Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Entering the Top Ten

Someone in the crowd of onlookers spoke up, sparking a chorus of agreement. If Ye Qingchen wasn’t a monster, what was he? Had anyone ever seen someone at the Fourth Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm fight against someone at the Ninth Layer? What’s more, the fight had become a one-sided massacre by Ye Qingchen!

Seeing Ye Qingchen’s ferocity, the members of the Qingyun Sect were all incredibly excited. Li Zongrui even shouted directly at the arena stage, ”So damn satisfying! Qingchen, when you hit someone, hit them in the face! Just keep pounding that shameless old bastard’s face! Don’t worry about his dignity!”

Although Ye Qingchen had always found Li Zongrui unreliable, he agreed with his suggestion today. So, he changed his line of attack, aiming every punch at Feng Xingpo’s face.

Feng Xingpo was suffering in silence. As a dignified sect master, being so humiliated by a mere boy was a fate worse than death. He had considered admitting defeat, but the relentless rain of punches prevented him from even opening his mouth.

Although Ye Qingchen had intentionally controlled the power of his punches, the sheer volume of attacks was overwhelming. Like an elephant being brought down by a swarm of ants, Feng Xingpo passed out several times from the concentrated assault. However, Ye Qingchen’s fists would quickly jolt him awake, only to knock him out again. This cycle repeated an untold number of times.

In the end, Feng Xingpo felt as if the battering had given him a concussion!

Feng Xingpo couldn’t understand. When he had been tormenting Li Qingfeng, the Wuji Immortal Palace had intervened to stop the fight. So why weren’t they stopping it now that he was being beaten to this extent?

What Feng Xingpo didn’t know was that on the judges’ bench, Xiao Xiao not only had no intention of stopping the fight but was also dancing around excitedly, on the verge of running over to cheer for Ye Qingchen.

However, Ye Qingchen understood that the rules of the Sect Advancement Tournament forbade killing, so he didn’t deliver any fatal blows. Even so, by the time he was done, nearly all of Feng Xingpo’s bones were broken, and there wasn’t an inch of unbruised flesh on his body.

When Ye Qingchen finally grew tired of hitting him, he retracted the vines. Feng Xingpo collapsed to the ground like a pile of sludge. Ye Qingchen glanced at him with disgust and then kicked him off the stage. Following the referee’s announcement, Ye Qingchen successfully advanced to the top ten of the individual competition.

The Cangqiong Sect disciples hurried to help Feng Xingpo up. By then, however, he was already at death’s door. All of his bones were broken, and multiple meridians were damaged. Even if he healed, his power would be greatly diminished. The Cangqiong Sect disciples glared at Ye Qingchen with fury, but when they met his icy stare, they all turned their heads away in fear.

At this moment, Lie Buqun also came to Feng Xingpo’s side to check his injuries. Seeing how severe they were, Lie Buqun was livid. He shouted at Ye Qingchen, ”Kid, I’m your next opponent! The debt from today will be paid in full on the arena stage tomorrow!”

Facing Lie Buqun’s challenge, Ye Qingchen shook his head disdainfully. ”Don’t worry, none of you are getting away. Today it was him. Tomorrow, it’s your turn!”

With that, Ye Qingchen leaped down from the stage and walked over to Li Qingfeng. Only then did the crowd finally snap out of their stupor and erupt in thunderous cheers. Although this fight wasn’t the most intense, it was definitely the most satisfying one. The visceral feeling of every punch landing solidly sent a thrill through the crowd, making everyone’s heart pound. Especially when they thought of Ye Qingchen’s impossibly young face, the crowd grew even more excited.

To be this powerful at such a young age... what heights of achievement and strength will he reach in the future?

As the protagonist of the battle, Ye Qingchen approached Li Qingfeng, bowed deeply, and said, ”Master, your disciple did not fail you. I have avenged you.”

Li Qingfeng looked at Ye Qingchen with satisfaction, never having expected him to have become so powerful.

Li Zongrui walked up and carelessly threw an arm over Ye Qingchen’s shoulder. ”Qingchen, that fight today was truly satisfying! But if you ask me, you were too easy on him. You shouldn’t have let that old geezer live!”

”You scoundrel!” The Wuji Elder smacked Li Zongrui on the head and scolded angrily, ”If Qingchen had killed Feng Xingpo, he would have been disqualified from the competition. Only a fool like you would come up with such a rotten idea!”

Rubbing his head, Li Zongrui didn’t dare say another word, but his expression clearly showed he wanted to, drawing a round of laughter from the others.

Afterward, Li Qingfeng and the Venerable were helped out of the venue by the Qingyun Sect members. Ye Qingchen, however, stayed behind to continue observing the other battles.

Ling Xiaoyu looked at Xiao Xiao, who had hearts practically floating in her eyes, and shook his head helplessly. Ever since Ye Qingchen’s victory, her gaze hadn’t left him for a second. But thinking of the opponent Ye Qingchen had to face next, Ling Xiaoyu said, ”Junior Sister Xiao Xiao, your young master may have made it into the top ten, but his next opponent is an expert at the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm. He also possesses a Fire Attribute Martial Soul, which is a perfect counter to Ye Qingchen’s Willow Wood Martial Soul. I doubt Ye Qingchen will be able to advance to the top five!”

Xiao Xiao pouted and retorted, ”What do you know? It’s always my young master who counters others. How could anyone possibly counter him? Just you wait and see!”

Ling Xiaoyu shook his head helplessly and returned to presiding over the next matches.

After returning from the venue, Ye Qingchen once again locked himself in his room, incessantly absorbing the Spiritual Energy from the Low-grade Spirit Stones. He had already reached the peak of the Fourth Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm and could break through to the Fifth Layer at any moment, yet he just couldn’t take that final step.

After a night of cultivation, Ye Qingchen shook his head in frustration. He was infinitely close to the Fifth Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm, yet that final step remained a hair’s breadth away.

Remembering he had another match today, Ye Qingchen opened the door and headed for the venue. Li Qingfeng once again had the Qingyun Sect members support him to the venue to cheer for Ye Qingchen. Seeing Ye Qingchen approach, Li Zongrui waved eagerly.

Ye Qingchen walked over, greeted everyone, and then said solemnly to Hei Ze, ”Venerable Sir, I will avenge you today!”

Hei Ze nodded heavily but still offered a word of caution. ”Qingchen, don’t force anything. As long as you make it into the top five, our Qingyun Sect will secure a promotion slot. You must use your full strength today, but your only goal should be to defeat Lie Buqun. You absolutely cannot afford to be careless!”

Ye Qingchen nodded. He knew the Venerable had his best interests at heart, but once he made a decision, he wouldn’t easily change it.

As the bell signaling the start of the match rang out, Ye Qingchen stomped his foot and leaped onto the arena stage.

”Kid, you’re dead!” his opponent, Lie Buqun, snarled. He had been eyeing Ye Qingchen with malicious intent for some time, and now his gaze was utterly ferocious.