Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Shocking the Entire Audience

After a deathly silence, a tidal wave of gasps erupted from the crowd.

He won! It was a complete rout!

That was Sun Yan! A monster who practiced the Dual Cultivation of Hard Skills and had reached Third Acupoint Perfection, and he was being stomped on the ground like a dead dog?

Su Yu!

The number one of Black Stone City’s younger generation! The undisputed number one!

Over at the White Ape Martial Arts Hall’s section, Jiang Liuchuan was so excited he smashed the folding fan in his hand.

Xu Feng, Lin Wanzhu, and the others were also flushed red, their eyes filled with ecstatic joy and pride. This battle had completely washed away the shame of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall having previously avoided the fight!

Now, the reputation of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall would soar to new heights!

Only Chen Fan, in a corner, was frozen stiff. He stared at the dazzling figure on the stage, a chill running through him as an emotion called despair grew wildly in the depths of his heart.

’Impossible, impossible... Even a super genius like Sun Yan lost to Su Yu. What in the world happened...’

On the stage, Su Yu’s expression was indifferent; he paid no mind to the uproar below. He calmly looked down at Sun Yan, who was still twitching at his feet, his eyes filled with venom.

Sun Yan’s mouth was full of bloody foam, and bestial gurgles escaped his throat. A relentless, to-the-death madness still lingered in his eyes.

’Weeds must be pulled out by the roots!’

’Since you won’t submit, I’ll just have to cripple you completely!’

Su Yu’s eyes flashed with a fierce light. He lifted his right foot, clad in a Cloud-Patterned Brocade Boot, then brought it crashing down, stomping viciously on Sun Yan’s uninjured right knee.

CRACK!

The cringe-inducing sound of shattering bone echoed throughout the arena.

AHHH!!!

Sun Yan let out a heart-rending scream, his entire right leg bent at a grotesque angle. That single stomp had not only ruined his leg but had also completely shattered the meridional foundation he needed to break through to the Flesh Refining Realm!

From this day forward, the genius of the Iron Armor Martial Arts Hall was utterly crippled.

"You dare, boy!"

A furious roar exploded like a clap of thunder.

Kou Xun’s figure flashed like lightning as he instantly rushed onto the stage. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he didn’t dare attack Su Yu directly as Sun Yan had before.

But Su Yu remained cautious. With a flick of his toe, he kicked Sun Yan toward Kou Xun like a dead dog, using the momentum to instantly retreat and create distance. He stared coldly at his opponent:

"What? Can’t the people from the Iron Armor Martial Arts Hall take a loss?"

Kou Xun caught the unconscious Sun Yan and stared at his junior brother’s twisted right leg, fire practically spewing from his eyes. But he felt the gazes from all around, especially the icy stares from the Commanders on the high platform, which felt like needles on his back.

In the end, he didn’t dare to act out. He could only grit his teeth and say, "Su Yu! The Iron Armor Martial Arts Hall will remember this! Just you wait!"

With that, he picked up Sun Yan and leaped off the stage, his face dark and gloomy.

Su Yu watched coldly, not stopping him.

’Sun Yan is crippled now, no longer a threat. Even if they use some Treasures of Heaven and Earth to heal him, who knows how long that would take. By then, I’ll have already broken through to the Flesh Refining Realm. Why would I fear someone I’ve already beaten?’

Once the stage grew quiet, Su Yu turned, his gaze as sharp as a blade, and stared directly at the Bone-breaking Martial Arts Hall’s contingent on the other side:

"Bone-breaking Martial Arts Hall, who’s next?"

As his gaze swept over them, the disciples of the Bone-breaking Martial Arts Hall all took a step back in unison, their faces filled with fear.

’Even Sun Yan was crippled. Were they supposed to go up there just to die?’

Hall Master Zhou Sinan’s face was ashen. The fists clenched behind his back cracked audibly, but he remained silent.

His most prized disciple, Zhou Heng, had been crippled by Chen Fan before. Now, among the younger generation, he didn’t even have a disciple at the Second Acupoint. Who would dare to face Su Yu?

On the stage, Su Yu stood calmly, the cold wind whipping his clothes, making them flutter loudly.

