Instant Kill

Ring Area 34.

There were far more spectators and reporters than at his matches in the Cross-Peak Martial Arts Academy.

After all, large groups of pleasingly attractive women always drew plenty of men's attention.

What was more, its main academy ranked among the top fifty martial arts academies in Great Abyss, and its strength could not be underestimated.

"Please show your ticket or competition credentials." A staff member stretched out a hand to stop Chen Xu.

He took out his competitor badge and entered the hall under the staff member's strange gaze.

"There really are oddballs every year, but especially many this year. He came to fight in the ring wearing casual clothes." The staff member shook his head with a laugh and continued stopping the next visitor.

"Director Xiao, what do you think of this year's Jinning Martial Arts Academy tournament?"

"Director Xiao, do you think your academy has a chance of reaching Jinning's top five this year?"

"Director Xiao, are there any opponents you think deserve special attention?"

The reporters surrounded a woman with crisp short hair and a valiant bearing, firing questions at her without pause.

Squeezed to the edge by her peers, Sun Xiaoqi stamped her foot and angrily lowered her microphone.

Her gaze fell on the arena. Since she was already here, she could not go back empty-handed. If she could not interview Director Xiao, interviewing her opponent would do.

"Chen Martial Arts Academy, Chen Xu." Sun Xiaoqi silently memorized the name displayed on the screen, her eyes sweeping back and forth between the ringside and the entrance.

The clothing of those taking part in the matches was very different from that of ordinary visitors, making them easy to identify.

The referee glanced at his watch and shouted in a booming voice, "Will both academy directors please take your positions!"

Once the referee announced for them to take their positions, if either academy director failed to reach the ring within five minutes, they would be declared the loser immediately.

If neither side arrived, both would be declared losers, wasting an opportunity for nothing.

The reporters took the initiative to clear a path for Xiao Wan to head toward the ring.

Great Abyss had regulations: if they continued blocking the contestants after both sides had been called into position, it could be deemed a disruption of public safety or obstruction of a contestant's entry. Under extreme circumstances, contestants had the right to use force.

Last time, a reporter willing to risk their life for performance results had tried to keep pestering her with a few more questions. Director Xiao had easily knocked them down, without even needing to pay their medical bills.

Afterward, the reporter had tried to prove through legal means that the situation had not been extreme and demanded compensation. The result was obvious.

How could an ordinary person possibly win a lawsuit against a martial arts academy with an entire team of specialized lawyers?

"You're Chen Xu?" Xiao Wan's impression of him plummeted when she saw how he was dressed.

Anyone unaware of the situation would have thought he was just a visitor wandering around. Wearing casual clothes to take part in a martial arts academy tournament—was there anything more ridiculous? It showed respect for neither martial arts nor his opponent.

However, Xiao Wan's upbringing kept her silent. After all, the tournament had no unified rules on what participants wore. Martial arts uniforms were merely an unspoken convention everyone followed.

Some academy directors even hoped their opponents would not wear martial arts uniforms. After countless improvements, they were undoubtedly the attire best suited to bringing out one's strength. If an opponent tied their own hands and feet, they would be delighted.

After reading out the rules, the referee retreated to the edge of the ring. Including him, most of the spectators did not think this battle would involve any fierce contest.

Great Abyss Women's Martial Arts Academy was a powerful martial arts academy ranked among Great Abyss's top fifty, while its branch here was also one of Jinning's top ten.

Normally, the preliminary rounds were meant for the top ten to rack up wins and break through the field with perfect records.

In short, the opponents arranged for them could not possibly be very strong.

A Chen Martial Arts Academy that no one had even heard of was clearly just cannon fodder meant to provide points.

"Begin!" The referee swung his arm down hard.

Chen Xu flashed to Xiao Wan's side, grabbed her shoulder, and threw her off the ring.

Three steps, completed in one fluid motion.

The entire process took less than two seconds.

Standing at the edge of the ring, Chen Xu waited a long while without hearing the referee's verdict and could not help asking, "Referee?"

Gulp. The referee's throat bobbed twice before he shakily announced, "The winner is Chen Martial Arts Academy's Chen Xu!"

"Director Xiao lost?"

The Great Abyss Women's Martial Arts Academy section was terrifyingly silent, as though they could not accept reality and even suspected they were dreaming.

The director of a Jinning top-ten martial arts academy had been defeated cleanly, without any chance to resist.

The reporters, unlike them, were far more grounded. The moment Chen Xu stepped down from the ring, they swarmed him, and no one spared Xiao Wan, still lying on the ground, even a glance.

This battle made them feel as though they had witnessed the rise of a new star.

Chen Xu glanced at the people crowding around him, then took several quick strides and slipped away.

After leaving Ring 34, Chen Xu did not waste any time. Following the opponents matched by the system, he headed for the other rings.

One punch per opponent, clearing the preliminaries with ten victories in ten matches.

The image of the young man in casual clothes was deeply imprinted in many people's minds. By the time darkness fell and Chen Xu had finished all his matches, both he and Chen Martial Arts Academy had gained a modest reputation.

After checking the time on his phone, Chen Xu returned to Chen Martial Arts Academy, picked up the suitcase containing [Assault Glory], and headed to the meeting place he had arranged with "Demon God's Eye."

Today, he would show "Demon God's Eye" the actual item, while Demon God's Eye would pay one hundred grams of Refining Liquid in advance.

Wang Xiaoqi rubbed the little roll of fat around her waist. Her weight-loss plan had once again been declared a failure today.

It wasn't that our willpower against temptation was weak. The delicacies of land and sea were simply too irresistible.

She was about to head for the ten rings where the preliminary matches were still underway when she noticed a tall figure in casual clothes passing in front of her, a head taller than everyone else.

"It's Chen Xu, the dark horse from this afternoon!" Wang Xiaoqi looked around and discovered that, aside from herself, no one seemed to recognize him. She secretly rejoiced.

"As such a cute girl, if I ask to interview him alone for a few questions, he probably won't refuse, right?"

He had slipped away far too quickly that afternoon. Not long after blending into the crowd, he had made the group of reporters lose him.

After finishing an exclusive interview, as the only reporter in the Jinning area to interview him, the rewards she might receive would be wonderful just to imagine.

"Heaven gave me this chance and let me run into him. I absolutely can't let Heaven's expectations down!" Wang Xiaoqi clenched her tiny fist and followed Chen Xu.

Her little scheme clattered away in her mind. She would follow him first, then catch up when they reached a less crowded place and take out her phone to record the interview.

Chen Xu walked faster and faster. The distance covered by one of his steps was already equivalent to two or three of Wang Xiaoqi's. Once he sped up, she had to jog just to keep up.

In the end, Wang Xiaoqi broke into a full sprint, yet Chen Xu still pulled farther and farther away. She could barely see his back.

By the time she stopped, panting for breath, she had unknowingly reached the closed-off ring hall area.

At night, only ten ring venues continued the matches left unfinished during the day. All other venues were closed, and no one was allowed inside.

There was no one around. Wang Xiaoqi looked toward the lights a thousand meters behind her and felt an inexplicable hint of fear rise in her heart.

After catching her breath, Wang Xiaoqi looked around. Beyond her fear, she also felt several traces of curiosity.

What was Chen Xu doing in this closed-off area so late at night?