24: Sweeping the top three spots, Heavenly Soul Ninth Level!

The atmosphere at the Heavenly Dome Martial Arts Arena grew increasingly scorching, like fire, as the tournament progressed.

The thirty-two finalists emerged; every one of them was a dragon among men and a phoenix among women, their auras rising like smoke into the sky, and their Battle Intent condensed until it was almost tangible.

The drawing light screen swirled once more, deciding the fate of the next round.

The battles instantly entered a white-hot state!

In the Round of Sixteen, Lin Hao encountered an enchanting woman from the 'Ice River Valley', whose cultivation was at the Spirit Sea Realm Ninth Layer Peak. Her mastery of ice-type spells was supernatural; with a wave of her hand, she could freeze the entire arena, the piercing cold capable of freezing the circulation of Spiritual Qi.

Lin Hao's sword speed was severely restricted; every strike felt like it was sinking into a quagmire, and his Sword Intent seemed on the verge of freezing.

'Little brother, just concede. You cannot break my "Profound Ice Domain".'

The woman giggled, cold light flickering at her fingertips as countless ice shards shot toward Lin Hao like a rain of arrows.

Lin Hao's face was as calm as water, though a thin layer of ice already covered his body, and his movements were becoming increasingly sluggish.

He closed his eyes, ignoring the sky full of ice shards, and plunged his consciousness entirely into the Gale Sword Intent seed within his body.

Speed is not the only thing.

Wind can be formless, it can be violent, and it can... tear through the bitter cold!

He opened his eyes abruptly, cyan light surging in his pupils!

The stagnant Sword Intent around him suddenly became violent, sharp, and filled with an aura that could tear through everything!

'Wind is not just about speed! Wind Devour!'

With a low roar, he danced his longsword rapidly; instead of a single sword beam, it transformed into countless fine, spinning cyan wind blades filled with a destructive aura!

The wind blades and ice shards collided madly, annihilating each other!

He had actually met attack with attack, forcibly tearing an opening in that frozen Domain!

His figure moved like lightning, his body following the sword!

A wind drill, condensing all his tearing Sword Intent, struck straight at the Ice River Valley woman!

The woman's face paled in alarm, and she concentrated all her power to form an ice shield to defend!

Crack!

The ice shield shattered!

The woman vomited blood and flew backward, her Domain instantly collapsing!

Lin Hao landed, panting, the cold air around him completely gone. His Sword Intent was even more refined, and his cultivation naturally broke through to the Spirit Sea Realm Seventh Layer!

On the other side, Ye Chen encountered an old rival, the Senior Brother from the Thick Earth Sect. This time, his opponent's cultivation had reached the Spirit Sea Realm Perfection, and the rock armor he condensed was almost tangible, possessing terrifying defensive power!

'Barbarian! Let's see how you break my defense this time!'

The Thick Earth Sect Senior Brother laughed wildly and threw a punch, sending earth and stone flying.

Ye Chen grinned, revealing his white teeth. He did not dodge or evade; the Qi and blood within his body erupted like a volcano. He pushed the Archaic Savage Bull Art to an unprecedented Peak, and dark golden patterns faintly emerged beneath his skin!

'If one punch can't break it, then ten! A hundred!'

His fists rained down like a storm, fiercely pounding against the rock armor!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Every punch unleashed a terrifying roar, shaking the entire arena!

It was a collision of pure strength, with no tricks!

The Thick Earth Sect Senior Brother went from confidence at the start, to shock, and then to fear!

He felt the opponent's fists growing heavier, as if it weren't human strength, but a real Archaic Savage Bull charging!

His armor began to crack, and his internal organs were churned by the shock!

'Break... for me!'

Ye Chen let out a heaven-shaking roar. Qi and blood condensed on his right fist, forming a nearly tangible blood-colored gauntlet, which he smashed down with an indomitable will to crush everything!

Boom!!!

That indestructible rock armor finally shattered completely!

The Thick Earth Sect Senior Brother flew off the stage like a kite with a broken string and passed out.

Ye Chen stood tall on the arena, his Qi and blood billowing like smoke, his cultivation fiercely breaking through to the Spirit Sea Realm Sixth Layer!

His Physical Body strength had transformed once again!

Lin Yun's opponent was a Genius from the 'Soul Extinguishing Sect' who specialized in Divine Soul assassinations; his attacks were formless and intangible, impossible to guard against.

