Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

In the fourth round, only sixty-eight examinees remained. A mere eight eliminations would decide who received the Dragon Ascension spots.

Therefore, in this round, the unluckiest examinees would have to fight three matches.

The first set of matches would select thirty-four to advance. The thirty-four who lost would fight again, from which another seventeen winners would advance.

The seventeen losers would fight a third round, producing nine more victors. This would bring the total to exactly sixty Dragon Ascension spots.

’I have to win the first match.’

Xu Yang had no desire to fight three matches. "Bing Qi."

He glanced at the token in his hand. He was back at Arena Bing.

Lu Ren and Gu Fang were also at Arena Bing. Lu Ren had recovered some of his strength, but he still looked somewhat drained.

Liu Qian was there as well, looking to be in good shape. She and Xu Yang exchanged slight nods, a silent greeting.

He also spotted Kong Yu, Jiang Yi, and Qin Ze—the genius from the Spiritual Monkey Boxing Hall who had grasped the profundities of Hidden Strength.

Soon enough, Gu Haoming also appeared at Arena Bing, taking his place beside Gu Fang and Lu Ren.

’So many experts!’

Two of the contenders for the top three spots had been assigned to Arena Bing, not to mention a genius like Kong Yu, who was said to have the best Root Bone of this year’s cohort.

The matches began swiftly. To everyone’s surprise, the first person to take the stage was Gu Fang.

And her opponent was none other than Qin Ze.

Xu Yang saw the color drain from her face the moment she realized her opponent was Qin Ze.

It wasn’t because she would lose to him, but because Qin Ze was a prime contender for the top three—and a major rival to Gu Haoming.

And as a pawn sent to charge the enemy lines for Gu Haoming, her role was to exhaust his rival’s True Qi as much as possible. Surrender was not an option.

She naturally wanted a Dragon Ascension spot for herself, but of all the terrible luck, she had run into Qin Ze. She had no choice but to fight with everything she had.

"Surrender. I don’t want to hurt you," Qin Ze said coldly, staring at Gu Fang, who hadn’t conceded immediately.

"Arrogant!"

Under Gu Haoming’s watchful gaze from below the stage, Gu Fang could only bite the bullet and attack.

With a sharp cry, her figure vanished. She attacked immediately, using the Gu Family’s Secret Martial Arts: the Eighteen Forms of Scattering Hands.

"You’re courting death!"

Seeing Gu Fang ignore his warning and insist on attacking, a vicious glint flashed in Qin Ze’s eyes. ’Did she really think he would go easy on her just because she was a woman?’

A sinister Hidden Strength coiled in his fist as he immediately threw a punch.

THUD!

THUD!

Two muffled impacts sounded in quick succession. Gu Fang had actually ignored Qin Ze’s punch, allowing it to slam into her body so she could seize the opportunity to strike him with her own palm.

’Crazy woman!’

That thought flashed through many people’s minds. To actually trade blows with Qin Ze, injury for injury.

Qin Ze’s Protective True Qi was torn apart. His entire body shuddered as Gu Fang’s Scattering Hand knocked him back three steps. A flush crept over his face, his blood and qi roiling.

A sickening thud echoed from within Gu Fang’s body. She coughed up a mouthful of blood as her body was sent flying off the stage.

"Senior Sister Gu!" Lu Ren shrieked.

Struck by Qin Ze’s Hidden Strength, even if Gu Fang survived, her internal organs would be severely damaged.

It all happened in an instant. Before most people could even process what had happened, the match was over.

Gu Haoming leaped up, catching Gu Fang in mid-air as she fell from the arena.

Gu Fang’s face was ashen. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her features contorted in agony, and her body twitched uncontrollably.

His gaze shot to Qin Ze on the stage. "How dare you strike so viciously?"

Qin Ze looked down from his high position, his voice dripping with scorn. "I never thought you, Gu Haoming, could be so pathetic. You sacrificed your own sister to clear your path to the top three, and now that she’s injured, you have the gall to blame me for being vicious?"

"Was she allowed to hit me, but I wasn’t allowed to hit back?"

’If Gu Haoming truly cared for his sister, he would have told her to surrender, not forced her to fight me. Questioning me now that she’s hurt is just him trying to play the righteous brother. What a shameless, hypocritical fraud.’

A wave of sorrow washed over Lu Ren. ’To get into the top three, Gu Haoming would disregard his own sister’s life... If I follow a man like that, will I really meet a good end?’

"You’d better hope you don’t run into me," Gu Haoming said coldly, though inwardly, he was secretly pleased.

He didn’t press the issue, worried that Qin Ze would expose him for the shameless, hypocritical fraud he was.

’He knew the power of the Gu Family’s Scattering Hand. Gu Fang’s palm strike may not have seriously wounded Qin Ze, but it had definitely injured him. If he were to face Qin Ze now, he was confident of victory. All that remained was to take care of Han Xing.’

’If he could injure Han Xing as well, his chances of placing in the top three would be excellent.’

"Bing Qi, to the stage!"

It was Xu Yang’s turn again. Hearing the examiner’s call, he leaped to his feet.

At the same moment, Lu Ren vaulted onto the stage as well.

The instant they saw each other, both of them froze.

All around them, those who knew the two were equally stunned, and a moment later, an uproar erupted.

"Lu Ren is up against Xu Yang!"

"Those two have been neck and neck for so long. Today, they’re finally going to have a real showdown."

"It’s a shame Lu Ren isn’t in peak condition. This duel seems a little unfair."

...

The Gu Family faction and the disciples of Weiyuan Hall all turned to watch.

"I’ve always wanted to have a proper duel with you. I just never thought it would be here..."

A smile spread across Lu Ren’s face, one of relief, as if a long-held wish had finally been granted. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Back when he had achieved Qi Gathering Great Success, he had flaunted it in front of Xu Yang, only to be put in his place. Humiliated, he had warned Xu Yang not to run into him on the Martial Arts Examination stage.

Back then, he had been furious, genuinely wanting to teach Xu Yang a harsh lesson. But now, actually meeting on the stage, his mindset was completely different. The anger was gone.

"Let’s begin," Xu Yang said, his tone even.

’He didn’t actually want to fight Lu Ren in this situation. Stealing Lu Ren’s spotlight wasn’t a good thing; it would only attract the unwanted attention of the great Noble Families.’