The murderous aura permeating the hall left the two poor little maids trembling with fear. Yet, they couldn’t flee; instead, they had to force smiles and serve these terrifying tenth-tier powerhouses. It was no wonder that the moment Zhang Wen appeared, he was seen as a savior. By his side, they at least found a semblance of safety.
“Would you like some lemon juice? Or tomato juice?” After taking a few breaths of fresh air, the two charming maids finally calmed down. They immediately approached Zhang Wen with cheerful smiles, offering the trays in their hands.
“Tomato juice,” Zhang Wen casually picked up a glass from the tray.
Under normal circumstances, standing with two beautiful maids would have drawn countless jealous glances. But at this moment, few in the hall paid any attention. Only Rui En pouted in frustration, while the others didn’t even glance at Zhang Wen.
As time ticked by, the mood of the martial artists gathered in the hall grew increasingly restless. The noise in the hall gradually became more chaotic. Xiu Luo and Agate still hadn’t appeared, and Zhang Wen didn’t seem to be in a hurry either.
Zhang Wen continuously observed every martial artist in the hall. Before agreeing to Lailiya’s request, he hadn’t cared about who was participating in Hassan’s selection. But now, he needed to identify his strongest opponents in this competition.
Ge Luo’s actions, which had angered everyone, provided Zhang Wen with a perfect opportunity. These hot-tempered martial artists were losing control of their emotions. In their rage, most would unconsciously use their combat energy in their movements, making it easy for Zhang Wen to gauge the strength of the majority.
At a glance, the three saint-tier powerhouses stood out as the strongest in the hall.
Compared to the saint-tier experts Zhang Wen had encountered before, these three hadn’t reached the level of the golden-haired leader under Leka, who was just one step away from the super-tier. However, their combat energy had already peaked at the saint-tier. Compared to the other four among the five saint-tier experts, these three in the hall were slightly superior! Moreover, they were seasoned warriors who had fought through countless battles, their practical experience no less than that of Leka’s five saint-tier experts.
However, among all the martial artists, the ones who caught Zhang Wen’s attention the most weren’t these three saint-tier powerhouses. Instead, it was two individuals standing at opposite ends of the hall, as if in silent communication.
Unlike the three high-profile saint-tier experts, the two martial artists Zhang Wen noticed didn’t display any overwhelming combat energy that far surpassed the others. The level of combat energy Zhang Wen sensed from them was almost no different from most of the tenth-tier powerhouses present! Yet, Zhang Wen noticed a detail that suggested these two were far from ordinary—the space they occupied.
Of the two Zhang Wen observed, the one on the south side of the hall casually bent his right leg and leaned against the wall, sitting on the floor. He wore a so-called “commoner’s coat,” ubiquitous in the empire, with a handsome face adorned with a friendly smile, as if hoping to make friends with others.
However, Zhang Wen keenly noticed that within a twenty-meter radius around this amiable man, not a single martial artist stood! Even if a few occasionally entered the semicircle, they quickly left, as if feeling uncomfortable.
This scene gave Zhang Wen some insight. These tenth-tier powerhouses, who had fought in undeveloped regions, relied heavily on their intuition. When they approached within twenty meters of that martial artist, though they didn’t consciously sense anything, their intuition subconsciously warned them to stay away from the dangerous area.
To stimulate the crisis intuition of these tenth-tier thugs without them even realizing it, making them dare not approach within twenty meters… Was this guy really only at the tenth tier? A slight smile curved Zhang Wen’s lips as his gaze shifted to the other martial artist he had noticed.
In stark contrast to the first suspicious figure, the second martial artist who piqued Zhang Wen’s interest didn’t create a vast no-man’s land. Instead, he seemed to be completely ignored by everyone!
If a person walking alone at night encountered another stranger approaching, they would naturally feel tense and alert as the distance closed. This is an innate instinct of all living beings. Any normal person would experience the same emotions in a similar situation.
The martial artists in the Star Moon Hall were professional thugs with extremely heightened vigilance. Their intuition was sharper, and their alertness higher than that of ordinary people. This had been perfectly demonstrated by the earlier “dangerous figure.”
Yet, in the case of the second martial artist who caught Zhang Wen’s attention, everyone’s instinct to remain vigilant seemed to vanish!
This martial artist had beautiful silver hair and a cute baby face. He leaned against a sculpture, smiling as he looked around. Surprisingly, the thugs around him seemed completely unaware of his presence, walking past him without a second glance. On several occasions, two martial artists even chatted and laughed as they brushed past him, not even looking his way!
Vicky!
At the sight of this scene, the name of the girl who had nearly taken his life with a sharp knife suddenly popped into Zhang Wen’s mind.
Indeed, the baby-faced martial artist gave Zhang Wen the same feeling as the elusive, hard-to-guard-against Vicky. However, the baby-faced martial artist’s strength was likely at least one level higher than Vicky’s! After all, Vicky’s elusive abilities could only be fully utilized in complete darkness. In a bright environment, Zhang Wen could still sense the dangerous aura around her.
But this baby-faced individual could make people ignore him even in broad daylight. Even the thugs who lived on the edge couldn’t detect the slightest hint of danger.
These two were probably the most challenging opponents in this competition… Zhang Wen pondered silently.
The noisy atmosphere in the hall continued for a while longer before the door on the east side finally opened again.
Bang!
As Ge Luo appeared at the entrance, the noisy hall instantly fell silent. All sounds vanished in an instant, and even the drop of a pin could be heard.
This wasn’t because Ge Luo had intimidated the martial artists in the hall. Instead, it was like a group of beasts spotting their prey, holding their breath in preparation for the impending hunt.
“Teacher Zhang Wen…” The frozen atmosphere in the hall made the two charming maids beside Zhang Wen tremble slightly.
A full-force attack from a tenth-tier powerhouse could sink the Star Moon! Now, with six or seven tenth-tier powerhouses gathered in the hall, if their anger erupted, the destructive force would be no less than dropping a nuclear bomb into a small room!
“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” Zhang Wen smiled at the two maids and took a step forward, shielding the frightened girls behind him.
This gesture reassured the two maids, and their complexions improved. Once they felt safe, their feminine curiosity quickly took over. After all, a gathering of over a hundred martial arts masters like today was a once-in-a-century event in the Southern Realm.
Before long, the two maids were peeking around from behind Zhang Wen.
“Hey! Teacher Zhang Wen, do you know that guest over there?” After a moment, the blonde maid on Zhang Wen’s left suddenly tapped his arm and pointed curiously to a corner across the hall.
“Who?” Zhang Wen followed her finger and then nodded with a smile, “I know him.” The “guest” the blonde maid pointed to was none other than Rui En.
