Xuanwu War Sovereign

Despite his thoughts, Qin Feng did feel a tinge of regret. ’Treasure Delivery Boys like Ling Shuanghua are few and far between.’

By the time Qin Feng’s seventh match concluded, the battles on the other two platforms were still raging fiercely.

On Platform Two, Zhang Xuan was facing the Cloud Water Emperor.

On Platform Three, the Eight Desolate Emperor faced Wang Dao Yi.

Two other matches had already concluded: Ding Li had defeated Chu Sa, and Ye Ding had defeated the Cloud Water Emperor.

Qin Feng glanced over at Ye Ding. As if sensing the gaze, Ye Ding turned to meet his eyes, his stare as sharp as a blade’s edge.

Qin Feng felt a colossal Divine Thought bombard him, and he retaliated, unleashing his own powerful Divine Thought to meet the attack.

BANG!

Qin Feng let out a muffled grunt and took a step back. When he looked up, he saw that Ye Ding had also been forced back a step.

BOOM!

At that moment, on Platform Three, the Eight Desolate Emperor shattered a Dao Map with a single punch. Wang Dao Yi’s body shot off the platform like a cannonball.

Dust billowed up from below the platform. Qin Feng and the others pierced the haze with their gazes to see Wang Dao Yi half-kneeling on the ground. He coughed, spitting blood. A section of his chest had caved in; the Eight Desolate Emperor’s final punch had nearly shattered his internal organs.

The only reason he was still alive was that he had managed to deflect a fraction of the force at the very last moment.

Even so, he was left half-crippled.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Several streaks of light shot over. A few Elders landed and began to examine Wang Dao Yi’s injuries, their brows furrowed in concern. One of the Elders waved his hand, and Wang Dao Yi was carried away.

An Elder flew onto the platform and cast an indifferent glance at the proud, aloof, and incredibly domineering purple-robed youth standing there.

"Wang Dao Yi was knocked from the platform! The winner of this match is the Eight Desolate Emperor, Gao Tianyang!"

’That’s the aura of Primordial Qi... the Primordial Dao Secret Technique, one of the Ancient Ten Paths. Is this Eight Desolate Emperor actually an heir to the Primordial Dao?’

Qin Feng’s expression shifted as he recalled the unique aura he had just sensed.

The Ancient Ten Paths were ten Holy Lands with the most ancient legacies. According to legend, their founding ancestors were the most powerful experts of the Ancient Era, even more fearsome than the Demon Gods.

However, the Ancient Ten Paths were exceedingly mysterious; Qin Feng only knew of them through snippets of information he had gleaned from his future life.

Among the Ancient Ten Paths, the Primordial Dao was known for its motto: "One Qi to birth ten thousand techniques, Primordial Chaos to shatter the universe."

Its Primordial Qi was exceptionally famous.

Speaking of which, Qin Feng himself had a connection to the Primordial Dao. The Martial Arts Foundation Establishment Technique he used, the "Innate Primordial Qi", originated from the Primordial Dao.

It seemed the Eight Desolate Emperor Gao Tianyang’s Martial Arts Foundation Establishment Technique was also the "Innate Primordial Qi". He, too, had achieved his breakthrough after reaching the Thirteenth Layer of Heaven with the technique.

Qin Feng frowned. He had always been wary of disciples from the Ancient Ten Paths.

None of the Ancient Ten Paths were to be trifled with.

As he was deep in thought, the match on Platform Two also reached its conclusion. An impossibly sharp flash of sword light slashed through the air, cleanly cleaving the very Void. On the platform, the Cloud Water Emperor stood frozen in place, a stunned expression on his face.

A figure shot out from the Void. It was Zhang Xuan, covered in wounds, his aura fluctuating wildly. Horrifyingly, one of his arms had been completely turned to ash.

Yet despite losing an arm, Zhang Xuan himself was like a true Divine Sword, radiating an unparalleled sharpness that seemed to split the very Void around him.

’He used a life-and-death battle as a whetstone. With the Cloud Water Emperor’s help, Zhang Xuan’s Sword Dao has advanced another step!’ Qin Feng narrowed his eyes. ’This man is ruthless to his enemies, but even more ruthless to himself.’

