The True Martial Contest happened every ten years.

The three great dynasties, Great Qian, Great Chu, and Great Wei, would each dispatch ten elite experts chosen through rigorous selection to compete in the True Martial Arena before True Martial Mountain.

The top ten participants would be rewarded with Heaven Blessed Powers.

The champion would be allowed to enter True Martial Mountain for training.

Lin Xun, Qian Yuliu and the others had now reached the base of True Martial Mountain, and the highly anticipated once-in-a-decade True Martial Contest would kick off in three days.

Ten miles away from the True Martial Arena stood a cluster of structures resembling a small-scale fortress.

This was the encampment of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Lin Xun and the others would stay there until the True Martial Contest commenced.

The Great Chu and Great Wei dynasties were also assigned similar encampments, each located in a different area.

In the surrounding areas, elite troops of the three great dynasties were positioned to provide defense and maintain order throughout the True Martial Contest.

Every time it was held, the True Martial Contest attracted the attention of countless experts within the three dynasties.

It was no exception this time.

In the vicinity of True Martial Mountain, countless cultivators from different parts of the three dynasties had already gathered, forming an immense audience.

However, before the True Martial Contest began, these spectators were unable to get closer.

“Young Master Su, here’s the list of participants.”

In one of the buildings belonging to the Great Qian Dynasty, Qian Yuliu handed a silk scroll to Lin Xun.

“Thanks.” Lin Xun said as he accepted it, glanced over it briefly and put it aside.

Someone suddenly asked, “Brother Su, only by knowing yourself and your enemy can one win every battle. Among the top ten experts of the Chu and Wei dynasties, who do you think is most noteworthy?”

It was a young man clad in a luxurious attire, with a strong, imposing figure and a sharp gaze that exuded natural arrogance.

He was called Li Cang, a young talent who had set foot onto the Supreme Path. Within the Great Qian Dynasty, he was unrivalled, his brilliance unmatched.

In addition to Li Cang, there were three other participants from the Great Qian Dynasty who had set foot onto the Supreme Path: Lin Xun, Qian Yuliu, and Zhou Que.

Everyone was focussed on the list of participants but when they heard the question, their gazes shifted to Lin Xun, their expressions complex.

Among them, Lin Xun’s cultivation was only the eighth layer of the True Martial Stage, a level below the rest.

Despite that, along the way, Qian Yuliu appeared to favor Lin Xun the most.

This left the other youngsters feeling both envious and puzzled as to why the Third Princess showed special treatment toward Su Qinghan.

Li Cang was the most unhappy among them. On the way to True Martial Mountain, he often made pointed remarks at Lin Xun, his words laced with hidden intent.

Unfortunately for him, Lin Xun had no desire to argue with a boy in his teens and chose to ignore him from beginning to end.

When Li Cang noticed that everyone else was intently studying the list while Lin Xun merely glanced at it briefly before setting it aside, his anger flared even more.

With the True Martial Contest just three days away, this guy’s arrogance is unbelievable. How can someone at the eighth layer of the True Martial Stage be so confident?

Li Cang decided this was the perfect opportunity to ‘put him in his place.’

Neither Li Cang nor anyone else realized that, despite Lin Xun possessing only an eighth-layer True Martial Stage cultivation, he had already stepped onto the Supreme Path from the very beginning.

Qian Yuliu never explained further. In her eyes, Lin Xun was a dark horse capable of bringing glory for the Great Qian Dynasty in the True Martial Contest!

After a thought, Lin Xun said aloud, “Except for me, everyone else on the list are at the ninth layer True Martial Stage. Since the difference in cultivation isn’t huge, I believe the True Martial Contest is more of a test of combat power, technique, tactics, and strength of will.”

Everyone expected to see Lin Xun make a fool of himself, but his response instead made them secretly nod in agreement instead.

Qian Yuliu made no effort to hide her approval, her clear eyes sparkling with admiration.

Only Li Cang was irked by his answer and immediately interrupted, “Brother Su, do you know that you are still at the eighth layer of the True Martial Stage?”

His voice was full of mockery.

Qian Yuliu frowned and was about to say something when Lin Xun smiled, stood up and said aloud, “I’m going to take a walk.”

He left before his voice faded away.

Li Cang sneered triumphantly, “See that? That’s what shame looks like. He’s so embarrassed that he can’t even stay to argue with me!”

“Li Cang, enough!” Qian Yuliu glared at him, her eyes flashing like lightning. The coldness in her gaze startled Li Cang, leaving him stunned for a moment.

Before he could say anything, Qian Yuliu had got up and left in a hurry, evidently to catch up with Lin Xun.

Li Cang’s face darkened and an indescribable anger surged within his heart. He still could not understand why Qian Yuliu attached so much importance to a guy at the eighth layer True Martial Stage.

……

The night wind blew gently.

In the darkness of night, the distant True Martial Mountain seemed all the more mysterious.

Lin Xun stood quietly, hands behind his back, staring at the world as a question formed in his mind:

Is the True Martial World within the cycle of reincarnation an illusion or a real world?

“Brother Su.” Qian Yuliu walked over, her beautiful face showing an apologetic expression. “Just now…”

Lin Xun chuckled, “No need to be like this, I’m not that petty.”

