Tong Xiu had ultimately held back. It wasn't a life-and-death struggle, but his injuries would likely take half a year to heal.
He raised his palm and gently exhaled, his complexion somewhat pale.
Even though he was almost at the level of Dao Integration, having not passed the Heart Demon Tribulation, he ultimately couldn't harness the grand power of heaven and earth as naturally.
If he hadn't crossed the Dao Integration Heavenly Tribulation himself, the outcome of this match would have truly been uncertain.
Everyone stared in shock at the scene before them, holding their breath for a long time.
Xi Qingyi's face was pale, her hand tightly gripping the longsword at her waist. Wenren Pingxin said nothing, only sighing regretfully.
It wasn't just the Sword Sect; all the other sects watching this scene also heaved melancholic sighs.
The Dao Sect... it was still *that* Dao Sect. The gap in strength was like a chasm.
At the Buddha Gate's encampment, the slight smile on Master Fa Jiang's face gradually grew solemn. He then closed his eyes and sighed.
It's uncertain whether the Hundred-Zhang Golden Body could withstand that, he thought. Tong Xiu...
Elder Yang Tianqing of the Sacred Land stood up. He glanced over the entire Azure Cloud Mountain and then announced leisurely, "Dao Sect, Tong Xiu wins!"
Night fell. The intensity of this Origin Dao Battle had been unimaginable.
It had been exhilarating, as if the finals themselves had been brought forward.
Each side had two Half-Step Dao Integration cultivators and four Peak Refining Void cultivators!
On the other platform, the Origin Sect's Half-Step Dao Integration cultivator, Wei Tianqi, had actually and soundly defeated the Dao Sect's other Half-Step Dao Integration cultivator. Although Wei Tianqi ultimately lost to Tong Xiu, no one was surprised. Everyone lamented that if not for the Dao Sect's Tong Xiu—whose strength was clearly on a different level—the outcome of this fight would have been truly unpredictable.
Even though Wei Tianqi had lost his match, the Origin Sect's four Peak Refining Void cultivators, fighting to the end, had actually managed to soundly defeat three of the Dao Sect's Peak Refining Void cultivators. If Tong Xiu hadn't intervened, the Origin Sect might have defeated all four of the Dao Sect's Peak Refining Void cultivators!
Following Key Smoke's announcement, only two individuals from the Dao Sect qualified for the next round: Tong Xiu, the Half-Step Dao Integration cultivator, and one other Peak Refining Void cultivator.
"That was truly exciting! We'll probably never see a scene that thrilling again!" Follow current novᴇls on novｅlfire.net
"The Origin Sect lost with honor! To fight the Dao Sect to such a standstill... It's a pity they were unlucky enough to be matched in the first round; otherwise, the finals might have been between these two sects."
"Which two sects are competing tomorrow?"
"Multi-Bao Pavilion versus Wuhua Palace."
"I can't wait to see the Sword Sect battle the Blade Sect..."
"What's there to watch? The Blade Sect is sure to win, no question! Their strength is obvious: three Peak Refining Void cultivators, while the Sword Sect only has one!"
"What if Elder Xi wins?"
"You think everyone is a Tong Xiu? Even if Elder Xi wins, it'll be a pyrrhic victory. He wouldn't be able to handle another Peak Refining Void cultivator after that..."
"When it comes down to it, the Sword Sect's mid-tier strength is just too weak—probably the weakest among the Ten Great Sects. I hear Multi-Bao Pavilion is in a similar state. So, the platform battles tomorrow and the day after are the least suspenseful. The match between Multi-Bao Pavilion and Wuhua Palace might be slightly more interesting, but I heard the odds for the Sword Sect versus Blade Sect bout are already almost a hundred to one..."
"The odds are that high?!"
Interestingly, Multi-Bao Pavilion itself is the largest betting house!
Its splendid, golden-resplendent facade featured stone statues of flood dragons on either side, each carved with a golden ingot above. Looking up, one would see eight large characters proclaiming: 'For All Fortunes and Treasures, Look No Further Than Multi-Bao'!
The day's competitions had ended, and a huge crowd was now heading towards Multi-Bao Pavilion. Inside, the vast space, filled with all sorts of tables, stretched as far as the eye could see.
Many people crowded around each table, their faces a mixture of joy, sorrow, anger, and elation. There were even common folk games like cricket fighting, cockfighting, and horse racing, but most cultivators were still focused on betting on the Ascension Platform battles!
The din of voices and discussions was deafening. So much so that the words of a handsome man leading his three disciples were instantly swallowed by the noise in the hall, failing to cause even the slightest ripple.
"Master, why did you bring us here?"
Su Bei coughed lightly, an expression of calm composure on his face as he said, "To make money!"