Chapter 85: Chapter 79 Ye Chen Enters the Arena!
"The losers of the secondary rings, eliminated, move to the spectator area!"
Accompanied by the words of Patriarch Qian, the host of the second round, seventy out of the ninety competitors on the secondary rings in the ten combat zones sadly swept down from the platforms.
Although Bai Xiaodong and Qian Yun had made it into this second round with Ye Chen's help, their strength was still lacking, and they were now among the seventy eliminated, joining the crowd below.
However, having personally experienced the second round of competition left them quite satisfied.
What they had left to do was to see just how far Ye Chen could go in the great competition between the three clans.
By now, in each of the ten combat zones, only one main ring and the two strongest secondary rings remained.
Thirty individuals stood firm in a vast array of arenas, representing the true powerhouses among the younger generation of the Ye, Qian, and Bai clans!
It was these thirty who would enter the Ancestral Land that had opened for the first time in over three hundred years to explore the mysterious Ancestral Land Secret Realm!
"You thirty will enter the Ancestral Land to explore the Ancestral Land Secret Realm!"
As Patriarch Qian announced the results, the thirty still standing on the platforms showed expressions of excitement and anticipation.
At last, they had heard the result.
At last, they had obtained the qualification to enter the Ancestral Land!
That mysterious Ancestral Land, the secret realm they had heard about in legends since childhood, they finally had the chance to enter and explore its mysteries!
Seeing the eager expressions of the youths, Patriarch Qian nodded and continued, "Earning the qualification to enter the Ancestral Land is just the beginning."
"Making it into the top ten and securing the special reward for entering the Ancestral Land will allow you to encounter the true great opportunities and fortunes there!"
"Now, the 'Top Ten Selection Battle' begins!"
"The two strongest secondary rings in each combat zone may challenge the main ring. Whoever wins takes the place of the main ring, ready to face the next challenger!"
"If all three are in a situation where each has one win and one loss, we'll have a final showdown on the main ring. Whoever is knocked out of the ring is eliminated, and the one remaining on the main ring will be the ultimate victor!"
"Finally, the strongest person from each combat zone will claim first place in their zone and advance into the top ten!"
"Begin the challenges!"
After Patriarch Qian declared the official start of the "Top Ten Selection Battle" challenge, the entire spectator area became electrified, with members of all three clans stirred into excitement.
Even the youngsters from the three clans who had just been eliminated managed to shake off their despondency, turning their attention to the combat platforms, ready to witness the birth of the mightiest ten!
"It has begun!"
"From the thirty strong, select the top ten!"
"This is a battle among the mighty!"
The onlooking clansmen from all three families crowded around the combat platforms, all widening their eyes to take in the struggle above.
This contest among the thirty strong was where the true power resided. There were no weaklings here; each one wielded powerful True Qi and formidable Martial Skills!
They were about to fight for their chance to break into the top ten and gain that special reward!
At that moment, on the combat platforms that held everyone's rapt attention, all secondary rings turned their eyes towards their main rings.
Each main ring contender also looked back at their two strongest competitors.
What followed would be a battle amongst the three to determine the strongest.
In the first combat zone where Ye Chen was located, both secondary ring contestants were seventeen or eighteen-year-old youths, who now looked at Ye Chen with a sense of awe.
They clearly understood the anomaly that occurred while Ye Chen sat meditating in the main ring, indicating from his cultivation's phenomena that Ye Chen was no weakling.
Furthermore, Ye Chen's miraculous performance in the first round made them dare not to underestimate him.
After exchanging glances, the two of them both laughed wryly—neither dared to be the first to challenge Ye Chen.
Meanwhile, challenges had been issued in other combat zones, and even in the second combat zone where Bai Xiaodie resided, a young girl in red robes had issued a challenge to Bai Xiaodie.
Challenges had commenced in nine combat zones, but the first combat zone was yet to start, which sparked whispers among the onlooking clansmen.
"They must not dare to challenge the young master," said the little girl Tao'er with a giggly smile to Ye Xiaotian and Lin Rin standing beside her, below the first combat zone.
Her young master had already successfully qualified for the Ancestral Land, so the little maid was quite relaxed.
Ye Xiaotian and Lin Rin also responded with a light chuckle.
This time, Ye Chen's performance filled them with immense pride; their child was drawing attention even among the entire three clans!
Amid the discussions of the spectators, a youth, slightly older than the other, finally leaped onto the main ring of the first combat zone.
"Brother Ye Chen, I am Bai Xiaolong and I challenge you!" the youth respectfully bowed to Ye Chen and spoke up.
With a challenge issued to the main ring in the first combat zone, Ye Chen was finally about to enter the fray!
When Ye Chen showed off his movement technique while snatching the token, this was the opportunity for many to turn their gaze towards the first combat zone, eager to see just how formidable Ye Chen's Martial Skills were in addition to his movement technique.
