Chapter 657: Victory Without Battle
No one responded, but all eyes were fixed on Xue Wuchang in the air.
Seven days ago, Xue Wuchang had stated that the final battle of the Snow Domain Grand Competition would differ from previous rules. It would no longer be a single elimination format, which was unfair to many. If someone encountered the strongest opponent and was eliminated in one match, it would be too frustrating. Xue Wuchang said that everyone must fight each other, so that each person's true strength could be seen.
Sure enough, Xue Wuchang continued speaking.
"In this final battle, everyone will fight against all the others. That means each person will fight the other fourteen, experiencing fourteen battles. The ranking will be determined by the number of victories. If two people have the same number of wins, the result of their match against each other will decide who ranks higher."
The crowd nodded slightly. This kind of battle was indeed fairer. Whoever won the most matches would rank higher.
And if two people had the same number of wins, the only way to determine who was stronger was to look at the outcome of their match against each other.
This way, no one would dare to concede easily. Everyone would strive for victory, fight for a higher ranking, and compete for glory.
In this battle, the entire Snow Domain was watching. This was a battle for honor. A higher ranking would boost their confidence in future cultivation and help their martial arts training.
Moreover, the experts of the four great empires were watching, and the Divine Palace was watching too.
"One more thing: in this ranking battle, I allow you to concede. If you feel the gap in strength is too great and fear it will affect your later matches, you can choose not to fight directly, but that will count as a loss."
Xue Wuchang added. The crowd fell silent. This was a way to preserve strength. Facing an unstoppable powerful existence, one could give up directly, conserve energy, and prepare for the next match. Of course, if the difference in strength wasn't too large, who would be willing to give up? They would all fight with all their might.
"As for the order of battle, it will be the same as before, based on the order of the ranking jade keys. Lin Feng, you have the first choice. After you choose your opponent, it will be Tang Youyou's turn, and so on until everyone has fought one match. Then it will be Lin Feng's turn again. However, you must ensure one thing: you cannot fight the same person twice. Your fourteen matches must be against the fourteen people other than yourself. Additionally, you are not allowed to challenge someone who has just fought; you must wait for one round before challenging them again."
Xue Wuchang said again. Those with higher-ranking jade keys still had the priority to choose, but this time the advantage wasn't as great as before. No matter how you chose, in the end, you still had to face all fourteen people and fight fourteen matches.
Everyone had to fight the other fourteen people, no exceptions. This wasn't just one battle; besides considering one's own strength, endurance was also required.
"I've explained the rules clearly enough. I believe everyone understands now. All of you, step back to the side. Lin Feng, stay and choose your first opponent."
"Alright."
Lin Feng nodded, his body remaining in the center of the battle platform. The others flickered backward, their gazes all fixed on Lin Feng. Who would his first opponent be?
"You." Lin Feng's finger pointed at the person ranked fourteenth. This person was skilled in strength, his body as hard as steel, indestructible, like an iron wall.
The man's gaze contracted, and he looked deeply at Lin Feng. Sure enough, it was him. He had already anticipated that these experts, in order to preserve their strength, would start by picking opponents from the back. Lin Feng and Yun Feiyang knew each other, so the first person to be chosen was him.
"Boom! Boom!"
The man's footsteps pounded heavily, making the ground tremble slightly. That terrifying sense of power seemed suffocating.
"Give up. I don't want to hurt you and affect your later matches." Lin Feng said calmly, startling the crowd. This Lin Feng was truly arrogant, directly telling someone to give up. This man was at least ranked fourteenth, with immense strength, yet Lin Feng bluntly said, "Give up. I don't want to hurt you."
Hearing Lin Feng's words, the man's gaze froze for a moment, his pupils dilating. He stepped forward, and another booming sound echoed.
"Although I only spent a little over a day in the realm, I've made some progress. Combined with my original strength, I'm not without the power to fight. You might win, but in this battle, I at least want to give it a try."
