Chapter 542 540: What Happened to Wearing Him Down?

Hall Master Shang was perplexed.

When they learned Luo Tian was participating in the fourth match, several Hall Masters had shown concern. Why was that?

"I never expected Hall Master Shang to be able to invite Luo Tian. It's truly surprising."

The Green Skin Hall Master sighed.

It seemed they had underestimated Hall Master Shang. He had been hiding his true strength all along.

"Luo offered to help me on his own initiative, so I let him give it a try. To be honest, I wasn't holding out much hope,"

Hall Master Shang said truthfully.

But upon hearing Hall Master Shang's words, Hua Feng Hall Master and the others all sneered inwardly.

'So two-faced!'

'He spent a fortune to get Luo Tian here, and now he claims he's just letting him 'give it a try' and isn't holding out hope?'

The other Hall Masters were filled with contempt and anger.

In the first three matches, Hall Master Shang's side had achieved decent results, leaving a deep impression on everyone.

And now, for the fourth match.

With Luo Tian's help, Hall Master Shang might even take first place again.

If that happened, Hall Master Shang's overall score could surpass all the other Hall Masters.

"Hall Master Shang, don't celebrate too early. My chosen candidate is no simple character,"

the Green Skin Hall Master sneered.

The rules for the Martial Arts competition, aside from the requirement to be below the Celestial Pool Realm, were also lenient regarding age. Anyone under one hundred years old could participate!

Among the younger generation, Luo Tian's combat power was unrivaled, placing him high on the Earth List.

But against a veteran opponent, victory wasn't guaranteed.

The candidate the Green Skin Hall Master had found had been consolidating his strength at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm for a full thirty years!

However, he still didn't feel it was a sure thing.

So, he secretly sent voice transmissions to several other Hall Masters, and they all came to a unanimous agreement!

No matter whose candidate it was, if they ran into Luo Tian, even if they couldn't win, they were to exhaust him by any means necessary!

To the Green Skin Hall Master's surprise,

all the Hall Masters he contacted readily agreed to his suggestion.

Including Hua Feng Hall Master!

And so,

it was essentially an agreement among the nine Spirit Hall Masters to jointly deal with Hall Master Shang. Such a situation was truly rare; Hall Master Shang should feel honored even in defeat.

Hall Master Shang suddenly noticed that the expressions of the other Hall Masters were odd.

He sensed a whiff of conspiracy but didn't know the reason behind it.

「After a short break.」

The final match began.

Luo Tian finally saw the other nine contestants. Their Cultivation was all around the Peak of Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer, and among them, there were a full five at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm!

'These people are no pushovers,'

Luo Tian noted. Their auras were restrained, and their foundations were incredibly deep.

What surprised Luo Tian,

was that the other nine contestants all glanced at him at nearly the same time, their intentions clearly hostile!

Luo Tian thought about it for a moment and understood the reason, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

The other nine Hall Masters had felt so much pressure from his participation that they had actually joined forces.

Of course, there were other reasons. In the first and third matches, Luo Tian and the Crow's unorthodox performances had achieved excellent results, which had left the Hall Masters disgruntled.

"Next, each of you will fight in five battles. The final rankings will be determined by your wins, losses, and overall performance."

The referee announced the rules and assigned numbers to Luo Tian and the other nine.

Luo Tian was number ten.

Following that, a random draw determined the matchups.

Contestant number one walked out. He didn't look old, yet his hair was completely white, and his expression was cold and indifferent.

He was the candidate sent by Hua Feng Hall Master.

"It's actually Dongfang Hong!"

"Forty years ago, this man was a peerless genius in the Broken-star Realm! But he was ambushed by enemies, suffered heavy injuries, and his foundation was damaged. He's been unable to step into the Celestial Pool Realm his entire life!"

"Sigh, I heard the ones who attacked him were from the Sea Demon Palace."

The appearance of the white-haired man, Dongfang Hong, instantly caused a heated discussion!

