Earth-Shaking Stomp

"Good!"

"Beautiful!"

"Senior Brother Sun is mighty!"

Deafening cheers erupted from the sidelines.

Sun Ao had not only won, but he had done so cleanly and with such technical finesse that it was undoubtedly a powerful retort to the vicious fighting style of Yuan Ziheng.

On the stone platform.

Jin Wancai was all smiles, clapping repeatedly.

Sun Zhenhai cupped his hands toward Yuan Shan and said, "Thank you, Master Yuan, for your meticulous cultivation of this child, Sun Ao. I, Sun, am truly grateful."

Yuan Shan set down his teacup, his expression calm as he replied, "Mr. Sun is too kind. Sun Ao has exceptional talent and a resilient heart. That he possesses such strength is a result of his own diligence and hard work; the martial arts hall merely provided a few conveniences to lead him through the door."

As the two spoke, the atmosphere below remained fervent.

"Fourth match, number four draw versus number twelve draw, Sun Jiaoyang and Jin Yongsheng, prepare to enter the arena!" Lin Feng's voice rang out at the right moment, pulling everyone's attention back to the field.

As soon as this name was called, the crowd below quickly quieted down.

Sun Jiaoyang, the son of Sun Zhenhai, was also the newly accepted disciple of Senior Brother Chen Lei. Miao Wenshu and Yuan Ziheng both vaguely deferred to him. His appearance was undoubtedly the most anticipated highlight.

A look of indifference on his face, Sun Jiaoyang stepped into the center of the arena, standing with his hands behind his back.

His opponent, Jin Yongsheng, also stepped in, taking a moment before the match to wave specifically at his father, who was watching from the stone platform.

"Dad, watch me!"

On the stone platform, Jin Wancai saw his son wave and waved back, though a trace of worry flickered through his smile.

"Begin!" Lin Feng commanded.

The smile on Jin Yongsheng's face faded, his eyes turning serious. He deployed his Ape Trace Steps, attempting to create distance, and said politely, "Senior Brother Sun, please show some..."

Before he could finish.

Sun Jiaoyang tapped his foot, his figure moving as if teleporting. He crossed several meters in an instant, appearing before Jin Yongsheng and throwing a punch.

The smile on Jin Yongsheng's face froze instantly. He had no time to react, only able to watch as Sun Jiaoyang's fist grew larger in his vision.

Crack!

A bone-chilling sound of bone fracturing rang out clearly.

"Ah!" Jin Yongsheng let out an inhuman scream. His body was sent flying like a discarded sack, slamming heavily into the Boulder Beach at the edge of the arena and rolling several times until he hit a sharp rock and came to a stop.

His chest was caved in, his body convulsed violently, and blood poured from his mouth.

The entire arena fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned by the sudden, brutal attack. It was Senior Brother Lin Feng who reacted fastest, quickly bringing medical personnel forward to provide emergency aid to Jin Yongsheng.

In this era, severed limbs could be regrown; Jin Yongsheng's shattered sternum was merely a minor injury. As long as one was willing to spend the money, he could be as good as new by the next day.

But even so.

This was merely an internal assessment; rarely did anyone strike a fellow disciple with such heavy hands.

On the stone platform, the smile on Jin Wancai's face had completely stiffened.

He stood up abruptly, crushing the jade ring in his hand into powder. The shards pierced his palm, leaving it dripping with blood, yet he seemed not to notice.

Sun Zhenhai's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He stood up and cupped his hands, saying, "Boss Jin, my son did not know his own strength and injured your son. I, Sun, apologize on his behalf. I will certainly provide the best beast-derived medicine later and discipline him strictly."

Jin Wancai swayed, forcing a smile as he said, "Mr. Sun is too serious. My son's skills are inferior; getting injured is a good way for him to learn from his shame and strive for better!"

He was prepared to swallow his teeth and stomach the loss, but Master Yuan Shan spoke up: "Mr. Sun, your son's temperament has gone astray and is filled with malice. If not strictly managed, he will surely become a disaster in the future. Once the assessment ends, keep him at the martial arts hall; I will temper him personally."

Sun Zhenhai's expression was calm: "That is only right."

