362: Chapter 362 Chaos Shattering the Ruins

"Crack!!"

The protective light shield, strong enough to withstand the full-force attack of an ordinary Sea Transformation Third Stage Cultivator, now displayed countless cracks. Finally, after a period of intense flickering, it shattered with a boom!

"Pfft!"

Several Imperial Family experts and Kuitian Pavilion deacons responsible for presiding over the Formation groaned in unison, spitting out blood as they stumbled back. Their faces were pale, and their eyes were filled with horror.

Just the aftershocks could shatter the light shield and cause a backlash to the presiders! To what terrifying extent had the power of that strike reached?!

With the light shield shattered, those terrifying Law ripples lost their barrier and swept directly outside the arena!

Although weakened by the light shield, the power was greatly reduced, but the contained Chaos erosion and Eternal Silence ice-cold still made the spectators near the front rows feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar. Their Divine Souls stung, and they cried out in alarm while retreating, creating a moment of Chaos.

"Settle!"

At this moment, on the Main Platform, Prince Rong, who had been watching silently, lightly flicked his finger.

A golden light screen was instantly generated, blocking all the spreading Law ripples.

Behind the light screen, everything returned to peace.

On the arena, the turbulent energy flows slowly settled, and the dust gradually dissipated.

Everyone's gaze was fixed intently on the center of the arena, for fear of missing any exciting detail.

After the dust cleared, the scene beneath was finally revealed.

On the arena floor, which was originally engraved with Formation patterns, a giant pit with a diameter of over twenty zhang and a depth of several feet had appeared!

The bottom of the pit was not charred black, but rather in a state of interwoven gray and blue, vitrified like glass.

The walls of the pit were as smooth as a mirror, with residual Chaos lightning and Eternal Silence ice shards still colliding and making sizzling sounds.

At the two edges of the giant pit, there was a figure on each side.

On one end, Ye Tian was kneeling on one knee, using sword plunged into the ground to barely support his body.

His appearance at this moment was quite wretched. His green robes were torn in many places, his exposed skin was covered in frost, and blood constantly seeped from the corners of his mouth.

His face was as pale as paper, and his chest heaved violently; he had clearly over-exhausted his true essence.

But his eyes remained sharp, burning with an unyielding flame.

On the other end, Bei Minghong was leaning against a frozen fragment of the arena, barely standing.

He was in worse shape than Ye Tian.

The mysterious black martial attire he wore was completely shattered. His chest had multiple charred cracks, and his right arm was twisted, the bone already broken.

Most shocking was a black hole in his chest, its edges still flickering with Chaos lightning. Although he had frozen it to stop the blood from gushing out, the wound already said everything.

His face was even whiter than Ye Tian's, and his eyes were dim and lifeless, filled with unwillingness.

The silver "Origin Ice Markings" on his body had long since extinguished. The backlash force made his entire body tremble uncontrollably, his breath weak, and he could barely maintain his standing position.

The entire Imperial City viewing platform was terrifyingly quiet at this moment.

Everyone was deeply shocked by the scene before them, unable to speak for a long time.

"Hiss!"

"My god... the arena was actually destroyed..."

"Both... both sides are injured?!"

"Did Ye Tian win? He can still stand, but Bei Minghong seems..."

"That wound on Bei Minghong's chest... how terrifying!"

"The power of that strike just now was truly too horrifying!"

No one could believe their eyes.

Bei Minghong, the exceptionally proud Young Lord of the Beiming Family who possessed the Eternal Silence Ice Soul, had actually lost?!

He didn't lose to Yun Wuji, but to Ye Tian, who had only recently achieved a Breakthrough to the Huahai Realm and was previously unknown!

No one would have expected this result.

In the Beiming Family area, a black-robed Elder suddenly stood up, a terrifying light erupting from his eyes, but it was immediately suppressed. However, the coldness emanating from his body caused the surrounding space to freeze.

The several Beiming Family experts beside him had even grimmer faces. Their gazes were fixed on Ye Tian on the arena, their killing intent almost impossible to hide, yet they didn't dare to move rashly.

"Hahahaha! Good! Good! Junior Brother Ye is mighty!"

In the Liuli Xuan Sect area, Pei Tieshan was the first to react, roaring out wildly regardless of his image.

Feng Xuan let out a long sigh of relief, his clenched fists slowly loosening, his eyes full of shock.

Yu Miaoqing also rarely showed a hint of a smile.

Elder Qinglan and Elder Xing Tiexin looked at each other, both seeing the excitement in the other's eyes.

Yun Wuji stood with his sword in his arms, looking at Ye Tian and nodding slightly. Dongfang Xinghe stared at the vitrified bottom of the pit, muttering to himself as if studying the energy residue.

On the other side, Nangong Lie's face was ashen, his fists clenched until they cracked, and the resentment in his eyes was almost overflowing.

Even Bei Minghong, who had burned his Origin Bloodline, had lost?!

Nangong Yang secretly felt lucky that he hadn't personally entered the fray earlier; otherwise, with the slightest carelessness, he might have truly met with disaster and lost his reputation.

