Volume 1 Chapter 36

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Volume 1 Chapter 36: The Top Four

After the competition ended, everyone in the audience couldn’t help but watch Feng Qingtian standing proudly on the stage. It seemed like all the sunlight in the world was shining on him, dazzling beyond belief. His tall figure looked like a strong pine tree, unmoving even in the wind and rain.

"Is this really my next opponent?" Xu Qingfan thought to himself as he watched Feng Qingtian from the audience.

Once Xu Qingfan realized his next match would be against Feng Qingtian, he felt calm. He knew his chances of winning were slim, and it might be a match he was destined to lose. After all, Feng Qingtian’s strength had been impressive, and Xu Qingfan couldn’t think of a good way to counter it. However, he was not disappointed because his goal for participating in the competition was simply to retrieve his master’s belongings. To achieve that, finishing in third place was enough. So, Xu Qingfan was more concerned about the match for third and fourth place.

"It’s my turn now," Jin Qinghan suddenly said.

"Junior Brother Jin, don’t lose to Feng Qingtian!" Hearing Jin Qinghan’s words, Xu Qingfan smiled and encouraged him.

"I have full confidence in Junior Brother Jin. See you in the semifinals," Bai Qingfu also said with a cheerful smile.

Jin Qinghan nodded but didn’t say much more and walked directly to the stage.

As Jin Qinghan slowly approached the stage, just like when Feng Qingtian took the stage, the entire square fell silent, and everyone watched closely. Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian were known as the "Jiuhua Twin Talents," and their reputation within Jiuhua Gate was just as high as Feng Qingtian’s.

Jin Qinghan, however, completely ignored his upcoming opponent and the gazes of the spectators. He only coldly stared at Feng Qingtian, who was stepping down from the stage, and Feng Qingtian merely returned a calm look. It seemed as if only the two of them existed in the world; all the attention was on these two proud geniuses. Even the sunlight seemed to shine even more brightly at that moment, only as a backdrop for the two of them. In the instant they passed each other, the air felt a bit tense.

The figures were scattered. Jin Qinghan stopped looking at Feng Qingtian and began to focus on his opponent. Feng Qingtian did not look back and walked straight towards the Feng family’s old house, showing no interest in watching the match. In fact, since the big competition started, Feng Qingtian had never appeared in the square except during his own matches.

If Feng Qingtian were a full moon in winter, shining like water and evoking a feeling of closeness, but only something to be looked up at from afar, then Jin Qinghan was like an iceberg, cold and towering, surrounded by a chilling wind, dazzling yet dangerous, making it impossible to get close.

Xu Qingfan sighed as he looked at the two naturally captivating geniuses not far away. Both of them were so proud, so indifferent, each hiding a story that belonged only to them. Unfortunately, these two could never become friends, as if fate had destined them to be rivals.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan felt worried that Jin Qinghan might lose to Feng Qingtian again in the finals. Only Xu Qingfan knew how much Jin Qinghan valued Feng Qingtian, and only he knew what effort Jin Qinghan had put in over the years to defeat him. If Jin Qinghan lost to Feng Qingtian again, especially in front of everyone, Xu Qingfan could not imagine what a blow it would be to someone’s pride like Jin Qinghan.

Of course, Xu Qingfan hoped that Jin Qinghan would win, but after watching Feng Qingtian’s matches, he couldn’t find enough confidence in Jin Qinghan.

"Maybe, in the next match against Feng Qingtian, I should do something for Junior Brother Jin," Xu Qingfan murmured to himself.

While Xu Qingfan’s emotions were shifting, the match in the arena had already begun.

Jin Qinghan’s opponent this time was Lou Qingsong, who was skilled in wood-type magic.

It must be said that Lou Qingsong was a very powerful cultivator. The strength of wood-type magic lies in the strong life force contained in the Wood-type Spirit Qi and its amazing ability to recover and sustain itself, far exceeding that of other Spirit Qi. Before reaching the Condensed Core Stage, wood-type cultivators do not excel in attack power. Therefore, in competitions, wood-type cultivators are always at a disadvantage. Lou Qingsong’s ability to reach the top eight in the big competition shows his strength.

