Chapter 79: Chapter 80: Fame Shakes Ling Province

A buzz of discussion rose from the crowd. No one had expected that the first person to enter the ring would be Yu Xueqian, who had nothing to do with the matter at hand.

Song Changsheng quietly regarded the opponent before him. Yu Xueqian was, undeniably, a classic beauty. While perhaps not a kingdom-toppling enchantress, her looks were still a rare sight.

Her every expression held a unique allure, capable of stirring a man’s most primal urges.

"In today’s arena, life and death are of no consequence. You have nothing to do with this affair, so why involve yourself?" Song Changsheng said coolly, the Treasure Gourd resting in his palm.

"Some things don’t need a reason. Fellow Daoist Song, I ask for your instruction!" Yu Xueqian brandished a long sword of white jade, its edge shimmering with Sword Qi.

Song Changsheng said no more. He took a step forward, and his Treasure Gourd erupted in a brilliant light. From within, a torrent of Water and Fire Spiritual Power surged out like a great river, rushing toward Yu Xueqian.

"Slash!"

Yu Xueqian cried out, and the Jade Sword in her hand burst with a silvery light. She slashed downward, unleashing a blast of Sword Qi she had been gathering. It carved a deep gash into the stone arena as it flew toward the river of Water and Fire Spiritual Power.

The strike was incredibly sharp, instantly cleaving the river of Spiritual Power in two and diverting it to either side.

Song Changsheng’s expression remained unchanged. With a mere thought, the two streams of Spiritual Power merged back into one and, in an instant, were right before Yu Xueqian.

The move showcased Song Changsheng’s extraordinary control over Spiritual Power. Yu Xueqian was caught off guard, but she was no useless porcelain doll. With a flick of her wrist, she executed a swift flourish that churned and scattered the river of Spiritual Power.

With a light tap of her feet, Yu Xueqian lunged forward with her sword, aiming straight for Song Changsheng’s head.

"Water Arrow Technique!"

With a gentle wave of his left hand, dozens of Water Arrows materialized at Song Changsheng’s side and shot toward Yu Xueqian in a covering volley.

A flash of Sword Light flickered, and all the Water Arrows were shattered, turning into a cloud of mist. Yu Xueqian’s momentum didn’t falter, and the biting Sword Qi made Song Changsheng’s skin sting.

A sharp glint flashed in Song Changsheng’s eyes. He gently closed his left hand, and the mist from the destroyed Water Arrows, as if drawn by some unseen force, instantly converged and enveloped Yu Xueqian.

The mist coalesced into a large sphere of water, trapping Yu Xueqian inside. No matter how she struggled, it was to no avail.

She swung her sword, sending out rays of Sword Light that easily pierced the sphere. But before she could celebrate, the water reformed, leaving her suspended in mid-air. She was like an ant trapped in a dewdrop, unable to break free no matter how much she struggled.

"What kind of Magic is this?" Yu Xueqian demanded in disbelief.

"Just a rudimentary application of the Water Manipulation Skill. If this is the extent of your abilities, then the match is already decided," Song Changsheng stated calmly.

"It won’t be that easy."

A deep blue light flared from her chest, and in the next instant, the sphere of water exploded.

Having successfully broken free, Yu Xueqian knew she was no match for Song Changsheng in terms of Magic. She quickly changed her strategy, using the Seven-Star Step Technique to close the distance to him, sword in hand.

Unafraid, Song Changsheng met her advance, using his Treasure Gourd to engage. In the blink of an eye, they dodged and weaved, clashing more than a dozen times. The crowd below was mesmerized, cheering wildly.

Qu Jinsheng’s expression soured. The more strength Song Changsheng displayed, the smaller their hope for revenge today became.

He turned to the men behind him. "What are our chances of killing him?"

The old man leading them hesitated for a moment before whispering, "If we can deplete most of his Spiritual Power, I’m confident I can kill him in a single strike."

Seeing the man’s firm tone, Qu Jinsheng’s expression eased slightly. He scanned the challengers who had come today, a cold sneer forming on his lips. ’With so many people, we’ll wear him down to death!’

On the arena, Song Changsheng had already forced Yu Xueqian to use her full strength, yet he himself remained perfectly at ease, feeling no pressure at all.

"This should end now."

Song Changsheng said suddenly, using his Treasure Gourd to block a sword slashing at his head.

Yu Xueqian froze. The next instant, the Treasure Gourd in Song Changsheng’s hand vibrated sharply. The Jade Sword was knocked from her grasp, and the gourd, its momentum unbroken, spun and slammed into her chest.

The Spiritual Power throughout her body was instantly scattered by the impact. She coughed up a mouthful of blood and was sent flying off the arena.

Clan Leader Yu’s expression darkened as he moved to catch Yu Xueqian. After a quick check confirmed her injuries weren’t life-threatening, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Song Changsheng and said, "On behalf of my daughter, I concede."

The crowd burst into an uproar. No one had expected the outcome of the seemingly even match to be decided so suddenly.

"You’ve really done it, Changsheng, hiding your strength like that," the Little Fatty muttered, rubbing his smooth chin. "With that masterful Water Manipulation Skill, you could have ended this in a few moves, but you insisted on dragging it out. You’re baiting a bigger fish with a long line."

Based on his understanding of Song Changsheng, he had seen through his plan at a glance.

Song Changsheng took a moment to regulate his breathing, then boomed, "Next!"

All eyes turned to the Earth Fire Sect, but they showed no intention of making a move, each member as composed as a seasoned hunter. In the end, it was someone from the Qiu Clan who stepped forward.

He was a towering, burly man with the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear, his face a mask of brutish flesh. He wielded a long, black metal staff. Leaping onto the arena, he looked at Song Changsheng and announced in a deep, booming voice, "Qiu Wenwu of the Qiu Clan. I ask for your instruction."

Song Changsheng narrowed his eyes. ’So this is the other of the two Qiu Brothers,’ he thought. ’Qiu Wenwei certainly taught me a lesson back then. I wonder if this one can offer any surprises.’

Qiu Wenwu’s eyes bulged. All the strength in his body seemed to gather into his metal staff, which he then swung violently down at Song Changsheng.

Song Changsheng met his attacks calmly. After a few exchanges, however, he felt a twinge of disappointment. Qiu Wenwu was clearly a Body Cultivator, his style consisting of wide, sweeping attacks, but his power was significantly less than Yu Xueqian’s.

He was even inferior to his renowned brother, Qiu Wenwei, and posed no threat to Song Changsheng whatsoever.

After dragging the fight out for a little longer, Song Changsheng sent him flying off the arena with a single kick. He hadn’t killed him, but the man would be bedridden for at least half a year.

Qiu Tianyang’s face was so dark it looked like it might storm. He shot a glance toward the Earth Fire Sect, then sent three more people to challenge Song Changsheng in succession.

The crowd immediately erupted in boos. After all, such a tactic of sending one challenger after another was truly contemptible. The great powers were thoroughly disgracing themselves today.

In sharp contrast to their shamelessness stood Song Changsheng, still standing tall on the arena. After several challenges, he showed no signs of weakening. In fact, he seemed to grow stronger with each fight, his presence becoming more and more imposing.

Regardless of today’s outcome, the name Song Changsheng would surely echo throughout Ling Province!

By sunset, the Yu and Qiu Clans had sent over a dozen people to fight, but without exception, all had been thrown from the arena by Song Changsheng. Although no one had died, each one was seriously injured. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

With only one ancient hour left before the end of the challenge, the Earth Fire Sect finally sent out their first person...