This future Master of No-Life Sword was truly powerful. Qin Feng felt immensely threatened.

With a sickening squelch, the Cloud Water Emperor’s body exploded, his corpse falling to the ground in two halves.

’What a shame,’ Qin Feng thought. ’He cultivated the Mixed Cave Void Scripture, which should have countered Zhang Xuan. But he lacked the courage to fight to the death. He lost by a hair’s breadth, slain by a single strike from Zhang Xuan’s sword.’

If the Cloud Water Emperor had been willing to risk it all, Qin Feng was confident he could still win, but it would have been anything but easy.

Feeling a moment of pity for the Cloud Water Emperor, Qin Feng swept his gaze across the remaining contestants.

Shenxiu looked compassionate, Ding Li was smirking, Ye Ding wore a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and the Eight Desolate Emperor, Gao Tianyang, was frowning, his killing intent on full display.

As his eyes scanned the area, Qin Feng’s brow suddenly furrowed. He felt like he was forgetting someone.

Zhang Mu!

’That’s right, where did Zhang Mu go? The one who cultivates the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Record?’ Qin Feng was suddenly struck by the realization. It seemed he hadn’t seen Zhang Mu at all since the fifth round of matches.

It was as if the entire All Stars Academy had forgotten he existed.

With a flicker of his thoughts, Qin Feng’s gaze fell upon the Four Great Elders of Houwu District, and he sent a Divine Thought message directly to Elder Nanfeng.

"Senior Brother Nanfeng, where has Zhang Mu gone?"

Elder Nanfeng, who was speaking with the other three Elders, paused. He glanced at Qin Feng and hesitated for a moment before sending a reply via voice transmission.

"Junior Brother Qin Feng, I really shouldn’t be telling you this. But since you’re an Inner Sect Disciple of the Star Sect, you’ll find out eventually, so there’s no harm. That boy, Zhang Mu, has already been captured and executed by the peak Elders."

"What?" Qin Feng’s expression flickered. "Did Zhang Mu betray the sect?"

"Not exactly. Zhang Mu was secretly practicing a Secret Technique, the Supreme Forgetting Emotions. A peak Elder happened to discover it and executed him on the spot."

He paused for a moment. Seeing the change in Qin Feng’s expression, Nanfeng continued, "Junior Brother Qin Feng, do you think the sect went too far?"

"Not at all. The very survival of our sect depends on generations of disciples coming after one another. Disciples who practice techniques like the Supreme Forgetting Emotions all become heartless, ungrateful monsters. No matter how talented such a person is, they won’t lift a finger for the sect. They are parasites, destined to one day betray us and bite the hand that feeds them!"

"Junior Brother, you must remember this. In the future, if you ever encounter a disciple in the sect cultivating a similar technique, you must eradicate them, root and stem. In their eyes, there is only personal gain, not kindness or loyalty. The sooner they are disposed of, the better!"

"The same goes for recruiting disciples. The greater their talent and aptitude, if they cannot be brought into our sect, the more urgent it is to eliminate them. Never be soft-hearted. Otherwise, they might harbor resentment. If they get a lucky break someday and become powerful, they will become an enemy to you and to the sect. They might not be able to defeat you and won’t dare seek revenge directly, but if they ever run into your friends, your own disciples, or any other member of our sect, they absolutely will not show any mercy!"

Nanfeng advised, "Danger must be nipped in the bud. Throughout history, many sects have planted the seeds of their own destruction through a single moment of carelessness, a mistake they would regret for eternity."

Listening to Nanfeng’s words, Qin Feng nodded to himself. ’Zhang Mu cultivated the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Record. Sooner or later, he would have been consumed by it and turned into a terrifying being, devoid of all human emotion and desire.’

’Once his Cultivation Technique reached the Great Success stage, it would have been a massive disaster for the Star Sect. It might not have led to complete annihilation, but the sect would have undoubtedly suffered a grievous blow.’

’Killing him now has eliminated a huge potential disaster.’

On the platform, the Cloud Water Emperor’s body was cleared away. With the seventh round concluded, six contestants remained. These six would now compete for the top six places, while the defeated would continue in an elimination tournament to decide ranks seven through ten.