Chapter Fifty-Five: Do You Wish to Break Through?

"Is that an elder?"
"Of course. Only elders who have reached the Core Formation Realm are capable of flight!"
"Elder Liu is truly remarkable!"

At this moment, the old man spoke slowly, "I am Liu Neng, and I will preside over this Eastern District Grand Competition!" As Liu Neng began to speak, he stretched his arm forward, his five fingers spread wide. It was as if the earth itself sensed some kind of summons; the central area responded, rising up, and a platform a hundred meters square was gently lifted into the air by an unseen force.

With a slight movement of Liu Neng's fingers, two intersecting lines appeared atop the platform, dividing it evenly into four smaller arenas, each separated by about two meters. The tremor caused by the earth’s shifting rippled outward in waves, and every disciple felt a subtle vibration beneath their feet, as though a great beast was about to burst forth from the ground.

Is this the power of a Core Formation expert?
Luo Tian’s heart surged with excitement; he had never witnessed such a spectacle before.

"Now I will announce the rules for selecting the top ten outer sect disciples!"
Liu Neng’s expression remained indifferent; such childish games barely stirred his interest. Still, it was his duty, and an elder had to oversee the event to prevent any mishaps. "All disciples wishing to compete, step onto the stage and draw lots. Battles will be one-on-one. If there is an odd number, one will get a bye. Winners remain, losers leave, until ten are chosen!"

A buzz of discussion filled the air, as the outer sect disciples exchanged opinions. Although this rule was not commonly used, there was precedent, so despite their surprise, the disciples quickly accepted it. This kind of selection did not require prior registration; contestants decided on the day itself.

So they’re playing it this way?

Shen Lingfeng glanced coldly at Luo Tian, wondering if he might have a chance to teach this kid a lesson during the competition.

Tang Yueyan had come with a playful spirit, not expecting to advance far, but simply hoping to gain some practical combat experience. Seeing Luo Tian staring so seriously at the arena, she felt a bit helpless. Was this guy, at his sixth cycle, still dreaming of competing for the top three of Ziyang Mountain?

As Liu Neng’s words faded, disciples stepped forward one by one. For these outer sect disciples, who were all at least at the sixth cycle of the Qi Condensation Realm, the one-meter-high platform was nothing; they leapt up with ease.

A disciple in a black standard robe approached Liu Neng and spoke quietly, "Elder, there are fifty in total!"

"Proceed as arranged," Liu Neng replied coolly. Then, at his feet, a pillar formed entirely of earth rose to a height of about ten meters, providing a clear view of the entire field.

"Yes!"
The inner sect disciple answered respectfully, then reached into his storage pouch, withdrew fifty small tokens, and lightly tossed them toward the stage. Each token landed precisely in the hands of a contestant.

"One versus two, three versus four, and so on. Four arenas will host battles simultaneously! No restrictions on weapons, but intentional killing is forbidden. If anyone concedes, the match ends immediately; leaving the arena means defeat!"

Hearing the detailed rules, Luo Tian glanced at his token—number seventeen!
He would have time to observe the other matches first.

"All unrelated persons, please leave the area. Eight contestants remain!"
As this inner sect disciple spoke, three more approached the arenas, each directing their assigned contestants to their respective platforms.

Luo Tian swiftly withdrew from the arena area, scanning the contestants atop the platforms and nodding to himself. Most were at the seventh cycle of Qi Condensation; he should observe closely, identify the true threats, and perhaps find suitable people to befriend, maybe take a few juniors under his wing.

On the four platforms, the eight contestants exchanged names and cultivation levels before beginning their matches.

"Look, number three is Senior Shen Lingfeng!"
"Number five is one of our fellow brothers from humble origins, already at the seventh cycle of Qi Condensation!"
"Check out number two—that’s Senior Liu Ning Shan, who’s close to reaching the eighth cycle!"

Luo Tian listened as the eight contestants announced their names, paying particular attention to Shen Lingfeng. This fellow had said he wanted to teach Luo Tian a lesson; who knew how formidable he had become? Luo Tian would have to watch carefully, just in case they were matched up.

On the third platform, a disciple from humble origins at the seventh cycle faced a Shen family member at the sixth cycle. They seemed evenly matched, but in truth the Shen family member was more aggressive, gradually gaining the upper hand.

Luo Tian sighed inwardly. Body-refining secret arts were foundational techniques, but under the sect’s guidance, most disciples from humble backgrounds paid them little heed; even if they wanted to improve, they lacked resources.

Shen Lingfeng’s opponent was a Tang family outer sect disciple, also at the seventh cycle. For some reason, he felt a coldness continually invading his body—not only was the temperature unbearable, but his limbs grew stiff and numb, severely hampering his fighting ability.

"What’s happening with Senior Tang?"
"Yeah, why is Senior Tang being suppressed? Aren’t they both at the seventh cycle? Why is there such a gap in strength?"

Luo Tian heard the murmurs and couldn’t help shifting his gaze. Just then, Shen Lingfeng suddenly kicked his opponent, sending him flying off the platform. Afterward, Shen Lingfeng glanced at Luo Tian.

For some reason, Luo Tian sensed a trace of coldness in Shen Lingfeng’s gaze.

"Qingshan, has Shen Lingfeng comprehended some kind of true intent?"

Tang Yu furrowed his brows. He had watched Shen Lingfeng’s entire fight, but couldn’t judge for certain.

"Hard to say, but in my opinion, even if he hasn’t fully grasped it, he’s showing signs," Chen Qingshan replied solemnly. "Shen Lingfeng is a formidable opponent!"

So Shen Lingfeng had his sights set on Luo Tian—how truly malicious!
Luo Tian narrowed his eyes. Did they really think Senior Luo was so easy to bully?

As more disciples lost and left the stage, it was finally Luo Tian’s turn to compete.

"Is that Senior Luo? Go, Senior Luo!"
"Come on, Senior Luo, you can do it!"
"Senior Luo, I support you—victory, victory!"

Yang Qing and Li Yang had been waiting for this moment. As soon as Luo Tian stepped onto the stage, they shouted loudly in support. With their cheers, disciples whom Luo Tian had previously guided also noticed him and joined in.

"Senior Luo, you must win!"

Wang Dazhi’s booming voice rang out like thunder, shaking the whole arena and drawing all attention to Luo Tian.

Although there were hundreds of spectators among the outer sect disciples below, many were new. Except for those who had already descended the mountain upon reaching Qi Condensation or were absent due to assignments, most joined in the cheers.

In an instant, as Luo Tian stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere grew heated and imposing.

"Feng Mo!"
"Luo Tian!"

After exchanging names, Luo Tian didn’t hesitate. His eyes flashed golden, instantly seeing the flow of Yuan energy within Feng Mo. He waved his hand, signaling Feng Mo not to rush.

"What, are you planning to concede?"
Feng Mo asked, though he didn’t mean it. Despite feeling intimidated by the crowd and having heard some stories about Luo Tian, he had no intention of giving up; if there was a chance to win, he would take it.

Looking at Feng Mo, whose body was enveloped in deep blue Yuan energy, Luo Tian smiled calmly, "Junior Feng, do you wish to break through?"