https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-402-A-Gathering-of-Powerhouses-The-Elimination-Round-Begins-/12957280/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-404-Green-Demon-Poison-The-Top-Twelve-/12957285/
Chapter 403: Qian Yi's First Move! One Sword to Split the Mountain!
Chapter 403: Qian Yi's First Move! One Sword to Split the Mountain!
Is this how fate bullies people?
Zhou Yuan was filled with indignation!
As the fifth-ranked Beastmaster in Minyue Province, he had successfully advanced through the first round and entered the top forty-eight of the nation's most powerful young Beastmasters. He could be considered exceptionally talented.
Indeed, this was the case.
Because only two people from Minyue Province had successfully advanced, and apart from the guy who ranked first in the provincial exams, only Zhou Yuan remained!
It should be noted that his ranking was merely the fifth in the provincial exams of Minyue Province!
How many people had any hope for him beforehand?
Even those who ranked second and third had fallen in the first round, which had an incredibly high elimination rate.
His fifth place ranking seemed to make no sense from any perspective, yet he succeeded.
Moreover, he had encountered Su Ping in the first battle and promptly conceded, but he went on to win seven arduous battles afterward.
He barely managed to advance to the second round.
However, Zhou Yuan never imagined that in this second round of eliminations, the first opponent he would face would still be Su Ping, who had now become one of the favorites to win the championship.
Was this fate's cruel joke?
It was evident that not only was Zhou Yuan indignant, but at this moment, many people were paying attention to this battle, especially since Su Ping, one of the favorites, was personally participating. This attracted the attention of countless spectators, causing some to stifle their laughter.
"Hey, isn't this Zhou Yuan the guy who faced Su God in the first round?"
"This guy's really unlucky, right? I've watched his Beastmaster battles, and his Sky Horn Scarab's skill combinations are genuinely impressive..."
"Hahaha, I don't believe this guy will surrender again!"
"..."
Clearly, surrendering was no longer an option.
The reason these are called elimination rounds is that the consequence of losing is a complete farewell.
"Random Terrain: Wetland Swamp!"
"Both sides, prepare. The match will begin in ten seconds. Ten, nine..."
The referee's voice rang out, snapping Zhou Yuan out of his indignation and making his plump face turn serious.
At this moment, the vast arena slowly transformed into a wetland, a swampy area.
Evidently, this environment was most suitable for Earth-attribute beasts to showcase their abilities.
The Zhou Yuan before them was a master of this element.
Sky Horn Scarab, Cement Ferocious Serpent, Mud Pond Puppet.
These three Earth-attribute beasts were the most common path for many Beastmasters.
In fact, most Beastmasters would choose a single attribute for their beasts.
The reason was simple; this was the experience passed down by the Dragon Ancestor and the wise elders of the Dragon Nation since its founding.
A single attribute made it easier for beasts to coordinate and maximize their combat effectiveness.
Moreover, if cultivated sufficiently, they could even surpass attribute suppression and achieve a single-attribute grandmastery.
There were also some other reasons, but the Dragon Ancestor didn't leave many details.
However, it was said that having beasts of the same attribute could help Beastmasters advance their cultivation faster.
Therefore, most Beastmasters would typically stick to a single type and attribute after choosing it, further cultivating and deepening their understanding of that attribute.
Su Ping, on the other hand, was one of the rare exceptions, with three beasts that were unrelated, like a mismatched pair of lips and teeth.
Zhou Yuan, a master of Earth-attribute beasts, had a significant advantage in this environment.
But that was all.
The countdown ended.
Both sides swiftly summoned their beasts almost simultaneously.
However, compared to the previous day, the arena was several times larger, making it impossible for both sides to face each other directly.
Su Ping didn't show any signs of underestimating his opponent, even though his opponent had surrendered the day before.
His tactics remained unchanged.
Regardless of the opponent, Qian Yi started performing the Five Elements Rotation on the spot.
He was about to unleash his Peerless Technique.
Qian Yi's existence was like a hanging sword over the heads of all Beastmasters, forcing them to exert their utmost to attack Su Ping proactively, break through his defenses, and stop Qian Yi's skill casting.
Because of this, Su Ping had a vast array of tactical options to choose from.
