Chapter 409 The game begins

"If a race wants to prosper forever, there must be a steady stream of powerful people emerging within the race. Otherwise, it will gradually decline. The Sky Demon Phoenix Clan is like this, so is the human race?" Xiao Ling sighed and said slowly.

Looking back to the past, the Xiao clan was one of the eight ancient clans, so glorious and prosperous. However, times have changed, and now it has fallen into a state of desolation.

After hearing Xiao Ling's words, everyone fell into deep thought. How could those present not understand the deep meaning of Xiao Ling's words?

Although the ancient Taixu dragons still have a great reputation, they are no longer as powerful as they used to be. Back then, the ancient Taixu dragons were so high-spirited and arrogant when facing those ancient races. They never took them seriously. It's a pity that now, compared with the weakest of the seven races, the spirit race, they can't even compare with them.

As for the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python clan, their past glory is gone, and now only Medusa is left as the continuation of their bloodline. They are all alone in this vast world. The contrast between their past prosperity and their present loneliness is sharp, which makes people sigh that time is ruthless and fate is cruel.

Xiao Ling shook his head gently, forcing his thoughts back to reality from his reverie. Then, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a faint smile, and he said softly, "Okay, we don't have to dwell on these irrelevant things anymore. The competition is about to begin. I think this Sifang Pavilion Conference should be quite interesting."

When everyone heard this, they all turned their curious and interested eyes towards the direction of the competition square.

His eyes casually swept over the contestants in the square. When he noticed two familiar figures, Xiao Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then an interested smile broke out on his face.

Lin Yan and Xiao Yan on the field had been keeping an eye on Xiao Ling's movements. When they saw Xiao Ling looking at them, they both waved at Xiao Ling gently. The movement was not large and did not make much noise.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling nodded slightly and responded with a faint smile as a simple greeting.

"Hey, isn't this the disciple of Old Man Huo who likes to use door panels, and that Lin Yan? I didn't expect that they would come to participate in this Sifang Pavilion competition. It's quite unexpected."

At this moment, Zi Yan also noticed Xiao Ling's actions. She followed his gaze and saw Lin Yan and Xiao Yan. She couldn't help but said with a little surprise.

Qing Lin also nodded in agreement. She was not very familiar with Lin Yan, but she had met Xiao Yan many times and had some understanding of him.

"We will be able to meet them then, but for now let's just see how they perform on the field. With their strength, I think they should have no problem passing the first round, but as for winning the championship, the chances are slim." Xiao Ling nodded slightly and said indifferently.

In Xiao Ling's perception, Xiao Yan was already a seven-star Dou Huang, and Lin Yan had reached an eight-star Dou Huang. Xiao Ling was not surprised that Lin Yan could reach such a level of cultivation.

But Xiao Yan, despite lacking as many opportunities as in the original novel, was still able to improve his cultivation so quickly. This must have been due to the full support of Canaan Academy, plus he must have had a lot of adventures himself.

On the square, the fifty-four people glanced at each other, their eyes full of vigilance. In such a chaotic situation, whoever can hold on all the way and survive to the end can be said to have won the fruit of victory. However, it should be noted that the degree of strictness and cruelty of this selection is not ordinary.

Only eight people are left out of the fifty-four, and four of the places have been firmly occupied by the young elites of the four pavilions. As a result, among the remaining fifty people, only four people can obtain the qualification for promotion. It can be seen how fierce the competition is.

When the tense atmosphere reached an almost unbearable peak, someone finally couldn't hold back and took the lead. One person's action was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, which naturally triggered a chain reaction.

In an instant, waves of fighting spirit of various colors rushed out like a surging tide, and a thrilling melee began.

At this moment, the field was in complete chaos. The dull sound of fighting spirits colliding with each other and the crisp sound of swords hitting each other were heard one after another.

In such a chaotic situation, although everyone present was no ordinary person, people still kept spitting blood and were forced to withdraw from the battle.

The field was too chaotic and disorderly. People could only take care of the front, but not the back. There were hidden enemies everywhere. If you were not careful, a fatal attack would come from the dark.

After all, such a conference is a place where swords and knives are ruthless, and getting injured is a common thing.

If you are unfortunately attacked by a fatal attack, just shout "surrender" and according to the rules, no one will try to kill you anymore.

The chaotic situation lasted for less than ten minutes before more than a dozen contestants were seriously injured and had no choice but to leave the field in despair.

After all, if he continued to stay in this chaotic scene, he might not only be seriously injured, but even his life might be in danger.

However, although the square was extremely chaotic at the moment, there were still four small circles that were much safer. The masters who firmly guarded these four small circles were Feng Qing'er, Mu Qingluan, Tang Ying, and Wang Chen...

The four of them had already gathered their energy, ready to go, and stared coldly at the chaotic battlefield around them. Anyone who dared to rashly step into the circle they were guarding would be subjected to the most violent attack immediately.

The strength of these four people can basically be regarded as the best here. Although there are a few people in the field who also perform extraordinary, it is obvious that those people do not dare to provoke these four people at will, and they are all afraid of them.