As Zhang Wen looked at Rui En, he deliberately turned his head away. However, the blonde maid quickly saw through his act.
“Hehe! That guest is so interesting. He was just looking at Teacher Zhang Wen as if he was scared, but now he’s ignoring you. How amusing! It’s like…”
“Like what?” Zhang Wen’s interest was piqued.
“Like a jealous girl,” the blonde maid giggled, covering her mouth.
“You really know how to tease people,” Zhang Wen chuckled softly.
Like the two frightened maids, Rui En’s face was also pale. Though he tried to appear nonchalant, he couldn’t control the slight trembling of his fingers. The fear induced by the anger of dozens of tenth-tier powerhouses wasn’t something that could be overcome by sheer willpower.
Seeing Rui En’s expression, like a little rabbit trapped among wolves, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but sigh. “Come with me,” he beckoned to the two maids and walked toward Rui En.
Rui En had clearly been keeping an eye on Zhang Wen. As Zhang Wen approached, Rui En turned his head even more forcefully to the side, pretending not to see him.
“Enough, stop pretending. You’ll break your neck,” Zhang Wen suppressed a laugh and strode up to Rui En.
“None of your business!” Rui En finally turned around, glaring at Zhang Wen in frustration.
“Did I offend you?” Zhang Wen looked at Rui En curiously, then suddenly asked with a grin, “You’re not interested in one of those two girls, are you?”
“Me… How could I!” Rui En was so flustered he almost shouted.
“Then why do you act like you’ve swallowed gunpowder when you see me? Oh! You’re interested in the one from the elevator earlier?”
“Stop talking nonsense!” Rui En’s face turned even redder, and he didn’t know where to put his hands.
“Oh! If it’s neither, then it’s not jealousy, right?”
“Of course not!” Rui En was so agitated he almost jumped.
“Then why do you keep bothering me?”
“This… this… I’m not bothering you!” Rui En tried to defend himself. Unfortunately, his inexperience with lying made it obvious, his flushed face giving him away.
“Haha!” Seeing Rui En’s flustered expression, the two maids couldn’t help but laugh. Handsome young boys naturally evoked goodwill, and a handsome, easily embarrassed young boy was even more endearing to the two maids.
“Alright, alright, we know you and Teacher Zhang Wen are close. Eve, Teacher Zhang Wen, stop teasing him,” the blonde maid, like an older sister, stepped forward and hugged Rui En.
“Hehe! Big sister’s old habits are back. But I never expected someone so young to be so good at flirting with girls. When he grows up, he’ll definitely be a little playboy,” the red-haired maid whispered to Zhang Wen with a mischievous grin, watching Rui En and the blonde maid’s affectionate interaction.
“Hmm!” Zhang Wen nodded in agreement, but his gaze, along with all the martial artists in the hall, shifted to Ge Luo, who had just entered.
Ge Luo, appearing at the entrance, wasn’t wearing combat attire. Instead, he sported a gray trench coat-like jacket and black pants. On either side of his pant legs, as if to flaunt his personality, hung two flamboyant silver chains.
Ge Luo had his hands in his pockets, the gray jacket open to reveal his well-defined muscles. He walked into the hall with a carefree smile, seemingly unfazed by the nearly palpable anger of the dozens of tenth-tier powerhouses present.
Most of the martial artists on the Star Moon were “professional adventurers” who roamed undeveloped regions. The rest were seasoned bounty fighters who had seen their share of bloodshed in various arenas.
If anyone thought such a group of thugs would remain silent after being insulted, they were sorely mistaken.
The moment Ge Luo entered the central hall, almost all the martial artists naturally formed a circle, subtly surrounding him.
With either cold, menacing, or gleeful expressions, the martial artists scattered throughout the hall gradually converged as Ge Luo walked in.
Finally, in the center of the three-tiered hall, most of the tenth-tier powerhouses formed a circle, enclosing Ge Luo.
The black-clad bodyguards responsible for maintaining order around the hall were drenched in cold sweat, as if they had been fished out of water.
Yet, Ge Luo, surrounded by dozens of martial artists, showed no trace of fear. Standing in the center of the hall, he coldly scanned the room and gestured to the sweating bodyguards by the door.
“Good! You’ve all arrived on time and are qualified to take my test. Now, close the doors. Any worthless stragglers will be eliminated!” Ge Luo’s arrogant tone remained unchanged, as if nothing could ever alter it.
“Would you like some lemon juice? Or perhaps red eggplant juice?” After taking a few deep breaths of fresh air, the two pretty maids finally calmed themselves. They immediately smiled and presented their tray to Zhang Wen.
“Red eggplant juice,” Zhang Wen casually picked up a glass from the tray.
Under normal circumstances, Zhang Wen standing alongside the two pretty maids would have drawn countless envious glances. But at this moment, few martial artists in the hall were paying attention. Only Ryan pouted angrily, while others didn’t even spare Zhang Wen a glance.
Minute by minute, the martial artists gathered in the hall grew increasingly restless. The noise in the hall gradually became chaotic. Shura and Agate still hadn’t appeared, yet Zhang Wen seemed unconcerned.
Zhang Wen kept observing every martial artist in the hall. Before accepting Liria’s request, he hadn’t cared much about who was participating in Hassan’s selection match. Now, however, he needed to figure out who his strongest opponents would be in the competition.
Gallow’s provocation provided Zhang Wen with a great opportunity. The hot-tempered martial artists were barely controlling their emotions. In their anger, most of them unconsciously exuded battle energy with every move, allowing Zhang Wen to easily gauge the strength of most participants.
At a glance, the strongest among the martial artists in the hall were three Saint-ranked experts.
Compared to the Saint-ranked experts Zhang Wen had encountered before, these three hadn’t yet reached the level of the golden-haired leader among the five Saint-ranked experts under Leica, who was just one step away from reaching the Super Saint rank. However, all three had already achieved the peak of Saint-ranked battle energy. Compared to the other four among the five Saint-ranked experts, the three in the hall were slightly stronger! Moreover, these three were seasoned warriors who had fought their way through countless battles, and their practical combat experience was no worse than Leica’s five Saint-ranked experts.
However, among all the martial artists, the ones who most attracted Zhang Wen’s attention were not these three Saint-ranked experts, but rather two individuals standing at opposite ends of the hall, as if echoing each other from north and south.
Unlike the three ostentatious Saint-ranked experts, the two martial artists noticed by Zhang Wen did not display battle energy far superior to others. The level of battle energy Zhang Wen sensed from them was almost identical to that of most tenth-ranked experts present! Yet, Zhang Wen detected from a subtle detail that these two were definitely not as simple as they seemed—the detail was the space they occupied.
