This scene was completely beyond expectations, and no one could believe it.
Even among the crowd, Chen Yuze, the top outer disciple, now wore a grave expression. He had considered the possibility of Lin Xuan winning, but never imagined that Zhou Lei would be instantly defeated. When Chen Yuze was at the Qi Gathering stage, he had defeated Zhou Lei multiple times, but never with a one-hit kill. Even now, at the Qi Transformation stage, he couldn't guarantee he could do it. Yet Lin Xuan had just accomplished it, leaving Chen Yuze deeply shaken.
At the same time, he gained a clearer understanding of Lin Xuan's talent. Lin Xuan's talent was likely far stronger than he had imagined, probably ranking among the top geniuses of the entire Flowing Cloud Sect. Originally, Chen Yuze believed that after breaking through to the Qi Transformation stage and possessing a nascent sword intent, he was a sure bet for first place in this competition. But now, that certainty wavered. Lin Xuan had become a threat to him, likely his only formidable opponent in this contest. He wondered if his Qi Transformation cultivation and nascent sword intent could defeat Lin Xuan. Especially considering that Lin Xuan, a new disciple who had only joined a month ago, already possessed such formidable strength. Without any confidence in victory, Chen Yuze was even more astounded by Lin Xuan's talent, realizing that the outer sect had truly produced an extraordinary presence.
The new disciples, after their initial shock, erupted in cheers and excitement. They might not fully grasp the significance of this battle, but Lin Xuan's entry into the top three as a new disciple brought them honor. It gave their generation of new disciples face, and with Lin Xuan around, the older disciples wouldn't dare bully them based on seniority. Naturally, they were thrilled.
On the high platform, Xu Anlan remained seated, but her expression showed a flicker of emotion. The Grand Elder's gaze fell on Lin Xuan, his shock deepening before turning into delight. He hadn't expected Lin Xuan to deliver another surprise. This time, they had discovered a remarkable genius. He wondered if Lin Xuan could continue this momentum. The Grand Elder was eagerly anticipating it.
On the arena stage, a cold notification sounded in Lin Xuan's ears: "Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining 3000 shock energy from Qi Opening Layer 2 martial artist Xu Anlan." "Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining 1700 shock energy from Condensing Whirl Layer 5 martial artist Zhang Quan." "..."
Lin Xuan listened to the crisp prompts and watched the energy points in the void before him surge at an even faster rate, a gleam flashing in his eyes. As expected, his prediction was correct. By instantly defeating Zhou Lei, the former second-ranked outer disciple, the impact was far greater than before, and the energy points gained far exceeded previous amounts. In just this short time, tens of thousands of energy points had been added. He believed he would soon accumulate over a hundred thousand. By the time the competition ended and he approached the Grand Elder and Xu Anlan, he could replicate all the treasures on them. Lin Xuan's gaze showed satisfaction.
Just then, a voice came from the side: "This match, Lin Xuan wins, advancing to the top three!" It was the referee, Elder Zhang, who had just snapped back to reality and loudly announced the result. His gaze at Lin Xuan still held considerable shock, undiminished even after recovering. That was Zhou Lei, the second-ranked outer disciple, who would likely break through to the Qi Transformation stage and enter the inner sect in a month or two. Yet even so, he had been instantly defeated by Lin Xuan, a new disciple of just one month. This scene was beyond his expectations and hard for him to accept, leaving him deeply astounded.
Lin Xuan, hearing this, remained calm and leaped off the arena stage. He walked over to the group of top twenty disciples. As he passed, these elite outer disciples all stepped back voluntarily, their faces filled with awe, reverence, and admiration. This was the authority brought by strength—a common sight in this world where martial arts reigned supreme and power was paramount. Lin Xuan had long understood this and paid it no mind. He casually chose a spot to stand, waiting for the next match.
The competition continued. The next match featured Guan Yuanshuang, one of the top three outer disciples and the only female among them, against another top ten outer disciple. Normally, as the strongest female outer disciple, with decent looks and figure, known as the outer sect's number one beauty, her appearance would have sparked loud cheers and excitement. But now, the response was lukewarm. Although the disciples still turned their attention to her, they seemed less enthusiastic. Guan Yuanshuang couldn't help but smile wryly. She knew it was because of Lin Xuan's previous match. The shock of Lin Xuan, a new disciple, instantly defeating Zhou Lei, who ranked higher than her, had stirred the disciples' emotions, and they hadn't recovered yet. She could only helplessly smile. Compared to Lin Xuan, she was far inferior, and there was nothing she could do about it. She had to let it be.
This match also ended quickly. As expected, Guan Yuanshuang won easily within ten moves. The gap between the top three outer disciples and the rest of the top ten was still significant. But seeing Guan Yuanshuang defeat another top ten disciple so effortlessly, while Zhou Lei, who was stronger than her, was no match for Lin Xuan and was taken down in one move, only deepened everyone's awe of Lin Xuan's strength. And since Lin Xuan had only been a disciple for a month, such power could only come from his innate talent. This made everyone even more astounded by his talent. Lin Xuan used this opportunity to gain another wave of energy points.
From the high platform, the Grand Elder's voice spread: "The third round of the competition is over! The top three have been decided: Chen Yuze, Lin Xuan, and Guan Yuanshuang! They are all outstanding talents of our Flowing Cloud Sect. They will receive focused training and generous rewards from the sect! Congratulations to them!"
As his words fell, thunderous applause erupted across the venue. Everyone's gaze fell on Chen Yuze, Lin Xuan, and Guan Yuanshuang, filled with envy, admiration, and reverence. Being in the top three of the outer sect wasn't just about being top-tier outer disciples; once they entered the inner sect, they wouldn't be ordinary inner disciples but would rank among the inner sect's geniuses, with promising futures. Additionally, as top three finishers, they would receive at least five hundred contribution points, equivalent to at least fifty low-grade spirit stones. This naturally made the other disciples envious. Among them, Lin Xuan, as a new disciple, had secured at least second place, drawing even more attention, surpassing even Chen Yuze, the top outer disciple.
After a moment, the Grand Elder's voice continued: "Next is the fourth round, the top three ranking matches. They will face off in pairs to determine the rankings! However, considering your previous battles have consumed considerable true qi, you will have a half-hour rest. After half an hour, the fourth round will officially begin!"
This time, the Grand Elder's words caused no stir. This was the usual competition rule, and no one was surprised. Although Lin Xuan, Chen Yuze, and Guan Yuanshuang seemed to have little fatigue, rules were rules and had to be followed.