Novel Full Chapter 24: One Round, Just One Round
Chapter 24: One Round Means One Round
Seven consecutive victories.
Although these were only sparring matches at the Qi Circulation Realm level, they still left everyone feeling exhilarated.
This was the first time in over a decade that a previous champion had achieved the remarkable feat of seven consecutive victories on the arena.
The last time someone accomplished such a feat reportedly dated back eighteen years ago.
However, that previous champion from the outer court competition had sustained hidden injuries during his perfect victory run.
In his final match against the current champion, he exhausted his strength and was defeated.
That disciple, who was just half a step away from becoming the outer sect supreme champion, was now the Training Grounds supervisor of the outer court – Xue Xiu.
Xue Xiu was only in his forties and was highly valued by the sect; his promotion to the inner sect was merely a matter of time.
Yet Xue Xiu’s fate was to perish in the outer court catastrophe that occurred over two years later.
Now, Xue Xiu sat upright on the viewing stand, gazing at Xu Aotian’s back as he descended from the arena.
No one knew what he was thinking at this moment.
“Dong!”
The bell’s melodious sound echoed over the outer court, signaling the official start of the outer court competition.
The first to begin were the matches between Body Forging Realm disciples.
Eight arenas – Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Tian, Di, Xuan, and Huang – simultaneously hosted the competition.
Only after four rounds of matches would the top sixteen competition stage be concentrated on a single arena, unfolding before everyone’s watchful eyes.
Chen Yan was in the fourth match of the Xuan Group, facing a very ordinary late-stage Body Forging Realm disciple.
However, who his opponent was didn’t matter to Chen Yan.
With his actual cultivation at the Martial Spring Realm, even if Chen Yan suppressed his realm to the Body Forging Realm, it would be like dimensional suppression against Qi Circulation Realm practitioners.
Because their physical strength and true energy utilization were completely on different levels.
In terms of pure entertainment value, Body Forging Realm cultivators’ sparring was somewhat more visually appealing than Qi Circulation Realm cultivators’ matches.
Compared to the half-baked techniques of Qi Circulation Realm practitioners, the direct, flesh-impacting combat of Body Forging Realm cultivators was more entertaining to watch.
The first few matches offered little excitement, until the start of the third match in the Xuan Group captured almost everyone’s attention in the Training Grounds.
A nine-foot tall muscular man stood on the arena, dressed in tight-fitting clothes and wielding a giant axe. His exposed arms bulged with knotted muscles that reflected unusual luster under the sunlight, appearing intimidating just to look at.
Opposite this giant, the disciple holding a refined steel sword looked like he was holding nothing more than an embroidery needle compared to the massive axe.
“Good heavens.”
On the viewing stand, Elder Lan Wei of Qingchan Peak shook his head repeatedly, letting out a bitter laugh of amazement.
This was an extremely lopsided matchup.
Because combat between Body Forging Realm practitioners ultimately relied primarily on physical strength, with true energy playing a secondary role.
Even before the match began, the outcome was almost predetermined.
“Clang!”
The bronze gong sounded, announcing the start of the match.
“Hah, if I were that kid facing the giant, I’d surrender the moment the gong rings.”
“Exactly, what’s the point of even fighting?”
Spectators below the arena made sarcastic comments.
“If you were to face that giant axe-wielding disciple, what are your chances of defeating him?”
Lin Qifeng asked Chen Yan.
Chen Yan remained silent, simply raising three fingers.
“Thirty percent?”
Lin Qifeng frowned, seemingly quite dissatisfied with Chen Yan’s answer.
“Within three rounds, I will definitely defeat him.”
Chen Yan said calmly.
Hearing this, Lin Qifeng was momentarily stunned before breaking into laughter:
“Good kid, you boast even bigger than your master did back in the day!”
Whether it was Chen Yan’s imagination or not, he felt Lin Qifeng seemed to appreciate him more than before.
Attention returned to the arena.