Even Bai Xiaodie, in the neighboring combat zone, was fending off a challenge on the sub-arena while also paying attention to Ye Chen's movements.
Ye Chen smiled and returned the salute to the young man, "Brother Bai, make your move!"
"Okay!"
"I don't dare to be overconfident in sparring with Brother Ye Chen, so I'll take the liberty of making the first move without further ado!"
As Bai Xiaolong spoke, with a "swoosh," he drew out a fine steel treasured saber from his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the treasured saber transformed into a shimmer of blade light, slashing towards Ye Chen.
"What weapon will Ye Chen use?"
"I've never seen him use a weapon!"
The spectators, watching Ye Chen directly face Bai Xiaolong's all-encompassing blade light, all tensed up.
Ye Chen's fine steel sword had shattered during his battle with Zhou Hai at Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, and he hadn't purchased another sword since.
Moreover, his flying sword, "Crimson Fire," was even less suitable for use in such a significant family competition.
Hence, Ye Chen had no weapon on him.
However, although Bai Xiaolong had made it into the top thirty, his True Qi realm was only at the sixth level, and Ye Chen could tell that the coming blade technique was of a lower-mid Yellow tier martial skill.
Such a challenge might be daunting to other clan members watching the battle, or even to other young contenders.
But how could it possibly trouble Ye Chen?
In the instant that Bai Xiaolong's widespread blade light descended on Ye Chen, the latter simply pinched with his fingers and caught the flat of the treasured saber amidst the flurry of blades. Then, with a flick of his fingers, a powerful force swept towards Bai Xiaolong's arm.
Bai Xiaolong felt a heat in his grip as the treasured saber was directly flicked out of his hand!
Ye Chen, with his bare hands, had directly sent Bai Xiaolong's treasured saber flying!
This brief exchange was enough to determine the superior fighter.
Bai Xiaolong's complexion changed. He had anticipated Ye Chen's prowess but had not expected him to be so formidable. Scrambling backward, he tried to retrieve the treasured saber that had been knocked away.
Instead of seizing the opportunity to defeat him outright, Ye Chen turned his gaze to the perimeter of the thousand-yard area. When his eyes landed on a large tree some twenty meters away, a thought crossed his mind.
Stretching out his hand, he made a grabbing motion towards the tree, and a branch as thick as a thumb and over half a meter long snapped off, flying directly towards Ye Chen.
In the blink of an eye, the branch landed in Ye Chen's hand!
With a shake of his hand, True Qi enveloped the supple branch, making it seem as if it had turned into a sword in Ye Chen's grip.
Ye Chen's ability to pluck a branch from the air, infuse it with True Qi, and turn it into a sword left Bai Xiaolong completely dumbfounded.
The onlookers were also agape.
They had never seen such a casual and effortless display!
In their astonishment, Ye Chen flicked the branch in his hand, and immediately it became eight points of sword light thrusting towards Bai Xiaolong.
This was unmistakably the "Eight Cuts in One Breath" technique from the Torrential Rain Sword Skills!
Seeing the eight points of sword light aiming for eight different parts of his body, Bai Xiaolong was so startled that he crossed his saber in an attempt to block Ye Chen's attack.
In the clash of offense and defense, Ye Chen's branch went up against Bai Xiaolong's fine steel treasured saber.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Among the sounds of metal clashing, Bai Xiaolong's fine steel treasured saber was actually pierced through by the branch, creating five holes!
The fine steel treasured saber's sharpness proved inferior to a common branch in Ye Chen's hand!
After his saber was punctured with five holes, Bai Xiaolong couldn't withstand the immense force coming from the branch. The reaction force from his own treasured saber sent him flying backwards.
At the same time, the three streaks of sword light he failed to block swiftly moved in, instantly stabbing towards Bai Xiaolong's arm, thigh, and neck.
The chilling intent of the sword Qi made Bai Xiaolong's flesh, muscles, and even his soul tremble.
He was left with no means to avoid them. If Ye Chen didn't pull back, Bai Xiaolong felt that the three streaks of sword light would surely kill him!
Just as Bai Xiaolong was seized with terror, Ye Chen flicked his wrist, and the three streaks of sword light heading for Bai Xiaolong abruptly changed direction, passing by him and piercing another large tree several dozen meters away, creating three large holes through it!
Sure enough, just as Bai Xiaolong had feared, had the sword light hit him, it would have killed him outright.
From this simple exchange, Bai Xiaolong knew the gap between him and Ye Chen was immense.
He was no match for even a single move from Ye Chen!
"I admit defeat!"
"Brother Ye Chen, you truly are formidable. You deserve to be the champion of our first combat zone without question!"
Staring at the three large holes in the tree tens of meters away, Bai Xiaolong's heart skipped a beat as he respectfully conceded defeat to Ye Chen.
Afterward, he promptly leapt down from the main arena, not daring to stay a moment longer.
Ye Chen won his first match with effortless ease!