RBCT Chapter 860 Finalists
Chapter 860 Finalists
In the blink of an eye, a month has passed.
The semi-finals have reached their final round.
Terra City.
Spark Martial Arts Tournament, Arena 3.
The stands were packed, and the countless glow sticks adorned the entire arena like a shower of stars.
Today! The final round of Group 23!
The host's voice resonated throughout the holographic broadcast.
"This round of matches will determine the final list of teams advancing from Group 23!!!"
The audience erupted in deafening cheers.
Lin Nianbai stood at the entrance in the contestant passage.
A thin bandage was wrapped around her right arm, a scar from yesterday's ninth game.
It was a knife wound from a competitor of the same age, diagonally across his right forearm.
Although the injuries have fully healed, the appearance is still shocking.
If she hadn't forcefully withstood the opponent's attack at the last moment, the victory would have been questionable.
Nine games.
Nine wins out of nine games.
Lin Nianbai's tone carried a hint of sharpness, "Who is the opponent?"
The assistant quickly looked down and flipped through the documents in his hand.
"In the final round of Group 23... your opponent is—"
She paused.
"Lin Zhixia."
Lin Nianbai raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Lin Zhixia?"
She had no recollection of the name.
The assistant handed over the documents.
"At the beginning of the semi-finals, Lin Zhixia was just a nine-star martial artist."
"In this month, she had five wins and four losses, hovering on the edge of advancing with an extremely delicate points score."
"More importantly, Lin Zhixia officially entered the Transcendent Realm before the last match."
Lin Nianbai quietly looked at the document.
"Within thirty days, step from the Eight Stars to the Transcendent Realm," she repeated softly.
The assistant's tone was somewhat cautious, "Your record is nine wins out of nine. Regardless of today's result, you're firmly in first place in the group."
Lin Nianbai didn't speak, but stared at the document in silence for a moment.
……
The other side of the contestants' passage.
Lin Zhixia stood at the entrance, her hands clenched into fists and held at her sides.
She is seven years old this year. She is not tall, has slightly dark skin, and wears neat short hair. Her eyes are not big, but they are clear and bright, revealing a stubbornness that refuses to admit defeat.
But no one knew that Lin Zhixia's system was "Heaven rewards diligence".
A month ago, she entered the competition as an eight-star martial artist at the peak, which was considered the lowest tier among the three thousand semi-finalists.
In the first two matches, she managed to win one by chance thanks to her tactical awareness.
In the third match, he faced a transcendent opponent and suffered a crushing defeat.
That time, she lay in the medical pod for two whole days.
With a record of five wins and four losses, they stumbled along the way, but gradually stabilized their position on the verge of advancing.
And last night—
She crushed the insurmountable barrier between the Quasi-Transcendent Realm and the Transcendent Realm.
Of course, she knew.
With the strength of someone who has just entered the extraordinary realm, the chances of winning against Lin Nianbai, who has won all nine matches, are almost zero.
But "almost zero" does not mean it is truly zero.
"...Lin Nianbai."
She whispered the name.
The eldest daughter of Lin Qiye, who reached the Transcendent Realm at the age of six and won all nine matches.
Throughout the entire 0755 galaxy, everyone knows this name.
But what can be done?
Lin Zhixia took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
It doesn't matter how it is.
She was determined to win this match.
It wasn't for any advancement spot, nor for any study tour opportunity.
only--
She didn't want to lose.
That's it.
……
"Please welcome the final match of Group Twenty-Three to enter the arena—!!!"
With a bang, the entire venue erupted in cheers.
A sea of glow sticks surged from the stands, and the cheers from the audience nearly lifted the roof off.
"Lin Nianbai!!!"
"Go, Nianbai sister!!!"
Two figures walked towards the arena from their respective passages.
Lin Nianbai walked on the sunlit arena, her white combat uniform accentuating her slender figure, giving off an unexpectedly nonchalant yet sharp aura.
The audience erupted in another round of enthusiastic cheers.
Lin Zhixia walked in the entrance passage on the opposite side, her steps steady and firm.
