Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

"The Hao family will forever remember this kindness."

The patriarch Haocang's tense shoulders and back slowly relaxed, and the gloom that had accumulated between his brows was swept away.

On the other side of the platform, the smugness on the face of the Hao clan patriarch, which had been a sign of certain victory, completely turned into rage and shame. Lin Yan's casual move had shattered the Hao clan's seemingly within-the-box advantage.

Beside him, an elder of the Hao clan stood with a grim and somber expression, his brows furrowed, his voice cold and piercing: "This child has interfered in others' battles without cause, disrupting our clan's plans. He must not be allowed to live!"

The clan patriarch stroked his beard slowly, his gaze gentle and fair, his eyes filled with pure appreciation for talent: "Everyone avoids conflict, but he alone dares to settle the unfairness of the competition. He has courage, wisdom, and a sense of propriety; his character and vision far surpass those of his peers."

Only the Mo family members, who were sitting in the center, showed no joy or displeasure, their expressions indifferent, simply adhering to the rules of the competition and not getting involved in personal feelings or grudges.

The four clans on the high platform had vastly different mindsets, yet they all took in the entire battle that had just unfolded. Lin Yan's simple act of rescuing them had earned him gratitude from the Hao clan, resentment from the Hao clan, appreciation from the Wang clan, and attention from the Mo family, firmly placing him at the heart of the vision of the top families in Qi and Lu.

After a while, the smoke from the battle slowly dissipated, and the fierce atmosphere of the fighting gradually subsided on the hundred-foot-tall arena.

A moment later, the solemn and steady sound of the competition spread out along the Mo family's barrier, clearly reaching the ears of everyone in the arena.

"The all-out battle has ended, and 120 people have advanced. The second round of selection will begin immediately."

"The rules of this round emphasize the priority of the strong: through challenges above the level, the winners will be admitted to the top sixty spots first, and the remaining spots will be decided by one-on-one elimination among cultivators of the same level."

All the cultivators in the arena instantly held their breath. The previous all-out battle was a contest of courage and combat prowess in dire situations; but this second round of selection is a true test of cultivation foundation and martial arts basics.

The competition announcements continued, detailing the well-organized and rigorous second-round format.

"The first step is for everyone to voluntarily sign up. Those who sign up will take the stage in turn. The cultivators of the selected rank can choose to fight on their own or have a cultivator of the same rank draw lots to fight them."

With the new rules in effect, the atmosphere in the arena immediately became turbulent. Those who were seriously injured took the opportunity to recuperate and strengthen their bodies, while those who remained cautious concealed their strength. Only the top cultivators, determined to win and strive for supremacy, resolutely chose to fight head-on.

The mentality and strategic vision of each faction were immediately apparent.

The fifty-odd elite members of the Wang Clan Alliance stood motionless, not a single one volunteering. Wang Jingxing, clad in a sleek blue robe, sword at his waist, gleamed with arrogant calculation in his eyes. His disciples were in excellent fighting condition and brimming with morale, having already secured an advantage in the melee. Now, all he needed to do was wait for the opportune moment to crush them and intimidate the entire arena. Beside him, Wang Shiya gripped her slender sword, her gaze sharp as a blade, her fighting spirit burning, awaiting the subsequent draw to begin the battle.

In the western corner of the battle arena, the Mo siblings had already made up their minds. Mo Shu stood tall and imposing, his mechanical blades, which moved around him, remained as steady as a rock, showing no sign of aggression in battle; Mo Qiaoxin concealed the spiritual light of the array patterns at her fingertips, her brows and eyes calm and undisturbed.

The remaining sixteen cultivators of the Hao clan were all wounded and depleted of spiritual energy. The defeat in their attempt to encircle the Hao clan and the collapse of their battle formation had completely shattered the clan's fierce spirit, and morale had completely collapsed. Most of the clan members secretly decided to request a bye, conserve their fighting strength, and dared not risk a desperate battle.

