Chapter 355: Fighting Above One's Level, Defeating Foundation Establishment as a Lower Realm Cultivator

"The Golden Core Stage?!"

"A Golden Core stage cultivator not even eighteen years old? What kind of cultivation talent is this!"

"To call them a monstrous genius would not be an exaggeration!"

"This is a rarity even in the annals of history, isn't it?"

"More than just a rarity; according to historical records, a Golden Core cultivator under eighteen might not appear even once in several centuries."

The crowd was unaware of the actual ages of Lan Ting and her companions.

In truth, among the three, Bai Ming was the oldest at eighteen years and a few months, while Lan Ting and Yan Tianzhi were still a few months shy of their eighteenth birthdays.

The pressure on the competing cultivators intensified dramatically, particularly for those seeded contestants who had been brimming with confidence, having steeled their Foundation Establishment foundations in the belief that they would surely triumph over their many rivals and claim the championship.

Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that someone at the Golden Core stage would be participating in this grand grand gathering.

What sort of abysmal luck was this?

For those at the Foundation Establishment stage to fight a Golden Core master, they would be throwing their lives away.

Amidst the competitors, only a single individual wore an excited smile, murmuring softly under his breath, "The Golden Core stage, is it? Interesting."

He was clad in a black cloak, his features obscured from view.

He had been traveling across the continent and happened to pass through Qingzhou, where, seeing the grand gathering underway, he decided on a whim to join.

The cultivation level he displayed to the world was the early Foundation Establishment stage, but his true strength was far from it.

His name was Zhou Fangge, and his actual cultivation was at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

"I have yet to exchange blows with a disciple of an immortal sect. Although this Lu Yang's cultivation speed surpasses mine, cultivation level is not an absolute determinant in actual combat."

"Even if his cultivation speed is fast, it cannot be excessively so; the opponent must have only recently formed their core."

Zhou Fangge had once defeated an early Golden Core stage cultivator; though the battle had been fraught with difficulty, he had ultimately emerged victorious.

"It is not entirely impossible to wage this war."

"Heh, Lu Yang, I hope you prove to be a worthy whetstone for my blade!"

"Prepare yourself well; it will be your turn in a moment." Lu Yang bumped fists with Meng Jingzhou, finding this first experience of participating in such a large-scale exchange quite amusing.

"They are all peers of our age; it is quite possible someone formidable is hiding among them."

Meng Jingzhou laughed and said, "What are you saying? Have I ever not gone all out in my battles?"

They had always been prudent in combat, never once showing the slightest negligence.

Up on the judges' bench, Lan Ting watched Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou bump fists, her eyelids twitching uncontrollably. She sent a voice transmission to Bai Ming: "When it is Meng Jingzhou's turn on the stage, you will provide the commentary."

Meeting Lan Ting's murderous gaze, Bai Ming gave a heavy nod, forced to accept the task.

The battles raged on, each brilliant display of spellwork following the last. Facing peers of their own age, neither side dared relax their vigilance; there were intrigues, calculated ploys, and spells concealed within the shadows...

Both sides exhausted their repertoires in combat, leaving the spectators below shouting in sheer delight.

The majority of the cultivators below were at the Qi Condensation stage, and they had never imagined that even at the Qi Condensation stage, a battle could be so spectacularly contested.

Even the sect cultivators responsible for scouting talent nodded repeatedly, feeling that the caliber of this year's grand gathering was exceptionally high.

"The tournament is already half over, isn't it? Counting the one from the opening match, there have already been five Foundation Establishment stage cultivators. There were never this many Foundation Establishment cultivators in previous years."

"Who could say otherwise? Especially that fifth one, at the mid Foundation Establishment stage—in previous sessions, that would have guaranteed first place!"

Bai Ming glanced at the roster and introduced, "The cultivator competing in this match is Shang Deshui from the Vast Sea Sect, who is also a highly anticipated seeded cultivator of the early Foundation Establishment stage. Shang Deshui is proficient in water-element spells, and his Water Control Technique in particular is absolutely superb."

At the mention of the Water Control Technique, the corner of Bai Ming's eye twitched instinctively, recalling the Water Evading Technique Lu Yang had used to achieve a single-strike instant kill.

Shang Deshui wore a confident smile; an early Foundation Establishment cultivator could sweep away all opposition in the preliminary rounds.

"Shang Deshui's opponent is also a cultivator who registered provisionally, Meng Jingzhou of the Daoist Sect."

Meng Jingzhou's face beamed with a brilliant smile as he waved toward Bai Ming.

"How can there be another person from the Daoist Sect?" The smile froze on Shang Deshui's face. Was one not enough, that two had to come?

