Are You a Member of the Wu Clan?

"...My opponent is him... Dugu Qiubai!"

The moment his opponent made that provocative, brazen declaration in the arena, the crowd below erupted.

"Whoa, who is this guy? How dare he challenge Dugu Qiubai in public?"

"Wind Thunder Martial Hall... I used to go there all the time, and I don't think I've ever seen him."

"Maybe he saw how popular Dugu Qiubai is and figured he could ride his coattails?"

By now, the name Dugu Qiubai had become a symbol of dark horses and strength.

No one would believe he was invincible under heaven.

But if you said he was invincible below the Transformation Yuan Realm, nine out of ten people in the entire city wouldn't disagree.

On the arena, Tan Tong wasn't angry or offended by his opponent's words. He simply looked at him honestly and replied, "If you beat me, it'll naturally be my junior brother's turn to take the stage."

His opponent's lips curled up. "Good. Then let's begin."

The instant the gong rang, the Wind Thunder Martial Hall disciple struck first.

He moved incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Tan Tong, then he raised his leg and kicked.

His leg swept through the air like a whip, and the air burst with a crack.

The kick was powerful, its momentum terrifying.

"So fast!"

Tang Shan and the others below the stage were startled by their opponent's speed and strength.

Meng Gang spoke up too. "He's definitely no ordinary martial hall disciple."

Dongfang Pangpang said, "What kind of place is Wind Thunder Martial Hall? How did they produce two disciples this outstanding all at once? Shen Zhou, have you dealt with this guy before? Otherwise, why does it seem like he's targeting you?"

Shen Zhou frowned. "I don't know him. I don't remember him."

While they were talking, Tan Tong had already taken more than a dozen kicks in the blink of an eye.

His opponent was simply too fast. Tan Tong couldn't find an opening to strike and could only rely on his physical strength to defend passively.

On top of that, every kick landed with tremendous force. When they struck Tan Tong, they sounded like bamboo joints exploding, snapping and cracking so rapidly that the noise made people's scalps crawl.

Judging by appearances alone, the battle looked like a grown man beating up a child.

It was a complete, one-sided crushing!

"This match is lost. Junior Brother Tan Tong doesn't have the slightest chance of winning."

Tang Shan watched for a while before reaching his conclusion.

The gap in their strength was plain to see. There was no turning this around.

The others fell silent.

It wasn't that Tan Tong was too weak. His opponent was simply too strong!

Everyone then looked at Shen Zhou.

Given the situation, it seemed only he could step in and suppress the other man.

San Mazi chimed in, "Boss Zhou, when you go up there, give him a good lesson. That guy's way too full of himself!"

Shen Zhou said nothing. He merely stared at the man's footwork onstage, frowning as he wondered, This man's footwork seems familiar. Where have I seen it before?

Another kick.

After holding out for a few more breaths, Tan Tong finally reached his limit. The instant his blood and qi faltered and his "Stone Skin" faded, his opponent kicked him off the arena.

From the start of the fight to its end, the entire match had lasted less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

The spectators were stunned. The man's strength gave them the impression that he was born undefeated.

After kicking Tan Tong off the stage, the Wind Thunder Martial Hall disciple stood there and looked down at Shen Zhou. "Now it's your turn, Dugu Qiubai!!!"

He made no effort to hide his hostility.

A murderous glint lurked in his eyes.

The other spectators nearby heard him and immediately erupted, chanting together—

"Dugu Qiubai!"

"Dugu Qiubai!"

"Dugu Qiubai!"

Watching this, the city lord, Lin Nantian, smiled faintly. "This fighter called Dugu Qiubai seems to have an unusual name, but his popularity is just as remarkable!"

Manager Mo of Flying Bird Academy, seated beside him, chuckled. "Popularity is one thing. Whether he has the strength to deserve it is another."

Lin Nantian was in his fifties. He was not only the city lord, but also the head of the Lin Family, and the youngest Celestial Firmament Realm expert among the Five Great Families in Flying Bird City.

Without those last two identities, he wouldn't have been able to hold on to the position of city lord, even as a member of the Lin Family.

After hearing Manager Mo's words, Lin Nantian turned slightly toward him. "But I've heard this young man is supposedly invincible below the Transformation Yuan Realm. Even our Lin Family's martial hall lost to him on the very first day. Do you still think his reputation is undeserved?"

Manager Mo still resented Shen Zhou's earlier attitude. And his position as a manager at Flying Bird Academy had left him somewhat proud and self-important. He said, "Being 'invincible below the Transformation Yuan Realm' isn't a title just anyone can claim. To deserve it, he'd at least have to fight our Flying Bird Academy's disciples first."

Behind him, more than twenty young disciples from Flying Bird Academy were also watching the matches from the stands.

The students ranged in age from fourteen or fifteen to twenty-three or twenty-four, and their strengths varied.

But there was one thing they had in common: every one of them carried an air of superiority.

After hearing Manager Mo's words, a sturdy young fighter in the crowd immediately stood up. "Exactly! Before anyone can call him 'invincible below the Transformation Yuan Realm,' he'll have to get past me, Huo Xiaotian!"

