Chapter 49

The first round of the martial arts competition concluded, and the results were not surprising. The three powerful sects, the Mountain Collapse Society, the Iron Claw Sect, and the Hidden Water Sect, all advanced to the next round with perfect records.

The participants and spectators dispersed, and after returning to the Blue Supervisor Hall's assigned dormitory, Gu Xuyao's discomfort finally subsided.

"Big Brother Gu, your injuries are terrifying. The second round of the competition is in five days. Are you really okay? I think you should inform the Sect Master that you won't participate in the second round..." Li Shuisheng was observant and noticed that Gu Xuyao was not in good condition on the way back.

However, what he didn't know was that the injuries were not the biggest concern for Gu Xuyao.

"Shuisheng, I'm fine, hmm?" As he spoke, Gu Xuyao noticed an additional hexagonal stone on the table, placed next to the one that recorded the rules of the first round.

It was clear that this was the rule for the second round. Gu Xuyao immediately picked up the hexagonal stone and began reading the information inside.

The format of the second round was completely different from the first. After reading the content of the hexagonal stone, Gu Xuyao understood why Ling Sanshi had arranged the first round in such a way.

The Flag Capture in the Dead Ridge was another name for the second round. Unlike traditional martial arts competitions, this round took place in a special area created by the Blood Arena, known as the Thousand Dead Ridge.

The Blood Arena was not as simple as it appeared. It contained a powerful array that could transform the arena into various settings for the cultivators to fight in.

The terrain of the Thousand Dead Ridge was extremely complex, with countless small ridges and mountains, hence the "thousand" in its name. The cultivators were placed at different positions, and there were eight green flags scattered throughout the Thousand Dead Ridge. The sect that captured the green flags would advance to the next round.

The positions were determined by the results of the first round. Since there were too many ridges to search through, each sect would receive the same clue. The sects that won the first round would be placed closer to the location indicated by the clue, increasing their chances of winning.

"No wonder the Sect Master didn't let Zibi or Xiaohu participate. Although the second round also involves combat, the key is to capture the flags. Since it's a speed competition, the two disciples from the Speed Academy are crucial. And there's Senior Brother Tian Li, who once knocked me out. With them, if we can win the first round, our chances of advancing to the finals will be..."

Gu Xuyao pondered. He found it strange that he was chosen for the first round, but then he thought, although he hadn't truly reached the Root Birth stage, his combat skills were not inferior to those who had. With his rich combat experience and fierce fighting style, Gu Xuyao was actually the strongest among the new disciples.

Understanding the details of the competition, Gu Xuyao put down the hexagonal stone and sat in meditation to recover from his injuries as much as possible. Since the second round had no limit on the number of participants, if Gu Xuyao didn't participate, it would be a loss for the sect. He didn't want to be a burden.

Most of Gu Xuyao's injuries were from the explosion of the Spirit Flying Birds. Although his body was charred, the real issue was the six wounds where the skin and flesh were torn open. These injuries were caused by essence energy, and five days were not enough for them to heal. In fact, five days would only reduce the pain.

Feeling much better mentally, Gu Xuyao estimated that he had recovered to about 60% of his strength.

"I wonder if my current state will hinder the sect's advancement..."

The shrill sound of the horn rang again. Gu Xuyao stood up, woke up Li Shuisheng, who was still in meditation, and joined the gathering team.

The scene was as crowded as during the first round.

"Hmm?" As soon as he entered the Blood Arena, Gu Xuyao felt a sense of alertness. "That feeling again, who is it? Who is watching me..." As a hunter, he was very sensitive to such feelings, and he had tried to find the source, but no matter how many times he searched, he couldn't find the person he was looking for.

"If the person's cultivation is higher than mine, it's not impossible for them to hide their presence, but this is clearly not the feeling of someone's thoughts passing over me..." Cultivators could use their thoughts to observe others, but the feeling Gu Xuyao experienced was definitely not that.

"Alright, everyone, today's Blue Supervisor Hall martial arts competition will begin the second round!" Qiming Zhenren's voice echoed throughout the arena.

"Due to the new rules set by the Hall Master, the sects that ended in a draw in the first round have been given a special position." As he spoke, Qiming Zhenren clapped his hands, and the Blood Arena began to rumble, with essence energy surging, as if undergoing a significant transformation.

"As for what kind of position it is, you will have to experience it once you enter." Qiming Zhenren left the rest unsaid. According to the rules of previous years, draws were not allowed, and a clear winner had to be determined.

