Zhushan Arena Tournament

"Jiang Feng!?" A startled cry came from beside him.

He turned his head and saw a handsome, delicate-looking youth staring at Jiang Feng in astonishment.

"Haha, am I seeing things?" The youth tugged at someone next to him and laughed wildly. "Jiang Feng actually came to take part in the Zhushan Arena Tournament? Does he think begging for food is too tiring, so he came here to beg for a beating instead?"

"Haha..." The crowd joined in, jeering and laughing.

The youth was named Wang Song, twelfth on last year's Youth Ranking, sixteen years old, at the eighth level of Body Strengthening. Last year, two of the top ten on the Youth Ranking could not participate in this year's youth division because they were over eighteen, so he was certain he could force his way into the top ten this year and win a precious prize.

Wang Song had never imagined that Jiang Feng would actually have the guts to come to the Zhushan Arena Tournament.

Jiang Feng paid no attention to Wang Song's mockery. Between his past life and this one, he was already nearly forty years old. How could a wet-behind-the-ears brat disturb his state of mind?

Seeing that Jiang Feng ignored him, Wang Song's expression turned somewhat ugly. He pushed aside the few people standing between them, walked up to Jiang Feng, split his mouth in a grin, and said in a tone meant for everyone around them to hear:

"I'll bet that if Jiang Feng isn't dead last in today's competition, I, Wang Song, will kneel down and crawl one lap around the arena!"

Those who dared to take part in the youth division were all aiming for the Youth Ranking, and at the very least possessed strength at the seventh level of Body Strengthening. And Jiang Feng? He had no strength even to bind a chicken. If he wasn't last, then who would be?

Jiang Feng turned his head and glanced at Wang Song, then gave a cold laugh. "Remember what you just said. If you don't crawl later, I'll beat you until you'll never have the chance to crawl for the rest of your life!"

"Haha!" The people around them burst into laughter, as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world.

Who was Wang Song? A seventh-level Body Strengthening cultivator! Someone aiming to break into the top ten of the Youth Ranking this year! Even if Jiang Feng got lucky and defeated one person, keeping himself from last place, there was absolutely no way he could force Wang Song to crawl one lap around the arena! Let alone beat Wang Song until he'd never have the chance to crawl for the rest of his life!

Wang Song himself was amused by Jiang Feng's words. "I'd like to see what you're relying on to beat me until I'll never have the chance to crawl for the rest of my life!"

Jiang Feng turned back around and ignored him no longer.

In the stands, Nie Xiaoyue had long since found Jiang Feng's figure in the crowd.

At this moment, Nie Xiaoyue's brows were faintly furrowed. She was a cautious person. Though she knew full well Jiang Feng had no chance of winning, and not even any chance of standing out from the crowd and gaining the right to challenge her, she had still made thorough preparations for it.

Of course, these preparations had not been made specially for Jiang Feng.

She was going to amaze everyone today! She would add a heavy stroke to the legendary history of her growth!

"Xiaoyue, why do you look so weighed down with thoughts?" The man sitting beside Nie Xiaoyue turned to look at her.

His name was Yu Feng, and he was seventeen this year. Last year, with strength at the ninth level of Body Strengthening, he had taken second place on the Youth Ranking. This year, the first-place holder could not participate because he was over eighteen. Therefore, Yu Feng was the hottest favorite to take the championship.

In terms of aptitude, he was only slightly inferior to Nie Xiaoyue, so all along, he had harbored certain thoughts toward her. However, aside from showing him ordinary respect, Nie Xiaoyue gave him nothing else.

After all, the man Nie Xiaoyue wanted to marry was not someone like him, who could not even receive an imperial stipend.

"Is it because of that little beggar named Jiang Feng?" Yu Feng had feelings for Nie Xiaoyue, and therefore had some understanding, more or less, of the things that happened around her. "Don't worry, that little beggar absolutely can't threaten you."

"I know that without you telling me." Nie Xiaoyue gave a cold snort. "He's just a clown jumping on the beam. Who knows whether he even has the ability to stand out and earn the right to challenge me?"

"Mm, that clown who doesn't know his place actually dares dream of challenging you." Yu Feng followed with a cold snort, and following Nie Xiaoyue's gaze, looked toward Jiang Feng beneath the arena.

Ten meters away from the arena, the crowd sat on the ground, the waves of noise clamoring as they waited for the competition to begin.

At the center of the high platform, the three giants conversed with one another.

Wei Changqing turned the topic to Nie Xiaoyue. "Brother Nie, this year, your Xiaoyue will probably be able to charge into the top five, won't she?"

Nie Hu was very pleased with the flattery in Wei Changqing's words. "Yes, Xiaoyue has worked extremely hard this year and improved quite a bit. I hope she can achieve a satisfying result in today's competition."

"Haha, Brother Nie, don't worry. I've been keeping an eye on that little girl all along," the Dragon Tower Master said. "In my view, by next year at the latest, she'll be able to become a martial artist. When the time comes, I will immediately report it to the Imperial Family. She may even have a chance to be recruited by the Imperial Family into Huilong Academy. Once she enters Huilong Academy, her future will be boundless!"

