Chapter 37: One Against Three, Shocking Showdown

At the county governor's mansion training ground, the preliminary selection assessment was nearing its conclusion.

The dozens of top-tier Elemental Sea cultivators who had come to participate in the preliminaries had already showcased their greatest strength.

The two brothers, Kang Jing and Kang Xuan, stood together.

"Xuan, well done," Kang Jing said.

Kang Xuan smiled. "Among those who took part in the preliminaries, only six, including you, performed better than me. Adding in Long Dao and the other two who had already passed the first floor of the Red Dragon Tower and secured early quotas, that makes nine. I’m exactly the tenth!"

Although he was last, as long as he passed the preliminaries and could join his elder brother in the imperial city hunt, he would be satisfied.

At that moment, the steward of the county governor’s mansion began announcing the results.

“Kang Jing, Tang Feng, Guan Yue...” The steward read out six names in succession.

These six were the top performers in the preliminaries.

“Next is mine,” Kang Xuan silently hoped.

But after reading the six names, the steward paused, then said, “Congratulations to these six for gaining spots in the imperial city hunt. As for the others present, come back in five years.”

“What?” Kang Xuan’s expression instantly changed.

The others on the field were indifferent; after all, none of them had ranked in the top ten.

But Kang Xuan had expected to be tenth, surely earning a spot.

“How is this possible? Why only six names? Counting Long Dao and the other two makes nine. Who got the last spot?”

“Could it be Su Xin?”

Kang Xuan immediately thought of Su Xin.

Previously, Su Xin had been invited into the inner courtyard like Long Dao, right before their eyes.

And Su Xin had not appeared in the preliminaries...

“It must be him!” Kang Xuan’s eyes flashed with anger.

“My lord, this is unfair!” Kang Xuan stepped forward and said in a low voice.

“What did you say?” The steward in charge of the preliminaries was the chief steward of the governor’s mansion, the closest and most trusted aide to Governor Wang, a genuine Void-Breaking Realm master. Upon hearing Kang Xuan, his expression darkened.

“My lord, if I’m not mistaken, Su Xin, who was invited into the inner courtyard earlier, also received a preliminary quota, right?” Kang Xuan asked.

“Yes,” the steward nodded.

Seeing the steward’s admission, Kang Xuan’s anger flared. “Ridiculous! Su Xin is only a mere Elemental Sea Master. What merit does he have to earn a hunting spot?”

His words immediately gained approval from most present.

They had already harbored some resentment when they saw Su Xin being invited into the inner courtyard early.

Now, not only did Su Xin receive special treatment, he also, like Long Dao, Qiu Ze, and Ling Yu, secured an early hunting quota.

How could they accept this?

“Are you questioning the fairness of my governor’s mansion?” The steward’s gaze grew colder as he stared at Kang Xuan.

Kang Xuan felt intimidated under the steward’s stare.

“Hmph!”

A cold snort suddenly sounded, and a figure appeared beside the steward.

“Lord Yuan Qing.” The steward immediately saluted the newcomer.

“Greetings, Lord Yuan Qing,” everyone on the training ground also saluted.

Yuan Qing gave Kang Xuan a cold glance and said, “Every time the imperial city hunt is held, the preliminary selection quotas across the provinces and counties have always been overseen by my Red Dragon Tower. If you find it unfair, you may leave now and refrain from participating in future hunts.”

“I, I...” Kang Xuan trembled, unable to speak clearly.

“Silence.” Kang Jing, standing beside him, scolded, “With Red Dragon Tower overseeing, no one dares to act improperly. Since Su Xin earned his spot early, there must be reason. Stop making trouble.”

Kang Xuan dared not say another word.

At that moment, Su Xin and the others who had secured spots emerged from the inner courtyard.

“Brother Su Xin.”

Seeing Su Xin, Yuan Qing immediately smiled warmly and approached.

“Supervisor Yuan Qing,” Su Xin greeted with a smile.

Long Dao, Qiu Ze, and Ling Yu, standing with Su Xin, saluted Yuan Qing immediately, but Yuan Qing only nodded slightly.

Though Long Dao and the others were considered talents for having passed the first floor of the Dragon-Seeking Tower before forty, in Yuan Qing’s eyes, even if all three were combined, they weren’t worth a finger compared to Su Xin.

---

“Brother Su Xin, let’s spar here on the training ground,” Long Dao proposed.

“Alright.” Su Xin nodded.

Soon, the four appeared on the training ground.

The Elemental Sea Masters present instinctively cleared the space.

“What’s happening?”

“Long Dao and the others, are they going to spar? Su Xin seems involved.”

“No, judging by their positions, Long Dao and company are going to fight Su Xin.”

The gathered Elemental Sea Masters grew excited.

They were curious about Su Xin’s strength, given he was only an Elemental Sea Master but had secured an early hunting spot.

They had expected Su Xin to face one of Long Dao, Qiu Ze, or Ling Yu, but when all three drew their weapons, everyone was stunned.

“It’s not one-on-one, it’s one against three!”

“Su Xin is going to fight all three simultaneously!”

“Are you kidding?”

Kang Jing and Kang Xuan also widened their eyes.

Kang Xuan thought Su Xin must be crazy — a mere Elemental Sea Master, facing three top-tier experts who had passed the first floor of the Dragon-Seeking Tower?

In reality, the one-against-three arrangement was not Su Xin’s arrogance, but Long Dao’s initiative.

Half a month ago, Su Xin had completely outmatched Long Dao.

Though Long Dao had improved somewhat since then, he knew he was still far from Su Xin’s level.

