After the elderly man’s words began to abate, the Xing Clan, Zhao Clan, and Lu Clan’s thirty New Bloods orderly walked onto the competition arena, drawing lots to find their opponents. After everybody had received a token, they walked to the competition stage that matched the number on their tokens; many exciting competitions thusly began.
The New Bloods on the stage each made extremely ruthless moves: Thunderbolt Kick, Tyrannical Tiger Fist, Heavenly Thunder Palm. As the New Bloods unceasingly used such moves, after just a few competitions someone had already suffered a serious injury, withdrawing from the competition.
As exciting battles happened again and again on the stage, the people below the stage became more and more adrenalized, everybody unable to tear their gazes off the New Bloods in the arena, their hearts filled with excitement. These were all battles between two martial artists; regarding the opinions of ordinary people like themselves, these kind of battles were simply too amazing.
“Boom.”
In the wake of the loud sound, a Zhao Clan New Blood was knocked down on the competition ground. At the moment, the person standing opposite of him was precisely the person who had provoked Xing Jue earlier, the important Xing Clan member, Xing Feng.
“Ah, this is really way too weak, he doesn’t even serve a tiny bit of a challenge.” Towards the severely injured Zhao Clan New Blood currently lying on the ground with a face filled with fear, Xing Feng disdainfully spoke. Immediately afterwards he cast his gaze towards Xing Jue, who was still sitting within the audience. Xing Feng had originally wanted to flaunt a little bit of his own strength to Xing Jue, but after seeing Xing Jue, his heart filled once more with unquenchable rage.
Because at this moment Xing Jue was not even watching his competition, instead sprawled over the table deeply immersed in sleep. This obviously meant that he had not paid any attention to Xing Feng, how could Xing Feng not become enraged?
“Humph, just wait until the competition ends, I’ll make you experience the taste of suffering.” Xing Feng coldly snorted, speaking inwardly inside his heart; because at this moment he had made to himself a resolve, that at the end of the competition, he would definitely make Xing Jue see colors¹.
Regarding Xing Feng’s inner thoughts, Xing Jue naturally did not know about them; at this moment Xing Jue was immersed in the middle of a satisfying dream. As yesterday’s conversation with Zhang Lao that had lasted for an entire night, Xing Jue was now replenishing his energy, because he knew that today there would be an inevitable large battle.
As time quietly flowed by, the assembly’s battles became more and more exciting; apart from Xing Jue, everybody in the audience were all incapable of suppressing the excitement in their heart. Finally everybody excitedly looked at the innermost competition stage, because the most exciting decisive battle had finally arrived.
At the moment standing on the innermost competition stage, there were already only two New Bloods left. These were the Xing Clan’s Xing Feng, and the Zhao Clan’s Zhao Zhen, two experts with the strengths of intermediate-ranked martial artists.
“Xing Feng, who would have thought that my last opponent would have been you, this competition is really much too boring, just like I expected, there’s not even a little bit of a challenge.” Zhao Zhen wore a face filled with arrogance as he spoke to Xing Feng.
“I see, then could it be, that you had thought today you would be defeated by me?” Xing Feng disdainfully replied.
“Haha, it happens to be the opposite, it’s you that will be defeated by me.” Zhao Zhen suddenly burst into furious laughter as he spoke.
After hearing Zhao Zhen’s words, Xing Feng was finally unable to restrain himself, making a ready-to-attack stance; when Zhao Zhen saw this, he also positioned himself in an offensive stance, as if he were about to strike any moment. The two people glared at each other with mutual hostility, an intense battle about to erupt any any time. But just as this life and death matter took place, a haughty voice sounded across the arena, causing the two people’s hearts to tremble.
“The two clowns from the Xing Clan and Zhao Clan have no need to argue any longer, today the both of you will be defeated by my hands.” Just as the two people were on the brink of fighting, a voice resonated across the arena, startling everybody.
At once everybody’s gaze turned to the person who had spoken those words, who was precisely that mysterious youth with the bamboo hat that had hidden in the corner amongst the Lu Clan’s New Bloods; at the moment the youth slowly walked towards the competition stage. This youth was evidently a member of the Lu Clan, although he wasn’t one of the Lu Clan’s selected New Bloods. As he appeared, everybody inside the arena felt a strong sense of confusion.
“This young friend, the competition is still underway, if you want to issue out a challenge, please wait until the competition has finished.” At this time, the elderly man that presided the assembly opened his mouth as he spoke.