The atmosphere within the Hao clan's camp was heavy and solemn. Hao Chengming's face was deathly pale. To protect his three younger siblings, he had forcibly exhausted his Foundation Establishment cultivation to withstand the combined attacks. His old injuries, coupled with the depletion of his spiritual energy, left him with a weak and unstable aura, and his condition was extremely poor. Hao Bailian, Hao Qingyan, and Hao Chengle, knowing that their brother's injuries were severe, all stood silently, with no will to fight.

Lin Yan observed the diverse emotions and choices of everyone on the field.

"Registration for students above their level is now open."

The solemn and steady announcement of the competition rang out once again.

Lin Yan gave a slight nod, and Chen Dagang, standing beside him, immediately understood and stepped forward.

"Chen Dagang, a disciple of Laoshan, challenges the eighth level of Qi Refining!"

A loud voice boomed out, breaking the deathly silence on the battle stage.

Lin Yan stood with his hands behind his back at the corner of the arena, his expression calm and composed. For him, simply observing the game between the various parties was enough to steadily control the rhythm of the entire arena.

Chen Dagang possessed a towering physique, broad shoulders, a thick back, and a robust frame. Standing among the slender disciples of aristocratic families, he resembled a bear charging through the mountains, exuding a savage and imposing aura. A pair of black iron fish-patterned bracers firmly bound his arms, their dark light subtly concealed and their patterns intricate. A heavy, imposing axe slung across his back, conveying a sense of solemnity and killing intent. On the arena's spiritual light platform, his cultivation level was clearly displayed—seventh level of Qi Refining.

A seventh-floor challenge against an eighth-floor challenge.

This kind of cross-level challenge may not seem like the extreme of the leap, but it is still terrifying in the eyes of the people in the arena.

Chen Dagang did not cultivate exquisite techniques or learn agile movement methods. His path of cultivation was the purest and most domineering physical axe combat. He fought in close combat and used brute force to defeat enemies, and he had few rivals among his peers.

Discussions rose and fell on the high platform.

Elder Hao nodded in approval: "The disciples of Laoshan are all brave and spirited. They fought against those at the eighth level from the seventh level, without being greedy for reckless moves, but only seeking to break through steadily. Their character is solid, and they are promising talents."

Elder Hao's face was full of gloom, and he sneered coldly: "He's just relying on his physical strength to act tough. He may be strong at the same level, but when fighting against opponents of higher levels, the difference in spiritual power is something that physical strength cannot make up for. In the end, he'll only become a laughing stock."

Others may praise or despise him, but only Lin Yan knows the true source of Chen Dagang's confidence. Since obtaining the Xuan Tie Fish Pattern Wristband from the Crimson Fire Reef Island Secret Realm, his physical strength and body defense have increased dramatically, and he has already undergone a complete transformation. He is almost invincible among his peers, and even if he were to face a Qi Refining Level 8 cultivator head-on, he would have the strength to fight back.

The announcement resounded precisely within the barrier: "Laoshan disciple Chen Dagang, Qi Refining Level 7, is challenging a Qi Refining Level 8 opponent, a move that is legally valid. Are there any volunteers willing to accept the challenge?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the arena fell into a brief silence.

There were over thirty cultivators at the eighth level of Qi Refining in the arena, all of whom were carefully cultivated core disciples of their respective families. In terms of cultivation and spiritual power, they were all far superior to Chen Dagang. However, in the chaotic battle just now, everyone had witnessed Chen Dagang's ferocious fighting style—splitting mountains with his giant axe, charging headlong into the enemy, his physical body withstanding spells without a scratch, and his brute force overwhelming all his peers.

The group silently weighed the pros and cons: they possessed superior cultivation, but their physical bodies were weak and they relied on magical techniques for restraint, making them unable to withstand the opponent's close-range onslaught. Victory was a foregone conclusion, while defeat would mean utter disgrace; no one wanted to be the scapegoat.

The stalemate lasted for several breaths, with no one in the entire arena willing to fight.

"No volunteers are available; a lottery system will be activated."

The Mo family's mechanical jade disc appeared suspended in mid-air, its light spinning rapidly, countless names flashing and changing. Three breaths later, a beam of white light suddenly froze.

