Chapter 29

In last year's ranking, Hanshan placed second, and Feng Xuanzhu placed third.

In the advanced elite class, the two of them could be considered old rivals.

"Big dummy, taste the power of my Thunder Sword Technique!"

Feng Xuanzhu roared in anger, his sword drawn, the cold and sharp light piercing the air like lightning.

He was very clear that he had already lost to Luo Xiu once, and if he faced Xu Qiusheng, he would have little chance of winning. If he lost to Hanshan again, he might not be able to enter the top three.

So in this battle, Feng Xuanzhu was determined to give it his all.

When he faced Luo Xiu, he was suppressed in both his movements and sword technique, but now, facing Hanshan, he truly displayed his strength, causing the audience to gasp in surprise.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The swords clashed, and Feng Xuanzhu took three steps back. But he immediately used the Shadow Step technique, his fast sword strikes raining down, forcing Hanshan to activate his Hard Qi Gong for defense.

These two, Hanshan focused on strength and defense, while Feng Xuanzhu focused on agility and speed. One was steady and solid, the other swift as the wind.

As top elites in the advanced class, their strength far exceeded that of ordinary Ninth Stage Body Cultivators.

Feng Xuanzhu had perfected both his movement and sword techniques, while Hanshan's saber techniques and Hard Qi Gong were also at the perfected stage.

In the blink of an eye, they had already exchanged over twenty rounds, neither able to gain the upper hand. Feng Xuanzhu found it difficult to break through Hanshan's defense, and Hanshan found it hard to keep up with Feng Xuanzhu's speed.

Now, it was a matter of who would run out of inner qi first and who had the greater endurance.

Feng Xuanzhu's sword strikes became faster and faster, the sharp light dense like rain, covering all of Hanshan's vital points.

Hanshan stood his ground, holding his mountain cleaving saber, blocking all of Feng Xuanzhu's attacks. When he couldn't dodge, he used his Hard Qi Gong to resist.

After a long time, Hanshan's inner qi was the first to run out, and his Hard Qi Gong could no longer sustain. Feng Xuanzhu's sword light slashed through his chest, blood splattering.

At this moment, Feng Xuanzhu was drenched in sweat. If it had lasted a bit longer, he would have been completely exhausted as well.

"Feng Xuanzhu wins!"

From this battle, everyone could see that Hanshan and Feng Xuanzhu were evenly matched, but Hanshan was more on the defensive, and his inner qi was consumed faster.

Next, it was Luo Xiu's turn to step up, and his opponent was the universally recognized top-ranked Xu Qiusheng!

Their meeting could be described as a clash of titans. Luo Xiu's performance was unexpected; at the age of fourteen, he had made it to the final, and even had a chance to compete for the championship, setting a precedent in the history of the Green Cloud City Martial Hall.

In previous competitions, the champions were always the top elites of the advanced class.

This battle drew the attention of many, and everyone was filled with anticipation.

Xu Qiusheng stepped onto the stage, holding a silver spear, his face expressionless. With his perfected Third Rank spear technique, his strength was enough to look down on everyone.

"This is my last time participating in the competition. I hope you won't disappoint me."

Xu Qiusheng gazed at Luo Xiu, speaking calmly. He was already eighteen years old and would graduate after the competition.

Luo Xiu smiled and nodded, "I also want to experience your spear technique."

"Attack! I won't hold back."

Xu Qiusheng's silver spear trembled, drawing a silver arc that instantly reached Luo Xiu's face.

With this spear, Luo Xiu felt a bone-chilling cold, the sharpness overwhelming.

"Snap!"

Luo Xiu moved, the spear tip almost grazing his body, tearing his clothes and leaving a blood trail on his skin.

Even with the finest movement techniques, Luo Xiu barely avoided the spear, but the force of the silver spear still tore his clothes and cut his skin.

"Such a powerful spear technique!" Luo Xiu's heart sank, realizing he had met a true opponent.

Xu Qiusheng's strength was absolutely on par with ordinary Qi Sea cultivators, making Luo Xiu feel that he was even stronger than Chen Hu, whom he had encountered in the Eight-Headed Mountain!

"Whoosh!"

Xu Qiusheng's silver spear suddenly changed its move, and Luo Xiu didn't have time to draw his sword. A fierce momentum enveloped his entire body.

"Trouble!"

Luo Xiu's face changed, and he continued to retreat, but the spear's attack covered a wide area, making it impossible for him to completely dodge.

"He's good, but compared to Xu Qiusheng, he still falls short." On the viewing stand, the Li elder laughed.

At this moment, Luo Xiu suddenly extended his hands, and the inner qi in his palms no longer glowed faintly but shone like flames!

"Boom!"

Just as he was about to be hit by the spear, he struck with both palms, actually forcing Xu Qiusheng's silver spear away!

The silver spear trembled violently, and a powerful force transmitted through it, making Xu Qiusheng's tiger's mouth numb, almost losing his grip on the spear.

"Such powerful inner qi!"

Xu Qiusheng's expressionless face showed surprise. He himself was at the peak of the Ninth Stage Body Cultivation, and Luo Xiu's inner qi was even more powerful and pure. If Luo Xiu had used true qi instead of inner qi, he would have suspected that Luo Xiu had already broken through to the Qi Sea stage.

