Chapter 62

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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Amidst the sound of contention, Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

The punches fell like boulders from the mountaintop, powerful and heavy, with a fierce wind howling.

The staffs swept like giant trees across the sky, casting shadows and emitting a piercing whistle.

"Good, good, good, cripple him." The leader of the Fine Rain Gang was like a demon, his fists clenching unconsciously.

"You dare!" The venerable elder of the clan hall roared in anger, like a tiger awakened, a terrifying aura spreading. Qin Xinshi was equally enraged; he had just spoken of the rules, and now someone dared to openly defy them.

However, no matter how strong their power, they were too far away to help. Yang Feiyu's face was twisted with malice, wishing he could take the place of one of the two and attack Chen Zong.

In that moment, time seemed to slow down.

Chen Zong remained calm in the face of danger, his body like a willow swaying, his steps like the wind. With a gentle sway and a turn, he escaped the coordinated attack from the two, turned around, and faced both, drawing his sword.

The sword light was swift, like overlapping shadows, like a willow swaying, like an eagle soaring through the sky, and finally, like lightning tearing through the clouds.

Each sword strike was at the subtle level of the Foundation Establishment martial arts, powerful and fierce, targeting the two. Then, the fifth strike, the Explosive Sword Technique.

Like a cannon blast, it directly sent one of them flying off the stage. With a flash, he avoided the staff, and the precious iron sword, seemingly gentle but actually as heavy as a thousand pounds, struck the man's chest.

A crack, the sound of broken ribs.

Chen Zong would not be lenient with those who deliberately attacked him.

"Foundation Establishment Sword Techniques of the Four Gates and Five Gates, all cultivated to the subtle level!" Qin Xinshi's eyes widened, his heart filled with indescribable shock. If he knew that Chen Zong had also cultivated one of the Foundation Establishment Sword Techniques to the True Secret level, he would be even more astonished.

"Good." The Chen family members cheered, while Yang Feiyu's face was dark, and the leader of the Fine Rain Gang was expressionless, a hint of unnoticeable gloom flashing in his eyes.

Soon, the third group's melee ended, and Chen Zong remained on the main stage.

The fourth group's melee also began, with Li Zhen Shi in this group.

"Congratulations." Yang Yigu had walked over at some point, his eyes hazy.

"Not yet in the top hundred, congratulations are premature." Chen Zong smiled, looking at Yang Yigu and faintly sensing the fluctuation of his aura, which was stronger than before. "On the contrary, I should congratulate you, Brother Yang."

"Hehe, I was fortunate to break through recently." Yang Yigu smiled. Half a month ago, his cultivation had advanced to the seventh layer of the Blood Qi Realm, and his age had not exceeded the limit, so he did not need to participate in the battle and could directly enter the Seven Stars Martial Academy.

After a brief chat, the fourth group's melee also ended, followed by the fifth group. When the fifth group's melee ended, Qin Xinshi had the winners from each group ascend to the main stage.

"Two hundred and fifty people will engage in the final melee to determine the final one hundred, who will become disciples of the Seven Stars Martial Academy." Qin Xinshi said, his voice causing everyone's breathing to quicken.

On the main stage, almost everyone's eyes were shining. Those around them were all potential opponents.

The Four Young Heroes and Five Young Elites of Fengwu, except for Yang Feiyu, who had provoked Chen Zong and been knocked off, were all standing on the main stage, waiting for the final battle.

"Begin!" As Qin Xinshi's words fell, everyone immediately took action, either attacking or moving to find an opportunity.

In a melee, you face not just one enemy but many, from all directions. Everyone was in the same situation.

It was actually very fair, testing one's overall strength.

No one knew who struck the first blow, but the scene quickly became chaotic.

With the precious iron sword in hand, Chen Zong defended against a knife attack. With a twist of his wrist, he deflected the knife, then charged forward, ramming his shoulder into the opponent's chest, like a wild bull crashing into a mountain, sending him flying and colliding with another, rolling into a heap.

Tang Jun's Luolong spear swept in all directions, making it difficult for anyone to get close.

Li Zhen Shi's sword was like a gentle breeze, his every move exuding an indescribable elegance and grace, weaving through the crowd like a breeze.

Zhao Wangcheng's knife was cold and sharp, its chill piercing.

Each of the four could defeat most sixth-layer Blood Qi Realm martial artists, and their overall strength was also prominent, making them handle the melee with ease. In contrast, the fourth of the Five Young Elites of Fengwu, at the fifth layer of the Blood Qi Realm, lacked the strength to defeat sixth-layer martial artists and could only barely hold on in the melee.

Soon, the four were knocked off the stage one after another. Though they were reluctant, they were also clear that this was just a test, and if they failed, they would have another chance next year.

However, watching Chen Zong and the other four still standing on the main stage, fighting with ease, they felt a sense of indescribable emotion.

Indeed, the gap was still very obvious.

On the main stage, more and more people were knocked off, and the number of remaining participants decreased. Those left were mostly stronger.

The pressure on Tang Jun, Li Zhen Shi, and Zhao Wangcheng increased, but they could still hold on. As for Chen Zong, he remained at ease. To be honest, even facing a seventh-layer Blood Qi Realm martial artist, he could defeat or even kill them with the Heaven Light Cloud Shadow Sword. Even without using it, his skills were more than enough to handle sixth-layer martial artists.

