The First Match of the Eight-to-Four Elimination Round

A long, deep tunnel was carved from massive bluestone. This bluestone, a specialty of Daqi, possessed an extraordinary hardness, almost akin to refined steel. Indeed, thousands of martial arts arenas throughout Daqi, both grand and humble, were constructed from this very material, earning it the moniker ‘Bluestone Arena Rock’.

From the far end of the tunnel, faint, boisterous cheers drifted. The clamor gradually softened, becoming barely discernible by the time it reached Chi Qiu, who stood poised at the opposite end.

Chi Qiu stood before the bluestone archway, his expression solemn. Clad in a black robe, his long hair cascaded wildly behind him, while his arms hung naturally at his sides, revealing his muscular forearms.

Though his name sounded feminine, his appearance was undeniably formidable and imposing. He possessed well-defined features with thick brows and large, piercing eyes, while a prominent cleft on his upper lip added a touch of ferocity to his demeanor.

Standing rigidly before the archway, he cut a tall and robust figure. Strange golden patterns coiled around his bare arms, extending all the way to his fingertips.

Beside Chi Qiu stood another burly man, clad in azure armor and wielding a black battle-halberd. His face was obscured by a bluish-gray visor adorned with intricate, overlapping patterns depicting mountains, rivers, birds, and beasts, culminating in the character ‘Qi’.

The indistinct clamor eventually subsided. The armored man slowly turned his head, a faint clatter of metal accompanying the movement, and looked at Chi Qiu.

“The time has come,” he announced, his voice somewhat dry and muffled. “Please ascend the stage.”

Chi Qiu stepped through the bluestone archway. As he slowly advanced, a gentle breeze wafted from the far end of the passage. This scene was one he had experienced countless times over the past few months, yet this particular occasion was the most crucial for him.

Should he win this contest, he would earn the right to explore the forbidden grounds of the Daqi Imperial Family. Such a precious opportunity drew the fervent desire of even the most esteemed direct disciples from the prominent sects within Daqi, causing them to flock to the tournament.

However, there were only eight slots to enter the secret realm, with the Daqi Imperial Family claiming four of them. The remaining four were originally intended for the nine transcendent sects within Daqi, but after years of fruitless discussion, no consensus could be reached.

Consequently, a grand martial arts tournament spanning several months was organized. All Daqi citizens under thirty years of age and above the Spirit Nourishing realm were eligible to participate.

The Daqi Imperial Family generously offered a vast array of magical artifacts, weapons, and cultivation techniques from the national treasury as rewards for this grand event. The four cultivators who ultimately emerged victorious would earn the coveted right to enter the Imperial Family’s forbidden grounds.

This particular match was the final battle of the eight-to-four elimination round. Chi Qiu was scheduled to be the first to appear, facing one of the other seven contenders at random.

Unlike the other seven competitors, who boasted illustrious backgrounds, hailed from noble clans, or studied in super sects, Chi Qiu was merely a rogue cultivator. Not only was he significantly older than the others at twenty-nine years of age, but his cultivation realm had also only just reached the Spirit Nourishing stage, barely qualifying him for the tournament.

Despite these formidable disadvantages, Chi Qiu had, through his ruthless fighting style and his perfected ‘Intertwined Gold’ divine ability, steadily climbed his way to the finals.

The clamorous cheers grew increasingly intense. A white speck of light appeared at the far end of the bluestone passage, expanding and becoming dazzling as Chi Qiu slowly advanced.

He took a decisive step, entering the white light, and found himself at the edge of a massive arena.

A gentle breeze stirred, a wisp of his long hair brushing lightly against his cheek. The thunderous cheers that had filled his ears instantly fell silent, only to be replaced by a wave of intense jeers.

Chi Qiu’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly surveyed the audience stands beyond the arena. He scrutinized the diverse faces, each clad in their respective sect’s attire, most bearing expressions of disdain and mockery.

He then turned his gaze past the audience toward the opposite side of the arena, where a white light shimmered and a slender figure slowly materialized.

As the white light dissipated, the newcomer was revealed: a man with sword-like brows and star-like eyes, his black hair simply tied behind him, his appearance exceptionally handsome.

