Chapter 602 - 598: Easily Passing the Second Round

Chapter 602: Chapter 598: Easily Passing the Second Round

The next morning, the first light of dawn pierced through a thin, veil-like mist.

After breakfast, Fang Han left the Royal Villa with Luo Yuntian, Liu Bai, and the others.

Today was the second round of the Martial Arts Assembly. Although the number of contestants had been halved since yesterday, the tense atmosphere in the air had only grown thicker.

"Junior Brother Luo, are you confident about today?"

Fang Han asked Luo Yuntian.

Among the seven remaining participants from Qingyang County, Luo Yuntian was the weakest and had the highest chance of being defeated.

"I’ll do my best. It doesn’t matter even if I lose. Getting two Low-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures as a reward has already made this trip worthwhile."

Luo Yuntian smiled, his tone philosophical.

The group walked along the wide streets of the Imperial Capital toward the Martial Arts Assembly venue. Upon arrival, they passed the identity verification and entered.

Fang Han stopped and said to the others,

"I wish you all success in the second round."

"You too."

Liu Bai cupped his hands, then turned and headed for Battle Platform 16.

Mad Saber, shouldering his giant saber, sauntered over to Battle Platform 14.

Wu Xiang clasped his hands together and walked toward his designated Battle Platform.

Fang Han watched them disperse before turning to walk in the direction of Battle Platform 10.

Near Battle Platform 10, more than ten people had already gathered, all of them contestants who had advanced yesterday.

When Fang Han’s figure appeared at the end of the passage, a dozen or so gazes instantly fell upon him.

These gazes were different from yesterday’s.

Yesterday, they had been scrutinizing, sizing him up, assessing him with a hint of disdain.

Today, however, they held a new gravity and apprehension.

The gazes lingered on Fang Han for a moment before darting away as if burned, yet they couldn’t resist sneaking another peek, their eyes filled with dread.

Fang Han’s expression remained unchanged. He found a relatively inconspicuous spot and stood with his hands behind his back.

His gaze swept calmly over the crowd, but he keenly sensed several people subconsciously take half a step back, avoiding him.

"Please don’t let me get matched with him..."

A young man with a slightly boyish face, standing at the edge of the crowd, whispered to an acquaintance next to him.

Hearing this, his companion gave a wry smile and also whispered,

"Who isn’t thinking the same thing? Who didn’t see that sword strike yesterday? Ling Yue from Jinling County lost without even drawing his blade."

"Defeated in a single strike!"

Someone nearby chimed in, their voice filled with a sense of wonder.

"As one of the Central Thirty-Six Counties, Jinling County’s participants are generally stronger than those from ordinary counties. Ling Yue’s cultivation was already approaching the Second Grade; he was definitely not weak among us, but in the end..."

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

Fang Han overheard their hushed conversation but showed no reaction.

However, not everyone was intimidated by him.

A few people, when their eyes swept over Fang Han, showed an eager fighting spirit, as if they wanted to test their strength against him and prove they were not inferior.

These few were all individuals he perceived to have a Second Grade Cultivation.

A short while later, a slight commotion arose from the venue entrance.

Fang Han looked up and saw a figure in white walking over with unhurried steps.

Zhen Feixuan was once again dressed in white martial attire with tight cuffs. Her jet-black hair was gathered at the back of her head with a simple silver ring, a few stray strands dancing in the breeze.

She wasn’t walking fast, but her steps had a steady rhythm, as if each one fell on some invisible beat.

When she stepped into the area of Battle Platform 10, almost everyone’s gaze fell upon her.

The apprehension in their eyes was even thicker than when they looked at Fang Han.

"Zhen Feixuan is here..."

Someone whispered, their voice filled with irrepressible tension.

"In her match yesterday, her opponent also didn’t last a single move. And I heard she’s already a First Grade Martial Artist."

"A First Grade Martial Artist..."

Another person swallowed hard, their voice a bit hoarse.

"For real? She’s already a First Grade Martial Artist?"

"Please don’t let me be matched with her, please don’t let me be matched with her..."

Someone muttered under their breath, their tone tinged with prayer.

Zhen Feixuan was long accustomed to such stares. Her expression was unchanged as she walked calmly to a relatively open spot and stood still.

Her gaze swept over everyone present, and then she made no further movements.

Fang Han retracted his gaze, feeling no ripples in his heart, as he already knew that Zhen Feixuan was a First Grade Martial Artist.

’This person...?’

The contestants in the area gradually arrived, but Fang Han’s gaze suddenly paused.

Among the crowd was a face he hadn’t seen yesterday.

It was a young man in gray martial attire. His face was stern, his build was tall and slender, and he stood with his arms crossed, his gaze as sharp as an eagle’s.

He stood toward the back of the crowd, sizing everyone up with a scrutinizing look in his eyes.

A thought stirred in Fang Han’s mind. ’He wasn’t one of yesterday’s contestants at Battle Platform 10.’

Battle Platform 10 had a total of twenty-five people advance to the second round yesterday, an odd number.

With an odd number of advancing contestants, they couldn’t be paired up perfectly. This person must have been transferred from another Battle Platform to make the numbers even.

Before long, the white-haired elder from yesterday walked over, still followed by the four middle-aged men and women.

The buzz of discussion in the venue died down at this moment, and all eyes fell on the white-haired elder.

The white-haired elder walked to the front of the Battle Platform, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present before he spoke.

"Second round. The rules are the same as the first round. Winners advance, losers are eliminated."

He paused, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority.

"No intentional killing, no use of poisons, and no use of Hidden Weapons. Violators will be severely punished."

He took a scroll from his sleeve, unrolled it, glanced over it, and then read aloud:

"First match: Fang Han of Qingyang County versus Shen Qiu of Celestial Water County."

