They both knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, so there was no need for probing. They went straight for a head-on csh.

  Though Cui Qing'er was a woman, her fighting style was aggressive. She unleashed a water-based spell, immediately summoned a Golden Shield Talisman, and then maneuvered her flying sword to engage Lin Hao in close bat.

  "Heh, a woman wanting to fight me up close? I won't let you have your way."

  Lin Hao deftly avoided the water tiger by stepping on his flying sword, f a seal with his hands to cast a spell. A ball of fme shot towards the woman like a meteor.

  The scorg heat rushed towards her, but instead of retreating, Cui Qing'er advanced. Her sword was ed in sky-blue sword energy, sshing at the fireball.

  Boom!

  With one ssh, she split the fireball. Her left hand tinuously unched water spheres, trying to force her oppo down for close bat.

  But Lin Hao only tered with fire spells, occasionally throwing out a Frost Desd talisman to freeze the water spheres.

  Cui Qing'er, uo gain the upper hand after a prolotack, was flustered. This damn man was unusual. Clearly, he was also at the Great Perfe of Qi Refining, so why was his mana so abundant?

  After exging dozens of moves, always using spells, Cui Qing'er's spiritual power was running low. She wao take a Spirit Recovery Pill but was given no ce by Lin Hao.

  Boom, boom, boom!

  Lin Hao unleashed three secutive sword energies, shattering Cui Qing'er's three yers of Golden Light Shield, and then closed in on her.

  He shouted fiercely, his inner spiritual power surging, his eyes filled with an invincible belief.

  "Break!" His voice was like thunder, his body like a gust of wind.

  His fists, bzing with fmes, struck directly at the woman's abdomen.

  Not good... Cui Qing'er's face ged drastically. She hurriedly gathered the remaining spiritual power in her body to form a barrier, but uhe oppo's determined punch, it was as fragile as gss.

  Crack!

  The shield shattered, and her delicate body took a heavy blow.

  Cough!

  Cui Qing'er spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling as if all her ribs were broken, and then flew out like a kite with a broken string.

  "Damn man, don't you know how to hold back!"

  Cui Qing'er's eyes were filled with rese.

  Lin Hao ighe resentful look in her eyes and said calmly, "Admit defeat."

  Cui Qing'er rolled her eyes charmingly, then pushed the bde away from her ned said softly, "With a bde at my throat, how I not admit defeat?"

  "Lin Hao, wins!"

  As the referee elder's words fell, the se erupted in a tidal wave of discussion.

  "here did this Lin Hao e from, to defeat Fairy Qing'er so fiercely."

  "Yeah, Fairy Qing'er is at the Great Perfe of Qi Refining, her cultivation ranks iop five of the outer sect!"

  "I know this Lin Hao, he's like Fairy Qiushui's little follower, always low-key, never showing off. Who knew he'd make such a spsh today."

  "Fellow Daoist, you're behind the times. Lin Hao performed outstandingly in the previous Demo Hunting petition, making it to the top eight alone."

  "Is he that strong? Where does he cultivate? I want to befriend him, maybe I bee a direct disciple."

  "That might be hard. Without Wang Jingzhan and Leng Feng, this guy is a top-tier expert at the Qi Refining level, with a great ce of reag the top."

  Beside them, Jiang Mingfei's face was gloomy. When did that kid bee a top-tier expert, did he ask me?

  He ched his fists, his gaze coldly fixed on Lin Hao. Damn kid, just you wait, the match will show you what it means to always have someoer!

  On the high ptform, Little Bamboo Peak's master, Murong Qinxue, had a look of sho her fair face.

  This Lin Hao actually defeated Qing'er!

  Although she had been paying attention to Lin Hao from the start, she didn't expect him to defeat Cui Qing'er from their peak.

  Feng gyue saw Murong Qinxue's expression and a hint of pride appeared on her face. Lin Hao had certainly brought honor to her and Great Bamboo Peak.

  Barefoot on a red lotus, like a flying swan, she flew to Lin Hao's side.