So when he learned Qiu Ze and Ling Yu also wished to spar with Su Xin, the three agreed to attack together.

Su Xin did not refuse.

Hence this scene.

“Brother Su Xin, you need to be careful.”

After all, three against one gave Long Dao more confidence.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

In an instant, all three struck simultaneously.

Three formidable surges of spiritual power burst forth.

Even by aura alone, each was far stronger than a typical Elemental Sea Master.

More impressive were their techniques...

Long Dao wielded a sword in each hand, leaping forward like a flying arrow.

His blades sliced through the void with a graceful elegance, silent but deadly; the moment one sword struck, the other followed swiftly.

Qiu Ze was burly like a mountain, swinging a massive axe weighing hundreds of pounds.

His powerful swings seemed capable of splitting mountains and seas, imbued with a profound aura.

Ling Yu moved like a phantom, wielding a wing-thin flexible sword that fluttered in the wind.

Blessed with sword aura, it streaked like lightning toward Su Xin’s waist.

“So strong!”

“Each of these three is stronger than I am!”

Kang Jing’s face was filled with shock.

Though he had performed best in the preliminaries and had the strength to pass the first floor of the Dragon-Seeking Tower, now seeing Long Dao, Qiu Ze, and Ling Yu in action, he realized any one of them was stronger than him.

Especially Long Dao’s twin swords; if he were to fight him, he doubted he could last long.

Yet Su Xin, facing all three attackers at once, seemed utterly calm and effortless.

He held his sword in one hand, casually wielding it to create bursts of sword blossoms, easily repelling and dissolving their attacks.

No matter how frantically they struck, even their trump moves were effortlessly blocked by Su Xin.

“So powerful?”

Qiu Ze and Ling Yu, already exerting their full strength, felt deeply shaken.

They had been skeptical when Long Dao said even together they might not be Su Xin’s match.

But now...

Suddenly, Su Xin took a swift step forward and swung his sword.

A phantom image swirled—the first move: Dark Light!

It seemed as though the world contained only Su Xin’s sword and its faint glow.

Guided by sword intent, the light moved with incredible speed.

Long Dao and the others were utterly unprepared.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Their weapons clattered to the ground from the shock.

---

“Gentlemen, well fought,” Su Xin smiled slightly.

“We lost!”

“The three of us together, and we lost just like that?”

Long Dao and the others were dazed.

Watching from the side, Yuan Qing’s eyes gleamed.

“Second floor—Su Xin clearly has the strength to pass the second floor of the Dragon-Seeking Tower.

Among the geniuses who have passed that floor, he is absolutely one of the strongest!

Not only has his cultivation broken through, his swordsmanship and sword intent comprehension have also greatly improved!

In just two months, his progress is astonishing!”

Yuan Qing was deeply impressed.

He even thought that the Tianyan Palace must be blind to have set aside Su Xin’s special recruitment quota.

After the fight ended, Long Dao and the others gradually regained composure.

Yuan Qing loudly said, “The ten who have secured hunting quotas, please step forward. I will explain some details about this hunt.”

Those who earned quotas stepped forward.

“Xuan, wait here for me a moment,” Kang Jing instructed, then stepped forward.

Kang Xuan stood there, eyes hollow, his mind blank.

He was utterly stunned.

“Facing three alone and winning so easily... Su Xin, how could he be this strong?”

“I doubted him before, thinking he didn’t deserve a hunting quota?”

“I... I really...” Kang Xuan was at a loss for words.

He could only be grateful Su Xin hadn’t heard his earlier doubts.

From Su Xin’s displayed strength, even if ten Kang Xuans joined together, they likely wouldn’t match one of Su Xin’s fingers.

After Yuan Qing’s instructions, everyone dispersed.

Su Xin returned home.

As the leading family of Yongning County, the Su family was well-informed and already knew Su Xin had secured a spot in the imperial city hunt.

The entire Su family was stirred with excitement.

“The young master is so formidable, and he’s only nineteen.”

“To be able to participate in the imperial city hunt at nineteen, with a chance to enter the legendary Tianyan Palace...”

“I heard the young master shone brilliantly in today’s preliminaries, defeating several who had passed the first floor of the Dragon-Seeking Tower.”

Everywhere in the Su household, people talked eagerly.

The young members of the family were all thrilled and deeply admiring of Su Xin.

Upon returning, Su Xin immediately sought an audience with his father.

Still in his study, compared to two months ago, Su Bai Chen showed little change—withered, gaunt, and exhausted.

“You wish to enter Tianyan Palace through the imperial city hunt?” Su Bai Chen looked at Su Xin.

“Yes,” Su Xin nodded.

“Do you have confidence?” Su Bai Chen asked.

“Yes,” Su Xin nodded again.

During these two months of trials, not only had his cultivation broken through, but more importantly, his swordsmanship and comprehension of sword aura had greatly advanced.

Now he could easily pass the second floor of the Dragon-Seeking Tower.

If he gave his all, entering the top ten of this imperial city hunt was not a lofty dream.

“If you do enter Tianyan Palace, you will study there for a long time. Don’t worry about the family; with the identity of a Tianyan Palace disciple, no one will dare touch us.

As long as I live, no one can harm the family.”

Su Bai Chen’s voice was hoarse.

“Go forth with peace of mind.”

“How far you go depends on yourself.”

“Remember what I told you: when you can single-handedly crush the entire Situ family beneath your feet, then you will have the right to know the true secrets of the Su family.”

“Also, when your cultivation breaks through to the Void-Breaking Realm, remember to return home.”

Su Bai Chen finished and waved his hand, turning back to his painting.

“I take my leave!” Su Xin bowed and then turned to leave.

...