CHAPTER 75: CHAPTER 75: THE FINALS_1

The conversation above the clouds was naturally unknown to the new disciples participating in the Newcomer Competition below.

Yet, at this moment, the Newcomer Competition had already advanced to a new round.

The six winners of this round, together with Shen Mo who had a bye, once again drew lots to choose their opponents.

This time, Shen Mo didn’t draw a bye again.

The final bye was drawn by Lv Xu.

This meant that Lv Xu could advance to the top four without having to participate in this round of competition.

This did not cause too much controversy or envy.

After all, Lv Xu was originally the hot favorite of the Newcomer Competition, and everyone knew that his strength was entirely worthy of it.

On the contrary, it was Shen Mo’s previous two byes that had caused quite a few complaints among the spectators.

Now that they saw he had an opponent, they couldn’t help but wonder if this lucky guy could stand firm in this round of the Newcomer Competition based on his true merit, or if he would be swept away by his opponent.

"This guy’s good luck has run out!"

"Two byes in a row, what a fluke! I reckon this person’s strength is top-fifty material at best. Without those two byes, he’d never have made it to the top ten!"

"Let’s see if he has any self-awareness. If he forfeits immediately, he might avoid some suffering. But if he insists on showing off..." The last sentence was left unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

Most of the spectators didn’t think highly of Shen Mo.

However, amidst the buzz among the spectators, not all comments were mocking or derisive.

"I think this person has an imposing, steady aura; perhaps he has real skills."

"What if this person turns out to be a dark horse? That would be truly exciting!"

"Whatever the case, we’ll find out soon enough."

Shen Mo disregarded the others’ comments and activated his jade token.

[Yang Qingshan]

Looking at this name, Shen Mo focused his senses briefly, and his gaze fell upon a disciple with a sallow complexion.

Sensing Shen Mo’s gaze, Yang Qingshan’s face lit up with joy.

Clearly, compared to the other potential opponents, he believed drawing Shen Mo was the best possible outcome.

"Come on!" Yang Qingshan roared, leaping onto the Martial Arts Stage. His robes suddenly burst open, revealing his extraordinarily robust and powerful physique.

What’s with ripping his clothes during a competition? Shen Mo thought, finding the scene rather amusing.

He could tell that this man was a cultivator accomplished in external cultivation.

It wasn’t surprising.

After all, the power of one’s vitality was still quite important during the transition from the Body Tempering Realm to the Qi Gathering Realm.

Many who could overwhelm peers at the same level possessed far greater physical power than others.

However, compared to other disciples focused on external cultivation, Yang Qingshan’s vitality was clearly stronger, as if honed through relentless training.

He was far superior to those cultivators who had only scratched the surface.

Shen Mo guessed correctly.

Yang Qingshan didn’t have any specialized magic to enhance his abilities, nor did he possess any high-class magic artifacts for protection.

To make it into the top ten, he relied solely on his cultivation of the "Bronze Tendon and Iron Bone" technique, which he had brought to its peak.

This external cultivation method was merely a basic one and didn’t fall into the category of magic.

However, after reaching Perfection, it still offered significant augmentation.

This had allowed him to overcome all obstacles and advance.

"Heh!"

As Shen Mo stepped onto the Martial Arts Stage, Yang Qingshan, who had been gathering his power, charged straight at him.

With a long roar, wind seemed to rise from beneath Yang Qingshan’s feet. Sweeping along endless air currents, he transformed himself into an indomitable mountain, surging forward.

STOMP!

Shen Mo activated the "Thunderclap Rapid Step," his figure blurring and leaving afterimages as he moved.

Facing Yang Qingshan who was charging relentlessly towards him, he didn’t retreat a single step.

In an incredibly ferocious manner, they collided head-on.

"An ant trying to shake a tree! How laughably he overestimates himself!"

"Yang Qingshan’s vitality has already reached its peak; his whole body is like cast iron and poured steel! How could anyone clash with him head-on?"

Countless eyes were fixed on the two of them.

Seeing Shen Mo not dodging, the few spectators who originally held some hope for him were thoroughly disappointed.

BANG!

With a loud crash, a figure on the Martial Arts Stage was suddenly sent flying.

It finally smashed heavily into the jade wall of the Yuxu Altar, blood streaming from its wounds.

When everyone saw clearly who that figure was, they all gasped.

"How is this possible...?"

The one sent flying was none other than Yang Qingshan, whose vitality was like steel.

With Yang Qingshan’s vitality cultivated to such a degree, the force of that collision must have exceeded ten thousand jin.

Even a small hillock would be shattered... How could he be the one defeated instead?

"You’ve cultivated quite diligently," Shen Mo said, standing proudly on the Martial Arts Stage, looking around and taking in their expressions. "But it’s a shame your cultivation method is too inferior; its ultimate potential is limited."

Compared to his own "Bloody Dragon-shaped Body," the external cultivation method Yang Qingshan practiced was obviously inferior by more than just a degree.

Even if Shen Mo had only completed the first level of the Elephant Body, the resilience of his vitality and his increase in strength would far exceed Yang Qingshan’s state of Perfection.

Such a result was not surprising.

After Shen Mo defeated Yang Qingshan, the results of the other two matches were announced successively.

Lu Ming, unsurprisingly, advanced to the top four.

Aside from him, another disciple named Qian Sun also defeated his opponent, winning his match with a profound-level, middle-grade magic artifact, the Chaotic Sky Silk.

Thus, the top four were decided: Shen Mo, Lu Ming, Qian Sun, and Lv Xu, who had a bye this round and advanced automatically.

These four would compete in the final two matches.

The winner would be the champion of this Newcomer Competition.

That Shen Mo... he actually made it to the top four, Cao Ren thought, watching all this from a distance, his mind filled with mixed emotions.

He was partly happy for his friend but also felt a bewildering sense of unfamiliarity.

After all, Shen Mo had never exhibited such transcendence and power before him.

In Cao Ren’s impression, Shen Mo had always been that disciple of average talent, trapped in Body Tempering for many years, struggling forward on the path of cultivation—an insignificant nobody in the sect.

Let alone him, even Chen An, who knew Shen Mo had opened three Dantians and had some expectations, was still somewhat shocked to see him actually reach this stage.

This damn kid really made us proud... When I entered the Inner Door, I wasn’t this prominent; to be precise, I never even dared to dream of it.

...

In front of the Yuxu Altar, after Elder Chu Chen announced the top four, he began the final draw.

"Store your jade tokens and see who your opponents are," Elder Chu Chen announced.

As his voice fell, four jade tokens transformed into streaks of light and flew towards Shen Mo and the others.

[Lv Xu]

After catching his jade token, Shen Mo quickly saw who his opponent was in this final match.

Similarly, Lv Xu also quickly sensed Shen Mo’s name on his token.

Lv Xu stated, his expression solemn, "I accept." He then slowly stepped onto the Martial Arts Stage.

He certainly wouldn’t underestimate Shen Mo.

If Shen Mo’s two byes in earlier rounds had caused some to question whether he had advanced to the final rounds purely by luck, then the scene of Shen Mo decisively defeating Yang Qingshan head-on in such an overwhelming fashion had completely erased such doubts.

Each of the top four in the Newcomer Competition was a top-tier elite among the newly promoted disciples.