The two stopped in the center of the ring, ten steps apart.
Lin Nianbai looked down at the girl in front of her who was slightly shorter than her.
"Contest--"
The referee's voice echoed throughout the stadium.
"start!!!"
On the arena, two figures stood facing each other.
Lin Nianbai was the first to move.
Her figure was like a white lightning bolt, closing in on Lin Zhixia in the blink of an eye. The spear in her hand carried a sharp wind, aiming straight for her throat.
This is a standard opening pressure tactic—using speed advantage to end the battle in the shortest possible time.
However, Lin Zhixia's reaction to this lightning-fast attack was unexpected by everyone.
She did not back down.
There was no dodge.
He didn't even raise his shield to block.
She simply stood there quietly, her gaze calm and serene.
Then--
She moved.
"Bang!"
The swords and spears clashed, producing a dull, loud thud.
A hint of surprise flashed in Lin Nianbai's eyes.
Although her shot was just a test, its force was enough to knock back an opponent who was also at the Transcendent Realm several steps.
But the girl in front of him not only caught it steadily, but also didn't budge an inch!
"That's interesting."
A hint of seriousness flashed in Lin Nianbai's eyes.
The next instant, her figure disappeared again.
This time, she was three points faster than before!
In the blink of an eye, she appeared beside Lin Zhixia, the tip of her spear carrying a chilling aura, aiming straight for her waist and ribs.
If this shot hits, even a Transcendent Realm expert would be seriously injured!
However, Lin Zhixia's reaction once again exceeded everyone's expectations.
She turned to the side, her long sword tracing an arc in her hand, precisely blocking Lin Nianbai's attack path.
"Bang!"
Another muffled sound.
The swords and spears clashed again, and both men took a half step back.
A gasp erupted from the audience.
"What?!"
"Lin Zhixia actually blocked Lin Nianbai's attack?!"
"Impossible! She's a newly ascended Transcendent Realm cultivator, how could she possibly be a match for Lin Nianbai?!"
Exclamations of surprise rose and fell, but the two on the stage paid no heed.
Lin Nianbai looked at Lin Zhixia in front of him, a sharp glint in his eyes, "Now, I'm going to get serious."
As soon as she finished speaking, her aura suddenly surged!
A faint golden light emanated from her body.
Martial arts will!
Brilliant day!
This is what she learned from observing her father's martial arts spirit!
The cheers from the audience reached their peak instantly.
"Martial will! Sister Nianbai is getting serious!"
"With the release of her martial will, Lin Zhixia is doomed!"
"Nianbai is the strongest!!!"
However, Lin Zhixia remained calm in the face of this chilling aura.
She took a deep breath, and a faint light emanated from her body, facing off against Lin Nianbai's golden light.
That is……
"What?!"
The audience erupted in gasps once again.
"What is that?!"
"Her martial will?!"
"Martial Arts Will!!!"
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Everyone looked at the sword. Lin Zhixia's martial arts will was actually stronger than Lin Nianbai's?!
Lin Zhixia... a newcomer who has just broken through to the Transcendent Realm, how could she be like this?
"How is this possible?!"
In the audience, countless people stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"The awakening of martial will requires countless trials between life and death! She's only seven years old, how could she possibly do that?!"
However, what they didn't know was—
The pain Lin Zhixia has endured over the past month has far exceeded their expectations.
Thirty days.
In the first nine games, she lost more than she won, and almost everyone was pessimistic about her chances.
In the third match, she was seriously injured by her opponent and spent two days in the medical pod.
In the sixth match, she lost again, and her points once fell below the qualifying line.
In the tenth match, she fought with all her might and finally won with great difficulty, but in doing so, she exhausted all her strength.
Eleven, twelve, thirteen...
Every victory is earned with blood and tears.
Each defeat made her realize more clearly the gap between herself and the strong.
But she didn't give up.
Time and time again they got up and charged at their opponents.
It wasn't because she was confident of winning.
It's simply because—she doesn't want to lose.
"Her martial will is stronger than mine?"
"impossible!"
