12: Chapter 12 Wei Changfeng's Challenge: A Battle to the Death

"Now the first round of testing has concluded."

On the plaza, Outer Sect Elder Bai Yan's voice sounded once more.

"Next, we will proceed to the second round of testing: actual combat!"

As Bai Yan's voice faded, he formed several Dharma seals with his hands.

A massive square arena suddenly appeared in the center of the plaza.

By the side of the arena stood a ranking stele.

What was recorded on it were precisely the rankings from everyone's Foundation testing in the first round just now.

"The rules for actual combat are very simple. Based on the Foundation testing rankings from the previous round, those ranked lower may challenge those ranked higher."

"If victorious, the two swap rankings, and the challenger may continue to challenge those ranked even higher."

"If defeated, they retain their original ranking and may no longer actively initiate challenges."

After reading out the rules, Bai Yan soared into the air, surveyed the surrounding Disciples, and said in a clear voice.

"Now, whoever wishes to challenge may step directly onto the arena!"

As the Elder's voice fell, the surrounding Disciples exchanged glances, yet not a single person stepped forward proactively.

Fortunately, after a short moment, someone finally couldn't help but be the first to take the stage.

It was none other than the young man named Ji Hang from earlier. In the first round of Foundation testing, he was ranked nineteenth.

"Elder, I wish to challenge Lu Shiyu, who is ranked fifteenth."

"Allowed!"

Bai Yan nodded and scanned his surroundings.

"Lu Shiyu, take the stage to accept the challenge. If you do not come up within ten breaths, you will be deemed to have lost!"

As his voice trailed off, another youth leaped onto the arena.

Seeing that both parties had arrived, Bai Yan immediately announced the start of the challenge.

Half an incense stick's time later.

"Bang!"

Ji Hang was tossed off the arena by his opponent.

The two individuals' rankings remained unchanged.

Afterward, another Disciple jumped onto the arena to challenge someone ranked higher.

Yet from beginning to end, everyone tacitly avoided challenging those in the top five rankings.

As for those in the top five, not a single one of them showed any intention of taking the stage during this time.

After all, their true opponents were merely the few others in the top five.

If they went up early, consumed a vast amount of physical stamina, and were then challenged and replaced in their rankings, it would be a huge loss.

Therefore, after several hours of sparring, apart from the top five rankings,

the subsequent rankings had all completely stabilized.

By this time,

the young girl ranked fifth finally plucked up her courage and leaped onto the arena.

Her name was Ruan Chuxi. In the first round of testing, she had produced a zhang-high Foundation spiritual light, thereby securing the fourth ranking.

Furthermore, she herself enjoyed quite a bit of fame within the Outer Sect.

Thus, no one had dared to issue a challenge to her previously.

At this moment, standing on the arena, her gaze swept back and forth among the top four, including Wei Changfeng and the others.

Ultimately,

she cast her gaze upon Bai Yunzhou.

"Senior Brother Bai, please grace the stage with your guidance."

She had crossed swords with Song Xinghe not long ago and was simply no match for him.

Moreover, Song Xinghe's previous strength ranking in the Outer Sect was below that of Wei Changfeng and Sun Yu.

Therefore, after much consideration, she felt that challenging Bai Yunzhou might give her a somewhat greater chance of victory.

Seeing that he was unexpectedly the first one to be challenged, Bai Yunzhou could not help but be slightly stunned.

Did he really look like the weakest one among them?

However, since he had been challenged, he would simply make his move.

He leaped immediately, arriving upon the arena.

With his entry onto the stage, the crowd could not help but feel a sense of anticipation.

After all, his performance in the first round of testing had truly been dazzling.

"Senior Brother Bai, please do not take offense."

"You speak quite politely; in that case, I'll let you suffer a little less later…" Bai Yunzhou chuckled.

"Junior Sister, just make your move!"

Ruan Chuxi furrowed her brow slightly.

No matter what, she was at the Peak of the Qi Training Ninth Layer, and she enjoyed quite a reputation outside as well.

Speaking like that just now was merely out of courtesy; she hadn't expected the other party to actually take on the airs of a Senior Brother.

Since that was the case, she wanted to see for herself whether the other party's strength truly warranted being called a Senior Brother.

