A Startling Revelation

Match after match ended. The victors rejoiced while beginning to adjust their condition and prepare for the next bout; the defeated lowered their heads and left the square, or were carried out.

"Seventeenth round: Lin Xian versus Jiang Feng."

At last, Jiang Feng had awaited his own match.

"What? They actually want me to fight him?" The moment Lin Xian heard the match assignment, she let out a disdainful sound.

She was one of the few young girls taking part in today's competition. Sixteen this year, she had ranked fifteenth on last year's Youth Ranking, so it was inferred that she should already possess the strength of the eighth level of Body Strengthening now.

"To think that I, Lin Xian, was also fifteenth on last year's ranking, and they actually make me fight a crippled beggar."

"Lin Xian, don't play around too long. Best if you knock him off the platform with one punch," Wang Song said smugly from the side.

Wang Song had bet that Jiang Feng would take last place, so he was more than happy to see Jiang Feng defeated by Lin Xian in a single punch. After all, the losers' rankings were decided according to their performance on the platform. If Jiang Feng was beaten with one punch, then this year's last place would definitely belong to none other than Jiang Feng.

"Don't worry. Although I'd be quite happy to watch you crawl around the square once, I definitely won't go easy." Lin Xian laughed loudly.

Jiang Feng couldn't be bothered with these yellow-mouthed brats. He simply walked up the steps to the platform on his own.

"Look, that cripple actually dares to go onto the platform. I thought he was only here to join in the fun."

"Lin Xian, since this guy's in such a hurry to seek death, just grant him his wish."

In the viewing stands, Nie Hu and Wei Changqing exchanged a glance. They had not expected Jiang Feng to actually come participate in the Zhushan Arena Tournament either. Naturally, they were very familiar with Jiang Feng; after all, Jiang Feng was Jiang Yunhai's son.

"Brother Nie, what do you think?" Wei Changqing narrowed his eyes slightly and gazed from afar at Jiang Feng on the platform.

"What else can I think? I'll watch sitting down, of course!" Nie Hu laughed it off. What had happened three days ago—others might not know, but he, Nie Hu, and Wei Changqing certainly did.

What surprised them was that this kid truly dared to come keep the appointment and compete.

"I heard this kid declared three days ago that he wanted to challenge Xiaoyue. Who knows whether he has that qualification." Wei Changqing chuckled.

On the platform, Lin Xian leapt up with a flip.

"Little beggar, if you kneel to me now and then crawl off the platform yourself, I can spare you a beating." As soon as she came up, Lin Xian threw out harsh words.

The corner of Jiang Feng's mouth lifted. "You're a woman, so I'll give you three moves. If you can't defeat me within three moves, I won't be polite anymore."

"What?" The moment Lin Xian heard Jiang Feng's words, she was instantly enraged.

"He said he's giving Lin Xian three moves?" The crowd below the platform was also shocked. "Did this kid take the wrong medicine?"

"Could he have come here today begging to die?"

"Lin Xian, since that's the case, why don't you just grant his wish?"

Onstage, Lin Xian's face went pale with anger. "Good. Very good. Since you're bent on seeking death, I'll grant it to you!"

With that, Lin Xian stamped down hard, and her whole body blasted toward Jiang Feng like a cannonball fired from the barrel. Her seemingly fair jade hand held immense brute force in secret as it drove straight for Jiang Feng's face.

With this punch, she was determined to make Jiang Feng's head burst open!

But what happened next left both her and everyone else dumbstruck.

Just as her fist was about to smash into Jiang Feng's face, Lin Xian suddenly felt a powerful force block her fist.

Looking closely, she saw Jiang Feng's right hand raised, steadily blocking Lin Xian's fist. His entire body had not even retreated a single step!

"What?" The crowd cried out in disbelief. "He... he actually blocked Lin Xian's attack!"

Lin Xian also widened her large eyes, her face full of incredulity—he, he received this move of mine!

One had to know that her brute strength exceeded eight hundred jin, and with the momentum of her technique, the impact force of this punch pushed straight toward thirteen hundred jin. Jiang Feng had actually received it so easily without moving an inch. Could it be—could it be that his strength had reached a terrifying thirteen hundred jin?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible. He was clearly a cripple without the strength to truss a chicken; how could he possess the enormous strength of thirteen hundred jin? Thirteen hundred jin—that was power one could only have after becoming a Martial Artist.