Of the two individuals Zhang Wen noticed, the martial artist standing at the southern side of the hall casually bent his right leg, leaning against the wall and sitting on the ground. He wore a common “civilian coat” widely seen in the empire, and his handsome face bore a friendly smile, as if hoping to make friends with others.
However, Zhang Wen carefully noticed that within a semicircle of twenty meters radius centered on this smiling man, there wasn’t a single martial artist! Even when a few martial artists occasionally entered the semicircle, they soon left, as if feeling discomfort.
This scene made Zhang Wen realize something. The tenth-ranked experts who had fought in undeveloped regions possessed the sharpest intuition. As these tenth-ranked experts approached within twenty meters of the martial artist, although they themselves felt nothing, their instincts subconsciously urged them to stay away from that dangerous area.
Someone capable of stimulating the danger instincts of these tenth-ranked thugs to the point where they unconsciously avoid the area within twenty meters of his vicinity, without even realizing it themselves…
Could this guy really only be a tenth-ranked expert? A slight smile curved Zhang Wen’s lips as he turned his gaze toward the other martial artist he had noticed earlier.
In stark contrast to the first suspicious person Zhang Wen noticed, the second martial artist who caught his interest not only failed to create a vast empty zone around himself, but instead seemed completely ignored by everyone!
If a person were walking down a dark road and encountered a stranger approaching, as the distance between them narrowed, he would inevitably feel nervous and vigilant—an instinctive reaction shared by all living beings. Any normal person would react similarly in such situations.
The martial artists in the Star Moon Hall were professional thugs with extreme wariness. Compared to ordinary people, their intuition was sharper, and their vigilance even higher. This had already been perfectly demonstrated by the previous “dangerous person.”
Yet, with the second martial artist who caught Zhang Wen’s attention, this instinctive vigilance seemed to vanish entirely!
This martial artist had beautiful silver hair and a cute baby face. He leaned against a sculpture, smiling and looking around restlessly. Surprisingly, the thugs appearing near this young martial artist seemed to completely disregard his presence, walking past him indifferently. Several times, martial artists even chatted and laughed while brushing past the baby-faced martial artist without even glancing at him!
Vicky!
The moment Zhang Wen saw this scene, the name of the girl who had nearly taken his life with a sharp little knife instantly popped into his mind.
Yes, the baby-faced martial artist gave Zhang Wen the same feeling as that unpredictable and hard-to-guard-against Vicky. However, the baby-faced martial artist’s strength was likely at least one level higher than Vicky’s. After all, Vicky’s unpredictable ability could only be used in complete darkness. In bright environments, Zhang Wen could still sense Vicky’s dangerous aura.
Yet, the baby-faced martial artist could make people completely overlook him even in broad daylight. Even these thugs who lived on the edge of a knife sensed no danger from him at all.
These two guys were probably the most difficult opponents in this competition… Zhang Wen mused silently.
The noisy situation in the hall continued for a while longer before the east door finally opened again.
Bang!
As Gallow’s figure appeared at the hall’s entrance, the noisy hall instantly fell silent. All sounds disappeared in an instant, so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.
This was naturally not because Gallow had stunned everyone, but because a pack of beasts had detected their prey and were silently preparing for the upcoming hunt.
“Teacher Zhang Wen…” The atmosphere in the hall, which seemed to have solidified, made the two pretty maids beside Zhang Wen tremble slightly.
The power of a single full-force strike from a tenth-ranked expert was enough to sink this Star Moon ship! Now, with six or seven tenth-ranked experts gathered together in the hall, if their rage erupted simultaneously, the destructive force would be no less than throwing a nuclear bomb into a small room!
“Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” Zhang Wen smiled reassuringly at the two pretty maids, then took a step forward, shielding the frightened girls behind him.
Zhang Wen’s gesture significantly calmed the two pretty maids, their faces regaining some color. Feeling safe, their feminine curiosity quickly took over. After all, a gathering of hundreds of martial arts experts like today’s was a once-in-a-century event in the Southlands.
Soon enough, the two pretty maids peeked curiously from behind Zhang Wen.
“Hey, Teacher Zhang Wen, do you know that guest over there?” After watching for a while, the blonde girl on Zhang Wen’s left suddenly patted his arm, pointing toward a corner of the hall.
“Who?” Following the blonde girl’s finger, Zhang Wen smiled and nodded. The “guest” she pointed to was none other than Ryan.
When Zhang Wen looked at Ryan, he deliberately turned his head the other way. However, the blonde maid quickly exposed his trick.
“Hehe! That guest is so funny. Just now he seemed scared, looking toward you, Teacher Zhang Wen, but now he ignores you. So funny! Just like…”
“Just like what?” Zhang Wen felt a stirring in his heart.
“Just like a jealous girl,” the blonde maid giggled, covering her mouth.
“You two really enjoy teasing people,” Zhang Wen chuckled secretly.
Like the two frightened pretty maids, Ryan’s face was also somewhat pale. Although he tried hard to appear indifferent, he couldn’t control his slightly trembling fingers. The fear caused by the anger of dozens of tenth-ranked experts was not something that could be overcome by willpower alone.
Seeing Ryan’s rabbit-like appearance, caught among wolves, Zhang Wen couldn’t help sighing. “Come with me,” he beckoned to the two pretty maids and walked toward Ryan.
Ryan was clearly watching Zhang Wen all along. Seeing him approach, Ryan turned his head away even more forcefully, pretending not to see him.
“Alright, stop pretending. Your neck will twist off,” Zhang Wen suppressed a laugh and strode up to Ryan.
“I don’t need you to care!” Ryan finally turned back, glaring at Zhang Wen in a huff.
“Did I offend you?” Zhang Wen looked curiously at Ryan, suddenly grinning and whispering, “You don’t happen to like one of those two girls, do you?”
“I… How could I!” Ryan almost shouted in embarrassment and anger.
“Then why do you act like you’ve swallowed gunpowder when you see me? Oh! Did you take a liking to the one from the floating stairs?”
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Ryan’s face turned even redder, his hands flailing in frustration.
“Oh! If it’s not that, then it’s not jealousy over a love interest?”
“Of course not!” Ryan was almost hopping with frustration.
“Then why do you keep clinging to me?”
“This… this… I’m not always clinging to you!” Ryan tried to defend himself. Unfortunately, his lying skills were terrible, and his bright red cheeks gave him away instantly.
“Haha!” Seeing Ryan’s flustered expression, the two pretty maids couldn’t help laughing out loud. Handsome young boys were naturally likable, and even more so when they were cute and easily embarrassed.
