Chapter 494: Who is the Prey?

"Damn it." Feng Guang could only stop and deal with this pest first.

"Take out Chu Jian first!"

In the center of the martial arts arena, Chu Jian had also been targeted by a small group of three. The moment the competition began, they had secretly surrounded him and then attacked simultaneously.

"Get lost!"

Evil Qi emanated from Chu Jian’s brow. Without any obvious movement, the heavy sword on his back suddenly shot up.

The heavy sword was a full four feet long and incredibly wide, but it seemed small on Chu Jian’s tall frame. The unsharpened sword smashed directly toward one of the three attackers—a student with a slender build.

THUD!

The student couldn’t block it at all; the longsword in his hand was sent flying. Before he could react, Chu Jian’s second strike had already smashed into his chest.

CRACK!

The sound of breaking bones echoed. The student coughed up a mouthful of dark, purplish blood and was thrown back like a sandbag, landing heavily below the martial arts arena.

BOOM!

But just then, the attacks from the other two reached Chu Jian.

Chu Jian let out a cold laugh. The longsword he had just knocked away had somehow reappeared behind him, blocking one of the attacks. At the same time, he clenched his right hand into a fist. An earthy yellow aura swirled around it, forming a massive shockwave that blasted against the battle saber wielded by the last attacker.

CRASH!

Amidst the deafening roar, the web of the student’s thumb split open, spewing blood. He nearly lost his grip on his battle saber. He stumbled backward, his face a mask of horror.

"Hahaha! If you come after me, you should be prepared to be eliminated."

Chu Jian roared. His towering figure was like that of a War God. Wielding the greatsword in one hand, his other hand shifted between an iron fist and sharp claws as he charged into the fray.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

In an instant, the entire martial arts arena was filled with the roar of colliding Profound Power.

Chu Jian’s Profound Power was immense, ranking among the top few of all the students in the assessment. His charge was like a tiger pouncing on a flock of sheep.

For any student he got close to, it was an absolute nightmare.

In just a few breaths, the remaining two students who had ganged up on him were sent flying, spitting blood as they fell outside the arena, instantly eliminated.

A team of three, defeated by Chu Jian alone. The sight sent a chill down the spines of many senior students.

Meanwhile, Fang Kui’s attack reached Ye Xuan.

Facing Fang Kui’s attack, Ye Xuan’s gaze was cold. Due to his age, his frame was rather frail compared to the other students. From a distance, under the swing of Fang Kui’s giant axe, Ye Xuan looked as fragile as an infant.

"Hahaha! Get eliminated!"

Fang Kui laughed excitedly, already imagining the result of his axe strike.

The instant Fang Kui’s attack was about to hit, an astonishing, sharp light finally shot out from Ye Xuan’s cold eyes.

’Ever since I joined Gale Light Academy, I’ve gone through countless assessments. The instructors at Gale Light Academy have long known of my astonishing talent. But aside from my talent, I’ve never once revealed my true strength.’

’Talent without strength is just an empty shell. This inner court assessment will be the first step in revealing my power.’

’And this Fang Kui... he’ll be my first trophy.’

’Let’s fight!’

As he stood there, cold and aloof, at the very last moment, the Dictator’s Sword on Ye Xuan’s back was suddenly unsheathed.

His sword was like lightning, like a dream. It was like a phantom bubble, yet also like a pool of flowing water, shining between heaven and earth.

However, this pool of flowing water was not magnificent; it was like a candle flame in the wind.

"Haha, is this your true strength? With Sword Qi this weak, are you trying to tickle me?"

Fang Kui laughed, his face full of ridicule.

But in the next moment, his excited, laughing eyes suddenly froze.

The sword light from Ye Xuan’s strike flared violently. The flowing water it had formed also swelled in an instant.

If Ye Xuan’s Sword Qi at the beginning was like a small stream...

...then in a flash, that stream became a great river. The river became a mighty torrent. Finally, it formed a black ocean.

The endless ocean, like a tsunami that could swallow everything, swept over Fang Kui.

"Flowing Water Sword Intent! The sword flows like water!"

PSST!

The flames on Fang Kui’s black giant axe were extinguished. The terrifying impact directly knocked the axe from his hands. That dreadful power traveled up the axe and then rampaged violently through his meridians.

CRASH!

With a loud crash, the arm Fang Kui used to hold the battle-axe was snapped and broken with a series of cracks. The astonishing force was like a lit fuse, traveling from his arm into his chest.

"How could this be..."

Horror filled Fang Kui’s eyes, but before it could fully register, the immense force sent him flying.

Blood scattered across the sky, as tragically beautiful as the setting sun.

Every bone in Fang Kui’s body was shattered. He fell heavily below the ring like a kite with a snapped string, twitching uncontrollably.

"How..."

"This..."

The surrounding senior students were all shocked, their expressions changing drastically.

Defeating Fang Kui, a Tier Six First Layer senior student, in a single move... was this Ye Xuan still a Tier Five Martial Sect?

