On the high platform, everyone exchanged glances, all of them not expecting that this biggest dark horse would encounter a real obstacle at such a critical moment. Facing Liu Qing, there were perhaps only Zi Yan and Lin Xiu Ya who had such strength in the Inner Academy. Although Xiao Yan’s performance in the previous two battles was impeccable, compared to a true powerhouse like Liu Qing, there was still a considerable gap.
“Xiao Yan is a bit of a reverse respect…” Yan Hao sighed, turning to Lin Xiu Ya and the others beside him.
Han Yue also furrowed her brows slightly. Although she highly regarded Xiao Yan’s strength, when it came to comparing with a strong one like Liu Qing, she had to admit that there was indeed a significant difference.
Lin Xiu Ya’s expression remained calm, his thoughts inscrutable. After a while, he said softly, “Let’s see after the match ends. Although I also think Xiao Yan might have a higher chance of losing, I cannot deny that he still has a chance to win. The contest between him and Liu Qing… sigh… hard to say.”
The people around him nodded slightly, their gazes involuntarily scanning towards Liu Qing’s position. At this time, even the latter, as the party involved, had a faint look of surprise, but he did not show much emotional fluctuation, maintaining a calm demeanor like Lin Xiu Ya.
In contrast to Liu Qing’s composure, Liu Fei beside him almost jumped up and cheered loudly. Yesterday, Yao Sheng’s defeat by Xiao Yan had left her with a lot of frustration. She had been cursing, hoping Xiao Yan would meet her cousin Liu Qing in the competition. Unexpectedly, in what was almost the most crucial match, the latter indeed met Liu Qing, a stroke of bad luck. This sudden turn of events made her inwardly exclaim in delight, “Karma!”
“Wu Hao helplessly patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, wanting to say something, but found no words, only letting out a light sigh.
“Hey, Xiao Yan, how about I go and beat Liu Qing so he can’t show up? That way you can advance directly,” Zi Yan flicked her purple ponytail, waving her small fist at Xiao Yan.
“Please, have a little faith in me, okay?” Smiling bitterly, Xiao Yan shook his head and ruffled Zi Yan’s hair. Looking around, he found that, except for Xuner, everyone else had a somber expression. He couldn’t help but laugh wryly, “Although the opponent is Liu Qing, there’s no need to look so downcast. The match hasn’t even started yet.”
Hearing this, Wu Hao and the others could only manage a forced smile. They knew how much Xiao Yan valued the top ten spots, and now, at this crucial moment, this helpless situation must be quite frustrating for him.
Seeing their gloomier expressions than his own, Xiao Yan shook his head, feeling both amused and frustrated. Liu Qing was indeed strong, but if they really fought, who would win was uncertain. With his current strength, if he went all out, he could make even a Dou Wang or Battle Emperor suffer. After all, the true large-scale Buddha Anger Lotus, once unleashed, had a destructive power that even the Pharmacist Elder marveled at, not to be taken lightly.
Of course, the side effects of the large-scale Buddha Anger Lotus were too severe, and Xiao Yan wouldn’t use it unless it was a life-and-death situation. This was his true final trump card.
After a while, the whispered conversations gradually returned to the referee’s seat.
Su Qian’s gaze slowly returned from Xiao Yan’s direction, hoping that this young man, who had already mastered an odd flame, could create another miracle and enter the top ten despite the obstacles posed by Liu Qing and others.
“The first match: Yan Hao vs. Qian Mo!” As Su Qian’s voice rang out, the atmosphere finally shifted from Xiao Yan’s predicament. All eyes turned to the two on the high platform.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yan Hao stood up first. This robust man, whose physique was no less imposing than Liu Qing, calmly walked to the edge of the platform and then jumped down, landing heavily in the arena.
As Yan Hao entered, the rather plump Qian Mo reluctantly stood up, his body trembling as he moved to the edge of the platform. His body shrank slightly, a faint wind vortex condensed around him, and then, to everyone’s astonishment, his massive body floated down like a balloon.
“Turns out he cultivates wind attribute Dou Qi…” Many people wiped away cold sweat, seeing the elegant and flexible wind attribute Dou Qi used in such a way, it felt completely different.
Though the appearance was not very graceful, everyone knew that those who ranked in the top ten of the Strong Ranking were all incredibly powerful. Judging by appearances, they would likely be at a severe disadvantage.
With the two entering the arena, the atmosphere in the stands became heated. Both were among the top ten, and the match was bound to be extremely exciting.
As Su Qian announced the start of the match, the two instantly drew their weapons. Yan Hao held a huge black iron hammer, while Qian Mo, to everyone’s surprise, pulled out a golden, circular saw-like object from his storage ring. These golden circular saws were only palm-sized, but their sharp edges gleamed with a chilling light.
