his physical body, but could also be silently integrated into his attacks through his meridians and spiritual power.

Moreover, he has another advantage: close-quarters combat.

While the flames of the Great Sun Burning Heaven Technique are formidable in ranged attacks, the true power of the Eastern Emperor Bell is unleashed in close combat. As long as one can get close to Shen Jinghong, and subtly infuse the power of the Eastern Emperor Bell into the attack at the moment of fist and foot contact and spiritual energy collision, even an opponent at the fifth level of the Ascension Realm might not be able to withstand it.

As for how to get close...

Xia Jin's lips curled up slightly.

Shen Jinghong is skilled in swordsmanship and is a sword cultivator himself, but getting close to him is not difficult. Once he gets close, the power of the Eastern Emperor Bell will come in handy.

"What a pity, Shen Jinghong! You probably never imagined that one day you would lose to me, the king, because you're a sword cultivator! Hahahaha!"

Xia Jin opened her eyes, her smile growing even wider.

The next day, at noon.

Inside Longyuan City, at the North Training Ground.

The midday sun poured down from the sky, illuminating the entire drill ground as bright as day. However, the intense heat of the blazing sun could not quell the chilling atmosphere that permeated the drill ground.

Five figures, almost simultaneously, broke through the air from different directions of Longyuan City.

The leader was naturally Pei Linhai, the city lord of Longyuan City.

Behind him were naturally the other four city lords.

Behind the five city lords stood one or two young men and women.

Xia Jin stood behind the main hall master, her gaze sweeping over the surroundings without making a sound.

He came with the Grand Hall Master, and naturally represented Silver Sand City.

Meanwhile, the young men standing behind the various city lords were also sizing up Xia Jin. After all, they had some impression of the others, but Xia Jin was a completely new face to them.

However, Xia Jin only glanced at these people casually. After all, among them, only that one posed a threat to him.

Xia Jin's gaze fell on the most conspicuous spot in the very center of the platform, behind Pei Linhai, the city lord of Longyuan City.

There was a person standing there.

The man was tall with broad shoulders and his right hand was wrapped in white bandages.

On his back was a giant sword, the blade of which was four feet long, and the scabbard was black and undecorated.

The man had a sharply defined face, with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose, and slightly pursed thin lips. He was like a sword yet to be drawn, its sharpness concealed, yet commanding respect.

Shen Jinghong.