Below the platform, Wang Song rubbed his eyes hard. He felt as if he were dreaming!

"Is... is this real?" Wang Song swallowed hard. "He, he actually blocked it..."

In the viewing stands, Nie Hu and Wei Changqing nearly lost control and stood up.

"This kid..." Nie Hu wanted to speak but stopped, while Wei Changqing beside him was even more speechless.

"Heh, looks like this year's competition has gotten a little interesting." The Dragon Tower Master nodded.

Nie Xiaoyue forced down the impulse and did not stand up. "Impossible!"

If Lin Xian had not gone easy, then it meant Jiang Feng's physical brute strength had at least reached thirteen hundred jin. It also meant Jiang Feng had already stepped through the door of Martial Artists!

"Xiaoyue, don't get worked up." Yu Feng beside her motioned for Nie Xiaoyue to stay calm. "Keep watching."

On the platform, Lin Xian came back from her shock. Eager to prove herself, she completely lost her composure and immediately launched her second attack. Her body suddenly sank, and one leg swept horizontally at Jiang Feng's lower body.

Jiang Feng was unhurried. He only took one step back, and he avoided Lin Xian's sweeping leg.

"Two moves. You have one more chance." Jiang Feng gave a light laugh.

Lin Xian gnashed her teeth in anger. Borrowing the momentum, her body flipped sideways; she pressed both hands hard against the ground, and both feet attacked upward from below, straight at Jiang Feng's chest.

Jiang Feng retreated again and again, and was soon forced to the edge of the platform.

At the same time, Lin Xian's technique had exhausted its momentum, and she flipped over and stood upright.

"Three moves!" Jiang Feng smiled faintly.

"So what?" Lin Xian roared angrily. "Get down!"

Lin Xian rushed forward, baring her claws and brandishing her teeth as she lunged straight at Jiang Feng. Clearly, she wanted to tumble off the arena together with him. Even if she could not win, she would not let Jiang Feng win!

What was Jiang Feng? Nothing but a useless beggar. She did not know why Jiang Feng had been able to catch her punch just now, but she absolutely would not allow herself to lose to a useless beggar!

Jiang Feng shook his head. If it were an ordinary person, Lin Xian's move might have gotten exactly what she wanted. But he was different. His soul was exceedingly powerful; in his eyes, Lin Xian's movements were so slow that he had time to make any reaction he pleased.

Lin Xian only felt the figure before her blur. Then what greeted her became the square's floor.

Lin Xian fell from the arena—defeated!

Everyone froze, staring slack-jawed at the youth who still stood on the arena.

"He... actually won!"

"Lin Xian, fifteenth on the Youth Ranking, actually lost to him!?"

"Unbelievable. Too unbelievable!"

"This kid... is he still that good-for-nothing beggar?"

On the arena, an equally stunned voice announced, "Jiang Feng... wins..."

Jiang Feng slowly turned and walked down from the arena.

"Hmph..." Wang Song let out a cold snort. "This counts as winning? There wasn't even a direct clash. He only relied on some slippery movement technique to make Lin Xian fall off the arena by herself. Trash is trash; aside from this bit of insect-carving petty trickery, he has no other ability."

"Right. This Jiang Feng won without honor. If I run into him later, I'll make sure he knows what true strength is."

In the stands, Yu Feng also spoke. "Xiaoyue, no wonder he dared to boast about challenging you. It seems he's mastered a special movement technique. However, with your ability, that movement technique of his probably won't even have a chance to be used."

"If it were only a movement technique, that would be one thing," Nie Xiaoyue said slowly. "Yu Feng, can you, like him, take Lin Xian's punch head-on and steadily?"

Yu Feng thought for a moment and said, "It should be no problem."

Nie Xiaoyue nodded. "I can take it too." She was telling the truth, but even within that truth, there was still some uncertainty.

Yu Feng froze when he heard that. The reason he could take it was because he had already stepped through the door of a Martial Artist not long ago. But Nie Xiaoyue actually said she could take that punch too. Could it be... Could it be that Nie Xiaoyue had also already become a Martial Artist?

"This... if that's really the case, it's far too astonishing!" Yu Feng thought. "Looks like Xiaoyue has already realized her wish. She really is going to enjoy the empire's stipend."