Martial Arts Tournament-Semifinals!

Imperial Capital University.

More than five thousand contestants had been whittled down to fewer than a thousand in the Preliminaries, but the crowd of spectators had only grown.

The stands around the Martial Arts Arena were packed, with people even filling the aisles.

"Who do you think has the best shot at first place?" Someone tossed out the question, and the already noisy crowd erupted.

"Ye Xiao, obviously! He's always been number one on Imperial Capital University's Strength Rankings. The top spot in this Martial Arts Tournament is his!"

"Not necessarily. I heard Yu Xuerou, who's ranked second, also broke through to Ninth Rank Martial Master. It's anyone's guess which of them will win."

"And there's Liu Feng. He's only an Eighth Rank Martial Master, but one of his techniques hits with Ninth Rank power!"

"Right! I've seen Liu Feng's Army-Breaking Fist. One punch cracked the Arena floor!"

"Are you all forgetting the dark horses? Like that guy..."

"..."

Voices rose and fell throughout the crowd.

Li Yao stood at the edge of the crowd with his hands in his pockets, listening with a smile.

Then a voice suddenly spoke up.

"I think Li Yao has a chance too."

The noisy crowd fell deathly silent.

Everyone turned toward the speaker.

He was a boy in glasses. Under so many stares, his face flushed, and he quickly lowered his head. "I... I was just saying..."

"Hahahahaha!"

"If Li Yao takes first, I'll livestream myself eating shit upside down!" A burly boy doubled over laughing and slapped his thigh. "Man, did you even watch the Preliminaries? Sure, Li Yao won three straight, but look who he fought: Zhang Wei, Ye Xuan, and Zhao Qiang. Not one of them was a high-rank Martial Master!"

"I heard he was a Third Rank Martial Master before. No idea how he suddenly reached Sixth Rank. He probably forced his way up with some miracle medicine. His foundation's shaky, and he'll fall apart in a real fight."

Li Yao heard them and smiled instead of getting angry.

He walked over to the boy in glasses and patted his shoulder. "You've got a good eye, man."

The boy looked up, saw Li Yao, and blushed even harder. "Li... Li Yao, I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine." Li Yao waved it off. "What's your name?"

"I'm... Liu Ming."

"Liu Ming, just watch." Li Yao grinned. "When I take first, dinner's on me."

The people around them stared.

With that, Li Yao turned and headed toward the center of the Martial Arts Arena.

"Damn, does he really think he can take first?"

"What a show-off. Let's see how he looks when he gets knocked out."

"He's all talk. Once he gets in the Arena, they'll beat him so badly his own mother won't recognize him."

Li Yao ignored them and went straight to the Semifinals check-in desk.

The teacher handling check-in froze when he saw him. "Li Yao, are you sure you want to compete in the Semifinals?"

"Of course," Li Yao said. "I've made it this far. You think I'm going to withdraw now?"

The teacher nodded and wrote it down. "All right. Wait in Area A. We'll draw lots for your opponent shortly."

Li Yao headed for Area A.

Quite a few contestants were already there, all of them through from the Preliminaries.

Some looked at Li Yao with disdain. Others pretended not to see him. A few laughed outright.

"Well, if it isn't Li Yao. You actually showed up?" A boy in a black training uniform walked over, folded his arms, and looked him up and down.

Li Yao knew him: Liu Feng, an Eighth Rank Martial Master famous for his Army-Breaking Fist.

"I'm here. So what?" Li Yao raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing." Liu Feng smiled. "I just think you've got guts, entering the Semifinals as a Sixth Rank Martial Master. But if you draw me, I'll go easy on you."

"Thanks." Li Yao smiled back. "Though you might not get the chance. I'll put you on the ground first."

Liu Feng's expression stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said." Li Yao shrugged.

Liu Feng sneered. "Fine. Keep talking. We'll see what you've got in the Arena."

He turned and walked away.

Li Yao paid him no mind and found a place to stand.