"Wang's disciple Jiang Zhou, Qi Refining Level 8, is about to enter the battle."

In the Wang clan's procession, a young man dressed in a blue robe and wielding a double-edged sword froze, his face full of resentment, but he could only steadily walk out of the crowd.

Jiang Zhou's aptitude was average, his Qi Refining Level 8 cultivation was barely stable, and he was most skilled in agile ring blade techniques, mainly using movement and borrowing force to strike, but least adept at head-on brute force combat. Fate played a trick on him; a single draw placed him against the most ruthless and unbeatable physical axe cultivator, Chen Dagang.

He was inwardly groaning, but dared not disobey the Mo family's ironclad rules of the competition, so he could only step onto the bluestone arena.

On the arena, the two faced off.

Jiang Zhou gripped the ring blade tightly with both hands, the blade shimmering with a faint blue light. His movements were light and elusive as he deliberately kept his distance, determined to wear down the enemy with his agility rather than engage in close combat.

In contrast, Chen Dagang's steps were as heavy as a rock, each step causing the bluestone of the arena to tremble slightly. He gripped the giant axe behind him, its dark, thick body gleaming with a chilling light, exuding an imposing aura. The black iron fish-patterned wrist guards on his arms were slightly warm, the hidden, immense power ready to be unleashed, and his fierce fighting spirit was fully unleashed.

"Make your move." Chen Dagang's voice was deep and gruff, without a trace of unnecessary politeness. His fierce nature had never been one to engage in roundabout or tentative approaches.

Jiang Zhou dared not underestimate his enemy and launched the first attack.

The pale blue spiritual energy enveloped the double-ringed blades, transforming them into two agile blue lights that darted out along the ground, aiming directly at Chen Dagang's ankles, intending to lock his footwork and then find an opportunity to break the deadlock.

All the cultivators held their breath, eager to see how the seventh-level physical warrior would break through the eighth-level cultivator's skillful restraint technique.

Faced with the double-edged attack, Chen Dagang neither dodged nor avoided, his eyes flashing with fierceness.

He was well aware of his own strengths and weaknesses: his spiritual power was not as abundant as his opponent's, and he was not proficient in long-range attack techniques. His only chance of winning was to launch a close-range attack and overwhelm the opponent with brute force.

With a loud shout, Chen Dagang's blood and qi surged violently. The black iron fish-patterned wrist guards on his arms instantly lit up with fine black patterns. The black iron evil qi from the ground flowed through his limbs and bones along the patterns, and his physical strength instantly reached its peak.

Boom!

Instead of dodging the blade attack, he charged forward with great strides, his massive body moving like a bear emerging from the mountains, unstoppable. His hands gripped the axe handle tightly, veins bulging on his arms, wrist guards firmly locking in his immense power, and the giant axe slammed down from above!

No fancy moves, just the ability to split mountains and cleave peaks, unparalleled in its domineering power.

The heavy axe wind tore through the sky, the roar was deafening, and the fierce axe pressure instantly enveloped half of the arena.

Jiang Zhou's pupils contracted sharply, his heart trembling. He had never seen such a brutal fighting style before, abandoning clever moves and defense, relying purely on offense to defend and brute force to overcome skill. In haste, he activated all the spiritual power in his heart meridian, his twin ring blades crossed to parry, and a blue spiritual power barrier suddenly opened up, taking the heavy axe blow head-on.

"clang--!!"

The deafening clang of metal against metal reverberated throughout the stadium.

The giant axe slammed heavily onto the double-edged parry, unleashing a terrifying surge of physical strength. Jiang Zhou's arms suddenly went numb and trembled, the spiritual energy barrier in front of him cracked inch by inch, and his legs sank sharply, the soles of his boots pressing two shallow dents into the bluestone arena.

His cultivation was a level higher than his opponent's, and his spiritual power was superior. However, his pure physical strength was no match for Chen Dagang, who was wearing a black iron wrist guard.

