Ling Tian Sword God

Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Everyone Surprised_1

This halberd locked onto Ling Chen, suppressing him with an overwhelmingly domineering pressure. The immense force crushed the stone slab beneath Ling Chen into smithereens.

Concentrating all his attention, Ling Chen tapped his foot and, instead of retreating, advanced. His entire body spun in mid-air, his Sword Light transforming into something akin to a Vajra drill, piercing through rapidly.

CRACK! CRACK!

The damaged platform beneath them split in two; one half was filled with lingering sword qi, the other with scattered black light.

Almost simultaneously, both were sent flying backward, causing all eyes to fix on them intently.

Judging by their appearances, could it be that both were injured?

Xiahou Lin spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and was thrown back over a hundred meters, finally landing heavily on the marble floor.

Ling Chen, however, under many astonished gazes, abruptly stabbed his sword tip into the edge of the martial arts platform. He then vaulted into the air and landed steadily back on it.

An uproar swept through the crowd below the stage! The victor had been decided.

SPURT!

Ling Chen could not help but spit out a mouthful of fresh blood. This Xiahou Lin is truly overbearing, he thought, quite shocked. If not for my Sword Intent Embryo and the advantage of the Dragon Seeking Sword Technique, it would be hard to say who would have won.

At this moment, the audience below erupted.

”I never expected Ling Chen to be first in this tournament! So many veteran Inner Disciples lost. It’s unbelievable.”

”Yes, Ling Chen wasn’t even considered a favorite at the start. Although he held the title of the number one talent in the Martial World, he was still too young. Who could have predicted he would not only secure the status of a True Disciple but also defeat Xiahou Lin?”

”Among the four great prodigies of the past, Ling Chen is probably the undisputed number one now. No setback can stop his rise.”

Ling Chen’s victory instilled a sense of admiration in many disciples. If his previous achievements were considered insignificant, this time, he had undoubtedly shone brilliantly.

Moreover, although Ling Chen was the son of the former Sect Leader, he had fallen on hard times. His current status was incomparable to his former glory, so most disciples regarded Ling Chen as a Cold Family disciple with no power or influence.

Ling Chen, a Cold Family disciple with no power or influence, had defeated the traditionally strong Xiahou Lin. This was undoubtedly a huge inspiration for many disciples of average strength and no backing.

If Ling Chen could do it, why couldn’t they? As long as one cultivated diligently, it was not that difficult for the weak to overcome the strong.

For a moment, the crowd was fired up, and the atmosphere in the square became exceptionally charged.

”I can’t believe I actually lost. It seems I’ve been negligent in my cultivation recently.”

Although he lost to Ling Chen, there was no sign of dejection on Xiahou Lin’s face. All that could be seen was a carefree attitude and an even stronger fighting spirit than before.

”Even Xiahou Lin’s fighting spirit has been awakened?”

Murong Ye was surprised; he had never seen Xiahou Lin like this before.

”What choice is there but to awaken? Faced with a sense of crisis, anyone would be forced to move forward. Before, we were all shortsighted, thinking there were no threatening opponents in our respective groups. We were all wrong.” Bai Ruhui shook his head. This tournament had sobered him up considerably, making him realize his past complacency.

”It’s not too late to realize it now.”

Li Liuxing, who had been silent, finally spoke. He looked at the young Swordsman, the last one remaining on the martial arts platform, a hint of fighting spirit also appearing in his eyes. ”This tournament isn’t our end; it can only be considered a minor trial. Our real stage is next year’s Five Kingdoms’ Martial World Competition.”

Hearing the words ”Five Kingdoms’ Martial World Competition,” Bai Ruhui’s and Murong Ye’s eyes lit up. The Five Kingdoms’ Martial World Competition was the grandest event for the younger generation of the Five Kingdoms. Almost all young talents and prodigies wanted to make a mark at this competition and achieve fame in a single stroke.

If one could achieve a ranking in the competition, they would leave their mark on history and become renowned throughout the world.

”You’re right. It seems I’ll have to go out and gain experience tomorrow.”

Bai Ruhui’s face lit up again. The other was right; the Five Kingdoms’ Martial World Competition was where they should truly shine.

”Hehe, me too.”

Murong Ye also nodded with a smile. They were no strangers to failure. Failure itself wasn’t terrifying; what was terrifying was sinking into despair after a single defeat, unable to emerge from its shadow for a long time. That was the most frightening thing.

”This young fellow alone has ignited the fighting spirit of an entire generation of Inner Disciples. Could this be his personal charisma? It’s astounding.”

In the VIP seats, the Purple-robed Elder in charge of the tournament looked at Ling Chen, his expression filled with emotion.

”Indeed, he is a world-shaking genius. To comprehend the Sword Intent Embryo at such a young age... I’m afraid that in this aspect, even Sect Leader Ling might not compare to his son.”

Another Purple-robed Elder also nodded, but then he frowned and said, ”However, as the saying goes: ’A tall tree catches the wind.’ I’ve long heard that some people in the Sect intend him harm. Now that he has shone so brilliantly in this tournament, do you think those people will make a move?”

”Hmph, you must be talking about Vice-Head Ye Nantian. That Ye Nantian’s character is indeed questionable, to even think of targeting a junior. As long as this old bag of bones is still around, I will never allow such a thing to happen,” the Purple-robed Elder in charge of the tournament said with a solemn expression.

”Hehe, if they act openly, we can still try to stop them. But if they resort to underhanded means, it will likely be troublesome. Ultimately, all this probably depends on his own destiny.”

The other Purple-robed Elder shook his head. ”In the current Divine Intent Sect, Ye Nantian holds great power and has numerous followers. There aren’t many old-timers left who can truly maintain a fair stance.”

At this moment, Ling Chen hadn’t actually considered this. After he stepped down from the martial arts platform, Xiao Muyu and Ling Yin came over, giving him a thumbs-up.

”Amazing! First in the tournament, and even Xiahou Lin became your defeated opponent.”

Xiao Muyu looked at Ling Chen with some surprise. ”Do you realize, even among the True Disciples, Xiahou Lin is quite famous? Now that you’ve defeated him, I’m afraid everyone in the entire Sect will soon know about this.”

”Mere fame is insignificant. It couldn’t be helped.”

Ling Chen had no interest in the title of being first in the tournament. The only thing he cared about was the first-place prize: the ”Silver Thunderbolt.”

Furthermore, in three days, he, along with Xiahou Lin and Li Liuxing, would gain the opportunity to go to the Spirit Martial Hall to cultivate.

The Spirit Martial Hall was a Holy Land of the Divine Intent Sect, containing many of its unrevealed secrets. Even with Ling Chen’s status, he had never had the chance to go before. Firstly, there was no opportunity, and secondly, his cultivation and insight were insufficient; entering would not have yielded any significant gains.

But things were different now. Ling Chen’s cultivation and insight were far beyond what they used to be. After undergoing a trial of life and death, Ling Chen had been thoroughly transformed. This was the best time for him to enter the Spirit Martial Hall.