“Within the assembly’s rules, are there any that prevent one from simultaneously challenging the two New Bloods about to advance into the final match?” The youth with the bamboo hat did not halt his footsteps because of the elderly man’s words, but rather to reply to his question.
“This… actually, there really aren’t any.” The elderly man stared blankly in response to the youth’s words, contemplating for a short moment in time before he finally replied.
“Haha, challenge the two of us? What a crazy kid, Zhao Zhen, why don’t the two us first postpone the battle, and teach a lesson to this ignorant kid?” After hearing the words of the youth with the bamboo hat, Xing Feng angrily spoke.
“This little brother is really courageous, I don’t know if it’d be possible to get your name?” Compared with Xing Feng’s arrogance, Zhao Zhen unexpectedly appeared fairly rational as he asked the question.
Sometime during this conversation, the youth with the bamboo hat had already walked onto the competition stage. Under everyone’s inquisitive gaze he slowly removed the bamboo hat from his head; the moment that they saw his true identity, the two New Bloods on the stage, no matter if it was Zhao Zhen or Xing Feng, felt their hearts tremble in terror, their originally arrogant faces beginning to adopt an awestruck expression.
“Lu Clan New Blood, Lu Zhan.” The youth with the bamboo hat finally exposed his true identity, a strange smile on his face as he spoke.
“As expected, it’s you.” In comparison with the nervous appearances of Zhao Zhen and Xing Feng who were on the stage, Xing Jue, who was below the stage, had an expression of expectation as he spoke. Because just like Xing Jue had originally guessed before, this youth with the bamboo hat was precisely the one who had departed from the Lu Clan many years before, Lu Zhan.
Lu Zhan, the Lu Clan’s strongest New Blood, his very nature warlike², had previously fought against Xing Jue many times, none of their battles ending in victories or defeats. When he was thirteen years old, the Lu Clan had spent large amounts of money to send him to Yufeng Court so that he could pursue his studies; who would have thought that the fellow who had previously made New Bloods from all three clans feel dread, had unexpectedly at this time returned.
“Un…unexpectedly it’s you.” Xing Feng looked at Lu Zhan, who was before his eyes, speaking in shock. At this moment his heart was filled to the brim with fear; the Lu Zhan from three years ago had already been strong to the point that it had become terrifying, furthermore he had spent three years in Yufeng Court cultivating. Just by slightly thinking of what kind of strength he must have attained during that period of time was enough to make Xing Feng feel lingering fear.
“Hehe, who would have thought that now the Xing Clan’s strongest New Blood is you, where Xing Jue?” Lu Zhan unexpectedly did not care about Xing Feng’s state of mind, instead bluntly asking the question.
“Humph, that trash, has already been thrown out from the Xing Clan.” After hearing Lu Zhan’s question, the previously arrogant Xing Feng’s face began to shake, immediately speaking.
“I see, what a pity.”
“Well, let’s not waste time, why don’t the two of you make the first moves together?” After hearing that Xing Jue had already left the Xing Clan, Lu Zhan unexpectedly spoke with a trace of disappointment. Lu Zhan and Xing Jue had been the two strongest New Bloods within the three clans at one point, repeatedly fighting against each other in all kinds of ways, although there had never been a victory or a defeat. Therefore within Lu Zhan’s heart, Xing Jue was the most qualified person within the three clans to battle against him.
“You…” Just as Xing Feng wanted to angrily rebuke, he was terrified to the point of choking by one glance of Lu Zhan’s murderous expression.
“Xing Feng, this bastard’s current strength is currently unknown to both of us, however there is only one thing that can be confirmed, and that is the certainty that he is currently above both you and I. That’s why at this time let’s not save face, it would be better to make our moves together and battle against him; I don’t believe that the combined strengths of the two of us can’t defeat him.” Zhao Zhen spoke to Xing Feng.
“I already said it, don’t waste time, use whatever strategy you have and don’t hesitate.” Lu Zhan began to become impatient as he spoke.
“Humph, Lu Zhan, you can’t help but look down on people, since you act so arrogant in the manner, than today the two of us will satisfy you.” Despite the arrogance within Xing Feng’s heart, he was not a fool, naturally understanding that what Zhao Zhen said was very correct. Following his words, he entered an attack stance, a current of tyrannical strength unceasingly distributing within his body. It looked as if Xing Feng intended to use his trump card, Zhao Zhan looking as if he wanted to do the same…
“Yellow-Ranked Advanced Martial Art Technique, Wind-God Kick!”
“Yellow-Ranked Advanced Martial Art Technique, Expelling Cloud Palm!”
