Volume One: The Young Demon Lord, Chapter 20: The Grand Competition Begins, A Battle of Life and Death

Demon God Sword Domain.

Qi Yu sat cross-legged, circulating his cultivation technique. The spiritual energy within the sword domain surged toward him like a tide. Before long, a fierce wind erupted from his entire body.

Looking at his hands, Qi Yu felt immense joy and exclaimed, "I succeeded!"

Ever since he began studying the cultivation technique provided by the Third Elder, Qi Yu’s progress had accelerated significantly. Combined with the opening of his Ren and Du meridians, he had now reached the fifth level of the Profound Entry Realm.

Qi Yu stood up, gripped his sword, Cold Cicada, and faced the giant sword at the heart of the domain.

*Clang!*

Cold Cicada vibrated, its blade slowly cloaked in a layer of spiritual energy, the tip flickering with a golden light.

*Whoosh!*

A sword aura several feet wide bloomed, brilliant and magnificent. Qi Yu had pushed his spiritual energy to its absolute limit for this strike. However, as the aura entered the Demon God Sword Domain, it was consumed and vanished in short order.

Yao Yao sat atop the giant sword, clapping her hands. "Not bad, not bad! Very impressive progress!"

Qi Yu: "..."

Just then, Little Fishy skipped over to Qi Yu’s side.

Qi Yu said, "Little Fishy, this time you can use two layers of your strength. Let’s see if I can catch you!"

Little Fishy wore a haughty expression. "Brother Qi Yu, do you really want me to use two layers of my strength?"

Qi Yu nodded with utmost seriousness. "Little Fishy, begin!"

As the words left his lips, Little Fishy instantly vanished from sight.

A faint sound of air being torn came from behind him. Qi Yu turned to thrust his sword, but he struck nothing but air. Before he could react, Little Fishy’s chubby palm was already resting against his neck.

In the blink of an eye, Qi Yu had lost.

Little Fishy blinked her large eyes. "Brother Qi Yu, was that perhaps too much?"

Qi Yu swallowed hard, his heart filled with shock. The speed was monstrous; he couldn't track her silhouette at all.

Little Fishy clapped her hands. "Brother Qi Yu, how about I use one and a half layers of strength instead?"

Qi Yu nodded blankly, then asked curiously, "Little Fishy, if you are only using two layers of strength and are already this fast, how fast would you be if you used your full ten layers?"

Little Fishy thought for a moment and replied, "I could traverse time and space, though I cannot unleash ten layers of strength right now."

Qi Yu asked in astonishment, "Why?"

Little Fishy explained, "Because I lack my true form; it is locked beneath the deep pool."

Since Qi Yu already knew that Little Fishy came from the Demon Realm, there was no need to hide it anymore.

"My true form is a True Dragon of the Demon Realm," Little Fishy continued. "What you see now is the manifestation of my Dragon Pearl."

Qi Yu’s eyes widened in horror.

A True Dragon! A creature that only existed in legends.

But who could have locked Little Fishy’s true form beneath the deep pool?

Yao Yao walked over slowly and said, "Qi Yu, only you can help Little Fishy release her true form."

Qi Yu asked in surprise, "Me?"

Yao Yao nodded. "But not now. You still need to cultivate harder."

A month passed quickly, and the day of the Sword Sect Grand Competition finally arrived.

The Third Elder, Zhang Wendian, came to Qi Yu’s courtyard personally to escort him to the Sword Sect martial arena.

The arena was already a sea of people. Aside from the outer sect disciples, many inner sect disciples had come to watch the spectacle; at a glance, there were at least ten thousand present. After all, the competition was the most likely venue for selecting the Holy Son of the Sword Sect, making it of vital importance.

Several chairs were arranged at the front of the arena. The core elders of the sect had already taken their seats, but the seat of honor, reserved for Chen Qingming, remained empty.

Standing beside the Second Elder was a youth of similar age to Qi Yu. The boy wore white robes, held a poised posture, and possessed deep eyes and a high nose bridge. A noble aura radiated from him as he gently fanned himself with a folding fan.

When he saw Zhang Wendian approach, he gave a slight nod. "Greetings, Third Elder."

Zhang Wendian nodded and sat in his chair. Qi Yu and the youth locked eyes. The youth let out a soft "Oh?" and said, "I am Su Moxuan. May I ask who this brother is?"

Qi Yu’s mouth curved upward. "Qi Yu!"

Su Moxuan tilted his head as if in thought, then chuckled. "I have heard much about you!"

Qi Yu walked past Su Moxuan. The youth’s previously scholarly expression instantly turned icy cold.

As soon as Zhang Wendian sat down, the Second Elder glanced at Qi Yu and remarked, "Brother, you don't intend to take this piece of trash as your closed-door disciple, do you?"

