The 18 who Advance

The 18 who Advance

On the 9th towering platform, the 7th Night, Qin Wentian, and Luo Cheng formed a triangular formation, their gazes locking onto one another.

The 7th Night was a young woman of striking beauty. A subtle smile graced her lips, accentuating her loveliness. Her status as one of Snow Cloud Country's Seven Nights at such a young age spoke volumes about her unparalleled strength.

Duo Prides, Three Swords, Seven Nights—they all enjoyed prestige on par with the Royal Capital's 10 prodigies. In Snowcloud Country, these top-tier elites were further divided into distinct categories.

The Duo Prides boasted unmatched talent, the Three Swords were all prodigious swordsmen, while the Seven Nights excelled in various martial disciplines and displayed exceptional combat skills.

"You two wouldn't dare gang up on a delicate flower like me, would you?" 7th Night teased, her enchanting smile making her opponents hesitate. Indeed, many had fallen victim to her beguiling grin during battles.

"One of you will have to leave the platform," Luo Cheng stated coolly, causing a momentary pause in 7th Night's charming demeanor. However, she quickly resumed her smile and retorted, "If you're so confident, why don't you two strong men have a go at each other and eliminate the competition?"

Luo Cheng's expression remained impassive, but his aura abruptly intensified. A powerful pressure emanated from him, surpassing the 8th level of Arterial Circulation and surging into the 9th. Until now, he had concealed his true cultivation level, artificially suppressing it to the 8th level for this battle. Despite this restraint, he had advanced this far, leaving only 7th Night and Qin Wentian on the platform.

"No wonder Luo Cheng was so self-assured," the spectators mused among themselves. "With his ruthless combat tactics and extensive battle experience, he managed to unleash such impressive martial prowess while holding back at the 8th level of Arterial Circulation. Now that he's fighting at his full strength, there's no doubt he's even more formidable. He might even surpass Jiang Xiu of the 10 prodigies."

The crowd realized why Luo Cheng had been so confident, even going as far as declaring that one of the two remaining contestants, 7th Night or Qin Wentian, would be eliminated.

Upon witnessing Luo Cheng's true cultivation level, 7th Night playfully stuck her tongue out and glanced at Qin Wentian, her smile saying it all: "He's pushing us to fight, what do you say?"

"Well, if you ask me, both of you should spar," Qin Wentian replied with a smile, earning a playful grimace from 7th Night. "The nerve you two have, wanting me to battle?"

Both Luo Cheng and Qin Wentian remained silent, awaiting something.

"Alright, if you insist, I'll battle," 7th Night reluctantly agreed, feigning victimhood. She then turned to Qin Wentian, her eyes twinkling. "I choose you, but promise to go easy on me, alright?"

Qin Wentian returned her smile but offered no verbal assurance. On the Jun Lin Banquet's platform, he'd learned not to be fooled by appearances, especially when dealing with someone like 7th Night.

As 7th Night advanced toward Qin Wentian, her Astral Soul emerged, revealing her ability to create illusions. Through countless battles, she had never encountered a threat she couldn't handle. Whenever she craved an exciting challenge, she had emerged victorious.

But those who had reached this stage should never be underestimated, and 7th Night was one of Snowcloud Country's Seven Nights.

Suddenly, Qin Wentian felt as though he had been cast into an illusion. 7th Night's form fragmented into multiple images, disorienting his senses. The moment he realized the danger, he knew it stemmed from her Astral Soul's abilities.

Qin Wentian had spent considerable time incorporating his Astral Soul's power into his innate techniques, giving him insight into the nature of such abilities. He closed his eyes, relinquishing his vision and relying solely on his other senses.

In that moment, he perceived 7th Night extending her palms, summoning an icy serpent that hurtled toward him like lightning, threatening to consume him whole.

Qin Wentian's nimble footwork caused him to gracefully evade 7th Night's relentless pursuit. Her icy aura sent chills down his spine as she unleashed a barrage of lances that encaged the space before him. Each ice lance exuded a razor-sharp aura, and the howling wind served as a testament to their destructive power.

It dawned on Qin Wentian that 7th Night was taking the initiative, determined to control the battle by launching fierce attacks. She had seen through his ability to dictate the battle's rhythm and was now fighting on her own terms.

A frosty shroud enveloped him, and Qin Wentian realized he couldn't rely solely on his previous tactics against this cunning opponent. Hidden beneath her charming facade was a calculating mind.

Divine Yuan Energy surged through his Arterial Pathways as he changed direction abruptly, stamping on the ground and pivoting. With a furious roar, he unleashed the 3rd imprint of the Thousand Hands Imprint - the Forgotten Imprint. The imprint clashed with the ice lances, and both attacks dissipated upon impact.

But 7th Night showed no sign of stopping. Her eyes glimmered with amusement as she thrust her palms forward, summoning another icy python that streaked toward Qin Wentian.

Suddenly, Qin Wentian's closed eyes snapped open, and an overwhelming pressure burst forth. For an instant, 7th Night felt her spirit waver, as though she had stepped into a dream.

Qin Wentian released a continuous barrage of Revolving Sea Imprints, the terrifying aura compelling 7th Night to retreat to her original position.

Impressed, she laughed, addressing Luo Cheng, "You should take your turn now. After all, it's only fair."

"Interesting," the spectators chuckled. 7th Night didn't exude the aura of a fearsome elite but rather that of an innocent, charming young lady.

