Genius Falls

Muffled, trembling whispers spread through the crowd like a plague.

"Xiao Li! It's Xiao Li from Hongzhan Martial School! He crippled Zhao Jin!"

"My god... Zhao Jin's hands... they're completely mangled! Bone fragments are poking out!"

"He's crazy! Is Xiao Li throwing away his future? Using such a deadly move in the preliminary rounds!"

"Didn't you see? Zhao Jin was the one who acted like a scoundrel first! Every move targeted Xiao Li's lower body and joints, it was incredibly vicious! Xiao Li was pushed to his limit!"

"Old grudges! It must be old grudges! I heard the two martial halls have had bad blood for years!"

"Move aside! Get out of my way!" A roar like a wounded beast exploded, tearing through the clamor.

Shi Kaishan, the master of Guangchang Martial Arts Hall, his eyes bloodshot and his hair and beard bristling, pushed through the crowd with a violent surge of internal energy.

Behind him, several disciples stumbled out, carrying a hastily tied stretcher.

On the stretcher, Zhao Jin's face was ashen, his eyes wide open but vacant.

Most horrifying were his arms—they hung limply, twisted at an angle impossible for a human. His elbows and wrists were visibly collapsed and deformed, with pale bone shards even visible beneath the skin.

This was no mere fracture; his bones had been utterly shattered by a tremendous force!

There was no cure for this!

His path in martial arts was severed!

Cui Hao shifted his gaze from the stretcher to Xiao Li, who stood proudly on the stage.

I wonder if this was Xiao Li's own decision, or Xu Dian's idea...?

Xu Dian, in the stands, had a shifting expression. This wasn't his plan; Xiao Li and Zhao Jin had genuinely gone at each other! They had used heavy blows!

Qian and He, seeing their old friend's unease, didn't know what to say for a moment.

Not long after, the next round of drawing lots began.

With the bamboo slips in hand, Cui Hao collected his thoughts and continued observing the other stages during the break before his own ascent.

The combat on the stages grew more intense. For the limited cultivation resources, the examinees were fighting as if their lives depended on it. The sounds of fists and feet colliding were muffled like drumbeats, and occasionally, someone would spit blood and be sent flying.

However, those who aimed to cripple their opponents, like Zhao Jin and Xiao Li, were ultimately a minority.

Most focused on victory, with severe injury being the limit.

Soon, it was Cui Hao's turn to enter the ring.

His opponent was a disciple from Guangchang Martial Arts Hall named Liu Nian, also at the peak of Mortal Martial cultivation.

Instantly, the stage where Cui Hao and Liu Nian stood attracted many eyes.

"Guangchang Martial Arts Hall... they just lost Zhao Jin, and now they're up against someone from Hongzhan..."

"That Cui Hao seems pretty strong too. Liu Nian... can he handle it?"

"This is going to be interesting. Will Liu Nian fight desperately to avenge Zhao Jin?"

"Hard to say. Look at Liu Nian's face... it's a bit pale."

On the stage, Liu Nian took a deep breath, suppressing the churning fear and a sliver of grief in his heart.

The tragic state of his senior brother Zhao Jin was still vivid in his mind, and now he was facing someone from Hongzhan Martial School, the incredibly strong Cui Hao.

Composing himself, Liu Nian cupped his fists. "Guangchang Martial Arts Hall, Liu Nian. Please guide me!"

"Hongzhan Martial School, Cui Hao." Cui Hao returned the salute, his gaze calmly sweeping over his opponent.

Liu Nian was lean and wiry, with thick knuckles and calluses on his palms and fists, clearly skilled in hand-to-hand combat.

"Please!"

Liu Nian grunted and attacked first! His footwork was swift as the wind as he circled Cui Hao, not daring to get too close.

Suddenly, Liu Nian paused, his right arm darting out like a viper from its hole. His fingers were pressed together like a drill, a sharp edge of Qi blooming at his fingertips, aiming for the gap in Cui Hao's left ribs—a killing move from the 'Piercing Wind Breaker' technique, designed to exploit weak points like joints and acupoints.

