64: Chapter 64: A Hundred-Person Melee, First Place in the Group

Inner Gate Plaza.

Following the conclusion of registration, the Disciples who had previously left temporarily all returned to the plaza.

At this moment, an Inner Sect Elder was casting a Spell to retrieve the testing stone steles on the plaza.

Afterwards, several Elders stepped forward to help, simultaneously casting formula arts, and in an instant, ten gigantic arenas were erected on the plaza.

The arenas were entirely built from azure-steel stone, their surfaces densely engraved with reinforcement Formation runes, shimmering with a cold and hard luster under the sunlight. Semi-transparent protective light barriers rose around them, sufficient to withstand the full-force attacks of a Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

After finishing all this, the several helping Elders withdrew, leaving only the presiding Elder standing on the high platform in front of the arenas.

His beard and hair were completely white, and his aura was as deep as an abyss. It was none other than Elder Yan, who was in charge of the Sect's discipline.

"The rules for the first round of the Inner Sect Grand Competition are about to be announced!"

Elder Yan's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"The first round adopts a group melee system—all registered Disciples are divided into sixty-four groups, with ten groups conducting simultaneously each round, and one hundred people taking the stage per group. The time limit is one incense stick's time."

"During this period, those who are knocked down, actively surrender, or fall off the arena will be considered as failing to advance."

"And defeating others can earn points! Defeating a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Disciple awards 1 point, and defeating a Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple awards 3 points."

"When the incense burns out, the top ten in points advance to the next round!"

As the words fell, the veteran Disciples on the plaza who had participated in the Inner Sect Grand Competition before were quite accustomed to it.

Only among those newly promoted Inner Sect Disciples did waves of discussion break out.

"What? Defeating a Peak Foundation Establishment can earn 3 points? This gap is simply too huge!"

"One incense stick's time, a hundred-person melee, this is simply a hunting ground for the strong! Those with weak strength will probably not even have the chance to make a move."

"Indeed! It's fine if you have good luck and get assigned to a group with many weak opponents, but if you run into a few top experts, you'll probably be eliminated directly."

"It seems that luck is also a part of strength; this saying is indeed true."

"..."

Amidst the discussions, the deacons responsible for grouping had already distributed the bamboo slips with names written on them.

Bai Yunzhou took the bamboo slip, and the three characters "Group Three" on it were particularly eye-catching.

As for Zhou Zhiting, she was assigned to Group Five, which made her slightly regretful.

"It would be great if I could be in the same group as Senior Brother Bai, so that we could coordinate our attacks."

Hearing this, Bai Yunzhou chuckled softly and comforted, "There are more than six thousand registered Disciples divided into over sixty groups. It's completely normal not to be assigned together."

Although he said that, Zhiting's words reminded him that in a hundred-person melee, opponents who formed teams and coordinated were often even harder to deal with, and he must pay extra attention later.

Afterwards, he bid farewell to Zhiting and turned to head towards the assembly area of Group Three.

As soon as he stepped into the area, a neat sound of sharp intakes of breath sounded around him, and the originally scattered discussions instantly focused entirely on him.

"My goodness! What kind of devilish configuration is this Group Three? There are actually six Disciples in the top hundred of the Foundation Testing Rank!"

"Zhang Hao, Li Yan... these six are all ruthless characters at Peak Foundation Establishment!"

"Especially Zhang Hao, who ranked thirty-seventh in the last Foundation test. It is said that he has already touched the threshold of Core Formation!"

"Far more than that! Aside from the six in the top hundred, there are nearly ten other ranked Disciples! Isn't the competition in this group way too terrifying?"

"It's over, it's over. The rest of Group Three are probably going to be reduced to background boards."

"With this lineup, any casual small group could sweep across the field."

"..."

Listening to the rising and falling discussions around him, Bai Yunzhou was also slightly startled.

There were a total of one hundred people in the top hundred of the Foundation Testing Rank, averaging at most two per group, yet his group happened to have six!

What was even more important was that besides these six, there were nearly ten other ranked individuals!

This pressure instantly maxed out.

Just as he was observing the members of his group, the melee of Group One had already begun.

Elder Yan on the high platform had already raised the command flag and said in a deep voice, "All groups prepare, the melees will begin in turn! Group One, start timing!"

"Hum—"

Not far away, the protective light barrier of Group One's arena instantly solidified, and a thin stick of incense was lit at the same time.

Inside the light barrier, a hundred figures moved instantly. But as soon as they clashed, a crimson figure rushed out like a fierce tiger descending the mountain—it was Wang Chuan, holding a Spirit Treasure long spear!

His Peak Foundation Establishment cultivation base was displayed without reservation. The array-breaking spear swept out, its spear shadows like a dragon, carrying a sharp whistle that tore through the air.

A Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple just wanted to wave his sword to block, but was shocked numb in the web between his thumb and index finger by the spear wind, sending his long sword flying out of his hand. Immediately afterward, Wang Chuan kicked him in the chest, sending him crashing into the light barrier like a kite with a broken string, bouncing him directly off the arena.

"So strong! Is this Wang Chuan's strength?"

"Too terrifying! Peak Foundation Establishment can't even last a single move in his hands? This is simply a suppression!"

Exclamations from the spectator stand rose and fell one after another.

In the distant pavilion, Xing Zhan's hand stroking his beard paused slightly, his gaze falling on the long spear in Wang Chuan's hand, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"This boy's spear technique is overbearing and fierce, and his spiritual power's condensation degree far exceeds that of the same realm. Coupled with that Spirit Treasure long spear in his hand, his strength directly approaches Core Formation!"

"In this Grand Competition, he is probably going to win first place!"

Cao Yuanbai beside him looked along his gaze, and after seeing the brilliant spiritual light circulating on the long spear, his brows slightly frowned.

"This... shouldn't there be a restriction? The might of a Spirit Treasure far surpasses ordinary weapons. With this blessing, his advantage is too disproportionate, which is probably unfair to other Disciples."

"Fairness?" Yuan Xi heard this and let out a light snort, his tone carrying a bit of sharpness, "He was able to get a Spirit Treasure by his own ability; that is his Opportunity and capability, why should there be restrictions?"

"The path of cultivation has never had absolute fairness; the survival of the fittest is the norm."

Xing Zhan nodded in agreement, his eyes still locked on Wang Chuan: "The Inner Sect Grand Competition tests the comprehensive level of Disciples in the first place—Opportunity, strength, and Heart-Nature are all among them. Since the rules do not forbid it, there is no need to interfere."

Elder Zhou Mu's expression was calm. Her gaze paused briefly on the Spirit Treasure long spear, then retracted, and she never spoke from beginning to end.

In the contestant area, Li Dongjun and other Disciples who were expected to win first place all had solemn expressions.

With Wang Chuan's strength, he was already expected to win first place, and now coupled with that Spirit Treasure long spear, I'm afraid the first place of this Inner Sect Grand Competition will really be pocketed by him.

In the crowd of Group Three, Bai Yunzhou similarly felt a chill in his heart.

"Is this the popular contender for first place? His strength is truly unfathomable!"

At the same time, he was also quickly thinking in his mind about how to deal with this person if he encountered him later.

At this moment, Wang Chuan inside the light barrier was like entering an uninhabited realm. Every movement of the Spirit Treasure long spear in his hand was accompanied by the figure of a Disciple being knocked flying.

He did not pick opponents; whether Late Stage Foundation Establishment or Peak Foundation Establishment, he defeated them with a single spear—the spear tip lightly tapped, and Disciples had their blood qi churning as they flew backward; the spear body swept horizontally, and several Disciples were shaken back simultaneously, then kicked off the arena by him smoothly.

While his points soared rapidly, his surrounding aura remained steady all along, and not even sweat was seen on his temples.

In a short half-incense stick's time, he had eliminated nearly forty people out of the hundred in Group One.

The remaining Disciples flocked together and adopted a siege stance against him, yet they still could not stop his step-by-step pressing.

The incense burned out, and the bell rang.

Wang Chuan ultimately secured first place with a terrifying score of 78 points, advancing easily.

When the light barrier dispersed, he casually carried the array-breaking spear behind his back, his aura still steady as if he had just done an insignificant trivial matter.

