Sun Jiaoyang

Sun Jiaoyang stepped into the center of the arena, one step at a time, and stared at Sun Ao.

The two stood facing each other.

The air froze.

Sun Jiaoyang slowly spoke. "My little brother, do you really want to fight me? Do you know what it will cost you?"

Sun Ao snorted and said nothing.

"Begin!" Lin Feng called.

The moment the signal dropped, Sun Ao roared. His skin flushed an unnatural red, his veins bulged like coiling dragons, and wisps of crimson mist steamed from his pores.

The family's secret technique, Blood Injury Fist!

"Die!"

With a furious shout, Sun Ao shot toward Sun Jiaoyang like a cannonball, moving far faster than before.

"What happened to Senior Brother Sun?"

"What kind of move is that?"

A wave of startled cries rose from the arena's edge.

A trace of annoyance appeared in Sun Jiaoyang's eyes. "Still using Blood Injury Fist. Why haven't you improved at all? How dull."

He made no attempt to dodge. He raised a hand and twisted, redirecting Sun Ao's fist. Then he kicked Sun Ao and sent him flying.

Sun Ao hit the ground.

On the surface, he seemed merely to have been kicked away. He had no obvious external injuries, and even tried to brace himself with his hands and get back up.

The next second!

"Pfft!"

A large mouthful of dark-red blood gushed from his mouth.

His arms buckled beneath him, and his whole body collapsed limply to the ground, as though every bone had been pulled from it. He convulsed again and again, each spasm accompanied by more blood spilling from his mouth and nose.

"Your path in martial arts ends here," Sun Jiaoyang said calmly.

His words sent shockwaves through the disciples.

"Senior Brother Sun!"

"What happened?"

"Senior Brother Sun, get up!"

"Don't listen to his crap! Your path isn't over—get up, Senior Brother Sun!"

But despite everyone calling to him, Sun Ao lay there like a heap of mud. Apart from convulsing and vomiting blood, he couldn't even move a finger.

The medical staff hurried over to examine him.

"This... this is... His meridians and bones are all broken!"

"It was only a spar between fellow disciples. Why use such a vicious hand?"

The two doctors' words ignited the anger of everyone present.

"Sun Jiaoyang, what's wrong with you?"

"It was just a spar between fellow disciples, and you used such a vicious move!"

"He's your own brother! You're worse than an animal!"

"Get out of the martial arts school!"

Furious roars swept across the entire Martial Arts Arena.

Even Li He shot to his feet, his gaze fixed on Sun Jiaoyang.

He hadn't felt much brotherly affection for Sun Ao, who often said strange things to him, like "Hurry up and catch up to me" and "I'll admit you're my rival."

But now, as he watched a fellow disciple he had seen every day—a gifted martial artist—being cruelly crippled in front of everyone, an indescribable fury surged through him.

Li He's gaze was no longer calm and placid. It had turned sharp as a blade!

On the stone platform,

Yuan Shan was incensed.

"Sun Jiaoyang, what a vicious way to fight! This was a spar between fellow disciples, yet you used such sinister, malicious force. Do the words 'martial virtue' mean nothing to you? Do you have no regard for your fellow disciples?"

Jin Wancai was so frightened that all color drained from his face. He kept thinking how fortunate it was that Sun Jiaoyang hadn't done this to his own son.

Every meridian and bone was broken.

It wasn't impossible to save him, but it would take an enormous price. Even Jin Wancai would have to give up half his family's wealth.

Down below, Sun Jiaoyang spoke evenly. "I said that if he dared to fight me, he would have to pay the price... What is it, Headmaster? Did I break the rules?"

Yuan Shan was at a loss for words.

In this era, Abyssal monsters were a constant threat. Anything could happen when human martial artists fought. As long as no one was killed, any injury could be healed, so there really was no such thing as breaking the rules.

But rules were one thing. Emotionally, it was hard to accept this kind of behavior.

Sun Zhenhai spoke up. "Since it wasn't against the rules, why not hurry up and hold the next match? Isn't that right, Headmaster Yuan?"

The whole arena fell silent.

Sun Jiaoyang was the first to speak again. "That's right. Please continue the matches. I'm in a hurry." He looked toward the school disciple who had made it into the semifinals and was now trembling with fear.

Under Sun Jiaoyang's gaze, the disciple's legs gave way. He fell to the ground and nervously vomited.

"Pathetic." Sun Jiaoyang gave a slight shake of his head.

Humiliation and fear weighed heavily on everyone's hearts. The disciples watched Sun Jiaoyang's haughty manner, as though human lives were no more than weeds, and felt an overwhelming helplessness that threatened to tear them apart.

On the stone platform,

Yuan Shan's face was livid, his chest heaving, but he couldn't stop him.

Just then, a calm voice broke the silence. "I'm in a hurry too. Let's go straight to the final."

Whoosh!

Everyone's gaze instantly converged.

Li He had risen from his corner at some point. He stepped out from the crowd, his strides steady and strong, his eyes blazing as he fixed them on Sun Jiaoyang.

The ferocious battle intent surging beneath his calm made the air around him ripple.

[Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +1]

...

[Skill: Ape Demon Three Styles: Minor Accomplishment (0%) → (5%)]

[Skill: Ape Demon Steps: Proficient (0%) → (4%)]

[Skill: Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Minor Accomplishment (1%) → (2%)]

Under these circumstances, the Ape Demon martial techniques within him had begun operating on their own, rapidly increasing in proficiency.

Li He seemed not to notice the system's changes. He walked straight to the center of the arena and stood opposite Sun Jiaoyang.

The two stood several meters apart.

"Come on. You and me. Right now."

Li He's words carried an arrogance that brooked no refusal.

After a brief moment of shock, deafening shouts erupted from the edge of the arena.

"Go, Senior Brother Li!"

"Get him, Senior Brother Li! Avenge Senior Brother Sun!"

"Show them what our martial arts school is made of, Senior Brother Li!"

The roar swept through the crowd like a tsunami. The disciples who had been suffocating under despair and fear poured all their grief and anger into their cries.

On the stone platform, Yuan Shan's eyes blazed.

"Good! You've got spirit, Li He... Go fight. Don't worry about a thing. I'll personally have your back!"

Jin Wancai sat up straight. Sun Zhenhai's gaze moved between Li He and Sun Jiaoyang, but he said nothing.

Below,

Sun Jiaoyang looked directly at Li He for the first time.

"Your qi and blood seem powerful and concentrated, but inside, you're like a tree without roots. Fifth-grade bone structure?"

A hint of surprise entered his cool voice.

"Interesting."

The surprise vanished in an instant, replaced by greater amusement and a hint of cold cruelty. His lips curled into a contemptuous smile. "You're commendably brave, but... it's a foolish kind of courage."

"Let the final begin!" Lin Feng shouted.

He had already assumed the other disciple would forfeit, and rang in the start of this decisive battle without delay.