On Evan Chu's battered, rust-stained Frostbane Sword, a dazzling blade light suddenly appeared—this was the result of stellar force being injected into it.
A surge of sword Qi shaped like a tornado instantly swept toward the referee.
Wind-Sweeping Shredding Clouds—this was the seventh form of the Windchaser Sword Codex. The moment Evan unleashed this move, more than half his stellar force was drained, leaving him with a frightening sense of powerlessness.
This was his one and only trump card. If even this couldn't kill or severely injure his opponent, then what awaited him would likely be death.
The referee, having just unleashed his own powerful strike, hadn't even turned around before Evan's attack arrived.
He never imagined Evan could dodge and attack at the same time.
A sense of unprecedented crisis welled up in his heart. "What martial art is this? Its power is terrifying!"
There was no time to think—the devastating force of Wind-Sweeping Shredding Clouds instantly swept up the spirit stones from the arena floor, rolling them straight toward him.
It was too late to dodge; his only option was to meet the attack head-on. He hurriedly swung his sword and retreated rapidly.
The power of a mid-grade Profound-tier martial art was no joke. The sword the referee swung did nothing to stop the tornado-like sword Qi, which instantly engulfed him.
'Ah!' A sound that was equal parts pain and shock burst from his lips.
The referee was swept directly into the air; after about five seconds, he finally crashed down, marking the end of Evan's attack.
Smoke filled the arena, making it impossible to see what was happening. Evan Chu stood quietly to the side, expressionless as he gazed into the distance, though inwardly he was deeply anxious.
Everyone was stunned—such a powerful martial art had never been seen before, and the one wielding it was a youth once called a waste.
On the VIP dais, Jenny Sima's face was visibly shocked. Even though she wore a veil, her surprise was obvious.
Dominic Chu was more shaken than anyone. This was not a martial art possessed by the family; in his mind, the clan's strongest technique was the one he himself practiced—a lower-grade Profound-tier martial art.
'Where did Feng'er get this martial art? Did he obtain it from the second floor of the Book Repository? Impossible—even the second floor wouldn't have something like this. I'll have to ask him when I get the chance.'
By now, the smoke had cleared, and the spectators could clearly see the state of the arena—if it could even be called an arena anymore, since it had long since been ruined beyond recognition.
Lying on the ground was a man, his body covered in blood, his clothes almost entirely gone, motionless.
'He defeated a ninth-level Xuanwu expert—is that really true? It's unbelievable!' someone in the crowd exclaimed.
'This kid is defying the heavens! Even a ninth-level Xuanwu isn't his match—I heard he's only fifth-level Xuanwu. It's unbelievable.'
The commotion on Evan Chu's side was so great that people watching other groups flocked to his arena, crowding it to capacity.
Evan slowly walked up to the referee and looked him over. The man's eyes stared back at him, filled with unwillingness and disbelief.
At that moment, Luna's voice appeared in his mind: 'You really went too far this time. That man's internal organs are all shattered—it's a miracle he's still alive.'
'Revealing your true strength so early isn't wise. There are plenty here stronger than him, and some people have already taken notice of the martial art you just used.'
'If soldiers come, I'll meet them; if water comes, I'll block it. I'm not someone who fears trouble—let them pay attention if they want!'
'What martial art is this? Why... why is it so powerful?' the referee asked with difficulty.
Evan knew this was the man's biggest question before death—if he didn't answer, the referee would die with regrets.
'Mid-grade Profound-tier martial art—the Windchaser Sword Codex!' Evan replied quietly, so only the referee could hear; he didn't want to cause another uproar.
The middle-aged man's pale face twisted into a bitter smile. 'You... weren't you injured before? Why... why are you fine now?'
'You really want to know?'
The referee nodded, but as he tried to speak, blood welled up at the corner of his mouth—he was clearly on the verge of death.
Evan glanced at him, frowning slightly. Fine, I'll tell him—let him die without regrets.
'My earlier injuries were all an act. Even the blood at my lips was forced out by reversing my spiritual energy—it was all to create a false impression.'
'I wanted you to think I was badly hurt, so you'd underestimate me and assume I wasn't a threat.'
'I waited until you thought I'd die from your move, then unleashed my strongest attack.'
'I caught you off guard—if it didn't kill you, it would at least leave you gravely injured.'
After hearing Evan's explanation, blood gushed even more from the referee's mouth. Clearly, he'd fallen for Evan's ruse, which had led to his current state.
'You... you truly... have a cunning mind! I...'
Before he could finish, his breath faded away. Evan stood quietly, his gaze shifting to several people seated in the VIP section.
With such chaos, someone had to clean up the aftermath and announce who would enter the finals. That person was Jenny Sima, who presided over the family tournament.
At that moment, Jenny Sima's gaze met Evan Chu's again, and for the first time, a strange feeling of heart-thumping anticipation arose between them.
Evan Chu was an enigma to her. The records showed he was only fifth-level Xuanwu, yet now he'd slain a ninth-level expert.
This was something no one could easily accept. She didn't know much about Evan, but she was deeply curious about him.
A person once called trash dared to stand up for justice in the streets. Such a person was either truly worthless—or someone defying fate itself.
Evan's gaze never left Jenny Sima's eyes—he liked this feeling, though he couldn't say why; it was simply exhilarating.
Jenny Sima rose to her feet, her voice clear and melodious: 'This year's family tournament has been full of surprises. Evan Chu has defeated a ninth-level Xuanwu referee.'
'I announce that the rest of this group need not compete—Evan Chu is the first to advance. If any clan member disagrees, they may challenge the ninth-level Xuanwu.'
'If they win, they will replace Evan and become the first to advance from Group Three.'
'Slaying a referee means our City Lord's Mansion has lost an expert, and normally you would be punished. But I will not punish you—instead, I will commend you, because you are one of Flowing Cloud City's own, and our pride.'
Jenny Sima's words drew thunderous applause, and Evan Chu's name was etched into everyone's heart.
Harold Liu and his son were furious. They'd planned to kill Evan during the tournament, but never expected him to slay a ninth-level Xuanwu expert. Man proposes, heaven disposes.
In the crowd, another veiled woman—just like Jenny Sima—shuddered. 'I thought my cultivation was improving quickly, but Evan, you're even faster!'
Evan stood there, dumbstruck. The result was so unexpected, he struggled to accept it.
Irrelevant passage. Skipping translation as this is not part of the novel's narrative.
Irrelevant passage. Skipping translation as this is not part of the novel's narrative.