In the wake of the two sudden accompanying loud shouts, a leg and a palm, interspersed with bursts of distinct and visible martial qi, advanced towards Lu Zhan in an attacking motion.
As he confronted Xing Feng and Zhao Zhan’s strongest strikes, Lu Zhan nevertheless stood without moving, his face filled with disdain; until the two people’s attacks were just a short distance away, Lu Zhan slowly lifted up his right fist, loudly shouting, “Po!”
“Bang!”
A loud sound accompanied the scene. A palm, a fist, and a leg collided together, a burst of tyrannical strength rippling and proliferating outwards; after the ripple began to gradually retreat, an astonishing moment occurred in a split second.
Zhao Zhen and Xing Feng laid on the floor, the corners of their mouth smeared with slowly expanding bloodstains. The two people looked with faces of incredibility at Lu Zhan, who stood right before their eyes; unexpectedly without using any martial art technique, only using a single fist, he had defeated the two of them using their full force. In addition, he had injured both of them, the disparity between them was much too great.
“You are a martial ancestor?” Xing Feng was finally unable to endure the unreconciliation within his heart as he asked the question.
“Nothing more than an advanced-ranked martial artist.” Lu Zhan slightly smiled, unperturbedly replying.
“How is it possible for an advanced martial artist?” At the moment the Xing Clan instructor behind the Xing Clan’s Clan Head spoke, unable to comprehend what was going on. As he was also an advanced-ranked martial artist, he had come to the conclusion that it was impossible to consciously defeat Zhao Zhen and Xing Feng’s strongest attacks. Originally he had also suspected that Lu Zhan had reached the martial ancestor level, but after hearing Lu Zhan’s words, he was greatly astonished; could it be that this was just the disparity between different people’s innate talent?
“Do the two of you admit defeat? Or do you want to try again?” Lu Zhan looked towards the shocked Xing Feng and Zhao Zhen, the corner of his mouth raising upwards as he spoke.
“Hehe, Elder Brother Lu’s strength is tyrannical as expected; I, Zhao Zhen, concede defeat, Xing Feng, how about you?” Zhao Zhen, who had previously possessed unmatched arrogance, could only grudgingly look towards Xing Feng as he spoke.
“Concede.” Xing Feng bluntly replied.
“Haha, since it ended up like this, then the title of champion will be received by I, Lu Zhan.” Lu Zhan laughed heartily, the sound of his laughter filled with a savage anticipation. Immediately, without even glancing at Xing Feng or Zhao Zhan, he turned and walked towards the platform where the rewards were.
“These rewards, are they mine now?” Lu Zhan arrived at the platform where the rewards were placed, speaking towards the elderly man.
“Hehe, Young Master Lu Zhan seems to be this assembly’s champion, if there’s nobody that issues you a challenge, then these rewards are naturally yours.” The elderly man replied.
“Oh? Is there anybody in the three clans that are willing to come onto the stage and fight me?” After hearing the elderly man’s words, Lu Zhan glanced at the area where the three clan’s New Bloods were, his gaze filled with a fear-mongering aggressiveness; at this the New Bloods were even more unwilling to look face to face with him, all of them lowering their heads in succession to hide from Lu Zhan’s gaze.
“Since this seems to be the case, then I’ll take these rewards.” Seeing that nobody took up his challenge, Lu Zhan laughed as he spoke, subsequently extending his hands towards the three rewards.
“Wait.” Just as Lu Zhan was prepared to receive the three rewards, a refreshing voice was suddenly transmitted from within the audience.
“Eh?” At hearing this voice, Lu Zhan once again directed his gaze towards the area where the New Bloods of the three clans stood, wanting to find the person who had spoke. Not just Lu Zhan, but practically everybody in the arena directed their gazes to that area; everyone was curious as to which person no longer wanted to live anymore, daring to challenge this demonic star.
“No need to look anymore, I’m here.” However, just as everybody’s gazes unceasingly searched the area where the New Bloods were gathered, that voice sounded once again; only the thing that astonished people was that this voice did not come from the general area where the New Bloods were, rather from within the spectators. As they set their eyes in that direction, they could only presently see a handsome black-clothed youth, currently unhurriedly walking from the audience to the stage.
¹Basically beating Xing Jue up so bad that all he can see is colors
²I’m guessing this is a pun on Lu Zhan’s name. The ‘zhan’ (战) in ‘warlike’, or ‘hao zhan’ (好战), is the same one in his name (吕战)
Hiohbye Translations 