It was because forty years ago, he had been far too dazzling!

Even on the high platform, the other Hall Masters revealed looks of surprise.

"If I had known Dongfang Hong was participating, there would have been no need for these petty schemes."

The Green Skin Hall Master sighed.

Dongfang Hong was originally a peerless genius. Though he was forever stuck before the Celestial Pool Realm, he hadn't lost heart. He continued to cultivate diligently, and his strength had reached the absolute limit of the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm!

With Dongfang Hong competing, there was no way Luo Tian could take first place!

But on second thought,

they could ensure Luo Tian couldn't even get second!

"Number one versus number three!"

the referee suddenly announced.

The Green Skin Hall Master's expression stiffened slightly.

Number three was his candidate!

Although he was confident in his choice, he knew his candidate didn't have much of a chance against Dongfang Hong.

On the Martial Arts Arena.

Dongfang Hong and a man with a single horn on his head faced each other from a distance.

The horned man felt an invisible pressure as he looked at the white-haired man opposite him.

"Begin!"

The moment the referee's voice fell,

Dongfang Hong struck instantly. He unleashed a colossal, grayish-white palm that filled the sky, bearing down on the horned man with immense pressure.

"What a powerful Palm Technique! Its might is almost at the Celestial Pool Realm level!"

"True Palm Skill Intent! Dongfang Hong has comprehended True Palm Skill Intent!"

The surrounding audience exclaimed in awe.

BOOM!

The horned man slashed out with an incomparably tyrannical golden blade gleam, meeting the attack head-on.

The two attacks collided, sending a violent shockwave blasting in all directions.

The horned man was forced back four steps, the blood and Qi churning within him!

POW!

Dongfang Hong struck with his palm again. It was fast, simple, and clean, giving the illusion that it was impossible to dodge.

The horned man was knocked back another dozen steps and shouted, "I surrender!"

The match had just begun. Wasting energy against Dongfang Hong would be detrimental to his subsequent fights.

Besides, the horned man couldn't see a sliver of hope for victory, so he simply chose to surrender.

"Number one wins."

The referee announced the result.

"This Dongfang Hong is certainly not simple," Luo Tian nodded slightly.

Dongfang Hong had been a peerless genius but was halted before the Celestial Pool Realm. Decades of consolidation had made his combat power terrifying.

He had comprehended True Palm Skill Intent. Even the Celestial Level Palm Technique he cultivated had reached the Great Achievement Realm and was touching the threshold of the Perfection Level!

Soon, it was the horned man, number three's, turn to draw.

His opponent was at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer, and the horned man won in just three moves!

The horned man used this battle to prove that losing to Dongfang Hong didn't mean he was weak.

"Number six versus number ten!"

'It's my turn.'

Luo Tian stepped onto the Martial Arts Arena.

Opposite him stood a woman in red, her Cultivation at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer.

'I really don't understand why the Hall Master would give me such an order,'

the woman in red snorted disdainfully.

He was just a mere Earth Element Realm Eighth Layer, yet the Hall Master had told her that if she encountered Luo Tian, she just had to do her utmost to wear him down.

SWISH! SWISH!

The woman in red's gaze sharpened as she suddenly attacked, flicking out two crimson beams of light from her fingers.

The finger beams shot forward like lightning, seething with killing intent.

But Luo Tian remained standing in place, not moving an inch.

"Is that kid scared stiff?"

"He got first place in the last match through a fluke. This time he's finished!"

The audience buzzed with discussion.

Most people didn't approve of Luo Tian's performance in the previous match.

TING! TING!

The two finger beams struck Luo Tian accurately.

The woman in red had expected two bloody holes to appear on Luo Tian's body.

But instead,

her two Finger Technique attacks shattered as if they were eggs hitting a stone.

"What?"

The woman in red was dumbfounded.

Luo Tian reached out and patted his clothes a few times, as if brushing off some dust.

