Translator: CinderTL
TL/N: There are two Wang Xuan's, one is male and the other is female.
"Is it over?"
"No way! Did he just one-shot him again, bro?"
"Star River University's second-ranked fighter, Wang Xuan, was instantly defeated by Jiang Ye?!"
"Holy shit!!" After a brief silence, the crowd of over a hundred thousand spectators erupted into a deafening uproar.
Shocking!
Absolutely shocking!
This battle had completely showcased Jiang Ye's terrifying power.
Against Wang Xuan, Star River University's second-ranked fighter—second only to Li Qi—Jiang Ye needed only a single move!
An instant kill!
"What just happened?"
"I got one-shotted?" Wang Xuan, still stunned beneath the arena, couldn't believe it.
He hadn't even had time to react before Jiang Ye had instantly defeated him!
"Was that... an ultimate move?"
"Impossible!" Wang Xuan's mind reeled. "The match just started! How could he unleash an ultimate move so quickly?"
Ultimate moves required time to build up.
They needed the momentum of intense combat, gradually accumulating momentum until one's Essence, Qi, and Spirit reached their peak, allowing the ultimate move to be unleashed with overwhelming force.
But Jiang Ye? He just went straight for the ultimate move right from the start?
"Is this even fair?"
The audience gasped in unison.
Meanwhile, the teachers' expressions turned grave.
"A complete Fourth-tier Ultimate Move!"
"Jiang Ye unleashed a Fourth-tier Ultimate Move within seconds of stepping onto the stage?"
"This demonstrates an astonishing level of control over stellar energy."
"A peerless genius." Teachers from various schools were deeply shaken.
Ultimate moves typically require time to build up momentum.
But that's only true for ordinary individuals.
Certain prodigies can unleash their most powerful ultimate moves in mere moments.
These individuals possess absolute mastery over stellar energy, either through advanced cultivation techniques or innate talent.
In reality, innate talent is often the dominant factor.
Even Heaven-Tier High-Grade cultivation techniques struggle to activate such terrifying ultimate moves in such a short time.
Even First-Tier Civilization Inheritance might fall short.
Therefore, the teachers concluded that Jiang Ye's abilities must stem from his innate talent.
"Who's stronger now—Jiang Ye or Li Qi?"
"It's truly hard to say at this point."
"Li Qi still hasn't unleashed his full potential. I heard his innate ability is terrifying, inherited from a transcendent family," the teachers murmured.
"The Genius Cup champion will be decided between those two," they speculated.
Meanwhile, Elder Bai narrowed his eyes.
Rather than being impressed by Jiang Ye's ultimate move, he was more curious about how the boy had mastered the complete Fourth-tier Ultimate Move so quickly.
"The Fourth Form of the Great Sun Spear Technique is a massive bottleneck," Elder Bai mused inwardly. "Even I was stuck on it for over half a year back in my day. This kid couldn't even master the Third Form six months ago, could he?"
"So fast? He's already grasped the complete Fourth-tier Ultimate Move?"
Rapid cultivation speed could be explained by talent.
But overcoming such a formidable bottleneck with such speed defied common sense.
"Perhaps... this is what true genius looks like," Elder Bai sighed inwardly.
On the arena, Jiang Ye stood with his spear lowered, frowning slightly.
Wang Xuan had exuded such confidence before the match began that Jiang Ye had anticipated a truly satisfying battle.
But the reality...
What a disappointment!
"Could I really have become this strong?" Jiang Ye shook his head, his figure flickering as he returned to the waiting area.
He had advanced to the final four, with only three matches remaining.
The competition continued.
In the second match, Yun Qing'er faced Zhou Jin.
Yun Qing'er won.
In the third match, Lin Qingxue fought Zhu Bufan.
Lin Qingxue won.
In the fourth match, Li Qi battled Xu Wan'er.
Li Qi won.
With that, the final four were determined!
Li Qi, Lin Qingxue, Yun Qing'er, and Jiang Ye.
"The final four matches are finally about to begin!"
"The championship is within reach!"
"Jiang Ye! Penglai's strongest! Take the crown!"
"Lin Qingxue, my wife!" The emotions of the hundred thousand spectators surged to a fever pitch.
The final four matches!
The curtain was about to rise.
"First match of the final four: Yun Qing'er versus Jiang Ye."
As Chu Jingye's words echoed, two figures materialized on the arena stage.
"Yun Qing'er," Jiang Ye said, gazing at the delicate girl across from him.
Yun Qing'er's advancement to the final four proved her exceptional strength. Jiang Ye had observed her battles, witnessing her explosive bursts of over a thousand hammer strikes per second—a truly ferocious display.
However, compared to Jiang Ye, her power still paled in comparison. This match held virtually no suspense.
"Jiang Ye," Yun Qing'er said timidly, "Let's begin."
Jiang Ye's expression shifted.
