Another upset? Wang Lei challenges Yu Xuerou?

After Shi Jian finished speaking, he added,

"The Spirit Stones for everyone in the top ten will be distributed by your instructors. That includes you three."

His gaze fell on Li Yao, Ye Xiao, and Yu Xuerou.

"Besides Spirit Stones, the champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher will receive other rewards, such as the Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique and the place in the Special Operations Bureau awarded to the champion."

Shi Jian paused, then spoke again.

"That concludes this year's Martial Arts Tournament! You three, come with me."

He nodded toward Li Yao and the others, flew down from the platform, and walked toward the exit.

The three understood and hurried after Shi Jian.

The crowd below slowly dispersed, though many were still discussing Li Yao's final match.

"Holy shit, Li Yao is fierce."

"I still can't figure out how he won."

"And now he's not only famous for real, he's shaken off that pathetic lovesick reputation."

Hearing them talk, Li Yao felt fantastic.

Showing off feels so damn good!

He had only taken a few steps when pain suddenly struck his chest. Then weakness flooded his entire body, as though he'd worn himself out ten times in a row.

Ding! The Qi-Explosion Pill's effect has expired. Host, please take care of your body.

The system's voice rang out. Li Yao clutched his chest, grimacing. His steps grew unsteady, but he gritted his teeth and kept following Shi Jian.

Just as Shi Jian and the others were about to leave the Martial Arts Arena—

"Wait!"

Everyone turned around again.

They looked toward the voice.

It belonged to a tall, burly man.

Wang Lei.

Shi Jian stopped too.

He turned and asked gently,

"Wang Lei, do you have an objection?"

He still looked perfectly amiable.

Liu Zhengguo, beside him, was another matter.

He immediately sprang forward and pointed at Wang Lei.

"Wang Lei! The tournament is over! Why are you wasting the principal's valuable time?"

Wang Lei paled under Liu Zhengguo's scolding, but he did not back down.

Shi Jian did not seem to mind.

He stopped Liu Zhengguo and asked Wang Lei what was wrong.

"Wang Lei, say what's on your mind."

Wang Lei took a deep breath and got straight to the point.

"Didn't you say that anyone in the top ten who was dissatisfied with their final ranking could challenge someone above them?"

He sounded a little nervous. Shi Jian nodded.

"That's right. I did."

Seeing Shi Jian nod, Wang Lei felt a little more at ease.

"Then I challenge Yu Xuerou!"

The crowd erupted.

"Holy shit! Wang Lei is challenging Yu Xuerou?"

"He came sixth, and he's challenging the third-place finisher? Isn't that suicide?"

"Then again, Wang Lei might actually be able to give Yu Xuerou a fight."

"Maybe not. Yu Xuerou is a Ninth Rank Martial Master, while Wang Lei is only Eighth Rank. That's a whole rank between them."

Li Yao froze too. He turned toward Wang Lei, who stood there with a determined look in his eyes. He was not joking.

That guy really can't let it go, Li Yao thought.

Yu Xuerou's expression changed at once.

She was already in a foul mood after conceding to Li Yao. Now Wang Lei had singled her out for a challenge. Wasn't he humiliating her in front of everyone?

She looked at Wang Lei coldly.

"You're challenging me? The man who's always stuck in fourth place wants to challenge me?"

Wang Lei nodded.

"Yes."

Yu Xuerou smiled, but there was no warmth in it.

"Fine. I accept."

Shi Jian watched them without interfering.

"Very well. We'll follow the rules. One match will decide the challenge."

Then he turned to Li Yao and Ye Xiao.

"You two wait here until they're done."

Li Yao nodded. He would gladly take any extra time to recover. He hurried to the side and began circulating the Nine-Turn Profound Art.

Ye Xiao also stepped aside and watched Wang Lei and Yu Xuerou without expression.

As Li Yao tried to recover, he thought about Wang Lei. The man's physique was absurdly strong.

He also had a Stone ability that supplied him with an endless stream of Spiritual Power as long as he stood on the ground.

What Li Yao had said during his match with Yu Xuerou had not been meant to discourage her. She really was no match for Wang Lei.

Yu Xuerou might have had the edge in raw attack power. After all, she was a Ninth Rank Martial Master.

But Wang Lei had the advantage in defense, endurance, and more.

Wang Lei and Yu Xuerou took their positions on the Arena.

Yu Xuerou stared at him coldly.

"Wang Lei, I suggest you concede. You can't beat me."

Wang Lei said nothing. He only clenched his fists.

Seeing that, Yu Xuerou said no more.

"Then don't blame me for what happens next!"

As soon as she spoke, she blurred and vanished from where she stood.

Wang Lei's pupils contracted. He hurriedly raised his arms to block.

Thud!

Yu Xuerou's kick struck his arm with a dull impact.

Wang Lei retreated several steps and steadied himself.

But Yu Xuerou was not finished.

She turned and struck with her palm.

The strike cut through the air, carrying a bone-chilling cold.

Wang Lei gritted his teeth and took it head-on.

Thud!

Another dull impact rang out. Wang Lei staggered back several steps, a thin layer of frost forming on his arm.

"So cold!"

Wang Lei shook his arm, trying to fling off the frost.

Yu Xuerou gave him no chance to catch his breath. Another palm strike came at him.

Frost Palm!

This strike was even stronger than the last.

The air in its path crystallized into ice.

Heaven-Shattering Stone Fist!

Wang Lei threw a punch of his own, its fierce force howling through the air.

Boom!

Their blows collided with an explosive crack.

Yu Xuerou retreated three steps. Wang Lei retreated five.

Yet Wang Lei smiled.

"Yu Xuerou, is that all you've got?"

Yu Xuerou's face darkened.

"You're asking for it!"

She blurred forward and attacked again.

This time, she held nothing back and used her full strength.

Frost Storm!

She swept both hands outward, and the temperature across the Arena plunged.

Countless ice crystals formed in the air, whipping into a miniature blizzard.

Wang Lei shivered uncontrollably, and his movements slowed.

But Li Yao sensed that something was wrong. Wang Lei had not been this easy to overwhelm when they fought.

He stopped recovering for the moment and studied the match. Soon, he saw it!

Wang Lei looked like he was on the defensive, but he had been gathering power for Heaven-Shattering Stone Fist all along!

Yu Xuerou continued pouring power into Frost Storm.

From her perspective, Wang Lei would soon be frozen into an ice sculpture!

But then—

Heaven-Shattering Stone Fist!

Yu Xuerou's expression changed. Wang Lei had looked as though he could barely hold on.

How could he...

The punch was almost upon her. She had no time to think and hurried to dodge, but it was too fast.

Boom!

The instant the fist's force struck Yu Xuerou, she was sent flying.

She slammed heavily into the Arena floor.

Silence fell over the crowd.

Everyone was stunned.

Wang Lei did not let his guard down. He immediately began gathering power again.

He walked up to Yu Xuerou, ready to finish the fight.

"Wait! I concede!"

At the sight, Yu Xuerou cried out for him to stop.

She was already in poor condition. Her fight with Li Yao had shaken her internal organs.

Now she had taken a Heaven-Shattering Stone Fist from Wang Lei as well.

Only her sturdy physique had kept her from passing out on the spot.