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墨書 Inktalez
"Very good, from your eyes, I see the fighting spirit. This is what you young people should possess. If you want to go further on the Warrior's Path, you must have this kind of fighting spirit and a never-give-up attitude." The Deputy Sect Master Bai smiled, clearly pleased with the effect.
"Alright, let me reiterate one last point. This competition is primarily for sparring. Although injuries are inevitable, as fellow disciples, I still hope you can show mercy. Most importantly, do not take anyone's life; otherwise, it will be treated as betrayal of the sect. Is that clear?" His tone was serious, with a hint of chilling coldness.
The outer disciples below nodded obediently. They dared not take any risks; after all, their own lives were the most important.
"Since everyone understands, I hereby announce that the Outer Disciples Competition of the Canglan Sword Sect has officially begun." Deputy Sect Master Bai wasted no time and directly announced the start of the competition.
"Disciples numbered one to one hundred, proceed to Central Sword Platform One; those numbered one hundred one to two hundred, go to Central Sword Platform Two; and those numbered two hundred one to three hundred, head to Central Sword Platform Three." An elder stood up and spoke loudly.
There were ten sword platforms in the sword-testing square, with Platforms One to Three being the central ones, each measuring fifty zhang in length and width. Platforms Four to Ten were ordinary testing platforms, each measuring only twenty zhang.
Soon, each of the three central sword platforms had one hundred competing disciples. In the spacious area of fifty zhang by fifty zhang, the one hundred disciples appeared quite comfortable.
However, their expressions were anything but relaxed; each one looked serious, gripping their steel swords tightly while occasionally glancing at those around them. Every person could potentially be an opponent, and with a ten-to-one elimination rate, it was too cruel. No one wanted to be eliminated in the first round.
"The competition begins!" Suddenly, an elder at the judging table shouted loudly.
"Kill." As soon as the words fell, many people attacked those nearby. Some unfortunate ones were surrounded by two or three opponents and were knocked off the platform within moments.
Those at the fourth level of Qi Refinement fared even worse. They became targets and, lacking strength, surrendered or jumped off the sword platform when faced with numerous experts.
The situations on the three sword platforms were similar; within just a few minutes, over half of the one hundred participants had either voluntarily or reluctantly fallen off the sword platform and lost their qualification to continue competing.
This made many who had yet to start watching from below glance sideways. It was clear from the beginning that it would be brutal. However, witnessing such an immediate scene left many weaker individuals feeling helpless and resolved to give up if they found themselves outmatched.
Because there were a few low-level practitioners who stubbornly refused to give up and ended up severely injured. If it weren't for the rule against taking lives, these individuals might have already met their demise.
Many discerning individuals, including the elders on stage, shook their heads in disapproval.
"Heh heh, these little ones are too unaware of their limits. With such weak abilities, insisting on fighting is meaningless," sighed one elder, who was the referee that had announced the start of the competition.
"Elder Jiang is right; one must know when to advance and retreat. Otherwise, they will likely fall and be eliminated," interjected an elder with a dark expression.
"Elder Han, to be fair, we have experienced much ourselves. These youngsters have just embarked on the Warrior's Path; how could they understand the risks involved? They will gradually come to realize it," another elder remarked.
"Indeed, weren't we once young and reckless, fearless of anything? Time, however, is unforgiving! Our hearts have grown old," Elder Han lamented, his tone tinged with melancholy.
"Let's not dwell on those matters; the three central sword-testing platforms will soon determine their winners," Elder Jiang said, clearly unwilling to discuss past experiences.
Among the hundred disciples on the three central sword-testing platforms, only about twenty or thirty remained. Some were engaged in fierce battles while others stood by with their arms crossed, appearing indifferent.
Before long, the competitions on the three central platforms concluded, leaving ten participants on each platform. Some were covered in wounds, indicating that their spots were hard-earned. Others remained spotless, having gone unchallenged throughout the matches, showcasing their formidable strength.
"Very well, you thirty will advance to the next round; you may go rest now!" Elder Jiang smiled slightly. "Next up is the next round; those competing should enter the corresponding central sword-testing platform according to your numbers."
Thus, the rounds of competition continued. Some emerged victorious and secured their spots while many faced elimination. Among them were both weaker and stronger competitors.
In the tenth round, it was Ren Pingsheng's turn on Platform Three. Observing those around him, Ren Pingsheng appeared calm and somewhat distracted, as if lost in thought.
As soon as the elder announced the start of the match, combat erupted around him. Yet Ren Pingsheng remained completely still, seemingly unconcerned with everything happening before him.
"Heh heh, this kid isn't even drawing his sword. Does he think he's one of those experts who can win without a fight? Get down!" sneered a shifty-eyed outer sect disciple nearby as he lunged forward with his sword.