Unfortunately, this time his opponent was Jin Qinghan. Jin Qinghan was not only stronger than him, but according to the principles of the five elements, his gold-type cultivation method was the wood-type’s natural enemy. So from the very beginning, he was destined to be at a disadvantage, with no power to resist.

It seemed that Feng Qingtian’s earlier actions sparked something in Jin Qinghan, as he attacked fiercely in this match. His Golden Spirit Qi burst forth, and the intermediate low-level skill "Golden Spirit Spear" formed continuously around him, shooting towards Lou Qingsong one after another, thick and endless. The "Golden Spirit Spear" attacked with great ferocity, and Lou Qingsong’s wooden shield and walls could not block it effectively. In a moment, the arena was filled with bright golden light, leaving Lou Qingsong in a very awkward position under Jin Qinghan’s onslaught.

However, Lou Qingsong was indeed a wood-type cultivator, known for their resilience. Despite being in a weak and dangerous position, he looked tense but remained calm, dodging the increasingly rapid "Golden Spirit Spear" while weaving his fingers to cast a Taoist spell.

Finally, after struggling, Lou Qingsong completed his Taoist spell, and suddenly the ground cracked open. Four tall and sturdy trees rose up from the earth, quickly standing in front of Lou Qingsong. To everyone’s surprise, these trees had arms, legs, mouths, and eyes; they were the advanced skill "Tree Guardian"!

Although these Tree Guardians were made of wood, they were tougher than steel and incredibly strong. When the "Golden Spirit Spear" struck them, it made a clear ringing sound! Although wood chips flew everywhere, they did not suffer any fatal damage. While these "Tree Guardians" were slower than the "Rock Golem," they firmly blocked Jin Qinghan’s "Golden Spirit Spear" from getting through.

After securing a temporary safety, Lou Qingsong pressed on. His fingers worked together as a large amount of Wood-type Spirit Qi emanated from him, gathering in the air to form numerous falling wooden debris that crashed down towards Jin Qinghan.

"Hmph…!" Faced with the falling massive logs, Jin Qinghan did not even look. Instead, he sparkled with golden light, and a thick golden shield suddenly appeared above him, blocking the wooden assault without causing him any harm.

After blocking Lou Qingsong’s attack, Jin Qinghan waved his hands, and hundreds of golden spirit spears appeared around him. But unlike before, this time Jin Qinghan did not immediately shoot the golden spirit spears at Lou Qingsong. Instead, they slowly gathered in front of him, and amidst the flickering golden light, the hundreds of "Golden Spirit Spears" transformed into one giant spear, five zhang long and three chi thick!

Once the giant spirit spear appeared, it charged straight at Lou Qingsong without any hesitation, moving with incredible speed. The crowd only saw a flash of golden light as the giant spirit spear stabbed towards a Tree Guardian in front of Lou Qingsong.

Facing the powerful "Golden Spirit Spear" that was dozens of times stronger, Lou Qingsong’s expression changed drastically. He quickly made hand signs, and the other three Tree Guardians instantly burst apart, turning into a large amount of pure wooden essence that flowed into the remaining Tree Guardian. After absorbing the essence from the other three, the last Tree Guardian grew in size, shining with a green light and becoming much stronger. As the giant "Golden Spirit Spear" lunged towards it, the Tree Guardian surprisingly managed to grasp it with both hands just as it was about to strike, barely defending against the attack.

However, the power contained in the "Golden Spirit Spear" was too great. Even though the Tree Guardian managed to block the attack, it was slowly stepping back, clearly struggling a little.

Seeing that his Tree Guardian had stopped Jin Qinghan’s attack, Lou Qingsong let out a sigh of relief. But at that moment, Jin Qinghan didn’t pause at all. Dozens of "Golden Spirit Spears" appeared around him, and amidst the flashing golden light, they merged once again into a giant golden spirit spear, poised and ready beside Jin Qinghan.

