As Luo Qing's will moved, ten blades of spiritual energy materialized in midair, their aura radiating with the intense energy of a practitioner at the first level of Foundation Establishment.
It was evident that this formation would be a severe challenge even for a cultivator at the first level of Qi Refining. To the onlookers, Lin Tian was already doomed.
"Lin Tian, quickly admit defeat!" Du Yuejiao shouted from the stands, her voice strained.
"Grand Elder, please intervene!" Elder Xu Dao Yi also spoke with a grave expression.
The Grand Elder's brow furrowed, his hand poised to unleash his own spiritual energy. Though unsure of how Lin Tian might defend against the impending attack, he had an unusual feeling that the young man might yet be able to resist the Small Spirit Sword Array.
Despite knowing the danger, he remained seated, unmoving.
"This boy refuses to admit defeat? Does he wish to be severely injured before he learns his lesson?" Elder Junshan sneered, his lips curling into a mocking smile at Lin Tian's reckless behavior.
"Lin Tian, why won't you admit defeat?" Luo Qing demanded from the platform, his veins bulging and sweat dripping down his forehead. Despite having activated the Small Spirit Sword Array, he still struggled to fully control the formation.
Though he could manage to hold it at bay for now, once the swords were released, it would be too late to retract them.
"Why should I admit defeat?" Lin Tian's eyes blazed with unyielding determination.
Hearing this, Luo Qing's hesitation evaporated. He released his spiritual energy, and the ten blades of spiritual energy shot forth without mercy, flying toward Lin Tian.
As the blades soared through the air, Du Yuejiao's eyes filled with tears, unable to hold them back. Elder Xu Dao Yi sighed deeply, closing his eyes.
In that instant, however, a tremendous sound exploded from the arena. A powerful surge of spiritual energy, nearly as potent as the second level of Foundation Establishment, emanated from the glittering golden object Lin Tian held.
With a booming noise, the spiritual swords were instantly obliterated by the force of the wave of energy. Lin Tian staggered backward, barely keeping his footing, as blood spurted from his mouth.
In the past month, Lin Tian had not only refined spiritual energy in the weapon forge but had also not neglected his training. The spiritual energy spear in his hand had quietly been completed during this time.
Although Lin Tian's forging skills were still inferior compared to the master craftsmen who had forged weapons for Tu Xiaoyao, he had complete control over the components. Since joining the Xuanwu Sect, the resources available to him had greatly increased, allowing the weapon he forged to be far superior to previous ones. The spiritual energy spear in his hand now was far stronger. If he were willing to sacrifice it, it could even unleash the power of the fifth level of Foundation Establishment.
As his greatest trump card, Lin Tian had intended to keep this spear for the final match. However, when he found himself facing Luo Qing, the disciple most likely to win the championship, in the third round, he had no choice but to use the spear earlier than expected.
Though Lin Tian tried to control the power of the spear, the aftermath of the attack still sent Luo Qing flying, crashing heavily to the ground.
Struggling to rise, Luo Qing's eyes showed disbelief. When he had invoked the Small Spirit Sword Array, he had thought victory was assured. But who could have foreseen that the weapon in Lin Tian's hands would unleash energy close to the second level of Foundation Establishment?
The reason why the Weapon Peak was ranked lowest in the Xuanwu Sect was not only due to the limited enhancement of spiritual tools but also because crafting spiritual tools was an incredibly difficult and intricate process.
Yet now, in just one month, Lin Tian had crafted a weapon capable of such strength. This level of talent was enough to crush any doubt.
"I admit defeat." Despite the unwillingness burning in his heart, Luo Qing hung his head in defeat, accepting the outcome.
The disciples in the stands erupted in astonishment. No one had expected Luo Qing to lose.
The Grand Elder nodded in approval, clearly satisfied with Lin Tian's performance. Such talent could undoubtedly be considered exceptional among the outer disciples of the Xuanwu Sect. However, the Grand Elder remained curious about Lin Tian's temperament. If his character was suitable, he would indeed consider taking the young man as his disciple.
As Lin Tian descended from the platform, his eyes sparkled with excitement as he walked toward Zhao Xufeng. "Senior Brother, how many points did I earn this time?"
Upon entering the Xuanwu Sect, each disciple was given a token. The points on this token served as the Sect's currency. Disciples earned points through monthly allocations, completing Sect tasks, donating items, and so on. These points could be exchanged for any required resources within the Sect.
After spending most of his points on refining materials for his weapon, Lin Tian had little left. Having overheard the others' doubts about him during the outer sect competition, Lin Tian had started to hatch a plan.
In every Outer Sect competition, the Inner Sect disciples would place bets on the outcomes of the duels. The purpose was to earn points from the outer disciples.
"After deducting the thousand I lent you, you still have six thousand points left on your token," Zhao Xufeng said with a helpless expression.
"So many?" Lin Tian's eyes immediately brightened in surprise, clearly not expecting to have earned such a large sum of points.
"Though you've earned a decent amount of points, don't let it go to your head," Zhao Xufeng cautioned. "The bookmaker this time is Xu Naiyou of the Formation Peak. That guy's petty and vengeful. Now that you've earned so many points from him, he'll definitely hold a grudge."
"I know, I know," Lin Tian waved his hand dismissively. Though spiritual liquids weren't easy to trade for points in the Sect, his token now had enough points for him to use for quite some time.
Having faced Luo Qing, Lin Tian now understood the true power of formations. As a result, a new thought began to take root in his mind.