[Act 1: The Rising of the King — The Ranking of the Ring]
On the second day of the Sect Competition, before dawn, the outskirts of the square were crowded with people.
The core disciples of all the major clans in Qingzhou had arrived, and countless casual cultivators had gathered to watch the first "Challenge on the List" of the day!
This morning—
—someone had taken the initiative to challenge the top ten on the Qingzhou "Trial List"!
"Who's so crazy?"
"It's rumored to be a man named Lin Bufan. I've never heard of him. Which clan is he from?"
"I heard he's a wild cultivator with no background who just entered the city a day ago."
"Crazy, right?" Challenge the trial list? Now, there's Jiang Wuchen and Murong Qingxue, these perverted existences!"
In the sect square, on the 100-foot ring, Lin Bufan stood alone in black, holding a long, red-striped sword. His breath sounded like the low roar of thunder.
He scanned the list and pointed to ninth place.
"This position, I'll take it."
[System prompt: Do you want to initiate a 'Challenge on the List'?
Challenge Object: Ninth Place — Blood Fire Sect Inner Disciple Zhang Xiaotian
Challenge Method: Frontal Battle (Defeat within one incense stick).
Reward for success: - 9th place on the trial list
- 500 spirit stones
- 50 points of system experience
Is it confirmed? (Yes/No)
"Yes."
[Ding! Challenge opened!
A silhouette broke through the air in the distance and arrived. With red hair draped over his shoulders, he stood eight feet tall and carried a double axe behind his back. His aura raged like thunder. It was none other than Zhang Xiaotian!
"District No. 1 wild cultivator, you also dare to challenge me?"
Today, I will show you that not just anyone can be on the list."
Boom!
The instant Zhang Xiaotian landed, he swung his double axes in unison. Flames rose and swept across the 100-foot ring!
"Act Two." "A blowout." "A clean sweep."
In the stands, the crowd exclaimed.
"Zhang Xiaotian has struck! That's his famous technique, the Fire Spirit Double Slash!"
"No more than five people on the entire list can survive five moves from him in the ring!"
However, in the next instant—
Lin Bufan raised his hand and slashed out!
Boom!
Red awns broke through the air, thunder and fire blending together like an explosive dragon!
"What?!"
Zhang Xiaotian's double axes instantly disintegrated. His entire body flew five feet backwards out of the ring, spewing blood mid-air before smashing heavily on the guardrail.
The entire arena was silent for three seconds — and then exploded.
"Holy shit! Who is this?"
"One slash... just one slash?"
"Did I see that wrong? Zhang Xiaotian is at the peak of Qi Refining or the Blood Fire Sect Core!"
"He used a move, but Lin Bufan only made one slash."
[Ding! Challenge successful!
Lin Bufan has made it to the list and is now in 9th place on the 'Qingzhou Trial List'.
Rewards: Spirit Stones: 500; System Experience: +50; Reputation: +30
Extra reward: "Hidden Evaluation A" has been triggered, and the system has opened a preview of the new phrase!
Lin Bufan's aura stirred within his body, and a familiar system sound rang in his ears:
[New phrase preview: "Shura's Stance" Lv. 1]
Passive effect: Stacking "Intimidating Aura" upon killing an enemy intimidates those of a lower rank, suppresses the same rank, and disrupts the enemy's spiritual sea.
Active trigger: When anger is maxed out, it can trigger a 'Shura Liberation,' increasing explosive power by 50% for five minutes.
"Interesting."
Lin Bufan smiled slightly. Before he could leave the stage, three more streams of light appeared in the air, one after another.
"I, Bai Yuan Sect's Zhou Mu, challenge you!"
"I'll also see how much skill you have!"
"Hey, are you lining up? I, Blood Tooth Sect's Shen Yan, come to challenge you first!"
The ring guard formation expanded rapidly, admitting three people at a time onto the stage!
The crowd exclaimed, "One against three? Can Lin Bufan block it?"
[Act 3: Siege of Three — System Upgrade]
Lin Bu Fan stood alone in the center of the ring against three people.
They didn't know each other, but their pride was aroused by him — a newly promoted top ranker — and they briefly joined forces.
Zhou Yan controlled the wind spirit, and his spells were as sharp as a sword. Shen Yan's physical cultivation was explosive. The last one was skilled at using illusions.
The three faculties combined!
"This is stable, right?"
"Unless he builds a foundation, it's impossible for him to take on all three!"
The next instant—
"Boom!!!"
Lin Bu Fan's left hand shook with spiritual light, and the system words activated:
"Activate — Shura's Stance!"
His eyes flushed red, his aura intensified, and his sleeves bulged.
"I don't like wasting time."
"Come together."
Blade light slashed continuously, and thunderous sounds rolled.
Ten breaths later:
The three fell to the ground in unison: one was foaming at the mouth; one was seriously injured and unconscious; and one was kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy.
Lin Bufan stood with his sword, looking coldly at the audience.
"Still coming?"
The entire audience was dead silent — no one dared to answer.
"Act 4: The Higher-Ups — The Tide of Darkness"
Lin Bufan fought three enemies at once, crushing them so thoroughly that the entire audience was shocked.
But the commotion startled more than just the ordinary spectators.
In the sky above the ring, a void slowly distorted.
An old man in white robes stood with his hands folded, his gaze deep and bland as he overlooked the ring. The corner of his mouth was slightly curled.