Among these four people, Mu Qingluan and Feng Qing'er were the most eye-catching. The two figures were seen facing each other at the two ends of the square, their eyes seemed to be able to penetrate the empty space in the middle and look directly at each other.

At this moment, the Dou Zong aura that far exceeded the Dou Huang realm emanated from the two of them, sweeping around like a surging wave. Everyone around them suddenly felt a powerful pressure coming towards them, and no one dared to approach this area easily.

It looked like the two women were about to fight each other in the next second, but they never made any move. They just stood there facing each other quietly, and the air was filled with a tense atmosphere.

Because both of them knew that the real competition that could decide the victory or defeat and determine the winner would not be in this situation at the moment, but in the crucial final battle that would follow. That would be the perfect opportunity to do their best and compete with each other.

At this point, both of them had full and absolute confidence in themselves, and were certain that they would stand out in the subsequent final battle and win the crown of victory. Therefore, although they were confronting each other at this moment, they were both calm and composed, not at all panicked.

Apart from these four geniuses from the Sifang Pavilion, the most eye-catching ones are Xiao Yan and Lin Yan.

On the square, Xiao Yan and Lin Yan stood back to back, looking around vigilantly.

Xiao Yan held the black iron ruler tightly in both hands, and every time he swung it, it was powerful, cutting through the air with a low whistle. Lin Yan held a red spear, the tip of which flashed with a cold light, as if it could penetrate all obstacles.

There were many powerful contestants around, and because they were afraid of these two geniuses who had recently become famous, they formed a team and launched an attack on Xiao Yan and Lin Yan.

Among them, there were actually several Nine-Star Douhuang realm warriors. These people came with great momentum, attempting to take down the two in one fell swoop by relying on their numbers.

However, Xiao Yan and Lin Yan were not afraid at all. They just had stern expressions and prepared themselves for this tough battle.

Xiao Yan took the lead, smashing the heavy black iron ruler at the enemy with overwhelming force, his fighting spirit surging like a raging wave. Lin Yan cooperated tacitly, and the red spear pierced the opponent's vital points like a dragon out of the sea.

The two of them joined forces, with both offensive and defensive capabilities, and as they moved their bodies swiftly, none of the high-level Dou Huangs who came could break through their defense. No less than dozens of people had been defeated and eliminated by the two of them one after another, but they still stood proudly in the melee, without any signs of fatigue.

"Why does this guy's body movements look so weird? It's really bizarre..."

Xiao Ling looked at Lin Yan who was constantly jumping and moving in the field, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch slightly.

When Lin Yan performed that skill, his posture was extremely ugly, giving people an extremely awkward feeling, just like a duck swaying left and right, looking really funny. If Xiao Ling guessed correctly, this skill should be the earth-level fighting skill called Bat Duck Fire Avoidance Step that Lin Yan obtained in the original book.

One can only sigh that some things seem to have been predestined. Even though Xiao Ling has changed many things, this inheritance still fell into Lin Yan's hands, and he still came to participate in the Sifang Pavilion martial arts competition as scheduled.

This kind of fighting skill, no matter how high its grade, Xiao Ling would not have the interest to learn it, and would only use it when he had no choice. It was really too weird and awkward to use, and learning it would somewhat damage his image.

The chaos in the field continued, and the entire square seemed to have turned into a huge sieve. People were constantly being eliminated from the "sieve", and the number of people who could continue to stay in the square was rapidly becoming scarce.

As the number of people decreased rapidly, the chaos in the square gradually calmed down. Especially when the number of people on the field dropped sharply to around eleven, the originally noisy and chaotic square was instantly shrouded in an abnormal silence.

Except for Xiao Yan and Lin Yan, the other nine people were scattered around the venue. Those who had just experienced a fierce fight and had consumed a lot of physical strength were panting and looking at each other warily. Xiao Yan and Lin Yan were the same, and their eyes revealed caution and vigilance.

Of course, such a peaceful state could not last forever. Before those who had just experienced a fierce battle had time to take a breath, they were back on alert again.

Feng Qing'er and Mu Qingluan were both very confident in themselves, so they looked fearless and stood quietly.

However, Wang Chen from Huangquan Pavilion and Tang Ying from Wanjian Sect have already taken action, and it seems that they are planning to launch a final clearing operation, hoping to break this temporary calm, change the situation again, and end this first round of written examination screening as soon as possible.

The two men's eyes met, and they seemed to have a tacit understanding in an instant. After nodding slightly to each other, they immediately went their separate ways.

Tang Ying held a long sword in his hand and went straight to a very powerful contestant present, whose strength had already reached the level of a nine-star Douhuang.

The contestant was just resting and recuperating when he suddenly saw Tang Ying coming at him so he had to stand up and defend himself. Fortunately, he had not been exhausted from the previous battle, so he could still hold on for a while and was not eliminated in a short time.

Wang Chen, like a black shadow, flew swiftly in front of Xiao Yan and Lin Yan.

