"Freeze -- Don't go!"
As soon as the gong struck, Zhao Tianlei felt a tightness in his ankle, and ice streaks climbed up his trouser leg like little snakes seeking coolness. He roared and swung his sword, but before he could catch his breath, the young man in front of him pointed --
"Cold Star, Condensed glow."
The ice blue light ball drifted in, seemingly light, but exploded with a "bang" half an inch from his chest, sending cold stars flying and instantly sealing his limbs. A chorus of exclamations erupted from the audience -
"Good fellow, Instant Sword Technique?"
"Both ice and fire, Zhao Tianlei is pressed down tightly!"
Zhao Tianlei's eyes were red, the power of the blood-burning pill was surging through his meridians, and his skin was burning purple, but he couldn't break through the ice. He shouted hysterically, "Chu Xuan, you won't beat me!"
"Beat you?" Chu Xuan raised his eyebrows, a chill welling up in his palm. "I won the rules."
Before he could finish his words, he touched the tip of his foot, his figure like a ghost approaching, and the sword qi condensed at his fingertips --
"Cold Star, Fallen Star."
The ice-blue meteor streaked through the mist, dragging out long tail flames that hit Zhao Tianlei right in the chest.
"Puff --" The blood had not yet spurted out and had frozen into crimson ice chips. Zhao Tianlei flew backward and crashed hard at the edge of the ring. The ice spread and pinned him firmly to the ground, leaving him unable to move.
On the high platform, Elder Li slapped up and said, "How dare you, junior!"
But the gatekeeper coughed lightly and said indifferently, "The winner has been decided. Elder Li, please calm down."
Elder Li's face was ashen and his knuckles were cracking, but he could only force himself to sit down.
...
"Admit defeat?" Chu Xuan asked for the third time, in a low voice but throughout the venue.
Zhao Tianlei's lips quivered, but he couldn't make a complete sound.
Chu Xuan pointed together, the cold sealed his hoarse point, and the world fell silent in an instant.
"The battle is over, Chu Xuan wins! Advance to the inside!" The disciple of the deacon declared loudly.
The crowd burst into excitement and cheers rose and fell --
"First outside! It's well-deserved!"
"Who else can do the tenth level of Qi Refinement?"
Chu Xuan turned around, clasped his fists in all directions, laughing nonchalantly: "Yielding, next one."
...
Below the stage, Ling Qingxue turned quietly, her lips slightly raised under the veil: "Little rascal, let him pretend again."
The Outer gate manager laughed his teeth out of his eyes: "Good talent, born in the mortal world, but with the ninth level of qi refining, he crushed the tenth level, breaking the record and bringing shame to our outer gate!"
The elders nodded their heads one after another, their eyes burning -
"This child can be given special attention."
"The essence of the Cold Star Sword Technique has been mastered. It's rare."
...
As the crowd dispersed, Chu Xuan had just jumped off the ring, and the grey-robed disciple passed by again, with a note between his fingertips --
"The blood-burning pill is just an appetizer. The main course is inside the door. Be careful of the kitchen knife."
Chu Xuan crushed the paper strips. A cold sensation welled up in his palm. The paper scraps turned into ice powder and drifted away with the wind.
He looked up at the distant mountain gate, where the setting sun dyed the sky blood red, like a battle flag spread out.
The ice had not yet melted, but the sound of the gong had already faded away.
Chu Xuan stood in the middle of the disheveled arena, his chest slightly rising and falling, the tip of the Cold Moon sword lightly touching the ground, frost spreading through the cracks as if drawing a circle of cage for the loser.
"The winner - Chu Xuan! Advance to the inner gate!"
The deacon disciple raised his voice, ending with an unprecedented excitement as if he had also won a round.
The crowd was instantly in an uproar.
"Nine layers of qi strike ten layers, crush! Are my eyes not blurry?"
"Zhao Tianlei was frozen like a dog after taking the Burnt Blood Pill. How can this be played?"
"From the mortal world? Are you sure it's not the illegitimate child of some old monster?"
Lin Hao was the first to rush onto the stage, jumping excitedly: "Brother, you're so handsome! I'm going to write a biography of you, and the title will be Ice Sword Beating Fire Dog!"
Wang Tiezhu scratched his head in a clumsy way: "I... I'm responsible for carrying books, ten pounds each, I can carry a thousand!"
Zhang Asheng timidly raised his hand: "I... I'm in charge of Shouting. I have a loud voice!"
Chu Xuan was surrounded by three people, laughing so hard that his teeth were out of sight, but his gaze pierced through the crowd and met Elder Li.
In the old man's eyes, murderous intent and wariness interwove like two venomous snakes intertwined.
The young man raised his eyebrows and spoke in silence --
"Old fellow, are the rules partial?" I'll still win."
Elder Li left in a huff, his back somewhat disheveled.
...
On the side of the high platform, the keeper of the outer gate stroked his beard and smiled, and said to the elder beside him, "From the mortal world, yet with nine layers, he crushed ten layers, breaking the record of our outer gate for a hundred years. How embarrassing!"
"Indeed, he is a promising talent." A white-robed elder nodded. "The Cold Star Sword Technique has been mastered. It's rare."
"Focus on training?"
"Yes."
Ling Qingxue hid in the shadow of the stone pillar, the cold light on her fingertips dissipated, and the corner of her lips lifted slightly under her veil: "Little rascal, let him pretend again."
...
The crowd dispersed, Chu Xuan had just jumped off the ring, and the grey robe disciple passed by again, with a note between his fingertips --
"The blood-burning pill is just an appetizer. The main course is inside the door. Be careful of the kitchen knife."
Chu Xuan crushed the paper strips, a cold air welled up in his palm, and the paper scraps turned into ice powder and drifted away with the wind.
He looked up at the distant mountain gate, where the setting sun dyed the sky blood red, like a battle flag spread out.
"The inner gate? Kitchen knife? Come on, let's go together."
The young man stretched his body, laughed unrestrayedly, his back was stretched long by the afterglow, like a sword just drawn from its scabbard, its edge pointing straight to the sky.
Suddenly a cold voice came from behind: "Have you laughed enough?"
Chu Xuan turned back. Ling Qingxue stood with her sword in her arms, her veil lifted slightly, her eyes faint but not concealing relief. "Pass my test and you can enter the depths of the forbidden land for cultivation."
The young man's eyes lit up: "Leaving now?"
"Now."
As she finished speaking, she turned, her white dress brushing past the setting sun, like a snowlight leading the way.
Chu Xuan followed quickly, laughing in the evening breeze: "Deep in the forbidden land? It sounds like there are lots of treasures!"
"Stop talking nonsense and get past me first."
"Qingxue, don't worry. I can't do anything else. I'm the best at getting through!"
Two figures walked side by side into the distance, the noise at the outer gate grew louder, and a new journey quietly unfolded between the setting sun and the snow-capped mountains.