"One... one move was all it took to defeat Green Face Ghost?" The host's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed the scene.
Several seconds passed before the host finally roared excitedly, "The winner... Bull Devil King!"
The host felt that the title Bull Head Man lacked enough grandeur for Tang Jie. Bull Devil King was more fitting!
"Bull Devil King! Bull Devil King!"
"Too strong! Green Face Ghost was a frequent winner in the Martial Arts Arena, yet he was defeated in a single exchange?"
"What a terrifying slash! It even cut through his opponent's weapon! Is there really anyone who can block that slash?"
In the stands, every spectator was deeply shaken by what they had just witnessed.
One slash came down—so fast it seized the soul, so fierce it chilled the blood. In that single stroke, the opponent's weapon was effortlessly cut in two!
Everyone wondered whether any martial artist in this world could withstand such a terrifying slash.
"I won."
A trace of a smile appeared beneath Tang Jie's mask. His first battle had gone smoothly!
"Incredible... This Tang Jie might become the Martial Arts Arena's reigning champion!"
Manager Mu was equally shaken by what he had witnessed. He had seen plenty of martial artists, including no shortage of first-rate experts, but this was the first time he had encountered someone as young as Tang Jie whose strength was unfathomable. Whether in internal cultivation or saber techniques, Tang Jie was flawless.
Manager Mu's eyes gleamed. He felt that perhaps they could turn Tang Jie into the champion of their Martial Arts Arena!
After all, the effect of producing a star fighter could attract more spectators and bring even greater profits to their Lingwu Martial Arts Arena!
"Manager Mu."
Bathed in the glory of victory, Tang Jie returned to the preparation room, where he found Manager Mu waiting for him.
Manager Mu said excitedly, "Tang Jie, I think highly of your strength. Our Martial Arts Arena needs a powerhouse like you. If you come every month from now on, I can raise your appearance fee to two hundred taels of silver! If you keep winning and make a name for yourself, it wouldn't be impossible to multiply your reward several times over!"
Manager Mu directly invited Tang Jie to become a regular martial artist at their Blood Fight Arena, even promising that his compensation could be increased further!
Tang Jie was delighted. As his cultivation improved, the resources he consumed would certainly continue to grow. His Household was not poor, but neither was it wealthy and powerful. A stable, substantial income every month would undoubtedly be an excellent thing.
"Good. I'll come to every martial arts meet each month." Tang Jie did not think too long before accepting Manager Mu's request.
"I believe your name will resound throughout the Martial Arts Arena, and even throughout Lingyue City. I look forward to working with you!" Manager Mu smiled. He was just as pleased to see Tang Jie agree to become a regular fighter at the Martial Arts Arena.
"This is the Martial Arts Arena's entry token. With it, you can enter the Martial Arts Arena for free." Manager Mu then took out a token and handed it to Tang Jie.
The token looked just like Cheng Yuan's earlier token. It seemed to be an entry token for the martial artists of the Martial Arts Arena. Anyone else had to buy a ticket to enter!
Tang Jie received the hundred taels of silver notes they had agreed upon beforehand. Afterward, he watched the martial arts meet until it ended.
What left the deepest impression on Tang Jie was the tenth and final Blood Fight. The two sides had to fight to the death, and every spectator was feverishly excited. Although neither combatant was even a second-rate martial artist, every stroke drew blood. The fight only ended when one side could hold on no longer and had their head cut off!
This was the first time Tang Jie had seen someone killed before his eyes, and his feelings were extremely complicated.
It was undeniably cruel and savage! It also proved that the Martial Arts Arena—and even this entire world—was governed by the law of the jungle. The arena was merely a tiny reflection of it.
There were even more brutal places in this world: the world of demons, the world of demonic beasts, and the world of immortal cultivators. All of them were far more cruel than the world of mortals!
All Tang Jie could do was grow stronger step by step. He wanted to see just how far the pinnacle of martial arts could reach, and whether it could truly stand shoulder to shoulder with immortal cultivation!
Tang Jie had once wanted to take True Person Heyun as his master. Unfortunately, he lacked a spiritual root and had no aptitude for immortal cultivation, leaving him able to cultivate only martial arts.
Martial artists and immortal cultivators existed on two entirely different levels. Even a so-called first-rate martial artist might be effortlessly killed by a newly initiated immortal cultivator. It was like one side wielding cold weapons while the other used firearms—the gap was simply too vast.
But as a martial artist, Tang Jie was naturally unwilling to live beneath others. He would practice martial arts until he was strong enough to rival immortal cultivators!
For that goal, Tang Jie had not rested for a single day in nearly ten years!
Tang Jie returned to Qingyuan Town in the afternoon of the following day. He used the silver he had earned to purchase enough Qi and Blood Pills for a month of cultivation.
"My saber technique can still rise to another level."
As he practiced Boyhood Art each day, Tang Jie had never neglected to temper his saber technique.
Tang Jie felt that his saber technique could still advance further. However, after Iron Cutting Saber Art reached the peak of perfection, its proficiency began to rise slowly. The final realm was mastery beyond perfection, and reaching that realm would be no simple matter!
"Iron Cutting Saber Art has simple moves. I don't need to make it complicated, but I can make some improvements to increase its power!"
Tang Jie thought silently.
Tang Jie's Potential Points had now reached ten. His talent in martial arts was absolutely at the level of a martial prodigy. He could ponder the weaknesses in his own saber technique and make it stronger and fiercer!
"Friction and cushioning can increase the speed and power of a strike, just like snapping your fingers. A single finger has limited power when flicked out without friction or the force of a cushion, but when two fingers work together, a snap of the finger is far faster and stronger!"
Tang Jie thought of a very simple principle. To exert force with a finger snap, two fingers had to work together!
"I'll use the scabbard as the second finger. By borrowing the friction and cushioning produced when drawing the saber, I can accumulate power for the strike and make it faster and stronger!"
Tang Jie's improvement to Iron Cutting Saber Art was very simple: he would use the scabbard to increase the force and speed of his draw!
"Clang!"
Tang Jie began practicing Drawing Slash. The blade scraped against the scabbard, releasing a piercing shriek. As he slashed, saber light tore through the air!
"The angle of the draw needs to be adjusted..."
"This slash has enough force, but its speed is considerably slower."
Tang Jie thus immersed himself in cultivating his newly revised Iron Cutting Saber Art. He fused its three saber forms with Drawing Slash, practicing without pause and constantly correcting its flaws!
"Shhk!"
A month later, inspiration struck Tang Jie. He stood in the courtyard as a leaf drifted down from the large tree. His ears twitched. Without even looking, he suddenly drew his saber.
Slash!
A thread of saber light tore through the void, carrying a faint, nearly inaudible whistle. The saber light flashed, so fast that it reached the limit of what the naked eye could capture!
Whoosh!
Tang Jie returned the saber to its scabbard. The leaf slowly split into two, then was shaken into powder by the force contained in Tang Jie's saber and scattered across the ground!
Name: Tang Jie Martial Arts: Boyhood Art (Third Layer, Meteor Art 30%), Iron Cutting Saber Art (Mastery Beyond Perfection 1%) Potential Points: 12
Tang Jie opened the attribute panel to check his information. A gratified smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. After one or two months of arduous cultivation and nearly a million repetitions, he had successfully fused Drawing Slash into Iron Cutting Saber Art, raising it another level and reaching the realm of mastery beyond perfection.
As a result, Tang Jie received another reward of Potential Points, bringing his total to twelve!
Before you continue