Chapter 629: Go Up, Beat Him Up

Luo Tian’s three star students currently held the fifth, fourth, and third ranks. Like a sharp sword, they exuded a brilliant edge.

They were the talk of the entire arena.

Some said that with this momentum, they would make a bid for first place.

But more of the audience immediately refuted this, believing that Luo Xiaoting, Zi Qing, and Guan Hongfei had already reached their limits!

The second-ranked Liu Meihong and first-ranked Du Hongfei had both broken through to the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm long ago. They had the best mentors, abundant Cultivation Resources, and their own talents were superb.

In all their previous battles, both of them had ended their fights within three moves and had yet to show their true abilities.

“I hope you have the guts to challenge the number one throne.”

Du Hongfei sneered, utterly dismissive of Luo Tian’s three students.

In the spectator stands, several mentors wore worried frowns.

This was an outcome they had never imagined. Despite their obstructions, Luo Tian’s students had actually managed to come this far.

Many of the mentors were starting to regret getting involved.

Judging from this Chuyang Grand Competition, the futures of Luo Tian and his students were immeasurable.

Making enemies of them over such a trivial matter was truly an unwise move.

Only two people, however, did not think this way.

The first was Liu Lu.

He stood as still as a statue, a cold, sharp killing intent flickering in his eyes.

Barring any surprises, he was destined for a miserable outcome in this Chuyang Grand Competition.

Meanwhile, Luo Tian would use him as a stepping stone to climb to even greater heights.

The second was Peng Yuweng.

At first, he hadn’t taken Luo Tian seriously, believing he could easily teach him a painful lesson.

Now, Peng Yuweng’s expression was grim. He would not allow Luo Tian and his students to shine so brightly, much less let them lay a finger on the glory that belonged to him.

“I hope they dare to challenge my student. Otherwise, Hongfei won’t even have a chance to show what he can do.”

Peng Yuweng smiled faintly.

The other mentors were rather surprised to see that Peng Yuweng could still manage a smile at a time like this.

From the look of him, Peng Yuweng seemed to have absolute confidence in his student!

…

Deng Xiaoqian, Chen Yuan, and the others gathered around Luo Tian, constantly asking questions like whether Luo Xiaoting could make a bid for first place.

“Everything is still unknown.”

Luo Tian wasn’t a god; he couldn’t give a definitive answer.

His help was ultimately limited and couldn’t change everything. The final outcome for these three students still depended on themselves.

By this point in the ranking tournament, more and more students were giving up on challenges, wanting only to secure their own positions.

Therefore, it soon came to the turns of the top-ranked competitors.

“Guan Hongfei, who do you want to challenge? Make the decision yourself.”

Luo Tian said calmly.

Guan Hongfei was ranked fifth. Ahead of him were two of his fellow disciples, and then the first and second-ranked competitors.

Previously, when Luo Tian helped his students pick opponents, he had always chosen those they had a natural advantage against.

Now, there were no opponents ahead against whom Guan Hongfei had a clear advantage.

Guan Hongfei’s gaze swept past Zi Qing and Luo Xiaoting.

When he had first taken Luo Tian as his teacher, he had believed he would be Luo Tian’s best student.

After a year of cultivation, Guan Hongfei had made great progress, but he had also gained two powerful rivals.

In the Chuyang Grand Competition, Guan Hongfei’s performance had also been slightly weaker than Zi Qing’s and Luo Xiaoting’s.

“I challenge the number one!”

Guan Hongfei stood up, his gaze incomparably resolute.

Countless astonished gazes turned toward him!

For fifth place to directly challenge first place, Du Hongfei—what incredible audacity.

“Haha, good! You’ve got guts!”

Du Hongfei let out a great laugh and stepped onto the Martial Arts Arena.

Someone had finally challenged him in the ranking tournament, and Du Hongfei had long been itching to show what he could do!

Moreover, the challenger was one of Luo Tian’s students.

“Begin!”

As the referee’s voice fell.