The people around him joined in, jeering. "Forget about us. It's not even clear whether he can beat the Wind Thunder Martial Hall disciple up there."

"Exactly. I bet he won't last much longer than the last guy..."

Seeing how arrogant the Flying Bird Academy students were, just like their manager, Lin Nantian smiled and said no more.

But when he looked down at Dugu Qiubai, he couldn't help paying even closer attention.

In fact, he was looking forward to Dugu Qiubai showing off his skills and beating the Wind Thunder Martial Hall disciple. That would put Flying Bird Academy in its place, too.

Back below the stage.

Since his opponent had openly challenged him, Shen Zhou had no reason to back down.

Before stepping onto the stage, he turned to Tang Shan and the others. "Senior Brothers, you all saw what happened. I didn't start trouble. Trouble came looking for me. Once I get up there, I can't promise what'll happen. You... don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Tang Shan and the others felt their hearts tighten.

He was already giving them a warning. What was this guy planning?

Pei Dahai hurriedly said, "Junior Brother, take it easy. Just teach him a lesson. Don't go overboard."

Shen Zhou replied noncommittally, "I'll see how things go."

With that, Shen Zhou leaped onto the stage.

The two of them faced each other on the arena.

Shen Zhou sized up his opponent. He had no impression of him at all, so why did the man harbor such deep hostility toward him?

His opponent looked back at Shen Zhou with a cold smile. His expression and manner were full of unrivaled confidence. He spoke first. "So you're Dugu Qiubai. Next... I'll make sure you get a good look at yourself. By the way, do you know Shen Zhou?"

Shen Zhou's expression tightened. "Do you have a grudge against him?"

His opponent said, "A grudge? It's a grudge to the death. Since you know him, don't blame me if I cripple you later. If you have anyone to blame... blame the fact that you know Shen Zhou!"

Shen Zhou: "???"

Who was this guy? How could he have a grudge to the death against him?

He didn't even know the man!

And... he was talking so big. Did he really think he was guaranteed to win?

The gong rang.

His opponent used the same trick again, launching the first attack.

He flashed toward Shen Zhou, then unleashed a flurry of kicks.

Crack, crack, crack...

The familiar sharp cracks rang out again, like firecrackers going off in unison. His attacks seemed even more powerful than before.

But this time, Shen Zhou was on the stage, not Tan Tong.

Facing the storm of attacks, Shen Zhou stuck his sword into the arena and leaned on it with one hand. With the other, he casually parried to either side. His movements were relaxed and graceful, as if he were shooing away flies.

Yet each time he waved his hand, he happened to block one of his opponent's attacks.

Compared with what had happened to Tan Tong, the difference was like night and day!

"That's impossible!"

His opponent's pupils contracted, his eyes filled with shock. Then he sped up even more, but he still couldn't do a thing to Shen Zhou. He couldn't even make Shen Zhou shift his feet.

"My goodness, so this is Dugu Qiubai? He's incredible!"

"Tan Tong couldn't even strike back against the Wind Thunder Martial Hall disciple, but Dugu Qiubai is blocking his attacks so effortlessly. Is this the strength of someone 'invincible below the Transformation Yuan Realm'?"

"He's strong, so strong! I knew I was right about Dugu Qiubai. I didn't waste my money betting a thousand taels on him to win the tournament!"

"..."

Even City Lord Lin Nantian was surprised by what he was seeing.

The Wind Thunder Martial Hall fighter was so fast that even Lin Nantian hadn't expected it.

He even wondered whether, if he took the stage himself, he could gain the upper hand against such speed at the same cultivation level.

But Dugu Qiubai was blocking the attacks with such ease. What's more, he wasn't relying on the physical defense of a body-tempering fighter. He was reading each move and countering it.

That was frightening!

Thinking of this, Lin Nantian looked toward Manager Mo and said with a faint smile, "Manager Mo, do you still think this young man doesn't deserve the title 'invincible below the Transformation Yuan Realm'?"

Manager Mo's expression darkened, and he said nothing. But his heart was already churning with shock. This guy is like he can predict his opponent's attacks in advance. Every time he raises his hand, it's perfectly timed and flows as naturally as water. Even I might not be able to match that level of perception at the same cultivation level.

The Flying Bird Academy disciples behind him also looked more solemn as they watched the fight.

They might have been arrogant, but they weren't blind.

The two fighters onstage were displaying such skill that both the Wind Thunder Martial Hall disciple and Dugu Qiubai made them feel an invisible pressure.

Only Huo Xiaotian still stubbornly insisted, "Hmph, what's so special about that? If I were up there, I could do it too."

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The attacks continued for several more breaths.

Shen Zhou remained calm and unruffled, blocking them without the slightest effort.

The Wind Thunder Martial Hall fighter then backed away. Once he stopped, he glared coldly at his opponent. Fury and disbelief rose in his eyes. "Damn it! If this guy is so strong, why have I never heard of him before the Grand Tournament?"

Just then, Shen Zhou looked at his opponent and spoke. As soon as he did, the man's body shuddered. "Thunder Flash? No wonder you looked familiar. If I'm not mistaken, this is the Wu Clan's signature technique. So... you're a member of the Wu Clan, right?"