The world within the yingtian mirror.
Han Xuanji sat cross-legged in an independent space, the Spiritual Qi around his body extremely steady.
These few rounds of combat had not taken much effort for him; aside from getting slightly serious with Zhou Yunhe, he had barely used any strength against the other opponents.
With nothing better to do, Han Xuanji observed the movements of the other participants.
Although the world within the yingtian mirror restricted the entry and exit of contestants and prevented them from seeing the specific combat scenes of others, the elimination information was public.
After each battle, all participants could see a large light screen displaying numerous names.
Whenever someone was eliminated, their name would dim on the light screen, like a lamp extinguished by the wind.
Han Xuanji took a glance and discovered that Centurion Zhou Lie's name was still bright; he hadn't expected this guy to be able to make it all the way from the Round of 32 to the Round of 16.
This result wasn't exactly unexpected. After all, although Centurion Zhou Lie's Law of Creation and Law of Destruction were rough, his foundation was solid. As long as he didn't run into a Heaven-grade Seed, making it to the Round of 16 was a high-probability event.
Xiao Yan's name was also bright; using the alias "Yan Xiao," he had cut through the competition, even defeating a Heaven-grade Seed in the previous round.
Han Xuanji looked at that name, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. He knew Xiao Yan's strength—three top-tier Laws and seven superior Laws—he was absolutely a top-tier existence. It was no surprise that he won against a Heaven-grade Seed.
"With Xiao Yan's strength, he might just meet me in the finals." Han Xuanji calculated silently in his heart.
In the simulated Law Conference, there had been a few strong enemies, but they were far inferior to the current ones. He and Xiao Yan had successfully met in the finals, and he had ultimately taken the championship.
However, this time it was not certain.
He had observed everyone's strength; excluding himself, there were a few others who were quite remarkable.
Among them, one person hid his strength extremely deeply. On the surface, he was a Heaven-grade Seed with mediocre combat records, but Han Xuanji could feel that he was deliberately suppressing himself in every match.
It was like a sleeping beast that only opened its eyes when necessary, then quickly closed them again.
If Xiao Yan were to encounter him, he would likely only have a thirty percent chance of winning. However, Han Xuanji did not think too much about it. He had already figured out approximately where his strength stood.
It could be said that whoever encountered him was simply unlucky.
This was not him being conceited, but a fact.
While he was deep in thought, the light of the yingtian mirror shone once again.
The Round of 16 to 8 matches began.
Han Xuanji's figure was enveloped by white light, and in the next instant, he landed on a snowy plain.
The world was a vast expanse of white, with heavy snow falling and visibility extremely low. The cold wind carried ice crystals that struck his Face, bringing a bone-chilling cold.
The Spiritual Qi here was extremely thin, making it an absolute nightmare of a battlefield for any Cultivator without a deep reserve of spiritual power.
Han Xuanji stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through the curtain of snow as he sensed the surrounding Qi.
Soon, he sensed the presence of his opponent.
That Qi was very familiar to him, carrying the dual fluctuations of creation and destruction, like water and fire merging; although rough, it was full of power.
"An old acquaintance, huh..." Han Xuanji sighed softly.
"Brother Han, I didn't expect to run into you."
Centurion Zhou Lie's voice came from the wind and snow, carrying a bit of surprise, but even more excitement. He walked out from the snow curtain, his figure burly, like a moving iron tower.
There were a few tears in his robes, traces left from the previous rounds of combat, but he was full of energy, and the Battle Intent in his eyes was almost overflowing.
Clearly, these few consecutive victories had given him great confidence.
Centurion Zhou Lie was not aware of Han Xuanji's combat record.
He did not know that Han Xuanji had defeated the Heaven-grade Seed Zhou Yunhe with a single punch, nor did he know that Han Xuanji was called the "biggest variable of this conference" by the outside world.
After each battle, he habitually looked at the light screen, and every time he found that Han Xuanji's name was still bright, he would set his mind at ease.
If he could, he wanted to personally defeat Han Xuanji to wash away his previous humiliation.