He could either start laying mines with Little Qing on the spot or engage in a guerrilla war, dragging the battle until Qian Yi's power could numerically overwhelm his opponents.
So, Su Ping remained calm.
The one who was truly anxious was Zhou Yuan.
Indeed, he had every reason to be.
Three beasts: a giant scarab the size of a millstone, a huge grayish-white serpent covered in cement-like liquid, and a pure Earth-attribute spirit.
The giant dung beetle, with its massive pincers, rolled a fist-sized mud ball in front of it, leaving a trail for Zhou Yuan and his other two companion beasts to follow.
"Here it comes! This guy's poop ball tactic!" exclaimed the spectators watching the live broadcast, some familiar with Zhou Yuan and others from Minyue Province, well aware of Zhou Yuan's unique battle style.
Indeed, the mud ball, visibly growing larger with each roll, was the secret weapon that had brought Zhou Yuan this far in the professional assessment. No one who had made it this far was a pushover.
The dung beetle, with its monarch-level potential, was a relatively weak insect-type companion beast. Its only notable skill was a basic earth-elemental 'Rolling Stone' ability.
However, Zhou Yuan's other two companion beasts, the Cement Beast and the Mud Puppet, enhanced this ordinary skill, adding a unique twist.
The 'Rolling Stone' skill allowed the dung beetle to roll and gather earth elements, forming a massive stone that could be hurled at opponents. While powerful, it had its limitations.
For instance, the stone's formation was slow, and its effectiveness varied depending on the terrain.
But with the Cement Beast and Mud Puppet's assistance, the ordinary skill transformed into something akin to an advanced skill.
Under the watchful eyes of the audience, the Mud Puppet followed behind, and the stone rolled by the dung beetle grew larger with each second, expanding by a full circle every moment.
The mud beneath the stone liquefied, like chocolate sauce, adhering to the stone as it rolled, creating a massive, cohesive mass.
This not only sped up the stone's formation but also made it largely immune to terrain restrictions.
Additionally, the Cement Beast sprayed a layer of cement coating with each roll, hardening the once-soft earth elements into a rock-solid mass, tougher than the hardest steel!
As the stone grew with each roll, it transformed from the size of a basketball to a house-sized boulder in less than two minutes.
The rumbling sound shook the entire arena with each roll, making it seem like the entire platform was trembling.
Zhou Yuan, standing behind the giant stone, wore a look of madness.
He was determined to keep pushing, even though his three companion beasts were already exhausted. To defeat Su Ping, he had to go all out! It was a race against time—the time-accumulating ability of Su Ping's companion beast versus the time-building power of his own beasts.
Continue!
Even the spectators were anxious as they witnessed the endless earth energy contained within the giant stone:
"Damn, this kid from Minyue Province seems to have something up his sleeve!"
"This terrain is so advantageous for him!"
"Hmph, see that? This is our Minyue's young beast tamer! Even if he's only fifth, don't underestimate him lightly!"
"Hey, weren't you the one saying Zhou Yuan was just a tourist in our Minyue Province yesterday?"
"Is Su Ping really going to lose?"
"What's wrong with losing? His nurturing talent is so strong, and his companion beasts are so fierce at such a young age. How can others compete?"
"Upset alert! I'm here for the upset!"
The live stream's comments and reactions couldn't affect the ongoing battle.
Su Ping's battles were known to be swift and decisive.
Finally, as Zhou Yuan's beasts neared exhaustion, the giant stone rolled, threatening to flatten the entire arena. Only the spot sensed by the dung beetle remained untouched.
Zhou Yuan exhaled, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He could sense the terrifying energy contained within the giant stone, ready to unleash a devastating blow.
If this stone were to strike, even Su Ping might find it challenging to resist. After all, Su Ping's companion beast, a shadow wolf, was a poison-type beast, and while they were fearsome, they had a significant drawback—their effects took time to manifest.
Zhou Yuan's strategy was clear: defeat Su Ping with the stone, and even if he was affected by the poison, the Phoenix Saint's healing team would be able to restore him after the battle was decided.
This was Zhou Yuan's plan, and it wasn't lost on the others.
