The second round ended quickly because the audience was distracted by the last-minute announcement, so they didn't pay much attention to this round. By the time everyone's attention returned to the competition, the third round had already begun.
The second round eliminated another half of the participants, leaving only about 20. While there might not have been any particularly outstanding individuals when there were many, with only about 20 remaining, and 5-6 of them still unarmored throughout the entire competition, this percentage is quite high. Most participants have begun to focus their attention on these few individuals. The fact that they survived the first two rounds without armor can only mean that their strength is indeed very high.
It has reached a level that is difficult for an ordinary person to achieve.
The matchups for the third round were quickly drawn, and the participating players headed to the ring.
These contestants, who are suspected to be cultivators, have already attracted the attention of most people. In this competition, two unarmored contestants were drawn together, which is the first time that these cultivators have faced off in this competition.
Their battle had already attracted everyone's attention the moment they stepped onto the preparation platform, and the live broadcast studios outside had their cameras locked on them. As for the matches on the other arenas, although they were also exciting, the public's focus on cultivation was currently much higher.
"No way, we've run into each other already?"
On the competition field, the two who had just stepped onto the ring stood face to face. One of them said with some helplessness. He was wearing a white training uniform, the top of which was not buttoned up, revealing his very well-defined abs. He looked rather thin.
"Hey, isn't this perfect? Let's give them a great start!"
The other man was not so frustrated; on the contrary, he was quite excited. Although he was also dressed in white, he was clearly much stronger than his opponent.
" Brother Gou, you'd better go easy on me then."
It can only be said that they have faced each other many times during training, and they themselves are quite clear about who is stronger and who is weaker.
"Don't worry, Dabao, I'll definitely give you some face."
"The match begins!"
After a brief chat, the referee gave the signal, and their match began immediately.
In the Early Qi Refining Stage, one doesn't have much Magic Power, and can only unleash a few spells in a battle. Therefore, the two didn't immediately start exchanging spells; instead, they calmly stared at each other.
"Te!"
The contestant known as Dabao chose to attack first. Although he did not use magic, his Magic Power had already begun to circulate within his body. He stomped his foot hard, and his whole body shot towards Brother Gou's location like an arrow. His foot landed on the arena, leaving a dent on the surface.
He was very fast, but fortunately the audience was watching from a distance and could still catch a glimpse of him. Even so, they could still feel that his speed far exceeded that of ordinary people.
Although Brother Gou stood still, his magical Magic Power was already circulating. The Magic Power was attached to his facial features, greatly enhancing his perception. Even though Dabao was approaching at such a speed, his eyes were still able to keenly capture Dabao's figure.
Just as Dabao's figure shot towards him and his fist came flying towards him, Brother Gou lightly tapped his feet and jumped up into the air, leaping about 3 meters high, causing Dabao's attack to miss completely.
Although the attack missed, Dabao's figure did not falter due to its speed. After missing his target, he immediately steadied himself, spun around in place, and dissipated the enormous momentum carried by the rapid attack.
He stopped in his tracks, but the airflow he created from his lunge continued to surge forward, hitting the staff standing below the ring square. Their clothes clung to their bodies and flapped loudly, just like standing on a street during a typhoon.
An attack of this magnitude might not be able to break through full armor, but it would certainly be enough to send the person flying, armor and all.
"Holy crap, how powerful was that punch?"
"No wonder they require full armor; it's to protect ordinary people."
After Dabao stopped his forward charge, he immediately locked onto Brother Gou, who was still in mid-air, and continued his attack without stopping.
Facing the air from the ground, his punch was even more powerful than the previous one. He pushed off with both feet, his entire instep sinking into the ring, and several cracks appeared on the surface of the ring.
He gathered his strength and then soared into the sky. He unleashed his full power in this punch, channeling his Magic Power at its fastest speed, and white steam began to rise from his body.
Brother Gou was in the air, and he had anticipated Dabao's attack.
Back when they were training together, he had sparred with Dabao many times. Dabao's training speed was similar to his, but he preferred to attack in a straightforward manner, always throwing punches without any variation in his moves. Although his moves seemed fierce, they were relatively easy to deal with once you got used to them.
They are only at the Early Qi Refining and haven't learned any flying spells, so neither of them can fly. But not being able to fly doesn't mean they have no options in the air.
When Brother Gou jumped to the highest point, he turned his body sideways, with his head and feet in a line, facing Dabao who was rushing towards him. Brother Gou bent his legs and pushed off, as if he was using the air to propel himself. A burst of Magic Power erupted from his feet, allowing him to move sideways a distance in mid-air.
With the help of Magic Power, he easily achieved the so-called double jump. If he didn't care about the cost, he could even jump multiple times in a row. However, there was still a battle to be fought, so he naturally wouldn't waste all his Magic Power like that.
Using the speed from the double jump, he and Dabao switched positions. Dabao, carrying this soaring punch, flew more than ten meters into the air, a height equivalent to that of a typical six-story residential building.
Although the attack missed, it still drew gasps from the audience. For ordinary people, the spectacle was practically unbelievable.
The positions have been reversed. Now, it's Brother Gou standing on the stage, while Dabao is in the air. For their current level, although they can levitate, being on the ground still gives them some advantages, and the initiative in the attack remains in the hands of the one on the ground.
Dabao soared into the air to a high place. After exhausting his upward momentum, he flipped over and, with the help of his Magic Power, began to fall at an even faster speed. As he fell, his next attack began to follow, and a kick from the sky came straight at Brother Gou.
Faced with that straight kick, Brother Gou also began to fight back. He had already given Dabao a few moves, and he had shown what he needed to do. It was time to make him leave the stage.
Brother Gou's figure flickered a few times in place, and then the audience saw three Brother Gou simultaneously disperse from his position in three different directions. Instantly, three identical people appeared on the field, and even to the audience, it was impossible to distinguish between the real and fake figures.
It's as if he really split into three.
Brother Gou, now divided into three figures, did not pause. The three figures attacked Dabao, who was falling from the sky, with different trajectories.
Dabao was already falling fast, and with the addition of his Magic Power to accelerate, he was unable to flexibly change his moves in mid-air.
The man had barely landed halfway when the audience saw the figures of the several "Brother Gou" disappear completely. Behind Dabao, the Brother Gou" reappeared, and upon their return, they simply gave Dabao a light kick, causing his landing point to deviate slightly.
That was enough. With Brother Gou's kick landing squarely on Dabao's butt, Dabao could only watch helplessly as he slammed into the edge of the ring like a shooting star—the outer edge of the ring, just a step away from it.
There was no way around it; his attack left him no room to maneuver, and even if he wanted to adjust his movements, there was no room for maneuver.