The First Bout

Chapter 15: The First Bout. As the results of the draw were announced, the atmosphere of the tournament grew increasingly tense, like a powder keg about to ignite. Mu Chen looked at the numbered token in his hand. Though he felt a trace of nervousness, his eagerness to fight far outweighed it. His gaze searched the crowd, and he soon found his first-round opponent-a burly cultivator with a vicious look in his eyes. His opponent wore a close-fitting black outfit, his muscles bulging, and exuded an oppressive sense of strength. He stood on the other side of the square, looking at Mu Chen with disdain, as though victory were already in his pocket. Seeing the two matched against each other, the surrounding cultivators turned their attention toward them, and whispers spread through the crowd. "Look, that plainly dressed kid actually drew Black Rock. What rotten luck." "Black Rock is famous for his strength. They say he once smashed an intermediate magical beast to pieces with a single punch. That kid is probably going to take a terrible beating." Mu Chen paid no attention to their remarks. He simply stood quietly where he was, bringing himself into fighting condition. He knew full well that in this Spirit Road tournament, he could not let an opponent's appearance intimidate him, much less let other people's comments distract him. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, clearing stray thoughts from his mind. The spiritual energy within his body circulated slowly, gradually bringing him to peak condition. When the horn signaling the start of the bout sounded, Mu Chen opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them. He walked toward his opponent with steady, resolute strides, every step brimming with confidence. Seeing Mu Chen approach, Black Rock curled his lips into a cold sneer. He said nothing, merely loosening his limbs with a series of cracks and pops, as though making a show of force. Then he stamped his foot and charged at Mu Chen, moving so fast that he whipped up a fierce gust of wind. His approach was simple and direct: relying on his formidable strength, he swung his fist at Mu Chen. Astonishing spiritual energy filled the punch, and the wind of its passage howled, compressing the surrounding air until it burst with explosive reports. Yet Mu Chen remained unhurried. With a flicker of movement, he easily evaded Black Rock's attack. Black Rock's fist slammed into the ground, sending dust billowing into the air. A huge crater appeared in the square's hard surface, and shattered stones flew in every direction. "Hmph, is dodging all you can do?" Black Rock roared and attacked again. He threw punch after punch, each aimed at one of Mu Chen's vital points, his assault as fierce as a raging storm. Mu Chen still did not meet him head-on. Skillfully employing his movement techniques, he slipped freely through Black Rock's attacks. He was like a gentle breeze; for all their apparent power, Black Rock's blows never managed to touch him. As he dodged, Mu Chen also studied Black Rock's attack patterns, searching for an opening. After testing him for a while, Mu Chen discovered that although Black Rock possessed great strength, his attacks were too forceful and lacked flexibility. Moreover, after a succession of attacks, the circulation of his spiritual energy would briefly falter. That was his weakness. When another of Black Rock's attacks missed, Mu Chen seized the moment and suddenly counterattacked. He pushed hard against the ground with both feet and shot toward Black Rock like an arrow loosed from a bow. The instant he closed in, spiritual energy gathered in his hand, forming a blade that he thrust at Black Rock's abdomen. Black Rock had not expected Mu Chen to counterattack so suddenly. Alarmed, he tried to dodge, but it was already too late. The spiritual energy blade struck his abdomen precisely. Although his muscles were as hard as iron, Mu Chen's attack, charged with powerful spiritual energy, still sliced open a gash, and blood streamed out. Black Rock roared in pain and fury. Ignoring his wound, he lunged at Mu Chen again. This time his attacks were even more frenzied, as though he were staking his life on the fight. Mu Chen sneered inwardly. He knew Black Rock had lost his reason. Fierce as such attacks were, they left even more openings. Once again, he used his movement techniques to evade Black Rock's attacks with ease. Then, exploiting his superior agility, he darted around Black Rock and launched a rapid assault. His spiritual energy blade struck Black Rock like falling raindrops. Although no individual blow inflicted a fatal injury, small wounds accumulated, and soon Black Rock's body was covered in cuts, his black outfit soaked red with blood. As time passed, Black Rock's movements gradually slowed. He had expended an enormous amount of spiritual energy and was beginning to find that his strength could no longer keep pace with his will. Mu Chen, meanwhile, still moved with ease. His spiritual energy circulated smoothly, and his attacks grew ever more ferocious. During one exchange, Mu Chen spotted an opening in Black Rock's defenses and unleashed his strongest blow. He compressed the spiritual energy within his body to its utmost limit, then gathered it all into his hand and blasted it toward Black Rock's chest. The attack contained tremendous energy, its radiance blazing like a falling meteor. Black Rock sensed the immense power of the blow. He wanted to dodge, but his body no longer obeyed him. With a thunderous boom, Mu Chen's attack struck him squarely in the chest. Black Rock flew backward like a cannonball and crashed heavily to the ground, unable to rise again. The entire square fell silent, then erupted in cries of astonishment. Those who had favored Black Rock stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that the seemingly unremarkable Mu Chen had so easily defeated an opponent renowned for his strength. Mu Chen stood where he was, breathing a little heavily. Although the battle had looked easy, he had expended a considerable amount of spiritual energy. He looked toward the stands, where the Spirit Road administrators and invited guests also wore expressions of surprise. His companions burst into cheers, delighted and proud of his victory. "Mu Chen, you were amazing!" "Haha, I knew you'd win!" Mu Chen smiled in response to his companions' cheers, then turned and left the arena. He knew this was only the first round of the tournament, and that many more powerful opponents awaited him. But through this battle, he had also shown everyone his strength. He was confident that he could continue advancing through the coming rounds and make a charge toward those precious rewards. After returning to the rest area, Mu Chen began bringing himself back into condition and replenishing his spiritual energy. He knew that in this Spirit Road tournament, time was life. He had to return to peak condition as quickly as possible and prepare for his next battle. At the same time, he watched the other bouts, learning about the other contestants' strength and fighting styles to prepare for the matches ahead.