The other Ning Family members participating in the competition no longer debated whether to hold back against Ning Fa.
Instead, they started worrying if Ning Fa would hold back against them.
After all, Ning Fa's ruthless methods just now had chilled everyone to the bone.
Ning Jian Tao's injuries were the most severe since the competition began, and it would likely take a considerable amount of time for him to recover.
It was even possible he might never recover.
Ning Fa paid no mind to the unusual gazes cast his way, closing his eyes to rest.
Shortly after, the sixteen winners from the first round began drawing lots again.
This time, Ning Fa didn't deliberately pick a number.
He drew number six.
To his surprise, his opponent, number eleven, was someone he knew.
It was from the Wenchang Island lineage.
The person representing Wenchang Island was that rough-looking man.
At this point, Ning Fa already knew his name: Ning Chang Yong.
Back then, this person was only at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation, but now he was at the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation.
Looking at him, Ning Fa couldn't help but wear a half-smile.
Although he didn't have any major grudges with the Wenchang Island lineage, there were some past grievances.
Ning Chang Yong's complexion, however, had turned a faint shade of green.
He believed his own strength was still slightly inferior to Ning Jian Tao's.
While he did possess two Top-grade Magic Artifacts, they were still inferior to Ning Jian Tao's Ghostly Nether Claws and Crimson Drum.
If even Ning Jian Tao had suffered such a crushing defeat, he clearly had no confidence.
But since he had been unfortunately chosen, he could only brace himself and go.
He hoped Ning Fa lacked combat experience and wished to find a breakthrough point there.
Therefore, as soon as the match began, Ning Chang Yong threw out all the Talismans he had, as if they were free.
Instantly, various Five Elements Spells like fireballs, water arrows, and wind blades ravaged the stage, covering the entire arena.
Ning Chang Yong even directly self-destructed several Magic Tools, and their immense power made the scene even more chaotic.
An ordinary cultivator with insufficient experience might have been flustered.
This was precisely Ning Chang Yong's plan. He then put on a transparent gauze robe, and his figure immediately vanished.
But Ning Fa, while appearing to be struggling with the chaotic assault, was actually sneering in his heart.
At this moment, a blurry figure appeared behind him. Ning Chang Yong, holding a long saber, slashed down fiercely.
The result was no obstruction.
What he struck was merely an afterimage.
Ning Chang Yong inwardly cried out "Not good!"
But with his rich experience, he immediately rolled towards the ground.
Ning Fa's figure appeared behind him like a phantom, then he abruptly lifted his foot and kicked.
"Ah!"
Ning Chang Yong spewed blood, and in an extremely awkward posture, was kicked out of the arena by Ning Fa, directly losing the match.
If he had fought Ning Fa head-on using his two Top-grade Magic Artifacts.
Although he would still inevitably lose, he would never have been so easily defeated.
But for him, a cultivator of law, to attempt a close-quarters surprise attack on Ning Fa, who practiced Dual Cultivation of Body and Law, was simply seeking his own demise.
Thus, Ning Fa effortlessly entered the top eight.
He was just one step away from securing a spot in the direct lineage.
The other three matches were still underway.
The crowd that had been watching this match now looked at Ning Fa with awe.
It was no longer due to Ning Fa's status or position, but entirely because of Ning Fa's own strength.
Many had already equated Ning Fa's personal strength with that of the family's prodigies like Ning Nan Qing and Ning Ji Kun.
On the high platform, the elders wore strange expressions.
The First Elder, Ning Zhong Yuan, sighed, "Little Fa truly is a case of 'when he speaks, he amazes; when he is silent, he shocks.' Among the younger generation, I believe only he and Ji Kun possess the strongest abilities. Nan Qing is slightly inferior to the two of them. The key is that Little Fa is only at the Sixth Level of Qi Condensation. Once he advances to Late Qi Condensation, Ji Kun might not even be his match."
The other three Foundation Establishment elders nodded in agreement.
The Fourth Elder, Ning Wei Ze, had a glint in his eyes as he said, "I think Little Fa has only revealed part of his strength so far. Perhaps he will become another Hua Rong in the future."
The others' expressions varied upon hearing this.
Ning Jiannan rushed back at this moment.
He was busy arranging for another clan member to take his place in the competition, but that clan member was only at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation, making his strength significantly weaker.
The hope of entering the top eight in this Heir Competition was now extremely slim.
Hearing what the Foundation Establishment elders had to say now, his face turned even more ashen.
The thought of their branch family's various benefits being greatly reduced after losing their direct lineage status made his heart sink.
This would even directly affect the development of the cave dwelling ruins.
Thinking of this, his hatred for Ning Fa grew even stronger.
At this moment, Ning Nanqing had also defeated his opponent and jumped off the stage.
He walked to Ning Fa's side with a constipated expression and said incredulously, "You brat... you're really hiding your strength. I don't think I can necessarily beat you."
Ning Fa chuckled and said nothing more.
Not long after, all the matches concluded.
The top eight were also revealed.
They were basically the powerhouses that everyone expected.
Besides Ning Fa, there was another dark horse.
That was a clan member from the Qiuchang Island lineage.
This short and stout cultivator was only at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation.
However, he had excellent luck, encountering relatively weaker opponents in two consecutive rounds, allowing him to advance smoothly.
At this moment, on his chubby face, excitement was mixed with worry.
Clearly, he would become a target for other cultivators to challenge later.
The first day of the competition ended.
On the second day, the matches continued.
After more than half a day of fierce battles, apart from some branch families that voluntarily withdrew.
The remaining eighteen branch families also determined their top four.
It is worth mentioning that the Yuan Chang Island lineage was officially eliminated.
Ning Jiannan was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.
On the third day.
The four branch family cultivators who fought their way up from the loser's bracket all coincidentally chose the short and stout cultivator from Qiuchang Island.
The four were forced to draw lots again.
Finally, one lucky individual drew the lot and easily defeated the short and stout cultivator, taking his place.
This person was named Ning Leda, also a renowned expert among the younger generation of the family.
However, he had bad luck in the second round, his opponent being Ning Jikun, and after a tough fight, he still lost.
The other three knew Ning Leda's strength and did not dare to challenge him again.
After careful consideration, they chose their opponents one by one.
Interestingly, no one challenged Ning Fa, who was only at the Sixth Level of Qi Condensation.
Clearly, Ning Fa's powerful performance in his previous two matches had caused others to mark him as extremely dangerous.
As the sun set, the final top eight finally emerged.
Each of them received five hundred family contribution points and the right to choose one High-grade Magic Artifact from the family treasury.
The branch families they represented also officially obtained direct lineage status until the next competition.
Among the original four major direct lineage families participating in the competition, apart from the Yuan Chang Island lineage, the other three branch families undoubtedly continued to obtain direct lineage status.
Many Ning family members looked at Ning Fa with reverence.
Relying on Ning Fa's sole strength, the Pingchang Island lineage, after two hundred years, once again obtained direct lineage status.
And with the potential Ning Fa had displayed, it was likely that he could still guarantee the Pingchang Island lineage's direct lineage status for several decades without worry.
The members of the Pingchang Island lineage were ecstatic, and some of the elder clan members wept with joy.
Ning Fa's maternal uncle's family was also cheering and celebrating, their excitement no less than that of the Pingchang Island lineage.
Ning Fa's rise also gave them a great patron.