C59 Defeat
Before long, half an hour had slipped by.
Atop the raised platform, the Head Elder's voice rang out once more:
"Rest time has concluded.
The fourth round of the Ranking Competition for the top three spots now officially commences!"
On the arena, Deacon Zhang's voice resonated clearly:
"Kicking off the fourth round, we have Lin Xuan facing off against Guan Yuanshuang!"
His announcement sent a significant stir through the crowd.
It was understandable, given that Chen Yuze was the undisputed frontrunner.
Once the dust settled between Lin Xuan and Guan Yuanshuang, the winner would challenge Chen Yuze for the ultimate first place title.
The crowd wasn't too concerned with that, though. The real buzz was about the showdown between Lin Xuan and Guan Yuanshuang.
Lin Xuan had already bested Zhou Lei, the second-ranked powerhouse of the Outer Sect. Victory seemed likely for him again.
Yet, the number of moves he would need remained a mystery.
The anticipation was palpable.
Under the watchful eyes of all present, Lin Xuan and Guan Yuanshuang stepped out from the throng and ascended the stage.
"Let the match begin!"
Deacon Zhang declared.
His eyes swept over the pair, a glint of anticipation betraying his otherwise composed demeanor.
The previous fight had concluded too swiftly for him to even catch up.
This time, he was determined to closely observe the prowess of Lin Xuan, the rising top-tier prodigy.
"Senior Brother Lin, I ask for your leniency," Guan Yuanshuang said with a bow, her tone earnest.
She addressed the newcomer Lin Xuan with the respectful title of senior brother.
In the Martial Arts World, prowess trumps age.
Lin Xuan's swift defeat of Zhou Lei meant his strength now eclipsed hers, making the title of senior brother fitting.
Yet, her words caused a buzz across the plaza.
Within the Outer Sect, Guan Yuanshuang had never referred to even Chen Yuze as senior brother, but she had done so now for Lin Xuan.
The disciples were visibly shaken by this gesture.
Guan Yuanshuang, however, seemed unfazed by the reaction, her gaze fixed on Lin Xuan with a flicker of intrigue in her eyes.
Lin Xuan stood tall, his features striking.
And his talent was undeniably immense.
She found herself unexpectedly charmed by him.
Regrettably, Lin Xuan's demeanor was too icy and merciless, never showing any restraint in his actions.
Her concern about sustaining serious injuries prompted her to speak out beforehand.
After all, as a woman, dealing with severe wounds would be quite inconvenient.
"Alright," Lin Xuan responded, his tone even.
At his words, a slight smile broke through Guan Yuanshuang's usually frosty expression, captivating many disciples in the square.
"Senior Brother Lin, here I come!"
Guan Yuanshuang's face swiftly regained its composure. With a flick of her red whip, she lunged at Lin Xuan.
The whip transformed into a serpent-like entity, coiling towards Lin Xuan with formidable force, the air crackling with its power.
A direct hit on an average Peak of Qi Gathering Stage disciple would undoubtedly result in a bloody lash.
The crowd snapped back to reality, a chill running through them.
Guan Yuanshuang's reputation as one of the top three experts of the Outer Sect was well-deserved; her effortless strike was beyond their capacity to counter.
All eyes shifted back to Lin Xuan.
How would he handle her assault?
Up to now, Lin Xuan had showcased nothing but overwhelming, tyrannical strength.
His straightforward approach seemed vulnerable to Guan Yuanshuang's more subtle whip technique.
Even if Lin Xuan could prevail, it surely wouldn't be without effort, would it?
The disciples speculated amongst themselves.
On the stage, Lin Xuan remained unfazed as he unleashed a palm strike.
In a flash, a roaring wind erupted, deflecting the snakelike whip with ease.
With a mere gesture, Lin Xuan rendered Guan Yuanshuang's attack ineffective, leaving the onlookers in awe.
Was this the hallmark of a top-tier prodigy?