“Alright, alright, we know you and Teacher Zhang Wen get along well. Eve, Teacher Zhang Wen, please don’t tease him anymore,” the blonde maid, like a big sister, stepped forward and hugged Ryan.
“Hehe! Sister’s old habit is acting up again. But I never expected him to be so young and already such a flirt. When he grows up, he’ll definitely be a little pervert,” the red-haired maid teased, leaning close to Zhang Wen with a mischievous grin as she whispered.
“Hmm!” Zhang Wen nodded in agreement, his gaze, like that of all the martial artists in the hall, now fixed on Gallow, who had just entered the hall.
Gallow, appearing at the entrance of the hall, wasn’t wearing combat gear. Instead, he wore only a gray coat resembling a trench coat and a pair of black trousers. On both sides of the trousers, two bold silver chains hung, as if declaring his individuality.
Gallow had his hands in the pockets of his trousers, the gray coat over his chest left open, revealing his neatly built muscles. He walked into the hall with an indifferent smile, seemingly completely unconcerned about the almost solidified anger of the dozens of tenth-ranked experts present.
The martial artists who had arrived at the Star Moon were mostly “professional explorers” who made a living in undeveloped regions. The others were mostly blood-stained bounty fighters who had spent their days in various arenas.
Anyone who thought such a group of thugs would remain silent after being insulted would be gravely mistaken.
The moment Gallow stepped into the central hall, nearly all the martial artists in the hall naturally formed a circle, subtly surrounding Gallow.
With either coldly menacing or gleefully malicious gazes, the martial artists, previously scattered throughout the hall, gradually gathered around as Gallow walked.
Finally, in the central hall on the third floor, most of the tenth-ranked experts who had arrived surrounded Gallow in a circle.
The several black-clad guards responsible for maintaining order around the hall were now soaked in cold sweat, as if they had just been pulled from water.
However, Gallow, surrounded by dozens of martial artists, showed not a trace of fear. Standing firmly in the center of the hall, he coldly scanned the surroundings with a sneer, then signaled to the sweating black-clad men by the door.
The murderous aura permeating the hall left the two poor maids trembling with fear. Yet, they couldn’t escape; instead, they had to force smiles and serve these ferocious tenth-tier warriors. It was no wonder that Zhang Wen was seen as a savior the moment he appeared. By his side, they at least found a sense of security.
“Would you like some lemon juice or tomato juice?” After taking a few breaths of fresh air, the two charming maids finally calmed down. They immediately smiled and offered the trays in their hands to Zhang Wen.
“Tomato juice,” Zhang Wen casually picked up a glass of juice from the tray.
Under normal circumstances, Zhang Wen standing with the two pretty maids would have attracted countless jealous glances. However, at this moment, few martial artists in the hall paid any attention. Only Rui En pouted angrily, while the others didn’t even glance at Zhang Wen.
As time passed, the mood of the martial artists gathered in the hall grew increasingly restless. The noise in the hall gradually became louder. Asura and Agate still hadn’t appeared, and Zhang Wen didn’t seem to be in a hurry either.
Zhang Wen continuously observed every martial artist in the hall. Before agreeing to Lailiya’s request, Zhang Wen hadn’t cared about who was participating in Hassan’s selection competition. But now, Zhang Wen needed to figure out who his strongest opponents were in this competition.
Ge Luo’s behavior of provoking everyone gave Zhang Wen a great opportunity. Currently, these hot-tempered martial artists were somewhat losing control of their emotions. In a state of anger, most martial artists would unconsciously use their combat energy in their movements. This made it easy for Zhang Wen to gauge the strength of the majority.
At a glance, the strongest martial artists in the hall were three saint-tier experts.
Compared to the saint-tier experts Zhang Wen had encountered before, these three hadn’t reached the level of the golden-haired leader under Lailiya, who was just one step away from advancing to the super-tier. However, the combat energy levels of these three had already reached the peak of the saint-tier. Compared to the other four among the five saint-tier experts, the three in the hall were slightly stronger! Moreover, these three were battle-hardened warriors, and their practical experience was no less than that of Lailiya’s five saint-tier experts.
However, among all the martial artists, the ones who attracted Zhang Wen’s attention the most were not these three saint-tier experts. Instead, it was two individuals standing at opposite ends of the hall, seemingly echoing each other.
Unlike the three high-profile saint-tier experts, the two martial artists Zhang Wen noticed didn’t display combat energy far surpassing others. The combat energy levels Zhang Wen sensed from them were almost the same as most tenth-tier warriors present! Yet, Zhang Wen noticed a detail that made him realize these two were not as simple as they appeared. This detail was the space they occupied.
Among the two Zhang Wen noticed, the martial artist on the south side of the hall casually bent his right leg and leaned against the wall, sitting on the ground. He wore a so-called “commoner’s coat” commonly seen in the empire, and his handsome face bore a friendly smile, as if hoping to make friends with others.
However, Zhang Wen keenly observed that within a twenty-meter radius of this friendly man, there wasn’t a single martial artist! Even if a few martial artists occasionally entered this semicircle, they would quickly leave, as if feeling uncomfortable.
This scene made Zhang Wen realize something. These tenth-tier warriors, who had fought in undeveloped areas, were most formidable in their intuition. When approaching within twenty meters of that martial artist, although the tenth-tier warriors themselves didn’t sense anything, their intuition subconsciously made them avoid that dangerous area.
Being able to stimulate the crisis intuition of these tenth-tier thugs without them noticing, making them dare not approach within twenty meters…
Was this guy really only at the tenth tier? A slight curve appeared at the corner of Zhang Wen’s mouth, and his gaze turned to the other martial artist he had noticed.
Completely opposite to the first suspicious figure Zhang Wen noticed, the second martial artist who piqued Zhang Wen’s interest didn’t create a vast no-man’s land; instead, he seemed to be ignored by everyone!
If a person walking on a night road sees another stranger approaching, when the distance between them reaches a certain point, a sense of tension and vigilance naturally arises. This is an innate instinct of all living beings. Any normal person would feel the same in a similar situation.
The martial artists in the Starlight Hall were professional thugs with extremely high vigilance. Compared to ordinary people, their intuition was sharper, and their alertness was higher. This had been perfectly demonstrated by the previous “dangerous figure.”
However, in the second martial artist who attracted Zhang Wen’s attention, the instinct of vigilance seemed to have disappeared!
This martial artist had beautiful silver hair and a cute baby face. He leaned against a sculpture, smiling and looking around. Surprisingly, the thugs around this young martial artist seemed completely unaware of his presence, walking past him. A few times, two martial artists even chatted and laughed as they brushed past the baby-faced martial artist without even glancing at him!
Vicky!