Lin Nianbai looked at the figure shrouded in white light opposite him, a hint of horror flashing in his eyes.
She never imagined such a situation would occur!
As Lin Qiye's eldest daughter, she possessed the most superior bloodline, the best resources, and the most powerful talent from birth.
She only needs to cultivate step by step to easily crush everyone.
But at this moment, facing this girl who had no illustrious lineage and no background, she actually felt pressure.
At the same time, she also felt a faint, almost imperceptible sense of shame!
"No……"
Lin Nianbai took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.
"Even if your martial will is stronger, I will never lose!"
Her figure disappeared again.
This time, she was twice as fast as before!
The golden light transformed into a shooting star, carrying world-destroying power, and rushed straight towards Lin Zhixia.
This was her strongest attack!
It is the culmination of all her combat experience over the past month!
Faced with a strike powerful enough to defeat any transcendent being, Lin Zhixia did not retreat.
The two forces met in mid-air.
The two beams of light intertwined, producing a deafening roar.
A terrifying shockwave spread outwards from the center of the collision, whipping up gusts of wind.
In the audience, countless people were blinded by the blast of air.
"What's going on?!"
"What happened?!"
"Can anyone tell me who won?!"
The shockwave gradually subsided.
When everyone was finally able to see the scene on the stage, they were all stunned.
On the ground of the arena, two deep trenches extend from both sides and converge in the center to form a huge pit.
The smoke and dust cleared.
All eyes were focused on the center of the ring.
There, two figures stood silently.
Lin Nianbai's spear pierced through Lin Zhixia's chest, the tip protruding from her back, blood slowly dripping down the shaft.
Lin Zhixia's long knife was held diagonally at Lin Nianbai's waist.
That slash...
It's already been cut in.
"Lin Nianbai!!!"
"Lin Zhixia!!!"
Gasps of surprise erupted from the audience.
Everyone was stunned.
What... what's going on here?!
Both of them suffered fatal injuries at the same time?!
"Medical team! Hurry! Get up there!!!"
In the next instant, several medical staff in white coats appeared.
Their movements were lightning fast; the syringes in their hands were instantly aimed at the wounds of the two men.
However, just as the medical staff were about to take action, Lin Nianbai's body suddenly swayed.
She looked down at her waist, which had been cut in two, and then at the girl in front of her who was still standing despite having a spear piercing her chest.
"you……"
Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were full of resentment.
"I...I lost?"
Before she could finish speaking, her body went limp and collapsed.
"Spoken dialogue!!!"
In the audience, countless people let out heart-wrenching screams.
Lin Zhixia looked at Lin Nianbai lying in front of her, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"sorry……"
She murmured softly.
"But...I don't want to lose."
The next instant, she slowly closed her eyes and fell backward.
The medical staff in white coats immediately surrounded the two and began emergency treatment.
The light from the spirit liquid injector kept flashing, pulling the two dying bodies back from the brink of death.
……
Meanwhile, at Bai Muxi's manor.
Bai Muxi stood quietly in front of the holographic projection screen.
Her face was pale, and her hands were clenched tightly together, her knuckles turning white.
When she saw Lin Nianbai being cut in half at the waist, her heart almost stopped beating.
"Young...Young Miss..."
The maid beside her spoke cautiously, "Miss is blessed with good fortune; she'll be alright..."
Bai Muxi remained silent.
She simply stood there quietly, watching the figure being carried away by medical staff in white coats on the holographic screen.
Her belly was very big; she was almost due to give birth.
At this moment, Lin Nianbai is her greatest pride, but also her greatest weakness.
"Spoken dialogue..."
She murmured softly, her eyes gradually reddening.
Just then, a gentle voice came from behind.
"Mu Xi, don't worry."
Xiao Ruoshui walked up to her without her noticing, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I watched Nianbai grow up. She's not that fragile."
Bai Muxi turned her head and looked at Xiao Ruoshui.
"Did you just see that? Reciting her name..."
"I saw it." Xiao Ruoshui nodded, a complex light flashing in her eyes. "Nianbai lost."
Bai Muxi's body trembled slightly.