In his mind, although Han Xuanji was strong, his strength was limited. After all, everyone was an Earth-grade Seed; how much stronger could one really be than another?
Of course, it wasn't strange that he could make it to the Round of 16, and Han Xuanji could also make it to the Round of 16.
"I'm not like the opponents you encountered before." Centurion Zhou Lie laughed loudly, his tone carrying a bit of confidence and even a bit of teasing:
"Those Earth-grade Seeds can't compare to me."
He felt that the reason Han Xuanji was able to win quickly every time was probably because the matched opponents were very weak.
Han Xuanji looked at him and also smiled:
"Yeah, the opponents I encountered before were indeed quite weak."
His tone was sincere, and there was absolutely no sign of anything strange.
Centurion Zhou Lie flexed his wrists, his joints making clicking sounds:
"You must never underestimate me. I have never slacked off all these years! I am more than twice as strong as I was back at the Huben Legion Martial Arena."
Han Xuanji nodded, his gaze gentle:
"Mm, I can tell."
While he responded with his mouth, he was thinking of another matter in his heart.
Commander He Guanshan had treated him well, and the thirty years of cultivation at the Creation Platform had benefited him greatly.
Centurion Zhou Lie was a seedling cultivated single-handedly by Commander He Guanshan; if he knocked him out with a single punch right in front of Commander He Guanshan, it would be somewhat lacking in giving Face.
Han Xuanji still understood the ways of the world.
"Forget it, I'll spar with him for a few moves and let him lose more decently." He secretly made up his mind in his heart.
Centurion Zhou Lie could barely be considered "one of his own." The other party regarded him as an object to catch up to, and their old grudges had long been put aside.
Outside the mirror, on the high platform.
Hun Qianxue and Commander He Guanshan looked at each other and sighed simultaneously.
"What a pity." Hun Qianxue shook his head.
"Indeed." Commander He Guanshan also shook his head.
He knew of Centurion Zhou Lie's progress over these years and knew how much he had sacrificed for this Law Conference.
If he had good luck in this round and ran into another Earth-grade Seed, it was really possible for him to advance further and break into the Round of 8.
Unfortunately, he ran into Han Xuanji.
"It counts as a free pass for Xuanji." Commander He Guanshan picked up his teacup, his tone flat, as if he were talking about an insignificant matter.
"Indeed, indeed." Hun Qianxue squeezed out a smile and chimed in, but he was secretly complaining in his heart.
Han Xuanji still needs a free pass?
He felt that Han Xuanji was not afraid of fighting anyone.
Heaven-grade Seeds were all a matter of one punch, so an Earth-grade Seed—wasn't that easy to beat?
However, he didn't say this directly, giving Commander He Guanshan some Face.
Because of Han Xuanji, the Huben Legion also had close dealings with the Hun Family, further securing the position of City Lord, so naturally, he couldn't publicly choke anyone.
On the stands, the reactions of the audience were identical.
"Han Xuanji versus Centurion Zhou Lie? Is there even a need to fight?"
"Although Centurion Zhou Lie is an Earth-grade Seed, Han Xuanji even knocked over a Heaven-grade Seed with one punch; isn't fighting him easy?"
"A match against a weakling, boring. I want to see Ling Cang versus Han Xuanji; that is the real duel!"
"Exactly, exactly. Can this kind of match hurry up?"
The discussions rose and fell, and almost no one favored Centurion Zhou Lie.
This could not be blamed on them.
The lingering power of that punch from Han Xuanji's last match was still there; even the Heaven-grade Seed Zhou Yunhe couldn't withstand it, let alone an Earth-grade Seed?
It was a joke!
Everyone boredly cast their gazes toward other light screens, just waiting for this "match against a weakling" to end quickly.
In the light screen, the two moved.
Han Xuanji made the first move, his figure flickering and leaving behind an afterimage.
Centurion Zhou Lie did not retreat but advanced instead, the power of creation and destruction condensing on his fist as he met him head-on.
Boom—
The two fists collided, and the air waves rolled. Centurion Zhou Lie retreated seven steps. Han Xuanji also retreated seven steps. On the stands, the bored audience was slightly stunned.
What was going on?