Previously, Hou Fei had shocked everyone by merely forcing back a Tier Six First Layer senior student with his Tier Five Third Layer cultivation.

But now, Ye Xuan hadn’t just forced his opponent back—he had defeated him outright.

The scene of their battle, the ease with which Ye Xuan crushed him as if they weren’t even on the same level—how could anyone remain calm?

One had to remember that the senior students participating in the inner court assessment were all elites among the student body.

Just fighting one to a standstill at a lower level was enough to cause a sensation, to say nothing of a complete rout like Ye Xuan’s.

How could that Ye Xuan be so terrifyingly strong?

’How is this guy so strong?’

Just as Feng Guang finished dealing with the spear-wielding student and was about to charge toward Ye Xuan, he witnessed this scene. His hair stood on end in shock.

Among all the senior students in the arena, he was ranked somewhere in the top ten. Yet even he wouldn’t dare claim he could eliminate a student like Fang Kui with a single sword strike.

The strength Ye Xuan displayed was enough to leave even him aghast.

’Flee!’

It was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over him, instantly extinguishing Feng Guang’s desire to eliminate Ye Xuan. Without any hesitation, he turned to leave.

’Hm? That’s Feng Guang!’

After eliminating Fang Kui, Ye Xuan’s gaze swept the area and instantly spotted Feng Guang.

The memory of Feng Guang’s words in the great hall flashed through Ye Xuan’s mind: "You, go sit somewhere else. I don’t like people sitting next to me."

’This guy... he was coming to eliminate me, wasn’t he?’ A cold smirk appeared on Ye Xuan’s lips. With his sharp perception, he had clearly felt Feng Guang’s hostility earlier.

’In that case, you’re next.’

SWOOSH!

The moment the thought formed, Ye Xuan transformed into a streak of light and shot toward Feng Guang.

’Crap, the kid’s coming after me!’

Feng Guang’s expression changed drastically.

Then, his gaze turned incredibly ferocious.

’Does he think he can beat me just because he eliminated Fang Kui?’

Feng Guang was, after all, one of the stronger senior students. He couldn’t bring himself to flee desperately from a new student like Ye Xuan.

WHOOSH!

He raised the golden battle saber in his hand, and a brilliant golden rainbow of light erupted from it.

Surging Profound Power formed the massive phantom of a saber aura in the air.

"Heaven-Slaying Saber—Annihilate!"

With a roar, the giant battle saber, nearly ten feet tall, came rumbling down.

’A pointless struggle.’

Ye Xuan sneered, not a single ripple in his gaze. The black Dictator’s Sword in his hand thrust out lightly, almost effortlessly, and struck the center of the golden battle saber.

CRACK!

An invisible ripple spread through the air. With a crisp cracking sound, the phantom of Feng Guang’s golden battle saber instantly shattered.

Feng Guang felt an incredibly shocking force transmit through the air. The right hand holding his saber was twisted and broken, and he spat out a mouthful of blood with a WRETCH.

"How could..."

Feng Guang could no longer care about saving face. He blocked Ye Xuan’s attack with all his might and then began to flee frantically.

’Damn it! This kid is clearly only at Tier Five Third Layer! How is he so terrifyingly strong? Dammit!’

Feng Guang gritted his teeth, his body trembling with hatred.

’You can’t escape!’

A murderous aura erupted in Ye Xuan’s eyes as he gave chase.

Compared to the beginning of the elimination round, the scene had changed dramatically.

Who was the prey now?

"Chu Jian, save me! Quick, save me!"

Feng Guang knew he couldn’t stop Ye Xuan with his own strength, so he immediately rushed toward Chu Jian. He knew that in the entire arena, only Chu Jian could block Ye Xuan for him.

"Useless. Can’t even handle a new student."

Chu Jian, who had been fighting furiously, noticed the scene. His brow furrowed as he spoke angrily.

He was very arrogant and couldn’t be bothered with the schemes Feng Guang got up to; in fact, he was even a bit disdainful.

Therefore, seeing Feng Guang being chased by Ye Xuan made him extremely displeased.

But displeasure was one thing. He and Feng Guang had always been on good terms, so there was no way he would let Feng Guang be eliminated by Ye Xuan.

BOOM!

With a flicker, Chu Jian appeared like a giant before Feng Guang and Ye Xuan. His cold eyes stared indifferently at Ye Xuan.

"Ye Xuan, you’re a new student. You’ve had your moment in the spotlight. That’s enough. This is Feng Guang. He’s my man. Back off."

Chu Jian barked, not holding back at all.

Ye Xuan stopped, looking coldly at Chu Jian. Both wielded black heavy swords, but Chu Jian’s height made him look like a giant next to Ye Xuan.

"Are you standing up for him?" Ye Xuan asked, looking at Chu Jian coldly. "Get out of my way."

"It seems you don’t even plan on giving me, Chu Jian, any face. But do you have any idea what the consequences of your actions will be?" Chu Jian roared, enraged.