When the sound of the gong echoed, it marked the official start of the qualification tournament.

Then, they saw.

An elder from the Eight Major Sects slowly stepped forward, his majestic voice reverberating throughout the entire venue:

"Today is the qualification tournament of the Qingzhou Sword Fighting Conference. Among the seventy-two people on the Bronze List, only seven can participate in this conference. But before the conference, there is a Bronze List contest!"

The voice paused for a moment and then sounded again:

"Next, everyone present can challenge the experts on the Bronze List. If you can win, you can take their place!"

"Now, the Bronze List contest begins!"

As the words fell.

The disciples who came to participate in the contest from the Eight Major Sects began to stir.

As cultivators.

Who doesn't want to sit on one of those seventy-two bronze chairs, admired by others.

Who doesn't want to keep winning, representing Celestial Peak Country in the Sword Fighting Conference?

In an instant.

Countless intense gazes swept past those sitting on the bronze chairs.

"I'll go!"

However.

Just before everyone could speak, a sword qi tearing through the heavens shot out from afar, breaking through the sky and landing on the tall arena. As the sword qi dispersed, a young man in white revealed himself.

This young man, with overwhelming sword qi surrounding him, exuded an intimidating aura.

"Celestial Essence Sword Sect, Lu Changsheng!"

There was a burst of exclamations from the crowd.

"Who do you want to challenge?"

The Celestial Essence Sword Sect Leader asked boldly.

Lu Changsheng's eyes shifted directly to the first seat among the seventy-two bronze chairs, with a cold smile he said:

"Bronze List number one, Xingluo Sect's Gu Shentong!"

Boom!

With these words, the crowd erupted.

No one expected that in the very first battle, someone aimed for the number one on the Bronze List, instantly elevating the atmosphere to its peak.

"Good!"

Gu Shentong, who had been sitting on the bronze chair, rose suddenly.

Then they saw.

With hands behind his back, he walked upon the void.

He seemed to step on an invisible staircase, supporting him as he advanced toward the arena.

"Lu Changsheng, three years ago, you and I vied for the Newcomer King title, narrowly defeating me. I have waited three years for this battle, don't disappoint me!"

"Are these two the Newcomer King and runner-up from three years ago?"

Ye Qingchen raised his eyebrows.

For a moment, his interest surged.

"Perfect, I can also take this opportunity to see the strength of the last edition's Newcomer King!"

Thinking of this.

He directed his gaze forward.

At the same time.

In the arena, as the peak duel began prematurely, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Then they saw, Lu Changsheng laughed loudly, "Gu Shentong, I defeated you three years ago, today I can defeat you again!"

Boom!

After saying this, he took a step forward and landed in the void.

Zheng!

In this instant.

He transformed himself, combining man and sword, into a sword rainbow that split mountains and stones. This sword rainbow swept through the void, bringing up a wave of white air, as if a dragon tumbling, extending from Lu Changsheng's feet to Gu Shentong's front.

"Well done!"

Gu Shentong laughed heartily, raised a finger like an Immortal guiding the way, or a sword shooting into the sky, directly meeting the sword light.

Rumble!

Instantly, the stone shattered and the heavens were shocked.

A fierce exploding sound erupted from the arena.

Both figures separated upon impact.

This move unexpectedly resulted in a draw.

"Again!"

Lu Changsheng drew his sword with a clang.

The man moved with the sword, slashing out a three-zhang sword beam.

This sword beam hung over like the Milky Way, bright white as though enough to split heaven and earth with a single strike.

Gu Shentong sneered slightly.

With a finger raised, the long sword behind him fell into his hand with a swish, and simultaneously, his wrist flicked, unleashing a sword beam equally matched with Lu Changsheng's.

Both are the strongest disciples of the previous generation, with each move shaking the entire scene.

In an instant.

On the large arena, it was filled with infinite sword light, even covering the figures of both.

The fierce sword qi even scattered from the arena, despite being distant, everyone felt the sword qi hit their faces, painfully cutting into their skin. Everyone watched the arena with unblinking eyes, many feeling infinite yearning in their hearts.

"Is this the strength of the Newcomer King from the previous generation?"

"I wonder when we can reach this level too!"

Clang!

Then they saw.

Another duel of swords.

Boom——

Two heaven-shocking sword qis clashed, dust danced wildly, forming a soaring tornado.

Teng!

Then they saw.

A figure retreated swiftly from the dust, landing below the arena.

The one who was blasted off the stage was none other than Lu Changsheng.

"What?"

The originally proud Celestial Essence Sword Sect Leader's face also darkened.

He never expected.

The first battle of his sect would end in defeat.

However.

The tournament was still ongoing.

