Free Web NovelChapter 148: Chapter 145: A Test of Strength
Zhaang Ye had just returned from the Wind Cave and barely had a chance to sit down before Zhaang Yizhi showed up at his door. Zhaang Yizhi glanced at Zhaang Ye and was surprised to find his aura had become incredibly sharp—so much so that it probably wouldn’t be inferior to a Martial Arts Fifth Layer expert’s.
Zhaang Yizhi said in astonishment, "In just over twenty days, your aura has changed again. It looks like your Saber Technique has improved. Also, your Cultivation has become much more condensed. It seems you’re not far from the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Middle Stage."
Zhaang Ye also noticed that Zhaang Yizhi’s own aura had grown more condensed. He was now as unfathomable as a deep pool. Zhaang Ye smiled and said, "It seems your Finger Technique has reached the Great Success Realm. You truly deserve the title of number one in the Inner Sect."
After exchanging compliments, the two of them shared a laugh.
After a brief chat about their training, Zhaang Yizhi said, "Zhaang Ye, I came looking for you. The Four Races Ranking Tournament is coming up, and the Fifth Elder wants us to gather at the Cyan Stone Mountain training grounds."
Zhaang Ye nodded and followed Zhaang Yizhi toward the Cyan Stone Mountain training grounds. When they arrived, Zhaang Ye saw that seven disciples in blue robes—five men and two women—had already gathered there. In the Zhaang Family, Outer Disciples wore white, Inner Sect Disciples wore cyan, and blue was the attire of the True Disciples.
As Zhaang Ye and Zhaang Yizhi walked into the training grounds, the seven True Disciples immediately fixed their gazes on Zhaang Ye. The auras of these seven True Disciples were all extremely condensed. Even the weakest among them, a female disciple, possessed the strength of a peak Martial Arts Fourth Layer. The strongest of them, a young man, had a gaze as sharp as an arrow, as if he could effortlessly see through one’s innermost secrets. As all seven looked at him, Zhaang Ye instantly felt an invisible pressure.
Fortunately, Zhaang Ye was a battle-hardened veteran. The trials of life and death had forged his will into something incredibly strong, and he simply ignored this bit of pressure.
Zhaang Ye and Zhaang Yizhi had just sat down cross-legged when Fifth Elder Zhaang Tianlong arrived. His figure appeared before them like a wisp of light smoke. This incredible Body Technique made even Zhaang Ye’s expression shift slightly.
His eyes swept over the nine of them, and Zhaang Tianlong said in a deep voice, "I’ve summoned you nine because you all have the potential to advance to the top twenty. Your goal is to defeat your opponents and secure a spot in the top twenty. As for the other eleven disciples, their goal is to temper themselves and aim for the top forty."
After this explanation, Zhaang Tianlong proceeded to outline the rules of the tournament.
The Four Races Young Masters Ranking Tournament would have a total of eighty participants. These eighty young masters would be divided into twenty groups. Each group would contain one person each from the Zhaang Family, the Zhou Family, the Lee Family, and the Luo Family.
The four people in each group will draw lots to determine their opponents and then fight. After two group matches, the winners will advance to the top twenty. Those in the top twenty will then fight again until a final champion is decided.
After explaining the tournament rules, Zhaang Tianlong moved on to the young masters from the other three families. He introduced over twenty of them in total, but he placed special emphasis on seven: Luo Yongsheng, Luo Changjie, Lee Lie, Lee Yan, Lee Changfeng, Zhou Yuhe, and Zhou Chenshan.
These seven, along with the Zhaang Family’s Zhaang Yijian and two powerful Loose Cultivators from Cyan Mulberry City, were collectively known as the Ten Great Young Masters of Cyan Mulberry City. Each one possessed formidable strength and unique Combat Skills. Zhaang Tianlong was clearly quite familiar with these seven, as he gave a detailed introduction to their Cultivation and Combat Skills, provided some analysis, and suggested ways to counter them.
After speaking about the young masters from the Lee, Zhou, and Luo Families, Zhaang Tianlong shared some advice on battle tactics and strategies. Finally, he looked at the group and said, "That is all I have to say. Remember, do your best to secure a good ranking. But if your opponent is too strong and the situation is hopeless, saving your own life is the top priority. If you have any questions, you can ask them now. I will resolve any issues I can." freeweɓnovel.cøm
A True Disciple who looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight stood up and said, "Fifth Elder, I, Zhaang Guanghe, have a question." He pointed a finger at Zhaang Ye and continued, "The Four Races Young Masters Ranking Tournament is filled with experts as numerous as clouds. This junior brother’s Cultivation is only at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Early Stage. It doesn’t seem very appropriate for him to participate, does it?"