"I give up." After seeing the second giant golden spirit spear form beside Jin Qinghan, Lou Qingsong realized he could no longer hold on and said in despair.

In response to Lou Qingsong’s surrender, Jin Qinghan didn’t say much; he just nodded slightly and turned to leave.

"In the third match, Jin Qinghan wins." An elder in the high platform stood up to announce as Jin Qinghan exited the arena.

When the match ended, the crowd burst into an uproar. It had been less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense since the competition began, and no one expected Jin Qinghan to win so easily. Lou Qingsong was already famous, known to be one of the strongest among the low-level disciples of Jiuhua Gate, yet he was defeated by Jin Qinghan so effortlessly, and he didn’t even force Jin Qinghan to use any other techniques apart from the "Golden Spirit Spear."

Compared to Feng Qingtian’s flashy performance during his match, Jin Qinghan won with overwhelming dominance, making the gap between him and his opponent clear in all aspects. While this was partly due to the difference in their strengths, it also showcased Jin Qinghan’s own skills.

"Jiuhua Twin Talents," recognized as the best among the low-level disciples of Jiuhua Gate, were indeed all exceptional.

After defeating Lou Qingsong, Jin Qinghan did not show any signs of pride in front of the awed crowd. It was as if this victory meant nothing to him. He simply walked over to Xu Qingfan and Bai Qingfu, nodded to Xu Qingfan in congratulations, and then said to Bai Qingfu calmly, "It’s your turn to go on stage."

A meaningful smile flashed across Bai Qingfu’s face but quickly disappeared as he sighed, "Junior Brother Xu and Junior Brother Jin both made it to the top four; now I will be embarrassed."

"With Senior Brother Bai’s strength, winning is expected. I wish Senior Brother Bai great success and hope you smoothly advance to the top four," Xu Qingfan said with a smile and clasped his hands.

"It won’t be that easy. Lv Qingshang is considered the third favorite in this competition. He is very skilled in using charms and formations, and among the lower-ranked disciples of Jiuhua Gate, his strength and reputation are only second to Junior Brother Jin. He is not someone I can handle," Bai Qingfu said with a wry smile.

After hearing Bai Qingfu’s words, Jin Qinghan glanced at him and said, "Lv Qingshang is indeed strong, but I believe Senior Brother Bai, your strength should be greater than his."

"Haha, Junior Brother Jin, you think too highly of me. As long as I don’t lose too badly, that’s good enough," Bai Qingfu said, his eyes sparkling for a moment, but he smiled wryly. With that, he started to slowly move his bulky figure toward the stage.

"How strong do you really think Senior Brother Bai is?" Xu Qingfan asked Jin Qinghan, watching Bai Qingfu’s back.

"Very strong, at least as strong as me," Jin Qinghan replied, still focused on Bai Qingfu’s back. He said softly, "Lv Qingshang will not be a match for Senior Brother Bai."

Although Xu Qingfan had already prepared himself, he couldn’t help but feel a shock upon hearing Jin Qinghan’s words.

How many secrets is Bai Qingfu hiding? Xu Qingfan suddenly felt a little uneasy, but he couldn’t find the reason.

But Xu Qingfan and Jin Qinghan did not expect that the result of this competition would surprise them greatly.

Lv Qingshang looked like a young man of only sixteen or seventeen years old, always wearing a lazy smile and having those eyes that seemed forever sleepy, giving off an air of laziness. Only when he smiled could the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes reveal that he was not as young as he appeared.

After Bai Qingfu stepped onto the stage, Lv Qingshang first curiously looked Bai Qingfu up and down, then cupped his hands and said, "Nice to meet you, Senior Brother Bai."

"Nice to meet you, Junior Brother Lv. I hope you can go easy on me later," Bai Qingfu said with a wry smile, as if he was already convinced he wouldn’t win.

"The competition isn’t over yet; we don’t know who will win or lose. Senior Brother Bai shouldn’t underestimate himself," Lv Qingshang said casually with a lazy smile.