Could he really be that formidable?
Even Guan Yuanshuang's expression shifted subtly.
She hadn't anticipated her supple whip technique would prove futile against Lin Xuan.
Hadn't Lin Xuan been a beginner for just one month?
In such a short time, merely advancing his cultivation level seemed insufficient.
Where had he acquired such potent martial skills?
She simply couldn't wrap her head around it.
Yet, she was beginning to grasp just how formidable Lin Xuan's talent truly was.
It surpassed even her wildest expectations!
The outcome of the match seemed a foregone conclusion—she was bound to lose.
Lin Xuan's palm technique alone was a perfect counter to her whip skills, not to mention his overwhelming strength.
Victory was out of reach for Guan Yuanshuang.
Luckily for her, Zhou Lei had faced Lin Xuan earlier and was already knocked out of the top three, leaving him ranked below Guan Yuanshuang.
Once Chen Yuze advanced to the Inner Sect, Guan Yuanshuang would rise to second place, marking a slight improvement on her part.
Moreover, if Guan Yuanshuang could just hold out for a few more moves against Lin Xuan...
That would be a commendable performance.
It would at least show she was stronger than Zhou Lei.
But as a top-three contender of the Outer Sect, Guan Yuanshuang couldn't help but smile wryly at her own mindset in the face of Lin Xuan's prowess.
His talent was simply on another level.
They were not even in the same league.
That was the reality Guan Yuanshuang had to face.
Turning her gaze back to Lin Xuan, she steeled herself for another assault.
But Lin Xuan had no plans to drag out the fight.
"We should bring this to a close," he whispered.
The energy points Lin Xuan reaped from an instant defeat versus a prolonged battle were vastly different.
Naturally, he opted for the quick takedown.
With a step forward and a whisper of wind, Lin Xuan's figure began to fade, leaving only an afterimage.
In the next instant, he materialized before Guan Yuanshuang, his palm thrusting out to send her flying.
"Wind Palm!"
The force of Lin Xuan's palm was fierce, its howling wind brimming with unstoppable energy, significantly more potent than his earlier strikes.
"Incredible speed!"
Guan Yuanshuang's face paled. As one of the top three experts of the Outer Sect and its fastest member, not even Chen Yuze, who had yet to reach the Qi Transformation Stage, could match her speed.
Guan Yuanshuang found herself unable to discern Lin Xuan's movements—a revelation that left her utterly astounded. Lin Xuan's offensive prowess was formidable, and his agility was equally astonishing. Just how formidable was Lin Xuan, and what other techniques was he concealing? He appeared to be without a single weakness.
Hadn't Lin Xuan just reached the beginner level a month ago? How could he possibly be this powerful? The thought was almost too much for Guan Yuanshuang to bear.
But there was no time for such reflections; Lin Xuan's palm strike had already made contact with her. The impact was like a ferocious tidal wave, crashing down with unstoppable force. Guan Yuanshuang knew she had to muster all her strength to withstand it—she couldn't afford to be taken down in one blow.
However, she had underestimated the situation. As the palm's force hit, Guan Yuanshuang experienced the full extent of its fearsome might, like a cataclysmic wave that could only be described as apocalyptic. Her defenses were shattered in a flash.
Overwhelmed, Guan Yuanshuang felt a pressure in her chest before being hurled backward, tumbling down to the plaza below the stage. The world seemed to spin as her vision blurred. When her sight cleared, she found herself on the ground, looking up at the arena. A muffled groan escaped her lips, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. A bitter smile crossed her face; she had been defeated, instantly overpowered.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Lin, for showing restraint," she said, managing to express her gratitude to Lin Xuan above her with a gesture of respect.
Indeed, Lin Xuan's reputation for his fierce approach was well-founded. Thankfully, he had altered his attack, sparing Guan Yuanshuang from injuries as severe as those Zhou Lei had suffered—a broken bone.