“It’s said that Qian Mo’s weapon is called the Golden Ring Saw. When thrown, it makes a tremendous sound and is extremely accurate and lethal. In battle, releasing several Golden Ring Saws at once can be a major headache,” Wu Hao whispered to Xiao Yan.
“Oh?” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, interested. He hadn’t expected the fat man to have such an unexpected move. It seemed that those who entered the top ten were all quite skilled.
Amidst the whispers, Qian Mo bowed to Yan Hao and laughed dryly, “Big Brother Yan, be gentle. If your Wugang Hammer hits me, I might turn into a pile of mincemeat right here.”
“Cut the crap, Qian Fatty. I haven’t seen you in a long time. How much stronger are your Golden Ring Saws now?” Yan Hao laughed, swinging his black iron hammer, the sharp sound making the spectators cover their ears.
Qian Mo’s face twitched with laughter, then his expression turned serious. Grasping a Golden Ring Saw, dense Dou Qi surged from his body, forming wind vortices around him, which gathered under his control around the Golden Ring Saw in his hand.
“Ha!” Suddenly, a low shout, and Qian Mo’s arm trembled. The golden, glowing Golden Ring Saw shot out like a bolt of lightning, heading straight for Yan Hao.
The golden lightning was terrifyingly fast, only a faint golden line visible before it struck Yan Hao.
“Boom!” The black iron hammer crashed into the ground, causing cracks to spread rapidly. A deep yellow energy surged from the cracks, hitting the golden lightning, sending it flying skyward.
“Again! Qian Ten Rings, nine more to go, ha!” Yan Hao laughed, his Dou Qi surging rapidly. His skin turned as hard as rock, taking on a grayish-white hue.
Qian Mo sighed. Yan Hao’s Dou Qi belonged to the earth element, specifically the rare Rock Dou Qi, which made his body as hard as rock, effectively countering Qian Mo’s Golden Ring Saw.
“Qian Mo is suppressed by Yan Hao both in terms of strength and attributes. Winning will be difficult, and using the Golden Ring Saw consumes a lot of Dou Qi. With his strength, he can only use it ten times, so in the Inner Academy, he’s known as Qian Ten Rings,” Wu Hao explained, continuously informing Xiao Yan about the unfamiliar terms.
Xiao Yan nodded. The Golden Ring Saw wasn’t suitable for fair competition; it was best used for sneak attacks. Imagine walking through the forest, suddenly having a Golden Ring Saw shoot out from an unexpected corner—how terrifying and chilling would that be?
In the arena, Qian Mo seemed aware of his weakness but had no other choice. His mentor had once said that he would thrive as an assassin, but in a direct challenge, his combat power would greatly diminish.
Sharp, unparalleled Golden Ring Saws shot out from Qian Mo’s hand, but no matter how precise the angle, they had little effect on Yan Hao, who focused all his Dou Qi on defense. Even if some hit, they only left long, gray-white marks.
Though using all his Dou Qi for defense was exhausting, it was better than using the Golden Ring Saws. Thus, their battle was a test of who had more robust Dou Qi.
This attack-defense battle, while spectacular to ordinary students, was somewhat boring for Xiao Yan and the others. They all knew that Qian Mo was at a disadvantage, as he couldn’t break through Yan Hao’s defenses even with all his efforts.
After nearly half an hour, Qian Mo gave up, putting away the last two Golden Ring Saws and, amid the stunned gazes, conceded defeat.
Qian Mo’s concession was within expectations, and the second match soon followed.
Zi Yan vs. Qin Zhen, a match with a vast disparity in strength…
Zi Yan instantly entered the arena, still angry after yesterday’s encounter with a Battle Emperor beast. She rolled up her sleeves, her black eyes fiercely scanning the high platform.
Seeing Zi Yan’s demeanor, many on the high platform shrank back, silently mourning for Qin Zhen.
However, after Zi Yan entered, Qin Zhen did not appear for a long time. Just as the crowd grew impatient, a weak voice announced, “Qin Zhen says he has a stomachache and won’t participate…”
The arena fell silent, then filled with a collective facepalm. This… was too comedic, wasn’t it?
Xiao Yan and the others rubbed their stiff faces, wondering what Zi Yan had done to make such strong fighters so wary and fearful of her.
Elders like Su Qian also shook their heads, though they didn’t blame anyone. They knew that Zi Yan was a monster on the Strong Ranking, someone even Lin Xiu Ya and Liu Qing dared not provoke, let alone others.
“Cough… Since Qin Zhen has conceded, let’s begin the final contest for the last top ten spot,” Su Qian stood up, coughed, and said slowly.
With Su Qian’s words, all eyes turned to the high platform, finally settling on Xiao Yan and Liu Qing.
Today’s three matches, but this one, was perhaps the most anticipated. A clash between a new dark horse and an old powerhouse!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage