43: Chapter 43 New Game Rules: Melee

One by one, they rubbed their hands together in anticipation, eager to step onto the field and show off their skills.

At the front of the crowd, six individuals were particularly eye-catching, each occupying a side and forming a distinct separation of presence.

At the head of the left side was Zhao Tianlong; the Mystic Power fluctuations around him were condensed, and he made no effort to hide his aura of the 9th Stage of Martial Master Realm.

He was surrounded by several Disciples from the City Lord's Mansion, their expressions arrogant and their gazes tinged with contempt as they scanned the crowd.

Beside him was a young girl dressed in pink martial attire, her hair styled in twin buns, her face pretty and her eyes full of spirit.

A short sword hung from her waist; she was none other than the Genius girl of the Wang Family, Wang Yuyan.

Though she was only sixteen or seventeen, she had already reached the 9th Stage of Martial Master Realm. Her aura was smooth, and a confident smile played at the corners of her mouth.

From time to time, she whispered and laughed with the Wang Family Disciples beside her, appearing calm and unhurried.

Further along were Wu Yun of the Wu Family and Fang Yang of the Fang Family.

Wu Yun was tall and thin with sinister eyes, playing with a dagger in his hand, his entire body exuding a ruthless air.

Fang Yang, on the other hand, was burly with a simple and honest face. His fists were clenched, and his aura was heavy and thick—clearly a cultivator who excelled in close combat.

Both were at the 7th Stage of Martial Master Realm, making them standouts among the younger generation and favorites to reach the top eight of The Great Competition.

Not far away stood a youth dressed in coarse cloth garments.

His face was resolute, his skin dark, and his hands were covered in thick calluses. His eyes were as steady as iron.

He wore no superfluous decorations, possessing only the tenacity of one who could endure hardships.

This person was a Loose Cultivator from Shiyun City.

Without a Sect or faction, he had relied entirely on his own exploration to Cultivate, yet he had managed to reach the 7th Stage of Martial Master Realm.

Though his strength wasn't the absolute top, his refusal to admit defeat made him a dark horse in everyone's eyes.

But the most eye-catching of all was the last person.

It was a youth wearing a black mask that only covered the area below his eyes.

It revealed a smooth forehead, a straight bridge of the nose, and a sleek jawline.

Though his full face couldn't be seen, one could vaguely guess that his features were certainly not bad.

He was dressed in a set of green martial attire, with an ordinary iron sword at his waist; the scabbard even showed some signs of rust.

His aura was restrained, as calm and waveless as a deep pool, making it impossible for others to gauge his depth.

This person stood alone in a corner, looking completely out of place amidst the surrounding excitement.

He neither spoke with others nor paid attention to the surrounding activity, merely lowering his eyes slightly as if resting.

This posture made him appear exceptionally different, causing the people around him to glance over frequently and whisper amongst themselves.

“Who is that? Why is he wearing a mask?”

“Never seen him before. Which Family’s Disciple is he? Looking at his clothes, he doesn't seem to be from a major Family.”

“Hard to say. Maybe he’s a Genius who’s been cultivating in seclusion and is intentionally keeping a low profile?”

“Hmph, I think he’s just acting mysterious. Maybe his strength is mediocre and he’s just trying to grab attention with that mask!”

The discussions reached his ears, but the masked youth remained unmoved, as if everything in the world had nothing to do with him.

He was, of course, Ye Yun in disguise.

To avoid attracting excessive attention from Zhao Shanhe in the Early Stages of The Great Competition, and also to maintain the element of surprise,

he had specifically prepared this mask to hide his true identity.

Ye Yun's gaze slowly scanned the stands, accurately finding the Su Family's location.

Su Zhennan sat upright in his seat, his expression solemn, his eyes filled with worry and expectation.

Su Wanqing was dressed in a light blue dress, sitting beside her father. Her hands tightly gripped the corners of her clothes, and her eyes were fixed on him, full of concern and tension.

