39: Chapter 39 Chen Zifan

Now a celebrity among the Inner Sect Disciples, the deacon Disciples at the market treated her with much more courtesy.

She didn't waste time and headed straight for the talisman shop, exchanging most of her Spirit Stones for several powerful First-Grade High Grade attack talismans—the "Gengjin Sword Qi Talisman" and the "Lihuo Talisman."

The Sect selection did not forbid the use of external items like talismans.

These were trump cards that could decide the outcome at a critical moment.

Everything was ready; all that was needed was the final push.

Three days later, the final showdown of the inner Sect selection competition began amidst great anticipation.

The Disciples who advanced to the top forty would compete in the final elimination rounds to determine the top ten.

Su Yunling's first opponent was a Senior Brother named Zhao Qian, who was at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Middle Stage.

He was tall with a square face and a steady aura; one look told her she was facing someone with a solid Foundation.

"Junior Sister Su, I've watched your previous matches. Your strength is extraordinary, so I will give it my all," Zhao Qian said in a deep voice as soon as he stepped onto the stage, showing no hint of disdain.

"Senior Brother Zhao, please."

The moment the words fell, Zhao Qian moved.

His hands formed seals, and a massive water-blue light screen appeared out of thin air, shielding him completely; it was his famous defensive Spell, the "Mystic Water Canopy."

At the same time, he tapped his Storage Pouch, and a small green banner flew out, growing larger in the wind. Ghostly winds billowed from the banner's surface, and several blurry black shadows loomed, pouncing toward Su Yunling.

A Medium Grade Magical Artifact, the Soul Gathering Banner!

Such a Magical Artifact sounded sinister, but it was not uncommon in the cultivation world.

There are three thousand paths to the Dao and myriad forms of techniques; there is no absolute distinction between good and evil on the immortal path, only how the person wielding the Magical Artifact uses it.

As long as the souls collected in the banner were from slain Yao Beasts or enemies killed in life-and-death combat, rather than innocent Mortals, the Sect would not interfere.

After all, kindness to an enemy is cruelty to oneself.

Su Yunling's expression remained unchanged.

Fighting a Qi Refining Ninth Layer Cultivator, she knew the opponent's individual Spells might be more powerful, but in terms of endurance, she held the absolute advantage with top-grade qi recovery pills in hand.

What she needed to do was convert this resource advantage into victory in the most effective way.

Thus, she chose not to defend but to counterattack!

Su Yunling waved her delicate hand, and dozens of Ice Thorns condensed out of thin air. Instead of shooting toward Zhao Qian, they swirled around her, forming a high-speed Ice Thorn storm that shredded the pouncing black shadows.

Immediately after, her left hand formed a seal as a condensed golden light flickered at her fingertips, while her right hand drew a talisman from her Storage Pouch.

Seeing his Soul Gathering Banner fail, Zhao Qian frowned and was about to activate an even stronger Spell.

Suddenly, a warning alarm went off in his heart; he felt an extreme sharpness locking onto him.

It was Su Yunling's Sharp Gold Finger!

But this time, she didn't fire it directly. Instead, she skillfully attached the golden light to the "Gengjin Sword Qi Talisman" in her right hand.

"Go!"

With a soft cry, the talisman ignited without fire, transforming into a three-foot-long golden Sword Qi that pierced through the air.

This Sword Qi already possessed the power of a First-Grade High Grade talisman, and now, layered with the penetration of the Sharp Gold Finger, its might surpassed the attacks of an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer Cultivator!

Zhao Qian turned pale with shock, instantly judging the strike Su Yunling had unleashed; his pride, the Mystic Water Canopy, would find it difficult to block this hit.

At the critical moment, he roared and spat a mouthful of Essence Blood onto the water screen before him.

The water screen erupted with blue light, instantly freezing into a thick ice wall.

"Boom!"

The golden Sword Qi slashed fiercely against the ice wall, sending ice shards flying. Both the Sword Qi and the ice wall exploded simultaneously, turning into a rain of light that filled the sky.

