C17 First Place in the Selection Competition

Qin Ming didn't waste any words. He shaped the Flat Heaven Seal with both hands and launched a direct attack.

In a single clash, Qin Wu was forced to retreat eight steps, while Qin Ming only stepped back once. The disparity between them was stark.

Qin Wu's face took on a grave expression. Aside from Qin Xianer, he had never encountered such a formidable opponent within his clan, and he began to shed his previous disdain.

Leveraging his superior realm, Qin Wu intensified his offensive relentlessly.

Had this been three days prior, Qin Ming might have already been at a disadvantage, floundering in a disorganized defense.

But now, he countered smoothly, his movements methodical in both attack and retreat.

The force of their blows collided, creating dull roars like thunder within the Blood Qi.

For Qin Wu, the Tiger Subduing Fist was akin to the ferocious lunge of an Archean Barbarian Bear.

Yet each of Qin Wu's strikes was met by Qin Ming's head-on defense, his punches growing increasingly powerful.

The essence of the Flat Heaven Seal lies in its offensive power, not evasion. Thus, Qin Ming was resolute and unafraid.

This was destined to be a perilous duel, where a moment's carelessness could cost a life.

All the disciples watching were so tense they held their breath. Facing such a torrent of fierce attacks, could they endure? Even the other seven top-ten ranked disciples couldn't be sure.

"Old man, if you could see this, you'd be overjoyed," Qin Shan said, his eyes brimming with tears.

Qin Ming had suffered greatly in the past, and Old Master Qin Sheng had decisively left the clan to reclaim Qin Ming's lost bloodline.

If Old Master Qin Sheng could see Qin Ming's resurgence, he would surely find solace.

Over the years, Qin Shan had feared that Qin Ming might succumb to despair. Instead, Qin Ming never lost hope and redoubled his efforts to strengthen his body. At last, he reawakened the Archean Bloodline, now possessing a fearsome power comparable to Qin Wu's.

In the gathering place of the Archean Barbarian Bear's Azure Dragon Blood Qi, an awe-inspiring force burst forth, causing the disciples around to involuntarily stagger backward.

As Qin Wu fought on, his alarm grew. Despite the flawless synergy between his martial skills and Archean Bloodline, and the overwhelming advantage of his realm, he found himself unable to overpower Qin Ming. To his dismay, he was losing ground.

Qin Ming, on the other hand, grew more determined with each exchange. He was gathering his strength, biding his time for the explosive moment to come.

He continued to delve into the essence of the Flat Heaven Seal, feeling tantalizingly close to the Great Completion Stage.

As time slipped away, both combatants sustained varying degrees of injury.

Qin Ming could feel the hot rush of blood coursing through him once more. His Domineering Body undiminished, he maintained the upper hand over Qin Wu.

Had Qin Wu not possessed the robust capabilities of the Spirit Founding Stage Sixth Phase, he would have already been bested.

Embarrassment colored Qin Wu's face. He had assumed he would easily claim the top spot among his peers, viewing the selection competition as nothing more than a mere formality.

Yet, the vitality of the Archean Barbarian Bear's Blood Qi was fading, retreating to a corner of the ring.

It was evident to all that Qin Wu's defeat was imminent.

"Qin Ming, you've driven me to this," Qin Wu declared with intensity.

The Blood Qi surrounding him retracted violently, funneling into Qin Wu. His skin sprouted uneven bubbles, transforming him into a grotesque, bloated figure.

This was the result of an incomplete Pills Techniques discovered by Elder Qin Kun in a hidden sanctuary years ago. The technique could unlock latent potential, flooding the body with Blood Qi and doubling the force of a single strike. However, due to its incomplete nature, the user's Blood Qi would be utterly depleted afterward, leading to a regression in their realm.

Unexpectedly, Qin Kun had entrusted Qin Wu with this flawed Pills Techniques. The fearsome Blood Qi contracted sharply before forming into a blood-red vortex the size of a palm.

Qin Wu had never anticipated being pushed to such extremes by Qin Ming. He was acutely aware that his defeat was inevitable, but he was resolved to deny Qin Ming the victory, even if it meant mutual destruction.

The ominous Blood Qi surged violently, stirring the surrounding dust into miniature tornadoes that whirled around Qin Wu.

"If I can't have it, you can forget about having it too," Qin Wu cackled maniacally.

Qin Ming remained silent, yet his onslaught intensified rather than diminished.

From below the stage, Qin Yong's grin grew ever more radiant. "Keep fighting like this! Then, first place will be mine."

Realizing that Qin Wu had advanced to the Sixth Phase of the Spirit Founding Stage, Qin Yong felt a chill in his heart. He had resigned himself to third place, but now, to his astonishment, a miracle seemed to be unfolding.

"What on earth is Qin Ming doing?" Qin Shan wondered aloud, echoed by the confused looks of the disciples watching.

On the platform, Qin Ming relentlessly targeted the small tornadoes, paying no heed to Qin Wu.

"He doesn't have to act like this even if he's conceding," speculated some of the disciples.

Qin Wu let out a thunderous yell.

The blood-red vortex, like a harbinger of death, crashed down upon Qin Ming, the mini tornadoes converging on him in the assault.

A tremendous boom echoed as the arena crumbled to ruins.

The storm abated, and the dust settled, revealing a lone figure standing atop the wreckage.

Qin Wu spat out blood in great heaves, his aura plummeting from the Sixth to the Fourth Phase of the Spirit Founding Stage, his Blood Qi utterly dissipated.

"Why?"

Qin Ming stood in silence until Qin Shan declared the outcome of the match, after which he finally turned away.

Within the Qin Family and throughout Mobei City, Qin Ming was renowned for his mastery of Pills Techniques.

In recent days, aside from refining his bloodline, Qin Ming had dedicated himself to mastering the Supreme Purity Pill Heart.

Though unfamiliar with Qin Wu's specific Pills Techniques, Qin Ming's insight into the Supreme Purity Pill Heart enabled him to pinpoint a critical vulnerability—the small tornadoes were the Achilles' heel of the flawed technique.

Despite Qin Ming neutralizing the residual power of the blood vortex, it retained a formidable force, a testament to the two realms Qin Wu had sacrificed for its creation.

At the pivotal moment, Qin Ming finally grasped the true essence of the Flat Heaven Seal. He ascended to the Great Completion Stage and vanquished the crimson vortex with a single strike.

Gentleman Qin regained consciousness to witness Qin Wu's harrowing defeat. He coughed up blood and frantically clawed at his hair, his face etched with profound regret and anguish.

Before, Gentleman Qin had cast aside his façade without a second thought for the Body Tempering Pill promised by Qin Wu, enduring mockery from all sides. But now, with Qin Wu utterly devoid of fighting prowess and ranked a mere ninth, what claim did he have to the Body Tempering Pill?

For that one Body Tempering Pill, Gentleman Qin had borne the scorn of his kin for three days. Now, he found himself indebted to others for twelve bottles of Beast Blood Pill, the weight of his remorse a relentless torment.

Gentleman Qin had lost his sanity.

A flicker of compassion passed through the onlookers' eyes. He had been a top ten prodigy of the clan, bound for brilliance, yet his greed had plunged him into a pit of no return.

Meanwhile, Qin Wu suffered the repercussions of the Pills Techniques, his bloodline compromised and his cultivation level diminished, stripping him of any prospect to vie for the position of the next Chief.

Qin Wu's composure had evaporated, his cries of despair echoing to the heavens.

One was driven to madness, the other stripped of his genius's aura.

"We must never provoke Qin Ming."

This thought emerged unanimously among the disciples.