A gale of fist wind flew past Bai Cheng, but before he could feel any relief, Xiao Yan’s elbow suddenly crashed down, a sharp force gathering at its tip, producing a piercing sound that made everyone’s eardrums ache. Holding the long spear tightly in his right hand and touching the ground to stabilize his tilting body, Bai Cheng hurriedly raised his left hand to block Xiao Yan’s elbow. As their forces collided, ripples of energy spread out, and faint cracking sounds of bones could be heard.
Feeling the immense power in Xiao Yan’s elbow, Bai Cheng’s face turned slightly pale. Under that powerful force, his tilting body was smashed directly onto the ground, with cracks spreading from the impact point.
Xiao Yan’s face remained cold, and without a moment’s pause, he bent his foot, gathering azure battle qi rapidly. He then kicked fiercely at Bai Cheng’s head, lying on the ground. If this kick connected, even with Bai Cheng’s strength, he would likely fall unconscious immediately.
The sharp force approaching his head made Bai Cheng break out in cold sweat. Regardless of his dignity, he rolled on the ground, barely dodging Xiao Yan’s lethal kick.
From the moment Xiao Yan let go of his heavy ruler to Bai Cheng’s current awkward rolling, the whole process took less than a minute. But this unexpected scene left the audience in shock. The “Bai Gang” members, who were previously laughing, now sounded like ducks with strangled throats, their voices hoarse and lacking the previous wild laughter.
In contrast, the members of the Qimen Sect cheered loudly. Initially, they thought Xiao Yan losing his heavy ruler would put him at a disadvantage, but instead, he had managed to turn the tables and make Bai Cheng, who should have been in control, roll on the ground. This unexpected turn of events made the tense Qimen members burst into cheers, and some even mocked the previously triumphant Bai Gang, making the latter’s faces turn green with anger.
“He’s quite strong in close combat. His punches seem even more powerful and faster than when he held the black ruler,” said Yan Hao, watching Xiao Yan’s sudden burst of power from the high stands, clearly surprised.
“Not just a little,” Lin Xiu Ya frowned slightly, sensing a thicker aura from Xiao Yan after he let go of the heavy ruler. He then turned his gaze to the Heavy Xuan Ruler lying outside the arena, muttering, “I think the problem might lie with that ruler.”
Reminded by Lin Xiu Ya, Yan Hao and the others reflected on Xiao Yan’s increased strength after letting go of the ruler and nodded in realization.
“This guy is always full of surprises,” they thought.
After rolling clumsily on the ground, Bai Cheng leaped up, his face alternately turning red and white at the mocking laughter from the stands. After a while, his expression returned to its usual grimness, and he glared at Xiao Yan, saying coldly, “You’re better than I expected, kid.”
Xiao Yan’s palms extended slightly, and he exhaled deeply. The fierce physical combat seemed to awaken a latent power within him, making him feel like roaring in exhilaration. The benefits of this fight for Xiao Yan, especially after his recent breakthrough, were significant.
“Have you ever taken me seriously?” Xiao Yan asked, his head tilted, and with a smirk. Before Bai Cheng could respond, a silver light flashed beneath his feet, and he appeared beside Bai Cheng like a phantom, unleashing a flurry of powerful attacks with his fists, elbows, and legs. A series of afterimages lingered in the air, and the howling fist winds swept across the stage like a relentless gale.
With the experience from their previous encounter, Bai Cheng managed to hold his ground against Xiao Yan’s fierce onslaught, using his long spear to fend off the attacks that were barely visible as afterimages.
In the battlefield, the two figures darted and clashed, their azure and deep yellow battle qi colliding with thunderous booms. The shockwaves from their battles caused the already cracked ground to split further, spreading at a visible speed.
The low, rumbling sounds of their collisions echoed from the battlefield. In the end, the two figures, enveloped in swirling battle qi, became indistinct, and the intense pressure of their clashes made even the spectators several meters away feel breathless.
Watching the ferocious exchange, many in the stands were awestruck. Despite Bai Cheng’s reputation in the Inner Academy, and his status on the “Strong Ranking,” Xiao Yan, a newcomer with only a few months in the Inner Academy, was holding his own, which was surprising.
As the battle intensified, the noise from the stands diminished. Many people watched the two blurs of light with bated breath. At this point, both fighters were fully exerting themselves, and any slight delay could lead to a decisive strike from the opponent.
Even if Xiao Yan lost, his reputation wouldn’t suffer much. Entering the Inner Academy less than half a year ago and fighting to a draw with Bai Cheng, a veteran, was impressive. On the other hand, Bai Cheng’s loss would be far more damaging, so he knew he had to win.
A cold, sinister light flashed in Bai Cheng’s eyes. He was growing anxious. He had thought it would be easy to defeat the newly promoted Xiao Yan, but now they were in a stalemate. No matter how fierce Xiao Yan’s attacks, he clung like sticky glue, and his relentless physical assaults prevented Bai Cheng from using his spear effectively.
“I must defeat this brat! I’ll use what Han Xian gave me,” Bai Cheng thought, his face twisting into a snarl. Blocking Xiao Yan’s attacks with his spear, he retrieved a purple-red pill from his sleeve and swallowed it quickly.
The pill instantly made Bai Cheng’s face flush with a strange purple-red hue. A low growl rumbled from his throat, and his deep yellow battle qi surged out of control, tinged with a faint purple-red.
Xiao Yan’s fist struck Bai Cheng’s spear, causing it to bend slightly before rebounding with incredible force. Xiao Yan staggered back, but as he regained his footing, Bai Cheng, now moving much faster, swung his spear heavily, striking Xiao Yan’s arm.
A low thud resounded, and Xiao Yan’s arm was wracked with pain. Bai Cheng’s sudden surge of power forced Xiao Yan to retreat several meters, and his face paled slightly.
The abrupt change in the deadlock surprised the audience. When they saw Bai Cheng’s face turn purple, someone shouted, “Bai Cheng took a pill!”
The crowd erupted in a roar. While taking pills during matches wasn’t against the rules, using them against a newcomer was considered dishonorable.
Xiao Yan’s feet moved rapidly, dispelling the impact. He looked up coldly at Bai Cheng, whose face and eyes were now tinged with purple. Smirking, he said, “Quite a potent pill, boosting your strength so significantly.”
“Victory is all that matters in a fight. No one cares about the process!” Bai Cheng sneered, no longer caring about excuses. He wanted to incapacitate or even cripple Xiao Yan, who had disrupted his peace since entering the Inner Academy.
“Senior Bai is right,” Xiao Yan surprisingly agreed, nodding. He then revealed a dark red, round pill between his fingers. “Since Senior Bai has taken a pill, I can’t be outdone. This Dragon Strength Pill has never been tested. Let’s see how it works, Senior Bai.”
Staring at the dark red pill, Bai Cheng’s face contorted in dismay.
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