The next day.
Only Gu Qinghe and Li Xiaoman arrived at the Spring Region that day. The other two disciples had already been defeated, remaining behind to focus on improving their cultivation.
The two of them flew through the air and soon arrived at the region. Even more disciples had gathered this time, all wanting to witness the core stages of the tournament up close.
Gu Qinghe turned his head slightly. His gaze landed on three cultivators—the same ones who had attacked him yesterday.
The three stood among the Spring Region disciples, returning Gu Qinghe's stare with sharp, hostile eyes.
I'll kill them later.
Gu Qinghe and Li Xiaoman took their seats on the wooden chairs that had been prepared. All quarterfinal participants were given the same treatment.
He glanced toward the row of envoy guests. Gu Han was nowhere to be seen.
Looks like he only came to pass along the message.
The adjudicating elder arrived at the center of the arena just as all eight participants had gathered.
"The Talent Trial Tournament now enters the quarterfinal stage. Whoever advances will earn the right to move on to the semifinals."
Gu Qinghe clenched his fist. He needed to win at least two more matches to secure a slot as a core disciple.
The drawing began, and every disciple focused their attention forward. The first match announcement stunned the crowd.
"The first match: Gu Qinghe versus Xiang Yuihan."
Gu Qinghe let out a quiet breath. It didn't matter to him whether he fought first or later.
What mattered was victory.
"Xiang Yuihan? He's one of the top two talents of the Spring Region."
"He's at Peak Foundation Establishment. There's no way Gu Qinghe can beat him."
"We're about to see Gu Qinghe's losing face."
Gu Qinghe listened calmly. Through his perception, Xiang Yuihan's cultivation was indeed one level higher than his.
The gap in strength wasn't overwhelming, but Gu Qinghe knew the man was stronger.
If he acted recklessly, he could lose—and suffer serious injuries.
Gu Qinghe and Xiang Yuihan bowed, clasping their fists in mutual respect.
"The first quarterfinal match… begin!"
They charged forward at once, summoning their weapons. Gu Qinghe wielded a sword, while Xiang Yuihan used a spear.
They clashed head-on, waves of differently colored aura erupting from their bodies.
"Junior Qinghe! You truly deserve to be here," Xiang Yuihan said.
Gu Qinghe focused on offense, while Xiang Yuihan remained on the defensive. Even so, none of Gu Qinghe's sword strikes managed to overwhelm him.
They leapt backward at the same time, forming hand seals. Golden circular runes appeared behind Gu Qinghe as a golden palm strike shot forward.
Xiang Yuihan gripped his spear tightly, summoning a massive red spear projection above his head. He swung it down, smashing into Gu Qinghe's golden palm attack.
BLAST!
Qi exploded outward. Gu Qinghe was forced back, one hand clutching his chest as it tightened painfully—though he didn't spit blood.
That spear attack… it's stronger.
Moments later, Xiang Yuihan's spear projection dissipated, its energy surging back into his body. His aura instantly became far more dominant.
He leapt forward. A red flash appeared, and Gu Qinghe's eyes widened—Xiang Yuihan was already beside him.
So fast!
Xiang Yuihan swung his spear again. Gu Qinghe blocked it with his sword, but the surge in Xiang Yuihan's strength still injured him.
Gu Qinghe dropped to one knee on the arena floor, coughing up blood. Yet Xiang Yuihan showed no sign of stopping.
He pressed the attack relentlessly, forcing Gu Qinghe back and injuring him further.
Cheers erupted from the Spring Region disciples. They were ecstatic to see Gu Qinghe wounded and on the brink of defeat.
Li Xiaoman clenched her fists, her eyes never leaving Gu Qinghe.
Gu Qinghe suddenly leapt into the air, forming hand seals as golden runes appeared. He pointed downward with two fingers, unleashing a golden dragon toward Xiang Yuihan.
Xiang Yuihan jumped up, colliding head-on with the golden dragon.
A second explosion tore through the sky. Gu Qinghe remained unharmed, but Xiang Yuihan was blasted backward.
Through his perception, Gu Qinghe saw Xiang Yuihan's aura rapidly fading.
His power boost is over.
Suddenly, Xiang Yuihan spat out blood. Gu Qinghe was startled—he immediately realized it was backlash from the temporary enhancement.
"Good! Very good, Qinghe!"
"Let me show you my strongest technique—the one taught to me by a sect elder!"
Xiang Yuihan formed a complex series of hand seals. Massive dao runes appeared in the sky.
