Li Yao Was Hell-Bent on Getting Himself Killed

Li Yao was delighted to hear that, but he put on a dissatisfied expression.

He stood in the Seventh Arena and looked down at the people below. Every one of them had lowered their heads. No one dared look at him.

"Seriously? No one else?"

Li Yao planted his hands on his hips and shouted down at them. "Come on, have some backbone! I've only fought one match, and you're already scared?"

No one below answered. After all, Li Yao had just defeated an Eighth-Rank Martial Master.

Li Yao grew anxious. If no one challenged him, how was he supposed to farm Background Value?

He thought for a moment, then shouted again. "I'm begging you—come kill me, will you? I'm itching for a beating."

"..."

Still, no one below made a move.

That infuriated Li Yao. He raised his hand and called to the referee. "Sir, I'm asking to skip the break! I'll stand right here. Anyone who wants to challenge me can come up whenever they like!"

"I'm begging you. Come kill me, okay?"

The crowd below exploded.

"Holy shit, this guy's way too arrogant!"

"That's a blatant provocation!"

"Does he think he's invincible?"

"I can't take it anymore. I'm going to kill him!"

A burly student pushed through the crowd and jumped straight into the arena.

"Li Yao! I, Gong Zhan, will fight you!"

Li Yao looked him over. Gong Zhan wore black training clothes, and veins bulged along his arms. One glance told Li Yao he knew how to fight.

"A Seventh-Rank Martial Master?" Li Yao raised an eyebrow. "You came up here to die?"

"Die?" Gong Zhan sneered. "We'll see which of us dies!"

Li Yao grinned. "Fine, come on. I'll give you three moves."

"I don't need them!"

Gong Zhan drove a fist straight at him.

Li Yao wanted to dodge, but the punch came too fast. He could only raise an arm to block it.

Bang!

Their fists collided. Li Yao retreated two steps, while Gong Zhan took one step back.

"Huh?" Li Yao froze for a moment. "You've got something."

Gong Zhan said nothing. He threw another punch.

This time, Li Yao didn't let his guard down. He met the blow head-on.

The two began trading blows in the arena.

Every punch struck flesh, each impact ringing out with a thud.

The spectators in the stands stared in disbelief.

"Holy shit, Gong Zhan's that strong?"

"How is a Seventh-Rank Martial Master holding his own against an Eighth-Rank Martial Master?"

"Did you forget? Gong Zhan practices his family's Berserk Fist. They say it lets you challenge opponents above your rank!"

"No wonder he dared go up there. He had a trump card!"

Li Yao could feel it too. Gong Zhan really did have some skill.

His punches were fierce, each carrying an overpowering force. His Spiritual Power was dense and steady, no weaker than an Eighth-Rank Martial Master's.

"Interesting." Li Yao bared his teeth in a grin. "Finally, someone who can fight."

He drew a deep breath and activated the Nine-Turn Profound Art. The Spiritual Power inside him instantly surged.

"Come on. Let's keep fighting!"

Li Yao attacked first, driving a fist toward Gong Zhan's face.

Gong Zhan slipped sideways and countered with a hook.

Li Yao ducked beneath it, then kicked at Gong Zhan's shin.

They exchanged blow after blow, neither able to gain the upper hand.

The spectators below watched with their blood boiling.

"Gong Zhan! You can do it!"

"Gong Zhan! Get him!"

"Hit him! Knock that arrogance out of him!"

"Show him there's always a higher heaven!"

Li Yao heard the shouts, but instead of getting angry, he laughed.

"Wow, you've got a lot of people cheering for you."

"So what?" Gong Zhan gritted his teeth. "Today, I'll show you the price of arrogance!"

With that, he let out a sudden roar, and his Spiritual Power surged.

"Berserk Fist! Third Form!"

His fist came hurtling in, wind howling around it.

Li Yao's pupils contracted. That punch was nearly as powerful as a Ninth-Rank Martial Master's!

He didn't dare take it lightly. He threw a punch with all his strength to meet it.

Boom!

Their fists collided with a heavy thud.

Li Yao retreated three steps. Gong Zhan retreated two.

"Not bad." Li Yao shook out his hand. "Strength like that is rare for a Seventh-Rank Martial Master."

"You're not bad yourself." Gong Zhan was panting. "You're the first Sixth-Rank Martial Master to take that punch of mine."

"Keep going?" Li Yao asked.

"Keep going!"

They charged at each other again.

The spectators below grew more excited the longer they watched.

"Holy shit, Gong Zhan really is a beast!"

"Li Yao's no slouch either. For a Sixth-Rank Martial Master to fight Gong Zhan like this is seriously impressive!"

"I still want Gong Zhan to win, though. Li Yao's too arrogant!"

"Yeah! Gong Zhan! Smash him!"

In the arena, the two had already fought more than a dozen exchanges, and both were breathing hard.

Li Yao was secretly surprised. Gong Zhan was a tough opponent.

He had assumed a Seventh-Rank Martial Master couldn't be that strong. He hadn't expected this guy to be even fiercer than Wang Meng, the Eighth-Rank Martial Master he'd just fought.

System, what's this guy's story? Li Yao asked silently.

Ding! System scanning... Gong Zhan, Seventh-Rank Martial Master. Practitioner of Berserk Fist. His strength far exceeds others of his rank; he can challenge Eighth-Rank and even Ninth-Rank Martial Masters.

"No wonder," Li Yao muttered. "Looks like I need to get serious."

He took a deep breath, and the Spiritual Power within him began circulating again.

"Gong Zhan, you're pretty good. But it's time to end this."

Gong Zhan sneered. "End it? Not so easily!"

He charged again, punching at Li Yao's chest.

This time, Li Yao didn't dodge. He met Gong Zhan head-on, and their fists collided.

Bang!

Gong Zhan's expression changed. Li Yao's punch had carried far more force than before!

"You..."

"What?" Li Yao grinned. "Thought that was all I had?"

He threw another punch.

Gong Zhan gritted his teeth and took it head-on.

Bang!

This time, he stumbled back several steps and nearly fell.

"Impossible!" Gong Zhan stared, eyes wide. "You're only a Sixth-Rank Martial Master..."

"So what if I am?" Li Yao smiled. "A Sixth-Rank Martial Master can't beat you?"

With that, he lunged forward and drove a fist into Gong Zhan's stomach.

"Pfft!"

Gong Zhan spat a mouthful of blood and flew backward, landing outside the arena.

Silence fell over the stands.

"Holy shit! Li Yao won again?"

"Is... is he really only a Sixth-Rank Martial Master?"

"Did I see that right? That last punch had at least the power of a Ninth-Rank Martial Master!"

"Fuck, this guy has to be hiding his strength!"

Li Yao stood in the arena, dusted off his hands, and smiled down at Gong Zhan. "Brother, you're strong. Your luck was just bad."

Gong Zhan got up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He stared at Li Yao for a long moment, then said, "You're strong. I concede."

Then he turned and left.

Li Yao looked at the people below and asked again, "Anyone else?"

The people below looked at one another, but still no one moved.

Li Yao sighed. He was about to speak again when the system's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

Ding! Congratulations to the host for defeating Gong Zhan. Background Value +1,000. Current Background Value: 19,000.

He looked down at the crowd and broke into a grin.

"Everyone, if none of you come up here, I'm going to turn into a stone waiting for someone to show."

"Please, do me a favor. Come up and hit me just once, okay?"

The people below were so angry their teeth itched, but no one dared step forward.