Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Axes

On the Modu Martial University preparation bench, the principal, the team coaches, and the contestants all looked at Wang Meng with undisguised contempt. "What garbage is this? Tell Tong Yanbin to finish it quickly. Seeing these losers makes me lose my appetite." Mo Yu, the Modu Martial University team captain, ordered his teammates.

At that moment, everyone from Shancheng Martial University stared at Tong Yanbin on the stage with burning anger.

The audience in the stands murmured among themselves: "The Modu Martial University people are going too far, aren't they? Are they just toying with him?"

"Exactly. Having strength doesn't mean you can act like that. If you can beat him, just knock him off the stage. Why humiliate him like this?"

Lin Hao turned to Xia Qiuling and the others and said, "Xia Qiuling, Lei Yunfan, Xiaoxiao, go up and forfeit directly." But Xia Qiuling only glanced at Wang Meng being carried off on a stretcher, then climbed onto the competition stage without looking back. Seeing her state, Lin Hao's heart sank. The order of contestants had been submitted to the referee based on Lin Hao's earlier plan, and no one could cut in line before the previous contestant finished. Lin Hao had no way to change it.

"Brother Meng, watch Qiuling avenge you." At that moment, Xia Qiuling's small body seemed to hold boundless fury and power. She raised her hand, and a massive battle axe appeared in her grip. Xia Qiuling was petite, barely 1.6 meters tall, but her Thunderous Axe was over two meters long.

Tong Yanbin on the stage was momentarily stunned when he saw Xia Qiuling—a cute little loli had appeared. But when the battle axe settled into her hands, he was even more bewildered. Then, with a hint of pity, he said, "Little cutie, that weapon really doesn't suit you. Call me 'big brother' nicely, and I'll go easy on you for being so adorable." He burst into laughter.

Xia Qiuling didn't waste words. Power surged around her as she swung the axe at Tong Yanbin. He shook his head helplessly. "Little loli, I gave you a chance. Don't regret it." He raised a hand slightly, and his short blade clashed directly against the giant axe. The axe, which had been charging with overwhelming momentum, was effortlessly blocked by the short blade.

But Xia Qiuling seemed to have expected this. Suddenly, her Thunderous Axe blazed with golden light, and a crushing force like a mountain descending poured into the weapon.

Tong Yanbin hadn't anticipated a follow-up move from her axe. The sudden surge of power caught him off guard, and the Thunderous Axe slashed down onto his shoulder. His eyes blazing with anger, he used his short blade to deflect the axe's attack.

"Little girl, I was being nice to you. I didn't want to hurt a pretty young thing. Since you won't take the easy way, don't blame me for being ruthless."

On the Modu Martial University side, Mo Yu saw Tong Yanbin wounded by the axe and a look of disgust crossed his face. "That useless Tong Yanbin, getting cut by a Bronze Mid-tier."

Xia Qiuling didn't bother with Tong Yanbin's words. She activated the Xia family's inherited combat technique, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Axes. At her current Bronze Mid-tier strength, she could barely execute the first three of the thirty-six moves. "First Axe of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Axes: Forceful Mountain Splitting!" She leaped high, and the Thunderous Axe in her hands erupted with lightning, growing larger as it descended. A terrifying pressure, wrapped in a fierce gale, loomed over Tong Yanbin's head.

On the judges' panel, Fang Wei and Jiang Tianhai's eyes went wide. "The Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Axes? Could this little girl be Old Xia's daughter?"

Tong Yanbin's expression turned serious. He realized that no matter how he moved, the axe's aura locked onto him relentlessly.

He stopped holding back. His Silver Grade aura burst forth, and he activated his skill: Dual Blade Slash. Two streaks of purple Blade Aura rapidly condensed on his twin blades, and then he charged straight at the giant axe. An explosion rang out midair as the purple light and the giant axe vanished into a cloud of dust. Xia Qiuling was sent flying backward, blood spraying from her mouth as she collapsed onto the stage.

When the dust cleared, Tong Yanbin stood with his clothes in disarray, the blast having shredded his uniform. He let out a long breath. "I didn't expect a little girl like you to unleash such power. Lucky for me I'm a Silver Mid-tier martial artist. If I were Silver Low-tier, you might have actually caught me off guard."

Xia Qiuling lay on the stage, her giant axe gone, a vicious wound on her shoulder. In the instant after the explosion, Tong Yanbin had used his Silver Mid-tier strength to withstand the blast, then stabbed his short blade into her right shoulder and kicked her away.

The referee shook his head slightly and announced, "Modu Martial University versus Shancheng Martial University, second match. Modu Martial University wins. Please send out the third contestant from Shancheng Martial University."

The Shancheng Martial University team rushed to Xia Qiuling's side. Her aura was weak, and there was a nearly ten-centimeter penetrating wound on her right shoulder. The medical team hurried over to check her injuries: a penetrating wound on the right shoulder, three broken ribs, but thankfully no damage to the internal organs. As the medical staff carried her away, the fury of the Shancheng Martial University team reached its peak.

Before Lin Hao could speak, Lei Yunfan said flatly, "It's my turn." He climbed onto the stage without looking back.

At the referee's signal, the third match between Shancheng Martial University and Modu Martial University began.

Tong Yanbin looked at Lei Yunfan's indifferent expression. "Another one coming to throw himself away." Lei Yunfan was a man of few words. He drove his Sky Qilin Halberd into the ground and said, "Come."

Seeing the contempt in Lei Yunfan's eyes, Tong Yanbin felt insulted. He charged at Lei Yunfan with his short blades. Lei Yunfan stood motionless. The twin blades struck him square in the chest. Even Tong Yanbin was stunned—what was this guy doing? Then he sensed something wrong. Lei Yunfan's body began to blur.

Tong Yanbin's heart leaped. Afterimages. He immediately tried to retreat, but Lei Yunfan wouldn't let him.

A low-tier fighter beating a high-tier one relied on catching them off guard. The moment Tong Yanbin tried to pull back, Lei Yunfan appeared at his side and thrust his halberd at him. Tong Yanbin reacted quickly, crossing his short blades to block the attack.

But because he was caught off guard, his strength was insufficient. Lei Yunfan pushed hard, and the Sky Qilin Halberd gouged a wound in Tong Yanbin's side. Seizing the advantage, Lei Yunfan pressed his attack, swinging the halberd toward Tong Yanbin's back. Tong Yanbin dodged just in time, barely escaping the strike.