As soon as he stepped onto the stage, Lin Yun fell into a bitter struggle, his Divine Soul constantly under assault. His face was pale as paper, and the light of his Starry Sky Annihilation Pupil dimmed slightly.

'Pupil Technique? Heretical paths! Before true Divine Soul secret arts, it is vulnerable!'

The Soul Extinguishing Sect Genius sneered, launching an even fiercer Divine Soul attack.

Lin Yun gritted his teeth, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He felt like a small boat in a raging sea, on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

But the more dangerous it became, the brighter the starlight at the center of his brow shone.

Illusion... it's not just about creating hallucinations... the stars... can also protect!

Inspiration struck him. The trajectories of the stars in his eyes changed abruptly. Instead of trying to bewilder the opponent, he gathered all his Pupil Technique power and constructed a miniature, slowly rotating star map outside his own Divine Soul!

'Star Wall Protection!'

The Soul Extinguishing Sect Genius's Divine Soul attack crashed into the star map, but it was like a clay ox entering the sea, silently neutralized and deflected by the rotating star power!

'What?!' The Soul Extinguishing Sect Genius was shocked.

In the moment he lost his composure, a cold light flashed in Lin Yun's eyes. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, he gathered his remaining Divine Soul power and launched a counterattack!

'Illusion Star Kill!'

An extremely obscure beam of starlight instantly pierced into the opponent's brow!

The Soul Extinguishing Sect Genius's body stiffened abruptly, extreme terror appearing in his eyes as if he had seen something horrifying. He let out a scream and passed out directly.

Lin Yun knelt on the ground, exhausted, panting heavily. His face was deathly pale, but his eyes were incredibly bright.

Under extreme pressure, his Starry Sky Annihilation Pupil had developed a protective ability, and his cultivation had also broken through to the Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer!

All three had advanced to the Quarterfinals once again!

The whole arena was boiling! Fighting across Realms, breaking through in the heat of battle! These three people from the Lin Family were simply prodigies!

Semifinals!

The opponents were stronger! Almost all of them were at the Spirit Sea Realm Ninth Layer Peak or even Perfection! The battles were incredibly brutal!

Lin Hao encountered another Sword Disciple from the Canglan Sword Sect. Both sides fought with speed, their sword lights weaving into a net of death. Lin Hao ultimately used a newly comprehended sword move, 'Wind Silence', which contained a trace of the intent of extinction, to narrowly win by half a move. He also sustained significant sword injuries, and his cultivation stabilized at the Seventh Layer Peak.

Ye Chen faced a formidable enemy who practiced both spell and physical cultivation. The two bombarded each other like humanoid Vicious Beasts, almost shattering the arena. Ye Chen ultimately relied on his superior Saint Body recovery ability and a 'Savage Bull Roar' to shatter the opponent's Qi and blood, securing victory with one punch. His cultivation rose to the Sixth Layer Peak.

Lin Yun drew a bye, advancing directly to the Semifinals and gaining precious time to recover.

Finally, the four semifinalists emerged: Lin Hao, Ye Chen, Lin Yun, and the girl who ranked second on the Prodigy List, came from Lihuo Heavenly City, possessed the Blazing Sun Spirit Body, and had a cultivation at the Spirit Sea Realm Perfection: Liyang!

The rules for the finals changed; the four would compete in a round-robin tournament to determine the final rankings.

The first match: Ye Chen vs. Liyang.

Liyang unleashed her Spirit Body, turning the entire arena into a sea of fire with an extremely high temperature capable of melting gold and iron!

Ye Chen's terrifying strength was constantly consumed and suppressed in the endless sea of fire. Although he struggled to hold on, he ultimately lost to Liyang due to elemental incompatibility.

But his robust physique, which withstood the bombardment of the Blazing Sun Spirit Body, shocked the entire arena once again.

The second match: Lin Hao vs. Liyang.

An ultimate duel between a Sword Cultivator and a Spell Cultivator. Lin Hao pushed his Gale Sword Intent and Flowing Cloud Steps to the limit; his sword light was like the wind, penetrating everywhere.

Liyang's sea of fire was overwhelming, burning and destroying everything.