Cui Hao sidestepped, his left arm blocking, using his forearm bone to take the impact. He held back his strength, only intending to parry.

Finger met arm with a crisp "crack."

Liu Nian felt as if his fingertips had struck iron. The recoil made his fingers go numb, and his heart grew wary, realizing the opponent's bones and muscles were indeed formidable.

Failing to land a hit, Liu Nian immediately changed his move. Using the rebound's force, he spun, his left arm whipping out not to strike, but with his fingers hooked, creating a whistling sound as he aimed to seize Cui Hao's right shoulder's Jianjing acupoint!

This move, called 'Flowing Cloud Lock,' was tricky. If caught, half his body would go numb.

Cui Hao's shoulders dipped and rose, narrowly dodging the finger strike. Simultaneously, his right fist, seemingly slow but actually fast, delivered a straight punch towards Liu Nian's center, the wind whistling, but holding back a third of its power.

Liu Nian hastily retreated, crossing his palms to press down in a 'Double Bridges Blocking the River' stance, forcefully blocking the punch.

"Bang!"

Fist met palm, and Liu Nian was forced back two steps, his blood churning, but he was unharmed.

At this point, Liu Nian understood that Cui Hao had no intention of fighting to the death.

Relieved, Liu Nian fully unleashed the characteristics of the Breaking Edge Hand, his movements elusive, his fingers, palms, hooks, and grasps incredibly varied.

At times, he was like a nimble ape leaping across a ravine, swiftly striking Cui Hao's vital points.

At other times, he resembled a crane's beak parting water, his fingers together, slashing towards Cui Hao's wrist tendons.

Then suddenly, he shifted into a 'Silken Twist', his arms like vines, attempting to lock Cui Hao's joints.

Cui Hao, however, defended steadfastly with Broken Fist, his stances solid and heavy, protecting his entire body, countering each move he faced. He deliberately controlled his power to be just a hair's breadth above his opponent's, yet always leaving room for reaction and change.

The two tumbled and rolled on the stage, exchanging over thirty blows in the blink of an eye.

Fist winds and finger shadows intertwined, the clang of metal on metal echoing endlessly. They appeared to be evenly matched, fighting fiercely.

The crowd below watched intently.

"This Liu Nian has such exquisite techniques! The Breaking Edge Hand truly lives up to its name!"

"Cui Hao's moves are too fierce, lacking in variation. He's being countered by Liu Nian's agile style."

"But Cui Hao's foundation is genuinely solid. He's managed to endure or dodge so many of Liu Nian's killing blows."

"Liu Nian is giving it his all, fighting for his fellow disciples!"

Hearing the murmurs, Liu Nian felt a pang of bitterness. Weren't they clearly faking it? Were they all blind?

Of course, not everyone was blind. Xu Dian saw that the two were merely playing around.

It was about time. Cui Hao precisely seized Liu Nian's right wrist as he thrust it forward!

A grip, a pull, a send!

Liu Nian felt an irresistible, gentle force flow along his arm, pulling his entire body stumbling forward, sending him flying off the stage.

Cui Hao cupped his fist on the stage and said, "Senior Brother Liu, I concede."

Liu Nian stood frozen in place, his expression shifting, finally settling into a complex look of relief and gratitude. He returned the salute with a cupped fist.

The proctor glanced at the two, especially at Liu Nian's unharmed hands and demeanor. He understood and announced loudly, "Cui Hao, wins!"

A wave of discussion rose from below, mostly praising the two for "fighting brilliantly" and "fighting intensely."

Cui Hao calmly walked off the stage. It wasn't that he was soft-hearted; winning was enough. There was no need to go for the kill.

Moreover, Xiao Li and Zhao Jin's deadly duel had already created a great enmity. He didn't need to add fuel to the fire.