And as the melee of Group One ended, the Disciples participating in the Grand Competition for Group Two had already orderly ascended the arena.

Compared to Group One which had veteran top contenders like Wang Chuan holding the fort, Group Two, although lacking top prodigies, also gathered quite a few skilled experts.

But Bai Yunzhou's gaze precisely locked onto a plain white figure in the corner of the arena—Liu Qingmo.

Because of this, he paid a bit more attention to this melee.

Many Disciples around also recognized Liu Qingmo. After all, her performance in front of the testing steles earlier had caused a small-scale sensation, and seeing her appear in Group Two at this moment, they began to discuss one after another.

"Isn't that Liu Qingmo? I heard her Foundation test scores were very good, I just don't know how her actual combat ability is."

"She is only Mid Foundation Establishment, right? It's probably very hard to break through in a hundred-person melee; at most she's just making her face known."

"Indeed! Although Group Two doesn't have a ruthless character like Wang Chuan, there are quite a few Peak Foundation Establishment Disciples. With her cultivation level, she's most likely destined to be a runner."

"..."

At this time, the one hundred people of Group Two had all stood firm.

Elder Yan's command flag was raised once more, and he said in a deep voice, "Group Two, start timing!"

As the command fell, Group Two instantly erupted into a fierce battle!

Spiritual lights of various colors soared into the sky, and the sounds of weapon collisions and Spell roars merged into one piece.

Disciples made their moves one after another, either seizing the initiative to reap points or hugging together for self-preservation to resist attacks.

Right amidst this chaos, Liu Qingmo's plain white figure was particularly eye-catching.

Holding no weapons in her hands, she took the initiative to launch an offensive relying solely on her bare palms!

I saw pale golden spiritual light flowing at her fingertips, and her footwork was agile and erratic, like a white lotus in the wind, shuttling freely through the chaotic battle group.

A Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple saw that her cultivation was low and she held no weapon, so disdain instantly arose in his heart. He swung his fist carrying thick spiritual power to smash over, shouting, "Mid Foundation Establishment dares to come and join the fun? Get down for me!"

Facing this powerful and heavy punch, Liu Qingmo only tilted her body slightly to make way. While avoiding the fist edge, her fingertips, carrying pale golden spiritual light, precisely pressed onto the opponent's fist surface.

"Crack!"

With a crisp sound, that Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple instantly let out a miserable scream—his finger bones shattered on the spot, his whole body acting as if heavily struck, his figure staggering back several steps, and amidst churning blood qi, he actually spat out a mouthful of fresh blood directly.

Liu Qingmo did not give the opponent a chance to catch his breath, pressing forward closely, kicking the opponent's chest precisely, and kicking him directly off the arena!

The whole process was smooth and flowing, taking no more than a single breath before and after, and a Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple was easily eliminated!

"What?!"

The discussions on the spectator stand instantly stopped abruptly. The Disciples who had previously mocked Liu Qingmo for being a runner all widened their eyes at this moment, full of disbelief.

In the distant pavilion, a trace of surprise flashed in Cao Yuanbai's eyes: "This Liu Qingmo... actually has such combat power? Mid Foundation Establishment, defeating Peak Foundation Establishment bare-handed?"

Yuan Xi also put away his previous casualness, his tone becoming a bit more solemn: "The spiritual light at her fingertips is not simple; it contains a strange force specialized in breaking protective spiritual power, and her footwork is agile, her grasp of timing is extremely precise, and her Heart-Nature is even frighteningly calm."

Xing Zhan, on the other hand, was in a great mood, stroking his beard and nodding, a look of appreciation appearing in his eyes.

Li Dongjun and others in the contestant area also noticed this scene, and their expressions grew increasingly solemn.

Thinking that Wang Chuan was already the biggest threat, they didn't expect another Liu Qingmo with eerie strength to pop out. The variables of this Grand Competition seemed to be even more than expected.

In the crowd of Group Three, Bai Yunzhou also raised his eyebrows slightly, secretly startled in his heart.

"Her strength has actually improved again! This finger technique is exquisite and ruthless, and the footwork is even more profound, much stronger than when we last met."