"Interesting, interesting... He had just entered Qingzhou, and yet he dared to slaughter the list."
He turned his head and commanded a black-clothed shadow person beside him in a low voice:
"Check this son's background. If he's not part of a clan or faction, you can consider pulling him in."
The black-clothed man nodded.
Meanwhile, a woman in a red, lightly veiled dress stood at the top of the pavilion, quietly looking at Lin Bufan in the ring.
"Is he the one you're looking for?"
The maid next to her asked in a low voice.
The woman in red didn't reply. The breeze lifted her skirt, and a wave rippled in her eyes.
"There are really a few points."
Act 5: The Ring Again — Unexpected Outbursts
I thought it was over, but a figure slowly walked out from the audience.
He took a deep breath. His face was like a crown of jade. He wore a sword on his waist. His expression was plain, but stern.
The crowd looked on, and the whole place became agitated.
"That's the fourth most talented sword cultivator on the list—the Shen Family's Young Lord, Shen Mu Bai!"
"He came down to the ring himself?"
Shen Mu Bai ascended the ring and stood with his arms folded.
"Lin Bu Fan, right? You're strong. I'm interested."
Lin Bu Fan raised an eyebrow. "You're here to challenge me?"
"No, I'm here to see if you're worth drawing my sword."
Boom!
Shen Mubai moved; his feet flashed with spirit patterns and his body moved like a leaf falling in the wind as he stabbed his sword flat.
Lin Bu Fan was about to respond to the challenge, but a system prompt rang in his ears:
[Ding! High-level battle intent oppression detected. Triggering the mandatory 'Realm Breaking Challenge'.
Current realm: 9th level of Qi Refining.
Do you want to break through the Foundation Establishment Realm? Success rate: 37%.
Do you want to invoke the "System Forced Advancement Permission" once? (YES/NO)
Lin Bufan gritted his teeth. "Yes!"
The next moment—
Spiritual qi from heaven and earth surged in!
His spirit sea surged, his dantian trembled like thunder, his bones exploded inch by inch, and his flesh and blood were refined and remodeled.
Boom!
A monstrous wave of Qi swept across the entire arena, instantly activating the ring formation and resisting the impact.
"Is he breaking through?"
"Forcing a breakthrough? Now?"
Shen Mubai's footsteps jerked to a halt. His complexion darkened. "This person is not simple."
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for breaking through the "early stage of Foundation Establishment"!
Reward unlocked: "True Spirit Awakening" opportunity once!
New system reward: "Killing Intent Lock" Lv. 1.
Current total battle power assessment: Higher than 6th on the list — you can challenge the top 5 directly!
Act 6: The Power of War — A Sword to Seal the Throat
At the moment of the breakthrough, Lin Bufan raised his eyes, and his entire aura was rejuvenated.
Without hesitation, he took a step forward and moved quickly!
The red blade cut quickly with killing intent!
Shen Mubai's pupils shrank. Realizing there was no way to avoid it, he forcefully drew his sword against the attack.
"Sword, come!"
Clang!
Two rays of light intersected—one red and one white—exploding in midair.
"Who won? Who won?!"
"I... I can't see..."
"Look—in the ring!"
Amidst the smoke and dust, Lin Bufan stood with his sword in his back. Shen Mubai was half-kneeling in front of him with a cracked shoulder and blood flowing out.
Shen Mubai looked at Lin Bufan, a bitter smile spreading from the corner of his mouth.
"I lost."
Lin Bufan withdrew his sword and said in a faint voice, "
"You are strong. Next time you draw your sword, be serious."
The entire arena exploded!
"He won against Shen Mu Bai? He's fourth on the list!"
"Then wouldn't he be..."
[Ding! The ring challenge was so successful that the trial list had to refresh!
Lin Bufan is now ranked fifth on the Qingzhou Trial List!
Extra reward: Spiritual Artifact: "Heaven's Fury — Soul Splitting Blade" + One System Word Lucky Draw.
Act 7: The Heroine's Debut — Dark Lines Emerge.
Below the ring, the woman in red from earlier finally turned away and whispered,
"He, it's worth the gamble."
In another alleyway, a young girl with a longbow on her back looked at Lin Bufan standing in the center of the ring in the distance with a lighthearted air and laughed softly.
"So you are ... Brother Bu Fan."
The camera flashed outside Qingzhou City in an ancient, black-robed organization.
A ghostly, cold voice rang out:
"Lin Bufan must die."
"Activate the Misty Night Siege, no matter the cost."
[Act 8 - Epilogue Hook - Qingzhou Shakes]
Three days later, the Qingzhou list was updated, and the whole city found out about it.
The Trial List TOP 10 has changed!
Fifth place: Lin Bufan (No Sect-Relaxed Cultivator).
Special note: He successfully challenged three people in a row, forcibly broke through the boundary, and defeated Shen Mubai.
For a time, all the major sects, families, and hidden veins were shaken!
"This kid can't stay!"
If he grows up, what face will my son have in the future?"
"Recruit him into the sect! No matter where he comes from!"
"Snatch him directly!"
At that moment, Lin Bufan was sitting on the inn's rooftop, looking at Qingzhou's night sky and gripping the newly acquired spirit weapon in his hand.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Qingzhou, this is just the beginning."