Martial Arts Arena: A Challenge to a Peerless Genius

Su Chen landed steadily in the center of the arena.

The hard Adamantine Rock floor emitted a dull thud upon impact.

The gazes of thousands of people in the audience were all focused on him.

The elite students in the stands finally caught a clear look at his appearance.

A six-year-old child.

He was dressed in a black brocade robe.

Although his figure was taller than the average peer, his still-youthful face proved his true age.

A burst of laughter immediately erupted from the student camp.

"Is this the brat who wants to be the Holy Son?"

"I heard he only awakened his Martial Soul three days ago. He doesn't even have a Spirit Ring. Are the higher-ups making us play house with him?"

The students made no effort to hide their contempt.

At the highest point of the stands, Bibi Dong sat upright on the Pope Throne.

She looked down coldly at the scene below.

Golden Crocodile Douluo stood up.

He raised his hand and pressed it downward.

His thick spirit power instantly spread to every corner of the Martial Arts Arena.

All the laughter was forcibly suppressed.

"Today, the Pope Palace intends to appoint Su Chen as the Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall."

Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice was extremely majestic.

"The rule of Martial Soul Hall is that the capable shall occupy the position. All students of the Junior Class and Intermediate Class of Martial Soul Academy, listen well."

"Anyone can step onto the stage to challenge him."

"No matter what method you use, as long as you can defeat him on this arena, the Elder Hall will directly accept you as a personal disciple and provide the top-tier cultivation resources."

As soon as these words were spoken, the breathing of the thousands of students below the stands instantly grew heavy.

A personal disciple of the Elder Hall.

This meant ascending to the heavens in a single step.

Not only would they have exclusive guidance from a Titled Douluo, but they would also have the opportunity to obtain high-year, top-quality Spirit Bones in the future.

The way they looked at Su Chen changed completely.

The previous contempt was replaced by endless fanaticism.

In their eyes, Su Chen was now a massive stepping stone.

Whoever could step on him to climb up would be able to completely change their destiny.

Su Chen stood on the arena.

He felt the hundreds of hostile gazes surrounding him.

He did not feel the slightest bit of nervousness.

His body, transformed by the Marrow Cleansing Pill, was filled with surging power.

He felt as though he could punch through the Adamantine Rock in front of him.

He raised his head.

His gaze swept across the student camp below.

"No need to waste everyone's time."

Su Chen spoke in a loud, clear voice.

Supported by the vitality of his formidable physical body, his voice traveled far, reaching everyone's ears with perfect clarity.

"Those below level ten, don't bother coming up to throw your lives away. Those above level ten who think they have the strength, come up directly."

"Whether you come up one by one or all together, I will accommodate you."

Arrogant.

The students in the stands immediately exploded into an uproar.

A brat who had only awakened his Martial Soul three days ago.

He hadn't even converted his soul power into actual combat strength.

Yet he dared to provoke the entire elite of Martial Soul Academy at once.

"Too arrogant. To deal with a greenhorn like you, I alone am enough."

A burly boy could no longer hold back.

He charged directly out from the student ranks.

With a powerful push from his legs, he leaped heavily onto the arena.

"Junior Class, Wang Hu, nine years old. Martial Soul: Iron Armor Rhinoceros. Level 14 Assault Battle Soul Master."

Wang Hu loudly announced his credentials.

He had no intention of holding back.

The conditions offered by the Elder Hall were too tempting.

He had to secure this first kill.

Wang Hu let out a loud shout.

Soul power surged out from within his body.

A layer of thick, gray horny tissue rapidly covered his arms and chest.

His stature grew a head taller out of thin air.

A sharp, illusory rhinoceros horn sprouted from his forehead.

A white hundred-year soul ring rose slowly from beneath his feet.

Although this was a ten-year level soul ring, it was enough to double his defense and strength.

"Little brat, get lost!"

Wang Hu strode forward with his thick legs, charging toward Su Chen like a heavy war chariot at full speed.

With every step he took, the floor of the arena emitted a heavy, muffled thud.

The instructors in the stands nodded slightly.

Wang Hu was among the best in the Junior Class.

This strike was fully charged, fierce and powerful.

Even an ordinary level 15 soul master would not dare to take it head-on.

Everyone stared at Su Chen.

They wanted to see how this rumored peerless genius would respond.

The Titled Douluo of the Elder Hall also narrowed their eyes.

However, Su Chen did not make a move.