Is she planning to throw the match again, just like during the Freshman Competition?
"Don't deliberately lose to me," Jiang Ye said earnestly. "I want a real fight with you."
"Ah," Yun Qing'er murmured, glancing up at him in surprise.
After a moment, she nodded. "Alright."
Match Start
The instant the subtitles vanished, Yun Qing'er moved like a blur.
Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
True to her word, she held nothing back, unleashing her most ferocious assault from the start.
A dense barrage of hammer shadows, accompanied by scorching hammer winds, blanketed Jiang Ye.
"This is quite oppressive," Jiang Ye muttered, his expression hardening.
Yun Qing'er was indeed formidable.
Under such an explosive onslaught, even a late-second breakthrough powerhouse would likely be instantly crushed.
Clang!
Jiang Ye gripped his spear tightly and charged forward to meet the attack head-on.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The clash was intense. Yun Qing'er's hammer technique was flawless, leaving Jiang Ye barely any openings.
Fortunately, Jiang Ye's stellar energy potency and explosive power far surpassed Yun Qing'er's.
Though hammer techniques were renowned for their raw power, each strike from Yun Qing'er's hammer still paled in comparison to the force behind Jiang Ye's spear thrusts.
After repeated clashes, Yun Qing'er gradually fell into a disadvantage.
Just half a minute later:
Boom! Jiang Ye thrust his spear into Yun Qing'er's chest, triggering the protective mechanism and eliminating her.
Jiang Ye wins!
Second match of the semifinals:
Li Qi versus Lin Qingxue.
"Lin Qingxue!"
"Lin Qingxue, go! Defeat Li Qi!" Over a hundred thousand spectators erupted in a thunderous roar.
Li Qi and Lin Qingxue were the most popular competitors in the arena, second only to Jiang Ye.
Lin Qingxue's popularity even surpassed Li Qi's.
This match was the most highly anticipated of the tournament.
As soon as the battle began, Lin Qingxue immediately unleashed her Innate Domain:
Ice and Snow Domain!
After Lin Qingxue activated her Innate Domain, Li Qi's movements visibly slowed.
Frost even began to form on his skin, visible to the naked eye.
"Lin Qingxue has achieved Major Success in Low-Grade Earth Tier swordplay," Jiang Ye observed intently. "How many moves can she withstand against Li Qi?"
Li Qi possessed Mid-Grade Earth Tier blade arts and had already reached Major Success.
In this battle, Lin Qingxue stood no chance against Li Qi.
But how long could she endure? No one knew.
Jiang Ye was also curious to see if she could force Li Qi to reveal his true trump card.
Just half a minute later:
Rumble!
Once again, that world-destroying blade light erupted across the arena, dazzlingly brilliant and annihilating all life.
Fourth-tier Ultimate Move—World-Destroying!
In the next instant, a bloodied figure flew off the arena, crashing to the ground.
Lin Qingxue had been defeated.
On the arena, Li Qi, his purple hair cascading down his back, sheathed his blade with an arrogant smirk.
"Even among the top ten, there are tiers," he declared. "Lin Qingxue? Nothing special." He shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the waiting area, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Jiang Ye, I hope you can force out my innate ability. Otherwise, this will be far too dull."
"Li Qi won!"
"He's too strong! He didn't even use his innate ability once!"
"That ultimate move is practically invincible. No one can block it."
"How does Jiang Ye's ultimate move compare to Li Qi's?"
"They seem about equal, but Li Qi hasn't used his innate ability yet. It's hard to say how Jiang Ye will fare against him." The audience buzzed with speculation.
Even Lin Qingxue had fallen so quickly.
Li Qi's strength was terrifying!
Yet this only heightened the suspense surrounding the upcoming championship match.
Jiang Ye versus Li Qi.
Who would ultimately emerge victorious?
The competition continued.
In the third match of the semifinals, Yun Qing'er faced Lin Qingxue, vying for third place.
This battle was equally fierce.
But Yun Qing'er's strength ultimately fell short.
Lin Qingxue secured the win.
With this, the final rankings for the Genius Cup's top four were determined.
Fourth place: Yun Qing'er.
Third place: Lin Qingxue.
As for first and second place? Those would be decided in the upcoming championship match.
The audience wouldn't have to wait long.
Whoosh! A figure appeared mid-air—Chu Jingye.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Chu Jingye shouted, his voice booming across the arena. "The moment you've all been waiting for is here! The championship battle is about to begin!"
"The final showdown!"
"The victor of this battle will be crowned the ultimate champion of this year's Genius Cup!"
"Now, let's welcome Jiang Ye and Li Qi to the arena!"
As his words echoed through the arena, two figures vanished simultaneously from the waiting area.
On the central arena, spanning hundreds of meters, Jiang Ye and Li Qi slowly materialized.
"Jiang Ye! Jiang Ye! Jiang Ye!"
