Chapter 0322: Thunderous Sword

Chapter 0322: Thunderous Sword

As soon as Ji Kailin descended, he hurriedly asked, "Teacher Yang, what's the result? Did no one manage to reach the fifth floor?"

He thought that if even he couldn't reach the fifth floor, surely no one else could.

At that moment, everyone could see Ji Kailin's precious armor was damaged in several places, showing just how strong the puppet men on the fourth floor were.

"Qin Yun made it to the sixth floor, but it's unfair because he used his powerful mental energy to attack the puppet men!" Xiang Yuzu said indignantly, glaring at Qin Yun. "He doesn't deserve the prize!"

Yang Shiyue sneered, "Mental energy is part of one's strength too! Qin Yun only has one meridian, but he's worked hard to train his mental energy and become stronger. Why should you ignore that?"

"Qin Yun didn't break any rules—he reached the sixth floor through his own strength!" The Zhang protector took out a wooden box and handed it to Qin Yun, saying, "Qin Yun, this is your prize. Inside is the Life Trace Crystal Jade."

Qin Yun quickly went over and accepted it with a smile.

Ji Kailin, seething with jealousy, clenched his fists and asked quietly, "Did anyone else besides me make it to the fourth floor?"

"Yes, Huang Yukun! But during his fight with Qin Yun, he broke the rules by using a weapon and was killed by Qin Yun!" The Zhang protector's words made Ji Kailin's heart skip a beat.

Huang Yukun, who had been with him for many years, was actually killed by Qin Yun!

This proved that Qin Yun was far stronger than Huang Yukun!

"What... Aren't you going to punish Qin Yun? He killed one of our top saintesses!" Ji Kailin pointed at Qin Yun and shouted angrily.

Lan Huayu chuckled coldly, "Huang Yukun broke the rules first. Who's to blame but himself?"

Several elders from the Blue Spirit Holy Palace also knew they were in the wrong. If the matter escalated and alarmed the Holy Palace's master, they would be held responsible.

"Let's drop it! Tomorrow, Qin Yun and Ji Kailin will face off in the final round of the martial arts tournament at the Spirit Martial Hall's arena," the Zhang protector said indifferently. "You're all exhausted, so head back and get some rest."

The one who should be most upset is Xiang Yuzu!

Earlier, many people had happily congratulated him, thinking he'd won the prize!

He'd been so excited, even talking about hosting a banquet tonight... But now, without the prize, he felt disappointed, jealous, and furious.

Of course, he was also deeply embarrassed.

"Teacher Yang, with the Rejuvenation Water and Jade Skin Liquid, you'll stay young forever," Qin Yun joked. "Let's go back!"

Yang Shiyue nodded happily and, together with Qin Yun and Lan Fengjin, headed back to Lan Huayu's grove.

Xiao Yanglong's eye twitched as he watched. Yang Shiyue was his fiancée, and they were about to have a grand wedding, yet there she was, walking close to Qin Yun, laughing and chatting.

In his memory, Yang Shiyue had only ever given him cold sneers and mocking smiles, never the warm, caring smile she showed Qin Yun. The thought made him so furious he nearly roared.

...

Qin Yun was really tired. On the way back, he quickly recounted his fight with Huang Yukun.

Yang Shiyue and Lan Fengjin were furious upon hearing it.

Zhuochuan frowned and said, "Totem Inheritance Beads are rare even in the town of Wuhuang. I can't believe the Blue Spirit Star Palace has them and even gave them to a few kids!"

"During the heyday of the Runes Masters, they refined such treasures, so we've kept them. I never expected they would actually bring them out! These guys are taking advantage of the great palace master's seclusion to act recklessly," Lan Huayu snorted angrily.

"There's still a match tomorrow, I need to rest well!" Qin Yun took out the Life Trace Crystal Jade and asked, "How do I use this? Is it possible to use it tonight?"

Lan Huayu replied, "It's too late. It takes at least two or three days to fully absorb. You'd better not try, or you might miss tomorrow's match!"

Qin Yun put away the Life Trace Crystal Jade and hurried ahead, returning to his wooden house.

He took off his Runes Equipment, washed his bruised and swollen body, and lay down on the bed.

Closing his eyes, he thought of Yang Shiyue's sweet smile when she received her prize, feeling a secret joy, and then drifted off to sleep.

...

Before dawn, Qin Yun got up and put on a set of white clothes tailored for him by Yang Shiyue.

After leaving his room, he saw Yang Shiyue and Lan Fengjin preparing tasty snacks on the stone table outside.

Given Qin Yun's cultivation level, snacks couldn't replenish his energy.

However, what Yang Shiyue made could boost his spirits, especially now that he was about to enter the match, calming his heart.

"Why are you up so early? Why not get a bit more sleep?" Yang Shiyue asked with a smile. She and Lan Fengjin were both wearing the golden-blue robes of the Star Palace.

Each of them had their own unique charm and elegance, and Qin Yun couldn't help but compare their distinct beauties.

Qin Yun smiled, "I'm wide awake now!"

Zhuochuan and Lan Huayu had been absent from the wooden house all night, apparently discussing the Way of Odd Patterns, and hadn't slept at all.

They hurried back and joined Qin Yun for breakfast.

Even Lan Huayu was curious about the reward for the final match.

...

The Spirit Martial Hall was crowded with people.

Many disciples from the Star Palace had skipped the previous matches.

But now, it was the final match between Ji Kailin and Qin Yun!

