14: Chapter 14: In the martial arts arena, Xu Ruyu was in a sorry state.

The shock caused by Madam Qingli's departure had not yet fully subsided before preparations for the third trial began in earnest.

Compared to the first two trials which focused on Aptitude and Heart-Nature, the atmosphere of the third trial was significantly more somber and lethal.

The rubble in the center of the square had been cleared, replaced by eight square arenas forged from Profound Iron and covered in defensive formation runes.

Each arena was ten zhang long and wide, entirely pitch black, gleaming with a cold, hard metallic luster under the sunlight.

At the edges of the arenas, faint red light curtains slowly rose, isolating the inside from the outside.

"The third trial: Combat."

Elder Li stood on the main arena, his voice echoing across the field: "Although our Hehuan Sect is famous for its Charm Arts, the Cultivation World is a place where the strong prey on the weak. Without the ability to protect oneself through killing, even with a thousand types of Charm Technique, one is but a plaything in another's palm, or furnace ash in a cauldron."

His gaze swept over the remaining twenty-seven candidates—after the brutal elimination of the first two trials, only these few remained out of thousands.

Among them, Xu Ruyu, with his inconceivable 'Realm-Breaking' performance, had been directly judged to have passed the second trial by Xiao Nianyin, despite having no specific score.

"In this trial, you will fight in pairs; the winner advances, and the loser is eliminated.

There are three rules: first, do not intentionally kill; second, do not use Talismans or Magic Treasures that exceed your own Realm; third, those who surrender, fall out of the arena, or lose the ability to fight are defeated."

Elder Li paused, his tone becoming heavier: "This trial is no child's play. If you enter our Hehuan Sect in the future, you will be standing on the opposite side of the so-called 'Righteous Path'.

Those who call themselves righteous will not show mercy just because your cultivation is shallow or your methods are unrefined.

Showing mercy on the arena today is giving them the chance to take your life outside the mountain gates tomorrow!"

The candidates looked solemn, many subconsciously clenching their fists.

None who had made it this far were fools; they naturally understood the deep meaning behind Elder Li's words.

"Now, draw lots to determine your opponents."

A deacon brought forward a jade box containing twenty-seven jade plaques.

The candidates stepped forward one by one to draw.

When Xu Ruyu drew a jade plaque and saw the words 'Jia-9' engraved on it, his heart skipped a beat for some reason.

He remembered that Lei Xuan's number was precisely No. 9 of the Jia group.

Sure enough, Lei Xuan's undisguised cold sneer came from not far away: "Senior Brother Xu, what a coincidence.

It seems even the heavens want me to 'learn' a thing or two from you, the Genius who was hand-picked by the Sect Master and 'regarded differently' even by Madam Qingli, to see just how much real skill you have."

He deliberately emphasized the words 'hand-picked' and 'regarded differently,' his mockery plain for all to see.

Xu Ruyu remained silent, merely gripping his jade plaque tightly.

He truly didn't know any combat techniques, and he didn't even understand the most basic methods of circulating Qi.

Although that massive Saint Realm Power within his body was dormant, it was like a sleeping volcano; he had no idea how to guide or use it.

In the first two trials, one was based on luck and the other on his internal power going berserk; neither was his own strength.

But in this combat trial with real weapons, what could he rely on?

He subconsciously looked toward the high platform.

Xiao Nianyin sat in the main seat with an indifferent expression, seemingly unconcerned about the drawing results and with no intention of stopping the assessment.

She merely gave Xu Ruyu a faint glance; her eyes were calm and rippleless, revealing no emotion.

Xu Ruyu smiled bitterly in his heart.

It seemed he could only bite the bullet for this trial.

After the drawing was finished, the deacon began calling out numbers to arrange the combat order.

Xu Ruyu and Lei Xuan were scheduled for the third match on arena number two.

The first two matches began quickly.

Candidates who could reach this step all possessed decent strength; spiritual energy collided on the arena, and brilliance flashed.

Although they were all Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Stage, the basic Spells they cast, such as fireballs, ice spikes, and wind blades, were already quite proficient, and their movements showed they had put in hard work.

The battles weren't particularly dazzling, but every move was dangerous, making the audience below hold their breath in concentration.

Soon, the two matches ended; the winners were joyful, while the losers left the stage dejectedly.

"Third match: Lei Xuan of Jia-9 versus Xu Ruyu of Bing-79! Arena number two!"

