Although Ge Qing was using his vital force to restrain Qin Xian, the furious Qin Xian broke free within moments. No longer bothering to restrain his strength, a powerful aura erupted from him.
The commotion drew the crowd’s attention. All eyes turned to Qin Xian. Those who’d been watching the stage understood what had happened. That Six Suns disciple had clearly been targeting the Daxia Sword Sect disciple, refusing to even give her the chance to surrender. All he wanted was to kill or cripple her by any means necessary.
Such situations weren’t rare at the Tournament of a Hundred Sects. Crippling a rival, even without immediate advantages, strengthened one’s position in later rounds.
For example, if the Six Suns Scholar Academy managed to seriously injure three Daxia Sword Sect disciples, the Daxia Sword Sect’s overall performance would likely plummet the next day.
Even if the top disciples in the late Foundation Building Realm won their matches, it probably wouldn’t be enough to hold the sect’s ranking. That was why so many sects were willing to injure their opponents at all costs, even if it meant using dirty tactics.
The crowd erupted into heated discussion.
Some saw no issue with it, but others murmured that it was unethical to chase down and kill an already injured disciple.
Also hovering in midair, the Six Suns elder said, “Qin Xian, mind yourself! This is a match between the juniors. What are you trying to do here, show off?”
The flames of fury rose in Qin Xian’s heart. He pulled out his sword, ready to fight.
Suddenly, the space overhead rippled, and a hologram appeared. Long Qu’s impassive gaze swept over Qin Xian, who trembled vigorously. Long Qu turned to Ge Qing and asked coolly, “Did anyone break the rules?”
Ge Qing bowed his head low, not daring to conceal anything. “Your Majesty, everything proceeded within the rules.”
Long Qu chuckled coldly, then waved gently.
A palm seal tens of zhang tall appeared in the sky above and slammed down on Qin Xian. Qin Xian didn’t even dare summon his vital force shield, letting the massive palm slam him through the air a hundred zhang.
After tumbling a hundred zhang back, Qin Xian finally stabilized himself as blood sprayed out of his mouth. On the throne in the sky above, Long Qu looked away from them and announced calmly, “All matters are to be settled on the martial stage itself. Anyone dissatisfied with the results is free to withdraw from the tournament anytime.”
Qin Xian did not dare utter another word, suppressing the anger in his heart. He bowed slightly at the hologram in the sky.
The Six Suns elder smirked mockingly before slowly turning away. Li Guanqi noticed that when the elder pivoted, he shot a quick glance in a particular direction. It lasted less than half a second, but Li Guanqi was certain he’d been looking at someone specific. Yet when Li Guanqi followed his line of sight, he found nothing unusual.
Li Guanqi frowned. Was I imagining it?
He leaped off the stage and went up to Qin Xian. “Old Qin, are you hurt?”
Qin Xian shook his head, his sharp gaze sweeping across the few stages with ongoing fights. Like Li Guanqi, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
He transmitted, “Guanqi, be very careful in the subsequent rounds. They’re not just trying to injure our disciples like in past years—they’re going for the kill!”
Li Guanqi looked at the few disciples from the Daxia Sword Sect who were gravely injured. Their wounds were harrowing. If it hadn't been for the disciples' considerable practical battle experience that prompted them to shout their surrender at the last moment, the outcome could have been far worse.
Li Guanqi took a deep breath and flew up into the air. He watched Ye Feng and the others, noticing their intense battles.
The few of them were smart, not letting their opponents increase the distance between themselves. They were all still equally matched against their opponents.
Li Guanqi had been very strict with them in their past training, and they had the detestable Gao Qiwen following them around.
Zhong Lin and Lin Dong were on the receiving end of the targeted attacks. Their opponents fought without a shred of honor, using every dirty trick in the book. Whenever they could, they would try to trip them with their feet, stab their eyes, or grab their throats.
Zhong Lin and Lin Dong cursed furiously when their opponents flung cement powder at them, hidden in their sleeves.
On another stage, Lin Qingyu had been dominating her match from the start. But at the last moment, her opponent from Six Suns confused her with a trick and nearly killed her on the spot. Thankfully, she reacted fast enough to yell her surrender.
A beam of light shattered the opponent’s sword. He shot Lin Qingyu a venomous glare before walking away, leaving her panting and a little traumatized.
On another stage was a late Foundation Building Realm senior from Heavenly Metal Peak whose sword style was swift and fierce.
Li Guanqi recalled his name: Yu Ye, who’d joined the sect two years ahead of him. Li Guanqi often saw him training beneath the Millennium Waterfall.
Yu Ye had terrifying physical strength, making every slash of his sword lethal. He used an intricate sprint technique and maintained a close distance between himself and a female Six Suns disciple.
They were engaged in intense melee combat, their swords glinting coldly as they exchanged blows within inches of each other.
Yu Ye maintained a determined expression. He did not hesitate just because she was a girl.
The girl frowned. With a sudden burst of power, she knocked Yu Ye back with her sword.
She quickly backed away and cried out, “Fifth Sun! Swallow Technique!”
As her book opened, Yu Ye—now ten zhang away—gripped his sword with both hands. A massive surge of energy erupted from his sword, his muscles swelling as he stomped hard on the ground.
The stone tiles exploded, and Yu Ye charged at her.
Before the girl could dodge, Yu Ye crashed into her. She raised her sword horizontally to block, but then came the sharp crack of a blade snapping.
Yu Ye unleashed four consecutive strikes.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Blood flowed from the girl’s four limbs.
The girl collapsed to her knees with a groan.
Yu Ye was also riddled with several sword cuts, half his white robe stained red.
With calm composure, Yu Ye sheathed his sword and leaped from the stage.
When he saw Li Guanqi, he grinned. He resembled Lin Dong.
Li Guanqi smiled back. “Well done, Senior Brother. Looks like your training’s paid off.”
Yu Ye chuckled. “I have you to thank for your generous advice, Junior Brother.”
They exchanged a look, both smiling. Li Guanqi hadn’t expected Yu Ye to have absorbed so much from the offhand advice he’d once given. He had excellent comprehension abilities.
On yet another stage, Gu Ran moved with such blinding speed that she appeared as nothing more than a blur, simultaneously casting two Thunder Whip spells.