"However," Xiao Ruoshui continued, "losing one game doesn't mean anything. Nianbai has nine wins and one loss, and is still first in the group. She is still one of the most dazzling players in this competition."
Bai Muxi fell silent.
She knew Xiao Ruoshui was right.
But as a mother, she couldn't help but worry about her daughter.
"Mu Xi," Xiao Ruoshui gently held her hand, "you should be happy for Nian Bai."
"Happy?"
"That's right." Xiao Ruoshui nodded. "Nianbai has never lost since she was a child. She doesn't know the taste of failure, nor the bitterness of setbacks."
"This time, although she lost, she also learned something—"
There are always higher heavens and more capable people.
"Only those who have experienced failure can truly stand at the top."
Bai Muxi fell silent.
She knew Xiao Ruoshui was right.
But as a mother, her heart still aches.
"Spoken dialogue..."
She silently murmured her daughter's name in her heart.
"Mom believes in you..."
"You will definitely be able to stand up again..."
……
Half an hour later.
Inside the medical pod.
Lin Nianbai slowly opened his eyes.
She found herself lying on a soft hospital bed, enveloped in a soft glow.
That was the healing light unique to the medical pod.
She looked down at her waist, which had completely healed without even a scar.
But the excruciating pain of being cut in half still lingered in her nerve endings.
"I lost..."
She murmured softly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
She has never lost since she was a child.
She is Lin Qiye's eldest daughter, a favored daughter of heaven in everyone's eyes, and someone who stands at the top of the pyramid.
But today, she lost.
She lost to Lin Zhixia.
An ordinary girl with no distinguished lineage or background.
Why...?
Lin Nianbai gripped the bed sheet tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"Why did I lose...?"
The scene of the match kept replaying in her mind.
Lin Zhixia was clearly supposed to avoid her shot.
But she didn't.
Because Lin Zhixia wanted to win too much.
So she chose to take the bullet head-on, risking her life for her own!
But in that instant, I hesitated!
In that moment of hesitation, I was more seriously injured and collapsed first!
……
Meanwhile, in the adjacent medical ward.
Lin Zhixia slowly opened her eyes.
She found herself lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by a soft light.
"Xiaxia!"
A surprised voice rang out.
She turned her head and saw a young woman sitting next to her.
That was her mother, an ordinary woman who participated in the Spark Program.
"Mom..." Lin Zhixia said softly.
"Xiaxia, you're awake!" Lin's mother grabbed her hand, her eyes red-rimmed. "You scared me to death! Do you know what you were thinking...?"
As she spoke, she broke down in tears.
Lin Zhixia looked at her mother's worried expression and a slight smile appeared on her lips.
"Mom, I won."
Lin's mother was stunned for a moment: "What?"
"I said," Lin Zhixia's eyes shone brightly, "I won."
She knew that this game had changed a lot of things.
From this day forward, she will no longer be that unknown, ordinary girl.
She is Lin Zhixia.
It was Lin Zhixia who defeated Lin Qiye's eldest daughter!
"Xiaxia, as long as you're alright, it doesn't matter whether we win or lose..." Lin's mother looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.
……
Ten minutes later.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The results of the final round of Group 23 in the semi-finals are in!"
"Lin Nianbai - Lin Zhixia - "
The host paused, his tone becoming somewhat agitated.
"Both sides strike each other's vital points simultaneously, resulting in mutual destruction!"
"According to artificial intelligence analysis, Lin Nianbai's severed injury is more serious than Lin Zhixia's penetrating injury!"
"Moreover, Lin Nianbai fell unconscious first!"
"therefore--"
The host's voice suddenly rose in pitch.
"The winner is Lin Zhixia!!!"
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Countless people stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Lin Zhixia won?! Lin Nianbai lost?!"
"How is this possible?!"
Exclamations of surprise rose and fell, but the final result was already displayed on the holographic screen.
Lin Nianbai: Nine wins and one loss, 27 points, first in the group
Lin Zhixia: Six wins and four losses, 18 points, third in the group
[Lin Miaoyu: Three wins and seven losses, 9 points...]
