Chapter 141: Lin Qi Makes His Move
"That Zhou Xiyin is so strong. She’s already killed five people in under a minute," someone exclaimed, watching the large screen.
"You can’t even see how she’s striking with her sword before someone’s dead," another person said, shaking their head.
Lin Qi watched Zhou Xiyin, taking in her every move.
He had to admit she deserved her rank as number two in Celestial Sea City.
According to the rules, everyone’s Qi and Blood Value in the warm-up match was adjusted to the same level—10.0—just as it was in the Red Realm Arena.
But her speed was clearly a cut above everyone else. She was fast and agile, her Swordsmanship conjuring countless lethal sword phantoms.
Her movements were clean and efficient, without a single wasted motion, just like an assassin.
Zhou Xiyin’s Swordsmanship had clearly surpassed the Tier Two Initial Stage.
’A worthy opponent,’ Lin Qi concluded.
「Ten minutes later」
[Survivors: 1/50]
The first free-for-all officially ended. With her absolute superiority, Zhou Xiyin was the last one standing, having successfully killed the final opponent.
[Match One: Zhou Xiyin wins!]
Yuan Ji waved his hand again. "Contestants for the second match, enter your Virtual Cabins."
"The gap is just too wide!" Lv Xiang said with a wry smile, shaking his head as he emerged from his Virtual Cabin.
He was quite strong and had lasted until the very end, but against Zhou Xiyin, he’d had his throat slit within three moves.
Wu Feng sighed. "Even among the top fifty in the province, the gap is enormous. You only truly appreciate how powerful they are when you reach our level."
"Quick, look! Wang Qiufeng is in the second group!" someone shouted, pointing at the large screen.
There on the large screen, tucked into a corner, was the fine-featured Wang Qiufeng. He wore a calm expression and a light blue Combat Suit, and he held a Yanling Saber so sharp it gleamed. With one hand, he twirled it through the air in an elegant flourish.
[Let the free-for-all begin!]
An automated voice announced the start!
"Let’s team up and kill Wang Qiufeng!" someone shouted.
Two nearby combatants, one with a Long Spear and the other with a Battle Saber, closed in on Wang Qiufeng to attack him from two sides.
They had already recognized Wang Qiufeng. A single look was all they needed to reach an unspoken agreement.
If Wang Qiufeng didn’t die, none of them stood a chance of winning, let alone getting the reward.
"Hmph."
Wang Qiufeng scoffed. Gripping his saber in one hand, he instantly put his Power into it, his body corkscrewing in a flash.
His Yanling Saber swung around his body in a perfect, beautiful arc.
SHLICK!
CLANG!
With a single swing, he slit one opponent’s throat and knocked another back. In the next instant, Wang Qiufeng lunged forward, transforming into a veritable Gale as the light from his saber slashed out like a raging tempest.
SHLICK!
The second person was also killed in an instant. Just like Zhou Xiyin, he had slain two people in rapid succession.
...
"Another genius as swift as the wind, just like Zhou Xiyin. He’s incredibly strong."
"He was ganged up on by two people and instantly killed them both. His Saber Technique is as fast as a Gale—so fast and vicious his opponents couldn’t even react."
"I wonder who’s faster, him or Zhou Xiyin?"
"A scene like this only happens when the skill gap is immense," Jiangtao remarked.
"Difficulty-wise, Wang Qiufeng was in a tougher spot. His style is similar to Zhou Xiyin’s, but I’d say he’s slightly stronger," Lin Qi added.
On the large screen, Wang Qiufeng’s position was now completely exposed, and a large mob of people had joined forces to attack him.
He was now in an extremely dangerous situation.
However, Wang Qiufeng’s Saber Technique was simply too fast. It was pure speed. As long as you’re fast enough, your techniques will be powerful enough, and no one can touch you.
Not only that, but his Body Technique was also superb.
「8 minutes later」
[Match Two: Wang Qiufeng wins!]
"He’s too strong, that Wang Qiufeng!"
"We all have the same Qi and Blood Value. How can anyone be that powerful?" someone said, their face a mask of shock.
Nearby, Zhou Xiyin’s expression turned grave as she finished watching. "He’s very strong."
Elsewhere, Chen Li grinned. "Not bad. He might just be a decent opponent."
Lin Qi nodded, thinking, ’The stronger, the better!’
’An opponent like that is actually worth crushing!’
...
「Ten minutes later」
The fourth free-for-all began.
"Brother Qi, Chen Li’s up!" Jiangtao reminded him.
Lin Qi nodded, his eyes fixed on the screen. He saw a tall young man with rugged features and a wild, domineering aura.
Chen Li, the current number-one genius of Cang Province, nicknamed the Overlord Sword.
During the monthly assessment in the second semester of his senior year, he had already broken into the nation’s top 24, ranking even higher than Li Zehao from the Imperial Capital.
He was one of Lin Qi’s strongest rivals here at the Practical Training Camp.
Lin Qi was extremely curious about his abilities, and this free-for-all was the perfect opportunity to see what Chen Li was capable of.
"Chen Li’s up!!" someone yelled.
"It really is Chen Li, number one in Cang Province. I wonder how he’ll handle the others," someone said curiously.
[Countdown: 3... 2... 1...]
[The fourth free-for-all now begins!]
...
The four people closest to Chen Li exchanged a look.
"Let’s attack together!"
"There’s no way he can block an attack from all four of us at once!" someone roared.
"Kill him!"
Simultaneously, four well-built young men wielding sabers, swords, and spears attacked from four different directions.
The pressure was immense, and killing intent filled the air.
One wrong move and he’d be turned into a human pincushion.
HUFF!
WHOOSH!!
Chen Li wasn’t the least bit flustered. He wielded a massive Black Heavy Sword, over one-and-a-half meters long, and raised it horizontally before him like a shield.
