After the seventh round, fewer than twenty participants remained.
Each one was a standout among their peers—heirs of great families, exceptionally gifted Lingyuan masters, battle-hardened fighters.
And Ye Chen, the "useless attribute" everyone had mocked, stood among them.
During the break, Ye Chen sat in a corner, resting with his eyes closed.
Six consecutive matches, though none had been overly taxing, had still consumed a considerable amount of Lingyuan. That last Space Cutting alone had used a third of his reserves.
"About three more matches," Ye Chen estimated. "I need to conserve Lingyuan. No more Space Cutting unless necessary."
"Hey!"
A voice sounded above him. Ye Chen opened his eyes to see Tie Shan standing there, a friendly smile on his honest face.
"That move of yours was amazing!" Tie Shan gave him a thumbs up. "I've never seen anyone cut through a Lightning Cannon like that."
"Thank you," Ye Chen replied politely.
"I'm Tie Shan." The boy plopped down beside him, unconcerned about the dust on the ground. "You're Ye Chen, right? I've heard of you. They say you have a useless attribute."
Ye Chen glanced at him. "Do you think so too?"
"Of course not!" Tie Shan waved his hands emphatically. "How could a useless attribute cut through a Lightning Cannon? Those people are just blind. I think you're strong—stronger than all those so-called 'geniuses.'"
Ye Chen couldn't help but smile.
This Tie Shan, despite his imposing size, had a simple, straightforward nature, speaking his mind without guile—not the type to play games.
"You're strong too," Ye Chen said. "Your defense is the strongest I've seen."
Tie Shan scratched his head, grinning bashfully. "Heh, I'm just thick-skinned. Not much else."
As they spoke, another person approached.
It was Qin Yurou.
"Sorry to interrupt." She inclined her head slightly, her voice gentle. "I'm Qin Yurou. Your Lingyuan consumption looks significant. Would you like me to help restore some?"
Ye Chen blinked. He did need to recover his Lingyuan, but he hadn't expected anyone to offer help proactively.
"Won't that affect your upcoming matches?" Ye Chen asked.
Qin Yurou shook her head. "My Lingyuan recovers quickly. It's fine."
She extended her palm, and a soft white light glowed there. The light was warm without being harsh, like spring sunshine, spreading a profound sense of comfort.
The white light enveloped Ye Chen. He felt a gentle energy seep into his body, nourishing his depleted Lingyuan. It was like soaking in a hot spring—utterly relaxing.
"Thank you." After his Lingyuan recovered, Ye Chen expressed his sincere gratitude.
Qin Yurou smiled. "You're welcome. We all came here to become stronger. Helping each other is only natural."
Ye Chen looked at her, his opinion of this gentle girl rising.
In this world of the strong preying on the weak, encountering someone like her was a stroke of luck.
"Hey, you!"
A brash voice came from nearby. Ye Chen turned to see a richly dressed boy walking toward them, trailed by several lackeys—clearly a young master from some prominent family.
"So you're that Space-Time attribute waste?" The boy looked Ye Chen up and down, his eyes full of disdain. "I heard you've been getting lucky and winning a few matches?"
Ye Chen ignored him.
The boy's face darkened. "I'm talking to you! Didn't you hear?"
"I heard," Ye Chen said flatly. "I just don't want to answer."
The boy's face flushed red. Before he could react, Tie Shan stood up.
"What do you want?" Tie Shan positioned himself in front of Ye Chen, looking down at the boy. "Looking for a fight?"
Startled by Tie Shan's size, the boy stepped back, his bluster fading. "I—I won't lower myself to your level. Just wait until we meet in the arena—I'll show you!"
With that, he scurried off with his entourage.
Tie Shan made a face at his retreating back. "Coward. Picks on the weak, fears the strong."
Ye Chen smiled but said nothing.
His gaze, however, fell on a figure not far away.
Bai Yu stood there, chatting with a few others. His expression was relaxed, as if making casual conversation, but his eyes never stopped scanning their surroundings—observing every potential opponent.
Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes.
The next round might very well be Bai Yu.
Sure enough, when the eighth-round draw was announced, the crowd erupted.
"Number thirty-seven versus number nine!"
Number thirty-seven was Ye Chen. Number nine was Bai Yu.
The two most talked-about participants would meet in the quarterfinals.
"This is going to be good!"
"Space-Time attribute against Wind Lingyuan—who wins?"
"Bai Yu, obviously. A genius from the Wind Emperor family, how could he lose to a useless attribute?"
"But Ye Chen is no pushover either. Did you see him cut through that Lightning Cannon?"
"So what? Bai Yu's speed—he won't even be able to track him!"
Discussion buzzed from all sides.
Ye Chen rose and walked toward the arena.
Bai Yu was already there, standing like a sword about to be drawn, the wind ruffling his robes.
"Finally," Bai Yu said, his eyes burning with battle spirit. "I've been waiting for this."
Ye Chen stood opposite him, calm. "So have I."
The referee looked between them and raised his hand: "Begin!"