The System Arrives: Leading My Clan to Become the Strongest

97: Chapter 97 Aftermath of the Melee, Jiang Feng in PerilPeals of laughter rose and fell, causing Jiang Xueqin’s small face to instantly flush crimson. She gripped the short sword tighter and tighter, her eyes slightly red, but she stubbornly remained silent.

Jiang Feng was much calmer. He shielded Jiang Xueqin behind him, his cold gaze sweeping over the mocking Cultivators around them, and said in a deep voice:

“Enough nonsense. Let the competition begin. Let our hands show the true measure!”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried the sharpness unique to youths, causing the surrounding laughter to pause for a moment.

“Quiet, all of you.”

Just then, the pressure of a Golden Core swept across the entire venue. Everyone was instantly intimidated by this Aura and fell silent.

“I now announce that this competition will be a melee. No matter what methods you use, the last hundred people remaining will participate in the final battle. Now, I declare the Qingfeng Martial Meet Battle to begin.”

As his voice fell, the Golden Core pressure retracted.

In an instant, the atmosphere on the battle platform was like a lit powder keg, exploding immediately!

“Kill!”

Someone shouted first, and immediately, sword light and blade shadows flashed, and spiritual energy fluctuations crisscrossed.

Many Cultivators, eager to seize the initiative, immediately attacked those next to them. Screams, the clang of weapons, and angry shouts intertwined, deafening the ears.

Some had just summoned their Magical Artifacts when they were stabbed through the shoulder blade by an attacker from behind; others swept through the area relying on their cultivation advantage, only to be besieged by several people working together, creating a moment of extreme danger.

The battle platform was in complete chaos. Everyone’s eyes flashed with the desire to advance, completely disregarding others.

Jiang Feng keenly seized this chaotic opportunity, immediately gripping Jiang Xueqin’s wrist and whispering, “Go, head to the corner!”

Jiang Xueqin understood and quickly nodded. The two bent low, moving like nimble fish, weaving through the gaps in the fighting crowd.

The red-eyed Cultivators were either busy dodging attacks or busy slaying opponents, and none of them noticed the two seemingly inconspicuous youths.

Occasional residual spiritual energy waves that swept over were blocked by Jiang Feng’s sword swings. His movements were swift and decisive, showing no hesitation.

Soon, the two rushed to the northwest corner of the battle platform.

This spot was far from the main battlefield, with only a few scattered people fighting, making it relatively safer.

Jiang Feng leaned his back against the cold, dark iron chain, vigilantly scanning the entire venue, and simultaneously said to Jiang Xueqin:

“Guard this spot. Don’t attack rashly; conserve your strength.”

Jiang Xueqin nodded upon hearing this, gripping the short sword in her hand, her gaze fixed on the fighting Cultivators. Her heart was still pounding rapidly.

This kind of large-scale melee caused immense upheaval in her young heart, a feeling she hadn’t even experienced when facing the Desolate Beast Tide.

She felt that every second spent weaving through the flashing blades and swords just now was like walking through the gates of hell.

Time passed minute by minute, and the number of people on the battle platform grew smaller.

The initial tens of thousands of participants gradually dwindled to just over five hundred. At this moment, the battle platform, built to hold tens of thousands, felt incredibly spacious with only five hundred people remaining.

The fighting instantly ceased. Everyone scanned those around them, afraid that their opponents might suddenly erupt in attack.

Moreover, the battle platform was vast, and everyone was far apart, giving them confidence that they could defend against any sudden outburst from their opponents.

The other battle platforms were the same. Aside from Jiang Feng and the Fifth Elder, all Jiang Family Clansmen competing in the Foundation Establishment Realm had been defeated. Now, they followed behind Jiang Chen, looking dejected.

Jiang Chen stood still, his clothes gently swaying in the wind. He glanced at the crestfallen Clan Members, his voice so calm that it betrayed no emotion:

“If you lost, you lost. There is no need to dwell on it. The Martial Dao naturally has wins and losses. The obstacle you stumbled over today, you will crush tomorrow.”

These words were not deliberately inspiring, yet they carried a power that calmed the heart.

The formerly dejected Jiang Family Disciples gradually straightened their backs. The despondency faded somewhat from their faces, replaced by a trace of unwillingness to concede and resilience.

Jiang Chen had anticipated this scene, but he hadn’t expected them to lose so quickly.

