Harriet Gu's opponent was also a ninth-layer Qi-Refining cultivator.
"Senior Sister Harriet, please go easy on me!" After stepping onto the stage, the man bowed in greeting, his eyes showing a faint trace of admiration.
"Make your move."
Harriet Gu replied coldly. Hearing her tone, the senior brother looked slightly disappointed.
Soon, the two were locked in combat.
Harriet Gu's swordsmanship was ethereal and elusive, impossible to predict, while the senior brother's blade technique was upright and straightforward.
It was exactly the kind of style countered by Harriet Gu's sword technique.
After just a few exchanges, the senior brother was forced to retreat again and again. Seeing that he was about to be driven off the stage, he could no longer hold back and shouted, "Senior Sister Harriet, watch out!"
Boom!
The senior brother unleashed his full aura, his long saber shooting out streaks of golden blade-light, each a zhang long, weaving a deadly net.
Standing at the center of the blade-net, Harriet Gu's dress fluttered around her, but her stunning face showed not a trace of panic.
For a moment, the crowd below couldn't help but cheer for her composure. Even referee Zane Zong nodded quietly, his eyes full of approval.
The blade-net was about to close in on Harriet Gu. If she didn't fight back soon, she might be shredded to pieces. The crowd couldn't help but worry for her.
Fortunately, at the next instant, Harriet Gu's long sword began to move.
A brilliant confidence flashed in her cold eyes.
She struck east, then west, her sword seemingly random and without pattern, dancing through the air. Yet somehow, every chaotic thrust unraveled the deadly blade-net.
"Excellent! That girl Harriet's swordsmanship has truly reached mastery!"
Seeing this, Zane Zong couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
With her sword tip pressed to the senior brother's neck, he raised his saber, then finally lowered it and sighed, "I admit defeat!"
Sheathing her sword, Harriet Gu stepped off the stage.
The next few matches were all rather dull. Finally, after more than four hours, the first round of battles ended. Including Leon Huang, who advanced by default, nine members of the Inner Sect top ten had now been decided.
The last spot would be decided from among the eight who had lost.
So, those eight took the stage once again.
After another two hours of fierce battles, a ninth-layer Qi-Refining cultivator named Kurt Shen stood out, claiming the final place among the Inner Sect top ten.
The rewards for the Inner Sect top ten were three Breakthrough Pills, one hundred thousand taels of silver, and a first-grade spirit weapon. For the top three, the prizes would be doubled.
Zane Zong’s voice rang out again: “Now, we’ll begin the battle for the top three. The rules are simple: this is a challenge round. Each time you defeat an opponent, you earn one point. The disciple with the highest score will take first place. The matches start now—challenge anyone you like!”
As soon as Zane Zong finished speaking, Darren Duanmu couldn’t wait any longer. He shot onto the platform and pointed straight at Leon Huang. “Leon Huang, get up here! I challenge you!”
"Are you sure?" Leon Huang asked.
“Cut the crap and get up here!” Darren Duanmu urged impatiently.
"Alright!"
With a gentle tap of his right foot, Leon Huang floated up to the stage like a drifting cloud.
“Draw your weapon! I’ll defeat you bare-handed!” Darren Duanmu declared arrogantly.
"Sure!"
With a grasp at the air, Leon Huang summoned the Falling Star Sword into his hand.
Seeing the plain-looking sword in Leon’s hand, Darren Duanmu couldn’t help but laugh. "Ha! That sword of yours is way too shabby. Why don’t I lend you a first-grade spirit weapon instead?"
Leon Huang rolled his eyes in disdain. "You country bumpkin. This sword is actually a sixth-grade spirit weapon!"
“A sixth-grade spirit weapon?” Darren Duanmu was stunned for a moment, then mocked, "Anyone can pick up a random rusty sword and claim it’s sixth grade. You think I’m stupid?"