At the sight of this scene, the name of the girl who had almost taken his life with a sharp knife suddenly popped into Zhang Wen’s mind.
Indeed, the baby-faced martial artist gave Zhang Wen the same feeling as the elusive and unpredictable Vicky. However, the baby-faced martial artist’s strength was probably at least one level higher than Vicky’s! After all, Vicky’s elusive ability could only be used in complete darkness. In a bright environment, Zhang Wen could still sense the dangerous aura around Vicky.
But the baby-faced martial artist before him could make people ignore him even in broad daylight. Even those thugs who lived on the edge couldn’t sense any danger.
These two were probably the most challenging opponents in this competition… Zhang Wen pondered silently.
The noisy situation in the hall continued for a while longer, and finally, the door on the east side was pushed open again.
Bang!
As Ge Luo appeared at the hall’s entrance, the noisy hall immediately fell silent. All sounds vanished in an instant, and even the drop of a pin could be heard.
This wasn’t because Ge Luo had intimidated the martial artists in the hall, but because a group of beasts had spotted their prey, holding their breath in preparation for the impending hunt.
“Teacher Zhang Wen…” The tense atmosphere in the hall made the two pretty maids beside Zhang Wen tremble slightly.
A full-force attack from a tenth-tier warrior was enough to sink the Starlight! Now, with six or seven tenth-tier warriors gathered in the hall, if their anger erupted, the destructive power would be no less than throwing a nuclear bomb into a small room!
“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” Zhang Wen smiled at the two maids and took a step forward, shielding the frightened girls behind him.
Zhang Wen’s action reassured the two maids, and their faces regained some color. Once they felt safe, their curiosity as women quickly took over. After all, a gathering of over a hundred martial arts masters like today was a once-in-a-century event in the Southern Realm.
Before long, the two maids were peeking around from behind Zhang Wen.
“Hey! Teacher Zhang Wen, do you know that guest over there?” After watching for a while, the blonde maid on Zhang Wen’s left suddenly patted his arm and pointed curiously to a corner across the hall.
“Who?” Zhang Wen followed the blonde maid’s finger and then nodded with a smile, “I know him.” The “guest” the blonde maid pointed to was none other than Rui En.
When Zhang Wen looked at Rui En, he deliberately turned his head away. However, the blonde maid immediately saw through his act.
“Hehe! That guest is really interesting. He was just looking at Teacher Zhang Wen as if he was scared, but now he’s ignoring you. How amusing! It’s like…”
“Like what?” Zhang Wen’s heart stirred.
“Like a jealous girl,” the blonde maid covered her mouth with a smile.
“You really know how to tease people,” Zhang Wen chuckled as well.
Like the two frightened maids, Rui En’s face was also pale. Although he tried to appear nonchalant, he couldn’t control the slight trembling of his fingers. The fear brought by the anger of dozens of tenth-tier warriors wasn’t something that could be overcome by willpower alone.
Seeing Rui En looking like a little white rabbit surrounded by wolves, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but sigh. “Come with me,” Zhang Wen beckoned to the two maids and walked towards Rui En.
Rui En had clearly been paying attention to Zhang Wen all along. Seeing Zhang Wen approach, Rui En turned his head even more forcefully to the side, pretending not to see Zhang Wen.
“Enough, stop pretending. You’ll break your neck,” Zhang Wen suppressed a laugh and strode up to Rui En.
“I don’t need you to care!” Rui En finally turned back, glaring at Zhang Wen in a huff.
“Did I offend you?” Zhang Wen looked at Rui En curiously, then suddenly asked with a grin, “You’re not interested in one of those two girls, are you?”
“Me… How could I!” Rui En was so embarrassed and anxious that he almost shouted.
“Then why do you act like you’ve swallowed gunpowder when you see me? Oh! You’re interested in the one from the elevator earlier?”
“Stop talking nonsense!” Rui En’s face turned even redder, and his hands were so flustered that he didn’t know where to put them.
“Oh! Since it’s neither, then it’s not jealousy, right?”
“Of course not!” Rui En was so anxious that he was about to jump up.
“Then why do you always cling to me?”
“This… This… I don’t always cling to you!” Rui En tried to defend himself. Unfortunately, his experience with lying was too poor, and his red face gave him away immediately.
“Haha!” Seeing Rui En’s embarrassed and anxious expression, the two maids couldn’t help but laugh. A handsome young boy naturally made people feel good, and a handsome young boy who was also easily embarrassed made the two maids find him even more adorable.
“Alright, alright, we know you and Teacher Zhang Wen are close. Eve, Teacher Zhang Wen, stop teasing him,” the blonde maid, like an older sister, stepped forward and hugged Rui En.
“Hehe! Big sister’s old habit is acting up again. But I never expected him to be so good at taking advantage of girls at such a young age. When he grows up, he’ll definitely be a little pervert,” the red-haired maid chuckled and leaned close to Zhang Wen, whispering to him.
“Hmm!” Zhang Wen nodded in agreement, but his gaze, along with all the martial artists in the hall, fell on Ge Luo, who had just entered the hall.
Ge Luo, appearing at the hall’s entrance, wasn’t wearing combat attire but rather a gray trench coat-like jacket and black trousers. On either side of the trousers, as if to declare his individuality, hung two flamboyant silver chains.
Ge Luo had his hands in his trouser pockets, and his gray jacket was open, revealing his well-defined muscles. He walked into the hall with a carefree smile, seemingly unfazed by the almost palpable anger of the dozens of tenth-tier warriors present.
Most of the martial artists on the Starlight were “professional adventurers” who spent their days in undeveloped areas. The rest were bounty fighters who had seen their share of blood in various arenas.
If anyone thought that such a group of thugs would remain silent after being insulted, they were sorely mistaken.
The moment Ge Luo stepped into the central hall, almost all the martial artists naturally formed a circle, subtly surrounding him.
With either cold and vicious or gleeful eyes, the martial artists scattered throughout the hall gradually gathered as Ge Luo walked.
Finally, in the center of the three-tiered hall, most of the tenth-tier warriors who had arrived formed a circle, surrounding Ge Luo.
The black-clad bodyguards responsible for maintaining order around the hall were drenched in cold sweat, as if they had been fished out of water.
However, Ge Luo, surrounded by dozens of martial artists, didn’t show a trace of fear. Standing in the center of the hall, Ge Luo coldly scanned the surroundings and then gestured to the black-clad men sweating profusely by the door.
“Good! You’ve all arrived on time and are qualified to take my test. Now, close the door. Those who haven’t arrived yet are all eliminated!” Ge Luo’s arrogant and domineering tone seemed unchangeable in any situation.