Was the Qingzhou Grand Gathering some sort of massive event that required two disciples from the Daoist Sect to attend?

Calm down, calm down. A disciple of the Daoist Sect did not automatically mean they were at the Golden Core stage. A Foundation Establishment cultivator under eighteen was something not seen in centuries; at most, the opponent was at the late Foundation Establishment stage. By maneuvering skillfully, a victory might not be out of reach.

Shang Deshui encouraged himself, drawing a small vial from his sleeve. The vial contained water from the deep recesses of the Eastern Sea, purchased at an exorbitant price; it was of the utmost purity and perfectly suited for unleashing water-element spells.

"Water Control Technique—Serpent Form!"

Vapor surged and waves overflowed as the deep Eastern Sea water transformed into fine threads, streaming out from the vial. The deep sea water accumulated rapidly, its form shifting until it coalesced into a ferocious python.

"Go!"

The python opened its bloody maw, rushing toward Meng Jingzhou with the speed of a thunderbolt, resembling a tumultuous tsunami roaring forward. The terrifying aura radiating from the python caused everyone present to color with emotion.

"Six Forms of Heaven Shaking!"

Meng Jingzhou assumed his opening stance and shattered the python with a single punch. The python exploded, dissolving into a downpour of rain, yet the force of the punch remained undiminished, halting right before Shang Deshui's face. Unable to withstand the gale from the fist, Shang Deshui stumbled back several paces and fell off the arena stage.

Bai Ming: "..."

You are a Golden Core cultivator, yet you use the Six Forms of Heaven Shaking right out of the gate; anyone unaware would think your opponent was Lu Yang!

Bai Ming offered a serious commentary: "The mimicry chapter of the Water Control Technique is divided into three stages: serpent form, flood dragon form, and true dragon form. Generally speaking, it is only upon reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage that one can even initiate entry into the Water Control Technique. For Shang Deshui to display such exquisite mastery over water control at the early Foundation Establishment stage to simulate a python is truly magnificent."

"It is evident that Shang Deshui has studied and practiced diligently in private, and possesses an extremely profound comprehension of the Dao of Water, which is exceedingly rare for someone of his age. I have only witnessed this degree of comprehension in a few of my fellow junior brothers."

"On the path of cultivating immortality, victory and defeat are ordained by heaven. I hope Shang Deshui will not be disheartened by this failure, but will make persistent efforts to continue delving into the Dao of Water."

"Meng Jingzhou, Golden Core stage. Commentary concluded."

An uproar erupted once more beneath the stage, filled with a deep yearning for the Daoist Sect.

The Golden Core stage—yet another Golden Core cultivator under the age of eighteen.

Was the Daoist Sect truly this powerful?

Peerless geniuses, unseen for centuries, were actually encountered two in a row!

The first round of the elimination trials came to an end. Aside from the two exceptionally conspicuous Golden Core cultivators, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, the ten Foundation Establishment stage cultivators were the most outstanding. As for the fifty at the Great Circle of Qi Condensation, no one paid them much attention anymore.

Lu Yang fought with immense joy in the subsequent battles; his opponents in the next and the following matches were both at the early Foundation Establishment stage.

The advice given by the Invincible Elixir was to simply fight at whim.

Lu Yang could not help but sigh with emotion; it had been a very long time since he had encountered a battle that required so little effort.

Recalling the arduous battles within the Daoist Sect, Lu Yang felt that this kind of combat was far more suited to him.

Witnessing this scene, the Immortal Fairy felt a deep sense of familiarity, as though she had returned to the beautiful days of antiquity when she fought those of higher realms. She clamored to contest for control of the body so that she too could experience it.

Left with no alternative, Lu Yang could only surrender control of the body for the match after next to the Immortal Fairy, allowing her to satisfy her craving.

Meng Jingzhou's reaction was much the same as Lu Yang's. Thinking back to when he entered the Daoist Sect, except for that single instance with the Five Elements Sect, he had not engaged in a proper duel with peers of his own age.

So it turned out that fighting against peers of the same age was this exhilarating.

His luck was even better; his opponents for the latter two matches were both at the Great Circle of Qi Condensation.

Lan Ting and her two companions looked at Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, who were grinning from ear to ear, wishing they could pretend not to know them.

With the four rounds of matches concluded, the top eight emerged.

Apart from the undisputed Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, there was Zhou Fangge, who had been concealing his true cultivation, along with one cultivator at the mid Foundation Establishment stage and four at the early Foundation Establishment stage.

According to the rules of the competition, the top eight would engage in a chaotic free-for-all, a trial designed to test a cultivator's ability to adapt to sudden changes and cooperate in battle.

(End of this chapter)

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