Hearing Zhaang Guanghe’s words, all but two of the True Disciples, whose expressions remained unchanged, nodded in agreement. Among the participants in the Four Races Young Masters Ranking Tournament, not a single one had a Cultivation below the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Late Stage. Under these circumstances, someone at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Early Stage had absolutely no chance of winning.
Fifth Elder Zhaang Tianlong just smiled and said, "Zhaang Guanghe, you’ll understand if you test him yourself."
’He’s actually telling Zhaang Guanghe to test him! Could this guy be hiding his true strength?’ Hearing Zhaang Tianlong’s words, several of the True Disciples grew interested. They all turned their gazes back to Zhaang Ye, sizing him up anew.
Zhaang Guanghe hadn’t expected Zhaang Tianlong to actually tell him to make a move. In his mind, the gap between the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Early Stage and the Martial Arts Fifth Layer was simply too vast. A single glance was enough to tell who was stronger and who was weaker; there was no need for such an unnecessary gesture.
However, since Zhaang Tianlong had told him to test Zhaang Ye, he wouldn’t be polite about it. He strode over and said to Zhaang Ye, "Junior Brother, please forgive my offense!"
Zhaang Ye felt a bit helpless, but he knew that if he didn’t display some of his strength, he would never win the respect of these proud and arrogant True Disciples. He stood up and said crisply, "Please!"
Seeing Zhaang Ye’s reaction, the other True Disciples all nodded to themselves. Facing Zhaang Guanghe, whose Cultivation was far superior to his own, Zhaang Ye acted neither arrogantly nor humbly, displaying an excellent disposition.
Zhaang Guanghe raised a fist and threw a punch at Zhaang Ye.
Those at the Martial Arts Fifth Layer possessed a special ability: Transforming Flow into Rod. So-called Transforming Flow into Rod referred to the ability to constrain the True Qi within one’s body into an invisible but tangible "Qi Stick." This "Qi Stick" was formed by condensed True Qi, and its power was far greater than the Qi Transformation Stream of the Martial Arts Fourth Layer.
This ability of Transforming Flow into Rod was extremely useful in combat. With this "Qi Stick," one didn’t even need to touch an opponent to strike them. A punch would be thrown, and before the fist even arrived, the "Qi Stick" would have already thrust forward.
Zhaang Guanghe’s punch seemed unremarkable, but he had already used thirty percent of his True Qi. A three-foot-long "Qi Stick" extended from his fist. Before the punch landed, the sound of the "Qi Stick" cutting through the air was already hissing—a sound no different from the Sword Qi Zhaang Ye usually unleashed.
Zhaang Guanghe and Zhaang Ye were only a few feet apart. He threw the punch, and in the blink of an eye, his fist was four feet away from Zhaang Ye, while his "Qi Stick" was a mere foot away.
At that exact moment, Zhaang Ye formed his palm into a Hand Blade and chopped down, striking squarely against the "Qi Stick."
PFFT!
The moment Zhaang Ye’s chop landed, Zhaang Guanghe immediately felt its exceptional sharpness. The Qi Stick formed from his own True Qi had instantly crumbled under Zhaang Ye’s strike, dissolving into a gust of wind. Before he could even register his shock, Zhaang Ye’s palm had already sliced through the Qi Stick and chopped down onto his fist.
BAM! frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Zhaang Guanghe felt a terrifying force transmit from Zhaang Ye’s Hand Blade. His fist, which was filled with True Qi, was struck with a piercing pain, and his body stumbled back a step involuntarily.
In contrast, Zhaang Ye stood perfectly still, not moving an inch.
"Huh?" Zhaang Ye, with a Cultivation of only the Martial Arts Fourth Layer, had actually managed to force Zhaang Guanghe, a Martial Arts Fifth Layer expert, back a step. This outcome was far beyond what any of the True Disciples had expected.
At that moment, Zhaang Guanghe stared at Zhaang Ye and said suddenly, "Body Refining Techniques!"
Hearing Zhaang Guanghe’s three words, the True Disciples all wore looks of sudden realization, which were quickly followed by expressions of shock. They hadn’t expected that at such a young age, Zhaang Ye had not only reached the Martial Arts Fourth Layer in his Cultivation but had also trained in Body Refining Techniques. It was truly unbelievable.
Zhaang Guanghe stared at Zhaang Ye and said, "Junior Brother Zhaang, your Body Refining Techniques are quite good. But I still need to test whether you truly have the strength to participate in this tournament. Be careful. For this next punch, I will use sixty percent of my True Qi."
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