After hundreds of rounds of fierce fighting, Lin Hao ultimately relied on his Sword Heart Clarity to catch a slight gap in Liyang's Spiritual Qi conversion. At the cost of sustaining a minor injury, he pierced through the sea of fire with one sword strike, the tip of his blade stopping before Liyang's throat.

Victory! Lin Hao advanced to the final!

The third match: Lin Yun vs. Liyang. At this point, Liyang had fought two consecutive matches and was greatly exhausted.

Lin Yun unleashed his Pupil Technique to its full extent, alternating between illusions and Star Brilliance Protection to constantly drain the opponent's mental energy. Finally, he used a sophisticated combination of illusions to induce a misjudgment from Liyang, forcing her off the stage by a single move.

The final match was actually an internal battle of the Lin Family! Lin Hao vs. Lin Yun!

All eyes were focused! Brothers fighting each other; who would take the crown?

On the arena, the two stood facing each other.

'Brother Hao, please advise me.' Lin Yun's expression was serious. 'Little Yun, fight without holding back.' Lin Hao pointed his sword tip diagonally.

The battle erupted! Sword light was like the wind, swift and fierce!

Pupil Technique created illusions, strange and unpredictable!

Although Lin Hao's Sword Intent could tear through illusions, Lin Yun's Starry Sky Annihilation Pupil combined reality and illusion, making it impossible to guard against, and he had the Star Brilliance Protection to block the sword beams. The two were deadlocked for a time.

Finally, Lin Hao took a deep breath. He retracted all the Sword Intent around his body, his eyes becoming incredibly focused, as if only the sword in his hand remained in the world.

'Be careful, Little Yun. I just comprehended this sword move.'

He thrust his sword out slowly. It looked slow, yet it seemed to contain the ultimate of wind—formless and impermanent, leaving no trace!

Sword light flickered, as if thrusting toward Lin Yun from all directions at once!

Lin Yun's pupils shrank suddenly. He pushed his Starry Sky Annihilation Pupil to the limit, only to find he couldn't fully see the trajectory of this strike!

Star Brilliance Protection condensed instantly!

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Dense collision sounds rang out! The Star Brilliance Protection trembled violently and finally shattered with a bang!

The tip of the sword stopped one inch before Lin Yun's brow.

Lin Yun smiled bitterly: 'I lost. Brother Hao, this move of yours, "Formless Wind Chant", is impressive.'

Lin Hao sheathed his sword, his aura somewhat unstable; clearly, this move had consumed a great deal. 'Just Luck. If your Pupil Technique had advanced one step further, I might have been the one to lose.'

The two brothers smiled at each other, revealing their tacit understanding.

The referee Elder announced loudly: 'For the Spirit Sea Realm arena, the Champion is Lin Hao! The Runner-up is Lin Yun! Third place, Ye Chen!'

Whoa—!!! The entire Heavenly Dome Martial Arts Arena was completely boiling! Cheers, gasps, and unbelievable roars were deafening!

Champion! Runner-up! Third place! Sweeping the top three!

Lin Family of Qingfeng County!

These three names, like three brilliant stars, lit up the entire Qing Province at this moment!

Countless gazes focused on those three young figures, filled with shock, admiration, and a trace of awe!

Above the jade pavilions on the high platform, the big shots from major factions could not remain calm either, and they were all moved.

'The three of them swept the top three... This Lin Family... is extraordinary!'

'Sword Heart Clarity, peerless Saint Body, Annihilation Pupil Technique... These three, their future is limitless!'

'Investigate! What is the background of this Lin Family?!'

The Young City Lord of Liuyun City had long since lost all color in his face, slumped in his seat, trembling.

Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun stood in the center of the arena, enjoying the cheers of the masses. Although exhausted, their eyes were filled with excitement and pride. They had done it! They had won supreme glory for the Lin Family!

However, at this Peak moment of glory—

An extremely terrifying pressure, filled with violence and killing intent, like a ten-thousand-foot tsunami, rolled in from the horizon without warning! It instantly dispersed the cheers of the crowd, suppressing countless people until they couldn't breathe, their faces turning deathly white!

'Ants of the Lin Family! You killed my sect's Elder, destroyed my sect's warship, and yet you dare to show off here?!'

The cold, spiteful voice, like Nine Heavens black ice, resounded through the entire venue!

In the distant sky, the void was violently torn apart, and a pitch-black warship, even larger, more hideous, and exuding monstrous Evil Qi than the previous one, slowly sailed out!

