Chapter 511 - 176: Preliminary Performance, Initial Ranking

As the preliminaries were about to begin, the entire Fushan Square quickly fell silent.

The deafening roar of the crowd vanished as if throttled by an invisible hand, leaving only the clear whistle of the wind whipping past the flagpoles.

The spectating disciples held their breath, their gazes fixed on the open ground beside the arenas. They stared at the six or seven hundred disciples about to begin their journey through the preliminaries, their eyes filled with anticipation and tension.

From an inconspicuous corner of the crowd, Su Qingyue’s gaze traveled over the sea of heads and settled on Yang Jing, her expression unreadably complex.

She recalled the first time she had met him, then thought of his meteoric rise since. A whirlwind of emotions stirred within her.

...

Not far away, Liu Rou, Lin Wenxuan, and Jia Yuliang stood together. Their eyes, too, were locked on Yang Jing’s figure, their faces filled with wistful admiration.

When Yang Jing first joined the Xuanzhen Sect, he had seemed utterly ordinary in every way except for his decent looks. His family background, innate talent, connections, and resources were all unremarkable.

Yet in just half a year, that fledgling disciple had reached a level so high they could barely even glimpse it. His talent and rate of progress were truly astounding.

....

At the forefront of the spectators, Steward Zheng stood with his arms crossed, his sharp gaze sweeping over the participating disciples in the open area. Beside him was none other than Wang Zhonglei, a Qi Absorption Realm Steward from Lingxi Peak.

Watching the seventy-odd disciples from Lingxi Peak, Wang Zhonglei couldn’t help but remark, "This Fushan Grand Competition is far more intense than the Cyan Qilin Battle. I wonder if Yan Chenglong, Fang He, and Yang Jing can make it into the top twenty. It’s a shame Shi Xin and Zhou Zheng are two years too old. Otherwise, with their strength, they could have certainly made a name for themselves."

Steward Zheng slowly shook his head, his tone calm. "All we can do is our best and leave the rest to fate. The vast majority of these six or seven hundred disciples will be eliminated in the preliminaries. Only two hundred will advance to the main competition. The intensity of the competition is plain to see."

....

On the other side, standing before the six or seven hundred participants, Chief Elder Ouyang Jingxuan’s gaze was electric. He glanced at a Qi Absorption Realm Main Peak Steward beside him and gave a slight nod.

Having received his cue, the Main Peak Steward took a deep breath. Inner Qi in his Dantian surged into his throat as he boomed, "Fushan Grand Competition, Preliminaries—officially begin!"

The instant the announcement ended, Ouyang Jingxuan moved.

His feet remained firmly planted on the ground, his body as still as a mountain. He slowly raised his right arm, palm facing down, and then, with extreme slowness, began to press it downward.

Almost instantly, the air above Fushan Square began to churn. A thin layer of clouds swept across the once-clear sky.

The intangible Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi that permeated the world seemed to be completely in the grasp of an invisible, giant hand.

As Ouyang Jingxuan’s palm descended, a vast, majestic pressure, like a tidal wave, crashed down from the heavens. It enveloped the entire open area, settling heavily upon the shoulders of every single participant.

As the palm continued its slow descent, the disciples felt the pressure on their shoulders mount. It was as if countless invisible threads were tightening around them, squeezing the air from their lungs.

Yang Jing’s brow furrowed slightly. He felt an irresistible pressure descend upon him, as if he had been suddenly rejected by the world itself.

The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi had condensed to the point of being tangible, transforming into a colossal mountain that pressed down on his head. Even the bluestone tiles beneath his feet seemed to tremble slightly.

Time ticked by. Ouyang Jingxuan’s palm continued its slow descent, and the pressure increased like a rising tide, each wave of force stronger than the last. The weight on their bodies grew heavier and heavier.

Yang Jing’s expression grew serious. He didn’t rashly use his Inner Qi to resist. Instead, he held his breath and focused, allowing the tide of primordial qi to crash against him again and again. At the same time, he silently circulated the *Indestructible True Skill*, letting his Inner Qi flow slowly through his body to temper his muscles, bones, and skin.

Soon, the first muffled grunt echoed across the open ground.

A disciple could hold on no longer. His legs gave out, and he collapsed heavily, staggering out of his designated three-foot square. He was eliminated.

At first, only a few disciples were eliminated, scattered here and there across the open area.

But as the pressure intensified, more and more disciples turned pale and began to tremble, unable to withstand the immense worldly pressure. They collapsed one after another, and the number of eliminations surged.

As soon as these eliminated disciples stumbled out of their squares, the Main Peak Stewards, who were on standby, quickly stepped forward to support them. They were then systematically led to the spectator area to avoid disrupting the ongoing preliminaries.

As more and more disciples were eliminated, the once-crowded area gradually emptied, leaving only those with superior willpower and Cultivation. They remained, gritting their teeth and holding on.

Yang Jing took a moment to look up and survey his surroundings.

Since disciples from each peak had arrived and stood together, most of those around him were Inner Sect Disciples from Lingxi Peak.

However, as time went on, more and more Lingxi Peak disciples could no longer endure the pressure and were eliminated. Still, Zhang Hengyi, Zhao Xuexiang, and a few others were performing quite well.

They were, after all, veterans of the Cyan Qilin Battle and ranked among the top disciples in the sect’s Inner Strength Realm. Though their faces were flushed and veins bulged on their foreheads, they still stood firm within their squares.