Guan Hongfei instantly launched his attack. A startling Sword Intent erupted from him, and the Treasure Sword in his hand bloomed with a bright, brilliant radiance!

A blazing, brilliant light slashed toward his enemy.

“It’s Sword Intent!”

“Guan Hongfei has actually comprehended Sword Intent! This battle is going to be good.”

A few gasps of amazement came from the crowd.

Guan Hongfei’s talent in the Sword Dao was indeed high, so it wasn’t strange for him to have comprehended Sword Intent at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer.

After all, Luo Tian himself had comprehended Sword Intent back when he was only at the Earth Element Realm Fourth Layer.

“So, you’ve comprehended Sword Intent? Is that the source of your confidence in challenging me?”

A mocking smile played on Du Hongfei’s lips as he released his own Sword Intent. It was like a mountain flood bursting forth, stirring the Spiritual Qi in all directions.

SHIING!

Du Hongfei slashed down. His dim, dark Sword Light carried the force of a landslide, as if it could tear everything apart.

The bright, dazzling Sword Qi was shattered by Du Hongfei’s blow.

“So strong! Is this Du Hongfei’s true strength?”

“As expected of number one! It looks like he’ll be keeping his top spot!”

The audience exclaimed in awe, as if they could already see the outcome.

Guan Hongfei’s gaze was firm and sharp, revealing his unyielding will.

He quickened his assault. His Swordsmanship was incredibly profound, a dazzling combination of feints and real attacks that was hard to follow.

Under his furious counterattack,

Du Hongfei, the number one, nearly had his advantage overturned several times.

“You’re not bad, but I’m done playing around.”

Du Hongfei sneered.

The next moment, an incredibly vast aura erupted from his body. Waves of dim, yellow energy swept out in all directions as the Spiritual Qi of the world trembled and converged on him.

Guan Hongfei’s pupils contracted!

“The Celestial Pool Realm!”

“Du Hongfei already broke through to the Celestial Pool Realm? He’s been hiding his Cultivation all this time and hasn’t gone all out once.”

“The outcome is decided now. Du Hongfei’s victory is certain, and the number one throne is his to keep!”

Many of the mentors and students were stunned.

With his true Cultivation revealed, the power of Du Hongfei’s attacks instantly rose to another level.

A few moves later!

CLANG! BANG!

Guan Hongfei was sent flying more than ten meters, several bloody gashes appearing on his arm and chest.

“I forfeit.”

Guan Hongfei forfeited decisively.

He was brave enough to issue a challenge, but that didn’t mean he was reckless.

Knowing victory was impossible and that his opponent intended to injure him, Guan Hongfei wasn’t going to persist in the fight.

“How unsatisfying. Barely twenty moves and you forfeit.”

Du Hongfei taunted him briefly, then looked toward Luo Xiaoting and Zi Qing and sneered, “I wonder if you two have the guts to play a round with me.”

“Master?”

Zi Qing, ranked fourth, looked to Luo Tian for his opinion.

“According to the rules of the ranking tournament, the same person can’t be challenged consecutively. You should forfeit this round.”

Luo Tian advised.

Besides, Zi Qing’s chances of defeating Du Hongfei were rather slim.

After Zi Qing forfeited, it was Luo Xiaoting’s turn.

“I challenge number two.”

Luo Xiaoting declared.

Luo Tian didn’t offer any guidance for this battle, letting Luo Xiaoting rely on her own abilities.

Luo Tian knew he couldn’t always be there to guide his students through every fight.

If Luo Xiaoting won this battle, she would still have a chance to challenge Du Hongfei.

“Water and Fire Heaven-Devouring Fist.”

Luo Xiaoting launched a fierce Attack the moment she stepped onto the stage.

The second-ranked Liu Meihong was at a disadvantage initially but gradually turned the tables with her experience and skill.

After they exchanged twenty or thirty moves,

Liu Meihong gradually gained the upper hand!

Liu Meihong hadn’t reached second place by mere reputation; among those at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm, she was definitely one of the best.

