“Look at the fourth platform, Xue Qingming is fighting Mo Ze!”
“I knew these two were bound to clash.”
Hearing the discussion around them, some people who didn’t know the backstory asked out of curiosity:
“What’s the grudge between them?”
“Xue Qingming killed Mo Ze’s father. How deep do you think the grudge is?”
“No way, that serious?”
“Well, it was kind of a misunderstanding. Back then, Xue Qingming took on a sect mission to investigate some strange events in Mo Village. He eventually discovered that the village chief was behind everything, so he killed him. Later, he found out that the village chief was actually Mo Ze’s father. Even though the sect tried to mediate, the two still became bitter enemies.”
Ignoring the chatter around them, the two men on the fourth platform stood facing each other.
One held a sword, the other a massive axe.
“Come on, Xue Qingming. My sword won’t show mercy,” Mo Ze said coldly.
“Stop living in the past. That pain will only become a burden on your path to strength,” Xue Qingming replied with a sigh.
“Cut the crap. I don’t need you telling me how to live,” Mo Ze snapped and rushed forward with his sword.
Xue Qingming stayed calm, lifting his axe and clashing with Mo Ze.
A wave of energy exploded each time their weapons collided.
Loud booming sounds echoed around them.
“Sword Frenzy Thirteen!” Mo Ze shouted.
White spiritforce wrapped around his sword, and the blade split into thirteen afterimages that attacked Xue Qingming all at once.
Xue Qingming swung his axe repeatedly, using wide and powerful movements to defend.
They fought for several rounds without either gaining the upper hand.
“Sword Frenzy Twenty-Six!” Mo Ze shouted again, frustrated by the deadlock.
The thirteen sword images split further, becoming twenty-six.
These new attacks were sneakier, some came from thin air, others from underground, striking from strange angles.
“Xue Qingming, I’m going to torture you to death,” Mo Ze said coldly.
“You’ve already lost,” Xue Qingming shook his head. “Our styles are different. You rely on technique; I rely on power. In this world, anything can be broken by force.”
As he finished speaking, his axe began to tremble.
Black spiritforce coiled around it, and the surrounding space began to shake.
With a loud boom, Xue Qingming leapt into the air, radiating a terrifying aura.
Ignoring all the sword attacks, he brought his axe down straight at Mo Ze.
All of Mo Ze’s sword energy vanished under the force of that blow.
Mo Ze stood his ground, eyes focused.
Feeling the deadly pressure from the axe, he found himself unable to dodge.
The axe stopped just inches above his head.
“Why didn’t you kill me?” Mo Ze asked, lips trembling.
“Take care of yourself,” Xue Qingming said, putting away his axe, then kicked Mo Ze off the platform.
The crowd gasped as they realized what had just happened.
People started talking.
“Xue Qingming was hiding his strength.”
“He’s just at the Celestial Phase level, but that axe strike felt like something from a World Paragon.”
“I didn’t expect him to spare Mo Ze though. That was surprising.”
That fight was the last one among the core disciples.
In the end, only four remained on the platforms:
Lin Feng, Xue Qingming, Hou Zhen, and Chang Ruofeng.
They were all among the best in the sect, especially Hou Zhen, who had always stayed under the radar.
Yet this time, he defeated Ye Kai, one of the favorites, and earned a spot.
Seeing this, Lin Beisheng stepped down from the main platform.
He smiled and said, “The results are mostly clear now. Next, all of you here have one chance to challenge any of the four standing. But I must remind you, the fights are life or death, so don’t push your luck. If no one challenges them, I’ll announce these four as the ones representing Grand Heaven at the Nine Heavens Grand Gathering.”
After hearing that, everyone in the crowd started looking at each other.
No one dared step forward.
They knew their strength and experience didn’t come close.
And just the life-or-death rule alone was enough to scare most of them off.
“How about I give it a try?”
At that moment, a voice came from the crowd.
Wind-Thunder Valley instantly fell silent.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice.
“No way. If he wants to die, there are better ways.”
“Overestimating himself. Just wants attention.”
Everyone had different reactions, some mocked, some watched with curiosity.
Xu Zimo, dressed in white, walked calmly onto the platform.
“Qiu’er?” Even Lin Beisheng on the high platform froze in shock.
“Nonsense!” Lin Beisheng quickly reacted and shouted, “Qiu’er, get down!
This isn’t a place to joke around!”
“Father, I’m not joking. I want to join the Nine Heavens Gathering too,” Xu Zimo replied with a smile. “Aren’t I a disciple of Grand Heaven?”
“You…” Lin Beisheng pointed at him, too angry to speak.
“So, little brother, who do you want to challenge?” Lin Feng asked with interest.
“You,” Xu Zimo said, pointing at Chang Ruofeng on the first platform.
“Me? You want to challenge me?” Chang Ruofeng burst out laughing.
“You sure about this, Junior Brother Lin?”
“I’m sure,” Xu Zimo nodded.
“Don’t worry. Since the Mountain Lord is your father, I won’t kill you,” Chang Ruofeng said quietly.
“But I’ll teach you a lesson. Lesson one, know your limits.”
Xu Zimo smiled and slowly walked onto the first platform.
The disciples below watched like they were about to see a joke unfold.
“This really is a mess,” one elder sighed and shook his head.
Xu Zimo ignored the others. His white robe and black hair drifted lightly in the breeze.
“Lance Breaker!” shouted Chang Ruofeng, charging forward with his spear.
It was a strike focused purely on speed, leaving a phantom trail behind.
Xu Zimo seemed startled and quickly rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the attack.