“Hmph!” One of the tenth-stage experts surrounding Ge Luo immediately sneered, “We’re trash? Then what exactly are you? Nothing but a person with a good teacher.”
“Exactly! Even if we can’t beat you individually, how many can you actually handle here among dozens of us?” Although sarcastic remarks directed at Ge Luo continued unabated, the tenth-stage experts on the scene were noticeably more cautious than they had been when taunting Marianne earlier.
“Hmph!” One of the tenth-tier experts surrounding Gero immediately sneered, “We’re trash? Then what are you? Just someone with a good teacher, that’s all.”
“Exactly! Even if we can’t beat you one-on-one, there are dozens of us here. How many can you possibly handle?” The mocking voices directed at Gero were incessant, but the tenth-tier experts were much more cautious than when they had provoked Marianne earlier.
“Very well!” Gero suddenly turned around, sneering at the crowd, “You’re not convinced, are you? I’ll give you a chance to prove you’re not trash. The next test is to defeat me. There are no rules—you can use any means, any method. I’ll even allow you to form teams. There’s no limit to the number of people in a team—five, ten, even everyone together is fine. As long as you can defeat me, the winning team will all pass.”
Boom! As soon as Gero finished speaking, the previously silent tenth-tier experts erupted into chaos.
“Hey! Kid, when I fight, I never hold back! What if I accidentally injure or kill you?” someone in the crowd shouted at Gero.
“Injure me?” Gero laughed as if he had heard something hilarious, “If you have the ability, I’ll still fight even if I’m injured. The ones below will have it easier. If you can actually take my life, then you’ll all pass, how about that?”
“What?” The hall erupted again. Gero’s words were essentially telling everyone that even if they all attacked together, they still wouldn’t be his match.
Dozens of tenth-tier experts combined still no match? Even a super-tier expert probably wouldn’t dare make such a bold claim! If Gero’s earlier use of the word “trash” had already ignited the anger of these tenth-tier experts, his current declaration of victory was like throwing a burning match into a barrel of oil.
The third-floor hall of the Starlight Moon instantly became like an erupting volcano. Yet Gero, sitting atop the volcano, remained completely unfazed by the boiling rage of the martial artists. He gestured to the sweating black-clad bodyguards around the hall, who immediately activated a mechanism.
The walls adorned with artworks and rare beasts, the ceiling embedded with luxurious chandeliers—all flipped over with a hiss of energy. Everyone was shocked to discover that the walls of the third-floor hall of the Starlight Moon were actually constructed from massive, several-meter-thick blocks of sea urchin stone!
“This hall was designed for martial arts masters to train during sea voyages. So you can go all out without worrying about damaging the ship,” Gero said leisurely, then confidently clasped his hands behind his back.
The tenth-tier experts in the hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted like boiling water, creating a wave of noise. Almost everyone began searching for their teammates.
The tenth-tier experts in this hall were all hardcore realists. If there was a chance to gang up on an opponent, they wouldn’t hypocritically adhere to any chivalric code of single combat.
The upcoming battle was not only about whether they could get more Imperial Shields from Hassan but also about their future reputations! Moreover, they were eager to teach Gero a lesson he’d never forget. Since he had arrogantly given them the opportunity, why would they let this brash kid off the hook?
However, while all the martial artists were getting excited by Gero’s words, a few people in the third-floor hall remained completely still.
Zhang Wen stood in a corner of the hall, happily sipping his tomato juice.
“Teacher Zhang, what’s going to happen next? Will they really gang up and kill Mr. Gero?” The chaotic scene in the hall made the two pretty maids beside Zhang Wen even more nervous. The blonde maid who had just handed Zhang Wen the tomato juice couldn’t help but let go of Ryan and stepped forward to ask Zhang Wen anxiously.
“Hmph! If he dies, he deserves it. It’s his own fault for being so arrogant, challenging so many tenth-tier experts alone,” Ryan spoke up before Zhang Wen could answer.
“Well… Mr. Gero may have his faults, but he’s still Hassan’s guest…” the blonde maid still looked unsure.
“Sister, can’t you be a little less kind-hearted? None of them are good people. Especially that Gero—he deserves to be taught a lesson! A few days ago, that jerk even asked Hassan to have some of our sisters accompany him in his room at night. So full of himself, thinking every woman in the world would fall for him!” The red-haired maid grabbed the blonde maid’s arm and secretly made a face at the crowd in the center of the hall.
“Hehe! It’s no use disliking Gero. The chances of him suffering are slim,” Zhang Wen chuckled and shook his head, pouring cold water on the three beside him.
“How is that possible? No matter how strong Gero is, he’s not a super-tier expert, right? With so many tenth-tier martial artists ganging up on him, how could they not win?” Ryan immediately retorted.
“Hehe… If they could all attack at once, Gero would definitely lose. Unfortunately, the people in this hall can’t all rush in at the same time,” Zhang Wen smiled and pointed a few times toward the center of the hall.
By now, many of the martial artists in the hall had already formed their teams. Most had grouped into teams of five, six, or seven. The remaining half who hadn’t formed teams seemed to have decided to watch the show first.
“This… how could this be?” Ryan was dumbfounded, “They were just…”
“You think they don’t want revenge, don’t want to make Gero suffer? You’re sorely mistaken,” Zhang Wen shook his head again, “The battles of tenth-tier experts aren’t as simple as you imagine. When a tenth-tier expert goes all out, the space they need to accelerate, the residual energy from their attacks—it’s on a completely different level from those below the tenth tier. This hall, though large, can only accommodate six or seven tenth-tier experts fighting at full strength. Any more, and they’ll interfere with each other, reducing their combat effectiveness instead of increasing it. Gero knows this, and so do the others.”
“So that’s why. No wonder he dared to boast,” Ryan nodded thoughtfully, but soon showed a hint of disdain, “Tch! It’s just a trick. I thought he was really that powerful, unafraid of everyone attacking at once.”
“Hey! Don’t underestimate Gero. There’s some truth to his tactics, but these dozens of tenth-tier experts are the real deal. Even if he only faces six or seven at a time, with so many tenth-tier experts taking turns, even a saint-tier expert would be exhausted. Besides, among the experts Hassan invited, it’s not just Asura who’s a saint-tier expert.”
“You’re saying Gero is a super-tier expert?” Ryan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Not quite super-tier, but definitely not an ordinary saint-tier expert. Otherwise, even if he could train his combat energy to the peak of saint-tier, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Really?” Ryan’s interest was piqued, and he instinctively followed Zhang Wen’s gaze toward the center of the hall.
Tenth-tier experts from undeveloped regions, whether they had women by their side or not, were straightforward in their actions. For example, if they decided to betray a comrade, they wouldn’t waste time moralizing—they’d just find an opportunity to stab you in the back.
