A smile melting away hatred and grievances

A smile melting away hatred and grievances

"Qin Wentian," Lin Yue's face cycled through various expressions, her countenance growing unsightly. How had this come to pass?

Considering Luo Kaiyang's combat prowess, he should have advanced quite far. Lin Yue had hoped that Luo Kaiyang would face Qin Wentian and the other formidable opponents as late as possible. Yet, here they were, in only the second round, and Luo Kaiyang was slated to battle Qin Wentian.

"It's Lin Yue," Qin Yao acknowledged, looking at Luo Kaiyang, who stood next to Lin Yue. Qin Wentian also shifted his gaze towards them, displaying a peculiar expression.

A year ago, when he had still resided in Sky Harmony City, he had encountered minor conflicts with Lin Yue.

"Kaiyang, please be careful," Lin Yue reminded. She hadn't expected to cross paths with Qin Wentian in this way after a year.

Everyone proceeded to their designated platforms, and Qin Wentian and Luo Kaiyang made their way to the 9th platform.

Luo Kaiyang's expression exuded concentration as he observed Qin Wentian, summoning both of his Astral Souls without hesitation.

His first Astral Soul materialized as a suit of armor, enveloping him in a layer of Astral Light.

Surprisingly, Luo Kaiyang's first Astral Soul was a defensive type, enhancing his body's defensive capabilities significantly. It could even mitigate the impact of vibrations.

The second Astral Soul radiated a brighter light, taking the form of a large axe. It was a formidable offensive Astral Soul.

Clearly, Luo Kaiyang had meticulously selected his Astral Souls. The large axe represented offense, while the armor symbolized defense, resulting in a balanced fusion of attack and defense.

"Please, go ahead," Luo Kaiyang said, poised and confident. With the Astral Axe in hand, he gestured for Qin Wentian to make the first move.

"Please," Qin Wentian responded in kind, summoning an Astral Greathammer into his grasp.

Luo Kaiyang excelled in both attack and defense, so Qin Wentian opted for an all-out offensive strategy as a form of defense. After all, his Astral Soul held a clear advantage over Luo Kaiyang's. It was just that his cultivation base was slightly lower.

However, on this day, the crowd appeared to have forgotten the truth of Qin Wentian's cultivation base. They treated him as if he were already at the 9th level of Arterial Circulation.

It all hinged on his victory over Jiang Xiu, one of the ten prodigies.

In this fierce battle, Qin Wentian had triumphed thanks to his exceptional movement technique and innate battle instincts. And, of course, that precisely timed sword strike that had caught everyone off guard. His true level of strength remained a mystery to most.

Thus, all eyes were fixed on this battle. Would Qin Wentian continue his winning streak and further cement his position in the spectators' hearts?

Luo Kaiyang sprang into action. Although he lacked an agility-based Astral Soul, he moved at an impressive speed.

Yet, no matter how swift he was, he couldn't compare to Qin Wentian's Garuda Movement Technique. In an instant, a hammer brimming with unmatched force descended explosively.

Qin Wentian's Divine Energy surged as he tapped into the Astral Energy from the 5th Heavenly Layer, converting it into Divine Energy for his attack. The hammer struck with a resounding boom.

Luo Kaiyang wasn't one to be outdone. He swung his Axe wildly, initiating the first stance of the Nine Stances of Mountain Breaker with overwhelming power.

"Bang!" When their formidable forces clashed, the Astral Energies they unleashed transformed into a savage tempest. As their eyes locked onto each other, a piercing light shot from Qin Wentian's gaze. In that moment, Luo Kaiyang was overcome by drowsiness, entering a dreamlike state. In this dream, Qin Wentian resembled an ancient giant, wielding boundless strength.

"What's happening?" Luo Kaiyang felt an intrusive will infiltrating his consciousness as he saw Qin Wentian's mighty hammer descending once more. The Nine Stances of Mountain Breaker crumbled, and he could only raise his Axe in defense.

The furious exchange of blows erupted with relentless force, freezing the entire audience. How had this battle suddenly turned so explosively violent?

Qin Wentian's attacks were relentless and ferocious as he advanced, his speed astonishingly fast, leaving everyone stunned. Luo Kaiyang had lost his rhythm, and there was no quick recovery in sight. He found himself in an extremely awkward position, outmatched in both attack and movement speed by Qin Wentian. Furthermore, Luo Kaiyang's strength was insufficient to overturn the situation in an instant. He was trapped in an increasingly perilous predicament.

Seeing this, Lin Yue's face turned pale as she shouted, "Kaiyang, concede."

Gritting his teeth, Luo Kaiyang resisted giving up, but in that very moment, the colossal greathammer descended, and upon the meeting of the two forces, his Astral Great Axe shattered into nothingness.

Luo Kaiyang's face drained of color as he stared at the descending greathammer, his mind going blank. Despite his formidable defenses, the hammer's force was enough to crush his skull into pieces.

"No..." Lin Yue's complexion mirrored his, her eyes welling up with tears as she couldn't bear to imagine the horrific outcome.

The mighty greathammer continued its inexorable descent. Just when it seemed it would collide with Luo Kaiyang's head, it abruptly transformed into radiant starlight, filling the sky before vanishing completely.

Time appeared to stand still in that moment. Beads of sweat rolled down Luo Kaiyang's forehead.

His gaze remained fixed on Qin Wentian, who now wore a sunny smile. Slowly, Luo Kaiyang came to terms with the fact that he was no match for Qin Wentian.

