Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

He looked to be around thirty, with a calm face and a plain grey robe.

”Bai Xin, pleased to receive your guidance.”

The man cupped his fists in salute, his voice low and powerful.

”Bai Xin? The one who got a bye in the first round?”

Tian Kun’s eyes lit up.

”I heard he’s been tempering himself outside all year round and rarely returns to the Sect.”

Liu Qingshan clenched his fists.

”Earth Palace Realm Peak... a notch stronger than Dai Hongmao, maybe...”

Bai Xin didn’t waste words and directly drew a completely crimson Spirit Sword.

The moment the sword left its sheath, the temperature of the entire arena seemed to rise.

”Red Flame Sword Technique·Heaven Burning!”

Bai Xin’s sword momentum soared like a rainbow, red Sword Qi weaving into a fiery net in the air, shrouding toward Ling Xiao.

The oppressive might of an Earth Palace Realm Peak was fully unleashed; the Cultivators with weaker Cultivation at the sidelines all retreated.

”So strong!”

Liang Yu exclaimed.

”The power of this sword is already close to the Earth Palace Realm!”

Gu Sheng watched Bai Xin’s attacking posture and silently closed his eyes.

He could already foresee the outcome.

Sure enough, faced with the overwhelming fire net, Ling Xiao simply raised his right fist and then—punched out!

”Bang!”

With a dull thud, the fire net was easily torn apart.

Bai Xin didn’t even have time to change moves before the aftershock of that punch hit him square in the chest.

The whole arena fell silent once more.

”I accept your concession.”

Ling Xiao still wore that casual, unbothered expression, as if he had just swatted away a fly.

Bai Xin struggled to get up, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He looked deeply at Ling Xiao, cupped his fists, and said,

”Thank you for holding back.”

Dai Hongmao stood at the edge of the arena, the wooden fan in his hand trembling slightly.

As the second strongest in the team after Bai Xin, he had planned to shine during the selection, but now...

”Are you still going up?”

Liu Qingshan asked in a low voice.

Dai Hongmao took a deep breath.

”Yes! Even if I lose, I have to lose beautifully!”

He leapt onto the platform, and with a ”whoosh” the wooden fan snapped open.

”Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao, please instruct me!”

”It’s Senior Brother Dai’s Thousand Leaf Flying Flower!”

Some Disciples recognized the move.

Dai Hongmao poured all his Spiritual Power into the wooden fan; the fan surface instantly expanded to three zhang across, and countless leaf-shaped Spiritual Power Blades howled out, shooting toward Ling Xiao like a sky-covering storm.

Ling Xiao stood with both hands behind his back, his figure weaving through the leaf blades, yet not a single one could even touch the hem of his clothes.

”Your speed is not bad.”

Ling Xiao commented.

”Unfortunately...”

He suddenly stopped moving and lightly tapped the Void with his right index finger.

”Snap!”

With a crisp sound, all the leaf blades exploded at once; Dai Hongmao, man and fan together, was sent flying, crashing heavily at the edge of the platform.

”I concede...”

Dai Hongmao said bitterly, struggling up to salute.

Ling Xiao had won three matches in a row!

According to the rules, this meant Gu Sheng’s team had gained three additional slots; the top six could all enter Qinghe Holy Land!

”That’s awesome!”

Liang Yu jumped up in excitement.

”We can all enter the Holy Land!”

”Senior Brother Ling Xiao is too strong!”

The other Disciples also cheered one after another, their gazes at Ling Xiao full of worship.

Even those Cultivators ranked lower couldn’t help but cheer for Ling Xiao.

In this world where the strong are revered, strength is the best pass.

Gu Sheng, however, quietly retreated to the edge of the crowd, his gaze unintentionally sweeping over the Holy Land Disciples high above.

Wang Chenyu was bowing his head and whispering with a few people beside him, an icy smile on his face.

”Something’s wrong...” Gu Sheng’s heart tightened.

”What are these Holy Land Disciples plotting?”

He decided to keep an even lower profile in the upcoming melee, letting Ling Xiao draw everyone’s attention.

On the Qinghe Holy Land’s dueling platform, Ling Xiao stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robe fluttering without wind.

His gaze was like lightning as it swept across the crowd below, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips.

”Who else?”

Ling Xiao’s voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

The Cultivators below looked at each other; no one dared to respond.

Just now, four people had stepped up to challenge in succession, only to be blasted off the platform by Ling Xiao with a single move, without exception.

That overwhelming momentum was like a fierce tiger plunging into a flock of sheep, unstoppable.

”I’ll go!”

A burly man leapt onto the platform; it was the somewhat-famous Body Cultivation expert Zhao Tieshan.

Ling Xiao didn’t even lift his eyelids.

”Please.”

Zhao Tieshan roared, his entire body taking on a bronze sheen as his fists hammered toward Ling Xiao’s face like twin mauls.

This strike carried the weight of a thousand jun; even the air let out explosive booms.

”Too slow.”

Ling Xiao sighed lightly; with a flicker of his figure he was already behind Zhao Tieshan, his palm landing gently on Zhao Tieshan’s back.

”Bang!”

Zhao Tieshan flew off the platform and crashed heavily into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The audience fell utterly silent.

”The fifth.”

Ling Xiao reported the number calmly, his gaze shifting to the only two remaining below—Tian Kun and Qing Shan.

Their faces were extremely ugly.

They had been the hot favorites for this selection, but now, under Ling Xiao’s oppressive aura, even breathing felt difficult.

Tian Kun gritted his teeth.

”Forget it, I’ll go first!”

He leapt onto the platform, a long knife of cold, gleaming light appearing in his hand.

The blade vibrated, letting out a clear, dragon-like hum.

”Tian Family’s Broken Wave Saber, please instruct me!”

Tian Kun said in a deep voice, Spiritual Power surging all around him; he had clearly gone all out.

Ling Xiao finally looked at him properly and nodded.

”At last, someone decent.”

Before the words had fallen, Tian Kun had already turned into a blur; the knife light slashed toward Ling Xiao’s neck like a streamer.

This strike was as fast as lightning; the crowd only felt their vision blur, and the blade’s edge was already three inches from Ling Xiao’s throat.

”Clang!”

The ringing clash of metal echoed across the arena.

Ling Xiao used just two fingers to catch that unstoppable slash, holding it completely still.

Tian Kun’s pupils shrank sharply; before he could change moves, a seemingly light palm landed on his chest.

”Pff—”

Tian Kun spat a mouthful of blood and was sent flying, crashing heavily at the edge of the platform.