The tenth-tier experts responded swiftly to Gero’s provocation. In just a few minutes, they had completed their groupings.
“Finished discussing?” Seeing the chaotic hall gradually quiet down, Gero sneered and clenched his fist, producing a crisp sound, “So, who’s first?”
Boom! As soon as Ge Luo finished speaking, the previously silent tenth-stage experts erupted into a cacophony of noise.
“Hey kid, when I fight, I never hold back! What if I accidentally injure or even kill you?” Someone quickly shouted at Ge Luo from the crowd.
“Injure me?” Ge Luo burst into laughter as if he had heard something amusing. “If you have the ability, even if I get injured, I’ll still fight while wounded. That’ll make things easier for those who come after. If you really can take my life, then your entire team can pass. How about that?”
“What?” The hall erupted again in astonishment. Ge Luo’s words were tantamount to pointing his finger at all of them and declaring that even together, they were no match for him!
Dozens of tenth-stage experts combined weren’t his equal? Even an over-tier expert would probably hesitate to make such a bold claim! If Ge Luo’s earlier insult of calling them “trash” had already ignited their fury, his current declaration of victory was like tossing a burning ember into an oil drum!
The third-floor hall of the Star and Moon instantly erupted like a volcano. Yet Ge Luo, sitting right at the mouth of this metaphorical volcano, remained completely unfazed by the boiling rage of the martial artists. He gestured toward the sweating black-clad guards around the hall, who immediately activated the mechanisms.
The walls covered with artworks and rare beasts, and the ceiling inlaid with expensive chandeliers, all flipped over with a hissing sound of psychic energy. The crowd then suddenly realized that the walls of the third-floor hall of the Star and Moon were actually constructed from massive blocks of sea-urchin stone, each several meters thick!
“This hall was originally designed for martial artists to train while traveling at sea. So you can go all out without worrying about damaging the ship,” Ge Luo said calmly, then confidently crossed his hands behind his back.
The tenth-stage experts in the hall remained silent for a moment before erupting like boiling water. Almost everyone began looking for their partners.
The tenth-stage experts gathered in this hall were all extremely pragmatic individuals. If there was an opportunity to gang up on an opponent, they would never pretend to uphold chivalric ideals by challenging someone to a one-on-one duel.
This upcoming battle was not only about whether they could obtain more imperial shields from Hassan, but also about their future reputations. Moreover, they were eager to teach Ge Luo a lesson he’d never forget. Since he had arrogantly offered them this opportunity, why would they possibly let this loose-mouthed young man off the hook?
However, while all the martial artists were excited by Ge Luo’s words, there were still a few people in the third-floor hall who hadn’t moved at all.
Zhang Wen stood in a corner of the hall, sipping his red eggplant juice contentedly.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, what will happen next? Will they really team up and kill Mr. Ge Luo?” The chaotic situation in the hall made the two pretty maids beside Zhang Wen even more nervous. The blonde maid who had just handed Zhang Wen the red eggplant juice couldn’t help but loosen her hold on Rui’en and stepped forward anxiously to ask Zhang Wen.
“Hmph! He deserves it if he dies. He only has himself to blame for being so arrogant as to challenge so many tenth-stage experts alone.” Before Zhang Wen could speak, Rui’en had already spoken up.
“This… although Mr. Ge Luo did act improperly, he is still Mr. Hassan’s guest…” The blonde maid still looked flustered.
“Sis, can you not be so kind-hearted? None of them are good people anyway. Especially that Ge Luo—he deserves to be taught a lesson! A few days ago, that bastard even asked Hassan to send a few of the girls to his room at night. He’s so conceited, thinking that every woman in the world will be enchanted by him!” The red-haired maid grabbed the blonde maid’s arm and secretly made a face at the crowd in the center of the hall.
“Hehe! Even if you don’t like Ge Luo, it won’t help. I’m afraid your hopes of seeing him suffer are slim.” At this point, Zhang Wen smiled and shook his head, pouring cold water on the three people beside him.
“Hmph!” One of the tenth-tier experts surrounding Gero immediately sneered, “We’re trash? Then what are you? Just someone with a good teacher, that’s all.”
“Exactly! Even if we can’t beat you one-on-one, there are dozens of us here. How many can you possibly handle?” Although the mocking voices directed at Gero were incessant, the tenth-tier experts on the scene were much more cautious than when they had previously provoked Marianne.
“Very well!” Gero suddenly turned around and sneered at the crowd, “You’re not convinced, are you? I’ll give you a chance to prove you’re not trash. The next test will be to defeat me. There are no rules in this match—you can use any means or methods. I also allow you to form teams. There’s no limit to the number of people in a team—five, ten, or even everyone together is fine. As long as you can defeat me, the winning team will all pass.”
Boom! As soon as Gero finished speaking, the previously silent tenth-tier experts erupted into a clamor.
“Hey! Kid, when I fight, I never hold back! What if I accidentally injure or even kill you?” someone in the crowd quickly shouted at Gero.
“Injure me?” Gero burst into laughter as if he had heard something hilarious, “If you have the ability, I’ll still fight even if I’m injured. The people below will have it easier. If you can actually kill me, then you all pass. How about that?”
“What?” The hall erupted into chaos once again. Gero’s words were essentially pointing at everyone and telling them that even if they all attacked together, they still wouldn’t be his match.
Dozens of tenth-tier experts combined still no match? Even a super-tier expert probably wouldn’t dare to make such a bold claim! If Gero’s earlier use of the word “trash” had already ignited the anger of these tenth-tier experts, then his current declaration of victory was like throwing a burning match into a barrel of oil!
The third-floor hall of the Stellar Moon instantly became like an erupting volcano. Yet Gero, sitting atop the volcano, remained completely unfazed by the boiling fury of the martial artists. He gestured to the sweating black-clad bodyguards around the hall, who immediately activated a mechanism.
The walls adorned with artworks and rare beasts, and the ceiling embedded with precious chandeliers, all flipped over with a hissing sound of energy manipulation. Everyone was shocked to discover that the walls of the third-floor hall of the Stellar Moon were actually constructed entirely of massive, meter-thick sea urchin stones!
“This hall was designed for martial arts experts to train while sailing at sea. So you can go all out without worrying about damaging the ship,” Gero said leisurely, then confidently clasped his hands behind his back.
The tenth-tier experts in the hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a wave of noise like boiling water. Almost everyone began searching for their own companions.
The tenth-tier experts in this hall were all as pragmatic as they come. If there was a chance to gang up on an opponent, they wouldn’t hypocritically adhere to any chivalric code of single combat.