He, too, wore a black robe, adorned with an intricate pattern of stars that seemed to shimmer, almost dizzying to behold. His hands were empty, save for a bracelet on his right wrist crafted from a material that was neither quite jade nor quite wood.

Upon seeing the handsome man across the arena, Chi Qiu’s lips subtly twitched, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Meanwhile, the audience stands erupted, cheers surging forth like a tsunami, clearly indicating that the man on the opposite side held an extraordinary position in the hearts of these sect disciples.

Chi Qiu naturally recognized the man opposite him: Su Hanxing, the Chief Disciple of the Tianyan Sect. His cultivation realm had reached the God Concealing stage, placing him in the highest tier among all cultivators participating in the tournament—a full two major realms above Chi Qiu.

The Tianyan Sect held a transcendent position among Daqi’s nine great sects, rarely engaging in inter-sect conflicts. Su Hanxing, despite his formidable strength, maintained a low profile, often leaving the sect to train in the mortal world. This allowed him to gain renown at a young age, earning the admiration of numerous sect disciples.

Due to Su Hanxing’s frequent ventures into the mortal world, Chi Qiu had often clashed with this favored son of heaven. They had exchanged blows five times in total, with Chi Qiu emerging victorious in all five encounters, never suffering a single defeat.

Each time, he had chased the Tianyan Sect’s Chief Disciple until Su Hanxing was forced to abandon his armor and weapons in retreat. However, Su Hanxing possessed first-rate escape abilities; he was never injured in his defeats, merely fleeing in disarray.

It wasn’t that Chi Qiu’s strength far surpassed that of these elite disciples; rather, Su Hanxing’s combat style was thoroughly suppressed by Chi Qiu.

The Tianyan Sect primarily taught astrology, deduction, and prediction, with its disciples’ combat prowess generally inferior to those of other sects. Su Hanxing, however, had acquired a wondrous method from an unknown source.

This method, combined with the sect’s Tianyan divine ability, allowed him to deduce the location of rare treasures, spiritual items, and magical artifacts in the world. From then on, he frequently ventured into the mortal world, collecting various magical artifacts.

His combat style subsequently became remarkably straightforward: simply overwhelming opponents with a barrage of magical artifacts and spiritual tools. This tactic had proven infallible until he encountered Chi Qiu, who had mastered the ‘Intertwined Gold’ divine ability in a certain ruin.

No one knew where Chi Qiu had acquired this divine ability. It was an extraordinarily profound body-refining technique, and after he cultivated it to mastery, his body became even harder than ordinary magical artifacts.

Moreover, his arms were tempered by a profound ‘Void Gold Qi’, granting them an exceptionally destructive effect against magical artifacts, shattering ordinary ones upon contact.

Thus, whenever Su Hanxing encountered Chi Qiu, it was as if he had met his natural nemesis. After only a few exchanges, Chi Qiu would shatter a multitude of his magical artifacts, forcing him to flee.

While Chi Qiu was eager to pursue, Su Hanxing’s escape artifacts were simply too swift, leaving Chi Qiu with no choice but to watch him escape.

“The rules of the match are simple: it ends when one party is knocked off the arena or voluntarily concedes. This is a friendly spar, so stop before inflicting fatal wounds.”

The white-haired elder’s voice boomed across the arena like a great bell, causing Chi Qiu to frown slightly. Looking up again, he saw Su Hanxing’s expression was unperturbed, clearly indicating that the elder had given an extra ‘warning’ specifically for Chi Qiu, who was known for his ruthless and decisive strikes.

Su Hanxing nodded with a smile, while Chi Qiu’s face remained cold. Both men simultaneously stepped into the center of the arena and stood still.

“You won’t be able to escape this time,” Chi Qiu stated indifferently, extending his right hand.

Su Hanxing likewise extended his right hand to meet Chi Qiu’s fist, his smile unwavering. “Then let’s see about that,” he replied softly.

Seeing their fist bump conclude, the elder below the stage raised his hand and struck the large azure bell beside him. The first match of the eight-to-four elimination round had officially begun.

