The scene before them left everyone baffled. No matter how you looked at it, Zhou Taian was a Second-Rank Martial Master. How could he fail to withstand even a single move?
Of everyone in the Martial Arts Arena, perhaps only the people on the high platform had seen Lu Feng's move just now.
However, Zhou Taian was a member of the Zhou Family, and he also had excellent martial arts talent. As the Zhou Family Direct Son, Zhou Yonghua naturally couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
Yet even Zhou Yonghua hadn't seen how Lu Feng had defeated Zhou Taian.
So Zhou Yonghua gave a meaningful look to a Zhou Family member below, signaling for him to challenge Lu Feng.
With Zhou Yonghua's instruction, the young man from the Zhou Family was reluctant, but he still leaped onto Number Eight Arena.
When everyone saw someone challenge Lu Feng, all eyes immediately turned toward him. They wanted to see whether Lu Feng had any real ability.
Under the gaze of the crowd, the Zhou Family member on the platform cupped his hands toward Lu Feng, then charged forward in a few quick strides.
Lu Feng remained calm. Just as his opponent was about to reach him, his body suddenly moved.
In the next instant, he moved faster despite starting later, and his right palm struck his opponent squarely.
With a bang, the Zhou Family member was sent flying once more.
The situation was exactly the same as before with Zhou Taian!
The scene once again astonished everyone present. They might not have seen how Zhou Taian was defeated, but they had witnessed this Zhou Family member's defeat clearly.
The speed and palm strength Lu Feng had just displayed far surpassed those of an Early Martial Master Realm expert.
In other words, another dark horse had emerged among the experts taking part in this Martial Examination.
As Lu Feng won again, Zhou Yonghua and Lu Wei, standing on the platform, looked at him with newfound wariness.
The arena champions on the other platforms also watched him with apprehension.
Fortunately, no one dared challenge Lu Feng for the rest of the time.
A quarter of an hour passed quickly. The official overseeing the matches climbed back onto the Martial Arts Arena and announced loudly,
"I hereby declare the second round of the Martial Examination over. Everyone still standing on a platform is a Martial Scholar in this year's examination!"
At the official's announcement, Lu Feng and the nineteen other Martial Examination candidates immediately looked excited.
Then the official announced again, "The twenty Martial Scholars standing on the platforms will now prepare for the third round!"
"This round will be decided by drawing lots. Your rankings will be determined by the number of matches you win!"
"The top ten will be recommended by Prefect Xu to proceed to the prefecture city and take the Martial Arts Candidate examination!"
At these words, the twenty people on the platforms all brightened.
It seemed the third round would be the final one!
After the official finished speaking, Yamen Runners immediately came onto the field and rearranged the Martial Arts Arena.
A moment later, only ten platforms remained in the arena.
The official then came out carrying a wooden box and addressed Lu Feng and the others.
"Everyone, there are twenty wooden lots in this box, each marked with a number. Those who draw the same number will compete against each other. Is that clear?"
Everyone nodded to show they understood, and under the official's direction, they began drawing lots one by one.
In the end, Lu Feng drew lot number six, and the only other person with the same number was a First-Rank Martial Artist.
When the other person saw his number, his face immediately filled with helplessness.
In truth, none of those who had made it to the third round wanted to draw Lu Feng, Zhou Yonghua, or Lu Wei.
Drawing one of those three meant losing the chance to go to the prefecture city for the Martial Examination.
After drawing lots, everyone climbed onto the platform corresponding to their number.
Then, at the official's announcement, the third round of the Martial Examination officially began.
At that moment, Lu Feng stood on Number Six Arena, facing his opponent, whose expression looked rather grim.
Lu Feng cupped his hands in greeting and flashed toward the man. But before he could make a move, his opponent suddenly shouted,
"Stop! I surrender!"
At that moment, Lu Feng's right palm halted right in front of the man. If he had shouted just one second later, the palm would surely have struck him.
Seeing that his opponent had surrendered, Lu Feng slowly withdrew his hand and cupped his fists. "You were most gracious."
With that, Lu Feng turned and returned to his original spot, while his opponent was already drenched in cold sweat.
As his opponent stepped off the platform, the matches on the other nine platforms were already raging.
Lu Feng stood on his platform, watching the others fight with nothing to do. This time, however, Zhou Yonghua and Lu Wei hadn't drawn each other.
So their matches also ended quickly.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, all ten platforms had produced their winners.
At that moment, the top ten of the Baiyue County Martial Examination were finally decided.
But the matches weren't over. The official had them draw lots again to decide the next round.
This time, Lu Feng drew lot number three, and his opponent was a Second-Rank Martial Master.
Zhou Yonghua and Lu Wei had also drawn other opponents, so the three of them hadn't been matched against one another this round either.
This time, however, Lu Feng's opponent didn't surrender immediately. He wanted to have a proper fight with him.
Unfortunately, a Second-Rank Martial Master was still too weak. Just like Zhou Taian, the man was sent flying by a single palm from Lu Feng, then fell unconscious to the ground.
When this round ended, only five contestants remained standing in the Martial Arts Arena.
To ensure fairness, they drew lots again to choose their opponents. Lu Feng drew lot number three.
The other four drew numbers one and two.
Seeing this, the official smiled at him. "Lu Feng, congratulations! You have a bye this round!"
Lu Feng raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected to get a bye.
Zhou Yonghua and Lu Wei, meanwhile, had drawn numbers one and two.
In other words, the two of them still wouldn't face each other this round.
Once this round ended, only the three of them would remain.
The matches began. In less than a quarter of an hour, the two platforms had produced their winners.
Just as Lu Feng expected, the final victors were Lu Wei and Zhou Yonghua.
Only the three of them remained in the Martial Arts Arena. The first place in this Martial Examination would be decided among them.
The official climbed onto the Martial Arts Arena again, then walked over to them and said,
"Congratulations to the three of you for making the top three in this year's Martial Examination. They say there can be no first in literature, but there can be no second in martial arts, so the three of you must decide who takes first place!"
After speaking, the official took out another wooden box and indicated that they should draw lots.
Zhou Yonghua glanced at Lu Feng and Lu Wei, then drew first.
He drew lot number one. Seeing this, Lu Feng looked at Lu Wei and asked, "Miss Lu, would you like to go first, or should I?"
Lu Wei thought for a moment, then replied, "I'll go first."
As she spoke, she reached into the wooden box. When she pulled her hand out, the wooden lot she had drawn was also marked with the number one.
Seeing this, Lu Feng didn't need to draw. He had gotten another bye.
The official beside them then said, "All right, Young Master Zhou and Miss Lu will compete next."
With that, the official and Lu Feng went down to the arena, leaving the entire Martial Arts Arena to the two of them.
Lu Wei and Zhou Yonghua remained on the platform, facing each other, their eyes brimming with fighting spirit!
Zhou Yonghua cupped his hands and said, "Miss Lu, I've long wanted to see how we measure up. Please!"
Lu Wei nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Then, please!"
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