Zhang Wendian stroked his beard and replied irrelevantly, "Brother, I heard yesterday that your eldest son, Su Qiming, died? How truly joyous and celebratory! When is the funeral feast being held?"

It turned out that Su Qiming’s corpse had been accidentally unearthed.

The Second Elder’s mocking expression froze on his face. He said coldly, "Was this your doing?"

Zhang Wendian replied calmly, "Do you have any evidence?"

The Second Elder sneered. "Heh, Third Brother, there is no need to provoke me with words. I will handle my own family affairs. Today is the grand day for my grandson to seize the position of Holy Son, so I certainly won't miss it!"

Zhang Wendian jeered, "Second Brother, you are getting old, and your memory is failing. Your grandson’s first death anniversary passed half a year ago!"

The Second Elder’s face turned ghastly, and he gritted his teeth. "My grandson is Su Moxuan!"

Zhang Wendian laughed. "Oh, that grandson? Then let’s mark his death anniversary for this same day next year."

"You!"

The Second Elder’s face was hideous, his anger nearly causing him to spit blood. He said in a low voice, "Third Brother, are you not afraid that I will send you to join your dear fellow disciple?"

Zhang Wendian clenched his fists beneath his sleeves but remained calm. "You had best worry about your own grandson instead!"

Standing behind the Second Elder, Su Moxuan heard this and smiled. "Third Elder, I presume this Brother Qi Yu behind you has also passed the assessment. If I were to challenge him to a life-and-death duel, would he dare to accept?"

Zhang Wendian’s expression shifted slightly. "I advise you not to do that, otherwise, this day next year might truly become your own death anniversary!"

Su Moxuan laughed heartily. "Hahaha, Third Elder, I am so frightened!"

Su Moxuan then looked at Qi Yu, pointing his fan at him. "You must be that coward’s trash son! Your father, Qi Zhenming, is a disgrace to the entire East Divine Continent. Today, I shall send you to meet him. Do you dare accept my challenge of life and death?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yu reflexively blurted out, "I couldn't ask for more!"

There were two formats for the Sword Sect Grand Competition: the first was a matched bracket, and the second was a voluntary challenge between disciples.

Nearly a hundred disciples had passed the assessment, and Qi Yu had been worrying about how many rounds he would have to win before facing Su Moxuan. He hadn't expected the man to deliver himself to his doorstep.

Su Moxuan frowned. "What did you say?"

Qi Yu coughed lightly. "I accept your life-and-death challenge!"

The Second Elder glanced at Qi Yu dismissively, sneered, and then looked at the empty seats, muttering to himself, "Why haven't the fifth and sixth arrived yet?"

Qi Yu smiled. They probably wouldn't be coming ever again. If those two were here, they would certainly have moved heaven and earth to prevent this duel.

Seeing Qi Yu’s relaxed expression, a sense of foreboding suddenly welled up in Su Moxuan’s heart.

...

The competition officially began. Su Moxuan was the first to take the stage. He produced a life-and-death contract, signed it, pressed his thumbprint, and tossed it before Qi Yu.

Qi Yu likewise pressed his thumbprint onto the contract, and it officially took effect.

Su Moxuan stood tall on the arena, looking down at Qi Yu as he slowly walked up. He sneered coldly, "Qi Yu, relying on connections to pass the assessment—I never expected I would be the one to challenge you to a life-and-death duel!"

Su Moxuan’s words were pointed. Qi Yu glanced back at the Third Elder, offered no defense, and stepped onto the arena.

A deacon in white robes announced, "From this moment on, your duel begins. Life and death are dictated by fate. Begin!"

As the words fell, the deacon vanished.

Su Moxuan drew his sword, a tyrannical aura erupting from his body.

Off the stage, everyone except the Second Elder was shocked. The fourth level of the Profound Entry Realm!

When Su Moxuan had entered the Sword Sect a year ago, he hadn't even reached the Profound Entry Realm. Now, he had already attained the fourth level, a testament to his extraordinary talent.

In past Sword Sect Grand Competitions, the highest cultivation level had been the third level of the Profound Entry Realm, and even then, only a handful had achieved it.

"With such talent, he will surely accomplish great things in the future!" even the First Elder, who had been feigning sleep, squinted his eyes and could not help but praise him.

Zhang Wendian’s brows furrowed tightly, and he could not help but feel anxious. The last time he had seen Qi Yu, he had only been at the third level.

On the arena, Su Moxuan raised his chin arrogantly, pointing his sword at Qi Yu. "Qi Yu, announce to everyone now that you are breaking off your engagement with the Saintess, then kneel and kowtow to me. Perhaps I’ll grant you a quick death!"