C71

"A lot of folks here are pretty formidable," Lee Yu observed, eyeing the arena.

This was no friendly spar. The clashes on the stage were fierce, with some fighters even meeting their end in the heat of battle.

Despite the presence of two Fifth Grade judges at each corner of the arena, at times they were too late to intervene.

"If you think the contenders below are impressive, you might want to vacate your spot!"

The speaker was Qing Yuanwei, a promising contender himself. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, his aura pulsing with spiritual energy at the Peak of Sixth Grade, indicating he had spent considerable time mastering this level.

"How so?" Lee Yu inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Only two seats remained on the elevated platform, one tucked away in the right corner. But Lee Yu had chosen the seat next to Qing Anqi, which held a certain appeal.

"It's because that spot has someone's name on it," came a gentle voice from behind.

Lee Yu turned to find a striking young man standing beside Cui, also in his mid-twenties.

"So, would you mind moving?" the young man asked.

"There's an empty seat right over there," Lee Yu replied, his eyebrows arching slightly. He wasn't about to lose face by being told where to sit, especially since the seating wasn't assigned.

The young man who had just spoken now sat stiffly, his attention fixed on the action below, clearly giving the newcomer a wide berth.

"And if I refuse?" Qing Yuan asked with a smile, casually resting a hand on Lee Yu's shoulder before pulling back slightly.

"If you're not moving, you might as well stand," Lee Yu retorted, shrugging off the hand with ease, as if it were no more than an iron vice.

A flicker of surprise crossed Qing Yuan's eyes; he hadn't anticipated such an easy escape.

Even without using spiritual energy, that shouldn't have happened!

"This is getting interesting," Qing Yuan mused, his interest piqued. He reached out again, only to have his hand swiftly caught.

Lee Yu's face showed impatience. "Step aside, please."

He regarded Qing Yuan with a smile, his tone polite yet unfluctuating. As he finished speaking, his grip relaxed.

"I couldn't break free just now!"

Qing Yuan stood there, dumbfounded. It was almost inconceivable. He had even tapped into his spiritual energy, but despite Lee Yu releasing his hold, Qing Yuan sensed that if Lee Yu had chosen not to let go, he might not have been able to escape even with his spiritual energy at play!

How could that be?

He was already a Fifth Grade cultivator, yet he felt outmatched as if by someone at the peak of the Sixth Grade. Who would believe such a thing?

Qing Yuan had mastered the Qing's most advanced cultivation techniques; he was no ordinary practitioner. He considered himself to be at the top tier within his grade.

The audience on the high platform watched intently as the two interacted, and the crowd in the arena took notice. Many were puzzled; they had assumed Qing Yuan's absence was the reason someone dared to take the central seat. They hadn't anticipated someone actually challenging Qing Yuan.

Could it be that someone in the clan believed they could surpass Qing Yuan?

"Who is this guy? He seems quite close to the County Princess."

"I recognize him; that's Lee Yu. He's the only one in our Qing's with a different surname, a truly unprecedented case."

"Really? How could someone not of our bloodline be granted the status of a seed? But he's in for it now, challenging Qing Yuan's spot. Everyone knows about Qing Yuan's fiery temper!"

Many within the Qing's were indeed aware of Lee Yu's presence and understood the merits that earned him his place in the clan. Hearing the consensus that he was headed for disaster, some scoffed at the notion.

"He carries the Thunder Bloodline. It's anyone's guess who would win in a clash. Besides, he's the County Princess's friend. Surely Qing Yuan would show some respect for her sake?"

"Exactly. He wouldn't dare claim the center seat if he wasn't confident. It was an obvious show of rivalry!"

"Did you all forget? Even the County Princess's brother got a thrashing!"

The debate raged on among the spectators below the high platform, even before any blows had been exchanged above.

Qing Heng had already been promoting Lee Yu's presence within the clan for some time. So while many had not met him in person, they carried a strong impression of his prowess.

This was precisely why there was such heated debate offstage.

In truth, it was a clash between two factions. Lee Yu was aligned with County Duke Qing Heng and was close with his daughter, Qing Anqi, while Qing Yuan was backed by the Second Elder. The two sides harbored deep-seated contradictions and the friction between them was constant.

"Enough already!"

Lee Yu swatted away Qing Yuan's hand once more. As he turned around, he caught sight of Qing Heng's arrival and stood up, greeting him, "County Duke."

"Please, take your seats!" Qing Heng regarded Lee Yu with approval. He quelled the urge of several eager young fighters to rise, and announced, "I'm here to assess your spirit, energy, and vitality. The contenders for the arena challenge are about to be chosen."

"When it's your turn to compete, I expect you to measure your efforts. You are all members of the Qing clan; don't squander your strength on internal disputes."

Qing Heng's eyes briefly met those of Lee Yu and Qing Yuan before moving on. A soldier quickly approached, handing him a list of names.

"Well, that was quick! The selection is already complete!"

Qing Heng scanned the list brought by the soldier and then advanced to the forefront. His voice, amplified by spiritual energy, filled the entire combat arena.

"This martial contest is to select the young representatives for the Hundred Clans Assembly, with a maximum age limit of twenty-five. I'm delighted to see such a turnout, which speaks to the vitality of the Qing clan's youth and their unwavering resolve!"

"Congratulations to those advancing. They've been escorted away for rest. Please be patient; the final selection will commence in one hour!"

"The participants this time include: Lee Yu, Qing Yuan, and..."

Unexpectedly, Qing Yuan was not the first name called, prompting a stir among the spectators. But whispers soon spread, enlightening the crowd about the identity of the first nominee.

Lee Yu's name quickly became familiar to all, serving one of Qing Heng's aims. His other objective was to undermine Qing Yuan's prestige, which had grown too influential and posed no benefit to the County Duke's lineage.

Lee Yu didn't overthink it. If Qing Heng had listed him first, then there was no need for further contemplation. Doing his best was all that mattered, and it was the least he could do to honor the seed status and unwavering support Qing Heng had granted him.

Beside him, Qing Yuan's eyes sparkled with an icy intensity.

This was a novel experience for him, being outshone for the first time. He had always been accustomed to leading the pack, and he had maintained that position effortlessly. Even in contests with Qing Heng's son, he had never come up short.

Yet today, he found himself not only outranked on the list but also usurped in standing.

"I'd love to squash you like the insignificant pest you are!" Qing Yuan whispered under his breath, his gaze as chilling as that of a predator closing in on its prey.

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