In the battlefield of Martial Arts Mountain.
At this moment, the overwhelming energy of Canglan surged, enveloping both Qiao Yuan and Su Lin.
Within this energy of Canglan, frost occasionally emerged, breaking through from the icy blue ocean of Canglan.
Everyone observing the battle could feel its intensity.
As time slowly passed, after half a two-hour, the icy blue ocean of Canglan energy disappeared, revealing the figures of Qiao Yuan and Su Lin.
Upon seeing their appearances, many of the martial artists observing the battle couldn’t help but cry out in shock.
It was too brutal.
Qiao Yuan’s clothes were torn in many places, his face extremely pale, while Su Lin opposite him was in an even worse state. Not only were his clothes in tatters, but even half of his long hair had been cut off, and there was a noticeable bloodstain on his shoulder.
Wow!
The many disciples of Profound Frost Pavilion were in disbelief as they witnessed this scene.
Perhaps outsiders didn’t know how strong Senior Brother Su Lin was, but they knew. Senior Brother Su Lin disliked sparring; even when some disciples sparred in the sect, he never participated. According to Senior Brother Su Lin, he only wanted to cultivate and didn’t care about rankings.
It was precisely because of this that Senior Brother Su Lin never even participated in Martial Arts Mountain.
Yet no sect disciple ever denied Senior Brother Su Lin’s strength because, every year after the sect’s grand comparison ended, the disciple who took first place would go to challenge Senior Brother Su Lin. They never saw the battle’s process, but the outcome was always that the brother still called him Senior Brother Su Lin.
A simple "Senior Brother Su" said it all.
Such a powerful Senior Brother Su was actually at a disadvantage.
Atop Martial Arts Mountain.
Su Lin looked at Qiao Yuan. Ever since he embarked on the Martial Path, he had always been ahead of his peers, which made him uninterested in sparring with them. This was true for the sect’s comparisons, including Martial Arts Mountain.
Su Lin had confidence that if he wanted, his ranking on Martial Arts Mountain could definitely enter the top ten.
But unexpectedly, facing an obscure disciple from Canglan Sect, he was at a disadvantage.
Indeed.
To Su Lin, Qiao Yuan also belonged to that obscure kind.
The Flame Dynasty was vast, with the twenty-four Super Sects shining brightly, but those truly famous under the age of twenty were only the top three of Martial Arts Mountain.
Canglan Sect was far from Profound Frost Pavilion, and the disciples of both sides were not familiar with each other, especially before Qiao Yuan hadn’t reached Innate, his name would not have appeared in the ears of other sect disciples.
"It seems Canglan Sect sent you to block our way to attack Lin Chen, but I’m afraid your strength is not enough."
Su Lin didn’t plan to continue fighting. He came to blockade Lin Chen just to repay a favor.
Even if he fought with all his might, at most, he would end up with mutual destruction with Qiao Yuan.
The battle of Innate Martial Artists is unlike those below Innate. No matter how severe the injury, once they left Martial Arts Mountain, they could recover.
On Martial Arts Mountain, the injuries of Innate Martial Artists wouldn’t heal after leaving.
"Though you can stop me, you can’t stop others. Ten thousand consecutive victories, your Canglan Sect is too greedy."
Su Lin stared at Qiao Yuan. If it wasn’t for the ten thousand consecutive victories atop, just a normal ascension, there wouldn’t be so many sects watching. After all, there would always be someone in that position.
Canglan Sect was also one of the Twenty-four Super Sects. Having a disciple ascend to the top would not make other sects hard to accept.
Even though Canglan Sect hadn’t had a disciple ascend to the top for over a hundred years.
Blocking Lin Chen wasn’t just him; there were others too.
"I know."
Qiao Yuan simply replied with one sentence; he certainly knew how difficult it was. Precisely because he knew it was hard, he chose to help Lin Chen.
If not, why would he break his original plan, and advance to Innate without going through the sect’s Inner Sect Disciple Grand Comparison?
Su Lin said nothing more, simply uttered the words, "I concede," and the next moment, his figure disappeared from Martial Arts Mountain.
Su Lin’s sudden disappearance left many martial artists observing the battle puzzled. Clearly, the fight hadn’t ended, so why did he disappear?
Martial Arts Mountain allowed spectating, but all viewers could only see the scene and not hear the dialogue between both sides.
As Su Lin disappeared, Qiao Yuan’s figure similarly vanished.
Returning to the main hall square, Qiao Yuan had just appeared when Zhao Yulin handed him a pill: "Swallow it."
"Alright."
Qiao Yuan took the pill, swallowed it, and began to recover as quickly as possible.
However, after just a few dozen breaths, the Martial Arts Seal shook again; someone had challenged him.
"Who is so despicable, not even giving him time to rest?"
Seeing that someone continued to challenge Qiao Yuan, even with the Sect Leader and Elders present, Chai Daoqi couldn’t help but curse.
Qiao Yuan’s figure disappeared in place, entering Martial Arts Mountain once again.
In this match, his opponent was from Star Luo Sect.
"Song Qiao from Star Luo Sect."
"Qiao Yuan from Canglan Sect."
Neither side wasted words; after announcing themselves, they immediately transformed into two streaks of rainbow light, clashing into each other.
This time, the two actually chose to clash head-on.
Qiao Yuan was surrounded by a surging wave of Canglan energy, like a child of the blue ocean, while Song Qiao was enveloped by Star Chains, sealing off the entire space.
Whoosh!