The upcoming battle was not only about whether they could get more Imperial Shields from Hassan but also about their future reputations! Moreover, they were eager to teach Gero a lesson he would never forget. Since the arrogant fool had given them the opportunity, why would they let him off the hook?
However, while all the martial artists were getting excited by Gero’s words, there were still a few people in the third-floor hall who hadn’t moved at all.
Zhang Wen stood in the corner of the hall, happily sipping his tomato juice.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, what will happen next? Will they really gang up and kill Mr. Gero?” The chaotic scene in the hall made the two pretty maids beside Zhang Wen even more nervous. The blonde maid who had just handed Zhang Wen the tomato juice couldn’t help but let go of Ryan and stepped forward to ask Zhang Wen anxiously.
“Hmph! He deserves it if he dies. It’s his own fault for being so arrogant, challenging so many tenth-tier experts alone,” Ryan spoke up before Zhang Wen could answer.
“Well… Mr. Gero may have his faults, but he is still Hassan’s guest…” the blonde maid still looked unsure.
“Sister, can’t you be a little less kind? None of them are good people. Especially that Gero—he deserves a lesson! A few days ago, that jerk even asked Hassan to have some of our sisters accompany him in his room at night. So full of himself, thinking every woman in the world would fall for him!” The red-haired maid grabbed the blonde maid’s arm and secretly made a face at the crowd in the center of the hall.
“Haha! It’s no use disliking Gero. The chances of him suffering are slim,” Zhang Wen chuckled and shook his head, pouring cold water on the three beside him.
“How is that possible? No matter how strong Gero is, he’s not a super-tier expert, right? With so many tenth-tier martial artists ganging up on him, how could they not win?” Ryan immediately retorted.
“Haha… If they could all attack at once, Gero would definitely lose. Unfortunately, the people in this hall can’t all rush in at the same time,” Zhang Wen smiled and pointed towards the center of the hall.
By now, many of the martial artists in the hall had already formed their teams. Most of them had grouped into teams of five, six, or seven. The remaining half who hadn’t formed teams seemed to have decided to watch the show first.
“This… how could this be?” Ryan was dumbfounded, “They were just…”
“You think they don’t want revenge, don’t want to teach Gero a lesson? You’re sorely mistaken,” Zhang Wen shook his head again, “The battles of tenth-tier experts aren’t as simple as you imagine. When a tenth-tier expert goes all out, the space they need to accelerate, the residual energy from their attacks—it’s all on a different level compared to those below the tenth tier. This hall, though large, can only accommodate six or seven tenth-tier experts fighting at full strength. Any more than that, and they would interfere with each other, reducing their combat effectiveness instead of increasing it. Gero understands this, and so do the others.”
“So that’s why. No wonder he dared to boast,” Ryan nodded thoughtfully, but soon showed a hint of disdain, “Tch! Just taking advantage of the situation. I thought he was really that powerful, unafraid of everyone here attacking him.”
“Hey! Don’t underestimate Gero. There’s some truth to his opportunistic approach, but the dozens of tenth-tier experts here are the real deal. Even if he only faces six or seven at a time, with so many tenth-tier experts taking turns, even a saint-tier expert would be exhausted. Moreover, among the experts Hassan invited, there’s more than just one saint-tier expert like Asura.”
“You mean Gero is a super-tier expert?” Ryan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Not quite a super-tier, but definitely not an ordinary saint-tier expert. Otherwise, even if he could cultivate his combat energy to the peak of the saint-tier, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Is that so?” Ryan, now intrigued, instinctively followed Zhang Wen’s gaze towards the center of the hall.
The tenth-tier experts who roamed the undeveloped regions, whether they had women by their side or not, were straightforward in their actions. For example, if they decided to betray a companion, they wouldn’t waste time debating ethics—they would just seize the opportunity to stab you in the back.
The tenth-tier experts responded swiftly to Gero’s provocation. In just a few minutes, they had formed their groups.
“Finished discussing?” Seeing the chaotic hall gradually quiet down, Gero sneered and clenched his fist, producing a crisp sound, “So, who’s first?”
“Hehe… If they really could all attack at once, Ge Luo would definitely lose. Unfortunately, the people in this hall can’t possibly charge in together.” Zhang Wen smiled and pointed toward the center of the hall.
At this moment, many of the martial artists in the hall had already found their teammates. Most of them had formed groups of five or six or seven people. The remaining minority who hadn’t yet formed teams seemed to have decided to watch the spectacle first.
“This… how could this be?” Rui’en was immediately taken aback. “Weren’t they just now…”
“Do you think they don’t want revenge, don’t want Ge Luo to suffer? Then you’re very wrong.” Zhang Wen shook his head with a smile again. “Tenth-stage experts’ battles aren’t as simple as you imagine. When a tenth-stage expert exerts their full strength, the space required for acceleration and the residual waves from their attacks afterward are completely different concepts compared to those below the tenth stage. Although this hall is quite large, it can barely accommodate six or seven tenth-stage experts fighting at full strength. If more people fight simultaneously, they’ll interfere with each other, and their combat effectiveness will actually decrease instead of increasing. Ge Luo understands this, and so do the others.”
“Oh, so that’s why. No wonder he dared to talk so big.” Rui’en nodded thoughtfully but soon showed some disdain. “Tsk! It’s nothing but a trick. I thought he was really so powerful that he wouldn’t fear everyone teaming up against him.”
“Hei! Don’t underestimate Ge Luo. His approach does involve some trickery, that’s true, but the dozens of tenth-stage experts here are all genuine. Even if he only faces six or seven of them at a time, after so many tenth-stage experts take turns fighting him, even a saint-stage expert would eventually collapse from exhaustion. Not to mention, among the experts invited by Hassan, Xiu Luo isn’t the only saint-stage expert.”
“You mean Ge Luo is an over-tier expert?” Rui’en’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Not quite an over-tier, but definitely not an ordinary saint-stage expert either. Otherwise, even if he could cultivate his battle energy to the peak of the saint stage, it still wouldn’t be enough.”
“Is that so?” Rui’en was also intrigued by Zhang Wen’s words and instinctively looked toward the center of the hall along with him.
The tenth-stage experts who had survived in undeveloped regions were tough enough to act decisively, no matter whether they had women around them or not. For example, if they decided to betray their companions, they wouldn’t prattle on about ethics first—they’d stab you in the back at the first opportunity.
The tenth-stage experts responded quickly to Ge Luo’s provocation. In just a few short minutes, they had completed their team formations.
“Finished discussing?” Seeing the hall gradually quiet down from its earlier chaos, Ge Luo sneered coldly and forcefully clenched his fist, producing a crisp cracking sound. “Then, who’s first?”
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