At this thought, she immediately summoned her own Magical Artifact—a large bell—and smashed it toward Bai Yunzhou.

Yet!

When her large bell smashed toward him, Bai Yunzhou did not dodge or evade at all, instead directly relying solely on his Physical Body to withstand her Magical Artifact.

Ruan Chuxi was instantly shocked.

One had to know that this was a Medium Grade Magical Artifact!

Could this Bai Yunzhou catch her large bell using only his Physical Body?

Could he perhaps be a Body Cultivator!

In truth, Bai Yunzhou didn't want to catch it barehanded either.

It was mainly because, besides that top-grade Flying Sword in his hands, he had no other presentable Magical Artifact to speak of.

Fortunately, he had cultivated Savage Bull Strength to Major Achievement. Right now, his physical strength was terrifyingly strong, basically comparable to the might of a Low Grade Magical Artifact.

If he added Spiritual Qi protection, he could take a Medium Grade Magical Artifact head-on.

Precisely because of this, catching a Medium Grade Magical Artifact barehanded was not too big of an issue for him.

While Ruan Chuxi was momentarily dazed, Bai Yunzhou had already tossed the large bell back.

At the same time, his entire body sank, his feet exerted force, and his whole person shot toward Ruan Chuxi like a cannonball.

With merely a single punch, he knocked her out of the arena.

Such a combat process directly left the onlookers dumbfounded.

"This! Senior Brother Bai defeated Senior Sister Ruan, who was ranked fourth, with a single punch?"

"It seems so! This battle ended way too quickly!"

"Is this the former number one of the Outer Sect? This strength is truly terrifyingly strong!"

"Good thing I didn't think of challenging Senior Brother Bai just now, or I would have lost face in a huge way."

"Viewed this way, perhaps Senior Brother Bai is the true number one of the Outer Sect nowadays!"

"…"

On the viewing platform.

Li Yunfan spoke up.

"This child's Physical Body is terrifying, and his strikes are decisive. If properly nurtured, he will definitely become an outstanding Body Cultivator in the future."

"Elder Li speaks truly."

Fang Bo stroked his goatee as usual and commented.

"If this child truly walks the path of a Body Cultivator, he indeed possesses some potential."

"However, wanting to become a powerful Body Cultivator is truly too difficult and too bitter; I only wonder if he can persevere to the end."

As a Body Cultivator, Li Yunfan knew all too well the difficulty of becoming a powerful Body Cultivator.

This not only required sufficient talent, but even more so, a formidable will.

Otherwise, one could not possibly walk far on this path.

"The fact that Bai Yunzhou could recultivate to this point even after his Foundation was destroyed shows his steadfast heart toward the Dao; his willpower should not be a problem."

Elder Zhou Mu also provided her evaluation.

Fang Bo at the side suggested,

"Since the two of you think so highly of this Bai Yunzhou, why not take him under your wings?"

Right now, all three of them had their eyes on Song Xinghe. If one of the two, Elder Zhou Mu, could take Bai Yunzhou under her wing, it would reduce a competitor.

After all, the three of them came together; it was impossible for a single person to take two Disciples, right!

At this moment, down within the crowd,

Sun Yu was extremely conflicted.

Currently, his ranking was fourth.

As long as he successfully challenged any one of the three including Bai Yunzhou, he could enter the top three and become an Inner Sect Disciple.

But the problem now was Song Xinghe—he had fought against him not long ago and simply could not win.

Furthermore, the shadow that Bai Yunzhou had left in him previously was simply too massive. Just standing before the other party gave him an indescribable fear, making it utterly impossible to display his full strength.

Calculated this way, only Wei Changfeng was left to challenge.

Yet Wei Changfeng was currently at the height of his prestige; he felt that if he went up against him, his hopes would also be extremely slim.

However, just as he was agonizing over whether to step onto the stage to challenge Bai Yunzhou, Wei Changfeng had already taken the lead in leaping onto the arena, initiating a challenge against Bai Yunzhou.

And it was even a life-and-death battle!

"Bai Yunzhou, you crippled my younger brother previously. Now I issue a life-and-death battle to you, do you dare to accept?"