Chapter 84: Another Grandmaster Killing Method

Chapter 84: Another Grandmaster Killing Technique

And when the results of the seventh round were announced, even the commentator was somewhat resigned.

“Unbelievable! Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t even know what expression to wear as I announce this result… In the seventh round, contestant Qin Feng… receives his third bye!”

The brutal elimination tournament, like a vast sieve, had sifted thousands of participants down to the final ten.

Above the arena, the hundreds of floating platforms that had once blazed with light now lay mostly extinguished, like stars whose brilliance had faded.

Only a few still radiated their glow.

On the massive holographic screen at the center of the “Arctic Crown,” the faces and names of the final ten were listed one by one, basking in the gaze of hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Qin Feng, Lei Yi, Li Qing, Shi Potian… each shining name stood out prominently.

——

Inside the luxurious box of the “Qiming Viewing” building in the Red Leaf Commercial District.

Qin Dahai’s face was flushed with excitement. Forgetting the composure expected of a family head, he slapped his uncle Wang Ming’s shoulder hard, his voice trembling.

“Old Wang! Did you see that? Did you see! Top ten! Among all the geniuses of Qiming Star, top ten!”

Wang Ming was equally thrilled, nodding repeatedly: “I saw! I saw! That kid, he’s brought us so much honor!”

His aunt and two younger brothers burst into enthusiastic cheers.

Even the youngest sister, though she didn’t fully understand, knew that her big brother on the screen was the strongest.

——

At the top floor of the Observation Tower.

The atmosphere here had grown extremely tense.

A staff member, looking at the list on the screen, analyzed in a deep voice:

“These final ten are clearly divided. Qin Feng from Qiming First High, Lei Yi from Tianshu, Li Qing from Jinlong—these three are monsters in a league of their own. Especially Qin Feng and that Lei Yi, unfathomable.”

“The rest, like Shi Potian from Qiming First High and our school’s two boys, are at the level of just achieving minor mastery in their killing techniques—second tier.”

He added: “And there’s one… Zhao Kai from ‘Chenxi Third High.’ That guy’s strength is poor, but his luck is almost absurdly good. All the way here, he hasn’t faced a single tough opponent.”

“Arrange for him to be eliminated; his luck has been good enough.”

A senior martial artist said.

“Alright.”

“…”

——

The eighth-round draw began.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the big screen, eager to see what kind of clash of titans would unfold this round, or who would be unlucky enough to face the monsters Qin Feng or Lei Yi.

The system’s light flickered, and two avatars were drawn first, locked together.

Qin Feng (Qiming First High) VS Zhao Kai (Chenxi Third High)

Then, another highly anticipated matchup was born!

Lei Yi (Tianshu Martial High) VS Li Qing (Jinlong Martial High)

The moment the draw results appeared, the camera immediately focused on the “lucky one,” Zhao Kai.

A flicker of shock crossed his face, but as soon as he saw his opponent’s name was “Qin Feng,” his complexion turned ashen white.

Yet just a second later, as if he had suddenly come to a realization, the bitterness and fear on his face vanished, replaced by a smile of open-mindedness and relief.

Under the gaze of the entire audience, he didn’t even walk toward the arena. Instead, he went straight to the referee at the edge of the field and spread his hands with a carefree gesture.

“Referee, I forfeit.”

From a distance, he cupped his hands in the direction of Qin Feng and said with a clear, though not loud, laugh:

“Brother! Just making it to the top ten is already more than I could have hoped for! I won’t go up there to humiliate myself and waste your time! I wish you the championship! May your martial fortune flourish!”

This frank and straightforward act first stunned the crowd, then erupted into a wave of good-natured laughter and applause. And so, Qin Feng advanced to the top five without a fight.

——

All eyes naturally turned to another arena, the central main stage of this round.

Lei Yi versus Li Qing.

Two long-established championship favorites had finally crossed paths.

The moment the battle began, Li Qing instantly displayed his terrifying strength as a top-tier genius.

His figure moved like a phantom, under the enhancement of [Shadow Step], splitting into countless indistinguishable afterimages, darting east and west across the arena, impossible to lock onto with the naked eye.

At the same time, dozens of paper-thin flying knives shot through the air from every tricky angle, forming a silver storm of death that completely enveloped Lei Yi from all directions!

The ferocious assault made the entire audience instinctively hold their breath.

Faced with such a dire situation, Lei Yi, wielding twin rods, initially only defended passively.

He spun his rods into an impenetrable barrier, like a black shield, deflecting most of the flying knives.

The commentator’s voice was tense:

“Li Qing is too strong! The coordination between his movement technique and flying knife art is flawless! Is Lei Yi about to lose? He seems completely suppressed!”

The spectators buzzed with discussion.

Lei Yi was entirely overwhelmed by the flying knives.

Just when everyone thought Lei Yi was on the verge of defeat, the situation on the arena changed dramatically!

Lei Yi, who had been purely defensive, suddenly shifted his aura. The twin rods in his hands grew increasingly fierce, their shadows multiplying, and faint sounds of wind and thunder began to emerge!

His speed also surged, not only matching Li Qing’s [Shadow Step] but even surpassing it!

“It’s… Wind-Thunder Step. His rod technique has reached grandmastery.”

“Mm, the hallmark of grandmastery: the integration of movement and technique, seamless and unified.”

“Tsk, a freshman achieving grandmastery—what a monster, terrifying insight.”

Some senior students with sharp eyes recognized the grandmaster-level Shadow Step.

After all, for all entry-level killing techniques, the sign of grandmastery was the ability to merge the technique’s inherent movement with its various skills into a harmonious whole, wielding them as naturally as one’s own limbs.

The senior students had that much discernment.

After all, any senior daring to enter the senior tournament had at least one perfected killing technique.

——

On the arena—facing several flying knives coming from tricky angles once again, Lei Yi this time did not dodge or evade!

He spun his twin rods in an arcane trajectory incomprehensible to outsiders, striking the side of each flying knife with pinpoint precision, deflecting them all back!

“Clang, clang, clang!”

After a series of crisp, piercing sounds, the dozens of flying knives were rebounded along their original paths at an even greater speed!

This sudden turn of events made Li Qing's face drain of color in shock.

He was thrown into a fluster by his own rebounding flying knife, his formation in complete disarray.

Lei Yi seized this fleeting opportunity!

With the Wind-Thunder Step, his figure shot forth like a bolt of lightning, instantly crossing dozens of meters to appear before Li Qing.

The short staff in his hand, wielding destructive force, struck twice in succession from above and below, slamming heavily into Li Qing's light armor!

“Bam! Bam!”

Li Qing felt as if struck by lightning, blood gushing from his mouth, his whole body like a kite with a broken string, blasted out of the arena and crashing heavily to the ground.

(End of this chapter)