Eternal Swordmaster Chapter 980 - 975 Genius Three

Xu Hong, the most exceptional genius ever produced by the Ten Illusions Sect, became headline news.

This information rapidly circulated among the various powers on the Nineteenth Star.

It soon arrived at the Extreme Truth Sect and Spirit Annihilation Path as well.

As the primary rivals to the Ten Illusions Sect, these two great powers also boasted elite young disciples who stood as paragons of their generation.

Most of them dismissed the tales about the Ten Illusions Sect, a fading force of electromagnetic arts; even a supposed genius from there wouldn't amount to much.

How could a genuinely formidable prodigy settle for such a crumbling sect when countless mighty sects beckoned?

Numerous sects guessed that the Ten Illusions Sect, desperate not to lag further in the grand contest, was hyping things up to gain visibility and draw in more apprentice disciples.

Regardless of outside opinions, the factional grand competition officially kicked off months afterward.

Xu Hong, the frontrunner for the Ten Illusions Sect in this event, journeyed with teacher Yunhe at the helm, guiding all competing disciples to Renjia Star.

The tournament site was set at the Storm Empire's frontier, on the undeveloped world of Renjia Star.

With no development yet, there was zero risk of wrecking structures or incurring damages, letting disciples from all factions unleash without restraint.

More than two thousand factions joined this grand event, splitting over ten thousand participants into ten zones, each zone picking ten spots on the planet for brutal elimination battles.

Among the entrants was Lin Xin's nominal sister in this realm, Xu Yejun, competing alongside her sect's powerhouses.

Every zone would advance one hundred top contenders.

Followed by an all-encompassing ranking showdown.

Injuries and deaths were unavoidable, hence the event employed a semi-virtual format.

This tech projected half the contestants' essence and spirit onto the planet.

Thus, even death on-site meant only heavy bodily harm, never total annihilation. It flawlessly displayed the true prowess of the disciples.

The virtual gear operated on space-time refraction tech.

A portion of the fighter's actual being materialized on the planet's surface, mirroring their full abilities.

For safety, it safeguarded their vital core, averting utter destruction.

In this massive affair, hordes of disciples from myriad factions, escorted by sect elders, surged toward the Renjia Star battleground.

Lin Xin hitched a ride on a spaceship, directed by Ten Illusions Yunhe.

********************

Within the space station corridor, Yunhe strode alongside Lin Xin toward the sect-assigned rest zones for the tournament.

With countless participating groups, plenty spotted Yunhe en route and offered respectful greetings.

Yunhe graciously returned each nod.

Though not from a peak sect, she commanded respect across many groups as a force to reckon with.

Not due to personal might, but the wealthy heiresses and aristocrats in her sect—whose mere murmurs to kin could muster an unstoppable tide few could rival.

Hence, none dared slight her.

Yet exceptions always lurk.

As Yunhe detailed to Lin Xin the planet's founding timeline, history, and selection motives for development,

a gloomy, peculiar voice drifted from ahead in the hall.

"Ten Illusions Yunhe, long time no see."

Two men approached, one towering, one squat.

The forefront figure was a stocky middle-aged man with a dour face, temple hair gone stark white, betraying his advanced years.

This was Jiu Zhenkong, master of the Nine Truths Sect, holding a top-twenty rank.

Behind him loomed a tall youth rippling with muscle, crew-cut hair pristine, eyes sweeping the crowd with haughty scorn.

"Oh, Sect Master Jiu Zhenkong. Long time no see. Hope all's well," Yunhe plastered on a smile.

"Decades apart, and Yunhe's form remains stunning. Word is you've unearthed a supreme genius this round. Did you bring him along?"

Jiu Zhenkong grinned insincerely.

His gaze flicked to the youth trailing Yunhe.

This lad wore a detached look, a pristine white longsword at his hip, swathed in a lavish black fox fur coat. Long ebony locks tumbled over shoulders framing a peerlessly striking visage that drew all eyes.

"Handsome indeed, but can he hold up in actual combat?"

Jiu Zhenkong, ever blunt, sneered with layered barb.

"You won't be let down, Sect Master Jiu," Yunhe shot back sharply. "Watch you don't overturn in shallow waters this time."

"Spare your concern," Jiu Zhenkong retorted. "Meet my disciple, Shen Rong. I look forward to him clashing early with your famed genius. Ten Illusions hasn't birthed a standout in ages. Hope you don't disappoint this round.