In the crowd, the face of a young man in a dark blue robe suddenly turned ugly.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent. He just took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the hilt of the longsword at his waist.

"Brother Shen, stay calm."

A person beside him lowered his voice and patted his shoulder, but his comforting tone clearly carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Shen Qiu gave a bitter smile, didn’t reply, and strode toward the Battle Platform.

Fang Han also stepped forward, his gait unhurried.

He leaped onto the Battle Platform, took his position, and looked at Shen Qiu.

Shen Qiu also ascended the platform, standing opposite Fang Han at a distance of ten zhang.

He looked at Fang Han with apprehension in his eyes, but there was no sign of retreat.

The white-haired elder glanced at the two, retreated to the edge of the Battle Platform, and said flatly, "Begin."

Fang Han slowly drew the Cloud Splitting Sword from his waist.

Shen Qiu also drew his sword. The blade glinted coldly in the morning light; it was clearly a fine weapon as well.

SWISH—!

Unlike yesterday, he didn’t decide the match with a single strike. Fang Han first sent out a probing thrust.

The flash of the sword wasn’t fierce, just an ordinary stab, and not particularly fast.

CLANG—

Shen Qiu swung his sword to block. The two blades met with a crisp clang of metal.

SWISH—!

Fang Han quickly swung a second time.

Although he still wasn’t using his full strength, the Sword Momentum of this strike was much faster than the last.

Shen Qiu blocked the second strike, but it was already a struggle. The hand holding his sword trembled slightly.

The third strike.

The fourth strike.

The fifth strike.

With each strike, Fang Han increased the power slightly, ensuring Shen Qiu wouldn’t lose too disgracefully while also not letting the fight drag on for too long.

By the sixth strike, his Sword Techniques had become quite powerful. In a flash of sword light, his blade was already three inches from Shen Qiu’s throat.

Shen Qiu’s movements froze, and he stood rigid on the spot.

He glanced down at the sword tip at his throat, then looked up at Fang Han, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Sheathing his sword, he cupped his hands and said,

"Thank you, Brother Fang, for your mercy."

Fang Han had clearly held back. Otherwise, his fate would likely have been the same as Ling Yue’s yesterday: defeated in a single strike, "insta-killed" by Fang Han.

Fang Han sheathed his sword and nodded slightly.

"You let me win."

He turned and walked off the Battle Platform.

’Should I stay and watch?’

After stepping off the platform, Fang Han glanced in Zhen Feixuan’s direction.

He wanted to go to the other Battle Platforms to watch the matches of his fellow Qingyang County participants, but he was also a little curious to see Zhen Feixuan’s fight.

’It’s only the second round. I won’t be able to see much of anything.’

Fang Han weighed his options.

With Zhen Feixuan’s cultivation as a First Grade Martial Artist, a mere second-round match would be far from enough to force out her true strength. He wouldn’t be able to discern anything significant.

Rather than stay here and watch Zhen Feixuan win effortlessly, he might as well go check on the other participants from Qingyang County.

His mind made up, Fang Han turned and headed toward Battle Platform 12.

A number of contestants had gathered around Battle Platform 12.

Fang Han’s gaze swept across the platform, but he didn’t see Luo Yuntian.

’Isn’t it Junior Brother Luo’s turn yet?’

Fang Han searched the crowd with his eyes and found Luo Yuntian.

After a moment’s hesitation, he decided to check on the other Battle Platforms first.

He first went to Platform 14; Mad Saber’s fight had also not yet begun.

Without lingering, he then headed toward Platform 16.

On Battle Platform 16, Liu Bai was currently fighting an opponent.

Liu Bai’s Swordsmanship was graceful and fluid. Every strike flowed like moonlight, carrying an unhurried elegance.

In just a few moments, his opponent was struck on the shoulder by his sword. A spot of crimson appeared as the man staggered back, cupped his hands, and conceded defeat.

Liu Bai sheathed his sword, walked off the Battle Platform, and upon seeing Fang Han, cupped his hands and said,

"Brother Fang, is your match over?"

"Yes, it’s over, so I came to watch your matches."

Fang Han nodded and asked,

"Shall we go see how the others are doing together?"

"Alright."

Liu Bai had the same idea, so the two of them walked side-by-side toward the other Battle Platforms.

As they approached Battle Platform 12, they could see the situation on the stage from a distance.

Luo Yuntian was standing on the platform, facing a young man dressed in black.

The man had a stern face and a cold smirk on his lips. He held a longsword, his gaze fixed on Luo Yuntian with undisguised contempt.

Fang Han and Liu Bai exchanged a look, quickened their pace, and squeezed into the crowd.

Just then, the voice of the middle-aged woman serving as the referee rang out:

"Begin."

Luo Yuntian drew his sword, his body moving as he launched the first attack.

The sword light was like a rainbow, carrying a fierce momentum as it stabbed straight at his opponent.

The black-clothed man, however, just swayed slightly, his body shifting to easily dodge the strike.

The longsword in his hand shot out like a snake’s tongue, aiming for Luo Yuntian’s ribs.

Luo Yuntian brought his sword back to block. The two blades met, creating a deafening clang of metal.

An extremely powerful shockwave erupted from the point of impact.

Luo Yuntian’s sword hand went numb, and his feet slid back several steps involuntarily.

The man in black, in contrast, stood his ground without moving a single step.

"Second Grade!"

Below the stage, someone gasped in a low voice.

Fang Han’s gaze also fell on the black-clothed man, his brow furrowing slightly.

His opponent wasn’t hiding his strength; his aura was indeed that of a Second Grade, and very likely a Middle Stage of Second Grade at that.

Luo Yuntian was only at the Middle Stage of Third Grade, a huge gap in strength from his opponent.