BANG!!
Four heavy attacks slammed against the Heavy Sword, creating a shower of sparks.
"Nice try!"
"Now all of you can die!"
Chen Li grinned, a colossal strength erupting from his body as his Qi Blood surged and veins bulged on his arms.
An endless torrent of strength flowed through his arms, unleashed like a tidal wave.
With a mighty swing of his Black Heavy Sword, Power erupted from within him.
The four attackers’ faces fell. They felt an overwhelming force slam into their arms.
They were sent flying backward uncontrollably.
"Holy hell, how much strength does he have?!"
"Is that even possible with a Qi and Blood Value of 10.0?" someone asked in utter shock.
In the virtual hall, everyone was stunned!
The sheer impact of Chen Li’s direct assault was enormous.
"Brother Qi, that performance was insane! Chen Li’s strength is...!" Jiangtao was also shocked.
Lin Qi watched Chen Li on the screen, swinging his Black Heavy Sword and rampaging through the arena. Few could withstand his attacks.
In a matter of moments, he was the only one left.
[Match Four: Chen Li wins!]
...
「Meanwhile, in a large conference room」
Countless soldiers and staff members in dark green military uniforms were at work. A large screen was projected in front of them, broadcasting the contents of the warm-up matches.
Yuan Ji stood on a cylindrical platform as invisible rays of light scanned his body.
"This student, Chen Li, is exceptional. Even compared to previous years, he would be among the very best."
"He’s likely the strongest one this year."
"Too bad a genius like him won’t join the military. We can’t recruit him," Yuan Ji sighed again.
...
"Next round! Contestants, take the stage!" the projected image of Yuan Ji announced.
BZZZT!
Lin Qi felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked.
[Student Lin Qi, hello. Please proceed to the fifth warm-up match as soon as possible!]
The corners of his mouth lifted. ’Looks like it’s my turn.’
"My turn!"
With that, he walked toward a Virtual Cabin.
With practiced ease, he logged into the Red Realm.
[Student Lin Qi, would you like to enter the fifth warm-up match? YES/NO]
[YES]
[You have thirty seconds to choose your Combat Suit and Weapon!]
Seeing the system prompt, Lin Qi once again chose his familiar loadout.
A black, skin-tight Combat Suit, and a heavy, pitch-black Great Spear with a silver tip that radiated a sharp glint.
Once the thirty seconds were up, the Space around him shifted.
The world twisted and the environment transformed. He was enveloped by a crimson light that filled his surroundings.
He materialized in a spacious arena.
At the same time, dozens of pillars of light descended, trapping the combatants within them.
The crimson light in the pillars dissipated, and everyone could see the opponents around them.
A ten-second Countdown officially began!
...
「In the virtual hall」
Jiangtao watched Lin Qi, who was in a pillar of light in a corner of the screen, and sighed with emotion.
"I haven’t seen Brother Qi fight since the Disaster Beast Tide."
"He must be incredibly strong to have made it to the top 32 of the Genius Tournament. Today, we’ll finally get to see it for ourselves."
Guo Heng nodded. "Yeah. I used to be stronger than Lin Qi, but even then, I could never gain an advantage against him."
Lv Xiang, Wu Feng, and Qiu Siying were also extremely curious about Lin Qi’s current level of strength.
...
[Countdown: 3... 2... 1...]
[The fifth free-for-all now begins!]
High above the arena, an automated female voice emotionlessly announced the start of the battle.
The pillars of light around everyone dissipated, revealing fifty figures.
BOOM!!
SWOOSH~
The air became thick with an aura of Slaughter. Killing intent flared in every contestant’s eyes as they brandished their Weapons and charged in an instant.
The battle began in a flash!
Several people around Lin Qi quickly recognized him.
"It’s Lin Qi, number three in Celestial Sea City and number five in the province."
"He must be the strongest one in this match. If we don’t kill him, none of us can win."
Two men and one woman instantly reached a consensus and launched a pincer attack from three directions.
WHOOSH!
SWISH~
A Longsword and a Battle Saber cut through the air as the three of them struck with all their speed.
Having watched the previous matches, they all knew that when facing a Top Level genius, you had to strike as fast as possible and from different directions.
You had to completely cut off all paths of escape.
"Kill him!!"
Lin Qi felt an intense sense of danger coming from his left, his right, and his front.
A fierce wind battered his face. In that same instant, he moved.
A counter-strategy instantly formed in his mind.
’Three o’clock, twelve o’clock, and ten o’clock. Three people attacking simultaneously.’
’The ones on my sides are two meters away. The one in front is the farthest, at three meters!’
’The one in front is the fastest. I’ll kill him first!’
As soon as Lin Qi finished his rapid analysis, his body moved.
The muscles in his legs tensed, and with a Flow of Power, his body shot out like a bolt of Thunder.
His footwork shifted, creating an afterimage in an instant.
SWISH! SWISH!
His body dodged aside, brushing past the Longsword and Battle Saber with astonishing flexibility.
"What?!"
The two attackers to his sides were stunned. ’How did he dodge that?’
WHOOSH~
The Black Great Spear in Lin Qi’s hand shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow—precise and swift, whistling as it tore through the air.
It streaked through the air, its tip flashing with a cold light.
The man in front could only watch, wide-eyed, as the Great Spear pierced his neck.
SQUELCH!
The man was sent flying, his Weapon falling from his grasp as his body turned to Void and dissipated into the arena!
Two seconds, one kill!
The remaining two were terrified, their blood running cold as goosebumps erupted all over their skin.
’He’s too strong!’
They were completely outmatched. All desire to fight vanished, and they turned to run for their lives!
But Lin Qi had no intention of letting them go.
...