Final Victory

"What a joke, you want me to surrender? Do you think I'm stupid? Think I can be intimidated by you? Stop the nonsense and attack!" Yan Dong believed Xian He was bluffing, that he had already sustained internal injuries, and that he would surely win if the fight continued.

"Slap!"

He'd already given him a chance, and if Yan Dong didn't take it, he couldn't be blamed.

Xian He, without hesitation, flicked his wrist and slapped him.

Yan Dong's face was directly torn open by the slap, blood splattering out.

The audience below fell silent.

They had indeed seen blood, but it was flowing from Yan Dong's face.

"I didn't expect Yan Dong to be the first to get hurt. Xian He's endurance is truly incredible."

"It's a shame Yan Dong didn't fall for it, otherwise he would have won by now."

"What nonsense are you talking about? I don't see Xian He enduring at all. In that situation just now, it was clear Yan Dong's Qi Break wasn't strong enough to cause internal injuries."

The audience split into two factions. One believed Xian He was faking his injuries, while the other believed Yan Dong hadn't broken through his defenses. The two sides argued fiercely, neither able to convince the other.

"Boss Xiao Yang, what do you think?" Li Zhen asked, believing Xian He was putting on a show.

Xiao Yang narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression serious. "I don't think Yan Dong broke through Xian He's defenses. I noticed that every time Xian He was hit, the white light on his skin grew stronger. It seems he's cultivating some incredible advanced technique."

"An advanced technique? That's unlikely," Li Zhen retorted. "The advanced techniques we each learned were taught hand-to-hand by our ancestors and are never passed on. There's no way an outsider like him would have had the opportunity to learn one."

"Maybe Old Man Yun taught him," Xiao Yang speculated.

Old Man Yun looked bewildered. He had always adhered to his ancestral teachings and hadn't taught Yun Ling or Xian He any techniques at all.

Like Li Zhen, he also believed Xian He was just holding on.

If Xian He vomited blood from the next slap, he would rush forward, forcibly stop the match, and take Xian He away, preventing him from throwing his life away.

On the stage.

Yan Dong clutched his bleeding face, glaring at Xian He with hatred.

The referee and host asked, "Contestant Yan Dong, your face is injured. Do you wish to continue the match?"

"Of course, I'll continue!" Yan Dong stated decisively. The match had reached such a heated stage; if he didn't continue, he'd likely be drowned in spit by the audience below.

Moreover, he didn't believe he would lose; victory would ultimately belong to him!

However, to his surprise, he'd encountered such a tough opponent as Xian He in the preliminaries. The Round of 32 match tomorrow would be even more challenging.

Opposite him, Xian He had already taken his stance, calmly awaiting Yan Dong's slap.

The acupoint on his left cheek was still at Level 3. Yan Dong's next attack could only generate 633 points of Qi Break. After subtracting his own Qi Control and the 40% reduction from the Thirteen Grand Protectors Horizontal Training Technique, it would only amount to 300 points of Qi Break.

This was still only enough to activate Level 3 acupoint sealing, not cause substantial internal injuries.

Yan Dong wiped the blood from his left hand, raised his right arm, and drew it back, like a fully drawn hunting bow.

"Slap!"

The slap shot out like an arrow, striking Xian He's face heavily.

Xian He's head merely tilted, and he quickly recovered.

[Ding! Host's head was attacked. The Thirteen Grand Protectors Horizontal Training Technique's damage reduction effect triggered. Subsequent physical damage taken from the enemy will be reduced by 50% for the duration of one incense stick.]

Yan Dong, the referee, and the audience below widened their eyes, staring at Xian He like startled bells.

Xian He's left cheek was still merely bruised, without any blood.

Old Man Yun, who had been preparing to throw in the white towel, furrowed his golden eyebrows into a knot.

"This brat can endure too much. He's taken two layers of internal injuries and still acts like nothing happened. Is it worth risking so much for a bag of worthless rice seeds? Wouldn't it be better to go home and steadily sell eggs and Wood Powder Porridge?"

If he lacked food or clothing, it would be understandable. With an income of several thousand Copper Coins a day, he could become the richest man in the Sky Fortune Tribe in less than half a year. Why participate in such a dangerous competition?

"I really can't understand what goes on in his little brain," Old Man Yun sighed.

"Crack!!!"

Mid-sigh, Old Man Yun heard a sound like splashing water from the stage.

Looking up, Xian He had made his move again.

The wound on Yan Dong's left cheek had worsened, splitting open to the length of a finger, revealing the muscle underneath.

Xian He shook the blood from his hand. Yan Dong's left cheek had already sustained two layers of external injuries from him. If he inflicted four more layers, Yan Dong would pass out from the severity of his injuries.

Yan Dong's eye twitched, and tears involuntarily streamed down his face. A piercing pain shot from his left cheek, and he could feel warm currents flowing down his cheeks.

He dared not touch it. Taking a deep breath, he swung his arm again.

"Slap!!!"

The effective Qi Break for this strike was only 250, still not enough to cause internal injuries to Xian He.

[Ding! Host's head was attacked. The Thirteen Grand Protectors Horizontal Training Technique's damage reduction effect triggered. Subsequent physical damage taken from the enemy will be reduced by 60% for the duration of one incense stick.]