"Defeat Li Qi! Defend the glory of the Twenty-Five Schools!"
"Kill!" The hundred thousand spectators erupted into a frenzy.
The atmosphere reached a fever pitch once more.
Nearly every spectator roared their support, creating a thunderous, earth-shattering roar that shook the very foundations of the arena.
"Why is everyone cheering for Jiang Ye?" Liu Wanxiao asked, his face filled with surprise. "Is there no support for Li Qi?"
"Because Jiang Ye is handsome," Yun Qing'er whispered.
After her defeat, she had returned to the audience seats to join Liu Wanxiao and the others.
"It's not just his looks," Shen Changxi chuckled softly. "He represents the last shred of dignity for the twenty-five school alliance. Seeing him defy the ten great schools is exactly what many people want to see."
The surrounding crowd nodded in agreement.
Exactly!
In this year's Genius Cup, Jiang Ye had fiercely fought for the honor of the twenty-five school alliance.
Without him, the Twenty-Five Schools would likely have lost their top-three spot once again.
"Jiang Ye," Shen Changxi said, her gaze fixed on the arena, "you must win the championship!"
On the arena floor, Jiang Ye and Li Qi stood facing each other.
Both had swept through their opponents on their way to the finals, never revealing their ultimate trump cards.
Whose strength was greater?
No one knew.
This battle was destined to be a suspenseful clash!
"Jiang Ye," Li Qi said slowly, his eyes fixed on Jiang Ye, "can you tell me why you didn't compete with me for that opportunity earlier? With your strength, you shouldn't have feared me."
Jiang Ye remained silent.
Jiang Ye genuinely hadn't expected that even at the championship match, his opponent would still be dwelling on that incident.
"Because I didn't think it was worth my time," Jiang Ye admitted frankly.
"You didn't think it was worth your time?" Li Qi was stunned. That was a Mid-Grade Earth Tier opportunity!
How could anyone dismiss it so casually?
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind. His pupils narrowed slightly as he asked, "Could it be that you took all the top-tier opportunities for yourself?"
Jiang Ye glanced at him in surprise. You're just realizing this now?
"I didn't even see any top-tier opportunities," Jiang Ye replied, shaking his head. He had no intention of drawing unnecessary hostility, especially with the other competitors still watching.
"The reason I didn't bother with that opportunity," Jiang Ye explained, "is because I've already obtained plenty of them."
"I see," Li Qi nodded slightly, his expression softening.
"Someone worthy of contending for the championship shouldn't be someone who clings to life out of fear," Li Qi said with a faint smile. "Now I see you truly have the right to face me in battle."
Jiang Ye remained silent.
Both fell into a tense silence.
They waited quietly for the match to begin.
Match Start
Whoosh! Jiang Ye's eyes snapped open, his body launching forward like a cannonball.
Gripping his spear tightly, he unleashed a barrage of continuous spear shadows even before closing the distance.
Clang!
Clang! Clang! Clang! The battle erupted.
In the blink of an eye, the two clashed fiercely, their blades and spear colliding in a dazzling shower of sparks and deafening roars.
As expected.
This guy's stellar energy burst is formidable. Li Qi's gaze sharpened. In a direct clash, even I'm at a disadvantage.
Fortunately, his spearmanship is only at the profound tier. Otherwise, victory would be nearly impossible.
But as it stands... A glint flashed in Li Qi's eyes.
In the next instant, he unleashed his blade arts.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Whoosh! Brilliant arcs of blade light erupted, each infused with a trace of spiritual resonance—not mere blade energy, but something more profound.
This was the essence of Li Qi's blade arts: Blade Art Spirit Resonance!
What is spiritual resonance?
Spiritual resonance imbues blade arts with a kind of 'spirituality,' as if they possess life itself, multiplying their power exponentially!
Generally, only Heaven-Rank art techniques could cultivate such spirit resonance.
However, certain superior Earth-Rank art techniques also had a chance to achieve it.
Under the influence of this subtle spirit resonance, the power of Li Qi's blade arts erupted with terrifying force, as if his skill had instantly surged several levels.
Boom! A terrifying pressure descended like a tidal wave, crashing down on Jiang Ye.
If any other competitors had been on the arena at that moment, they would have been instantly crushed to the ground by the overwhelming force.
Clang!
Clang clang clang! Jiang Ye fought fiercely, this undoubtedly being his most intense battle of the tournament so far.
"Still not using your ultimate move?" Li Qi sneered. "Then you'll never get the chance!"
His blade arts grew even more ferocious, crashing down like a violent storm.
"As you wish."
Jiang Ye's gaze turned cold, and his spearmanship suddenly transformed.
Whoosh! The spear swept horizontally, stellar energy igniting like wildfire. Within a radius of several hundred meters, a scorching sea of sunlight materialized.
In the next instant, an Orange-Red Great Sun rose majestically.
Then it exploded!
(End of the Chapter)
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