As the deacon shouted, all eyes instantly focused.

Lei Xuan sneered, and with a flicker of his body, he leaped onto the arena like a streak of purple lightning; his movement was clean and agile, drawing a round of soft gasps.

He stood with his hands behind his back in the center of the arena, his robes fluttering without wind as the faint pressure brought by his High Grade Thunder Spiritual Root spread out. He looked at Xu Ruyu below with eyes full of contempt: "Senior Brother Xu, please. Don't make your Junior Brother wait too long."

Xu Ruyu took a deep breath and walked up the steps to the arena one by one.

His steps were heavy, without any movement technique or Aura, forming a sharp contrast with Lei Xuan's elegant display just now.

A burst of suppressed snickering immediately erupted from below the stage.

"Look at him, does he even look like a Cultivator?"

"He can't even walk steadily; I'm afraid he doesn't even know the most basic 'Wind-Riding Technique', right?"

"This guy? He's worthy of fighting Lei Xuan?"

"I bet he won't last three moves against Lei Xuan!"

"Three moves? You think too highly of him; he'll be down in one!"

Hearing the discussions below, the look of mockery on Lei Xuan's face grew even stronger.

He slightly raised his chin and said to Xu Ruyu, "Senior Brother Xu, for the sake of us competing on the same stage, I'll give you a chance.

Surrender and step down now, and you can still save some face.

Otherwise, once we start, weapons have no eyes. If I accidentally hurt Senior Brother's 'precious body,' I might not be able to bear the responsibility."

These sarcastic words drew another round of laughter from the crowd.

Xu Ruyu stood on the other side of the arena, seven or eight zhang away from Lei Xuan.

He could feel the sharp Aura coming from the other person, piercing his skin like needles.

He clenched his fists; that Saint Realm Power inside him remained silent, as if it had nothing to do with this battle.

"Please advise."

Xu Ruyu dryly uttered three words.

He didn't know what stance to take, so he could only clumsily imitate the Wuxia films he had seen before, lowering his waist slightly and protecting his chest with both fists—a standard enough defensive posture in modern fighting, but in the eyes of these Cultivators, it appeared incredibly ridiculous.

"Heh."

Lei Xuan sneered and wasted no more words. A sharp light flashed in his eyes, and he pointed his right index and middle fingers like a sword into the air!

"Zzzzt—!"

A purple lightning bolt about the thickness of a chopstick shot out through the air, swift as a snake, heading straight for Xu Ruyu's chest!

This was the Lei Family's basic 'Thunder Finger Technique.' Although it was only a Qi Refinement Stage Spell, under the activation of Lei Xuan's High Grade Thunder Spiritual Root, its power was not to be underestimated, and its speed was astonishingly fast!

Xu Ruyu's pupils constricted!

He didn't have time to think at all, relying entirely on his instincts from fighting in modern society and watching action movies, he suddenly threw himself to the side!

"Boom!"

The lightning bolt grazed his shoulder and hit the light curtain at the edge of the arena, exploding into a cluster of fine electric sparks.

Xu Ruyu rolled onto the ground in a wretched state; a patch of his robe on his shoulder was charred black, and a burning pain came from his skin.

"You dodge quickly." Lei Xuan was a bit surprised, but then he sneered, "Let's see how long you can keep dodging!"

He pointed his fingers repeatedly, and streaks of purple lightning shot toward Xu Ruyu like a torrential rain!

These lightning bolts weren't thick, but they were numerous and fast, sealing off the space several feet around Xu Ruyu!

Xu Ruyu groaned in his heart; he could only scramble on the arena, rolling, diving, and dodging in a wretched manner.

He had no technique, and his posture was extremely ugly; several times, he narrowly avoided the lightning bolts by a hair's breadth.

His robes were slashed in several places, revealing the skin beneath; some spots had been burned by the aftershocks of the lightning, and beads of blood were seeping out.

"Hahaha! Look at him, doesn't he look like a monkey being struck by lightning?"

"His dodging is truly ugly enough!"

"Lei Xuan is just toying with him, right?"

Laughter rose and fell from below the stage.

Those who had been curious or jealous of Xu Ruyu now only felt contempt.

The 'miracles' of the first two trials appeared so pale and ridiculous in the face of his current wretchedness.

Many thought to themselves: As expected, he's just a lucky trash; once things get serious, his true colors are revealed.