On the fighting stage, Zhao Xuanqi and Cheng Cuixing stood facing each other.

Because neither of them were well-known figures among the competitors, their match didn’t attract much attention. Only a few other competitors and disciples from their respective Martial Arts Halls had gathered around the stage to watch.

"Little brother, don’t blame your big sister for bullying a newcomer. I’ll buy you a drink after the match is over."

Cheng Cuixing looked at Zhao Xuanqi with a teasing smile, which left him feeling a bit speechless.

With the referee’s signal, the match officially began.

Although Cheng Cuixing had been joking before the match, she got serious the moment it started, showing no signs of underestimating her opponent.

’Even if he is a newcomer from a weaker Martial Arts Hall, anyone who has received the True Inheritance must have some skill. He can’t be underestimated.’

BAM!

Her exposed, wheat-colored arms were instantly covered by a Qi Surge. The change was most drastic in her hands, which turned a dark purple as a massive amount of Qi and Blood gathered, greatly increasing their strength.

At the same time, her exposed legs also swelled, becoming covered by the Qi Surge as well.

’Both arms and legs,’ he noted. ’Clearly, the Golden Leopard Fist is a Martial Dao that prioritizes Body Technique and skill. That’s why the priority of its Qi Surge coverage is so different from the Tiger Form Fist. It must be determined by the School’s specialty and its Pile Skill.’

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!

She was the first to attack Zhao Xuanqi. Her Qi Surge-covered legs instantly generated immense explosive power, her entire body zig-zagging rapidly. Her angles were erratic, and her Body Technique shifted so quickly it was hard to follow.

In just a few flickers, she had already reached Zhao Xuanqi’s side, suddenly launching an attack from an extremely bizarre angle. Her five sharp fingers came together, stabbing out like a sharp sword.

RIP!

It was as if the air itself was instantly torn apart by her nails. One could only imagine what would happen if that strike landed on a human body; even flesh hardened by a Qi Surge-covered Cross-Training technique wouldn’t be able to block it. A normal Cross-Training practitioner might even be pierced straight through by a single blow, no different from being stabbed with a sharp blade.

’To train one’s fingers and nails to this level is certainly unique. If she fought Senior Brother Liu with this kind of strength, before he grasped the secret of ’Rong’ in Inner Cultivation, the outcome would be hard to predict.’

’But against me...’

’In terms of skill, experience, Physical Ability, speed, or reflexes...’

’...in which of these could she compare to me now?’

’Besides, and most importantly, she isn’t Senior Brother Liu. I don’t need to worry about her pride and hold back.’

The instant she launched her strike, the muscles all over Zhao Xuanqi’s body twitched faintly. The powerful intuition honed by the Hundred Beasts Mystic Gate activated instantly. Even without using his eyes, he was completely aware of her every move.

As if predicting the future, he moved.

His entire arm was enveloped in a Qi Surge, his five fingers turning pitch-black like ink, resembling a ferocious Tiger Claw. Before Cheng Cuixing’s attack could land, he had already grabbed her wrist.

Striking later, but arriving first.

Precise! Deadly!

’This!!’

Cheng Cuixing’s pupils shrank abruptly. ’This guy...’

She knew perfectly well how difficult it was to intercept her rapid stab, and how much incredible strength was needed to grab her wrist in that situation.

She felt as if her arm had been frozen solid in mid-air, completely unable to move.

BAM!!

The next moment, before she could even react, an even more terrifying scene unfolded before her eyes.

The arm of the newcomer from Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall suddenly swelled again, its shape becoming utterly terrifying.

Then, she saw him twist at the waist and violently swing that monstrous arm.

WHOOSH!!

Her body was instantly sent flying, completely out of her control, the whistling of the wind filling her ears.

CRASH!!

To the astonishment of everyone watching, Cheng Cuixing’s body flew off the stage, traveled more than ten meters, and finally slammed heavily into a nearby wall with a terrifying thud.

For a brief moment, Cheng Cuixing stuck to the wall like a painting before sliding down about a second later, collapsing onto the ground.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her internal organs and bones had been rattled by the impact, and she was currently unable to move, but she wasn’t seriously injured.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Never mind the crowd watching from below, even the referee at the side of the stage couldn’t immediately process what had happened.

"I’ve won, right?"

Zhao Xuanqi said, turning his head to remind the referee.

"Oh, right! Zhao Qisheng of Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall wins!" the referee announced loudly, finally snapping out of his daze.

Zhao Xuanqi nodded, hopped off the stage, and went to a nearby workstation to register his victory. After learning the location of his next match, he turned and left.

"That kid..."

Weng Xiaolin, who had watched the fight from a high platform on the second floor, couldn’t help but feel shaken. Cheng Cuixing of the Golden Leopard Martial Arts Hall was no weakling. Even the current Liu Changfeng would have had a tough fight on his hands against her.

’Just how much did he hold back in his fight against Liu Changfeng? And what level has his strength reached now?!’

At this moment, Weng Xiaolin felt like a complete failure as a master. He couldn’t even gauge the true depths of his own disciple’s abilities.

"First your senior brother, and now you... what kind of disciples have I taken on...?"

Weng Xiaolin couldn’t help but shake his head.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t until Zhao Xuanqi had turned and left that the members of the Golden Leopard Martial Arts Hall snapped back to their senses and hurried over to check on Cheng Cuixing. The other spectators simply stared at each other in bewilderment.

"Just how strong is this Zhao Qi from Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall? Even if Cheng Cuixing from the Golden Leopard Martial Arts Hall isn’t a top-tier fighter, she shouldn’t have been defeated in a single move, right?!"

"That kind of reaction speed and judgment... it’s simply unbelievable!"

"With that kind of strength, he’s a sure bet for the top thirty-two, isn’t he?"

"Looks like we’ve got another dark horse this year, huh?"

"..."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves.

Zhong Daorong of the Taihe Tiger Form Fist took a deep breath. He had originally just thought Zhao Xuanqi was very strong, but now, he was beginning to feel that the man’s strength was unfathomable.

’If our Taihe Tiger Form Fist’s representative goes up against this guy, will they even have a chance of winning?’

Zhao Xuanqi finished his match in record time, making him one of the fastest to end a fight in the entire venue. Since the first-round matches on the other stages weren’t over yet, he, out of sheer boredom, found a few stages with larger crowds—presumably watching popular contenders—and started to observe.

After making a round, however, he hadn’t seen much of note. The first round of matches was a mixed bag, and it was hard to see anyone’s true capabilities.

When he arrived at the venue for his second-round match, however, he did see an interesting opponent.

Ruan Yuanhe, from the Primordial Saint Sect.

This Ruan Yuanhe seemed to be a potential contender, as his fight had drawn a large crowd of spectators. On the stage, his opponent was a burly man of about the same height.

BAM BAM BAM!!

The burly man’s Palm Technique was incredibly fierce and powerful; the force of his blows stirred up the wind, and their power was immense.

However, Ruan Yuanhe simply stood his ground, not moving from his spot. He only waved his hands to protect his head. His body, which could be described as obese, rippled like ocean waves, and all the force from the burly man’s strikes had no effect whatsoever—it was all completely neutralized.

Then, Ruan Yuanhe suddenly struck out with a downward palm.

The burly man shouted and quickly raised his hands to block. Ruan Yuanhe didn’t change his technique, striking directly onto his opponent’s crossed arms.

CRACK!!

After a sickening crack that made one’s scalp tingle, the burly man’s expression suddenly went vacant. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his body seemed to freeze up before he fell stiffly to the ground, unable to get back up.