Liu Qingmo on the arena was not distracted by everyone's shock, still doing things her own way.

She specially targeted Peak Foundation Establishment Disciples, her figure erratic, always able to avoid the sieges.

That pair of bare palms carried pale golden spiritual light, and every move directly targeted the opponent's joints or spiritual power circulation nodes. The sounds of shattering finger bones and muffled groans rose and fell one after another.

In the span of a mere incense stick's time, she successively defeated nine Peak Foundation Establishment Disciples, along with a few unlucky Late Stage Foundation Establishment Disciples, ultimately securing first place in the second group with a score of 37 points and easily advancing!

The moment the protective barrier dissipated, the entire audience erupted in an uproar once again!

A Mid Foundation Establishment Cultivator crushing Peak Foundation Establishment Disciples bare-handed; such a battle record was even more shocking than Wang Chuan sweeping through with a Spirit Treasure.

Everyone's gaze was focused on that plain white figure, and the discussions that had subsided slightly surged up like a tidal wave once more.

"My goodness! What kind of monster is this Liu Qingmo? A Mid Foundation Establishment Cultivator beating up Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivators bare-handed? Did I see that right?!"

"Who was it that said she was just here to make up the numbers earlier? Step forward! Is this called making up the numbers? Nine Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivators! If it were me up there, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to touch a single finger of hers!"

"What on earth is that Divine Ability of spiritual light on her fingertips? It's simply too terrifying! Specially designed to break protective Spiritual Qi, she's practically the bane of close combat!"

"Her footwork is also peerless! So many people swarmed her and couldn't even touch her, slipping around like a loach. Her mobility is even stronger than Disciples carrying movement-type Spiritual Artifacts!"

"I finally see it now. This Inner Sect Grand Competition is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; previously inconspicuous Disciples have all burst out, and the subsequent matches are becoming more and more worth watching!"

"Right, I don't think I've placed a bet on her yet. I need to make a trip to the marketplace betting house!"

"I'm going too!"

"..."

The discussions surged like a tidal wave, yet Liu Qingmo's expression remained cold and aloof, as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with her.

As the Disciples of the second group stepped down, Elder Yan's voice rang out once again, slightly suppressing the boiling discussions.

"Third group of Disciples, take the stage and prepare to begin!"

As the command dropped, Bai Yunzhou withdrew his gaze and headed toward the stage.

As soon as he stepped onto the stage, he felt several gazes already land on him—evidently, someone had targeted him.

He also rapidly scanned the crowd, searching for a suitable target while secretly restraining his aura, reducing his presence to the lowest level, waiting only for the Elder's command to strike.

At this moment, beneath the stage, the discussions of the crowd came over once again.

"It's coming, it's coming! The third group is about to start! This group actually has six Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the top hundred of the rankings, truly a demonic grouping!"

"Look quickly, Bai Yunzhou has gone up too! His Foundation test earlier was even slightly stronger than Liu Qingmo's; I wonder if he can stand out in the third group."

"First place in the third group? What are you thinking?! Which of Zhang Hao and Liyan in this group isn't a ruthless character who has experienced countless battles? Although Bai Yunzhou's Foundation is quite good, in front of them, I'm afraid he's somewhat lacking."

"However, given the Foundation he has displayed, advancing should not be much of a problem."

"..."

Perhaps due to Liu Qingmo's previous outstanding performance, the crowd's attention toward Bai Yunzhou was currently quite high.

Even popular contenders for the championship like Li Dongjun and Zhang Miaoyi had already begun paying attention to him.

At this time, Elder Yan had already waved the command flag once more.

The stage's protective barrier instantly solidified, and a thin stick of incense was lit accordingly.

"Third group, timing begins!"

Almost the instant Elder Yan's voice fell, the six top Disciples including Zhang Hao and Liyan moved simultaneously!

Zhang Hao held a heavy sword, and Sword Qi swept across several zhang, directly slashing toward two Late Stage Foundation Establishment Disciples beside him. The sword wind was sharp, fierce, and matchless.

