Chapter 50 – Like a hot knife through butter
No one expected Lin Hao to defeat his opponent with a single move.
Those who came to watch the battle were just there for the spectacle.
They all knew that during the outer sect competition, Lin Hao and Wang Jingzhan were evenly matched in strength.
Wang Jingzhan had suffered due to excessive physical and spiritual energy consumption, as well as his arrogance and complacency.
But who would have thought that in this battle, even after giving it his all, Wang Jingzhan would still be defeated by Lin Hao in one move.
Jiang Mingfei, hiding in the crowd, felt a chill run down his spine as he watched Lin Hao's display of power. He was relieved he hadn't foolishly provoked Lin Hao himself but had instead used Jiang Shuyan as a pawn.
However, he hadn't heard anything from Jiang Shuyan, whether Lin Hao had been taught a lesson or not. At the very least, there should have been some response.
He couldn't suppress his anxiety but dared not ask, knowing that woman was not to be trifled with.
Just then, he received a message from Jiang Shuyan, asking him to meet at the back mountain.
It must be about Lin Hao. With a heart full of unease, he pushed through the crowd and headed to the back mountain.
Wang Jingzhan lay on the ground, his heart a mix of emotions.
Last time during the outer sect competition, he had underestimated his opponent and was knocked off the stage by Lin Hao, leaving a thorn in his heart.
Since then, he had trained day and night, hoping that one day he could crush Lin Hao with overwhelming strength.
But he never imagined it would come to this!
He couldn't even withstand a single move from Lin Hao. The gap in their strength was like a chasm, impossible to cross, leaving him utterly defeated.
He felt his Dao heart on the verge of shattering.
"Zhan'er, failure is not shameful. What's shameful is wallowing in failure."
Han Liyue helped her fallen son up and spoke gently.
Wang Jingzhan's face was blank, and he smiled bitterly, "Mother, I'm not afraid of failure, but I don't know where I fall short compared to him. Why has his strength improved so quickly?"
Han Liyue looked at Lin Hao's retreating figure with a hint of bitterness in her heart.
Zhan'er, I'm afraid you'll never catch up to him in this lifetime.
She understood Lin Hao's terrifying rate of improvement better than anyone present, which made her even more despairing.
But she couldn't show her despair in front of her son, or his Dao heart would truly shatter.
"Zhan'er, you don't need to compare yourself to him. You just need to cultivate diligently, and one day you'll stand at the pinnacle of the Dao."
"Mother, can I really?"
"Of course, you can!"
"You must know that you are also a genius in cultivation!"
"And in the path of cultivation, it's not just about talent, but also fortune... perseverance..."
Wang Jingzhan nodded heavily, clenching his fist, "Mother, I understand!"
He looked at Lin Hao with determination, silently vowing to defeat him one day!
Lin Hao noticed the gaze from the mother and son but paid it no mind.
He felt that after this competition, he would have no further interaction with them.
"Brother Lin, congratulations on your victory in the first battle."
Leng Fengchun, amazed by Lin Hao's strength, knew she was not his match, as they were two minor realms apart, a gap that couldn't be bridged by swordsmanship alone!
She felt that compared to Lin Hao, she still wasn't working hard enough. So after winning her first match, she withdrew from the competition.
She planned to return to seclusion, hoping to gain new insights in the path of the sword, her only chance to face Lin Hao again.
Lin Hao watched Leng Fengchun leave gracefully, silently wishing her success in her sword cultivation.
This spirited woman, along with the late Xiang Xiaoyuan, were the only two beautiful women he had met but had no desire to possess.
Due to the elimination format of this inner sect competition, the matches proceeded quickly.
In less than a day, the first round was over.
Besides those who were defeated, some winners, either due to injuries or other reasons, like Leng Fengchun, chose to withdraw.
Less than five hundred remained for the second round.
Lin Hao's opponent in the second match was a middle-aged man in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
This man had been cultivating in the inner sect for many years and was quite old. If he couldn't make it to the top hundred in this competition, he would be sent to places like the spirit stone mines as a fourth-level elder.
Leaving the inner sect meant a significant reduction in cultivation resources.
He was desperate to win.
Unfortunately, he encountered Lin Hao.
After exchanging ten moves, Lin Hao, not even breaking a sweat, defeated his opponent.
The outer sect spectators familiar with Lin Hao were shocked. Lin Hao had just broken through to Foundation Establishment, how could he defeat a seasoned Foundation Establishment expert so easily?
What realm was he in now?
Mid-Foundation Establishment?
How could he break through so quickly!
The inner sect spectators were even more stunned.
Many of them knew the middle-aged man, a seasoned mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator with considerable strength.
Some had also watched the outer sect competition and knew Lin Hao.
They all thought that having just broken through to Foundation Establishment a few months ago, how strong could he be?
Who would have thought that the seasoned Foundation Establishment expert couldn't even touch Lin Hao's clothes before being defeated.
In the Sect Leader's palace, Sect Leader Ouyang watched Lin Hao easily defeat his opponent, a smile appearing on her serene face.
"Junior Sister Feng, your young disciple is quite impressive.
One more round and he'll be in the top hundred of the inner sect."
"Even if your two disciples don't return, your Great Bamboo Peak won't lack a leading disciple."
Feng Cangyue lazily lay on the Fire Lotus Platform, her jade-like feet kicking three fireballs.
"Compared to Nephew Qingxue, he's still far behind."
Hearing this, Sect Leader Ouyang couldn't help but shake her head slightly.
"Junior Sister, comparing Lin Hao to my only disciple, isn't that taking advantage?"
Feng Cangyue's beautifully arched eyebrows raised slightly.
"What do you mean by taking advantage? My unworthy disciple is at a disadvantage, being young."
"But youth is also an advantage, his future is promising!"
"As for Nephew Qingxue, she's been immersed in the path of the sword for years, otherwise she would have formed her core long ago."
"You know, Qingxue is stubborn. She'll only consider forming her core when she feels her swordsmanship can't advance further."
"Indeed, she's quite stubborn, but with her current strength, winning first place isn't difficult."
Sect Leader Ouyang shook her head slightly, sighing, "The disciples of the Grand Elders are also participating in this competition. Qingxue may not have the upper hand. If she makes it to the top three, I'll be satisfied."
Feng Cangyue kicked the three fireballs into the sky, pouting, "What kind of disciples can those old fogeys teach, turtles hiding in their shells?"
"Junior Sister, mind your words."
Feng Cangyue nonchalantly replied, "I'd say the same to their faces."
"Hehe."
An elderly voice echoed in the hall.
"Who has upset our fiery girl, making her so angry?"
An old man with white hair and beard appeared out of nowhere.
Sect Leader Ouyang quickly stood up and greeted, "Uncle Lu."
Feng Cangyue remained unmoved, lazily saying, "You old coot actually came out of seclusion, aren't you afraid of dying?"
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"Junior Sister..."
Sect Leader Ouyang was about to reprimand her for being disrespectful to the Grand Elder, but Elder Lu stopped her.
"Fiery girl, you can watch your disciple's battle, but I can't cheer for mine?"
"As you wish," Feng Cangyue raised an eyebrow.
"Hehe, fiery girl, you're still as fiery as when you were young."
"I'm still very young now."