"I didn't expect to run into you two this time. It's quite interesting."

He rubbed his fingers, the two daggers in his hands were shining coldly, and a creepy smile appeared on his face, which made people shudder. He just opened his mouth and said,
"You have offended the people of Glacier Valley, yet you dare to come to participate in the Four Square Pavilion Competition with such fanfare. Aren't you afraid of being eliminated by them?"

“Haha, Mr. Wang Chen, please don’t worry about my own affairs, Xiao Yan.” Xiao Yan raised the corners of his mouth slightly and smiled faintly.

At the same time, he had been secretly accumulating fighting spirit, and his entire body instantly entered a state of combat readiness, with a faint aura of being ready to go, and it was obvious that he did not dare to slack off in the slightest against Wang Chen.

"If you want to fight, just do it. Don't waste your time here. Don't lose face for your Huangquan Pavilion! Last time in the Tianmu Mountains, you ended up in such an embarrassing situation. Are you here to get back at me this time?"

Lin Yan's words were more direct. He grinned, his face full of disdain, and spoke bluntly.

He was full of confidence in his and Xiao Yan's strength. Thinking back to when they were in the Tianmu Mountains, it was because of a conflict between him and Wang Chen that Xiao Yan took action, and the two of them joined forces to successfully repel Wang Chen. It was also because of this that the two gradually became friends.

Besides, Xiao Ling is here, and the relationship between Xiao Yan, Xiao Ling and him is not ordinary. If they really can't beat Wang Chen, the worst that can happen is that they admit defeat. But if Wang Chen tries to kill them, they are not without backers to support them.

"You are courting death!"

As soon as Lin Yan finished speaking, Wang Chen's eyes instantly became as cold and sinister as a poisonous snake, and a ferocious and terrifying look appeared on his face.

The two daggers in his hands flew out one after another, and the inky black fighting spirit swept out like deadly poison, instantly bringing about a howling and raging dark storm, attacking Xiao Yan and Lin Yan directly, with such momentum that it seemed to devour the two of them in an instant.

Seeing Wang Chen coming rapidly with the dark storm, Xiao Yan reacted very quickly. He raised the heavy black iron ruler steadily with one hand, and then gently wiped the ruler with his other hand.

In an instant, a cluster of dark brown flames suddenly burned fiercely on the heavy black iron ruler, immediately emitting a terrifying high temperature that was so high that it made people shudder. The surrounding air seemed to be distorted by the heat.

"Flame Devouring Wave Ruler!"

As Xiao Yan shouted in a low voice, he tightly grasped the handle of the heavy black iron ruler with both hands, and then swung it downwards violently.

I saw a dark brown flame carrying a terrifying scorching temperature, like a roaring fire dragon, slashing straight towards Wang Chen. Wherever it passed, the air was sizzling due to the high temperature, as if it was about to be torn apart.

The dark storm and the dark brown flame slash collided with each other with a loud bang. The fighting spirits of the two clashed fiercely, and suddenly a deafening explosion was heard. Streams of smoke and dust spread out rapidly like huge waves.

However, a moment later, an unexpected scene suddenly appeared. The figure who flashed back was actually Wang Chen from Huangquan Pavilion who launched the attack first. His slightly embarrassed appearance formed a sharp contrast with his previous aggressive posture.

"This guy's fighting spirit and fighting skills have reached such a level. Could it be that the flame he cast is a strange fire? What is the origin of this suddenly rising Xiao Yan..."

Wang Chen felt an unbearable burning sensation in his palm, and the originally pitch-black dagger now had a hint of fiery red.

Looking at Xiao Yan's pitch-black iron ruler, wisps of dark brown flames were constantly lingering upwards, causing the surrounding air to have already distorted and deformed. Even the space seemed to be faintly fluctuating, as if it could not withstand the heat and tyranny of the flames.

Although Xiao Yan had not yet tamed any strange fire, he and Elder Huo were the first to study the volume of the True Flame Manipulation Art that Xiao Ling had left in the inner courtyard.

By integrating many beast fires, a transformation fire was formed. The temperature of this transformation fire is not inferior to the real strange fire.

Moreover, although Xiao Yan is an alchemist, he focuses more on improving combat power. The beast fires he chooses to absorb and condense are all inclined towards the direction of hot explosions, and the power they exert is quite extraordinary, often playing a key role in battle.

The spectators around were all shocked and surprised when they saw such a scene.

No one had expected that Wang Chen, who was known as the best among the younger generation of Huangquan Pavilion, would be at a disadvantage at the hands of a high-level Dou Huang.

Although Xiao Yan had also emerged in Zhongzhou and had gained a certain degree of fame, compared with Wang Chen, a talented and proud man who had already established a strong image and a great reputation in everyone's mind through his many deeds, everyone generally believed that there was a significant gap between the two.

But the outcome presented at this moment really surprised many bystanders and was completely contrary to their previous expectations and judgments.

"What a waste!" The Huang Quan Reverend who was sitting on the seat clenched his fists, his face full of anger, and cursed in a low voice...

(End of this chapter)