Reluctance and Perseverance
The middle-aged man was dressed in a bright red robe, and beside him was a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old. This boy was dressed in Flying Fish Robe and had Wild Goose Wing Saber at his waist, and his attire was almost identical to Yi Yun's.
This means that this young man is also a National Scholar!
"Huh? General Yan!?"
Zhang Tan noticed the middle-aged man. He paused for a moment, about to report it, when the tall man waved his hand, signaling Zhang Tan not to make a fuss.
Zhang Tan could only nod, and the middle-aged man continued to watch the duel between Hei Sha and Ji Chang.
Just then--
"Snap!"
With a soft sound, a Cold Iron Blood Pearl flew past Hei Sha's forearm.
With a piercing ripping sound, a piece of cloth still attached to the animal skin flew up, and the swirling gust of wind tore off Hei Sha's sleeve.
The cloth was completely shredded in the air, and blood seeped from Hei Sha's dark arms!
Just a swipe and this is the result; the power of this Cold Iron Blood Pearl is unimaginable!
The middle-aged man's brow twitched slightly, and he gently shook his head, seemingly feeling sorry for Hei Sha.
Yi Yun observed this scene and frowned slightly, saying, "Hei Sha can't beat Ji Chang anymore. If they continue, they'll definitely get injured. It's better to admit defeat sooner rather than later."
Actually, the difference in skill level is already clear. Hei Sha has a good physique, but his technique is far inferior to Ji Chang's. Continuing to compete would be pointless.
Yi Yun even doubted that Ji Chang could handle the level thirteen difficulty.
Hei Sha clearly couldn't hold out much longer; in a little while, he would be struck by the Cold Iron Blood Pearl.
Generally, within this Cold Iron Blood Pearl Formation, if a martial artist finds themselves unable to hold on, they will call for a stop. If they insist on continuing, they will pay a heavy price.
To simulate realistic combat and life-or-death battles, the Blood Beads of the Brocade Dragon Guard possess extremely high attack power. Being hit by one will definitely result in serious injury!
Even during the training of the Brocade Dragon Guard in the past, there were instances where soldiers died in the Cold Iron Blood Pearl Formation due to bad luck.
Hei Sha is currently in a state of injury, yet he continues to persevere; it's like dancing on a knife's edge.
If you are accidentally struck in the back of the head or eyes by Cold Iron Blood Pearl, the consequences could be unimaginable!
"Snap!"
With another soft thud, the second Cold Iron Blood Pearl grazed Hei Sha's shoulder, tearing the animal hide. This strike was even more forceful; the Cold Iron Blood Pearl even changed direction as a result, and Hei Sha's shoulder was instantly ripped open!
The Great Wilderness youths around Hei Sha, who were familiar with him, were green with envy!
"Hei Sha Brothers!"
These young men were all quite old. Seeing Hei Sha like this, they clenched their fists so tightly that their fists trembled!
Despite suffering two wounds, Hei Sha gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and still mustered all his strength to dodge the attacks of the Cold Iron Blood Pearl.
He refused to admit defeat. Men who have emerged from the Great Wilderness may be defeated, may die in battle, but they cannot admit defeat!
His growth to this point has consumed too many resources of the Black Stone Tribe. These resources were earned by countless elders and villagers who painstakingly saved every grain of rice they ate to grow up!
He left the Great Wilderness and joined the Brocade Dragon Guard, carrying the hopes of countless people of the Black Stone Tribe on his shoulders!
He wanted to achieve great things and bring a better life to the people of the Black Stone Tribe. How could he give up here?
Saying "I give up" and jumping off the field is simple, but he had his own principles. After leaving the Great Wilderness, he was despised, looked down upon, and suppressed!
Now, this is his first battle to prove himself. He has already lost in terms of strength, but he cannot afford to lose in terms of courage!
Otherwise, what qualifications would he have to compare with the scions of the great Lineage of the Central Plains in the future?
The warriors of the Great Wilderness tribe were all incredibly excited. They were all new to the Central Plains, like children from the countryside arriving in the city.
They were bewildered and lost, carrying the hopes of their fellow villagers and the simple dream of returning home in glory. They faced a wealthy young man who far surpassed them in both family background and ability.
Hei Sha's perseverance resonated with the hearts of the people of the Great Wilderness!
However, the formations are cruel and do not change according to people's wishes.
"Snap!"
Hei Sha's other arm was also grazed!
By this point, Hei Sha had sustained three injuries. A cold smile crept onto Ji Chang's lips; he knew that Hei Sha had reached his limit.
"Snap!"
Fourth injury!
In that instant, the whistling sound of Cold Iron Blood Pearl tearing through the air, the cold laughter of the Young Masters' Faction, the expectations of the Great Wilderness disciples... all of that vanished. Hei Sha spat out a mouthful of blood, and his body flew backward.
The fifth Cold Iron Blood Pearl tore through the muscles in his chest, broke his ribs, and embedded itself in his body!
The Cold Iron Blood Pearl slow down upon impact with the human body, but this still cannot prevent severe injuries such as broken bones and torn tendons! This is the cruelty of the Brocade Dragon Guard's training.
In the instant he was thrown out, Hei Sha instinctively used his arms to protect his head. A Cold Iron Blood Pearl shot into Hei Sha's thigh, almost piercing through his leg!
At the Brocade Dragon Guard training camp, new recruits not only suffer injuries and disabilities, but also have a mortality rate of two to three percent!