Zhao Qian was knocked back repeatedly by the massive impact, his blood and Qi churning, his face turning pale.

Before he could catch his breath, Su Yunling's figure approached like a phantom.

She gave him no room to breathe, striking with both hands as Ice Thorns and golden light flashed alternately. For a moment, the entire Arena was covered by violent Spells.

Zhao Qian could only clumsily summon a shield Magical Artifact, struggling to hold on as he retreated step by step.

"This Junior Sister Su's offensive is so fierce!"

"Is her spiritual energy inexhaustible? If it were me, I would have been drained dry by such high-intensity spellcasting!"

The Disciples below the stage were buzzing with discussion, shocked by Su Yunling's tempestuous fighting style.

Zhao Qian groaned inwardly.

He found that the opponent's spiritual energy was terrifyingly pure, every attack was full of power, and her endurance was incredibly high, as if she weren't consuming any energy at all.

"I can't let this drag on!"

He gritted his teeth, preparing to use his final trump card.

Just then, Su Yunling spotted an opening as the spiritual light from a Spell collision exploded. With a lightning-fast flick of her wrist under the cover of the light, she popped a Medicinal Pill into her mouth.

This movement was as fast as a spark, perfectly hidden by the rhythm of her stormy attacks.

Most of the Disciples below only saw the flash of spiritual light and didn't notice this tiny detail at all.

The several Foundation Establishment Elders on the high platform saw it clearly—it was indeed a Medicinal Pill—but they didn't think much of it.

Taking pills to replenish spiritual energy during a fight was a standard maneuver, perfectly normal.

The Medicinal Pill melted instantly, and a massive, pure torrent of spiritual energy surged into her Dantian, replenishing most of the energy she had consumed.

This happened so fast it was almost unnoticeable, but Zhao Qian, at the center of the battle, keenly felt that his opponent's offensive—which should have been weakening—not only didn't diminish but became even sharper and more violent!

This completely shattered Zhao Qian's psychological defenses.

He had originally thought that since the opponent was attacking so fiercely, she must want a quick resolution, and if he could just hold out, he could turn the tide.

But now... the opponent's spiritual energy seemed infinite, with no sign of exhaustion whatsoever.

If this continued, even if he risked damaging his Origin Qi significantly to use his final trump card, he might not win, and he would have wasted a life-saving item for nothing.

Was there any point in continuing the fight?

Once he realized this, the last bit of his Battle Intent vanished.

"I... concede."

Zhao Qian sighed and dispersed his magic, his face full of bitterness.

His defeat was not unfair; the opponent had firmly controlled the rhythm from start to finish. Whether it was tactics or that unfathomable Foundation, she had crushed him.

Su Yunling withdrew her Spells, politely cupped her hands, and gracefully stepped off the stage.

This battle allowed everyone to witness her strength once again.

It turned out she was not only skilled in Spells but also a "rich lady" who kept her wealth well-hidden.

After a short break, the second round of matches began.

When the Deacon Elder called out "Su Yunling versus Chen Zifan," the atmosphere of the entire venue was instantly ignited.

One was a rising inner Sect Genius, unstoppable;

The other was a long-established Inner Sect Disciple, powerful.

Coupled with the vague rumors between the two, this match was undoubtedly today's biggest highlight.

Chen Zifan walked slowly onto the Arena, a gentle smile on his face, elegant as always.

In the eyes of outsiders, he was still that warm, jade-like, and humble Senior Brother Chen.

His gaze fell on Su Yunling, calm with a hint of appreciation, as if he were happy the Sect had such an outstanding Junior Sister.

"Junior Sister Su, I have waited for this day for a long time." His voice was gentle, without a hint of anger, sounding more like an invitation to a long-awaited spar.

Su Yunling's expression was indifferent: "Senior Brother Chen, make your move."

"Good, very good."

The gentle smile on Chen Zifan's face remained, but deep in his eyes, a trace of coldness flickered.

He said no more, for words were far less convincing than the actions to follow.

As soon as he acted, it was with thunderous momentum!