In the twelfth round, Li Yunhai fought against Yang Kai and without any hiccups, and lost pathetically to Yang Kai.
With this, Li Yunhai was eliminated from the contest after accumulating a loss of 5 matches, losing all hopes for getting into the top 5.
Having been kicked out of the contest, Li Yunhai felt a loss of purpose and gave a cursing glare at Li Fuchen.
This was all due to Li Fuchen that he couldn't enter the top 5. His gut was filled to the brim with hatred that Li Fuchen ruined his chances to be a Cang Lan Sect's disciple.
Sensing Li Yunhai's gaze, Li Fuchen gave a look of despise, 'Only trash like him would pin his own failure on others.
***
Li Fuchen and Guan Hao was the last match of the twelfth round.
At this juncture, there were still six contestants left: Yang Kai, Shen Tu Jue, He Ping, Zhu Hongxiu, Guan Hao, and Li Fuchen.
Guan Hao had already lost 4 matches and if he lost again, he would face the inevitable elimination. But the irony is that he is just one match away to the top 5.
Everyone in the stands started gossiping.
"Guan Hao is no match for Li Fuchen. It seems this is the end of the line for the Guan Clan."
"Li Fuchen is the bane of the Guan Clan. First it was Guan Peng, and now Guan Hao is about to be eliminated by Li Fuchen. I wonder what Patriarch Guan Yue is feeling now."
"I think Guan Xue initially had a marriage arrangement with Li Fuchen, but later on, the Guan Clan dismissed it."
"Talking about Guan Xue, she is a true prodigy. Had she participated in this contest, neither Yang Kai, Shen Tu Jue, nor Li Fuchen would be on par with her…"
"Indeed. The Guan Clan already has Guan Xue, even if they have no one else entering the Cang Lan Sect from this contest, they wouldn't be affected."
The face on Guan Yue was now sullen. Since the day he broke off the engagement, he never would have expected this scenario.
"Hmph, so what if he enters the top 5. If he cannot pass the trials for the outer sect disciples, he would only be an odd job disciple with no status. But my daughter Guan Xue is different, she has a limitless future and not even a hundred Li Fuchen can reach her."
Unknowingly, Guan Yue has already forgotten his brothership with Li Tianhan and long treated him as a stranger, even his nemesis.
Guan Tong who sat beside him said, "We have been too benevolent to the Li Clan in the past. Starting from this moment, we will oppress them with everything we have and show them the price for making this mistake."
"That's right! We need to chase them out of Yunwu City." Guan Peng's father viciously declared.
***
On stage, Guan Hao attempted to negotiate with Li Fuchen.
"Li Fuchen, with your bone frame, you can only be a bottom feeder even if you entered the Cang Lan Sect. Why not give this spot to me? I believe if you do so, it will help reconcile the Li Clan's relationship with the Guan Clan. Although Guan Xue has broken off the engagement, but her achievements in the future are incalculable. A small gesture from her in the future will mean unlimited benefits for your Li Clan."
Guan Hao thought his statement was reasonable and Li Fuchen would be tempted.
Li Fuchen laughed with irony, "Relationship with the Guan Clan?"
"Yes, with the Li Clan declining at this pace, without the Guan Clan's support, the Li Clan will not be able to sustain itself. You should already know this."
"Surely I know, but unfortunately, the things that I, Li Fuchen desires, I will get it on my own behalf and not wait for handouts from others. Now fight!" Li Fuchen pointed at Guan Hao with his sword.
"Li Fuchen, you are stubborn to the core. Do you really think by entering the Cang Lan Sect and chasing after Guan Xue will attract her attention to you? The harsh truth is that, in her eyes you are just a clown and all your efforts are in vain!" Guan Hao had assumed that Li Fuchen's obsession for entering the Cang Lan Sect was to look for Guan Xue.
"A bunch of nonsense, you better keep your mouth shut!"
With a sudden motion, Li Fuchen drew his sword.
Snap!
The wooden sword in Guan Hao's hand, cracked and he fell off the stage.