These words made Nie Hu beam with joy. "When the time comes, I'll still have to rely on you, Tower Master, to put in plenty of good words for her over there!"

Entering Huilong Academy did not merely require aptitude; one also needed a recommendation. Those with the qualifications to make such recommendations, aside from the royal clans of dynasties and the royal families of vassal states, were only the Dragon Tower Masters of various regions. Of course, being recommended by a Dragon Tower Master did not mean one would definitely be admitted.

Listening from the side, Wei Changqing sneered inwardly. Hmph, this little girl of yours can still be considered a genius in Zhushan Town, but if she were placed in the prefectural capital, she wouldn't stand out in the slightest. And she still wants to enter Huilong Academy? Keep dreaming your Spring and Autumn dream!

Of course, he could not say these words aloud.

"It's about time. Shall we begin?" Nie Hu asked the Dragon Tower Master's opinion, feeling thoroughly pleased.

The Dragon Tower Master also nodded. "Then let us begin."

Nie Hu stood up and struck the gong hanging at the side. The sound spread through the air above the square, and the entire square immediately quieted down.

"The time has come. The competition begins," Nie Hu announced in a clear voice, and the competition officially began.

The first round was to decide the top ten from among the youths outside last year's top ten on the Youth Ranking. The rules were very simple: two would fight, the winner would enter the next round, and the loser would lose the right to continue competing. The match list would be decided by guard captain Wei Changqing drawing lots. Whoever was drawn, no matter how great the difference in strength between the two sides, had to go up and fight.

"First match, Sun Jun against Li Changfeng..."

The two youths leaped onto the arena from opposite ends, gave each other a simple salute, and then tangled together in battle.

At the Body Strengthening stage, what they competed with was nothing more than brute force and fist-and-foot techniques. When the difference in brute force was not large, skillful use of techniques was the key to deciding victory and defeat. But once the difference in brute force exceeded a hundred jin, no matter how flowery the techniques were, they would be of no use.

However, the youths who came to participate in the Zhushan Arena Tournament were generally at the seventh and eighth levels of Body Strengthening, so the difference in brute force was not very great. In that case, the use of techniques became especially crucial.

Before long, the difference between them was clear. Sun Jun knocked Li Changfeng, who had been forced to the edge of the arena, off the stage with one punch, seizing victory in the first match. His set of Black Tiger Fist flowed like moving clouds and running water, firm, fierce, and powerful, forcing Li Changfeng to retreat again and again from the moment they began. That he could defeat Li Changfeng so quickly and seize victory in the first match was no surprise.

"Second match..."

"Third match..."

"Eighth match, Wang Song against Di Yun."

Hearing the call, the corner of Wang Song's mouth lifted slightly, and he strolled confidently onto the arena. His opponent, Di Yun, also stepped onto the arena afterward. From his expression, it seemed he felt rather unlucky to have run into Wang Song.

Last year, Di Yun had seized fourteenth place on the Youth Ranking, and in terms of strength, he was almost neck and neck with Wang Song; the gap between them was only the barest sliver. This year, he also wanted to charge into the top ten. Unfortunately, he ran into Wang Song in the very first round. It was not that he feared Wang Song, but Wang Song's set of Five Elements Fist had already reached a fair level of accomplishment, blending hardness and softness, and happened to counter the fist art he practiced.

"Di Yun, how unlucky—you ran into me." Wang Song grinned. "Looks like the top ten has nothing to do with you this year."

"Hmph..." Di Yun gave a cold snort. "Who wins and who loses isn't decided yet. Take this!"

With that, Di Yun launched the first attack and seized the initiative.

Although Di Yun's fierce assault had taken the initiative, the moment the two clashed, it was immediately clear that Di Yun's fist art truly was perfectly countered by Wang Song. In only eight breaths, Wang Song steadied his footing and began to counterattack.

"Hmph, your fist art is too rotten!" After forcing Di Yun back with a punch, Wang Song jeered, then stamped down hard. Before Di Yun could steady himself, he pressed the attack with his whole body.

"Get down there!" Almost in an instant, Wang Song charged in front of Di Yun like a cannonball, his fist driving straight toward Di Yun's chest with the momentum.

This punch not only erupted with all his brute strength, it also borrowed the inertia of his body, using the move to gather the power of every muscle into his fist and strike out with the flow. Its force was certainly over a thousand jin.

At that moment, Di Yun had only just steadied his steps and hurriedly raised both hands in front of his chest to block.

At the same time, Wang Song's fist slammed heavily into him. Under that powerful force, Di Yun's entire body was sent flying, tumbling beneath the arena. Defeated, he was eliminated.

The crowd was shocked!

"This Wang Song seems to have grown quite a lot compared to last year!"

"Yeah. He's probably already at the eighth level of Body Strengthening, right? Otherwise, that punch just now couldn't possibly have knocked Di Yun straight off the arena!"

"Looks like Wang Song making it into the top ten this year is practically a sure thing."

On the platform, Wang Song thoroughly enjoyed the crowd's astonished looks. The top ten, to him, was as easy as reaching into a bag and taking something out!