"It really is a sixth-grade spirit weapon!" Zane Zong suddenly interjected, his gaze at Leon Huang growing more curious. For an Inner Sect disciple to wield a sixth-grade weapon was nearly unbelievable. Even as a Grandmaster, the strongest weapon Zane had was only fourth grade.
"Wait, seriously?"
After hearing Zane Zong confirm it, Darren Duanmu’s eyes flashed with panic. A sixth-grade spirit weapon could boost its wielder’s strength five- or six-fold. Instantly, he regretted his decision not to use a weapon.
"Regretting not using a weapon, are you?" Leon Huang saw right through Darren Duanmu’s thoughts. "Never mind, I’m not the petty type. Go ahead and use your weapon—otherwise, if you lose, you’ll just make excuses!"
Caught out, Darren Duanmu looked embarrassed but stubbornly raised his chin. "Who says I regret it? I can beat you bare-handed!"
"Alright, let’s get started then!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Leon Huang slashed his sword at Darren Duanmu.
Boom!
A three-zhang-long arc of blazing red sword-qi burst from the Falling Star Sword, reaching Darren in an instant.
Caught off guard, Darren had no choice but to meet the sword-qi with his fist.
Bang!
Darren was knocked backward, barely managing to steady himself at the edge of the arena. Blood streaked his fist—clearly, taking Leon’s strike was no easy feat.
"I only used half my true qi for that strike. You sure you still want to fight without a weapon?" Leon Huang teased.
Darren’s face grew even more awkward. He understood now—if he didn’t use a weapon, he really wasn’t Leon Huang’s match.
"Fine, I’ll use a weapon then!"
Shing!
Darren drew a third-grade spirit longsword from his back and charged at Leon, unleashing his movement technique.
Heh heh!
Leon reacted instantly. Without bothering with any sword technique, he relied solely on the Falling Star Sword’s amplification, slashing out more than ten times in quick succession.
Each arc of sword-qi stretched three zhang, and with Leon’s crisscrossing strikes, most of the arena was soon filled with blazing red sword-qi.
Caught in the sword-qi net, Darren swung his longsword, pushing his three-star sword technique to the limit just to carve a path through Leon’s barrage. But just then, a particularly wicked slash came slicing in.
Bang!
Darren had barely lifted his sword to his chest when Leon’s full-powered strike sent him flying straight off the stage.
"Number Eleven, Leon Huang, wins and earns one point!"
Zane Zong announced the result right on cue.
He then turned to Leon Huang. "You need to challenge at least one more opponent before you can step down and rest."
"Alright, I invite that senior up for a match!" Leon Huang pointed at a ninth-layer cultivator.
"I concede!" the senior said bluntly. Everyone had just witnessed Leon’s battle with Darren Duanmu—he hadn’t even used a sword technique and still won handily. This man was about equal to Darren in strength, so he knew he stood no chance.
"Leon Huang earns two points. You may choose to keep challenging or step down to rest!" Zane Zong announced.
"No need, I’ll keep challenging!" Leon said, pointing at another ninth-layer cultivator.
But that opponent also chose to concede.
Leon went on to challenge three more people in a row, and all of them surrendered as well. With that, he racked up six points.
"Senior, please come up!" Leon Huang fixed his gaze on a cultivator who had reached the peak of the ninth Qi-Refining layer.
This time, the opponent didn’t concede. With a flash, he landed on the arena.
"Junior Brother Huang, please give me some pointers!" The senior cupped his fists toward Leon.
"Alright!"
After a brief salute, the two separated and took their positions.
Boom!
Leon Huang swung his sword, sending a three-zhang-long arc of fiery sword-light straight at his opponent.
But with a flick of his spirit longsword, the senior split Leon’s sword-qi apart and strode forward, looking completely relaxed and at ease.
Seeing this, Zane Zong’s eyes lit up. He thought to himself, This guy’s sword cultivation might even surpass Harriet Gu’s.