He did not release his Martial Soul, did not retreat, and showed no signs of dodging.

He simply stood quietly in place, watching the menacing Wang Hu charge toward him.

"He hasn't even released his Martial Soul. Has he been scared silly?"

Demon Bear Douluo snorted coldly from the stands.

Bibi Dong remained seated, her expression devoid of any ripples.

Wang Hu reached Su Chen in an instant.

His massive fist, carrying a fierce whistling wind, smashed ruthlessly toward Su Chen's face.

At the very moment the fist was about to strike, Su Chen finally moved.

He raised his right hand, fingers splayed open.

He met Wang Hu's fist, which was a size larger than his own, head-on.

Bang.

The two fists, one large and one small, collided heavily.

A dull, thunderous sound erupted.

The scene everyone imagined, where Su Chen would be sent flying on the spot, did not occur.

Su Chen's body remained motionless.

His feet were nailed to the Adamantine Rock as if they had taken root.

He did not retreat even half a step.

His right hand firmly gripped Wang Hu's fist.

Wang Hu's eyes widened.

He felt as if his full-force strike had hit an indestructible sacred mountain.

The massive recoil instantly numbed his entire right arm.

It lost all sensation.

"Is this your level fourteen strength?"

Su Chen's voice was extremely calm.

He looked at the incredulous Wang Hu.

"Too weak."

As soon as the words fell.

Su Chen exerted sudden force with his right hand.

The terrifying physical strength, perfectly refined by the Marrow Cleansing Pill, erupted instantly.

Two thousand jin of pure physical force acted directly upon Wang Hu's wrist.

Snap.

The sound of bones dislocating and fracturing rang out clearly.

Wang Hu let out a shrill, miserable scream.

Su Chen did not stop.

He followed through with a flying kick.

He struck Wang Hu directly in the abdomen, which was covered in a horny layer.

Bang.

The horny layer shattered instantly.

Wang Hu's burly body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

He traced a long parabola through the air.

Crossing the boundary of the arena.

He slammed heavily into the ground below the spectator stands, over ten meters away.

After rolling a few times on the ground.

He passed out on the spot.

There was not a sound within the Martial Arts Arena.

Everyone stopped their chatter.

They stared with wide eyes at Wang Hu lying on the ground.

Then they looked at Su Chen, who stood unscathed in the center of the arena.

This completely subverted their understanding.

A level fourteen Assault Battle Soul Master.

Who had used his Martial Soul.

And added a Soul Ring.

Had actually been one-shot by a six-year-old child who hadn't even used his Martial Soul.

And it was done through the most pure, head-on confrontation.

Golden Crocodile Douluo on the spectator stand sat up straight abruptly.

"Pure physical strength."

Golden Crocodile Douluo saw the telltale signs.

"He didn't call upon a shred of soul power. He blocked the impact of a Soul Ring skill relying solely on his physical body."

Demon Bear Douluo also put away his previous contempt.

The strike Su Chen had just unleashed.

Its speed and power absolutely exceeded that of an ordinary Soul Grand Master.

Bibi Dong watched the shocked reactions of the entire crowd.

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

She knew that Su Chen had given everyone a massive surprise.

Su Chen retracted his right leg.

He brushed some non-existent dust off his black silk robe.

His gaze swept across the crowd below once more.

"Next."

These three words struck heavily against the hearts of the students.

The students snapped out of their shock.

Fear and anger intertwined.

Su Chen's nonchalance had thoroughly infuriated these youths who prided themselves on being geniuses.

"Too arrogant. I'll come and test you."

An eleven-year-old, tall and thin youth leaped onto the arena.

He wore the specific uniform of the intermediate class.

"Intermediate class, Li Yan. Martial Soul: Blazing Fire Staff. Level 17 Battle Soul Master."

A staff, burning with dark red flames and reaching the height of his eyebrows, appeared in Li Yan's hands.

A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.

A soul ring configuration of over a hundred years.

In the intermediate class, this already belonged to the upper tier of talent.

Li Yan did not waste words.

He swung his long staff directly.

The flames on the staff flared intensely.

Carrying a scorching gale and a powerful sense of oppression, it smashed straight toward the top of Su Chen's head.

Su Chen still had not released his Martial Soul.

He merely tilted his body slightly.

The long staff grazed his shoulder as it slammed down.

It struck the Adamantine Rock with a heavy thud.

A shallow white mark was left on the Adamantine Rock.