Ji Kailin possessed the legendary Thunder Kirin Martial Soul and seven Yang Spirit Veins!

In the Star Palace, he was the strongest saint below the Martial Dao realm, tied for the top spot with Xiao Yuelan.

Qin Yun, with his Heavenly Lion Totem and Thunder Fire Martial Soul, had won first place in the Runes competition.

He was also a top-tier young Runes Master, his Runes skills far surpassing many senior Runes Masters.

Ji Kailin and Qin Yun were close in age, with Ji Kailin only a year or two older. Their talents were also quite similar.

As for who was stronger, it had sparked much debate in recent days.

Some believed Qin Yun was slightly stronger, while others thought Ji Kailin's strength far surpassed Qin Yun's.

A few people thought they would end in a tie.

Even before the competition started, many were already arguing intensely.

After several rounds, many young Martial Warriors had come to admire Qin Yun.

Especially Qin Yun's unyielding pride and steadfast, upward spirit, which had inspired many Martial Warriors.

In contrast, Ji Kailin's arrogance and disdain for others had alienated many.

Ji Kailin arrived first, clad in a lavish blue outfit, standing on the platform with his hands behind his back, looking down on everyone.

His eyes brimmed with arrogance, coldly scanning the crowd below.

The platform was built overnight, circular and a hundred meters wide, surrounded by seventy-two rune-etched array pillars.

The array pillars were three meters tall, thick enough for two people to embrace, made of transparent crystal.

It was unclear what material they were refined from, but they were designed to protect the platform, preventing the powerful forces of battle from spilling out.

Qin Yun arrived and quickly stepped onto the platform, standing about twenty meters from Ji Kailin, locking eyes with him.

As the competition was about to start, the entire arena fell into a tense silence.

Many Martial Warriors' hearts were racing with excitement, filled with anticipation for the coming battle.

The host was Zhang, a protector from the Blue Spirit Holy Palace, standing on an array pillar, announcing, "During the competition, Runes Equipment is banned, but weapons are allowed!"

Hearing that weapons were allowed, everyone was a bit confused.

In such competitions, it's only fair to avoid using weapons!

Qin Yun wasn't concerned; his Giant Spirit King Hammer, though not a king-grade mystical weapon, was still formidable.

"However, only the weapons we provide are allowed!"

"To add some suspense, we've set a special rule! Both of you will step back to the edge of the platform, and I'll place a mystical weapon in the center!"

"You'll race towards it, and whoever grabs the mystical weapon can wield it in the battle."

"Whoever fails to grab the mystical weapon is barred from using any other weapons!"

This meant that whoever secured the mystical weapon would have a clear advantage!

This was a race, not a test of skill!

Lan Huayu frowned, saying, "This seems unnecessary. It'd be better if neither used weapons and just fought directly!"

Zhuochuan nodded, "Exactly, whoever grabs the mystical weapon is sure to win!"

Despite their objections, many were eager to see who would claim the mystical weapon.

And how would the one who missed out on the mystical weapon fare?

Zhang smiled, "Everyone's intrigued, right? The winner gets a bottle of Yang Flame Liquid! This mystical-grade potion enhances the Dao Body and Dao Core for those who've reached the Martial Warrior realm!"

This reward was incredibly valuable, even to seasoned Martial Warriors.

Even many Martial Warriors couldn't hide their intense desire.

Xie Wufeng frowned and said, "The reward is indeed quite generous! But the part about snatching the Mystical Weapon is completely inappropriate!"

"The rules were set by Ji Kailin's elders, clearly favoring him. It seems they believe Ji Kailin will win and have offered the Yang Flame Liquid as a reward!"

Murong Daren said, "That Ji Kailin is surely up to his old tricks again!"

Protector Zhang took out the Mystical Weapon, which was a deep blue long sword with occasional lightning threads on its surface. Clearly, this was a thunder-attribute Mystical Weapon.

"Thunderous Sword!" Lan Fengjin exclaimed in surprise, "That's the third-ranked Mystical Weapon in the Holy Palace!"

The disciples of the Blue Spirit Star Palace looked on with envy, their voices rising in excitement.

In the Blue Spirit Star Palace, the heads of the four palaces have Mystical Weapons, but none rank in the top ten.

In the overall ranking of Mystical Weapons in the Blue Spirit Star Palace, the top ten are all in the Blue Spirit Holy Palace.

Many disciples of the Blue Spirit Star Palace know the reputation of the Thunderous Sword well, since it was the Mystical Weapon of the Thunder Protector from the Blue Spirit Holy Palace!

"After the Thunder Protector died, his Mystical Weapon has been unused! Now that it's being brought out, is it to choose a new master for the Thunderous Sword?"

"Qin Yun has the Thunder Fire Martial Soul, and Ji Kailin has the Thunder Kirin Martial Soul. Both are disciples of the Blue Spirit Star Palace and can use the Thunderous Sword!"

"Hmph, Qin Yun is a disciple of the West Palace, while Ji Kailin is a saintess. Their statuses are worlds apart. Only Ji Kailin is qualified to get it!"

"Despite his young age, Qin Yun is a senior Runes Master, and his strength surpasses other senior Runes Masters. Even if he doesn't get the Thunderous Sword, he can refine his own Mystical Weapon later! Qin Yun doesn't even care for the Thunderous Sword!"

As many argued, Protector Zhang placed the sword in the center of the arena. Qin Yun and Ji Kailin walked to the edge of the arena, ready to start the snatch!