"An interesting little fellow. With such a variable, it's hard to say who will take the first place in this tournament..."

Empress Yunyao's lips curled into a faint smile.

"Third brother, is this the sword technique from the Gold Sword Pupil? Its power has reached such an extent?"

Ling Zhen said, somewhat incredulously.

"Never seen it before."

Ling Lie furrowed his brow; it's not that he had never seen the Gold Sword Pupil, but the sword technique Ling Chen displayed now seemed quite different from those within the Gold Sword Pupil.

Yet, it was clear he wouldn't delve into these matters. There were too many things about Ling Chen that even he, a Saint, couldn't fathom. He had already stated before that as long as Ling Chen was a member of the Ling Family, he wouldn't ask about these things.

Moreover, now wasn't the time to dwell on these matters.

Defeating Sima Xiaoyao meant that Ling Chen successfully secured his place in the top three, not just temporarily but solidified his position there.

"He really did it."

Ling Xue was also in disbelief, her heart stirring with turbulent waves. Back when Ling Chen boastfully declared before everyone that he would enter the top three, many thought he was merely bragging. At that time, no one truly believed Ling Chen could enter the top three.

But now, Ling Chen had done it.

Even the famous Sima Xiaoyao had fallen at his hands.

The audience was in an uproar, many warriors were excitedly cheering.

"How could this happen?"

Ling Hai and Ling Feng were somewhat flustered; they were genuinely panicking a bit. Previously, they always believed Ling Chen was inferior to Ling Yuxuan. No matter how much Ling Chen leapt, Ling Yuxuan could still suppress him, at least contend with him. However, now that Ling Chen had defeated Sima Xiaoyao, claiming that Ling Chen was inferior to Ling Yuxuan would be self-deception.

"This child must be removed."

Beside them, Ling Yuxuan clenched his fists tightly. If he had even a trace of dismissive attitude toward Ling Chen before, now, even he sensed a sliver of fear.

This kid's growth speed was terrifying.

To think that just three months ago, with his strength, he still paid no attention to Ling Chen, who at that time to him, was no different from an ant.

But now, he wasn't even a match for Ling Chen.

Only a mere three months had passed.

If others knew of Ling Chen's growth, their eyes would probably pop out in shock. Many still thought Ling Chen had been hiding his strength, little did they know that three months ago, Ling Chen probably wasn't even qualified to compete for the top ten, let alone enter the top three.

This person would undoubtedly be the greatest obstacle to him becoming the Ling Family Patriarch.

Once he returned to the Ling Family, he would report this matter to the higher-ups of the Elder Branch. They must eliminate Ling Chen as a threat as soon as possible; otherwise, both his personal and the entire Elder Branch's status might become unstable and plummet drastically.

On the stage, Sima Xiaoyao let out a bitter smile. Although he anticipated Ling Chen had hidden his strength, he didn't foresee that he would be the one to lose.

However, he clearly wasn't too fixated on winning or losing. He quickly calmed himself, cupping his hands toward Ling Chen, "You won."

"I look forward to your challenge against Peerless Sword."

Sima Xiaoyao, with great composure, looked at Ling Chen. He didn't show any resentment for losing to Ling Chen; on the contrary, he was looking forward to Ling Chen's fight against Peerless Sword.

Since he himself had lost to Peerless Sword, he had a rough understanding of Peerless Sword's strength. Although he still felt a bit unwilling, in his heart, he hoped that Ling Chen, this rising star, could continue his unfinished will and engage in a grand battle with Peerless Sword.

"I will give it my all."

Ling Chen nodded. Without Sima Xiaoyao saying more, Ling Chen had always regarded Peerless Sword as his greatest opponent in this Heavenly Sword tournament. If he wanted to claim first place, the mountain that was Peerless Sword could not be bypassed.

Sima Xiaoyao's strength was indeed formidable, a level above the top talents from other families. If not for using the Green Lotus Sword Song, Ling Chen might have found it hard to defeat him.

Actually, using the Green Lotus Sword Song this time carried quite a risk, albeit no one had seen how it truly looked. The move Ling Chen used appeared rather obscure, and anyone not specifically versed in the Taibai Sword Immortal's techniques should probably not connect the earlier sword move with the Green Lotus Sword Song.

Ling Chen and Sima Xiaoyao both stepped down from the stage, and from the other side, Peerless Sword and Liu Mengru entered.

The square erupted thoroughly, like a boiler on the verge of exploding.

Although the battle between Ling Chen and Sima Xiaoyao was brilliant, it couldn't compare to the battle between Peerless Sword and Liu Mengru.

After all, Peerless Sword and Liu Mengru were praised as the "Peerless Twin Prides" of the Central Dynasty, known widely for being the most gifted among the young generation.

Peerless Sword, a standout among the young generation of the Imperial Clan, ranked first in the northern list of the Hidden Dragon List and third on the Ten Thousand Years Green History Wall. He was faintly trending to become the king of the young generation across the entire dynasty. Meanwhile, Liu Mengru seemed slightly inferior to Peerless Sword in the Hidden Dragon List and the Ten Thousand Years Green History Wall. However, in terms of aptitude, Liu Mengru matched Peerless Sword stride for stride, neither giving way, only that Liu Mengru had taken action less often, and Peerless Sword had been challenging martial arts figures worldwide over the past few years, leading to a reputation considerably greater than Liu Mengru's.

Even if Ling Chen defeated Sima Xiaoyao, in the eyes of the vast majority, he still couldn't be equated with these two.

Now that these two were competing, many saw it as undoubtedly an early performance of the finals.

Ling Chen returned to the Ling Family's area, focusing entirely on the two confronting figures on the stage.

This battle was crucial, as it would reveal these two's genuine strengths. After all, they were competitors of the same level, and they too would see each other as the greatest rivals, pushing them to go all out.

Previously, neither had exerted their full strength, even in the battle between Peerless Sword and Sima Xiaoyao. Though the fight was fierce, it probably didn't force Peerless Sword to give it his all.

Ling Chen would inevitably face these two later, so in this battle, gathering as much information about them as possible would naturally be beneficial for his upcoming matches.

On the field, Peerless Sword and Liu Mengru leaped into the sky.

Boom!

Boom!

Liu Mengru's delicate body trembled, and a sudden black hole appeared behind her, filled with extreme Yin power, causing skyward anomalies. Thunder flashed, and the entire mass of dark clouds became her support.

Peerless Sword held his sword with both hands, releasing a Sword Intent that ceaselessly dispersed the dark clouds, scattering the lightning, puncturing through everything.