Qiming Zhenren's words caused a wave of speculation among the sects that ended in a draw, but the Blue Supervisor Hall didn't care. The Blood Arena quickly completed its transformation, and a vast black curtain appeared before everyone, with a small blue array appearing in front of each sect's location.

"The Thousand Dead Ridge has appeared. All cultivators who plan to participate, please enter the array. In one incense stick's time, the array will disappear, and those who have not entered will not be able to participate in the second round!"

Upon hearing this, the cultivators from the Mountain Collapse Society rushed forward and quickly squeezed into the array.

The Hidden Water Sect and the Iron Claw Sect also did not lag behind, entering the array in a steady stream.

The second round began as soon as the cultivators entered the Thousand Dead Ridge, so they couldn't waste any time.

"Everyone from the Taiheng Sect, follow Yifeng's instructions once you enter." Ling Sanshi was not in a hurry; they had no advantage, so entering later wouldn't be a problem.

Everyone responded in unison, and Ling Sanshi scanned the group of cultivators, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Let's go!"

With high morale, everyone shouted in unison and rushed into the array!

This array was different from the one used to travel between the floors of the Taiheng Sect. It transported to another array, so when Gu Xuyao entered, he felt a dizzying sensation, and everything around him began to twist and deform.

When the blurry vision gradually cleared, revealing a series of steep mountains, Gu Xuyao found himself standing in the Thousand Dead Ridge.

The sky was dark and gray, and the mountains were barren. The ridges were like tall, thin stone pillars, with gray rock faces that matched the sky, creating a unique and stark beauty.

"West Ridge, West Ridge, no end; South Mountain, South Mountain, no sight; North, North, nothing; East, East, boundless..."

Gu Xuyao followed the sound and saw Yifeng muttering to himself. Upon closer inspection, he noticed two lines of text carved on the ground.

"Senior Brother Yifeng, what does this mean? It doesn't seem to point to anything specific. Where should we go to find the green flags?" Tian Li frowned. His responsibility in the second round was the greatest, so he was eager to know what to do.

Tian Li, as a rising star of the Speed Academy, had a personality as impatient as his cultivation method, and he was unable to interpret the poem.

"Senior Brother, if there's nothing in the east, west, south, or north, then..." Yixia seemed to have an idea but was unsure.

Yifeng knew what she was thinking but shook his head. "This can't be that simple..." After a moment of contemplation, Yifeng's eyes widened as he understood the meaning. "Let's go!"

With that, Yifeng took off into the air!

The Thousand Dead Ridge was filled with wind provided by the array, allowing the cultivators to fly using their essence energy. Seeing Yifeng move, all the Taiheng Sect cultivators followed him off the mountain.

"Senior Brother Yifeng, did you discover something?" Tian Li, whose speed was undoubtedly the fastest among the eight Taiheng Sect members, caught up to Yifeng and asked.

Yifeng glanced at him and then at the others behind. "The text says there's nothing in the east, west, south, or north, but it doesn't mean the flags are under our feet. It means we are surrounded. Don't forget, deception is a part of war!"

At the same time, outside the Thousand Dead Ridge, the vast black curtain displayed forty-eight small bubbles, each showing the actions of the forty-eight sects.

"This Yifeng is quite impressive." A man was watching the competition outside the Blood Arena, with Qiming Zhenren standing respectfully beside him.

"Yes, Hall Master, Yifeng is indeed impressive. He is young and talented, and it's said that his cultivation is already showing signs of reaching the third level of the Root Birth stage." Qiming Zhenren nodded and bowed. Beside him were three others, all accompanying the Hall Master of the Blue Supervisor Hall to watch the competition.

"Hmm, Qiming, you seem to know him quite well." A cultivator behind Qiming Zhenren said with a sneer.

Qiming Zhenren frowned and quickly glanced at the Hall Master, who showed no signs of suspicion. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're joking. I am responsible for organizing this year's competition, so I need to gather information on the cultivators. Moreover, since the Hall Master is interested in him, it proves that he is indeed exceptional. He has participated in previous competitions, so it's normal for me to remember him."

The cultivator behind him snorted but said nothing more, and most importantly, the Hall Master remained silent.

"Yifeng, very good. And that new cultivator surnamed Gu, his fighting style is very fierce. Such people are the best candidates to become cultivators. It seems the Taiheng Sect is doing well this time..."

Upon hearing this, the four people beside him fell silent. They knew that the Hall Master was interested, and his only desire now was to see how the Taiheng Sect cultivators would fight and die.