The Martial Saint Started from Scavenging

"The second round of capture the flag battle is over!"

Wang Changqing's voice resonated throughout the training ground, deep and majestic, suppressing the almost boiling murderous aura in the arena.

He Ping's ferocious charge suddenly stopped, and two deep marks appeared on the bluestone slab beneath his feet.

His chest heaved violently, and the veins on his bronze skin bulged like coiled dragons. He stared intently at the calm-looking young man in the distance who held a command flag, his eyes bloodshot and burning with rage.

He was actually tricked by a newcomer who had only recently joined the sect! When had he ever been so humiliated in front of everyone?

Ye Sheng ignored He Ping's murderous gaze, calmly raising the command flag in his hand as if displaying an ordinary object.

He then turned and walked toward the platform, completely ignoring the discussions and shock of those around him.

After all, in the eyes of many spirit plant growers and spirit feeders, Ye Sheng was the first person to dare to play tricks on He Ping like this.

On the viewing platform, Du Tao's face turned unusually gloomy and ugly.

He gripped the chair arm tightly with his five fingers, his knuckles turning white.

"asshole!"

He squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, it was unclear whether he was cursing He Ping or Ye Sheng, who was unharmed.

On the other side, a slight ripple flickered in Shen Qingqiu's cold eyes. She gazed at the composed young man on the training ground, thinking to herself: This boy's temperament is remarkably calm. Even facing a ferocious man like He Ping, he remains completely at ease, even manipulating him. Is he truly just a spirit plant cultivator?

Liu Qing's complexion remained serene, but beneath her long eyelashes, a subtle, unseen glint flickered in her eyes.

She seemed unsurprised by Ye Sheng's performance just now.

Soon, twenty contestants carrying command flags walked out of the arena. Although most of them were injured and bloodied, their eyes were full of longing for advancement.

Wang Changqing's gaze swept across the faces of the twenty people one by one, his expression indifferent.

"Very good. You and the other twenty people will advance to the final round."

He spoke slowly, his voice calm and even, "Next up is the arena battle. The matches will be drawn by lot, with the winners retaining their qualification to advance, and the losers being eliminated directly. The final rankings will be determined based on the number of wins and performance."

Having said that, he pointed to the center of the training ground. There, ten square platforms made of black iron had been erected. "Let's begin the drawing of lots."

As soon as he finished speaking, a disciple came forward carrying a black wooden box. Inside the box were jade tokens engraved with numbers, and those who drew the same number would become opponents in the arena.

Then, everyone took turns drawing lots.

Ye Sheng drew number "seven" and He Ping drew number "three", so the two did not meet in the first round.

"Hmph, consider yourself lucky, kid." He Ping glanced at the jade token in Ye Sheng's hand and sneered, his killing intent in his eyes undiminished.

Ye Sheng ignored it and focused his gaze on the light screen displaying the match list suspended in mid-air.

His first opponent was a thin, seemingly frail plant man.

When the man saw that his opponent was Ye Sheng, all color drained from his face. In the first round of the melee, he had witnessed Ye Sheng swiftly and decisively behead the spirit feeder; that bloody scene was etched into his memory.

"Ring Seven, Ye Sheng versus Li Ersi!"

As the deacon's voice rang out, Ye Sheng and the spirit planter named Li Ersi stepped onto the stage at the same time.

"I...I give up!"

Before Li Ersi had even firmly planted his feet or drawn his weapon, he shouted to the disciples below the stage.

These words caused an uproar in the room.

"So you're backing down already? This Li Ersi is at least a late-stage Bone Forging Realm martial artist."

"No wonder he didn't dare to take the risk. Didn't you see how Ye Sheng killed people during the melee? Besides, he dared to taunt He Ping in public just now, which shows that he's not afraid of the latter at all!"

"Never mind, it's better than going up there to your death."

At this moment, there was a great deal of discussion on the viewing platform.