The man's voice was deep. Seven days ago, Lin Feng had sacrificed a blood sword and killed someone of similar strength in one strike. He was indeed very strong. But in this first battle, how could he retreat? If he retreated, how could he fight the rest?
Lin Feng nodded slightly and said, "In that case, let's fight."
With that, Lin Feng took a step forward. Instantly, sword qi roared and surged, colliding with the opponent's power momentum. Sword momentum and power momentum clashed invisibly.
Feeling the sharpness of the sword, the man took a heavy step forward, advancing toward Lin Feng.
"Boom!"
A heavy and terrifying force struck the ground, making the entire battle platform tremble slightly. Power, brutal power.
"Against the sharpness of a sword, great power has no advantage at all." Lin Feng said softly. At the same time, he also took a step toward the opponent.
"Chi, chi..."
A sharp, piercing sound rang out. Rolling sword qi seemed to pierce through the space.
The sword began to rage; the sword qi began to tear through the space.
"Sword... such terrifying sword." The crowd stared at the dreadful sword qi. In the Snow Domain Grand Competition seven days ago, they had thought Lin Feng specialized in the Buddhist Golden Body, steady as a mountain. It wasn't until the blood sword bloomed that they truly realized Lin Feng's terrifying mastery in the sword dao.
And now, they were truly witnessing how terrifying Lin Feng's sword dao mastery was.
At this moment, Lin Feng felt like a sword itself, a unity of man and sword. And that terrifying sword dao intent was the will of the sword. Lin Feng's mastery in the sword dao had surpassed the unity of man and sword, stepping into will. No wonder he could fight above his level.
"It really is the power of sword dao will!" The crowd sighed inwardly. The fleeting feeling from last time hadn't been clear, but this time, the sword dao will was so sharp.
The strength expert's face darkened. Lin Feng's sword was no longer just an intangible pressure; it was a real attack. Sword dao will, tearing through space, howling toward him. His power momentum seemed to be retreating.
"Indeed, I had already doubted myself from the start. Because he once killed someone as strong as me and entered the first realm, I had already lost in momentum."
He thought to himself. The feeling of power receded like a tide. He looked at Lin Feng and nodded frankly: "I lose."
Lost, defeated without a fight. Once momentum was lost, fighting was futile. He conceded.
The terrifying sword intent vanished instantly without a trace. Lin Feng didn't make things difficult for him. He smiled and nodded, then stepped back to the edge.
Watching Lin Feng's retreating figure, the crowd's eyes flickered. This wasn't Lin Feng's true strength, definitely not. That sword dao will just now, with its unparalleled confidence and pride, was too terrifying. At the Fifth Layer of Mysterious Martial Realm, facing the Seventh Layer of Mysterious Martial Realm, he won by momentum alone. Lin Feng seemed to harbor an even more terrifying momentum.
Lin Feng could still be stronger!
Expectation. They looked forward to the later battles even more. How exciting would they be? Who could force Lin Feng to draw his sharp sword?
Second battle. No one spoke. Tang Youyou stepped forward. After coming out, her gaze locked directly onto the ice soul woman.
"You lost in the last battle, so I'll pick you again." Looking at the other woman, Tang Youyou said slowly.
The ice soul woman's gaze darkened. After that battle seven days ago, she had thought about how to counter Tang Youyou's palm technique, but it seemed unsolvable. Unless she had speed faster than Tang Youyou's or greater power.
But that seemed unlikely. Tang Youyou had entered the second realm, while she had entered the thirteenth realm. If they fought, she might lose again.
"In this battle, you win."
The woman was quite decisive. She said this and closed her eyes to rest, giving up this battle decisively to conserve strength for the other matches.
Tang Youyou nodded and, like Lin Feng, retreated to her original spot.
She and Lin Feng each secured one victory. Thirteen battles remained!
PS: The flower count has been pulled far apart.