As the great bell chimed, Chi Qiu raised his hands, and the golden patterns upon them instantly lit up, beginning to writhe eerily as if alive. Then, his figure suddenly exploded forward, launching a precise finger strike directly at Su Hanxing’s throat.

Su Hanxing remained unperturbed. He touched his bracelet, and a massive shield instantly materialized before him. Then, he stomped his foot, his figure rapidly retreating backward.

A breath later, the clang of metal echoed as the colossal shield shattered like paper. A black-and-gold figure flashed past, pursuing the rapidly retreating Su Hanxing.

Su Hanxing’s expression remained unchanged. He circulated his true qi using a special method, and then stars appeared beneath his feet. In an instant, he vanished from before Chi Qiu, reappearing on the other side of the arena.

Witnessing Su Hanxing’s bizarre teleportation, the audience below erupted in gasps, and the several sect representatives seated in the front row began to whisper amongst themselves.

“This must be the Tianyan Sect’s movement divine ability, Starfall Step. Truly profound,” a white-robed middle-aged man in the front row of the audience remarked, turning to the black-robed elder beside him with a smile.

“Elder Feng’s discernment is indeed sharp. A dozen disciples from my Tianyan Sect attempted to comprehend this method, but only Hanxing succeeded a few days ago,” the black-robed elder replied, stroking his beard with a proud smile in his eyes.

“However, this rogue cultivator is also quite extraordinary, forcing your young Su to use this divine ability so early in the match,” a remarkably young-looking woman chimed in, leaning closer.

“Alas, though this rogue cultivator’s cultivation is low, he has trained his body to an exceptional degree, and his body-refining divine ability greatly counters Hanxing. To be frank, they have clashed several times before, and Hanxing always lost,” the black-robed elder said, his smile gradually fading as he sighed, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Old man, you are quite open-minded. When chief disciples from other sects are defeated, they go to great lengths to hide it. Yet, you openly tell us here. Aren’t you worried young Su will be displeased?” the young woman asked, momentarily stunned.

“My Tianyan Sect never cares for the empty fame of invincible disciples, nor does Hanxing care whom he has lost to. In cultivation, how can one grow without experiencing trials? Before this battle, Hanxing actively sought me out to fight this rogue cultivator named Chi Qiu. I believe he must have found a countermeasure,” the elder shook his head, clearly unconcerned with such fleeting reputations.

“Such a mindset is truly admirable. No wonder he could enter the God Concealing realm at such a young age. I must certainly discuss this with the disciples of my sect later,” the white-robed Elder Feng nodded in agreement, his tone full of praise.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing, on the arena, were naturally oblivious to their conversation. At this moment, Chi Qiu was shocked by Su Hanxing’s sudden disappearance; this was the first time such a situation had occurred in their numerous clashes.

A chill ran down his spine. Chi Qiu swiftly turned, only to see three flying swords already upon him. He hastily raised his arms to block, but one flying sword still struck his side. A crisp clang of metal rang out, and Chi Qiu felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, momentarily halting his movement.

Chi Qiu gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain. He pushed off the ground, instantly darting forward like a sharp sword. After shattering several more magical artifacts flying toward him, he once again closed in on Su Hanxing. Su Hanxing gritted his teeth, circulated his true qi, and threw a punch, meeting Chi Qiu head-on.

Hmph!

Seeing that Su Hanxing hadn’t used his bizarre teleportation again but instead chose to engage directly, Chi Qiu snorted dismissively. He tilted his head slightly to dodge the punch, then instantly formed his hand into a fist and struck Su Hanxing’s abdomen.

Bang!

The hard impact told Chi Qiu that the blow hadn’t been effective, but his expression remained unchanged. Without giving Su Hanxing any time to react, a second punch instantly shot out, aiming directly for Su Hanxing’s temple. Su Hanxing hastily circulated his true qi, raising his hands to block Chi Qiu’s path, barely deflecting the strike, and using the force of the impact to propel himself away.