Luo Cheng shifted his gaze to Qin Wentian as he approached, a curved sabre formed from Astral Light materializing in his grasp.

Without employing any innate techniques, Luo Cheng and Qin Wentian closed the gap between them. Both had yet to employ their innate techniques, a clear indication that they intended to adapt their moves to their opponent.

Though Qin Wentian appeared unfazed, Luo Cheng's brows knitted as his gaze turned piercing.

His sabre finally moved, but it wasn't a straightforward chop. Instead, it slashed diagonally from low to high, an unorthodox angle that made it difficult to defend against. Avoiding the attack would require Qin Wentian to intentionally dislocate some of his bones.

A sudden gust of wind blew by, and Qin Wentian's body soared into the air. Simultaneously, he released the energy stored in his palms. With his perfectly aligned Stellar Meridians, his energy flowed with unmatched smoothness.

The crowd watched in astonishment, as if seeing a faint illusion of Garuda Wings on Qin Wentian's back. It was evident that he had successfully condensed his Garuda's Mark, most likely after hunting numerous flying-type demonic beasts to achieve such a level.

Luo Cheng's face contorted with surprise. He was in the midst of a powerful strike when he suddenly staggered. A resounding "boom" followed, and an icy layer enveloped his entire body. A tinge of unwillingness flashed across his eyes as 7th Night chuckled.

"Whoops, do you concede?" Her laughter was light-hearted as she spoke. Luo Cheng shivered from the cold, and Qin Wentian, standing nearby, didn't take advantage of the situation to attack.

Realizing he had no other choice, Luo Cheng reluctantly admitted defeat. 7th Night released him, and the icy encasement vanished. He looked disgruntled.

He turned to 7th Night and said, "Is it necessary to employ such underhanded techniques to win?"

"Of course. This way, I can advance to the next round and face even stronger opponents. There's plenty of meaning in that," 7th Night replied with a grin, rendering Luo Cheng speechless.

With a heavy heart, Luo Cheng stepped off the platform.

Thus, on the 9th platform, the victors were Qin Wentian and 7th Night.

"Hey, if we happen to face each other in the next round, I won't hold back, okay?" 7th Night looked at Qin Wentian with a cheerful smile.

Suppressing a laugh, Qin Wentian nodded. "I'll be waiting."

"Deal." 7th Night smiled and then turned her gaze to the 8th platform.

Meanwhile, the battle between 6th Night and Yu Fei had concluded, with 6th Night emerging victorious. Surprisingly, Luo Huan had also won her fight against Ye Zhi.

"Indeed, one should never underestimate students from the Emperor Star Academy. It's a shame about Luo Cheng. The duel between Yu Fei and the 6th Night was remarkably intense. And who would have thought that Luo Huan, by concealing her true strength, could defeat the 7th prodigy, Ye Zhi?" The spectators were still buzzing with excitement over Luo Huan's remarkable victory.

Ye Zhi, ranked 7th among the 10 prodigies, was no pushover in combat. Yet, she had been defeated by Luo Huan. The reason was clear to the spectators – Luo Huan's dual Astral Souls were no ordinary ones.

Now, the 18 contestants who advanced were present. Most of them were expected, but three dark horses had emerged.

Qin Wentian, the victor against Jiang Xiu.

Luo Huan, who had triumphed over Ye Zhi.

Gu Xing, a cold-looking youth who had surprisingly defeated the 5th Night on the 6th platform.

The identities of the 18 contestants who advanced were revealed:

From Chu: Emperor Star Academy – Luo Qianqiu, Orchon, Qin Wentian, Luo Huan.

Godly General Martial Palace – Hou Tie, Leng Ya.

Royal Academy – Shi Jun, Chu Chen.

Divine Wind Academy – Jiang Feng, Kuang Dao, Kuang Sheng.

And lastly, Gu Xing, a mysterious contestant with an unknown background.

Seven contestants from Snowcloud had made it through: Sikong Mingyue from the Duo Prides, the 2nd Sword, the 3rd Sword, the 3rd Night, the 4th Night, the 6th Night, and the 7th Night.

These elites who had come with the Crown Prince of Snowcloud were truly formidable. Their limited numbers almost guaranteed their progression to the second round.

In the next phase, half of these 18 would face elimination, leaving only the top nine to claim the rewards. Bettors eagerly awaited the Drunken Wonder, a branch of Heaven's Wonder, to recalculate the odds for the remaining contestants.

The names of Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue were notably absent from the list. It was clear that the Drunken Wonder was confident that they would secure a spot in the top nine.

Qin Wentian's name was featured in the betting odds, with a payout rate of 1:4, which seemed generous but also reflected a lack of faith in his ability to triumph. With two positions virtually guaranteed for Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue, the remaining spots were fiercely contested. Orchon, the 2nd Sword, the 3rd Sword, the 3rd Night, and the 6th-ranked prodigy, Jiang Feng, were all considered strong contenders for those positions, leaving just two openings.

Hence, the competition for the last two spots promised to be incredibly intense.

The odds for the first-place position were even more telling. Qin Wentian's payout rate was a staggering 1:400. In other words, if you bet one Yuan Meteor Stone on him and he somehow secured first place, Heaven's Wonder would pay out a whopping 400 Yuan Meteor Stones in return. It was evident that Heaven's Wonder had little faith in Qin Wentian's chances of winning the Jun Lin Banquet.