Once the competition began, Lv Qingshang immediately showcased his amazing strength. He unleashed spells in quick succession, sending countless fireballs, waves of water, golden darts, and wooden spikes towards Bai Qingfu. The scene was filled with brilliant colors and was quite impressive. However, Bai Qingfu’s earth-based magic provided astonishing defense. Although Lv Qingshang’s spell attacks were powerful, they caused Bai Qingfu no harm against the continuous earthen walls.

Yet Lv Qingshang was not anxious; he did not expect these low-level spells to harm an opponent who had entered the top eight. For him, this was just a warm-up.

Lv Qingshang lazily smiled and shot out five spells, each shining in gold, green, blue, red, and yellow, representing the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. These five spells didn’t directly attack Bai Qingfu but floated around him, their different colors shining even more brightly together.

"Five Elements Imprisonment Formation!"

As Lv Qingshang’s lazy voice rang out, five charms shone brightly. Under the dazzling light, they slowly blended together. The Spirit Qi of the five elements in the air pulsed in a strange pattern, forming a small barrier made of five colors of light. When Bai Qingfu realized Lv Qingshang’s intention and wanted to stop it, it was already too late. He suddenly felt his body lose its ability to move and could no longer stir.

"This formation uses the power of the five elements to imprison your body. Resisting is useless," Lv Qingshang said with a lazy smile as he watched Bai Qingfu struggle to break free.

"Is that so?" After realizing that struggling was useless, Bai Qingfu stopped putting in effort and simply smiled, saying, "Then I surrender."

…

"Senior Brother Bai, you shouldn’t have been so easily defeated. Why did you hide your strength?" Jin Qinghan asked after Bai Qingfu stepped down.

"I didn’t hide my strength! Under the Five Elements Imprisonment, I couldn’t even move. How could I win?" Bai Qingfu said with a wry smile, looking helpless.

"The Five Elements Imprisonment is indeed strong, but you can break it by destroying its balance from the inside. I thought you would know that," Jin Qinghan asked with a frown.

"I know, but by the time I could break the Five Elements Imprisonment, Lv Qingshang would have had enough time to prepare a powerful technique," Bai Qingfu sighed.

Looking at Bai Qingfu’s seemingly lost expression, Xu Qingfan realized he was starting to understand him less and less. He couldn’t believe Bai Qingfu when he said he couldn’t defeat Lv Qingshang. Although Xu Qingfan had never seen Bai Qingfu fight, he firmly believed that Bai Qingfu’s strength was much more than what he had shown when he first entered the arena.

But why did Bai Qingfu want to hide his strength? If he wanted to hide it, why did he participate in this important competition? What was his true purpose behind everything he had done so far?

Looking at Bai Qingfu’s smiling face, Xu Qingfan felt he was even more mysterious.

After Bai Qingfu admitted defeat, the top four competitors in this competition were finally determined.

First was Feng Qingtian, the last descendant of the Feng family with the ancient mythical beast blood of the "Flame Phoenix." Apart from his match with Wang Qingjun, no other opponents had lasted more than three cups of tea against his attacks. He was considered the favorite to win the competition.

Next was Jin Qinghan, known alongside Feng Qingtian as one of the "Jiuhua Twin Talents." From the start of the competition, he showed overwhelming advantage. He not only defeated his opponents in a very short time but also used only one technique, the "Golden Spirit Spear," throughout all his matches, hiding his true power remarkably.

Then came Lv Qingshang, who excelled at making charms and was skilled in formations. Although he was only at the middle stage of the Inedia Stage, he was sharp and clever during the matches, easily defeating opponents several times stronger than him with his charms and formations.

Lastly was Xu Qingfan, the biggest surprise of the competition. Previously unnoticed in Jiuhua Gate, he had made a name for himself by using his dazzling and powerful unnamed techniques and swift movements to cut through his way to the top four, earning great fame in Jiuhua Gate.

And so, the most thrilling semi-finals of this Jiuhua Mountain competition was about to begin.