Ye Sheng was also slightly surprised, never expecting his first arena battle to end like this.

"Ye Sheng wins the seventh arena!" the disciple announced loudly.

Ye Sheng nodded slightly to Li Ersi, whose face was ashen, and then turned and stepped off the stage.

The subsequent arena battles were all exceptionally fierce. Those who survived the chaotic melee and flag-capturing battles were all formidable; each possessed at least the strength of the Bone Forging Realm, and some even reached the Meridian Opening Realm. To secure a place in the top ten, they fought with their lives on the line. Therefore, on the arena, broken limbs, severed arms, and even those who died on the spot were commonplace.

Soon, it was He Ping's turn to fight. His opponent was a spirit feeder who was equally burly and wielded a mountain-splitting axe. That man was also a formidable character, a martial artist in the early stage of the Meridian Opening Realm. He had previously killed seven or eight people in the melee, and his strength should not be underestimated.

"roar!"

The two stepped onto the stage, exchanging no words, and charged straight at each other. The axe, wielding the force of wind and thunder, cleaved down with devastating force.

He Ping neither dodged nor avoided the attack, but instead extended his right hand, which was larger than that of an average person, and firmly grasped the axe blade that was coming at him.

With a crisp "crack!", the axe, forged from fine steel, was deformed by his bare hands.

The spirit feeder was startled and trembled with fear. He turned to retreat, but it was too late.

He Ping grinned maliciously, then gripped the man's neck with his other hand like an iron clamp and exerted force.

"Snap!"

The sound of the neck bone breaking was clearly audible.

He Ping casually tossed the corpse off the stage, then raised his cold eyes and swept them over Ye Sheng below the stage, his provocation clear.

The entire room fell silent.

Too brutal! Too strong! He killed a martial artist in the early stage of the Meridian Opening Realm in just two moves. He Ping's overwhelming strength and ruthless methods deeply shocked everyone present.

"See that? That's He Ping's true skill!"

On the viewing platform, Du Tao wore a smug expression and said to the person beside him, "That kid surnamed Ye, if he can get past the next round, we'll run into him sooner or later, and he'll be dead for sure!"

The first round of arena battles has ended, with ten people emerging victorious.

"Now, let's proceed with the next round of drawing lots. This round aims to determine the stronger rankings and is also related to the final determination of the top ten." The disciple in charge stepped forward again with the black box.

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts were in their throats. They all knew that every match from now on would be a clash of titans, and the outcome would directly determine the final rankings.

Ye Sheng remained calm as he slowly took out a jade pendant from the box.

Number One.

Immediately afterwards, He Ping also drew his own number plate.

Both are number one.

The moment the two revealed their jade tokens, the atmosphere in the entire training ground exploded.

"It's Ye Sheng versus He Ping!"

"This is going to be interesting! One is a cunning dark horse newly joined to the sect, and the other is a ruthless and cunning old fox!"

"Who do you think will win between them?"

"Is there even a question? It's definitely He Ping! Those moves he just used are beyond the capabilities of ordinary people!"

"I don't think so. That Ye Sheng is also quite strange. There might be unexpected results."

At this moment, there was a great deal of discussion on the viewing platform, and all eyes were focused on the two people who were about to take the stage.

Upon seeing this result, Du Tao was so happy that he almost jumped up from his seat.

"Heaven is on my side! Kid, let's see where you can hide now!" he laughed wildly in his heart.

A solemn expression also appeared on Liu Qing's and Shen Qingqiu's faces. They knew that this would be a life-or-death struggle.

"Kid, you've finally fallen into my hands."

He Ping stared at Ye Sheng opposite him, a cruel smile spreading across his face. He said mockingly, "Don't you like to hide? This time, let's see where you can hide!"

Ye Sheng didn't speak, but slowly drew the Black Ridge from behind him. Under the sunlight, the jet-black blade gleamed with a faint, dark golden light.

"Ring One, Ye Sheng vs. He Ping—Begin!"