His Celestial Furnace Treasure Body was approaching Sixth-Layer Great Success, and with the added Defense of the Celestial Silver Feather Robe, an Attack from someone at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer could hardly harm him.

SWOOSH!

Luo Tian's figure flickered and vanished, leaving behind a moon-colored afterimage as he instantly appeared in front of the woman in red.

"Not good!"

The woman in red trembled, her pupils contracting!

'What kind of speed is this? He appeared in front of me in the blink of an eye! I don't have time to react!'

POW!

Luo Tian sent out a light, airy palm strike, and the woman in red was sent flying off the Martial Arts Arena.

The entire arena fell silent!

"He won just like that?"

"I want to report this! It's definitely match-fixing!"

"An Earth Element Realm Eighth Layer can defeat someone at the Peak of Earth Element Realm Ninth Layer with a single palm strike?"

Immediately after, an uproar erupted.

The audience was full of strong suspicion, believing they had just watched a fixed match!

The woman in red, lying on the ground, heard these discussions and her face flushed with humiliation!

She really hadn't faked it, yet she was being slandered and looked down upon by the crowd!

On the high platform,

Hall Master Shang's face was filled with pleasant surprise.

Luo Tian's performance in his first battle was truly stunning!

But the other Hall Masters didn't look so good. They all looked toward a short, stout Hall Master.

'Didn't we agree that if your candidate met Luo Tian, they were to do their best to wear him down?'

'Was *this* how the stout Hall Master's candidate did her best to wear him down?'

...

"Number ten wins!"

The referee, who had been stunned for a moment, hurriedly announced the result.

Now, his gaze toward Luo Tian was filled with intense doubt.

The competition continued.

「A short while later.」

It was Luo Tian's turn to draw, and he drew number two!

The audience held their breath, staring at the Martial Arts Arena without blinking. If this match was also fixed, there would be no point in watching anymore.

Number two's Cultivation was at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm.

Because of Luo Tian's previous performance, he didn't have the slightest bit of contempt. He remembered his Hall Master's instructions: just do everything possible to wear Luo Tian down!

A Treasure Sword appeared in number two's hand, and he slashed out a blazing, brilliant Sword Light.

His strength was considered formidable among those at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm!

That blazing Sword Light arrived above Luo Tian's head in an instant, looking as if it would cleave him in two.

SWOOSH!

Luo Tian executed the Moon Shadow Step Technique, leaving behind an afterimage as he easily dodged!

Number two's expression was grave. He continuously swung his Treasure Sword, and one after another, bright, dazzling Sword Lights rained down madly on the Martial Arts Arena.

However,

every single one of his strikes landed exactly where Luo Tian had just been.

In other words, they all missed!

POW!

Luo Tian closed the distance to number two and raised his hand for a palm strike, a wave of cold wind and Qi crushing forward.

The sword strike that number two hastily slashed out was shattered by Luo Tian's surging Palm Force.

Number two was forced back several steps, his arms numb and the blood and Qi in his body roiling!

POW! POW! POW!

Luo Tian attacked continuously. His Palm Technique was as fast as lightning, its momentum surging and unstoppable!

Number two took several palm strikes in a row, retreating constantly until he finally fell off the Martial Arts Arena!

This time,

the audience saw clearly that number two hadn't held back; he had attacked with his full strength.

But Luo Tian had won so easily that it still gave them the illusion of a fixed match!

"Number ten wins!"

The referee announced the result, much calmer than before.

On the high platform,

Hall Master Shang's face was full of surprise and delight!

This battle gave him a more direct understanding of Luo Tian's combat strength!

He was just too strong!

A Half-step Celestial Pool Realm expert was knocked off the Martial Arts Arena in just a few moves!

He also finally understood why the other Hall Masters had been so worried.

But Hall Master Shang was still curious. What exactly had Luo Tian experienced over these years to have undergone such a world-shaking transformation!