Qian Yuliu smiled brightly, “That’s true, Brother Su’s mind is vast enough to encompass both mountains and sea.”

“This is for you. Open it when the True Martial Contest is over.” Lin Xun took out a sealed letter and handed it to Qian Yuliu.

Qian Yuliu teased, “Why would you give me something for no reason? Brother Su, do you perhaps have feelings for me?”

Lin Xun stared at her speechlessly and just shook his head. “Just take it.”

Qian Yuliu bit her glossy lips in thought, then accepted the letter and said, “Brother Su, if I were to mobilize the eight thousand elite troops of Great Qian to form an inescapable net, could I make you stay in the True Martial World?”

Lin Xun looked taken aback.

Qian Yuliu smiled. “No need to answer, I already know your answer.”

Under the veil of night, the girl’s smile was as sweet and beautiful as a flower, though a barely perceptible sadness flickered in her eyes.

After receiving this letter from Lin Xun, she already had a feeling that he, who did not belong to the True Martial World, would leave after the True Martial Contest.

……

Three days later, the True Martial Contest kicked off.

The lotus-shaped True Martial Arena was already crowded with people, including experts from across the three dynasties.

The armies of Great Qian, Great Chu, and Great Wei had surrounded the area, standing in orderly and uniform military formations, serving as a great deterrent.

Lin Xun, Qian Yuliu, and the others had also arrived.

The ten participants from both the Great Chu and Great Wei Dynasties were also stationed in separate areas.

Bustling chatter filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

This was a highly anticipated grand event held only once every ten years in the True Martial World. To cultivators, it naturally carried great significance.

However, for Lin Xun, who had witnessed greater spectacles, it failed to stir even the slightest ripple in his heart.

Not to mention the epic chess game or the Dao Debate Assembly hosted by the Great Six Courts, even the national, provincial, and district examinations held in the Ziyao Empire were far more grand than this contest.

“This time, I shouldn’t need to worry about reincarnators causing trouble...” Lin Xun assessed as he looked around.

If he had calculated the days corrected, the ‘reincarnators’ from the starry sky had only been in the True Martial World for less than ten months, and he was the only one who awakened immediately upon arrival.

Moreover, unlike the other reincarnators, he kept his great dao insights and inheritance before undergoing reincarnation, allowing him to set foot onto the Supreme Path in the shortest possible time.

In contrast, only a small number of the other reincarnators had managed to awaken over the past ten months. Furthermore, if they wished to cultivate, they first had to search for cultivation scriptures and techniques all over again!

Simply put, the reincarnators couldn’t possibly reach a very high level of cultivation during the past ten months.

The True Martial Contest was jointly organized by the three great dynasties, with thousands of military troops deployed to maintain order.

In the face of such a formidable force, Lin Xun, confident as he was, dared not recklessly provoke any trouble.

After all, he was only at the True Martial Stage now. Even if he possessed unrivalled combat power, his stamina at the True Martial Stage was still limited.

If he were attacked by tens of thousands of troops, his only option would be to flee.

Therefore, he could conclude that, even if many reincarnators appeared in the True Martial Contest, they would definitely not dare to cause trouble, as long as they weren’t stupid!

“Su Qinghan, did you hear? The experts of Great Qian question your ability.” Suddenly, Li Cang’s voice sounded, full of gloating.

Lin Xun did not respond, completely dismissing the disgruntled boy.

In truth, his presence did indeed spark a lot of discussions.

It couldn’t be helped. After all, he was the only one at the eighth layer True Martial Stage in the True Martial Contest. It was difficult for him to not draw attention.

Even the ten participants from the Great Chu and Great Wei Dynasties displayed mocking expressions, as though they regarded Lin Xun as an easy target to bully.

Lin Xun also was unbothered by this.

In his heart, all this was trivial.

Only Qian Yuliu was aware of Lin Xun’s true strength, as she had once ‘sparred’ with him. During the match, she was completely overpowered, left gasping for breath, her body drained, covered in sweat, and her cheeks flushed red.

“Hmph! Let’s see how miserably you’ll fail!” Li Cang crowed, but Lin Xun did not respond.

Li Cang’s face darkened. Lin Xun’s disregard made the prideful youngster feel humiliated.

Clang—

A bell rang, instantly suppressing the lively atmosphere, and the world fell into complete silence.

The True Martial Contest had officially commenced.

The contest began with a drawing of lots, where participants from the three great dynasties, Great Qian, Great Chu, and Great Wei, determined their opponents.

The first person to draw a lot was a young man called Zhao Si from the Great Chu Dynasty. He was tall and slender, with a heroic bearing, and his cultivation was at the ninth layer True Martial Stage.

After drawing a lot, Zhao Si was surprised at first, then a look of wild joy lit up his face and his eyes locked on Lin Xun. “Brother, sorry but it seems like I’m your opponent this time,” he cackled.

He was overflowing with confidence and joy was evident on his face.

Many people couldn’t help but envy Zhao Si because he was actually lucky enough to draw the guy at the eighth layer True Martial Stage. He was sure to win!

“I advise you to admit defeat when you should. Don’t lose so badly that you will embarrass our Great Qian!”

When Lin Xun was about to go out to fight, Li Cang suddenly spoke in a hushed tone, his expression ice-cold.