Chapter 20: Breaking into the Top 50

The battle for the Top 50 was reaching its peak.

Only 100 disciples remained in the massive arena, each fighting with everything they had. Some were already exhausted, their qi reserves dwindling, while others, like Jiang Cheng, had barely begun to exert themselves.

Lin Bai's grin widened as he pushed forward, his Silver Mountain Fist crashing down like an avalanche.

Jiang Cheng shifted his stance. He could tell—Lin Bai wasn't an ordinary opponent.

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Clash of Strength

Lin Bai's fists came at him like boulders falling from the sky, each one powerful enough to shatter bones. Boom! Boom! Boom!

Jiang Cheng dodged the first, deflected the second, and countered the third with a sharp palm strike.

Their blows collided—CRACK! The ground beneath them split.

Lin Bai stumbled slightly but recovered immediately. He laughed. "Good! You can take a hit!"

Jiang Cheng remained silent, but his eyes sharpened. He hadn't used his full strength yet.

Lin Bai rushed forward again, his qi surging. His muscles expanded, his aura growing heavier. "Take this! Titan's Wrath!"

A massive shockwave burst forth as Lin Bai's fist crashed toward Jiang Cheng.

The attack was too fast to dodge completely.

Then I'll block it.

Jiang Cheng crossed his arms in front of him—BOOM! The force sent him sliding back several meters. His arms tingled from the impact.

But his footing remained firm.

Lin Bai's eyes widened in surprise. "You actually took that head-on?"

Jiang Cheng exhaled slowly. The impact had been strong, but he had endured worse.

Then, in a flash, he disappeared.

Lin Bai barely had time to react before—

BANG!

Jiang Cheng's fist struck his gut like a thunderbolt, lifting him off his feet. His body flew backward, skidding across the ground before he barely managed to stop himself.

Lin Bai gasped for breath, his body trembling. But instead of anger, a grin spread across his face.

"Hah… you're strong. Stronger than I expected." He wiped the blood from his lips. "I won't forget this fight, Jiang Cheng."

With that, he turned and left the battlefield.

Jiang Cheng had won.

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The Battlefield Narrows

Meanwhile, across the battlefield, other powerful disciples were clashing.

Zhao Lan moved with deadly precision, his sword leaving streaks of light as he cut through opponents.

Wu Fei swung his spear in wide arcs, sending waves of energy through the air.

And then there was Mo Tian.

He stood in the middle of the battlefield, untouched. Any disciple that got close would freeze in fear before suddenly collapsing, their life force drained.

Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. That technique…

But before he could focus on Mo Tian, another voice called out.

"Jiang Cheng! You think you can advance so easily?"

He turned to see a group of five disciples approaching him.

One of them, a man in dark robes, sneered. "You're strong, but you won't last against all of us."

Jiang Cheng's lips curled into a smirk.

"Let's see if you can back up those words."

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One vs. Five

The five disciples attacked at once.

One came from the left, swinging a curved blade. Jiang Cheng sidestepped, grabbing the attacker's wrist and twisting it violently—CRACK!

The man screamed as his sword fell from his hands.

The second disciple lunged forward with a spear.

Jiang Cheng ducked, his fingers grabbing the shaft of the spear before yanking it forward—THUD! The attacker was pulled off his feet and sent crashing into the ground.

The third and fourth disciples attacked together, launching a barrage of qi techniques.

Jiang Cheng moved like lightning.

He weaved through their attacks, appearing right in front of them.

BANG! A palm strike to the chest sent one flying.

BOOM! A knee to the stomach made the other collapse, coughing blood.

The last disciple stood frozen in fear.

Jiang Cheng gave him a cold stare. "Are you done?"

The man trembled before jumping out of the arena voluntarily.

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The Final 50

The dust began to settle. The battlefield was now half-empty.

The elder overseeing the tournament stepped forward, his powerful aura silencing the crowd.

"The elimination round is over! The final 50 disciples have been decided!"

The remaining fighters stood tall, each one victorious in their battles.

Jiang Cheng let out a slow breath. He had barely used his full strength, but the real fights were yet to come.

As he looked around, he noticed a few key figures had also made it:

Zhao Lan, the sword genius.

Wu Fei, the spear master.

Lin Bai, still grinning despite his earlier defeat.

Mo Tian, his eerie smile never fading.

And many others—each one a powerful contender.

The elder's voice boomed again.

"The next stage of the tournament will begin in three days! Rest, recover, and prepare—because only one will stand at the top."

Jiang Cheng clenched his fists.

The real battle was about to begin.

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