The waiting area was utterly silent.
Everyone was still reeling from Di Ruqing's savage thrashing of Ye Chenliang moments earlier.
No one spoke. The echoes of that brutal one-sided fight still hung heavy in the air.
"Phew—Zhao bro," Fatty Fu whistled under his breath, turning toward Zhao Xuan with a grin. "That girl of yours doesn't hold back, huh? Judging by Ye Chenliang's face, he's not getting out of bed for half a month—if he even dares to move!"
At those words—
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Every gaze in the waiting area turned toward Zhao Xuan.
It clicked instantly.
No wonder Di Ruqing's face had gone cold the moment Ye Chenliang mocked Zhao Xuan earlier—
So that's how it is…
They were that kind of relationship.
Zhao Xuan froze, feeling a hundred stares drilling into him.
He coughed twice, trying to explain:
"Fu bro, you've got it all wrong. She and I aren't… that kind of thing."
Fu grinned slyly, leaning in. "Come on now, Zhao bro—no need to deny it. Didn't she sleep in your room last night? I saw it with my own two eyes!"
"I—" Zhao Xuan was speechless.
How was he supposed to explain that?
Even if he told the truth, who would believe it? "She was scared, so I let her stay the night"? Yeah, right. Sounded about as convincing as a fish claiming it could fly.
Morning soon turned to noon, and the 20-to-10 elimination round officially came to an end as the final top ten contestants were decided.
During the lunch break, the Nanjiang Provincial Office provided an extravagant feast.
Fruits were all spiritual fruits;
Rice and vegetables were spirit-infused;
And the meats came exclusively from Tier-4 Land Kings and Sea Kings.
By the end of it, Zhao Xuan could practically feel his stamina and spiritual power surging back to full—
no, even beyond full.
His body and spirit both felt subtly stronger.
Afternoon – The Top 10 Battle Begins
Zhao Xuan's opponent this round was a girl from Jiacheng named Huang Xiaoxiao.
Her Devil Fruit ability was still unknown,
but in the previous 20-to-10 match, she had defeated her opponent with just three sword strikes.
Yes—only three.
That alone proved her terrifying skill.
A swordswoman.
But Zhao Xuan didn't believe she was only that.
To master swordsmanship nearly beyond the "Master" level at eighteen meant one thing—her talent and spiritual power were both exceptional.
At least 20 points of spirit, maybe higher.
Which meant—Huang Xiaoxiao was definitely not just a swordswoman.
She was also a Devil Fruit user.
"BEEEEEP!"
The referee's whistle blew—
and Huang Xiaoxiao moved first.
Her slender sword swept through the air—
"BOOM!"
A streak of sword qi tore upward, slicing the sky itself.
It was faster than lightning,
and in a blink, it was upon Zhao Xuan.
Even before the attack reached him,
the cutting wind stung his skin.
Fortunately, Zhao Xuan had been ready.
The moment the whistle sounded, he'd already entered Partial Dragonization.
But the speed—
the speed was terrifying.
Even with his fivefold enhancement, Zhao Xuan barely had time to brace himself. He couldn't dodge—only endure it head-on.
"What a terrifying sword!"
The sword qi howled toward him.
Zhao Xuan activated both Iron Body and Armament Haki simultaneously.
His aura surged—
his skin darkened to pitch black, like forged steel.
Then—
"KRAAANGGG!!!!"
The sword qi struck his chest.
Pain shot through his body.
Looking down, Zhao Xuan saw a thin, shallow cut across his chest—blood trickling down.
"Tch…"
He sucked in a sharp breath.
One strike—
just one—and she'd managed to pierce his monstrous defense.
The crowd erupted.
"She broke through!"
"Just one sword strike, and she broke Zhao Xuan's defense!"
"That's insane! What kind of swordsmanship is this!?"
"Wait… Huang Xiaoxiao… Huang? Don't tell me she's related to that Grand Swordmaster from Jiacheng?"
"Has to be! No one this young could master the blade like that without a legendary teacher."
While the audience gasped, Di Ruqing sat calmly in the stands.
Her eyes followed Zhao Xuan intently—
but not a flicker of worry crossed her face.
Fu Jieyan leaned over, grinning. "Hey, sis-in-law, aren't you worried?"
Her head snapped toward him. "What did you just call me?"
"I said, aren't you worried?"
"No—the sentence before that."
"…Sis-in-law?" Fu blinked innocently. "Why? Did I say something wrong?"
Di Ruqing's flawless face flushed scarlet.
She was just about to retort when—
Whoosh!
A sharp gust drew her attention back to the ring.
Huang Xiaoxiao struck again.
One smooth motion—
a flash of light.
The second sword qi screamed through the air, faster than the first.
Zhao Xuan tried using Paper Art to dodge—
but the pressure from the blade distorted the air itself, making it impossible to slip through.
He gritted his teeth and took the hit again.
Another bloody line appeared on his chest.
Still—he didn't stop.
"Tatatatata!"
Zhao Xuan pressed forward, step after step.
The girl's expression sharpened.
Her sword danced—
dozens of slashes erupted at once,
forming a web of glowing sword qi overhead.
It descended upon Zhao Xuan like a storm.
There was nowhere to dodge.
Zhao Xuan roared and charged straight through.
When the dust cleared, his body was covered in thin, glowing cuts.
Yet his stride never faltered.
Huang Xiaoxiao's eyes widened in disbelief.
He was still coming.
Closer—
closer—
She inhaled deeply, then suddenly closed her eyes.
Her breathing slowed.
Her aura changed.
Empty.
No thought. No emotion. No desire.
Gasps erupted in the audience.
"Th-that stance…!"