Gu Qinghe looked up and activated his Heavenly Path Insight.
[Heavenly Path Insight]
[Detected: Yin-Yang Storm Formation]
[Formation Tier: Earth]
[Conclusion:]
[1. Use Lotus Light Formation to counter enemy formation effects]
[2. Activate Soul Eye, strike the core of the enemy formation]
[3. Avoid Yin-Yang winds]
[Probability of victory: 60%]
Lotus Light Formation? That's an Earth-tier formation.
Gu Qinghe fell silent as black-and-white winds closed in on him from all directions. This was no ordinary wind—Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't survive it.
There was only one option.
Lotus Light Formation.
Formation versus formation, same tier.
Tao versus Zen.
Gu Qinghe focused as both hands formed seals. His past experience guided him through the correct sequence for the Lotus Light Formation.
Slowly, the formation activated. Golden runes appeared beneath his feet, and a massive lotus projection bloomed, spinning as it released glowing pollen forward.
The sect master froze. The envoy guests were equally stunned.
"Lotus Light Formation?! That's a technique from Yunchan Temple!"
"How can a Taoist sect disciple cultivate another path?"
"This is an insult! He's disgracing Taoist cultivation!"
The elderly sect master shot a sharp look at the adjudicating elder, clearly expressing his displeasure.
This tournament was meant to showcase the Yin-Yang Sect as a respected Taoist sect.
If Gu Qinghe defeated the Yin-Yang Storm Formation, the sect would lose face before the guests.
Even so, the adjudicating elder couldn't interfere. The rules didn't forbid the use of techniques from other cultivation paths.
After all, it was considered impossible for a cultivator to master two different paths at once—their concepts were fundamentally incompatible.
But Gu Qinghe was different. Thousands of years as Emperor Yun Tiansheng had forged him into someone who would walk any cultivation path that benefited him.
Tao, Zen, or even Demonic.
Gu Qinghe touched his forehead, activating his Soul Eye. He saw three core points within the Yin-Yang Storm Formation.
His eyes glowed blue as he directed the lotus pollen toward those three cores.
"Gu Qinghe! You've gone too far!" Xiang Yuihan shouted.
He reinforced his formation, strengthening the storm winds, and launched ink-black sword attacks from within the tempest.
Yet the lotus petals' protection held firm.
In an instant, Xiang Yuihan's Yin-Yang Storm Formation shattered. The violent winds vanished, and Xiang Yuihan crashed to the ground, badly injured.
His face was filled with shock. The crowd was stunned—Taoist formation, defeated by a Zen formation.
Maintaining his formation, Gu Qinghe aimed his attack forward, targeting Xiang Yuihan directly.
"I… I surrender!" Xiang Yuihan shouted.
The flower pollen condensed into a golden spear, stopping just inches from Xiang Yuihan's face.
The Lotus Light Formation deactivated. The golden spear vanished.
Gu Qinghe turned and looked sharply at the adjudicating elder.
The elder flew to the center of the arena and pointed at Gu Qinghe.
"The winner of the first quarterfinal match is Gu Qinghe. He advances to the semifinals and is officially promoted to Inner Disciple!"
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Xiang Yuihan."
Gu Qinghe turned to leave the arena—but stopped when Xiang Yuihan spoke again.
"What is your plan?" Xiang Yuihan asked.
Gu Qinghe turned back sharply. "What?"
"A Zen formation technique. Everyone knows there are no Zen temples in the Song Kingdom."
"Are you trying to mock us by claiming Tao is inferior to Zen?"
Xiang Yuihan smiled faintly. Before his regression and rebirth as Young Master Gu, Yun Tiansheng had faced the same questions.
Was Tao superior? Did Zen truly teach compassion? Was Demonic cultivation inherently evil?
It all depended on perspective—and the path one chose.
"That belief comes from your perspective, Senior," Gu Qinghe said calmly. "There is no superior path—Tao, Zen, or even Demonic."
"If you open your mind and observe calmly, you'll realize you need all three to reach the highest realm."
Xiang Yuihan laughed loudly. "The highest realm? Your cultivation is lower than mine. How can you speak so confidently about such a thing?"
Gu Qinghe said nothing. He turned away and returned to his seat.
His words had already ignited a storm throughout the Yin-Yang Sect.
He was well aware of it.
The Lotus Light Formation… was far too eye-catching.
And the Yin-Yang Sect clearly did not like it.