"Such strong inner strength! His movement techniques are restrained by Xu Qiusheng's spear, but brute force can overcome all. With such powerful inner strength, he easily resolved the crisis!"

On the balcony, Elder Zhuang Nantian stood up, his eyes shining.

"This is impossible! Even at the peak of the Ninth Stage Body Cultivation, practicing a Fourth Rank inner technique wouldn't result in such strong inner strength!"

The Li elder, who had just praised Xu Qiusheng, stood up, his face full of surprise.

Elder Zhuang Nantian stroked his beard, smiling but saying nothing. He knew that Luo Xiu's inner strength was so powerful because he had mastered the Pure Yang Technique.

In over eight hundred years, only three people had mastered the Pure Yang Technique. How could it be ordinary?

On the stage, Xu Qiusheng's spear technique remained fierce, and Luo Xiu never had the chance to draw his sword, only able to dodge with his movement techniques or resolve crises with his powerful inner strength.

The perfected spear technique was impenetrable, the attacks continuous, but Luo Xiu remained calm, waiting for a chance to counterattack.

"As the saying goes, brute force can overcome all. If I use my flame power, my inner qi's strength will increase several times, allowing me to suppress Xu Qiusheng's spear technique."

Luo Xiu pondered. Attribute power was a technique that only innate martial artists could master, and it was his strongest trump card.

However, Luo Xiu thought again. If he used brute force to win, it would be like relying on external help, not a true victory.

"Unless absolutely necessary, I'll try not to use my trump card. I'll use Xu Qiusheng's perfected spear technique to hone my movement and sword techniques!"

Luo Xiu's pupils narrowed, making a decision. He stepped back quickly, simultaneously striking a punch to push the silver spear back.

"Clang!"

At this critical moment, he seized the opportunity to draw his sword, the Shadow Sword flashing like lightning.

"Crystal Cold Light Spear!"

Xu Qiusheng remained calm, ignoring Luo Xiu's sword, and thrust his silver spear directly at Luo Xiu's throat.

The spear's range was much longer than the sword's. Before Luo Xiu's sword could reach him, his spear would definitely hit Luo Xiu first.

Luo Xiu had no choice but to change his move, using his movement techniques to close the distance. The spear had a wide attack range, but in close combat, it would be at a disadvantage.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!..."

Unconsciously, they had already exchanged over forty rounds, leaving the audience stunned.

Both at the peak of the Ninth Stage Body Cultivation, Hanshan and Feng Xuanzhu had exhausted themselves after thirty rounds, but Luo Xiu and Xu Qiusheng had fought for over forty rounds without any sign of inner qi depletion.

This clearly showed that their inner qi cultivation was much more powerful and pure, with a longer qi flow.

After a long time, Xu Qiusheng's forehead was covered in sweat, and his inner qi was gradually running out.

On the other hand, Luo Xiu remained calm, his breath steady.

"Damn, this is insane, they've already fought over sixty rounds!"

"Heavens, are they going to fight for over a hundred rounds?"

The audience was already numb with shock. Xu Qiusheng, the universally recognized top-ranked, having such strong inner qi was within their expectations, but Luo Xiu being able to do the same was simply unbelievable.

"Clang!"

On the ninety-eighth round, the Shadow Sword and the silver spear collided, and Xu Qiusheng's silver spear flew out of his hand, his body retreating, his tiger's mouth splitting, and blood dripping.

Actually, from the moment Luo Xiu drew his sword, every time the sword and spear collided, he could feel the powerful inner strength transmitted from Luo Xiu. If he hadn't persisted, he would have already lost.

"How can your inner qi be stronger than mine? Could you have practiced the Pure Yang Technique?" Xu Qiusheng looked at Luo Xiu, disbelieving.

"Clang!"

Luo Xiu sheathed his sword, nodded, and said, "Senior Xu's spear technique is very strong. If I hadn't practiced the Pure Yang Technique and had such powerful inner qi, I would not have been a match for you."

The Pure Yang Technique?

The top Third Rank inner technique that only three people had mastered in over eight hundred years?

Upon hearing the conversation on the stage, the audience gasped in shock.

Except for Elder Zhuang Nantian and the Martial Hall's master, even the beautiful teacher Lu Mengyao stood up in shock.

She hadn't expected Luo Xiu to have mastered the Pure Yang Technique.

Most people didn't know the origin of this inner technique, but she, with her special status, knew it clearly.

On the balcony, the Martial Hall's master slowly stood up and announced, "Luo Xiu wins this battle!"

Seeing the master personally announce it, everyone's attention focused on Luo Xiu, and for a moment, everyone was silent, their expressions complex.

The final battle had no suspense. Even Xu Qiusheng had lost to Luo Xiu, and Hanshan directly conceded.

Next, Feng Xuanzhu also conceded to Xu Qiusheng, and the rankings were determined.

The top three were Luo Xiu, Xu Qiusheng, and Hanshan!

Luo Xiu, the champion!

"He actually achieved this..."

In the crowd below the stage, Liu Yuxin's face was呆滞, and she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of regret.

If... if she had seized the opportunity when he liked her, not only she but the entire Liu family would have benefited immensely.

Undoubtedly, Luo Xiu would become a prominent figure in the entire Green Cloud City, and in no time, he would leave the city, making a name for himself throughout the Yunlong Prefecture and even the Tianwu Kingdom!