With a slight bow towards Qin Wentian, Luo Kaiyang admitted, "I can't compare to you. I believe your name will undoubtedly be among the top nine rankings in the Jun Lin Banquet."

"Thank you." Qin Wentian nodded with a gracious smile as Luo Kaiyang stepped off the platform, marking Qin Wentian as the victor.

As Qin Wentian watched Luo Kaiyang's departure with a serene expression, his gaze drifted unconsciously towards Lin Yue.

At that moment, Lin Yue's heart raced wildly. She felt deeply ashamed of her earlier arrogance. Despite the distance that separated them, she rose from her seat beneath the platform and bowed to Qin Wentian. "I apologize for our past conflicts."

Qin Wentian smiled gently and nodded. That smile dissolved any lingering traces of animosity and grievances. Though Lin Yue's previous words had stung, he understood that her remarks had been impulsive and stemmed from youthful pride. It wasn't worth holding onto grudges.

"It seems like this girl and Qin Wentian have a history," the spectators murmured amongst themselves.

"Not a bad move, using a smile to mend old wounds," Mustang remarked, grinning from the designated area for the Emperor Star Academy. He was growing increasingly pleased with his student.

Qin Wentian left the platform, and by now, the crowd regarded him as a contender for the top nine rankings in the Jun Lin Banquet.

Luo Kaiyang was no pushover in terms of strength, yet when facing Qin Wentian, he had been utterly helpless. Moreover, as before, no one could discern Qin Wentian's true strength.

Qin Wentian had fought two battles so far, showcasing his martial prowess that appeared to come to him naturally, as if he had an innate ability to perfectly grasp the rhythm of any battle situation.

The simplicity of those two fights belied the truth—Qin Wentian was a prodigious genius, defying the norms.

As the subsequent battles unfolded, the crowd remained captivated. Occasionally, fierce collisions would occur, but Qin Wentian's opponents, despite their valiant efforts, couldn't match his strength. Armed only with the Astral Greathammer and his remarkable movement technique, he dominated his foes.

Time trickled on. The battles on the towering platforms grew increasingly intense. It seemed the referees deliberately saved the most fierce clashes for last. Among the 18 participants who had initially gained recognition, only Jiang Xiu had been defeated so far. The remaining 17 were hanging on, but it was far from easy to secure a victory.

With the exception of Jiang Xiu, only Liu Qianqiu, Sikong Mingyue, the 2nd Sword, and the 3rd Night triumphed effortlessly.

The winter sun arced across the sky, bathing the landscape in its warm embrace. Three platforms had already concluded their battles. The remaining platforms had only a handful of contenders left. To expedite the process, the judges instructed the remaining participants from each platform to enter together.

The first round of the Jun Lin Banquet's combat was reaching its climax.

"On the 8th platform, contestants 6th Night, Luo Huan, Ye Zhi, Yu Fei, please step forward together," the judge announced.

The 6th Night and Ye Zhi, the seventh-ranked among the ten prodigies, were among the original 18 recognized participants. Though betting rates had been assigned to Luo Huan and Yu Fei by Heaven's Wonder, their odds of making it to the top nine didn't appear promising.

In all likelihood, the 6th Night and Ye Zhi would confront Luo Huan and Yu Fei respectively in the upcoming battles.

Moreover, it was a twist of fate that both Luo Huan and Yu Fei hailed from the Emperor Star Academy.

"Now, on the 9th platform, contestants 7th Night, Qin Wentian, Luo Cheng, please come forward."

The judge of the 9th platform solemnly announced. Only three participants remained on that platform after the battles—Qin Wentian, the 7th Night, and Luo Cheng. Out of the initial six contestants, these three emerged victorious, leaving them to contend for the remaining two spots.

Between the 7th Night, Qin Wentian, and Luo Cheng, only two could advance.

"Though the 7th Night is a female, her martial prowess is incredibly formidable, suggesting she's likely to advance. Luo Cheng's saber techniques are fierce and lethal, and his strength is likely on par with Jiang Xiu's. He probably has a 30% chance of defeating Qin Wentian."

Whispers of speculation swept through the crowd. While many anticipated that Qin Wentian would secure a spot, facing off against the seemingly fierce Luo Cheng wouldn't be a walk in the park either.

With every bout, the crowd remained riveted. They had witnessed Luo Cheng's martial prowess firsthand as well.

"The 8th platform, it's 6th Night against Yu Fei, and Ye Zhi taking on Luo Huan. The stage is spacious enough to host two duels simultaneously," the 8th platform's judge declared, igniting a spark of excitement in the crowd's eyes. Two intriguing matchups were about to unfold at the same time.

As anticipated, the 6th Night and Yu Fei were poised for a male-to-male showdown, while the battle between the two captivating beauties, Ye Zhi and Luo Huan, promised to be a spectacle in its own right. It was a much-anticipated face-off.

On the 9th platform, the judge's voice resonated with an unexpected twist. "All three of you will engage in a battle together. The first one to leave the platform is eliminated." A ripple of interest swept through the onlookers. Was this judge serious? He was pitting Qin Wentian, Luo Cheng, and the 7th Night against each other in a free-for-all!

What if, amidst the chaos, two of the contestants decided to form an alliance and eliminate the third? Would that even be allowed?

This judge was quite the character!

Perhaps, he simply couldn't bear the idea of someone advancing without a fight, so he concocted this unusual scenario!