As for Liyan, he executed a palm technique, the spiritual light in his palm surging violently. With a single strike, he shook a Disciple so fiercely that blood churned in his veins, sending him flying backward.

The other four top Disciples also struck one after another. For a time, spiritual light flashed across the stage, screams rose and fell in succession, and scores soared rapidly.

Upon seeing this, the other Disciples were frightened into scattering in all directions, either clustering together for self-preservation or retreating toward the edge of the stage, fearing they would be caught in the fallout of these top Disciples.

Many people even subconsciously avoided the attack range of Zhang Hao and the others, casting their gazes toward Disciples with relatively weaker strength, hoping to harvest points from them.

Bai Yunzhou quietly moved to a corner at the edge of the stage, his aura restrained, resembling an inconspicuous bluestone as he quietly observed the situation in the arena.

"Just as expected, the moment Zhang Hao and the others make a move, they control the situation!"

"Where is Bai Yunzhou? Let me see... Oh, he's hiding over there! I thought he could amount to something, but I didn't expect him to be such a coward!"

"What else can he do if he doesn't hide? Go up and go head-to-head with Zhang Hao? Wouldn't that be courting death? I figure he can only hide for as long as he can."

Just as everyone was chattering and discussing, assuming Bai Yunzhou would keep hiding, a sudden change occurred!

After eliminating two opponents, a ranked Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple swept his gaze across the audience and finally landed it on Bai Yunzhou.

In his view, although Bai Yunzhou's Foundation was good, he was young and tender, and his practical combat experience was definitely insufficient—making him a prime target for farming points.

"Kid, get down there for me!"

That Disciple shouted loudly, his figure flashing as he pounced toward Bai Yunzhou.

He gathered thick spiritual light in the palm of his hand, evidently intending to eliminate Bai Yunzhou with a single blow.

The Disciples in the stands saw this and let out sneers one after another.

"Look, didn't I say he was just background scenery! He's been targeted already!"

However, the exact moment the Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple's palm was about to land on Bai Yunzhou, Bai Yunzhou moved!

Spiritual light flashed beneath his feet, and the zhuiyun boots instantly materialized. His figure transformed into a cyan streak of light, easily evading the opponent's attack with astonishing speed.

Immediately following that, instead of retreating, he advanced, stepping close sideways. Holding no weapons in his hand, he simply threw a punch, his fist wreathed in condensed Spiritual Qi, striking straight at the opponent's chest Shanzhong acupoint—one of the key nodes for the circulation of Spiritual Qi.

"Bang!"

With a muffled roar, Bai Yunzhou's fist accurately smashed into the Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple's chest.

The ferocious smile on that Disciple's face instantly froze, replaced by utter disbelief all over his face.

He could clearly feel a violent surge of Spiritual Qi pouring into his body from his chest, instantly shattering the circulation of Spiritual Qi within him.

"Pfft—"

He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, fiercely slamming into the protective barrier before bouncing off the stage, completely losing his qualification to advance.

The entire audience instantly quieted down.

All the discussions abruptly stopped. The Disciples all widened their eyes, looking at Bai Yunzhou on the stage in absolute shock, as if they had seen a ghost.

One move! With a mere single move, Bai Yunzhou had eliminated a ranked Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple!

"Wh... What is going on?!"

"What just happened? I didn't see clearly! How did that Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple get knocked flying?"

"Bai Yunzhou sent a Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple flying with a single punch?! Did I see that right? This speed, this strength, is simply too terrifying!"

"Who said he was background scenery just now? Step out! Is this what you call background scenery? Taking down a Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple with a single punch, if you're so good, you go up there!"

"No way, I need to hurry to the betting house. Not only do I need to place an additional bet on Liu Qingmo, but I also have to add Bai Yunzhou!"

"..."

In the contestant area, the expressions of Li Dongjun, Zhang Miaoyi, and others changed drastically, their gazes locking onto Bai Yunzhou with dead intensity.

"Such incredible speed! Such precise timing and control! What he just executed was a movement-type Spiritual Artifact! Moreover, his judgment of the Spiritual Qi nodes is extremely seasoned!"

Far away in the pavilion, a flash of shock crossed Cao Yuanbai's eyes.