Sparks flew in all directions.

Having missed his first strike, Li Yan immediately swept his staff horizontally to attack Su Chen's lower body.

Su Chen exerted force through his feet.

His entire body instantly vaulted into the air.

While avoiding the sweep, he completed a high-difficulty turn in mid-air.

His right leg chopped down from above.

Li Yan was horrified.

He hurriedly raised the Blazing Fire Staff in his hands to block.

Bang.

Su Chen's right leg slammed fiercely onto the Blazing Fire Staff.

The immense force bent the Blazing Fire Staff directly.

Li Yan's arms could not withstand this massive power.

The webbing between his thumbs and forefingers split open.

Blood overflowed.

The Blazing Fire Staff flew out of his grip.

After landing, Su Chen followed through with a punch to Li Yan's chest.

Li Yan spat out a mouthful of blood.

His body flew backward off the arena.

He landed beside Wang Hu.

He was likewise knocked unconscious.

It was still a one-hit victory.

The atmosphere inside the Martial Arts Arena turned oppressive.

No one thought of him as an ordinary six-year-old child anymore.

"Power Attack types aren't working. Use an Agility Attack type to harass him. Drain his stamina."

The intermediate class instructor shouted instructions from below the stage.

A young girl immediately leaped onto the arena.

"Intermediate class. Zhao Feng. Twelve years old. Martial Soul Gale Leopard. Level 18 Agility Attack Battle Soul Master."

Zhao Feng's figure was lithe.

After activating Martial Soul Possession.

Green leopard markings grew across her body.

The nails on her hands became sharp.

A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring lit up beneath her feet.

"First Soul Skill. Gale Step."

Zhao Feng activated her soul skill immediately.

Her speed doubled in an instant.

Her entire body transformed into a green afterimage.

She ran frantically around Su Chen.

Attempting to find a flaw.

She had no intention of engaging in a head-on collision.

She only sought to exhaust Su Chen with her speed.

Su Chen stood in the center of the arena.

He closed his eyes.

When facing a high-speed enemy.

Trying to track them with one's eyes would only lead to deception.

The Million-Year Head Soul Bone in Su Chen's mind hummed slightly.

His materialized spiritual power instantly covered the entire arena.

Under the perception of his spiritual domain.

Zhao Feng's pride and joy, her extreme speed, became incredibly clear.

Every one of her steps.

Every breath she took.

Even the direction of her muscle exertion.

Everything was exposed to Su Chen's perception.

Zhao Feng believed she had found an opening.

She lunged from Su Chen's visual blind spot.

Her sharp claws aimed directly for Su Chen's side.

The moment she leaped into the air.

Su Chen turned abruptly.

He reached out his right hand.

And grabbed Zhao Feng by the throat with pinpoint accuracy.

He lifted her entire body into mid-air.

Zhao Feng's attack disintegrated instantly.

She looked at the boy before her in terror.

No matter how she struggled.

The hand gripping her throat remained as steady as a rock.

Su Chen gave a casual flick.

Zhao Feng was thrown out of the arena.

Three high-level students in a row.

Three different combat styles.

All were easily defeated.

Su Chen's strength completely shattered the pride of the Martial Soul Academy elites.

The instructors' faces were ashen.

They could see that Su Chen was unfathomable.

This was simply not a battle on the same level.

Going up one-on-one was nothing more than a death wish.

"Stop going up one by one. He is too strong."

Someone in the crowd finally shouted out loud.

A slender youth walked out from behind the crowd.

He was the absolute core of the intermediate class.

He was also the strongest existence among them all.

"The number one of the intermediate class, Lei Tian. Level 19 assault-type. Martial Soul: Raging Thunder War Bear."

Lei Tian stepped onto the Adamantite Arena.

He looked toward the student camp behind him.

"Everyone above level 15, get up here. No matter what, we cannot let Martial Soul Academy lose face today."

At Lei Tian's call.

The students abandoned the idea of fighting alone.

Over a dozen figures leaped onto the arena one after another.

They spread out in a fan shape.

Surrounding Su Chen tightly in the center.

Over a dozen Martial Souls were released simultaneously.

Lights of various colors illuminated the Adamantite Arena.

Facing the siege of over a dozen elites.

There was no panic on Su Chen's face.

He twisted his neck.

His bones let out a series of crisp cracks.

He looked at the opponents poised for battle around him.

And slowly assumed his stance.

"Finally, this is getting interesting."