***
With the defeat of Guan Hao, the top 5 contestants were crowned. They are Yang Kai, Shen Tu Jue, He Ping, Zhu Hongxiu, and Li Fuchen. Among them, He Ping and Zhu Hongxiu lost two matches. He Ping lost to Yang Kai and Shen Tu Jue, as for Zhu Hongxiu, she lost to Yang Kai and Li Fuchen.
Shen Tu Jianhe rose and gave a congratulatory bow.
The contest resumed.
Zhu Hongxiu versus Shen Tu Jue: Shen Tu Jue wins
He Ping versus Li Fuchen: Li Fuchen wins
Zhu Hong Xiu versus He Ping: He Ping wins
With these 3 matches, the fourth and fifth spot was confirmed. They were He Ping and Zhu Hongxiu respectively.
Next, was the struggle for the top 3.
As of now, none of the three had met during the contest and none of them had suffered a defeat yet.
For the first match, Li Fuchen was facing Shen Tu Jue on stage.
Half of the reason Shen Tu Jue could come so far was due to his bone frame and the other half, due to his cultivation technique.
When the overwhelming Shao Yang Luo Technique was paired up with 800 kg of physical strength, even He Ping and Zhu Hongxiu who had exceptional combat skills weren't his rivals. It seemed only Yang Kai could handle Shen Tu Jue.
"Li Fuchen, it is praiseworthy for you to survive to this stage. A clever individual like you should know your limits. I shall kindly accept this second place. How about it?" Shen Tu Jue knew he wasn't better than Yang Kai, but neither did he want to lose Li Fuchen.
What's more, the rewards of 2nd place was much more lucrative than 3rd place. 2nd place offered 5000 gold and a bottle of Qi Accumulating Pill. Whereas 3rd place offered only 3000 gold and five bottles of Spirit Qi Pills. A difference of 3000 gold in value.
Li Fuchen asked in return, "Do you think it is possible?"
"What? Not giving me face?" Had it not been his uncertainty to defeat Li Fuchen, Shen Tu Jue wouldn't have asked his opponent to go easy on him. He would have used his absolute strength to beat his opponent like a dog.
(TL note: To 'give face' is to show respect to a person with certain amount of nobility or status)
"Your face? It's not worth it!" Li Fuchen answered with no consideration.
Shen Tu Jue crowed with anger, "Great! I will note down your decision today and make you regret next time."
Shen Tu Jue planned to torment Li Fuchen in the Cang Lan Sect. In his view, Li Fuchen could only amount to an odd job disciple and it was common to despotize odd job disciples. Some would even beat them up to vent their frustration.
The wooden sword collided with a sound of rocks clashing. Li Fuchen took only one strike to break Li Yunhai's and Guan Hao's sword, but couldn't break Shen Tu Jue's sword. This was because Shen Tu Jue's blade contained the enormous power of the Shao Yang Luo Technique.
"Blazing Cloud Concealment!" (TL note: One of Blazing Cloud Sword Style moves)
Shen Tu Jue practiced the Blazing Cloud Sword Style. As named, this heat blazing sword style coupled with the Shao Yang Luo Technique, was like giving wings to a tiger.
(TL note: Giving wings to a tiger is a chinese saying of making something that is already good to be even better.)
Burning……
With the mirage of the heat, the blazing sword fell onto Li Fuchen, as if a cloud of fire was collapsing.
"Mountain River Split!" (TL note: One of Shao Shang Sword Style moves)
Facing Shen Tu Jue's domineering strike, Li Fuchen answered with another dominant move.
The Mountain River Split was the signature move of Shao Shan Sword Style. Its force was focused right at the edge of the blade and had the ability to split any obstacle apart. Even a giant boulder could be cleave apart in a single strike by Li Fuchen.
Dong!
As the wooden swords collide, the pair threw out a palm strike at each other.
Shen Tu Jue used the fiery Blazing Cloud Palm, if the victim did not have a good cultivation level, it would burn their skin to char with it's intense flames.
Li Fuchen counter with the Mountain Splitting Palm. During his spare time, he practiced this palm style, it had powerful palm force which was twice the power of Stone Shattering Palm. A single palm was sufficient to destroy the innards of his opponent.