Chapter 173 The Grand Competition (Part Two)

The Grand Competition was filled with turbulent winds and surging undercurrents.

"The rules for the Grand Competition are similar to previous years, yet they are more stringent." The loud voice from before echoed once more. A Law Enforcement Elder dressed in purple robes and with a solemn expression stood suspended in mid-air, his voice resounding across the entire arena. "The first round is the 'Hundred-Ring Melee'!"

Upon hearing this, a low murmur of surprise and discussion erupted among the Disciples below. In previous Grand Competitions, the first round was usually a draw-based duel, but this time it was a melee?

The purple-robed Elder's gaze, sharp as lightning, swept across the crowd below, and the noise immediately subsided. He continued, "There are one hundred arenas in total! All Disciples who have registered for the competition, numbering over four thousand, may freely choose an arena to ascend! In each arena, only one person can remain at the end; that person shall be the Ring Master and will advance to the next round! Once you ascend the stage, the battle continues unless you concede, fall off the stage, or lose the ability to fight! Deliberately causing death or disability is strictly prohibited; violators will be severely punished! Now, all participating Disciples, prepare to ascend the stages!"

"Hundred-Ring Melee, with only one person remaining?" The expressions of many Disciples shifted slightly. This meant the competition would be exceptionally brutal. To advance, one needed not only strength but perhaps a certain amount of Luck and strategy. Choosing an arena with weaker opponents or teaming up with others were possible strategies. Regardless, over ninety percent of the people would be eliminated in the first round!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Three heavy drumbeats struck everyone's hearts. The Grand Competition had officially begun!

"Go!" "Seize the initiative!" Almost the instant the drumbeats ceased, countless figures shot toward the one hundred arenas from all directions like arrows released from a bow! Sword Qi, escape lights, and the radiance of Magic Treasures wove together into a brilliant yet dangerous spectacle. Some stronger Disciples, or those with extreme confidence in themselves, charged directly toward the arenas in more favorable positions near the central area. More Disciples, however, hesitated slightly, observing the situation and looking for arenas that might be easier to break through.

Mu Changge did not rush to act. He stood where he was, his gaze sweeping calmly over the entire scene. He saw Yun Feiyang of Heavenly Sword Peak with a detached expression; with a single step, he appeared on an arena near the main stage as if teleporting. He stood with his hands behind his back, and no one dared to compete with him on the same stage; Disciples in nearby arenas subconsciously kept their distance from his area. Shi Xin of Earth Sword Peak let out a low roar and slammed into another arena like a meteorite, the massive impact causing the two Disciples who had climbed onto the stage first to have their Qi and blood churn as they stumbled backward. Feng Wuxian of Human Sword Peak had a drifting figure, like a breeze passing by, appearing silently on an arena, his book still in hand, looking composed and relaxed.

The black-robed Core Disciples also chose their targets. Among them, several whose presence was particularly obscure and deep chose arenas that almost no one dared to contest, automatically clearing a zone. This was the deterrence brought by strength.

Jian Wushuang did not enter the arena. He remained seated on the highest Disciple jade platform, looking down at the melee below with calm eyes, as if enjoying a game unrelated to himself. However, Mu Changge could feel that the faint, sinister gaze was partially fixed on him at all times, like a viper's tongue.

"Want to see how I struggle? Or do you want to figure out my trump cards?" Mu Changge sneered inwardly, his expression disdainful.

He no longer hesitated. He chose an arena located in the edge area where dozens of Disciples were currently in a melee, and walked over unhurriedly.

The Disciples on this arena were mostly between the Late Golden Core Stage and the Early Nascent Soul stage. The battle was in full swing, with Sword Qi crisscrossing and the sound of metal clashing ringing incessantly. The Wandao Sword Sect was founded on the sword, so the Cultivation Techniques and weapons used by the Disciples naturally centered on the sword. Yet, the path of the Dao was all-encompassing, evolving into many diverse forms.

On the stage, there were those wielding heavy double swords, forceful and thunderous in their swings; those wielding agile soft swords, their sword light like a viper's tongue, tricky and vicious; and those wielding sub-and-mother swords, one large and one small, coordinating long and short range, treacherous and hard to defend against.

Mu Changge's arrival did not attract much attention at first. Everyone on the stage was fighting in pairs or small groups, with the aftermath of Sword Qi shooting out in all directions. It was not until he walked into the arena area with composed steps, as if taking a stroll, and faced several chaotic strands of Sword Qi that had veered off course toward him, that he simply flicked his sleeve. A flexible and condensed force effortlessly deflected and dissipated the Sword Qi without a sound, while not even the corner of his clothing fluttered. He continued to walk toward the center of the arena at the same unhurried pace. This composed demeanor made the nearby Disciples' hearts tighten.

"Another one with a death wish!" A burly, rough-looking bald man, holding a door-sized, thick, and blunt greatsword, had just sent a Disciple wielding a fast sword stumbling back, sword and all. Seeing this, he sneered, a fierce glint in his eyes. He Cultivate a sword technique from the Earth Sword Peak lineage that focused on strength and defense. Although he was only at the Early Nascent Soul stage, his brute strength was astonishing, and his spiritual power was thick; even an ordinary Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivator would not dare to take a direct hit from his greatsword.