  A trace of appreciation fshed in her phoenix eyes, and she said in a cool voice, "You did well. From today on, you are the chief of the outer sect disciples of Great Bamboo Peak. If you p the top three of this petition, you ehe inner sect's Scripture Repository three times."

  Lin Hao took a light whiff of the fragrance, a strahought fshing through his mind. Is the peak master still a maiden?

  This was his first close enter with the peak master, and he caught the maiden's fragrance from her, unmistakably the same st he noticed before his first deep iion with Li Qiushui and Cui Qing'er.

  He gnced down at the peak master's jade-like feet, a pair of small feet whiter than snow, as if carved from jade, making one want to...

  He quickly bit his too calm himself down. Sinful, sinful, this is the master of Great Bamboo Peak. If she knew what I was thinking... she'd probably buro ashes.

  Suppressing the distrag thoughts, he respectfully said, "Disciple accepts the order! Thank you, Peak Master!"

  Feng gyue came down to see Lin Hao just to assert her ownership. This was her disciple, and she inteo keep others from taking him.

  On the high ptform, Murong Qi her silver teeth and softly cursed, "Feng gyue, that woman really is..."

  As the peak master left, Lin Hao was about to step off the stage when he suddenly saw his senior sister, Li Qiushui.

  He didn't know when she had arrived.

  His lips curled into a slight smile as he walked towards his senior sister.

  "Junior brother, gratutions on advang to the top six."

  Li Qiushui said gracefully, her purple gauze dress fluttering in the breeze.

  With so many eyes watg, it was inappropriate to make a move. Lin Hao's gaze fell o peaks, his voice clear, "Senior sister, I've made it to the top six. How are you going to celebrate for me?"

  He had a pyful glint in his eyes, wanting to see his senior sister's shy expression, but she just gave a gentle smile.

  "There will be a surprise, you'll know tonight."

  With that, his senior sister was about to leave. Lin Hao had no more matches today, but he didn't leave either, choosing to stay and watch the rest of the petition.

  After Li Qiushui left, Cui Qing'er approached him.

  "Are you alright?" Lin Hao asked.

  "I took some pills, I'm fine. You really are heartless, not knowing how to show mercy." Cui Qing'er pined.

  "We're about equal in strength. If I held back, I wouldn't have won." Lin Hao ughed, "I'll make it up to you ter."

  "You said it." Cui Qing'er uood.

  The match was Wang Jingzhan against a cultivator at the Great Perfe of Qi Refining. Both of them focused their attention oage.

  As expected, Wang Jingzhaed his oppo with a single move, showg the strength of a Foundatioablishment cultivator.

  "Wang Jingzhan is i the Foundatioablishment stage. How others pete with that? He's definitely going to be the champion!"

  "Don't be so sure. Leng Feng is also at the Foundatioablishment stage, not weaker than Wang Jingzhan."

  "Leng Feng only knows how to train hard. he pare to Wang Jingzhan, who grew through spell duels?"

  Listening to the debate betweewo cultivators behind him, Lin Hao thought that regardless of who was stronger betweewo Foundatioablishment cultivators, if he wao pete for first pce, he had to reach Foundatioablishment himself.

  Leng Feng took the stage, dressed in tight bck clothing that atuated her curves. Though her face was beautiful, her demeanor was cold, giving off an unapproachable vibe.

  Her oppo was also a cultivator at the Great Perfe of Qi Refining, specializing ih-based defeeiques. It took her three moves to defeat him.

  After watg the two Foundatioablishment cultivators' battles, Lin Hao prepared to leave. The remaining oppos weren't worth watg; he was fident he could win!

  Seeing Lin Hao about to leave, Cui Qing'er followed him.

  "What is your retionship with Li Qiushui?" she asked as they walked.

  "The same as with you."

  The woman sighed softly, "You've caught the attention of your peak master. Your future is bright. Why get entangled with a demon?"

  Hearing this, Lin Hao frowned deeply. Why was Cui Qing'er so insistent that his senior sister was a demon?

  He and his senior sister had known each other for a long time and got along very well. His senior sister was incredibly gentle; how could she possibly be a cold-blooded demon?