Sword Sovereign of the Celestial Emperor

Back at the inn, Chu Ming wasn't too worried about offending the Tuoba family. Although the Tuoba family was powerful, the Hundred Battle Arena period was about to start. During this time, fighting was prohibited in Ye City, not to mention that Chu Ming was a participant in the Hundred Battle Arena.

Once the Sword Peak closed, Chu Ming would naturally leave quietly. According to his understanding of Tuoba Rong'Er's personality, it was unlikely she would ask her elders to deal with him.

In the room, Chu Ming sat cross-legged on the bed, holding a middle-grade Spirit Stone in each hand. He operated the "Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique," and the turbulent spiritual power coursed through his Seven Meridians and Eight Vessels, converging in his Dantian.

Given Chu Ming's current cultivation efficiency, one middle-grade Spirit Stone was no longer sufficient to keep up with his cultivation speed.

In his Dantian, a weak vortex was pulsating slowly. Chu Ming estimated that in about half a month, he could break through to the Ninth Layer of the True Dao. By then, he would have the ability to directly confront a Sixth Layer Guiyuan Realm expert.

The night passed without any notable events.

The next morning.

After finishing breakfast, Chu Ming headed towards the City Lord's Mansion. Along the way, the martial artists and pedestrians were all discussing the Hundred Battle Arena with great enthusiasm on their faces.

"Yesterday I saw Hu Xueqi, the Thousand Snow Sword. That aura, it was as if he was born for the sword."

A martial artist who passed by Chu Ming whispered to his companion, sighing slightly.

"That's nothing. I saw Lin Xuan, the Throat-Sealing Sword. With one strike, he severely injured a Fifth Layer Guiyuan Realm expert. That was truly shocking."

His companion scoffed and retorted.

"This time, the Hundred Battle Arena is a clash between swordsmen from various regions. Just thinking about it is thrilling."

"If I could have their elegance, I wouldn't mind losing ten years of my life, sigh....."

"Stop dreaming. They are destined to be the ones we look up to....."

As they walked further away, some of their words still reached Chu Ming's ears.

The Thousand Snow Sword Hu Xueqi was a prodigy from the Snow Domain. He ranked thirty-sixth last time on the Profound List, known for using snow as the sword and transforming it into thousands of blades. A month ago, he defeated a Fifth Layer Guiyuan Realm expert, making his name renowned.

Lin Xuan, the Throat-Sealing Sword, was a supreme prodigy from the Wind Mountain Domain. It was said that he usually killed with one strike, a single sword to the throat, cold and ruthless. Few could force him to use a second strike. Last time, he ranked twenty-ninth on the Profound List.

However, in Chu Ming's view, Lin Xuan's swordsmanship was highly inappropriate. The Throat-Sealing Sword was a killer, not a swordsman. A swordsman's primary goal was to kill, by any means necessary.

Then there was Wei Zheng, the Blood Oath Sword from the Huang Mountain Domain, also a prodigy on the Profound List. However, his ranking was lower compared to the other two, at seventy-six. But he was not to be underestimated either.

Besides these three, there were many hidden prodigies competing for the qualification to enter Sword Peak. The Hundred Battle Arena could be said to be a grand event for the clashes between swordsmen.

Among the swordsmen on the Profound List, the highest-ranked was Wang Xuanyi, the Jade Purity Young Master from the Sword Domain. It was said that last year, he defeated a veteran Sixth Layer Guiyuan Realm swordsman. He was one of the Four Great Prodigies of the Eastern Hundred Domains, possessing the True Dragon Form.

In the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Chu Ming arrived at the City Lord's Mansion. At this moment, the mansion was surrounded by layers upon layers of martial artists. In front of the mansion stood a platform a hundred meters wide.

An elderly man in a yellow robe stood atop the platform, looking at the people below with a trace of satisfaction in his eyes. He then said, "Today marks the start of the Hundred Battle Arena. I believe everyone is clear on the rules, so I won't repeat them here. The top three in this arena can enter Sword Peak for one month. The top hundred, if willing to join the Ye Family, can directly receive the treatment of the Ye Family's direct descendants and be fully cultivated. Finally, let me emphasize, the knife and sword have no eyes. Since you are participating in the Hundred Battle Arena, you should understand that if injuries or deaths occur during the matches, the Ye Family will not be responsible. Now, participants of the Hundred Battle Arena, come to the front!"

The elderly man's words, amplified by spiritual power, were clearly heard by everyone present.

Chu Ming had long understood the rules of the Hundred Battle Arena. Martial artists had to guard the platform, with others challenging. The three with the most consecutive victories could enter Sword Peak.

However, what Chu Ming didn't expect was that the Ye Family intended to use this opportunity to recruit these prodigies. Admittedly, this was a clever strategy. The martial artists who could enter the top hundred of the Hundred Battle Arena had talents and combat experience far beyond others. Nevertheless, the effect should be limited, as most of these prodigies already had sects or affiliations, with some sects' power even surpassing the Ye Family's. It was impossible to make them join the Ye Family.

The elderly man in the yellow robe was an Eighth Layer Guiyuan Realm expert. As soon as he finished speaking, numerous martial artists walked out from the crowd, numbering three to four thousand. The weakest among them were of the True Dao Eighth Layer, while the strongest had already reached the Fifth Layer Guiyuan Realm.

Of course, cultivation level couldn't represent actual combat strength. Take Chu Ming, for instance. Despite being at the peak of the True Dao Eighth Layer, his combat strength was not inferior to any Fifth Layer Guiyuan Realm expert.

Among these people, four individuals caught Chu Ming's attention. One was a young man in white clothes as pure as snow, with a blue treasure sword at his waist. He stood with his arms crossed, eyes closed in meditation. This was Hu Xueqi, the Thousand Snow Sword.

Not far from him was a cold, indifferent young man in black robes, with a faint bloodlust in his eyes as he scanned the surrounding martial artists with amusement. Perhaps Chu Ming's gaze was too obvious, for it was noticed by him.

Their eyes met, and a faint, invisible Sword Intent Illusion Realm erupted between them. Chu Ming felt as if a sea of blood surged towards him. However, his sword intent instantly erupted, severing it all and turning it into void.

Seeing Chu Ming's calm expression, Lin Xuan, the Throat-Sealing Sword, showed a trace of surprise in his eyes and couldn't help but regard Chu Ming with higher esteem.

Apart from these two, there was a man in a green robe with a gloomy face, watching Hu Xueqi and Lin Xuan with wary eyes, evidently viewing them as formidable enemies. This was Wei Zheng, the Blood Oath Sword.

What surprised Chu Ming the most was a man in blue robes. Although he appeared unremarkable, Chu Ming sensed a startling sword power within him, even stronger than Hu Xueqi's and Lin Xuan's.

The rules of the Hundred Battle Arena stated explicitly that only swordsmen under the age of thirty could participate. The man's age was likely close to thirty, but because of his age, he remained relatively unknown.

"The Hundred Battle Arena starts now. Who wants to be the first to show their skills!"

The elderly man in the yellow robe stood aside, eyes slightly narrowed, and spoke lightly.