"It can't be—"
"The Thoughtless Sword!"
"Ten years ago, her grandfather—an Eighth-Tier Swordmaster—used that very technique to slay the Ninth-Tier Demon Cult Leader! I never thought I'd see it again!"
"Quick! Someone prepare to intervene! That sword can cut through even a Fourth-Tier ability user—Zhao Xuan won't survive it!"
Even the hidden Sixth-Tier Grandmaster assigned to guard the venue clenched his fists, ready to step in.
But onstage, Zhao Xuan had already stopped moving.
When Huang Xiaoxiao closed her eyes—he felt it.
The killing intent.
The weight of death.
Every instinct screamed at him.
The air itself felt frozen solid.
His heart thundered in his chest.
"The Thoughtless Sword, huh…?"
He murmured softly—then closed his eyes too.
The audience fell silent again.
"What's he doing?"
"Why'd he close his eyes?"
"Is he… giving up?"
The Sixth-Tier Grandmaster's aura flared, ready to save him—
but then… he paused.
Something shifted.
Huang Xiaoxiao's eyes opened.
Cold, empty, divine.
Her blade moved.
So light. So gentle.
Yet so final.
"BOOM!!!"
The sword qi rose like a whisper, invisible and soundless.
No shockwave, no wind—just silent death.
It reached Zhao Xuan before anyone could even blink.
And then—
He opened his eyes.
"ROAAAAAR!!!!"
A draconic roar split the sky.
Lightning burst across his body as he fully transformed into a Dragon-Human hybrid.
Violet lightning coiled around his limbs.
He lifted his leg.
One kick.
"THUNDERING TEMPEST KICK!!!"
A bolt of lightning wrapped his leg, merging with his Armament Haki.
The purple-black slash met the Thoughtless Sword head-on.
"KRAAAAAAAAAASH!!!!!"
The world exploded.
The collision shook the earth itself.
The arena shattered—blue bricks bursting apart like sand.
Wind howled.
Thunder roared.
Dust filled the air.
And then—
Through the storm, a towering dragon silhouette emerged.
Zhao Xuan, half-dragon, half-human, stepped forward—his eyes blazing.
Across from him, Huang Xiaoxiao staggered backward, pale as snow.
Her sword fell from her trembling fingers.
"I… I… I… lost…"
She collapsed to the ground.
Silence.
One second.
Two.
Ten.
Then the referee finally remembered to breathe.
"BEEEEEP!!! Contestant No. 1, Zhao Xuan—VICTORY!"
The whistle pierced the stunned quiet,
and the crowd erupted.
"Wh-what just happened!?"
"He blocked the Thoughtless Sword! That's impossible!"
"He stopped an attack that could kill a Fourth-Tier!!"
Gasps, shouts, disbelief everywhere.
All eyes locked on Zhao Xuan—
half-dragon, standing tall amidst the wreckage.
Ding!
"You have experienced a soul-stirring battle. Your understanding of Tempest Kick, Armament Haki, and the Azure Dragon Fruit has deepened.
Proficiency +100 to all three!"
Zhao Xuan's heart leapt with joy.
"So even a provincial exam has monsters like this… What will the national level be like?"
He glanced down at his left leg—
a deep, bone-baring gash still oozing faint blood.
"Damn… even with tenfold stats and advanced Armament Haki, that sword still cut me. Terrifying technique."
Because the arena had been half-destroyed by the clash,
the tournament was paused for an hour.
After being treated by a Fourth-Tier Healing Fruit user,
Zhao Xuan's injuries mostly recovered.
When he returned, every gaze in the waiting zone turned toward him—
not with curiosity, but reverence.
Strength commanded respect.
Always.
"Zhao Xuan, are you okay?" Di Ruqing ran up, worry written all over her face.
"I'm fine," Zhao Xuan smiled.
Fu Jieyan walked over, expression complicated. "Zhao bro… I knew from the start you'd be my biggest rival. But to think you could withstand the Thoughtless Sword… heh, looks like the one to represent Nanjiang in the national exam has already been decided."
He clapped Zhao Xuan's shoulder.
Then a voice called from below—"Next match!"
Fu grinned. "My turn. We'll talk later, Zhao bro."
Fu's opponent: Xi Jiankang, a genius from Ningcheng Experimental.
And though Fu looked like a jolly fool—
his strength told a different story.
He was a dual-blade swordmaster,
every strike carrying monstrous precision.
In mere minutes, he forced Xi Jiankang, a Bull-Bull Fruit user, to the edge of defeat—
without even using his Devil Fruit.
Finally, the opponent yielded, leaping off the stage.
"Another master of Armament Haki…" Zhao Xuan muttered, watching.
Then something clicked.
"Wait—Fu Jieyan… the Nanjiang Governor also has the surname Fu…"
A bold thought struck him.
He narrowed his eyes at the arena.
If my guess is right… then this guy…
Fu, standing victorious onstage, happened to glance back—
their eyes met.
Zhao Xuan smiled faintly.
A real rival.
Later, Di Ruqing's match came.
Her opponent, a Barrier-Barrier Fruit user, was strong—
but against magma, there was no contest.
Her molten fists shattered every defense within seconds.
The girl surrendered, trembling.
At the end of the day, the top five were decided:
Zhao Xuan, Di Ruqing, Fu Jieyan, Wang Defa, and Zhao Shi.
The first day of the provincial exam ended smoothly.
No accidents.
No suspicious movements.
But the quieter it seemed—
the more everyone felt the pressure in the air.
Because if the Demon Cult's high-ranking elder had really appeared in Hang City the night before,
then this calm wasn't safety—
It was the calm before the storm.
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