"This kid... is his speed actually this fast? Crushing a Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a single punch! Both his Physical Body strength and his insight into the battle situation far surpass those of the same tier!"

Yuan Xi's commentary was even more direct.

"The timing he grasped when evading the attack just now was extremely precise, definitely not a fluke! The abundance of this Disciple's practical combat experience is probably not inferior to some older Disciples."

Xing Zhan slightly frowned and did not speak.

The one he favored was Liu Qingmo, but the strength Bai Yunzhou was currently displaying truly could not be underestimated.

Elder Zhou Mu's lips curved up slightly, uttering the word "Not bad," while a trace of imperceptible gratification flashed through her eyes.

Right now on the stage, Bai Yunzhou's performance did not end here.

After resolving that Peak Foundation Establishment Disciple, he did not linger, instead fully unleashing the might of the zhuiyun boots.

His figure shuttled freely across the stage, his speed reaching the absolute ultimate, leaving only streaks of afterimages visible.

Every single one of his strikes was clean and neat.

He specifically singled out Disciples who were currently engaged in combat or had consumed a large amount of Spiritual Qi, either shattering their Spiritual Qi nodes with a single punch or kicking them flying, giving opponents no chance to react whatsoever.

Those Disciples who had originally wanted to treat him as prey had all become his source of points at this moment.

In the span of a mere dozens of breaths, three ranked Disciples outside the top hundred were eliminated by him!

On the scoreboard, his name began to rapidly climb.

"My goodness! Too fierce! This Bai Yunzhou is only stronger than the previous Liu Qingmo, not weaker at all!"

"I must have been blind earlier! To actually treat him as background scenery! With this strength, he probably isn't far behind Zhang Hao and the others, right?"

"Far from not being far behind! Look at his speed; Zhang Hao might not even be able to catch up to him! And his grasp of the combat Opportunity is simply like that of a veteran who has experienced countless slaughters!"

"..."

The discussions in the stands boiled over once again.

Meanwhile, Zhang Hao, Liyan, and the others on the stage finally noticed Bai Yunzhou's performance, solemn expressions revealing themselves within their eyes.

But the melee at this moment was fierce, and each of them was entangled with opponents, while Bai Yunzhou was obviously deliberately avoiding direct confrontation with them.

His goal was very clear: efficiently harvest points and steadily advance—that was all.

Therefore, after disposing of a few ranked Disciples, Bai Yunzhou's target shifted toward those scattered Late Stage and Peak Foundation Establishment Disciples of weaker strength located all around the stage.

With the blessing of the zhuiyun boots, his speed was as fast as a ghost, specifically targeting opponents who were isolated or whose Spiritual Qi was failing. His points accumulated at an astonishing speed.

Time flew past swiftly amidst the intense melee.

Half an incense stick later, more than half of the people on the stage had been eliminated, leaving only slightly over forty people stubbornly holding on.

Top Disciples like Zhang Hao and Liyan began to consciously clear the field, contending for the final points.

As for Bai Yunzhou, he constantly hovered around the edge of the battlefield, ensuring every single strike yielded harvests.

The final ten breaths, the contention became increasingly fierce!

Quite a few Disciples began fighting desperately, attempting to charge into the top ten at the final moment.

"Clang—"

A crisp bell chime rang out, the incense stick burned out, and the melee of the third group officially ended!

The protective barrier slowly dissipated, and the fluctuations of Spiritual Qi on the stage gradually subsided.

Elder Yan's voice rang out right on cue.

"The third group melee has ended, and the score tallying is complete! The top ten list is now announced as follows—"

"Tenth to fourth place..."

After a string of names was read out, Elder Yan paused slightly and continued to announce:

"Third place, Liyan, 42 points!"

"Second place, Zhang Hao, 45 points!"

With the announcement of these two names, the Disciples off the stage began discussing among themselves.

"Zhang Hao actually only ranked second? This is simply too unexpected!"

"Who could surpass him? Could it be..."

Just as everyone was guessing, Elder Yan's voice rang out once more, clearly spreading across the entire audience.

"First place, Bai Yunzhou, 63 points!"