Standing on the bow of the ship was an old man wearing the attire of the Cloud Sky Heavenly Sect, with a withered face and eyes like a viper!

The aura he exuded had reached the Heavenly Soul Realm Eighth Layer! Far surpassing the vast majority of people present!

The terrifying pressure was almost tangible, focusing on the area where the four members of the Lin Family were located.

'It's the Punishment Elder of the Cloud Sky Heavenly Sect! The Withered Bone Old Man!'

'Heavenly Soul Realm Eighth Layer! He actually came personally!'

'It's over! The Lin Family is finished! Are they going to be wiped out just after winning the championship?!'

There was an uproar of exclamation on the stands; many people showed expressions of schadenfreude or pity. Having just won supreme glory, only to face disaster in the blink of an eye—this contrast was sigh-worthy.

The Withered Bone Old Man's gaze locked tightly onto Lin Dao on the stands, his killing intent almost solidifying: 'Junior! I give you three breaths of time to cripple your own cultivation and kneel to be bound! Otherwise, today I will ensure your Lin Family has no descendants left, leaving not even a chicken or dog alive!'

The pressure of the Heavenly Soul Realm Eighth Layer was like a giant mountain, pressing fiercely toward Lin Dao! Everyone present changed color; under such pressure, an ordinary Early Stage Heavenly Soul Realm expert would likely find it difficult even to stand!

The Young City Lord of Liuyun City and the others revealed expressions of wild joy and spite once again.

Everyone believed that the Lin Family could not escape this disaster. After all, no matter how strong Lin Dao was, it was impossible to contend against a monster at the Heavenly Soul Realm Eighth Layer!

However, facing this monstrous pressure and death threat, Lin Dao slowly stood up. Instead of having the slightest fear, his face revealed an indifferent smile, as if he were looking at a clown.

'Cloud Sky Heavenly Sect... truly, like a persistent ghost.'

Just as the Withered Bone Old Man was about to erupt—

Lin Dao's body trembled slightly.

An aura far more vast, profound, and terrifying than before, like an ancient behemoth that had slept for billions of years, suddenly awakened from within his body!

Rumble—!!!

The heavens and earth changed color! The wind and clouds swirled backward! The Spiritual Qi of the entire Wanxiang Mountain Range was stirred into a riot!

Heavenly Soul Realm Fourth Layer! Heavenly Soul Realm Fifth Layer! Heavenly Soul Realm Sixth Layer!...

His cultivation surged wildly at a speed that was jaw-dropping and completely defied logic!

Finally, it fiercely stopped at the Heavenly Soul Realm Ninth Layer Peak! It was only one step away from the legendary Spirit Tribulation Realm!

The Heavenly Soul Realm Eighth Layer pressure that had originally pressed down like a giant mountain was instantly broken and crushed like a child's game in the face of this new, terrifying aura that was many times stronger!

The sneer on the Withered Bone Old Man's face froze instantly, transforming into extreme shock and disbelief. His pupils shrank to pinpoints as he shrieked:

'No!!! Impossible!!! Your cultivation... Heavenly Soul Realm Ninth Layer?! How is this possible?!'

The entire scene was deathly silent!

Everyone felt as if they had been strangled, their eyes almost popping out!

On the stands, the representatives of the major factions who had originally been waiting to watch the show all stood up in horror, their faces filled with absurdity and shock!

Heavenly Soul Realm Ninth Layer Peak?!

This Lin Family Ancestor had actually been hiding his strength all along?!

No!

This aura was just broken through! But... how could anyone instantly break through several minor Realms in succession, and at the Heavenly Soul Realm at that?!

Lin Dao's body was surrounded by flowing Dao rhymes, his aura as deep as the sea. He looked indifferently at the Withered Bone Old Man, who looked as if he had seen a ghost, and spoke slowly. His voice was calm yet like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears:

Before coming here, Lin Dao had sent people to find a branch of the clan that had drifted to Yun Province. It seemed they had proceeded very smoothly.

The return of the Yun Province clansmen caused the Family's power and Luck to surge again! The feedback brought by this finally erupted completely at this moment!

His gaze swept over the shocked crowd, finally landing on the Withered Bone Old Man, who was pale-faced and trembling.

'Now, do you still want this seat to cripple my own cultivation?'