The image of him single-handedly suppressing the entire younger generation of Black Stone City was firmly seared into everyone’s minds!

In a distant teahouse, the young ladies from prominent families couldn’t help the sparkle in their eyes. Some, watching Su Yu’s incomparably handsome figure, even found their fair chests heaving with excitement.

"Quickly, tell Father to send a congratulatory gift and a marriage proposal to Master Su!"

On the Liu Family’s side, Liu Yuan stared at the awe-inspiring Su Yu, her eyes filled with disbelief. She never thought that this Su Yu, whom she had regarded as a country bumpkin, would cultivate so quickly. The last time she saw him, he was only at the Second Acupoint.

How long had it been? Now he was already at the Third Acupoint, and he had even defeated Sun Yan, the one who had suppressed Black Stone City’s younger generation for so long.

’Could it be... I misjudged him? Is he really a peerless genius?’

Beside her, a hint of surprise flashed in Liu Yunzhen’s eyes as he watched. "There’s something special about this kid’s physical toughness. To be able to manifest that silver flowing armor... what kind of Cultivation Technique is that?"

Just then, Liu Kun, standing behind them, spoke, his tone indifferent but tinged with disdain. "Third Brother, it’s just the Black Stone Body Forging Skill. This technique isn’t rare in the prefecture city. Rumor has it that it’s an incomplete version dismantled from a Spirit-tier Cultivation Technique, made specifically for ordinary people in the army to practice. Although this technique is classified as Profound Tier, it’s only Lower Grade Xuan."

"Besides, this kid has only reached the Minor Success Realm; his mastery is lacking. If he had reached Major Achievement, he might have been able to block my Spear Technique. But as it stands... if this were a fight to the death, I could take his head within ten moves!"

Hearing Liu Kun’s assessment of a guaranteed kill within ten moves, the regret in Liu Yuan’s heart instantly vanished.

’As expected, the so-called geniuses of Black Stone City are no match for the experts from Jian’an Prefecture!’

’A person like Su Yu is, in the end, just a country bumpkin who can’t be presented on a grand stage!’

’My choice was right!’

’That being the case, I have to seize this opportunity and find myself an ideal son-in-law from Jian’an Prefecture!’

Below the stage, the crowd couldn’t help but break into discussion:

"Did you see that? Lord Su is the true number one genius of Black Stone City now!"

"I told you there was a reason Lord Su was avoiding the fight before. See? He simply disdained to make a move back then!"

"Pfft, weren’t you the one who was most viciously cursing the White Ape Martial Arts Hall for being cowards?"

"Bullshit! I’ve been saying all along that Lord Su is peerless! Forget Sun Yan, even that Ding Mianyue from the Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall is no match for him. We have a true dragon here in Black Stone City!"

"That’s right! That Ding Mianyue was so arrogant before. Lord Su will definitely teach her a harsh lesson this time!"

Hearing the discussions of the common folk around them, the atmosphere over at the Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall’s section turned icy.

’A bunch of frogs in a well!’

Ding Mianyue slammed her Water-Splitting Emei Needles onto the table. Her pretty face was frosty, and undisguised killing intent filled her eyes.

As a prodigy from Liangzhou who had swept through all her opposition on the way here, when had she ever been so disdained?

’He dares to be this arrogant just because he has a Profound Tier Hard Skill at Minor Achievement?’

Ding Mianyue sneered and stood up. "Senior Brother, don’t stop me! It won’t take much effort to cripple this hick from Black Stone City!"

Jiang Pingzhi gave a sinister smile. He glanced at his master, Ding Yi, beside him, and seeing him nod, he no longer tried to stop his junior sister.

’With Junior Sister’s Flying Fish Breaking Kill Technique, it really won’t be a problem to break through that so-called Profound Silver Flow Armor with a burst of power. This Su Yu has no chance of winning!’

SWOOSH!

A lake-green figure flashed past the crowd like a phantom and landed steadily on the stage.

Ding Mianyue had a slender and graceful figure, but she exuded a heart-pounding sharpness. The pair of Emei Needles in her hands glinted with a faint, cold blue light under the lanterns.

"Su Yu!"

She lifted her chin, her expression cold and arrogant. "I thought you were a coward hiding in his shell. I didn’t expect you to have some brute strength, but that’s all it is!"

