No one expected Lin Hao to defeat his oppo with a single move.

  Those who came to watch the battle were just there for the spectacle.

  They all khat during the outer sepetition, Lin Hao and Wang Jingzhan were evenly matched in strength.

  Wang Jingzhan had suffered due to excessive physical and spiritual energy ption, as well as his arrogand pcy.

  But who would have thought that in this battle, even after giving it his all, Wang Jingzhan would still be defeated by Lin Hao in one move.

  Jiang Mingfei, hiding in the crowd, felt a chill run down his spine as he watched Lin Hao's dispy of power. He was relieved he hadn't foolishly provoked Lin Hao himself but had instead used Jiang Shuyan as a pawn.

  However, he hadn't heard anything from Jiang Shuyan, whether Lin Hao had been taught a lesson or not. At the very least, there should have been some response.

  He couldn't suppress his ay but dared not ask, knowing that woman was not to be trifled with.

  Just then, he received a message from Jiang Shuyan, asking him to meet at the back mountain.

  It must be about Lin Hao. With a heart full of unease, he pushed through the crowd and headed to the back mountain.

  Wang Jingzhan y on the ground, his heart a mix of emotions.

  Last time during the outer sepetition, he had uimated his oppo and was knocked off the stage by Lin Hao, leaving a thorn in his heart.

  Sihen, he had trained day and night, hoping that one day he could crush Lin Hao with overwhelming strength.

  But he never imagi would e to this!

  He couldn't even withstand a single move from Lin Hao. The gap in their strength was like a chasm, impossible to cross, leaving him utterly defeated.

  He felt his Dao heart on the verge of shattering.

  "Zhan'er, failure is not shameful. What's shameful is wallowing in failure."

  Han Liyue helped her fallen son up and spoke gently.

  Wang Jingzhan's face was bnk, and he smiled bitterly, "Mother, I'm not afraid of failure, but I don't know where I fall short pared to him. Why has his strength improved so quickly?"

  Han Liyue looked at Lin Hao's retreating figure with a hint of bitterness in her heart.

  Zhan'er, I'm afraid you'll never catch up to him in this lifetime.

  She uood Lin Hao's terrifying rate of improvemeer than anyone present, which made her even more despairing.

  But she couldn't show her despair in front of her son, or his Dao heart would truly shatter.

  "Zhan'er, you don't o pare yourself to him. You just o cultivate diligently, and one day you'll stand at the pinnacle of the Dao."

  "Mother, I really?"

  "Of course, you !"

  "You must know that you are also a genius in cultivation!"

  "And ih of cultivation, it's not just about talent, but also fortune... perseverance..."

  Wang Jingzhan nodded heavily, g his fist, "Mother, I uand!"

  He looked at Lin Hao with determination, silently vowing to defeat him one day!

  Lin Hao noticed the gaze from the mother and son but paid it no mind.

  He felt that after this petition, he would have no further iion with them.

  "Brother Lin, gratutions on your victory in the first battle."

  Leng Feng, amazed by Lin Hao's strength, knew she was not his match, as they were two minor realms apart, a gap that couldn't be bridged by swordsmanship alone!

  She felt that pared to Lin Hao, she still wasn't w hard enough. So after winning her first match, she withdrew from the petition.

  She po return to seclusion, hoping to gain new insights ih of the sword, her only ce to face Lin Hao again.

  Lin Hao watched Leng Feng leave gracefully, silently wishing her success in her sword cultivation.

  This spirited woman, along with the te Xiang Xiaoyuahe only two beautiful women he had met but had no desire to possess.

  Due to the elimination format of this inner sepetition, the matches proceeded quickly.

  Ihan a day, the first round was over.

  Besides those who were defeated, some winners, either due to injuries or other reasons, like Leng Feng, chose to withdraw.

  Less than five hundred remained for the sed round.

  Lin Hao's oppo in the seatch was a middle-aged man in the mid-Foundatioablishment stage.

  This man had been cultivating in the inner seany years and was quite old. If he couldn't make it to the top hundred in this petition, he would be sent to pces like the spirit stone mines as a fourth-level elder.

  Leaving the inner sect meant a signifit redu in cultivation resources.

  He was desperate to win.

  Unfortunately, he entered Lin Hao.

  After exging ten moves, Lin Hao, not even breaking a sweat, defeated his oppo.

  The outer sect spectators familiar with Lin Hao were shocked. Lin Hao had just broken through to Foundatioablishment, how could he defeat a seasoned Foundatioablishment expert so easily?

  What realm was he in now?

  Mid-Foundatioablishment?

  How could he break through so quickly!

  The inner sect spectators were even more stunned.

  Many of them khe middle-aged man, a seasoned mid-Foundatioablishment cultivator with siderable strength.

  Some had also watched the outer sepetition and knew Lin Hao.

  They all thought that having just broken through to Foundatioablishment a few months ago, how strong could he be?

  Who would have thought that the seasoned Foundatioablishment expert couldn't even touch Lin Hao's clothes before beied.

  In the Sect Leader's pace, Sect Leader Ouyang watched Lin Hao easily defeat his oppo, a smile appearing on her serene face.

  "Junior Sister Feng, your young disciple is quite impressive.

  One more round and he'll be iop hundred of the inner sect."

  "Even if your two disciples don't return, yreat Bamboo Peak won't ck a leading disciple."

  Feng gyue zily y on the Fire Lotus Ptform, her jade-like feet kig three fireballs.

  "pared to Nephew Qingxue, he's still far behind."

  Hearing this, Sect Leader Ouyang couldn't help but shake her head slightly.

  "Junior Sister, paring Lin Hao to my only disciple, isn't that taking advantage?"

  Feng gyue's beautifully arched eyebrows raised slightly.

  "What do you mean by taking advantage? My unworthy disciple is at a disadvantage, being young."

  "But youth is also an advantage, his future is promising!"

  "As for Nephew Qingxue, she's been immersed ih of the sword for years, otherwise she would have formed her core long ago."

  "You know, Qingxue is stubborn. She'll only sider f her core when she feels her swordsmanship 't advance further."

  "Indeed, she's quite stubborn, but with her current strength, winning first pce isn't difficult."

  Sect Leader Ouyang shook her head slightly, sighing, "The disciples of the Grand Elders are also participating in this petition. Qingxue may not have the upper hand. If she makes it to the top three, I'll be satisfied."

  Feng gyue kicked the three fireballs into the sky, pouting, "What kind of disciples those old fogeys teach, turtles hiding in their shells?"

  "Junior Sister, mind your words."

  Feng gyue nontly replied, "I'd say the same to their faces."

  "Hehe."

  An elderly voice echoed in the hall.

  "Who has upset our fiery girl, making her so angry?"

  An old man with white hair and beard appeared out of nowhere.

  Sect Leader Ouyang quickly stood up and greeted, "Uncle Lu."

  Feng gyue remained unmoved, zily saying, "You old coot actually came out of seclusion, aren't you afraid of dying?"

  "Junior Sister..."

  Sect Leader Ouyang was about to reprimand her for being disrespectful to the Grand Elder, but Elder Lu stopped her.

  "Fiery girl, you watch your disciple's battle, but I 't cheer for mine?"

  "As you wish," Feng gyue raised an eyebrow.

  "Hehe, fiery girl, you're still as fiery as when you were young."

  "I'm still very young now."

  Peerjun