Otherwise..."

He trailed off, brushing past Yunhe with the youth in tow.

Yunhe smirked silently, guiding Lin Xin onward beyond Jiu Zhenkong.

Shen Rong eyed Lin Xin intently. As a disciple veteran of multiple tourneys, each had dragged on tediously with predictable standings.

This time, his master's nemesis, Ten Illusions Yunhe, touted an unprecedented sect genius, stirring his battle lust.

Scrutinizing this Xu Hong, the looks were top-tier. But combat chops? That remained the question.

Lin Xin spared him not a look, striding straight by.

His aura chilled like frost.

Though Jiu Zhenkong's sect wasn't supreme, its star Shen Rong ranked top fifteen among tournament disciples.

Arrogance suited him.

Conversely, Ten Illusions wielded potent outside sway, yet their dispatched disciples... consistently crushed below hundredth place.

Without aggregate strength metrics propping the sect's standing, they'd plummet past ninetieth.

Post Nine Truths encounter, Yunhe showcased Lin Xin to sundry allied sects.

Her connections ran deep; most sect heads enjoyed her favor.

Through intros, crowds etched the aloof, prodigious Xu Hong of Ten Illusions into memory.

Partitioning followed, allotting major sects to districts.

Ten Illusions landed in ninth district, where each must cull top hundred prior to inter-district trades and ultimate showdown.

A gauntlet of fiddly steps lay ahead, but to Lin Xin, mere trifles.

He lingered at Yunhe's rear, eyes often shut, circulating his body's arcane manual and profound arts.

Prior to sect clashes, masters convened secretly to hash out core rules.

Rules mostly recycled from prior, merely checking for tweaks.

Ferreting all exploits took time beyond a quick scan.

Meeting done, projection rigs got prepped.

The station sprawled enormous, assigning sects private chambers.

Chambers held matching rest pods for set participant counts.

"Just recline, and you'll beam straight to the planet," Yunhe indicated a beige oblong pod.

"Hong’er, Ten Illusions pins hopes on you this go, with Xu Qin and Duan Huxing—eight disciples total. You helm the core; on-site, heed Xu Qin for tactics. Got it?"

Yunhe stressed earnestly.

"Understood."

Lin Xin replied coolly.

To him, such setups were mere games; sampling rival sects' martial philosophies piqued mild interest.

"Good, now enter to rally. Others from our group descended early—link up and consolidate." Yunhe pressed.

Lin Xin assented, vaulting into the pod.

The lid sealed gradually.

......

Boom! Bam bam...

Woodland rang with relentless impacts.

Lin Xin awoke, amid thick woods dank and shadowed. Faint hoots like owls pierced the hush.

Black Fox Fur Coat intact, sword present, but gadgets vanished.

"Projection tech, eh? Impressive—power fully intact."

He halted briefly, then advanced toward the noise source.

Locate allies first.

Ah!

A blow smashed Xu Qin's left shoulder, ice shards erupting outward.

Her arm, iced prior by foe's Cold Ice Hand, now half-shattered.

She wailed in torment, eyes welling as sisters faltered nearby. Backing off, she fixed a furious glare on the encroaching Cold Extreme Flow disciple.

"Lucky break—dropped right into Ten Illusions' feeblest disciples,"

Grinned a short-haired man, blue head-ribbon fluttering.

"All gals defending, Ten Illusions quit being a true martial sect ages ago. No chit-chat—finish swift and bounce."

A lithe girl in dark blue robes snapped from aside.

"Yes, Senior Sister,"

The five Cold Extreme Flow disciples saluted crisply.

They ogled the clustered, battered Ten Illusions women.

Cold Extreme Flow, Hundred Sects member at ninety-two, middling might, but versus Ten Illusions? Overkill.

In scant minutes, near three Ten Illusions foes crippled, survivors gasping, collapse imminent.

"Hurry it; Spirit Annihilation Path lurks close—discovery spells doom."

The blue-skirted girl hastened.

Xu Qin beheld the charging Cold Extreme Flow pack, despair flickering in her gaze.

Ten Illusions had vied in countless tourneys, yet save two lucky breaks dodging Hundred Sects, eliminations came lightning-fast.

Ten districts hosted over thirty Hundred Sects apiece, crammed into one hundred thousand square klicks.

That density guaranteed clashes.

As Hundred Sects' weakest, Ten Illusions couldn't reliably topple those past hundred-fiftieth—prime prey for easy points.