Although their cultivation was only the Second Layer of Foundation Establishment, paired with the Heaven and Earth Profound Origin Art and the Nirvana Sword Art, at least a few should have made it into the top hundred. Yet, with five or six hundred people still remaining, they had all returned defeated.

It seems they need extra training when they return, especially in the area of actual combat experience; it must be rigorously honed.

Jiang Chen lightly tapped his palm with his fingertips, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

The Foundation of the Heaven and Earth Profound Origin Art was solid, and the power of the Nirvana Sword Art was sufficient, but these Disciples were still too green. When they encountered a siege by veteran Foundation Establishment experts, they immediately lost their composure and couldn’t even unleash thirty percent of the sword art’s power.

“Clan Chief, we were useless.”

A Foundation Establishment Disciple clenched his fist, his voice low.

“We shouldn’t have split up, and we shouldn’t have rushed forward seeking merit.”

Because it was their first time participating in such a major tournament, they didn’t immediately form groups like the others, but fought individually, resulting in all of them being eliminated.

The others also lowered their heads, their faces filled with shame.

They didn’t lose due to cultivation; they lost due to strategy, and due to the malice of human hearts.

Jiang Chen waved his hand and turned his gaze toward the Qi Refining battle platform. The sounds from that area were already faintly drifting over.

“Whether it was a trap or a lack of strength, a loss is a loss.”

His voice remained calm, yet it carried undeniable power.

“But remember the taste of today. Only then can you walk the path ahead more steadily. As a Cultivator, sometimes luck is more important than strength.”

Just as he finished speaking, a clamor erupted from the Qi Refining battle platform.

“Kill.”

Instantly, the battle platform was filled with flashing blades and swords, and shouts of killing that were deafening.

Just then, a group of over twenty Disciples headed toward Jiang Feng and his companion. As they moved, the people fighting around them stopped and stepped aside, allowing the group to surround the northwest corner without obstruction.

The leader was Zhao Qing of the Zhao Family. Their branch members were all somewhat aware of the grudges between Young Lord Zhao Kun and the Jiang Family from a few days ago. To curry favor with Zhao Kun, it went without saying that they would naturally take the opportunity to deal with any Jiang Family Clansmen they saw.

Initially, he thought he wouldn’t need to act, believing the two opponents wouldn’t last long and would be eliminated, yet they had managed to hold out until now.

He raised the long saber in his hand, pointing the tip directly at Jiang Feng, the mockery practically spilling from his face:

“I wondered who was hiding here. Turns out it’s just two little brats from the Jiang Family. What’s wrong? You were pretty good at running just now, weren’t you? Now you have nowhere to hide!”

Jiang Feng shielded Jiang Xueqin even tighter and said coldly, “Are the Zhao Family Members only capable of bullying the few with the many?”

Given the current situation, only the Zhao Family Members would specifically seek them out. Others wouldn’t cause trouble unnecessarily, especially not against just two children!

“Bullying the few with the many?”

Zhao Qing threw his head back and laughed, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

“Kid, my Zhao Family isn’t someone anyone can provoke. Furthermore, on this battle platform, surviving is the only skill that matters! Forget twenty people—even if it were just me, dealing with you two brats would be more than enough!”

The Zhao Family Disciples behind him also burst into laughter, all of them rubbing their hands together, their eyes fierce, as if they could already see Jiang Feng and his sister lying beneath their blades.

The surrounding Cultivators watched the excitement with their arms crossed, some discussing in low voices:

“These two children are probably finished. The Zhao Family group is ruthless when they strike.”

“Who told them to offend the Zhao Family? In this capital city, the Zhao Family Members are not to be trifled with.”

“What a pity. So young, and they’re going to die here.”

Hearing these discussions, Jiang Xueqin’s small face grew paler, but she still puffed out her chest and steadied the hand gripping her short sword:

“Brother, let’s fight them to the death!”

“Don’t rush.”

Jiang Feng’s voice remained steady. He glanced at the surrounding Zhao Family Disciples, his gaze falling upon the cold iron battle platform beneath their feet, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

“Wait for them to get closer.”

Seeing that the two weren’t speaking, Zhao Qing assumed they were terrified out of their wits, and the smile on his face intensified:

“What? Scared? Kneel down and beg for mercy now, kowtow three times, and maybe this grandpa will leave you with an intact corpse!”

Saying this, he waved his hand.

“Attack! Break the legs of these two little bastards and drag them away to feed the dogs!”