Before long, a referee stepped into the Arena and picked up a microphone. "Contestants, the Semifinals are about to begin. Opponents will be determined by lot. In each match, the winner advances and the loser is eliminated. Five rounds will decide the top one hundred. Those hundred contestants will qualify to compete for a place in the top ten!"

"Now, draw your lots!" Li Yao stepped forward, reached into the box, and pulled out a slip of paper.

It read: "Area A, Ring Three. Opponent: Liu Feng."

He paused, then laughed.

"What are the odds?" He looked up at Liu Feng and found him looking back, a slip of paper in his hand and a smug smile on his face.

"Li Yao, looks like even fate wants me to teach you a lesson." Liu Feng came over and waved his slip. "Arena Three. I'll be waiting."

"Sure. Be right there," Li Yao said.

The two headed for Ring Three.

The spectators in the stands grew excited at the sight.

"Holy shit, Li Yao against Liu Feng? He's going to get killed!"

"Liu Feng's an Eighth Rank Martial Master. Li Yao's only Sixth Rank. He's walking straight into a beating!"

"I told you Li Yao got lucky drawing easy opponents in the Preliminaries. Now he's up against someone tough."

"Liu Feng! Get him! Get him!"

Li Yao stood in the Arena, watching Liu Feng across from him as he loosened his wrists.

The referee stood between them and raised a hand. "Ready!"

Li Yao and Liu Feng took their stances.

The referee dropped his hand. "Begin!"

Liu Feng struck first, his fist whipping toward Li Yao's face.

Li Yao sidestepped the punch and kicked at Liu Feng's shin.

Liu Feng was ready. He hopped back to avoid the kick, then threw another punch.

Their fists collided with a dull thud. Li Yao took two steps back; Liu Feng took one.

"Huh?" Liu Feng blinked. "You're stronger than I thought."

"I do all right." Li Yao smiled. "Keep going?"

Liu Feng gritted his teeth and threw another punch, this time with all his strength.

Li Yao didn't dodge. He met it with a punch of his own.

Thud! Their fists collided. Liu Feng's expression changed as he stumbled back several steps, nearly falling.

"You..."

"What's wrong?" Li Yao asked with a smile. "Is that all an Eighth Rank Martial Master can do?"

Liu Feng's face turned red. With a roar, he charged again.

Li Yao gave him no chance this time. He lunged forward and kicked him in the stomach.

Liu Feng flew backward and crashed to the ground below the Arena.

The stands went silent.

Everyone stared.

"Holy shit... Li Yao won?"

"He... he really knocked Liu Feng down?"

"No way! Liu Feng's an Eighth Rank Martial Master!" Li Yao stood in the ring, dusted off his hands, and smiled down at Liu Feng. "You said you'd go easy on me. So why are you lying on the ground?"

Liu Feng's face was livid. He got up without a word and turned to leave.

The referee came to his senses and announced, "Ring Three: Li Yao wins!"

Shouts of astonishment erupted from the stands.

"Damn, Li Yao actually won!"

"That last hit had to be Ninth Rank Martial Master level, right?"

"Wasn't he supposed to be only Sixth Rank?"

"A Sixth Rank Martial Master beat an Eighth Rank Martial Master like that? You've got to be kidding me."

Li Yao hopped down from the Arena and brushed the dust from his clothes.

A system notification sounded. "Ding! Congratulations, host, on your first-round victory in the Semifinals. Background Value +2,000. Current Background Value: 3,700."

"Not bad." Li Yao smiled.

Just then, a voice came from behind him.

"Nice fight."

Li Yao turned and saw a young woman standing a short distance away.

She wore a white training uniform, her long hair tied in a ponytail. Her features were delicate, and she had a cool, reserved air.

Yu Xuerou.

"Thanks," Li Yao said.

"You timed that last kick well." Yu Xuerou walked over and studied him. "But you're stronger than a Sixth Rank Martial Master, aren't you?"

"Take a guess." Li Yao smiled.

Yu Xuerou said nothing. She gave him one more look, then turned and left.

Li Yao watched her walk away and muttered, "She's interesting."