In the commentator's booth, Wang Shengtian's eyebrows relaxed:
"Zhou Yuan's Companion Beast skills are beautifully coordinated! No wonder he's made it this far! Grandmaster Su might have some trouble on his hands!"
"Even without considering its size, the Earth Elemental Boulder contains an immense amount of energy, likely surpassing that of a Marquis-level five or six-tier beast. Facing a General-level opponent, they might not even have a chance to resist!"
Indeed, this was the case.
Even the referee beside him had already prepared, summoning his companion beast, ready to intervene if Grandmaster Su struggled against the boulder.
Putting aside other matters, this referee, a Marquis-level Beastmaster, was assigned to this match to ensure the safety of Grandmaster Su.
However, after stepping into the designated area, Grandmaster Su remained standing in his original spot.
The deafening roar and the colossal boulder that seemed to crush the arena had long caught his attention.
It was undeniable that Zhou Yuan's move had caught him off guard.
Those who made it to the Second Round of the Beastmaster Contest were indeed no ordinary opponents.
But it was a pity.
Zhou Yuan was a bit too greedy.
Or perhaps, he was solely focused on breaking through Xiao Qing's defenses.
Neglecting something very important!
Something crucial in this arena!
Since entering the Final Trial, Qian Yi had never taken action.
In the few previous battles, Xiao Qing's Green Demon Poison was enough to end the fight.
So, in reality, many people didn't know that Qian Yi's Five Elements Body required a significant amount of time to accumulate power for combat.
But everyone's speculations naturally assumed a lengthy duration.
After all, the initial display of Hundred Swords was too shocking, and some even revealed that Qian Yi's Five Elements Body could allow him to leap across a major realm, slaying ferocious beasts as easily as slaughtering chickens and sheep.
Such a powerful skill, even if it was advanced, would anyone believe it could be used without restrictions?
But in fact, Qian Yi didn't need to fully complete the fifth transformation's peak state.
So, when he noticed Zhou Yuan's actions, Grandmaster Su already understood.
Even without Qian Yi's intervention, Xiao Qing could handle it with her decoys and kites.
However, he was still quite interested in Zhou Yuan's skill, so he watched for a while longer.
But with Qian Yi fully exposed, some of his abilities, it was mainly Qian Yi who took action.
Xiao Qing often remained a hidden ace.
So, as Zhou Yuan approached, along with the enormous boulder.
Qian Yi, floating in mid-air, slowly descended.
After witnessing this strange origami man falling, visible to the naked eye, Zhou Yuan's face paled slightly, but at this moment, his eyes flashed with determination and madness.
With both sides accumulating power, his Heaven's Corner Beetle wasn't afraid of a mere low-level origami man!
"Heaven's Corner Beetle!"
A loud shout, and the massive boulder's speed suddenly increased by an unknown multiple.
From start to finish, Qian Yi remained motionless, his blank face instantly transforming, revealing a black spade.
This face represented Qian Yi's strongest single sword, usually only used when wielding the Single-Stroke Electric Sword.
However, this time, the sword in the sheath wasn't the lightning-clad Thunder Sword.
Instead, it was a pure Gold Sword!
"Wuwah! (One Sword... Mountain Splitter!)"
A dispassionate voice accompanied by a comical shout rang out, and in an instant, Qian Yi passed by like a phantom.
Facing the seemingly meteor-like boulder, he drew his sword.
This sword caused Grandmaster Su's eyebrows to slightly lift, a Gold Sword?
This little guy is practicing a new sword technique? Not bad, not bad!
It also reminded him of when he first met this little guy.
Back then, Qian Yi's sword draw and stance were the same.
At that time, he was shocked by Qian Yi's mastery of the Gold Battle Technique.
If not for Old Sha's presence, he might have truly been overwhelmed.
And this time, Qian Yi's sword draw was the same.
One Sword Mountain Splitter!
The enormous cement boulder, under this sword,
Having reached the fourth transformation of the Five Elements, simultaneously froze in place,
Was cleaved in half, horizontally.
The sword's edge was icy, and its aura howled,
Stopping right before Zhou Yuan's unreacting eyebrows.
The entire arena, after a brief silence, instantly erupted in cheers.
(End of Chapter)
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