Luo Xiaoting was caught in a difficult battle.

But she didn’t give up. She maintained her ferocious fighting style, unleashing a constant barrage as she searched for an opening.

Sixty moves… a hundred moves… two hundred moves passed.

Luo Xiaoting remained as valiant as ever!

Liu Meihong, however, was already feeling exhausted, an ant-like, gnawing pain spreading through her body.

Burn marks were visible on some parts of her body, while other wounds glistened with a faint blue, watery sheen.

Eroded by both Water and Fire Power simultaneously, her injuries were far worse than they appeared!

“I forfeit!”

Dozens of moves later, Liu Meihong, drenched in sweat, took the initiative and forfeited.

“Luo Xiaoting wins and becomes number two!”

The referee announced.

This result was a huge surprise to many.

For a new Mentor, having a student take second place in the Chuyang Grand Competition was already astounding.

After this Chuyang Grand Competition, the reputations of Luo Tian and his students would soar.

“That Master Luo is really something else. Luo Xiaoting used to be so unruly that even Liu Lu couldn’t handle her. But under Luo Tian, she’s undergone a magnificent transformation.”

“And Zi Qing was practically a good-for-nothing before this. No one expected she would break into the top five of the Chuyang Grand Competition.”

Hearing these words, both Liu Lu and Master Fei trembled with rage, feeling deeply humiliated.

“Still, first place will ultimately go to Du Hongfei. Master Luo is still too inexperienced, and his students are just a little bit lacking.”

“No one can shake Du Hongfei’s position.”

…

The ranking tournament entered a new round.

After dozens of rather uninteresting battles, the most crucial moment finally arrived.

This time, would anyone challenge Du Hongfei? Could anyone actually win?

All eyes were once again on Luo Tian.

Would he let Zi Qing and Luo Xiaoting challenge Du Hongfei?

“Zi Qing, forfeit,” Luo Tian said.

Zi Qing could challenge the new third-place holder, Liu Meihong, but it would undoubtedly be an arduous battle. Afterward, she could still be challenged by others and lose her ranking.

“I forfeit.”

Zi Qing called out.

Many people were disappointed.

Luo Tian had seemed so bold, but in the end, it looked like he didn’t dare let his student challenge Du Hongfei.

“Master Luo, you’re too cowardly. You don’t even dare to let your student give it a try.”

Du Hongfei was even more disappointed. He stared at Luo Tian and said in a strange, mocking tone.

“How about this? When your student fights me, I’ll suppress my Cultivation to the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm. Or maybe I’ll only use sixty percent of my strength?”

Du Hongfei taunted with immense arrogance.

“If you’re willing, then I certainly agree.”

Luo Tian said suddenly.

After speaking, he looked at Luo Xiaoting and said, “Luo Xiaoting, you will challenge number one! But before that, let me check your condition first.”

“HAHAHA!”

Du Hongfei didn’t react at first, then burst into wild laughter.

‘Luo Tian is actually having Luo Xiaoting challenge me! This is just perfect!’

With Luo Xiaoting’s fighting style, Du Hongfei was confident he could leave her severely injured.

“Master, I’m still in good shape.”

Luo Xiaoting, who had come to the foot of the stage, was a little confused.

Luo Tian didn’t answer her. He suddenly reached out and pressed a certain acupoint on Luo Xiaoting’s back!

Luo Xiaoting’s body trembled slightly as she felt a cool, moist sensation wash over her.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Luo Tian struck several more times in succession.

Each touch was like pushing open a door that had been sealed in dust for ages.

Until finally, that door was thrown wide open!

VMMMM-BOOM!

A terrifying wave of Energy and a deep, abyssal-blue light burst from within Luo Xiaoting, shooting into the sky.

The world itself seemed to change color. The sky was cast in an abyssal-blue, watery light, as if it had transformed into an underwater world!

Luo Xiaoting’s special constitution had awakened!

“Go on up. And beat him.”

Luo Tian patted Luo Xiaoting on the back.