Yuan Shan looked deeply at the other man: "Lin Feng, quickly arrange for the best physician to treat Yongsheng with all your might. Any medicinal materials needed should be drawn from the armory; do not be stingy."

"Yes, Master!" Lin Feng accepted the order and left.

The storm on the stone platform temporarily subsided, but the oppressive atmosphere below did not dissipate.

Sun Jiaoyang slowly withdrew his stance and stood still. He glanced at the convulsing Jin Yongsheng on the ground, then turned his gaze to the sidelines, landing on Sun Ao.

Sun Jiaoyang walked over to Sun Ao, his voice indifferent, speaking in a tone only the two of them could hear: "Your footwork is agile, your techniques exquisite. Unfortunately, you are too gentle. You must know that the path of martial arts is not child's play. Once you lose the heart to fight, your martial path ends here."

Having said this, he did not look at Sun Ao's ashen face, but instead walked slowly back to the rest area and closed his eyes to meditate.

A moment later.

Senior Brother Lin Feng returned.

"Fifth match, number five draw versus number eleven draw, prepare to enter the arena!"

Li He opened his eyes, the sharp glint within them restrained, his aura steady. He had been sitting in the corner, regulating his breath and shutting out the outside world, and now it was finally his turn.

His opponent was from the same hall, a man named Zhao Xiaohai. He was lean and had a Vitality of 13 points, placing him in the upper tier among disciples of the same cohort.

He had studied Li He and believed that Li He's Ape Trace Steps were only at the proficiency level and that he had built up "dead muscle," which surely lacked agility. He had made up his mind to use nimble footwork to exhaust Li He's stamina.

"Begin!" Lin Feng commanded.

"Senior Brother Li, be careful." Zhao Xiaohai gave a low shout, his figure moving like the wind as he circled Li He rapidly, his trajectory erratic and unpredictable.

He suddenly accelerated, circling to Li He's flank and throwing a punch.

Li He didn't even lift his eyelids.

The moment the wind of the punch reached his body, a loud boom erupted. The bluestone slab beneath Li He's feet shattered instantly, spiderweb cracks spreading outward as a violent shockwave burst forth.

Ape Demon Steps, Earth-Shaking Stomp!

Zhao Dahai felt the ground beneath him heave violently, a massive force slamming into him from below. His Ape Trace Steps lost balance at that very moment, and his figure staggered.

Li He raised his fist. There were no flashy turns, no nimble maneuvers, only a ferociously direct charge.

The speed wasn't the fastest, but the indomitable, tyrannical momentum that seemed to crush all obstacles made the hearts of every onlooker constrict.

Ape Demon Three Styles, Void Breaker!

Before the fist arrived, the vicious wind of the strike made it impossible for Zhao Dahai to open his eyes. In his haste, he could only cross his arms to block.

Bang!

Zhao Dahai flew backward, slamming heavily into a water skin hanging behind him. Cold water poured down, soaking him through and through.

He curled up in the puddle, his face deathly pale from the pain, with no strength left to fight.

Sparse applause rang out from the crowd. After all, this was a duel between fellow disciples, and since Sun Jiaoyang had already left such a deep impression on everyone, Li He's performance didn't garner much attention.

However, on the stone platform, a flash of brilliance crossed Sun Zhenhai's eyes.

"Master Yuan, the strength behind that punch and stomp from the disciple down there is quite tyrannical and rare. May I ask what technique he is practicing?"

Yuan Shan's gaze narrowed slightly upon hearing this: "As a disciple of the martial arts hall, his foundation is naturally based on the White Ape Martial Way. A few minor additions to enhance combat effectiveness are nothing to be concerned about. Is Mr. Sun interested in this?"

"Heh, just a bit curious. With such tyrannical power, he would be quite the expert at hunting exotic beasts on the front lines of the Abyss." He stopped there, saying no more.

Down on the field.

Li He returned to the corner to rest.

He sensed two distinct gazes focused on him.

One came from Sun Ao, carrying a soaring fighting spirit.

The other came from Sun Jiaoyang, carrying a condescending scrutiny.

This scrutiny made him somewhat displeased, so he looked back, but Sun Jiaoyang had no intention of engaging in a staring contest and turned his head away, leaving him with only a cold, aloof profile.

"Sixth match, draw number six against draw number ten, prepare to enter the arena!"