“Alas, although this Starfall Step is incredibly fast, with Hanxing’s current control, he cannot use it continuously. Once this rogue cultivator gets close, he will be suppressed,” the black-robed elder shook his head helplessly, seemingly not optimistic about Su Hanxing’s chances.

In the time it took the black-robed elder to utter a single sentence, Chi Qiu had already caught up to Su Hanxing again, unleashing a continuous barrage of punches, kicks, elbows, and knees that left Su Hanxing gasping for breath. After narrowly dodging a vicious elbow strike, stars flickered beneath Su Hanxing’s feet again, and his figure vanished once more. Simultaneously, a large azure bell descended, trapping Chi Qiu within.

Golden light surged around Chi Qiu’s arms. With just three heavy punches, he shattered the great bell. Having just been ambushed, he prepared his guard, then his eyes darted around, quickly searching for Su Hanxing’s position.

Unexpectedly, Chi Qiu was not attacked before he located Su Hanxing. He saw Su Hanxing standing at the farthest point from him on the arena, with dozens of strange magical artifacts floating above his head. They were oil lamps, silk streamers, large cauldrons… These artifacts had only one thing in common: they were not offensive.

“River of Stars, activate!” Su Hanxing’s face was slightly flushed. He condensed his true qi, activating the dozens of magical artifacts above his head. In an instant, the entire arena darkened, the faint sound of flowing water emerged, and specks of starlight began to shimmer across the darkened space.

The moment the River of Stars activated, Chi Qiu felt his shoulders sink. He tried to lift his foot to pursue, but his legs felt as heavy as ten thousand pounds. Chi Qiu immediately sensed that something was amiss. He looked up and around, seeing the hundred-zhang square arena completely enveloped in the shadow of the starlit river.

He had initially believed that the arena’s confines, which prevented Su Hanxing from escaping with his artifacts, would be a great advantage for him. But now, the arena’s presence felt like shackles. He couldn’t leave the range of the River of Stars, as that would require jumping off the arena, which equated to an immediate concession.

“My River of Stars is a combination of twenty-three similar domain-type magical artifacts, specifically designed to bind your formidable physique. Concede now, while you still can. If you insist on fighting, do not regret it later,” Su Hanxing’s handsome face revealed a somewhat enigmatic smile.

“I fought my way to this point; how could I retreat because of one of your magical artifacts?” Chi Qiu snorted coldly. He pushed off the ground with his feet, actually leaping into the air despite the heavy pressure, and darted toward the closest magical artifact, a silk streamer. At this moment, he was perfectly clear-headed, understanding that only by breaking this River of Stars could he attack Su Hanxing.

Su Hanxing naturally wouldn’t sit by and watch Chi Qiu destroy the River of Stars. He summoned several blades, swords, axes, and halberds to block Chi Qiu’s path. Chi Qiu’s veins bulged on his forehead as he simply defended, enduring Su Hanxing’s attacks. He allowed various magical artifacts to strike him, and even as he spat blood, he never stopped, approaching the silk streamer step by step.

Chi Qiu had already discerned the profound mystery of the River of Stars: twenty-three artifacts placed in specific positions, relying on their complementary properties to restrict his movements. As long as one artifact was destroyed, the integrity of the entire River of Stars would be greatly affected, perhaps even rendered completely useless.

Seeing Chi Qiu’s resolute attitude and his step-by-step approach to the silk streamer, Su Hanxing let out a long sigh. “Since you are so determined to go your own way, then do not blame me…” he murmured softly, as if having made a decision.

Su Hanxing touched his bracelet, and a massive golden-stone coffin appeared beside him. The coffin opened with a creak, and a body, its fate unknown, tumbled out. Su Hanxing caught the body; it was a delicate female form, clad in a lavish white gown, her face difficult to discern in the darkened arena. Su Hanxing laid her on the ground, and specks of starlight illuminated her face. Her eyes were tightly closed, her fair cheeks flawless, making it impossible to look away.

But Chi Qiu was oblivious to all of this. After Su Hanxing summoned the coffin, he had ceased his obstruction. In just a few breaths, Chi Qiu had already reached the silk streamer. A single punch, imbued with Void Gold Qi, would shatter it, and the River of Stars binding him would collapse on its own.