Seeing that Mu Changge's aura was not apparent and he was so arrogant, the man immediately leveled his greatsword, and with a dull, vicious wind, swept it toward Mu Changge like he was swatting a fly! Before the sword arrived, the heavy wind pressure already made it hard to breathe.

The surrounding Disciples were either blocking the aftermath with their swords or seizing the chance to attack their opponents, only casting a fleeting glance, thinking that this sudden intruder would likely suffer. That greatsword looked clumsy, but it covered a massive area, and the force was powerful, making it hard to dodge.

However, facing this powerful strike that seemed capable of shattering mountains, Mu Changge's footsteps did not waver in the slightest. His figure tilted slightly, and the moment the greatsword reached him, he slid against the wide blade like a ghost, instantly closing the distance with the bald man. At the same time, his right hand formed a sword finger, a faint, imperceptible spiritual light flashing at his fingertip, striking the man's wrist pulse like lightning.

"Chi!" With a slight sound like tearing silk, the man felt his wrist go numb, as if pricked by an extremely fine and sharp needle. A sharp, condensed Sword Qi surged up his wrist, and the spiritual power circulation in his entire right arm instantly stagnated. The heavy greatsword almost slipped from his grip! His expression changed drastically, filled with shock and anger. His left palm subconsciously struck toward Mu Changge's face, wrapped in earthy-yellow spiritual power, intending to force him back.

But Mu Changge's movements were faster and more bizarre. The sword finger that had struck his wrist did not retract, and his left hand reached out like a swimming fish, fingers slightly curled, neither gripping nor releasing, pressing lightly on the wrist of the man's striking palm, gently twisting and flicking.

"Bang!" A sticky, flexible, yet overwhelming force surged in. The man felt his palm power disappear like a stone into the sea. Not only did he fail to shake the opponent, but he was also led off-balance, leaving his center wide open. Mu Changge's right sword finger had already quietly retracted, turning into a palm, and lightly pressed on the man's Tanzhong Acupoint on his chest.

"Go down." A flat voice sounded in his ear. The bald man felt a Sword Qi that was not particularly violent, but extremely sharp and condensed, suddenly pierce through his body!

"Wah!" He groaned, his burly body flying backward uncontrollably, as if thrown by a catapult. He traced an arc and slammed heavily onto the ground outside the arena, kicking up a cloud of dust. He struggled to crawl up, but felt his chest's Qi and blood churning, his spiritual power in chaos, and the Sword Qi that had entered his body still rampaging through his Meridians. He was unable to rise for a moment, and could only slump on the ground with a flushed face.

Silence! The originally noisy and chaotic arena instantly fell silent. The nearby Disciples who were fighting stopped their movements in unison, looking at the figure standing calmly in the center of the arena with shock and uncertainty. They knew the bald man's strength; he could definitely rank in the top five of this arena, and his heavy sword was powerful and extremely difficult to deal with. Yet, he was defeated in one move by this guy who seemed to be only at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage and had very little presence, and so easily and effortlessly! They hadn't even seen how he made his move!

"This guy is extraordinary! Let's join forces to clear him first!" A skinny youth wielding sub-and-mother swords narrowed his eyes and shouted in a low voice. He saw that Mu Changge's footwork was bizarre and his force was tricky; he was a major variable. The other Disciples exchanged glances upon hearing this and instantly reached a temporary tacit agreement. There were no fools who could make it this far. An opponent who could easily handle the bald man had to be cleared first!

In an instant, five figures pounced on Mu Changge from different directions! The skinny youth's sub-sword was like a viper coming out of its hole, stabbing straight for his back, while the mother sword circled overhead, ready to strike. A woman wielding a soft sword turned her sword light into a silver net of light, covering Mu Changge's upper body. A burly man holding a wide-bladed greatsword roared and hacked down from above with the force of a thousand jun. Two others attacked from left and right, their sword light sharp, sealing off all escape space...

Everyone joined forces, their Sword Qi chilling, instantly sealing all of Mu Changge's retreats. Although it wasn't perfectly coordinated, it was quite tricky. They intended to kill him in one blow, or at least severely injure him and force him off the arena. Facing this near-lethal combined attack, Mu Changge's face remained expressionless, his eyes calm and waveless. Just as the five attacks were about to land, he moved.

His figure seemed to blur for a moment, leaving a faint afterimage in place. His true body was already like a fish in water, sliding through the tiny gap between the sub-sword and the soft sword light net at an incredible angle and speed. The wide-bladed greatsword brushed past his clothes and landed in empty air, making a dull, heavy sound. The sword lights from the left and right also missed.

"What!" Everyone was shocked. Their spiritual sense had clearly locked onto the opponent, but it was as if they had stabbed a slippery fish, instantly losing the specific location of their target.

Mu Changge had already appeared beside the woman wielding the soft sword. In her horrified gaze, he formed a sword finger, with an inch of solid sword radiance spitting from the tip, and precisely struck the "seven-inch" spot of her soft sword.

