Martial Arts Mountain battlefield.
Sword Light filled the air, and everyone observing was waiting to see how Qiao Yuan would handle this strike.
After the previous two battles, Qiao Yuan’s strength had already gained the approval of many martial artists. They didn’t know that Qiao Yuan had just stepped into the Innate, and assumed, like Su Lin, he was a genius who had entered the Innate stage but didn’t care much for the rankings of Martial Arts Mountain.
On Zhao Feng’s face, a smile was hanging; he cultivated the Sword’s Edge.
Each strike was highly aggressive.
Though Qiao Yuan was strong, taking this hit would definitely cause significant injury.
"Senior Brother Qiao!"
Many disciples of the Canglan Sect saw this strike. Although they could only see the scene, from the mere Sword Light of this attack, it was undoubtedly extraordinary. At that moment, their expressions were very tense, silently cheering on Qiao Yuan in their hearts.
Qiao Yuan’s pupils shrank abruptly. This strike from the opponent was indeed very strong. If he took it, he would surely suffer severe injuries.
"I admit defeat."
Without any hesitation, Qiao Yuan chose to concede.
It wasn’t because he feared injury, but because he knew that even if he blocked this strike, he couldn’t defeat the opponent subsequently.
By that time, Lin Chen would still face the opponent.
Since Lin Chen chose not to seize the opportunity to break into the top thirty but to face all the challenges from the Innate Martial Artists, this hurdle had to be overcome.
If even the Sword Cultivator from the Guixu Sword Tomb couldn’t be defeated, reaching the top was out of the question.
After conceding, Qiao Yuan’s figure disappeared from the spot. Zhao Feng watched the disappearing Qiao Yuan, surprise flickering in his eyes. But the next moment, a hint of a smile appeared on his face. A wise fellow indeed, knowing when to retreat.
"Senior Brother Qiao conceded?"
The Canglan Sect disciples were also surprised by this scene. They didn’t expect Senior Brother Qiao to directly admit defeat, which was completely different from his attitude in the previous two matches.
In the previous two matches, Senior Brother Qiao appeared to be in a do-or-die stance, willing to get injured for a swift victory. So why did he just concede this round?
If the Canglan Sect disciples were surprised, then the other martial artists watching from the Flame Dynasty were in an uproar, with some even showing ridicule on their faces.
The Canglan Sect’s plan was for Qiao Yuan to stall for time. Unexpectedly, a Sword Cultivator from the Guixu Sword Tomb emerged, and knowing he couldn’t delay, he simply gave up.
"Senior Brother Qiao, thank you for your hard work. I’ll take it from here."
As Qiao Yuan’s figure left Martial Arts Mountain, Lin Chen gave a slight smile towards Qiao Yuan, then took out the Martial Arts Seal from his bosom. With a thought, he appeared on the steps of Martial Arts Mountain.
Watching Lin Chen’s figure disappear, Qiao Yuan silently stood aside, sitting cross-legged on the ground, both healing and staring at the light curtain above.
Steps of Martial Arts Mountain.
[Zhao Feng from the Guixu Sword Tomb challenges you]
As soon as his figure appeared on the steps of Martial Arts Mountain, Lin Chen received this notification and, without much hesitation, chose to accept.
The battlefield was still the plains.
And the moment Lin Chen’s figure appeared on the light curtain, everyone in the Flame Dynasty who was paying attention to this battle was filled with excitement.
The main character had finally arrived.
The name Lin Chen was completely unknown in the Flame Dynasty three days ago, but in three days, it spread across most of the Flame Dynasty, especially among young martial artists.
A challenge of ten thousand consecutive victories, regardless of whether it can be achieved, just daring to initiate such a challenge is enough to draw attention.
"Are you Lin Chen?"
Zhao Feng squinted slightly at Lin Chen across from him: "Originally, considering that you and Junior Brother Pei come from the same place, I didn’t want to challenge you. However, Junior Brother Pei said that since you chose the challenge of ten thousand consecutive victories, you wish to fight all the geniuses of the Flame Dynasty, which sparked my interest."
Junior Brother Pei?
Upon hearing this, Lin Chen looked up and asked, "Are you referring to Brother Pei Qingming?"
"Yes, that’s right."
Hearing it was Brother Pei, Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Brother Pei had successfully joined the Guixu Sword Tomb.
However, this person in front of him mentioned that out of respect for Brother Pei, he originally didn’t intend to challenge him. Lin Chen sneered at this.
He didn’t know what Brother Pei had said. Even if Brother Pei meant this, if this person had a good relationship with Brother Pei, he wouldn’t have challenged him right away.
Probably, he was trying to show off in front of Brother Pei, but Brother Pei ignored him.
Since that’s the case, there’s no need for mercy.
Lin Chen asked no more, and the prepared words Zhao Feng had choked back down his throat.
The atmosphere began to cool.
"Well, they really do come from the same place, truly arrogant."
Feeling Lin Chen’s reluctance to speak further, anger flashed in Zhao Feng’s eyes. This indifference, similar to Pei Qingming, seemed to show some level of disdain for him.
If so, then let the opponent know that the Flame Dynasty is not a place where people from a Martial Arts Desolate Land can meddle.
Zhao Feng’s entire aura began to change, with his momentum continuously rising. The long sword behind him was unsheathed, and the whole Martial Arts Mountain battlefield was instantly shrouded in a chilling atmosphere.
Feeling the chilling Sword Intent around him, Lin Chen also showed a hint of surprise.
At the moment of drawing the sword, this person’s aura had completely transformed, becoming a sharp longsword.
"Thousand Ridges Return to Ruins!"
Zhao Feng gave a light shout, the longsword in his hand turning into an all-encompassing Sword Light. The sword shadows resembled thousands of birds returning to their nests, with the screeching sound of tearing air filling the battlefield. Wherever the Sword Light went, the ground was plowed into deep grooves, and even space seemed to ripple with water-like distortions!
This sword was even stronger than the one he faced against Qiao Yuan previously.
In the main hall square of the Canglan Sect, witnessing Zhao Feng’s sword, Qiao Yuan’s eyes were fixated on the light curtain, wanting to see how Lin Chen would take this strike.
"As expected of the talented martial artist from the Guixu Sword Tomb, this strike... even through the light curtain, it’s suffocating."
Many martial artists watching were deeply shocked by the visual impact of this sword. If they were to face this strike themselves, they might have no choice but to surrender.
The intensity of the Sword Light engulfed the entire light curtain, swallowing Lin Chen within it.
"Frozen with fear?"
"He didn’t counterattack. Could it be that the Canglan Sect is about to become the laughingstock of the Flame Dynasty?"
Seeing Lin Chen engulfed by the Sword Light without fighting back, many martial artists were puzzled. If he lost the first battle of the challenge, both Lin Chen and the Canglan Sect would become jokes in the Flame Dynasty.
A challenge of ten thousand consecutive victories, but lost the first battle.
All the spectators couldn’t hear any sound and naturally didn’t know what sounds were being transmitted in the battlefield space engulfed by the Sword Light.
However, Zhao Feng, directly involved, heard it all clearly.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The sound of clashing metal echoed across the heavens and the earth.
PS: Sorry, I returned from the hospital at 1:30 AM, wrote till now and couldn’t hold on anymore. My daughter was diagnosed with rotavirus, truly a headache. This thing is a virus, not bacteria, so antibiotics can’t be used. According to the doctor, we can only give glucose to supplement fluids and rely on her own immune system to get through it.