"Today, I’ll let you see what a true Slaughter Skill looks like! I’ll also let you know that the Martial Arts of your Black Stone City is nothing more than a frog’s view from the bottom of a well!"

Faced with this aggressive provocation, Su Yu’s expression remained as calm as still water.

He did not draw his saber. He simply raised his arms, which were covered by the Profound Silver Flow Armor, and took a defensive stance from the White Ape Fist. He said calmly:

"Proceed."

’Courting death!’

This casual attitude completely infuriated Ding Mianyue.

"Silver Scale Split Wave!"

In the next instant, Ding Mianyue moved.

Her movement was like a sudden clap of thunder.

Her figure instantly vanished, leaving only a series of blurry afterimages in the air, as if dozens of swimming fish were pouncing on Su Yu at once.

Her speed was far greater than Su Yu’s when he used the Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step!

Su Yu’s pupils contracted. He instantly pushed his Five Senses Divine to its absolute limit.

In his perception, her presence flickered erratically from left to right, moving at an astonishing speed!

CHII!

An extremely faint sound of tearing air came from his left.

Su Yu instinctively raised his arm to block.

TZZZZ—

Sparks flew, momentarily outshining the surrounding festive lanterns!

Ding Mianyue’s Emei Needles crossed like scissors, their sharp blades scraping a long trail of sparks across Su Yu’s forearm.

Although the incredibly tough Profound Silver Flow Armor blocked the blow, the sharp cutting force still made Su Yu’s skin sting.

’Such fast blades! Such sharp power!’

Su Yu’s heart grew cold. ’This woman’s blade technique follows a path of extreme explosive and tearing power, specifically designed to break Hard Skills!’

Before he could counterattack, Ding Mianyue’s offensive descended like a torrential storm.

DING! DING! DANG!

In the span of just three breaths, Su Yu blocked dozens of strikes!

Ding Mianyue’s Body Technique was too slippery; she was like an uncatchable fish, circling Su Yu frantically.

Her Emei Needles were a dazzling blur, specifically targeting Su Yu’s joints, neck, and ribs. Each attack stacked more power onto the exact same point.

KRAK!

Finally, after enduring eighteen consecutive strikes, the Profound Silver Flow Armor on Su Yu’s left shoulder emitted a tearing sound as if under unbearable strain. A gash was cut open, and a trace of blood seeped out!

"It’s over! Senior Brother Su’s defense has been broken!"

"Senior Brother Su is bleeding! Be careful!"

Below the stage, the members of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall cried out in alarm, their hearts in their throats.

’He really is just a frog in a well. He can’t even beat Ding Mianyue from Liangzhou.’

A look of "I knew it" flashed in Liu Yuan’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but let out a cold snort.

The more of a genius Su Yu appeared to be, the more uncomfortable it made her. After all, she had once looked down on him, thinking he was nothing but a dirt-caked peasant.

On the stage, having broken through Su Yu’s Profound Silver Flow Armor, a flash of arrogance appeared in Ding Mianyue’s eyes.

’Is this the number one genius of Black Stone City?’

’Too weak!’

’In that case, let’s end this!’

Her figure came to a sudden halt, then she soared into the air like a flying fish leaping from the water.

She brought her two Emei Needles together as one, her entire body transforming into a dazzling silver streak in mid-air, aimed straight for the exposed flaw on Su Yu’s left shoulder!

This strike gathered all the Qi and Blood and sharpness in her body. If it landed, it wouldn’t just be a matter of breaking his defense—Su Yu’s entire arm might be severed!

"Be careful, Junior Brother!"

Below, Lin Wanzhu had already moved to the edge of the stage. If things took a bad turn, she would rush up without a moment’s hesitation to save Su Yu!

However, facing this incredibly powerful strike, Su Yu, who had been passively defending all this time, suddenly had a piercing, cold glint flash through his calm eyes.

His right hand, at some unknown point, had slowly come to rest on the hilt of the Mo Yuan Saber at his waist.

OMM—!

A heart-stopping aura suddenly erupted.

The air seemed to turn viscous in an instant. Before this formless presence, Ding Mianyue’s lightning-fast figure actually showed a strange hint of stagnation!