To everyone’s astonishment, Qiao Yuan bare-handedly grasped the Star Silver Chain released by Song Qiao and then forcibly pulled it.
Crack!
The silver chain was torn apart by Qiao Yuan, but along with it, Qiao Yuan’s right arm was also severely injured. The flesh of the entire arm was stripped away by the energy released from the broken chain, revealing the stark white bones beneath.
"Hiss, this is reckless."
Many of the disciples watching were shocked by this scene, their faces filled with disbelief.
Qiao Yuan of the Canglan Sect was using a desperate fighting style. This was just a duel, not even the main event. Was it really necessary?
Canglan Sect.
At this moment, countless disciples were watching this battle. When they saw Qiao Yuan tear the chain apart, they erupted in splendid cheers, but when they saw the flesh on Qiao Yuan’s right arm being shaved off, they all gasped in shock.
Senior Brother Qiao, too reckless.
"Qiao Yuan is telling others in this way that if they want to challenge him, they must be prepared to risk everything."
Du Xiaofeng’s old face was serious as he looked at Zhao Yulin: "Junior Brother Zhao, no matter how serious Qiao Yuan’s injuries are or what medicine he needs to recover, I promise to arrange it for him. I won’t let him suffer any after-effects on his Martial Arts Cultivation path."
Qiao Yuan, fighting so desperately, although he says it’s for the Canglan Sect, he’s also helping Lin Chen.
Zhao Yulin didn’t speak, but his eyes were filled with concern.
"Qiao Yuan is not only intimidating future challengers but also buying time."
Since two years ago, Zhao Yulin had been paying attention to Qiao Yuan and knew Qiao Yuan’s character well. Qiao Yuan was not a disciple who only fought recklessly; there was another reason—to bet that other geniuses would care about their face.
This time, Martial Arts Mountain opened the battle to spectators, and the Martial Artists with Martial Arts Seals in the entire Flame Dynasty were countless as carp crossing the river, far more than a hundred thousand. Extend this to those Martial Artists watching alongside those possessing Martial Arts Seals, and there might be over ten million Martial Artists focused on the fight.
Qiao Yuan was injured. If subsequent Innate Martial Artists immediately challenged Qiao Yuan, they might invite criticism, inevitably being labeled as taking advantage of someone’s misfortune, achieving an unworthy victory.
For these geniuses who stepped into the Innate realm before the age of twenty, their pride would not allow this.
On Martial Arts Mountain, Song Qiao’s face was pale. This silver chain was one of the three major Cultivation Techniques of the Star Luo Sect and was connected to their Divine Soul. The destruction of the chain meant the Divine Soul would also suffer.
If he continued to fight, even if he won, it would take several months for his Divine Soul to recover.
To fight with Qiao Yuan to the point of having a damaged Divine Soul, without even a guaranteed victory, he knew how to make this choice.
"I hope you can continue to defend for him."
Song Qiao also chose to concede. Qiao Yuan let his right arm hang down; his right hand could no longer be lifted.
With the disappearance of Song Qiao and Qiao Yuan, at this moment, everywhere in the Flame Dynasty, many not-yet-twenty-year-old Innate Martial Artists frowned.
Everyone could see Qiao Yuan’s injuries. If they challenged Qiao Yuan now, even if they won, it would be an unworthy victory.
But if they didn’t challenge Qiao Yuan, there would be no chance to challenge that Lin Chen, especially when Lin Chen enters the top thirty...
...
In the main hall square of Canglan Sect, Qiao Yuan’s figure reappeared.
Zhao Yulin immediately grabbed Qiao Yuan’s arm, and a warm energy flowed into Qiao Yuan’s body, expelling the Star Power unique to the Star Luo Sect from his arm.
"You shouldn’t have used this fighting method."
"Master, I’m betting that those people won’t challenge an injured person, which can buy two or three days for Lin Chen."
Qiao Yuan forced a smile with a pale face. The flesh on his arm had been shaved off, and with enough Pill to restore flesh, it could be regenerated in two or three days.
"Silly boy."
Zhao Yulin patted Qiao Yuan’s shoulder, at a loss for words.
"Take this Muscle Regeneration Pill."
"Okay."
Qiao Yuan once again accepted the Pill handed over by his master, sat cross-legged, and began meditating. His right arm gradually formed a thin layer of a blood membrane visible to the eye...
A Top-Grade Muscle Regeneration Pill, a Holy Healing Medicine for restoring flesh.
However, as the blood membrane on Qiao Yuan’s arm began to swell, revealing the faint growth of flesh inside, the Martial Arts Seal hovering above his head started to tremble again.
The tremor of the Martial Arts Seal made everyone’s face instantly change.
Someone... actually didn’t care about being said to achieve an unworthy victory and chose to continue challenging Qiao Yuan.
"Master, I..."
Just as Qiao Yuan was about to face the fight, a Golden Crow cry emanated from within the hall.
Boom!
Inside the hall, flames surged like golden light, and everyone’s gaze instantly turned towards the direction of the hall.
"Junior Brother has succeeded?" Chai Daoqi stared firmly at the flames in the doorway.
Within the golden flames, Lin Chen’s figure emerged from the sea of fire, his eyes flashing like sharp blades, and behind him, a shadow of the blazing sun seemed to rise and fall. Under his feet, the wave of flames paved itself into a land of magma, burning everything where it passed.
"Senior Brother Qiao, thank you for buying time for me; now leave it to me as your Junior Brother."