Seeing him look over, she also gave him a subtle nod, signaling him to be careful.

Ye Yun felt a warmth in his heart and responded with a slight nod.

He could feel Su Wanqing's worry and understood Su Zhennan's concerns, but there was no fear in his heart.

After this period of cultivation, his strength had long since stabilized and continued to improve.

With the Wind-Thunder Saber Technique already at the entry level, combined with the Qingfeng Step and Flowing Cloud Palm, it was enough to handle any challenge.

Furthermore, he had the System as his greatest source of confidence.

Ye Yun turned his gaze toward Zhao Shanhe on the VIP seats and Zhao Tianlong beside him, a flash of cold light crossing his eyes.

Zhao Shanhe, Zhao Tianlong, and all those who had once bullied him.

Today would be the day of reckoning!

He was determined to obtain a spot in the Four Great Sects.

And the grievances with the City Lord's Mansion should also be settled!

Ye Yun retracted his gaze, letting it fall back to the center of the Martial Arts Arena, the Battle Intent in his heart growing stronger.

At this moment, Zhao Shanhe on the VIP seats had already stood up. He cupped his hands in greeting toward the four Sect envoys on the high platform, his face filled with just the right amount of respect.

“Envoys, the younger generation of Shiyun City has gathered. I wonder if we may begin?”

The middle-aged envoy from the Qingfeng Sword Sect continued to rest with his eyes closed, as if everything around him was irrelevant.

The fiery old man from the Lieyang Martial Gate waved his hand impatiently.

“Stop dawdling! If you're going to start, then hurry up!”

The beautiful woman from the Luoxue Sect remained expressionless, her indifferent eyes merely scanning the crowd below, as if looking for something.

Only Envoy Li from Tianyang Academy put down his folding fan and smiled gently.

“City Lord Zhao, please proceed. We shall wait.”

Having received a response, Zhao Shanhe felt reassured. He turned and stepped down from the VIP seats, landing steadily on the high platform in the center of the Martial Arts Arena.

His aura of the Great Martial Master Level 3 was suddenly released, and a majestic pressure shrouded the entire field like dark clouds.

The originally noisy Martial Arts Arena instantly fell silent. All the young Disciples subconsciously held their breath, looking at him with awe.

“Today is the day of the Shiyun City Great Competition, and it is also the opportunity for all of you to step toward the Peak of the Martial Dao!”

Zhao Shanhe's voice was as resonant as a bell, echoing throughout the Martial Arts Arena through the enhancement of Mystic Power.

“The envoys of the Four Great Sects are here to witness. As long as you can stand out, you will gain the qualification to enter a Sect and reach the heavens in a single step!”

The eyes of the young Disciples below instantly erupted with a blazing light. Their desire for the Four Great Sects outweighed their fear of Zhao Shanhe's pressure.

Many people clenched their fists, their breathing becoming rapid.

Zhao Shanhe's tone suddenly turned cold as he changed the subject.

“However, the rules for this year's Great Competition are different from previous years.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd was in an uproar. Everyone was stunned, looking at Zhao Shanhe in confusion.

“The gauntlet matches and elimination rounds of previous years were too tedious. This year, there will be only one match!”

Zhao Shanhe's gaze scanned the crowd with an unquestionable authority.

“All participating Disciples shall step onto the central martial arts stage. The final three people remaining standing on the stage will be the top three of this Great Competition and will receive the recommendation spots to enter the Four Great Sects!”

“What?! A grand melee for everyone?”

“This is too cruel! With hundreds of people fighting together, one could be eliminated if they're even slightly careless!”

“And with so many people, it's impossible to defend against everything. It's very easy to be sneak-attacked!”

Discussions broke out again, and many young Disciples' faces showed expressions of surprise and panic.

A melee of hundreds on the same stage meant they not only had to face strong enemies,

but also guard against attacks from all directions. A single mistake would lead to defeat, or even the possibility of being seriously injured.