"Cease fire!"
With a shout from Liu Da'er, the formation immediately stopped.
Several doctors rushed over immediately to treat Hei Sha.
Hei Sha was seriously injured; even with the best wound medicine, he would have to stay in bed for four or five days.
Ji Chang glanced at Hei Sha, a smile playing on his lips. He circulated his internal energy, and the fine sweat on his forehead instantly evaporated.
He rubbed his wrist and said, "You have enough speed, but lack technique. But I can't blame you. In the Great Wilderness, the traditions are backward, and you can't learn any techniques. So most of the time, you can only rely on physical strength and brute force."
"You'll naturally have the advantage if you're fighting another barbarian, but you'll be completely outmatched if you encounter someone who understands martial arts techniques!"
Ji Chang offered a few brief comments.
Upon hearing this, the Jingzhou Young Masters Faction clapped their hands in praise, saying, "Young Master Ji Chang's comments are spot on!"
"Indeed, Hei Sha lost because of a lack of skill, but the Great Wilderness really doesn't have much skill involved."
The Jingzhou Young Masters Faction echoed this sentiment.
"Any more disciples from the Great Wilderness coming up?"
As Ji Chang asked this question, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept towards Yi Yun.
Indeed, Yi Yun is his ultimate target.
What does it matter if you step on a piece of Hei Sha?
Yi Yun is National Scholar. It would be satisfying to trample on National Scholar. Why should you be National Scholar and I am not? My strength is greater than yours, so I'll slap you in the face!
Not only Ji Chang was looking at Yi Yun, but the other disciples of the Great Wilderness were also looking at Yi Yun.
However, unlike Ji Chang's provocation, these disciples of the Great Wilderness looked at Yi Yun with expectation.
They've already lost. Even the fastest Hei Sha lost to Ji Chang, so they're even less likely to succeed.
Their only hope lay with Yi Yun, who also came from the Great Wilderness.
He was honored as National Scholar, so he must have been no ordinary person.
Even Hei Sha, who was severely injured and bleeding from his chest and panting heavily on the stretcher, managed to lift his head and look at Yi Yun.
Yi Yun and Hei Sha stared at each Hei Sha calmly. They were complete strangers and hadn't exchanged a single word. However, Yi Yun felt that he should do something for him.
This is a sign of respect for a warrior.
Yi Yun, after all, came from the Great Wilderness. He didn't yet have a strong sense of belonging to the Great Wilderness, but he felt a sense of shared origin with these people from the Great Wilderness. In them, Yi Yun saw the perseverance of the suffering people of the Great Wilderness, just like Jiang Xiaorou's perseverance towards him back then.
Perhaps one day, they will no longer feel inferior because of their origins in the Great Wilderness, but will instead regard it as an honor!
With that thought in mind, Yi Yun stepped onto the great formation.
"I'll compete with you," Yi Yun said calmly.
Ji Chang was overjoyed. He laughed heartily, "It is truly an honor to compete on the same stage as National Scholar!"
The Jingzhou Young Masters Faction were extremely excited. They were finally going to see just how much this so-called "National Scholar of the Great Wilderness" really amounted to. The feeling of trampling on National Scholar must be incredibly satisfying.
"Don't you need to rest?" Yi Yun asked Young Master Ji Chang.
"Thank you for your concern, Your National Scholar. That was just a warm-up. I don't need to rest. But you, don't you need to warm up?" Ji Chang's voice was filled with extreme confidence.
The two were locked in a fierce battle!
"How interesting!" Just then, Yan Menglong suddenly laughed. When he arrived, none of the new members of the Brocade Dragon Guard present recognized him, otherwise Ji Chang would not have dared to continue shouting.
Upon hearing the voice, Ji Chang paused for a moment, then noticed Yan Menglong's attire and immediately realized Yan Menglong's identity!
He quickly realized his mistake, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble one Ji Chang, greets General Yan! I was acting arrogantly just now, please forgive me, General!"
In front of Yan Menglong, Ji Chang spoke appropriately, neither servile nor arrogant.
Yan Menglong laughed heartily, "Youthful arrogance and a competitive spirit aren't necessarily bad things. I actually hope that my army will be absolutely obedient on the battlefield, but during training, no one will yield to anyone else! Competition is a good thing!"
"Since you're all here to compete today, I'll add a little prize. Anyone can participate in this competition. Whoever comes in first place and defeats everyone else can enter the Tiandu City's first-class armory and choose two weapons. Take whatever you like. In addition, I'll give him two Savage Bone Relic!"
When Yan Menglong uttered those words, the eyes of the young martial artists present immediately lit up!
Enter the Heavenly Capital's Level One Armory to choose two weapons? And two Savage Bone Relic?
The first-class armory of Tiandu City is also the highest-level armory. Every weapon inside is exquisitely crafted, made of precious materials, and engraved with formations, making them priceless!
Even the young man in brocade robes beside General Yan was tempted. Many people had noticed this young man; since he could come in with General Yan and wear Flying Fish Robe, he was naturally National Scholar, and his status was probably extraordinary.
Weapon... Savage Bone Relic...
Within the formation, Yi Yun gently clenched his fist. This was truly an unexpected delight; he was just missing a weapon. The Wild Goose Wing Saber was merely a standard weapon of the Brocade Dragon Guard, and in terms of quality and other aspects, it could not be considered superior. (To be continued.)