Chapter 48: Things Are Getting More Interesting

After the referee announced the result, Wu Tian silently jumped down from the arena. This opponent meant nothing to him; defeating him brought Wu Tian no sense of accomplishment at all. However, Xiao Yi’s “support group” was in an uproar. The events had unfolded so quickly that most people had no idea what had happened.

“My goodness! In that instant just now… Wu Tian slapped Brother Xiao’s face, and with such force that he was knocked straight to the ground. Brother Xiao is a level two martial warrior, yet Wu Tian flattened him with a single slap—how is that possible?”

“Wasn’t Wu Tian’s dantian shattered? How could he defeat Xiao Yi? Has his cultivation been restored?”

“I refuse to believe that useless Wu Tian is that strong; he must have cheated!”

No matter how many doubted him, the referee had already declared Wu Tian the victor, advancing him to the next round. The referee, whose cultivation was higher, had seen it all clearly: Wu Tian had delivered a casual slap to Xiao Yi’s face, and Xiao Yi had been knocked out.

“The power behind that slap was at least equal to that of a level five martial warrior. It seems Wu Tian really has recovered his cultivation—he’s even stronger than before!” murmured Liu Qingxu, watching Wu Tian from not far away.

“Perhaps he’s still hiding his true strength. Judging by his expression, he doesn’t seem the least bit excited by this victory,” said Sect Leader Ye, eyes narrowed.

“Given his situation—regarded by others as a complete good-for-nothing—yet with his strength, he must be one of the best among all the disciples competing in the sect tournament. This young man is truly extraordinary. I think he has a real shot at winning first place!” Liu Qingxu’s eyes flashed with excitement. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he’ll do next!”

“Perhaps this remarkable young man will create another miracle,” Sect Leader Ye nodded slightly.

While Sect Leader Ye and Liu Qingxu observed Wu Tian, elsewhere in the crowd He Jiang’s gaze was cold as ice. He clenched his fists, his eyes full of malice.

“So that useless wretch actually won! But don’t get cocky—I’ll soon drag you back down into the abyss!” He Jiang fumed to himself.

...

After his victory, Wu Tian did not leave but instead went to the arena where Niu Wuji was competing.

Niu Wuji had now reached the level of a fourth-tier martial warrior, already a strong contender among the three hundred disciples in the arena competition. However, his first-round opponent was no pushover either—also a fourth-tier martial warrior. Niu Wuji was now locked in a fierce struggle, having only recently broken through to level four and not yet fully mastering his true energy.

“Look, isn’t that Wu Tian from Arena 23? I heard he took out Xiao Yi, a level two martial warrior, with a single move—amazing!” Several disciples immediately recognized Wu Tian.

“He was supposed to be a cripple, so how did he suddenly become so strong?” some wondered.

“Exactly! But he’s just that powerful now. A useless man suddenly turning into a force to be reckoned with—there’s bound to be good drama ahead!”

Locked in a tough battle, Niu Wuji heard the murmurs below and glanced over at Wu Tian.

“Boss will always be the boss—he finished his fight so quickly! I have to work harder!” Niu Wuji shouted to himself.

“At a time like this you’re still distracted? You’re courting disaster—get off the stage!” His opponent seized on Niu Wuji’s lapse, slashing at him with his saber.

Clang! Niu Wuji blocked with his sword, but his body was thrown heavily to the ground.

Watching Niu Wuji fall, his opponent laughed, “You’ve lost this time—give up!”

Grinning, Niu Wuji climbed to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes burning with wildness. “Ha! Surrender? I think you should be the one to surrender! Boss finished his fight in no time—if I drag this out any longer, I’ll only shame him. I’ll defeat you within thirty moves!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Niu Wuji charged forward, his blood surging and his aura soaring.

“Looks like Little Niu’s berserker bloodline is awakening—this match will be over soon,” Wu Tian thought in surprise. At this moment, Niu Wuji’s eyes were blood-red and he was in a frenzy, exuding a wild, violent energy.

Clang, clang, clang!

Fierce collisions echoed across the arena. At first, Niu Wuji had been on the defensive, but after Wu Tian’s encouragement, he completely turned the tables.

Boom! On the twenty-ninth move, Niu Wuji kicked his opponent off the arena.

“The victor—Niu Wuji!”

Niu Wuji leapt from the arena with arms raised in excitement. “Boss, I won! Damn, I made it to the next round! I never dreamed I’d get this far in the sect tournament—thank you, Boss!”

“Now’s not the time to celebrate—we still have a long road ahead.”

“Yes, our journey has just begun!”

...

Today’s tournament was a battle of three hundred down to seventy-five. After his victory, Wu Tian waited half an hour for his next match against a fourth-tier opponent—whom he, once again, defeated in a single blow.

Wu Tian’s consecutive instant victories set off a wave of heated discussion. All the disciples knew that his meridians had been destroyed and his dantian shattered, rendering him as useless as a cripple. But now, with two consecutive one-move knockouts, it was clear Wu Tian was no longer the weakling he once was.

Having defeated his opponent, Wu Tian advanced to the top seventy-five. The day’s matches ended, and the draw for the next round was held. Of the seventy-five, one would get a bye, and Wu Tian was the lucky one—meaning he automatically advanced to the top thirty-eight without having to fight the next day.

His luck sparked even more discussion among the other disciples, and word quickly reached Long Zhan.

“Senior Brother Long, that Wu Tian kid won two matches in a row and made the top seventy-five, then drew a bye and doesn’t even have to fight tomorrow—he’s ridiculously lucky!” said one of Long Zhan’s underlings.

“Senior Brother Long, it’s strange—Wu Tian’s dantian was clearly shattered, yet he’s taken out both opponents in a single move. Just how strong is he, really?” another questioned.

“Bah! He must have cheated. Against absolute strength, there’s no way that kid could win! Just wait until he faces Senior Brother Long—he’ll be exposed for what he is!”

“Are you sure Wu Tian knocked out Xiao Yi with just a single slap?” Long Zhan asked his followers.

“I didn’t see it clearly—maybe it was too fast, or maybe he used some trick.”

A faint smile appeared on Long Zhan’s face as he murmured, “Things are getting more and more interesting, Wu Tian. If you really have regained your strength, all the better. Then I can defeat you fair and square and show everyone that I am the true prodigy of Qitian Sect. You—are nothing more than a stepping stone on my path forward!”