Before Jiang Zhou could regain his footing, Chen Dagang displayed his fierce nature, leaving no room for him to catch his breath.

With a sudden twist of his wrist, the Xuan Iron wrist guards shone with a burst of spiritual light. Using the momentum of the chopping and rebounding force, the giant axe swept across the battlefield!

The domineering and fierce axe wind swept across the arena, completely blocking all of Jiang Zhou's paths to dodge to the side.

Jiang Zhou's face turned deathly pale, his mind reeling. He immediately abandoned his defense and leaped backward at lightning speed, using his movement technique to its fullest extent to barely dodge the deadly sweeping attack. Even though he dodged in time, the fierce axe wind still tore through his clothes at the shoulder, the force of the wind scraping his skin painfully.

In just two short moves, the difference in their offensive and defensive capabilities was immediately apparent.

An uproar erupted from the audience.

"Seven layers easily suppressing eight layers! This physical combat power is terrifying!"

"This Xuan Iron Fish Pattern Bracer is absolutely a treasure; it has raised my physical combat power by a whole level!"

"Jiang Zhou's agile movements were completely countered; he had no way to break through this brute force attack!"

On the high platform, the Wang clan members looked astonished, while the Hao clan members' expressions grew increasingly grim. No one had expected that an ordinary disciple from Laoshan could suppress a high-ranking member of a powerful family with only a low-level cultivation.

Knowing that a direct confrontation would inevitably lead to defeat, Jiang Zhou, who had retreated, immediately changed tactics. His figure was elusive, and his twin ring blades continuously unleashed fragments of spiritual light, which intertwined and layered, transforming into a rain of azure blades that enveloped Chen Dagang, intending to use dense spells to continuously wear down his opponent's physical and spiritual strength.

If it were an ordinary Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator, facing such a high-level and dense attack of spells, they would have already been full of flaws and in a sorry state.

However, Chen Dagang's Xuan Tie Fish Pattern Wristband not only amplifies his strength but also greatly enhances his physical defense.

He lowered his stance, his giant axe held upright before him, its broad, thick blade like a fortified wall, enduring the barrage of countless tiny spiritual blades striking his body. The crisp clanging sounds continued incessantly, as those magical attacks, enough to severely injure an ordinary seventh-level cultivator, only grazed his perfectly tempered body, leaving shallow white marks and failing to cause him the slightest harm.

Physical defense is terrifying.

"it's useless."

Chen Dagang spoke in a rough voice, his eyes burning with even greater ferocity. He had completely figured out his opponent's tactics: they were nothing more than maneuvering to wear him down and using clever tactics to control the situation, lacking any courage for direct confrontation.

The next instant, he pushed off the ground with both feet and shot out again!

This charge was faster and more powerful, his blood surging through his body, and the patterns on his black iron wrist guards gleamed. He raised the giant axe high above his head, gathering all his brute force, and brought it crashing down once more!

With a single axe strike, wind and thunder seemed to stir, overwhelming the entire arena.

All of Jiang Zhou's dodging paths were blocked by the overwhelming axe force, and the countless azure spirit blades shattered and dissipated under this extremely domineering attack.

A sense of despair instantly swept over Jiang Zhou. His pupils contracted sharply, and he used all the remaining spiritual power in his body to activate his protective aura. However, looking at the rapidly approaching dark axe shadow, he felt powerless to resist.

"Bang!"

The thin spiritual energy barrier shattered and disintegrated instantly.

The remaining force of the axe pressed down heavily, slamming into Jiang Zhou's shoulders. The immense power suddenly unleashed its force, pinning him firmly to the arena, causing his knees to buckle and he to kneel heavily on the ground.

The double-ringed blades flew out of his hand and fell to the ground. His spiritual energy completely dissipated, and Jiang Zhou's blood and qi surged. He felt a metallic taste in his throat and almost vomited blood.

The outcome is decided.

The message of the Mohist school's impartial competition immediately resounded throughout the entire arena:

"Chen Dagang, a level 7 Qi Refining expert, won the challenge against a higher level and will be given priority for entry into the top 60 advancing spots."