Compared to the giant, the sword-wielding disciple standing opposite him was clearly more restrained and cautious.
And his hesitation played right into the giant’s hands.
The giant spun his body while swinging his massive axe, rapidly closing in on the sword-wielding disciple. The axe wind he generated even swept up fallen leaves from three zhang away.
Mountain Splitting Style!
The axe blade descended with tremendous force, heading straight for the sword-wielding disciple who had no time to dodge and could only raise his sword to block.
Sparks flew as a crisp sound rang out – the steel sword in the disciple’s hand was cleanly split in two by the axe blade.
The axe blade’s momentum unabated, continuing toward the sword-wielding disciple’s body.
The disciple’s daoist robe tore apart from the blade wind even before the axe made contact.
In the next instant, the axe blade struck the sword-wielding disciple’s body.
“Clang!”
Sparks flew as the axe blade hacked into the disciple’s chest, then bounced upward.
But it only left a white mark on the skin of the sword-wielding disciple’s chest.
No one was surprised by this.
Because the physical strength of late-stage Body Forging Realm practitioners far exceeded that of ordinary steel weapons.
This was also the fundamental reason why it was previously mentioned that no ordinary martial artist could hope to match any late-stage Body Forging Realm practitioner.
After the axe blade bounced back, the giant took advantage of the momentum and rotated the blade, swinging the axe handle like a baseball bat.
The sword-wielding disciple was sent flying sideways, crashing toward the crowd watching below the arena.
Victory was decided.
“He took two rounds.”
Lin Qifeng said, looking somewhat amusedly at Chen Yan behind him:
“You need three rounds?”
“Give me one round.”
Chen Yan said calmly:
“In one round, I will defeat my opponent for this round. Otherwise, I would be unworthy of the Body Forging Liquid you obtained for me from Kongyuan Mountain’s Alchemy Hall.”
“So you do know that getting Body Forging Liquid and Qi Regulation Pills from my senior brother requires me to call in favors?”
Lin Qifeng said as if both angry and amused:
“Your turn now, hurry up and go fight. Don’t embarrass me.”
Chen Yan cupped his hands in salute, then descended from the viewing stand and walked toward the Xuan-character arena.
“Next match: Chen Yan, personal disciple of Outer Court Fate Inquiry Hall Elder Lin Qifeng, versus Outer Court Disciple Zhao Wei!”
As the manager disciple responsible for announcing the competitors’ names spoke these words, they created waves of excitement throughout the Training Grounds.
“Is that young man really Elder Lin’s personal disciple?”
“He looks quite handsome.”
“Tch, what use is being handsome when he’s still only at the Body Forging Realm?”
“Exactly, I really don’t know why Elder Lin would take on a seventeen-year-old still at Body Forging Realm as his personal disciple. Aren’t there plenty of disciples in the outer court with better talent than him? Not to mention the inner sect.”
To Chen Yan, the people’s discussions sounded somewhat grating, like the buzzing of flies.
But it didn’t matter.
Chen Yan slowly stepped onto the arena, and standing on the opposite side was his opponent for this round – Zhao Wei.
An outer court disciple about the same age as him with very pale skin.
“Please enlighten me.”
Zhao Wei said while cupping his hands toward Chen Yan’s direction.
“……”
Chen Yan made no sound, simply returning the salute by cupping his hands toward Zhao Wei’s direction.
“Clang!”
The bronze gong sounded.
Zhao Wei forcefully pushed off the ground with his left leg, lunging toward Chen Yan.
Chen Yan simply stood still without moving, seemingly full of openings.
Zhao Wei didn’t become suspicious, instead swinging his arm to deliver a heavy right hook aimed at Chen Yan’s temple.
“Thump!”
However, before Zhao Wei’s fist could reach Chen Yan, he was instead struck in the face by Chen Yan’s suddenly raised fist, sending his entire body flying backward.
“I concede.”
Chen Yan said calmly.
The entire arena fell into complete silence.