"Ding!" With a crisp ring, the woman felt her wrist shake violently, and a tricky, sharp Sword Qi surged up along the sword body, instantly dispersing her spiritual power. The soft sword slipped from her hand, and she groaned, flying backward and falling to the edge of the arena, unable to muster any strength.

Mu Changge's figure was ghostly and ethereal. With a shift of his feet, he appeared before the skinny youth wielding the sub-and-mother swords. The youth was greatly alarmed, his sub-and-mother swords dancing wildly, turning into a curtain of swords to protect his body. However, Mu Changge simply extended two fingers, appearing slow but finding an imperceptible flaw in the sword curtain, and clamped down lightly.

"Clang!" The sub-sword, which was as agile as a viper, was firmly clamped by his two fingers! The youth's expression changed drastically, and he exerted all his spiritual power, the sub-sword vibrating and humming, but it could not break free in the slightest. Mu Changge flicked his wrist, and a strange vibrating force came through. The youth felt his entire side go numb, and he couldn't hold the mother sword, which fell to the ground. Immediately after, Mu Changge flicked his fingers, which were still clamping the sub-sword.

"Poof!" The sub-sword reversed, and the hilt hit the youth's chest hard. The youth felt like he had been hit by a heavy hammer, spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbled backward, and fell directly off the arena.

The burly man with the wide-bladed greatsword roared and hacked from behind, the wind whistling shrilly. Mu Changge did not even look back, as if he had eyes on the back of his head. The moment the greatsword was about to strike, his figure tilted slightly, and the greatsword brushed past his side. He took the opportunity to lift his foot and hooked and flicked it, his movements flowing like clouds and water. The burly man lost his balance, his massive body lunging forward uncontrollably. Mu Changge tapped lightly on his Jianjing Acupoint, the powerful force instantly dissipating, and the whole person rolled off the stage like a rolling gourd, in a miserable state.

The remaining few people were terrified, having lost all Battle Intent. They exchanged glances and turned to jump off the arena in unison. However, Mu Changge was faster. His figure flickered, and it was as if two Clones appeared beside the two of them simultaneously, and he kicked out with accumulated strength.

Everyone's vision went dark, and they collapsed limply outside the arena, losing consciousness.

From the moment Mu Changge made his move until he was the only one left standing on the arena, the entire process took no more than twenty breaths. He hadn't even taken out his sword; relying solely on his hands, feet, and footwork, he had "cleared" the dozens of experts on the arena, including the bald man, with a posture of "leisurely strolling." The entire process was clean and neat, even carrying an indescribable sense of ease and casualness, as if he were shooing away a few annoying flies.

At this moment, not only the nearby arenas but even the watching Disciples further away, as well as many gazes from the floating jade platforms, were attracted. The originally noisy square fell into a brief silence in this small area.

"Who is this person? When did Earth Sword Peak produce such a figure? His footwork is so bizarre, and his counters so precise?"

"Looking at his spiritual power fluctuations, he is only at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. No, his aura is far stronger than an ordinary Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivator, and this eye for detail and practical combat technique... it's simply terrifying!"

"He didn't even... draw his sword?"

Whispers spread through the crowd. Many Disciples looked at Mu Changge with suspicion and curiosity. To be able to solve the challengers of an entire arena so easily and comfortably, this person's strength was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

On the highest Disciple jade platform, Jian Wushuang's eyes narrowed slightly, a cold light flashing deep within his pupils.

"Could this person also be someone blessed with great Luck... His footwork, eye for detail, and control over spiritual power are far beyond ordinary Prodigies." Jian Wushuang sneered inwardly, "However, even so, you must die. He didn't even draw his sword just now; is he hiding something, or... does he only know these close-quarters grappling tricks?"

He tapped his fingers on the armrest of the jade chair twice, his gaze sweeping seemingly inadvertently past the few black-robed Core Disciples who were also sitting nearby, calm and composed, and had not yet entered the melee.

Those few people were originally watching the battles elsewhere and were slightly surprised by Mu Changge's performance, but they didn't take it too much to heart. However, when Jian Wushuang's seemingly casual glance swept over them, they all felt a stir in their hearts and exchanged a subtle look.

Among them, a black-robed youth with a cold, sharp expression like a drawn sword had a knowing curve at the corner of his mouth. He spoke to another companion nearby—a slightly chubby youth who always had a warm smile on his face—in a voice only the two of them could hear: "The Saint seems to be... unhappy with that kid who just rose up in Earth Sword Peak?"

The chubby youth responded with a smile, his voice equally inaudible: "Earth Sword Peak has had a lack of talent in recent years; it's rare for such a decent seedling to appear. The Saint... perhaps wants to see how good he really is? After all, the Sect Grand Competition is meant to select true Geniuses, not those who only know how to use tricks."

"Makes sense." The cold youth nodded, stood up, and his voice was not loud, but it clearly spread to the nearby jade platforms, "Having been in seclusion for so long, I didn't know such an interesting character had appeared in the Sect. Senior Brothers, would you be willing to join me in going down to 'ask for advice'? Let's also see if this Junior Brother is worthy of this title of 'Genius'?"