……
On the other side, in the athletes' rest area.
Lin Miaoyu looked at the rankings on the holographic screen, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.
With three wins and seven losses, and a total of 9 points, they are 30th in their group.
They didn't make it to the finals.
She sighed and shook her head helplessly.
Sure enough, the gap between her and those top geniuses was still too great.
"well……"
She sighed and dialed her mother Ye Qinghan's communication channel.
"Mom, I lost. I didn't make it to the finals."
From the other end of the communication channel came Ye Qinghan's slightly nervous voice: "Ah? You lost? It's okay, it's okay! It's all about participating!"
"Mom, your way of comforting people is really terrible..." Lin Miaoyu rolled her eyes. "But it's okay, this is just the first time, there will be other opportunities in the future."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Ye Qinghan nodded quickly, "There will be other opportunities in the future!"
Lin Miaoyu's lips curled up slightly.
In the past month, with the system's tenfold return bonus, her mother has broken through from the peak of a six-star martial artist to an eight-star martial artist.
As the beneficiary of the refund, she directly soared from a seven-star martial artist to a nine-star martial artist!
If her mother continues to cultivate diligently, she might actually be able to break through to the Transcendent Realm before the next competition!
At that time, I might actually be able to compete with those top geniuses!
"Mom," Lin Miaoyu took a deep breath, "let's work together."
……
Inside the holographic hall of the Spark Martial Arts Competition command center, a huge light screen displays a dense array of data.
Lin Qiye glanced at the fluctuating numbers, his expression indifferent.
"Sir, this is the complete statistics for the semi-finals." The head of the secretariat projected a detailed report onto the screen.
"According to preliminary statistics, children from wealthy families account for more than 60% of the 300 spots in the finals."
Lin Qiye nodded slightly.
Although the Spark Program started relatively late, with the resources he provided, the children under its wing have a high starting point.
However, those powerful and prestigious families that have been passed down for hundreds of years have accumulated a much deeper foundation. Their children receive systematic training from a young age, so their foundation is naturally more solid.
"In addition," the head of the secretariat pulled up another set of data, his tone tinged with surprise, "the first batch of children of Lords Chi Yan and Bing Yu, a total of sixty people, participated in the competition, and all of them stepped into the extraordinary realm, with not a single one being eliminated."
"Sixty people?" Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Moreover," the head of the secretariat took a deep breath, "among these sixty people, two achieved a perfect record of ten wins and zero losses in the semi-finals."
Lin Qiye turned around, his gaze falling on the string of names.
"Interesting." Lin Qiye's lips curled up slightly.
The head of the secretariat quickly added, "My lord, the situation of these sixty children is rather special. Although they are the children of Lord Crimson Flame and Lord Ice Prison, in reality... Lord Crimson Flame and Lord Ice Prison have been busy with affairs in the C10755 star system and have hardly had time to care about these children."
"How were they trained?" Lin Qiye asked.
The head of the secretariat's expression became somewhat subtle: "The reason these sixty children were able to achieve such results is mainly due to two resources. First, as high-level martial gods, Lord Chi Yan and Lord Bing Yu have resource allocations far exceeding those of ordinary people; second, these sixty children are usually taken care of by our secretariat's staff."
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow.
The head of the secretariat explained, "Lord Crimson Flame and Lord Ice Prison have special statuses, making it inconvenient for them to raise the children themselves. Therefore, they allocated resources to secretariat members, who then raised and educated the children on their behalf. These sixty children were actually raised and nurtured by dozens of secretaries."
Lin Qiye remained silent for a moment.
Crimson Flame and Ice Prison were his most loyal and capable subordinates.
They focused most of their energy on galactic affairs and had no time to care for these children.
Even so, these children have achieved such success simply because of the allocation of resources and the meticulous care of their secretaries.
"How are the preparations for the finals going?" Lin Qiye asked.
"Everything is ready." The head of the secretariat nodded. "The three hundred finalists will gather in three days for the final showdown. The final will be a knockout tournament with seven rounds to determine the champion, runner-up, and third-place winner."