Qin Xinshi's gaze was mainly focused on Chen Zong. Finding such a talent here was a pleasant surprise for him. He had also obtained some information about Chen Zong from others, making him even more curious.

A common descendant from a small town's branch family, yet with such talent, like a true dragon in shallow water.

Of course, this metaphor might be an exaggeration, but that was how Qin Xinshi felt.

Chen Zong did not engage in combat with Tang Jun, Li Zhen Shi, and Zhao Wangcheng, as there was no need to do so now. They would have plenty of opportunities to fight once they entered the Seven Stars Martial Academy.

In the end, one hundred people remained on the main stage.

"Congratulations on entering the top hundred and becoming disciples of the Seven Stars Martial Academy." Qin Xinshi smiled. Among the one hundred, besides Chen Zong and the other four, the rest were at the sixth layer of the Blood Qi Realm, mostly at the peak of the sixth layer. Once they entered the Seven Stars Martial Academy and received the academy's resources, they had a good chance of advancing to the seventh layer in a short time.

The one hundred people on the main stage breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Qin Xinshi's words.

"Next, there will be a third round of competition, which you can choose to participate in or not." Qin Xinshi said, and the one hundred people were not surprised, as they seemed to have known this already.

Every year, after the top one hundred were determined in the Fengwu Young Heroes' Battle, there would be a third round of competition, with rewards set by the three major noble families, five major clans, and the Heaven Top Pavilion.

The top three would receive rewards from this competition, though the rewards varied each year.

"The reward for third place is ten thousand white jade coins." Qin Xinshi announced.

Many eyes immediately lit up.

For Tang Jun, Li Zhen Shi, and Zhao Wangcheng, ten thousand white jade coins were not much, but for others, ten thousand white jade coins was a significant amount. After all, three thousand white jade coins could buy a fairly good precious iron-level weapon.

Chen Zong's eyes lit up even more. If he had those ten thousand white jade coins, he could buy more medicinal herbs and concoct another batch of Ice Fire Quenching Ointment, the benefits of which he was gradually experiencing.

And if the reward for third place was this good, the rewards for second and first place would likely be even better.

"The reward for second place is thirty thousand white jade coins and... a silver thread inner armor." Qin Xinshi smiled, immediately causing a wave of exclamations.

Thirty thousand white jade coins, even Tang Jun and the others could not ignore. Of course, their status meant that obtaining thirty thousand white jade coins was not too difficult for them.

As for the silver thread inner armor, Tang Jun and the others were already wearing similar items.

"Silver thread inner armor, rumored to be able to withstand ordinary iron weapons and a thousand pounds of force?" someone on the stage whispered, making Chen Zong slightly startled.

Withstanding ordinary iron weapons and a thousand pounds of force would indeed provide better defense and help him survive.

He had never heard of such an item before, so it must be quite valuable, and perhaps not even money could buy it. Chen Zong, who did not know the value of the silver thread inner armor, placed more importance on the thirty thousand white jade coins.

"Thirty thousand white jade coins, plus what I have left, will be enough to buy four batches of medicinal herbs and concoct four batches of Ice Fire Quenching Ointment." Chen Zong thought to himself.

"The reward for first place is the best." Qin Xinshi smiled, and Chen Zong focused all his attention. "Fifty thousand white jade coins..."

Chen Zong's breathing quickened, and his mind was filled with one thought: fifty thousand white jade coins...

Since learning that the Nine Turn Blood Return Pill cost a million white jade coins, the Seven-Leaf Blood Lotus cost two million white jade coins, and that cultivating the Body Tempering Technique required a lot of jade coins, Chen Zong had developed a strong desire for jade coins.

"... a silver thread inner armor and the White Ding Order of the Heaven Top Pavilion." Qin Xinshi finished, causing even more exclamations.

"The White Ding Order."

"I heard that the White Ding Order of the Heaven Top Pavilion is very hard to obtain. There are not many people in the entire Fengwu City who have one."

"Yes, with the White Ding Order, you can get a ten percent discount on any transaction at any Heaven Top Pavilion."

Chen Zong came to his senses. Besides the fifty thousand white jade coins, there was also a silver thread inner armor and the White Ding Order as rewards. With his keen insight, he immediately understood the value of the White Ding Order.

It was a symbol of status, after all, rarity is what makes something valuable.

Additionally, with the White Ding Order, you could get a ten percent discount on any purchase at any Heaven Top Pavilion. While this might not seem significant for a few transactions, it would be substantial if you made many or large transactions.

"I must get first place." Chen Zong took a deep breath, his gaze resolute, for the fifty thousand white jade coins and the White Ding Order.

"Furthermore, the top three who enter the Seven Stars Martial Academy will represent the Fengyao Hall and compete with the new disciples of the other six halls to determine the top three new disciples." Qin Xinshi announced. "Now, those who want to participate in the third round of competition should stay on the main stage, and those who do not want to participate should leave the main stage."

As he finished speaking, no one on the main stage moved to leave.

No one thought they were inferior to others, and everyone wanted to try for the top three, hoping they might succeed.