It was only when the sword was right before him that Ren Pingsheng reacted. He swiftly moved behind the shifty-eyed disciple. Before the latter could react, without drawing his sword, Ren Pingsheng lightly tapped him, sending him flying off the platform.
"How is this possible? I..." The shifty-eyed outer sect disciple clearly had some strength himself. However, being eliminated so easily left him momentarily unable to accept it.
However, when he looked up and saw Ren Pingsheng standing quietly, his pupils involuntarily shrank. He knew he had accidentally encountered a tough opponent. Having lost his qualification for the competition, he felt somewhat helpless.
The people near Ren Pingsheng on the stage changed their expressions upon seeing this situation, realizing that this was a master. Especially those who were aware of the previous external disciple's strength felt even more apprehensive and dared not take action.
"Great! Junior Brother Ren, you're also on this stage," a somewhat anxious voice suddenly came from not far away.
"What a coincidence. Senior Brother Kong is here too," Ren Pingsheng said with a smile upon seeing Kong Zhan. However, noticing that he was being chased by several people, his expression darkened.
In an instant, he flashed to Kong Zhan's side. The Steel Sword was drawn in a flash, and three beams of sword light swept through, blocking the attacks of the three assailants.
"You can't touch this person; go somewhere else!" Ren Pingsheng said expressionlessly.
"How arrogant! You're really asking for death," the three of them changed their expressions and shouted angrily as they charged forward. Those who had previously seen Ren Pingsheng make a move were now interested to see how strong he truly was.
"Hmph, if that's the case, then you can go down," Ren Pingsheng said without changing his expression in the face of their attacks.
With a flick of his wrist, he formed three sword flowers. The three only felt a blur before their eyes; before they could react, a chilling killing intent enveloped them, followed by a sharp pain in their necks.
"I concede! I concede..." The three of them immediately screamed in terror upon sensing the situation. Just moments ago, they had felt the arrival of death; even the slightest hesitation in speaking would lead to their demise. Although it was clearly stated that no one could die, they dared not gamble. If they died, it would be real death!
"Consider yourselves fortunate; you may leave now," Ren Pingsheng sheathed his sword and said lightly, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.
The three felt it was just a false alarm, but when they touched the blood on their necks, their eyes widened in shock and fear. They no longer dared to say anything and quickly left the sword-testing platform in disgrace.
"Heh heh, that little guy just exuded quite a bit of killing intent," Elder Jiang at the judging table remarked with some surprise.
"This indicates that this disciple's strength is likely not simple; he must have experienced quite a bit of hardship. His earlier strike was clean and decisive, without any hesitation. What’s more valuable is his mastery over force. His swordsmanship is quite impressive; he's a good seedling and should achieve good results this time," Elder Han with a dark face also smiled.
"Indeed quite good, but how far he can go remains uncertain; there are still many competitions ahead to observe."
"Thank you so much, Ren Pingsheng. If it weren't for you, I might have been eliminated this time. Those three guys were chasing me for quite a while," Kong Zhan said with a grateful expression.
"It was just a small effort. However, it's too early to thank me now. We still have to wait and see how things turn out," Ren Pingsheng replied after glancing around.
The others nearby looked at Ren Pingsheng with expressions of caution and wariness. His two previous actions made them realize that this seemingly ordinary young man was definitely a tough opponent. They were reluctant to provoke him casually.
After that, Ren Pingsheng did not take action but stood by watching the others still fighting on the stage. He was paying close attention to the sword techniques being demonstrated, looking for anything he could learn or draw inspiration from.
The reason he had seemed distracted earlier was that he was contemplating the various sword techniques he had seen before while watching from below. This time, he had truly broadened his horizons, witnessing at least fifty or sixty different sword techniques. Some were learned from the sect's library, some were acquired through adventures outside, and others were family heirlooms.
All of this deepened his understanding of swordsmanship and gave him further insight into the way of the sword. At that moment, he found himself falling in love with the path of the sword and resolved to pursue it for life.
"Different people have different interpretations of the same set of sword techniques, and the essence they cultivate varies as well. Not to mention those techniques from different schools. It seems my journey is still long; I cannot afford to be complacent," Ren Pingsheng thought to himself.
He originally believed that his comprehension of sword techniques was quite good and felt satisfied. However, after seeing these dozens of techniques, he realized how far he still had to go. He had only just begun his journey on the path of the sword, and there was so much more to learn.
When would he be able to transform what he learned from others into his own understanding and carve out his own path? Only then would he truly step through the grand door of swordsmanship. As for how far he could go afterward, that would depend on his own efforts.
"The competition has ended; you have qualified for the next round."
The voice interrupted Ren Pingsheng's thoughts. He glanced at the remaining ten lucky individuals on stage, including himself and Kong Zhan. Without saying anything further, Ren Pingsheng stepped down from the trial stage; this time, he successfully advanced.
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