55: Chapter 55 Sword Formation? Just a pile of scrap metal.

【Hundred Schools Hegemony Competition · Round of 16 Knockout Stage】

【Venue: Kyoto Bird's Nest · Central Arena】

A massive holographic barrier rose, isolating the stage from the boiling audience stands.

At this moment, the atmosphere inside the arena was heated to the extreme.

The cheers of one hundred thousand spectators rolled in waves like a tsunami.

All eyes were focused on the center of the stage, waiting for this destined duel hailed as the "Spear and Shield."

On one side was the biggest dark horse of this competition, the Mentalist known as the "Young Grandmaster" — Lin Yuan.

On the other side was a veteran powerhouse, the Southern Sword Palace, a top-eight finisher from the previous tournament and known as the natural enemy of Mentalists.

"Lin Yuan! You will lose this battle!"

On the stage, the captain of the Southern Sword Palace, Li Changfeng, carried a primitive longsword on his back, followed by four team members who were also sharp-aura sword cultivators.

Facing Li Changfeng's pre-match declaration, in the Modu Martial Arts University rest area, Xiang Lie crossed his arms and nudged Su Xiaoxiao next to him:

"Hey, that guy seems very confident. Should we go up and help Old Lin?"

"Help with what?"

"The captain said he wants to hurry back to catch up on sleep after this match, and just wants us to cheer him on from the back."

...

"Match start!!"

Clang—!!!

The synchronized sound of swords being drawn instantly rang throughout the stage.

【Seven Star Sword Array!】

Except for Li Changfeng, who held dual swords as the array core, the other four each held a longsword, their footwork interlacing and their auras connected.

"Rise!"

Li Changfeng let out a violent shout.

The seven C-grade alloy longswords in the hands of the five people simultaneously erupted with blinding cold light.

Under the augmentation of the special array, these seven sword auras actually wove together in the air into an airtight silver sword net, carrying a piercing whistle that tore through the air, crushing towards Lin Yuan like a bulldozer!

Wherever it passed, the air on the stage was sliced into tatters.

"Such strong sword intent! Even through the barrier, I feel a stinging pain on my skin!"

On the commentary podium, the guests exclaimed one after another, as if they had already seen the outcome of Lin Yuan's defeat.

"Lin Yuan! Having entered my sword array, your mental perception has already been severed, right? Admit defeat! Otherwise, with this sword strike, you will turn into fragments!"

Facing this overwhelming, terrifying sword net capable of shredding steel.

Lin Yuan remained standing in place, not even taking his hands out of his trouser pockets.

"Severed perception?"

Lin Yuan shook his head slightly, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes:

"I originally thought there might be some new tricks, but it turns out..."

The next second.

In Lin Yuan's eyes, a dim blue light suddenly condensed.

【cicada wing · Unsheathe!】

Hum—!

Nine streaks of light, almost transparent and only refracting a faint silver glow under the light, instantly shot out from Lin Yuan's side.

They carried an unstoppable domineering force, crashing directly into that menacing sword net!

"Head-on collision? Is he crazy?!"

Seeing this scene, not only Li Changfeng but the entire audience was stunned.

Using thin, light mental power flying knives to hard-clash against a sword array composed of heavy alloy longswords?

Isn't this like an egg hitting a rock?

However, reality gave everyone a loud slap in the face.

Crack! Crack!

Countless half-broken metal blades flew into the air like scrap iron, spinning and embedding themselves into the floor of the stage.

Those were the swords the Southern Sword Palace members were so proud of!

Each one was forged from expensive C-grade alloy and was incredibly hard.

But in front of Lin Yuan's 【cicada wing】 flying knives, which had been reinforced with 【Void-Splitting Silver Essence】 and possessed the "Aura-Breaking" attribute...

They were as brittle as plastic!

"My sword!!"

A Southern Sword Palace member looked at the broken sword remaining in his hand and let out a scream as if he had seen a ghost.

The sword array was broken.

In just one exchange, it was forcibly broken by the most violent severing of weapons!

But it wasn't over yet; those nine silver streaks of light did not slow down at all after cutting through the opponent's weapons.

Swish!

"Not good! Fall back!!"

Li Changfeng was shocked and wanted to retreat.

But how could human speed possibly be faster than mental object manipulation?

Whoosh!

A cold wind blew past.

Li Changfeng's body suddenly froze.

Not only him, but the four team members behind him also maintained their original postures, not daring to move an inch.

The large screen's close-up shot zoomed in, allowing everyone to see that terrifying scene clearly.

It could be seen that at the throats of Li Changfeng and the other four.

A flying knife, thin as a cicada wing, was hovering.

The tip of the blade was less than a millimeter away from their skin.

As long as they dared to swallow, or with a single thought from Lin Yuan.

These five people would instantly become corpses.

From the start of the battle to the end.

It took a total of 3 seconds.

The so-called suppression, the so-called sword array, in the face of absolute strength, was like a joke.

Lin Yuan stood in place, seemingly having no interest in what happened next.

"Is this what you called... suppressing me?"

Lin Yuan extended his foot, kicking away a broken sword at his feet, his tone filled with confusion and mockery:

"The swords of your Southern Sword Palace..."

"Couldn't be plastic toys bought from a wholesale market, right?"

As soon as Lin Yuan said this, the entire Bird's Nest Gymnasium completely exploded.

"He won?! Another instant kill?!"

"What the hell, plastic toys! Those are C-grade alloy swords! How are they like paper?"

"What sword cultivator suppresses Mentalists? Rumors! All rumors! This is simply a dimensional reduction strike!"

【The referee announced: Modu Martial Arts University wins! Advancing to the national top eight!】

As the referee's trembling voice rang out, there was a chorus of wails from the coaching seats of the various teams.

Originally, they were hoping that the Southern Sword Palace could force out some of Lin Yuan's trump cards, or at least consume some of his mental power.

And the result? He didn't even break a sweat, didn't even really show off his weapons, and he instantly killed a so-called strong team.

And at another sub-venue: 【Imperial Capital Martial Arts University vs Northwest Military Academy】

The battle here had also ended, but it was far more tragic.

The stage was covered in pits and craters, with blood staining the floor red.

The Northwest Wolf King, Wolf King, lay on a stretcher, covered in blood and unconscious.

And as the victor, Ye Fan, although still standing, had his magnificent platinum battle armor shattered, his hair messy, his breathing rapid, and a trace of blood hanging from the corner of his mouth.

His right hand trembled slightly, and a strange red light faintly shone from beneath his skin, as if he had just used some kind of forbidden power that overdrawn his body.

"Won... won..."

Ye Fan looked at the "Imperial Capital Martial Arts University narrowly wins" displayed on the big screen, with no joy in his eyes, only deep gloom.

He heard the tsunami-like cheers coming from the main venue next door, belonging to Lin Yuan.

That was the cheer for an instant kill.

And he, as an S-grade genius, facing a team like the Northwest Military Academy, was forced to use all his trump cards just to win a miserable victory.

Comparing the two, the difference was immediately clear.

"Lin Yuan..."

Ye Fan clenched his fists tightly: "Don't get cocky too early."

"I still have one last trump card... That is a funeral prepared specifically for you!"

"See you in the finals!"