Li Xuanxiao held Qiuhong in his arms, his eyes fixed on Ye Tian with the solemn gaze of one looking at a true opponent. He whispered to himself, "Chaos Ruin-Breaker... carving out a new path from a desperate situation.

This Dao is not inferior to my Sword Dao."

Qin Pojun, Ghost Girl, Xiahou Ba, Han Xiao, and the others had varying expressions, but only one thing was the same: the way they looked at Ye Tian was no longer with contempt.

"The winner..." The Referee Elder called out loudly, "Arena Jia, Liuli Xuan Sect, Ye Tian!"

"Pfft!"

Almost at the same time the referee announced it, the struggling Bei Minghong could no longer suppress it and suddenly spat out a large mouthful of ice-blue blood, which turned into ice crystals and shattered upon leaving his body.

His body swayed, the last glimmer in his eyes quickly fading, and he fell straight backward.

"Hong'er!" The black-robed Elder from the Beiming Family could no longer restrain himself. With a flash, he had already leaped onto the arena and caught the falling Bei Minghong.

Several Beiming Family experts followed closely behind, guardedly surrounding them. They cast a cold glance at Ye Tian, who was kneeling on one knee not far away, but didn't dare to make any move.

The black-robed Elder glared at Ye Tian before quickly taking out several precious Medicinal Pills and stuffing them into Bei Minghong's mouth. He protected his heart vessels with true essence and carried him quickly off the arena toward the Beiming Family's quarters.

Ye Tian watched as Bei Minghong was taken away, then slowly closed his eyes. He fully operated his Mind-Cultivation Technique, mobilizing his few remaining bits of true essence to begin healing.

That final strike had almost drained his entire body's strength. If it weren't for the fact that Chaos Power truly countered the Eternal Silence Ice Soul, the one falling now would likely have been him.

Even so, he had suffered extremely severe internal injuries that would be difficult to recover from without ten days to half a month.

"In this battle, Ye Tian advances to the Top 25." Prince Rong's voice came from the Main Platform, carrying a hint of appreciation. "Take him down to heal. Next match, Arena Bing Number Five and Arena Ding Number Five, prepare."

Several Imperial guards immediately stepped forward, intending to support Ye Tian.

"No need, I can do it myself."

Ye Tian opened his eyes, forced himself to stay alert, and using sword as a staff, he slowly stood up, walked off the shattered arena, and returned to the Liuli Xuan Sect area.

Wherever he passed, there was dead silence as all eyes fell upon him.

After today's battle, Ye Tian's name would no longer just be that of a "Dark Horse" or a "Genius," but he had truly joined the ranks of the very top of this session's Supreme Ranking!

A peerless Prodigy who could stand alongside the likes of Yun Wuji, Li Xuanxiao, and Qin Pojun!

"Junior Brother Ye!" Feng Xuan and the others hurried forward. Elder Qinglan quickly took out an emerald-green Medicinal Pill that emitted a dense aura of vitality. "Quickly take this 'Vitality Creation Pill' to stabilize your injuries!"

Ye Tian did not refuse and took it.

As the pill entered his stomach, the life-filled power gave his spirit a boost.

Supported by everyone, he sat cross-legged in the quiet room temporarily set up behind the Liuli Xuan Sect area and began to fully heal his injuries.

On the arena, the competition continued.

But after the world-shaking battle between Ye Tian and Bei Minghong, although the subsequent fights were still intense and exciting, they always felt like they were missing something.

Everyone's mind seemed to still be stuck in the ultimate collision between Chaos and Eternal Silence just now.

In the subsequent battles, Li Xuanxiao took the stage and still defeated his enemy with a single sword strike, his Sword Intent making everyone's heart skip a beat.

Qin Pojun's great halberd swept across with matchless dominance, making it difficult for his opponents to last three rounds.

Ghost Girl won in a bizarre way; her opponent inexplicably fell into an illusion and began to self-mutilate.

Xiahou Ba suppressed others with pure strength, while Han Xiao used a single sword art to blast his opponent out of the arena.

Yu Miaoqing, Pei Tieshan, Shui Qingdie, Dongfang Xinghe, Feng Xuan, and the others also defeated their respective opponents and successfully advanced to the Top 25.

As for Yun Wuji... his opponents, without exception, all took the initiative to admit defeat.

With this, the list of the Top 25 was out. The Liuli Xuan Sect alone occupied six seats (Ye Tian, Yun Wuji, Yu Miaoqing, Feng Xuan, Dongfang Xinghe, Pei Tieshan, Shui Qingdie), becoming the biggest winner and drawing the envy and jealousy of countless forces.

Top prodigies like Li Xuanxiao of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Qin Pojun of the Zhenbei Princes Mansion, Ghost Girl of the Xuanming Way, Xiahou Ba of the Xiahou Family, and Loose Cultivator Han Xiao were also on the list.

"The Top 25 have been decided," Prince Rong spoke again. "In a few days, at the entrance of the Imperial City's Taichu Secret Realm, the fourth round will take place. The rules will be announced then. Everyone, you may take a break for now."