Overwhelming

"Wind-Galloping Seven Slashes"

Shi Mu's body suddenly spun like a top, whirling furiously. As the long saber in his hand danced wildly, each slash abruptly split into seven afterimages. The overlapping blades of light blurred in an instant, forming a miniature mountain of blades right where he stood.

The mountain of blades gleamed dazzlingly, and a piercing shriek could be faintly heard from within it.

Just then, six balls of flame shot into the mountain of blades one after another like meteors. Boom! Boom! Six explosions rang out!

Countless sparks immediately swept in every direction, and the temperature surged several times over in an instant, almost engulfing the entire upper half of the arena.

At the same time, whoosh! Whoosh! Blade marks appeared out of nowhere across the arena floor, centered on the spot where the mountain of blades had exploded. Each cut was more than three inches deep and about three feet long. Together, they formed a huge circle, as though someone had carved them with a ruler.

Bang!

Wang Tianhao flipped backward in midair, as if struck by an immense force. When both feet landed firmly on the ground, his body shuddered, and he couldn't help staggering back seven steps, leaving seven half-inch-deep footprints in the arena floor.

His face was deathly pale. His hands trembled uncontrollably around the shaft of his spear, and nearly half of the once-bright spearhead had seemingly melted away.

Below the arena, the instructors from the various martial halls stared without blinking at the mountain of blades as it began to disperse and fade.

Feng Jun and the other apprentices didn't even dare breathe.

When the last blade afterimage vanished from the arena, Shi Mu's tall figure appeared where he had stood, holding his saber in one hand.

But now his face was unusually flushed, his shoulder and hair slightly scorched and blackened, and the blade in his hand was riddled with countless chips of all sizes, as though it had been repeatedly smashed against a heavy weapon.

Shi Mu himself knew full well why his weapon had ended up like this. Part of the damage came from colliding with the six flames one after another, but most of it was because the pressure of the exploding flames had knocked his saber out of control, sending it slashing straight into the arena floor.

That was also why so many astonishing blade marks covered the ground around him.

"You actually stopped my Six-Flame Chain Strike!" Wang Tianhao examined Shi Mu carefully. Seeing that he really hadn't suffered any serious injuries, he couldn't help looking incredulous.

"If my blade technique hadn't improved a little recently, I really wouldn't have been able to stop that attack just now." Shi Mu tossed his damaged saber onto the ground, let out a long breath, and replied with a trace of admiration.

"Seven Slashes in One Breath! You've trained the Wind-Galloping Blade Technique to such a level. I can't say I lost unfairly. But if my ordinary iron spear could have withstood the power of the Blazing Fire Flame, you wouldn't have come through that move unscathed, even if you'd managed to stop it. Still, I, Wang, keep my word. Since you've stopped my Six-Flame Chain Strike, I'll withdraw from this competition." Wang Tianhao sighed, then spoke with some reluctance before jumping down from the arena and heading straight for the martial hall's main gate.

"Tianhao, wait for me! Everyone, I'll take my leave as well." Seeing this, Uncle Xu hurriedly called out his farewell, then rushed after Wang Tianhao without even bothering with the other members of the Jingang Martial Hall.

The remaining people in the training ground looked at one another, dumbfounded.

Shi Mu's mastery of the blade technique had reached Seven Slashes in One Breath, which was shocking enough, but the outcome of this match was even more unexpected to everyone.

"Cough... Shi Mu of Flowing Wind Martial Hall wins! A hero indeed emerges from among the young! But given what Brother Xu said earlier, Nephew Shi, you have two choices. First, you can count this match as a successful challenge against the Jingang Martial Hall, step down, and take part in the next round later. Second, you can follow Young Master Wang's earlier words and stay here to accept challenges from the other martial halls. If no one can defeat you in the end, Flowing Wind Martial Hall will automatically take first place in this competition." The official who had gone down earlier climbed back onto the arena. After giving Shi Mu an astonished once-over, he cleared his throat and made the announcement.

As soon as the result was announced, the people from the other martial halls below the arena stirred again.

Although the disciples of the various martial halls had been deeply shaken by Shi Mu's performance, his condition after that fierce battle was nowhere near what it had been at the start. Even if his injuries weren't serious, he couldn't possibly have the stamina to keep fighting fiercely. Besides, the weapon in his hand had already been destroyed.

By the customary rules of the contest, if Shi Mu wanted to accept successive challenges, he couldn't go down and come back with another saber.

Feng Lengchan and several other martial hall instructors listened, their expressions shifting between hope and worry.

"Brother Li, should we call Shi Mu down? If he rests a little and takes up another weapon, our Flowing Wind Martial Hall will be guaranteed not to lose this competition." The burly man surnamed Min finally came to his senses and hurriedly asked Li Canghai.

"No need. I understand that young fellow's temperament well enough. At a time like this, even if we called him down, I'm afraid he wouldn't listen." Li Canghai took a deep breath, then replied with a bitter smile.

Sure enough, Shi Mu spoke without hesitation from atop the arena:

"Since I've already taken my stand here, I won't back out halfway. I'll fight to the end."

"Very well. I hereby announce that the challenges will continue." The official nodded, gave him an approving look, made the announcement, then jumped down from the arena again.

The people from the other martial halls below the arena whispered among themselves, but for a time no one stepped forward to challenge him.

Challenging Shi Mu now offered a good chance of defeating him, but they would earn a reputation for taking advantage of his weakened state. It wouldn't sound good at all, and many martial hall disciples hesitated.

Li Yunfeng and Sun Jun stared at each other, still wearing the dazed, disbelieving expressions of men sleepwalking in broad daylight.

"Heh heh, let me test Junior Brother Shi's fist technique."

Just then, Feng Jun gave a cold laugh, pushed through the crowd, and sprang onto the arena. He raised both hands in front of him, revealing a black iron gauntlet on each. Steel reinforced the knuckles, leaving the fingers free to move.

"A contest of fist techniques? Good. That suits me perfectly." At this, Shi Mu narrowed his eyes.

"By coincidence, I've also been training in the Crushing Stone Fist. I..."

"Hmph, enough of the chatter. Take one punch first, then say the rest." Shi Mu snorted. He moved, swung both arms, and drove his fists forward with such force that they became two blurring shadows.

Feng Jun flew into a rage. Without another word, he swung both arms, sending his two black-iron-gauntleted fists to meet Shi Mu's bare fists head-on.

Crack! Crack!

Feng Jun let out a scream and staggered backward. After his iron-gauntleted fists collided with Shi Mu's, a gust of air swept around them. Then the black iron gauntlets burst apart like firecrackers, exposing his palms, drenched in blood.

"Crushing Stone Fist at full mastery! You actually mastered the Crushing Stone Fist!" After screaming, Feng Jun suddenly shrieked as if he'd seen some ferocious monster.

But Shi Mu had already stepped in with a bow stance, closing in on him, and sent another punch crashing forward with a howl of wind.

"Iron Garment Body!"

With both hands badly injured, Feng Jun was in no condition to block the attack. He could only roar as he abruptly sank low. The exposed skin beneath his clothes darkened to an ashen gray, starting at his neck, as though he had put on black iron armor.

Boom!

Shi Mu's punch landed heavily in Feng Jun's abdomen. The ashen color instantly shattered and vanished from his skin, and Feng Jun himself went flying four or five yards like a sack, landing heavily beyond the arena and kicking up a broad cloud of yellow dust.

The crowd below the arena fell utterly silent!

(Forgetful Words had finally taken care of most of his business today. He should be able to catch a plane home tomorrow night. After being away on business for so long this time, he really missed the big bed at home!)