Chapter Six: Lin An’s Trump Card

"Battle Skill, Wind Wolf Mark!"

With a low murmur, Lin An summoned a faintly shimmering image of a wind wolf, which instantly appeared on his palm, replacing his entire arm.

A low growl resonated—the wind wolf seemed alive, as if it truly existed.

Boom!

Lin An stomped fiercely on the ground, forcing open a path through a flurry of sword shadows, and appeared directly before Qian Qixian.

Qian Qixian clearly hadn’t expected Lin An to be so powerful. Lin An had withstood his battle skill head-on, unaffected, and arrived right before him.

Flustered, Qian Qixian quickly raised his sword to defend.

A tremendous force drove Qian Qixian back several paces.

“Where on earth did this Lin An come from? He’s only at the eighth stage of Battle Qi, yet he’s managed to force Qian Qixian back?”

“If we’re talking about talent, Lin An now definitely surpasses Qian Qixian. Perhaps this newly admitted disciple truly stands a chance at becoming the Sect Master’s apprentice.”

“This is getting more and more interesting. The Seventh Elder has invested so much in Qian Qixian, but if he ends up losing out to a newcomer, it would be quite the spectacle!”

The disciples and elders alike were all abuzz with discussion, none having anticipated that Lin An would hold his own against Qian Qixian.

Even Yun Yun’s gaze towards Lin An grew slightly more intrigued.

As for Nalan Yanran, she found herself genuinely hoping from the bottom of her heart that Lin An would defeat Qian Qixian.

Qian Qixian’s feelings for her were no secret in the entire Misty Cloud Sect. In the past, though his talent was respectable, as the Sect Master’s disciple she could always avoid him with ease.

But if Qian Qixian were to become Yun Yun’s apprentice, they would cross paths constantly, which she found terribly troublesome.

Lin An, the newly admitted disciple, on the other hand, gave her a sense of warmth and approachability. He didn’t seem the type to provoke annoyance.

The Seventh Elder snorted coldly. While it appeared that Lin An had gained the upper hand by blocking his grandson’s attack and even driving Qian Qixian back a few steps, Qian Qixian’s true power far exceeded what he had revealed.

Moreover, the Seventh Elder had given Qian Qixian a trump card to boost his strength just in case. Once used, not even a two-star Fighter would stand a chance against Qian Qixian, let alone a mere new disciple.

Qian Qixian was furious—absolutely furious.

He was well aware that Nalan Yanran was watching the match. From the outset, he had resolved to crush his opponents and seize first place, proving to Nalan Yanran that only he among his peers was worthy of her.

Yet now, he had been forced back by an inconspicuous newcomer he had never even considered a threat.

He could not allow this to happen.

“If that’s the case, you’ve brought this on yourself,” Qian Qixian said coldly.

With that, he produced a pale green pill and swallowed it on the spot.

Almost immediately, his aura turned wild and chaotic, his strength surging visibly and rapidly. In moments, he had reached the level of a one-star Fighter.

But his ascent did not stop there. Only when he reached the power of a three-star Fighter did his aura finally stabilize.

His breath, however, was still unsteady, lacking the solid foundation of a true three-star Fighter, but even so, he now far surpassed the two-star level.

As for Lin An, who was only at the eighth stage of Battle Qi, he was now outmatched by a wide margin.

“To think Qian Qixian would resort to taking the Blood Dragon Pill just for this competition—it seems he’s dead set on becoming the Sect Master’s apprentice.”

“A pity for Lin An. He had a real chance to become the Sect Master’s disciple and a boundless future ahead, but fate has thrown him against Qian Qixian at the worst possible time.”

“Master, isn’t this cheating? Isn’t it unfair to Lin An?” Nalan Yanran asked angrily.

“Niece Nalan, that’s not quite right. The rules never stated one couldn’t use outside help, did they?” the Seventh Elder retorted immediately.

Yun Yun nodded indifferently, saying nothing more, her gaze remaining fixed on the arena.

Throughout it all, Lin An showed not the slightest trace of panic, his demeanor calm and unruffled, as though Qian Qixian’s sudden surge in strength was irrelevant to him.

“You’d best be careful. I can’t control my own power now. If I accidentally cripple you, don’t blame me!”

With that, Qian Qixian sheathed his sword and charged straight at Lin An.

His speed was astonishing; in the blink of an eye, he was before Lin An, his fist whipping through the air toward Lin An’s face.

Seeing this, Lin An dared not be careless and met him with his own fist.

A faint aura of battle energy swirled around both their fists, and in an instant, they collided.

Boom!

A surge of immense force sent Lin An staggering backward several steps, unable to control his footing.

Qian Qixian sneered, giving Lin An no chance to catch his breath, raining punches down on him like a violent storm.

Lin An had no choice but to defend as best he could.

Fortunately, the Six Paths Reincarnation Technique that Lin An cultivated was of a high enough level. Otherwise, handling Qian Qixian would have been a far more daunting task.

When Qian Qixian finally paused in his assault, Lin An found that his arms were nearly numb.

“To be honest, you really surprised me. To endure so long against me, after my power increased!”

“Unfortunately for you, I’m growing bored. I’ll finish this with one last punch!”

Qian Qixian could feel his cultivation becoming unstable. After all, the Blood Dragon Pill was only a supplementary elixir, and one without lasting effects; its power would soon fade.

“Perfect. I was just about to finish this as well,” Lin An replied coolly.

The first level of the Six Paths Reincarnation Technique granted a remarkable ability: the power to draw upon the netherworld’s yin energy, thereby enhancing one’s own strength.

Of course, the extent of this enhancement depended on how much his body could withstand.

Still, defeating Qian Qixian posed little difficulty.

“Such arrogance! I’d like to see if you can really match me now.”

By this point, Qian Qixian’s desire to cripple Lin An was plain to see, fueled by Lin An’s talent and his own frustration.

“Mystic Class Battle Skill: Overbearing Elephant Charge!”