Because the battle between Lu Changsheng and Gu Shentong had pushed the atmosphere of the tournament to its peak, the remaining people naturally refused to be outdone and took turns challenging the strong on the Bronze Ranking.

Overall, these challengers had more victories than defeats.

In just half a day.

Everyone on the Bronze Ranking had already been challenged.

Except for one.

That was Ye Qingchen.

Because he was only at the Spiritual Sea Seventh Heaven and was a later addition to the sect, selecting him as a challenge would give the impression of "bullying the young with the large."

Even Gu Shentong, in first place, had already accepted three challenges, while Ye Qingchen continued to sit there motionless.

This situation naturally left many spectators feeling unjustified.

"That kid is just incredibly lucky!"

"Yeah, how can someone at the Spiritual Sea Seventh Heaven sit on the Bronze Ranking for so long, isn't anyone challenging him?"

The crowd was indignant.

"It's not that no one challenged him, but everyone disdained the idea; who would bother bullying a newcomer?"

"So are we really going to let this kid sit on the Bronze Ranking forever? I won't accept it!"

Others looked at him with ridicule plastered across their faces.

Such cultivation, sitting on the Bronze Ranking, was simply laughable. Many wished that someone would immediately step forward and take Ye Qingchen down.

In the distance.

Han Yun shook his head upon seeing this scene:

"It seems that the only reason Ye Qingchen can sit on the Bronze Ranking isn't because of his strength. He must have gotten here by picking up scraps... If it were me, I wouldn't have the face to continue sitting there. Doesn't he feel that the Bronze Chair is somewhat scorching?"

Han Yun's face was full of mockery, exhausting his ridicule.

"No! Ye Qingchen is strong... The fact that he can sit on that chair already proves it!"

An Mengxiang kept arguing.

Han Yun glanced at the high platform from the corner of his eye and suddenly chuckled: "Do you think the eight major sects are willing to let someone who is just filling up the numbers sit steadily on the Bronze Ranking?"

An Mengxiang paused briefly, then quickly looked towards the high platform.

Indeed.

The masters of the eight major sects were already finding it hard to sit still.

It's important to know that the Bronze Ranking is related to the qualification for the Qingzhou Sword Fighting Conference, and every spot is extremely precious. The eight major sects were eager to replace everyone on the ranking with their own disciples, so how could they let an unrelated person occupy a spot?

Especially the Celestial Essence Sword Sect Leader, whose face was particularly grim.

Just as the Xingluo Sect Leader said earlier.

After the tournament started, seventy percent of Celestial Essence Sword Sect's disciples were defeated, and now only four disciples remained on the Bronze Ranking, the fewest among the eight major sects.

How could he swallow this anger?

Especially when he saw Ye Qingchen sitting firmly on the Bronze Chair, he treated him as a thorn in his side, impossible to ignore.

"That kid is still sitting there!"

"The Bronze Ranking has no place for him!"

The Celestial Essence Sword Sect Leader took a deep breath, seemingly unable to endure any longer, and directly transmitted his voice: "Jin Xuansong, take Ye Qingchen down for me! I don't want to see that kid still sitting on the stage!"

This was a transmission using Divine Sense.

No one else could hear it.

However.

As the words fell, a disciple of the Celestial Essence Sword Sect among the crowd suddenly had a glint in his eye and nodded heavily!

Bang!

Just then.

Another battle on the stage ended.

Both sides cupped their fists in salute.

The victor, with a face of joy, walked towards the Bronze Chair.

The defeated, with a pale face, left with endless regret.

Amid the cheers of the crowd.

A figure, like an arrow off the string, shot towards the stage, leaving a trail of terrifying afterimages.

Boom!

The furious speed even created a whirlwind, causing the people below the stage to be flipped over. Even many strong individuals on the Bronze Ranking were also shaken.

"Who is this?"

"It's Jin Xuansong!"

"It's Jin Xuansong from the Celestial Essence Sword Sect!"

When the crowd recognized the figure, they burst into exclamations.

At that moment.

Even everyone on the Bronze Ranking was astonished, suddenly feeling like they were facing a formidable enemy.

Clearly shocked by the opponent's strength.

"What powerful strength!"

Many shared this sentiment, in awe.

Considering his stance, the opponent's strength could surely rank in the top fifty on the Bronze Ranking, perhaps even higher!

"Who does he want to challenge?"

For a while.

Everyone speculated incessantly.

Amidst the curious stares, Jin Xuansong's gaze turned directly to a corner of the seventy-two Bronze Chairs, and coldly said: "Come out! I want to challenge you!"

The crowd looked on in surprise.

And saw.

Seated there was none other than Ye Qingchen!

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