Rumble—

A strange noise echoed in the darkness.

Chi Qiu remained unmoved, the golden patterns on his hands glowing brightly again. He grabbed the silk streamer and tore it effortlessly. Then, the darkness gradually receded, revealing a massive iron seal that radiated a profound, ancient aura, setting off alarm bells in Chi Qiu’s heart.

Without time for further thought, Chi Qiu swung both fists, striking the great seal. Soon, he had pounded several fist marks into it, but he was also forced to retreat step by step. Retreating, Chi Qiu turned to look behind him, only to find that at some unknown point, the massive golden-stone coffin stood directly in his path. A few more steps back, and he would be inside it.

Though supremely confident in his physical body, Chi Qiu dared not be careless. He planted his feet firmly, refusing to retreat further, and channeled all his true qi and Void Gold Qi, unleashing a full-power strike upon the great seal.

Bang!

Chi Qiu’s full-strength blow actually cleaved the great seal in half, the metallic clang of its shattering resounding throughout the entire arena.

“What a terrifying physique, what a dreadful divine ability! To actually shatter the Indefinite Great Seal… A match against this fellow, win or lose, would surely be painful,” the black-robed elder in the audience lamented, pounding his chest in distress.

“What is your young Su trying to do? He actually engaged that rogue cultivator in close combat! Old Man Su, you’d better be ready to rescue your disciple. That rogue cultivator doesn’t look like he’ll hold back,” a woman in a fiery red dress warned the black-robed elder.

The black-robed elder, referred to as Old Man Su, remained silent, his eyes fixed intently on Chi Qiu. He secretly circulated his true qi, muttering to himself, What exactly is this kid thinking?

On the arena, Chi Qiu, who had exerted all his strength to shatter the great seal, felt his hands go numb, making it difficult to even lift them. Fortunately, he had stopped just before the golden-stone coffin. Before Chi Qiu could make his next move, a figure suddenly appeared before him on the receding, darkened arena. They were so close that Chi Qiu could even see Su Hanxing’s constricted pupils.

“You actually dared to approach me in close combat…” Though Chi Qiu’s hands were numb and difficult to move, he still took the initiative to mock, buying himself time to recover.

Su Hanxing’s perpetual smile was now gone. He circulated his true qi silently, assuming a strange stance, and lightly pushed a palm towards Chi Qiu.

Chi Qiu felt his body lighten, and the numbness in his arms vanished. Overjoyed, he looked at Su Hanxing, who made no attempt to defend, and after a slight hesitation, threw a punch at his abdomen. Though not fatal, this blow would be enough to incapacitate him and force him out of the match.

“Eh?”

The imagined collision of flesh did not occur. Chi Qiu’s fist passed directly through Su Hanxing’s body. Su Hanxing, seeing Chi Qiu strike at his abdomen, was momentarily startled, then his smile returned, and he softly said, “You’ve destroyed so many of my magical artifacts and spiritual tools. You can compensate me with this body of yours.”

Chi Qiu awoke as if from a dream. He abruptly turned his head, only to find his own physical body already falling backward, tumbling into the golden-stone coffin. Simultaneously, a powerful suction drew Chi Qiu, urging him desperately to return to that body. It was then that Chi Qiu understood: his three souls and seven spirits had been knocked out of his body. He now desperately wanted to return to his physical form, for if he could not, he would soon dissipate into the heavens and earth.

Clang!

The golden-stone coffin instantly closed after the body entered. Chi Qiu’s soul was blocked outside the coffin. The coffin’s material was special, capable of isolating souls, leaving him helpless. He felt himself rapidly fading, then he turned and looked at Su Hanxing again.

“You’ve won…” Chi Qiu’s mouth moved, but no sound emerged.

Su Hanxing, however, understood his lip movements. His smile widened, then he raised a hand, and the female body from the coffin earlier flew towards him. A familiar attractive force once again descended upon Chi Qiu’s soul.

“Go on, adapt to your new body…” The last thing Chi Qiu heard was Su Hanxing’s somewhat gloating voice.