Chapter 112 - 111: The Finals
Chapter 112: Chapter 111: The Finals
On the stage, the flash of a blade was like snow, a flurry of afterimages nearly drowning Chen Shouheng’s figure completely.
Chen Shouheng calmed his heart and mind. Faced with the tide-like assault, he did not panic.
The clang of metal on metal was incessant, but its frequency was gradually decreasing.
Hundreds of moves passed. Xu Yongping’s relentless assault failed to break through, and his stamina consumption skyrocketed. His breathing grew heavy, and the flashes of his blade lost their initial density and viciousness.
’Now’s my chance!’
A sharp glint flashed in Chen Shouheng’s eyes.
The Tiger Subduing Fist Intent he had been holding back erupted with a roar.
His blood and qi surged like mercury. He took a step, and the ground trembled slightly as he precisely slipped through a hair’s breadth opening in the flurry of blade strikes. His right fist, like a tiger long in hiding, suddenly shot out.
The punch was as fast as lightning and as fierce as a crack of thunder.
Xu Yongping’s face fell in shock. It was already too late to bring his blade back to block.
BAM!
The dull impact of the fist landed squarely on his chest!
PFFT!
Xu Yongping’s body shuddered violently as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut, landing heavily below the stage.
The crowd below was silent for a moment, then erupted into a tsunami of cheers and applause.
"He won!"
"My god! He turned it around!"
"That prediction!"
Qian Laibao and Shi Zhongjian jumped up in excitement. Zhou Zhen let out a long sigh of relief, a pleased smile gracing his face.
Chen Shouheng stood on the stage, his chest rising and falling slightly, his breathing a bit ragged.
This grueling battle had taken a significant toll on his Heart Spirit and stamina.
He glanced at Xu Yongping below the stage, clasped his fists in a salute, then took a deep breath and seized the moment to regulate his breathing and recover.
He had advanced to the finals.
...
「Three matches had ended.」
Only three people remained on the field: Chen Shouheng, Yue Zifeng, and, to everyone’s surprise, Liu Ruoyi.
Soon, the three drew lots. Yue Zifeng had one opportunity for a bye that he hadn’t used yet.
But he glanced at Liu Ruoyi, snorted, and chose not to exercise his right to a bye.
Surprisingly, Liu Ruoyi drew the bye once again.
On the stage.
Yue Zifeng’s burly frame stood like an iron tower.
He crossed his arms, looking down on Chen Shouheng with a booming voice full of undisguised contempt. "Hey, kid. Just get off the stage yourself. If we fight, I won’t be able to hold back my strength. It’ll be ugly when you get hurt."
The spectators below who supported Yue Zifeng roared in agreement.
"Brother Yue is mighty!"
"Show him what absolute power is!"
Chen Shouheng looked back at Yue Zifeng calmly. "Victory isn’t decided by words."
"Fine! You’re asking to die," Yue Zifeng grinned, a hint of cruelty in his smile.
The final match was about to begin.
The gong sounded, signaling the start of the finals.
Yue Zifeng let out a ferocious roar and was the first to attack.
There was no technique to speak of—just a pure display of crushing power and speed.
Like a rampaging giant bear, he charged at Chen Shouheng, both fists striking out. The wind from his punches howled, carrying a terrifying force that seemed capable of shattering the very air.
Chen Shouheng seemed completely suppressed by this ferocious power. He constantly dodged and blocked, using Tiger Subduing Fist to protect his body. He appeared to be in constant peril, every clash looking strained.
"It’s over! The difference in strength is too great!"
"Yue Zifeng’s power is too immense! There’s no way to block it!"
"All Chen Shouheng can do is dodge!"
The hearts of Zhou Zhen, Qian Laibao, and Shi Zhongjian were in their throats once again, filled with extreme tension.
The crowd below was abuzz with discussion, most of them favoring Yue Zifeng.
Though Chen Shouheng seemed to be in danger, he managed to diffuse every crisis just in time.
「Ten moves later.」
Yue Zifeng hadn’t expected Chen Shouheng to be so slippery, narrowly avoiding his heavy blows every single time.
With a furious roar, he stopped holding back. The blood and qi in his body erupted, and his muscles bulged all over.
"Han Shan Yi!"
He had unleashed the ultimate move of the Han Shan Martial Arts Hall.
Like a runaway war chariot, he clasped his hands before his chest, using his elbows as a spearhead and his shoulders as blades. Carrying a terrifying force capable of sundering mountains and splitting stone, he slammed toward Chen Shouheng.
This strike brought his speed and power to their absolute peak, sealing off all of Chen Shouheng’s room to escape.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The entire stage let out a groan, as if unable to bear the strain.
"It’s Han Shan Yi!"
Someone in the stands cried out in alarm.
"The ultimate technique of the Han Shan Martial Arts Hall! It’s said that a Spirit Realm Powerhouse once used this move to shatter a city wall!"
"It’s over! Chen Shouheng can’t dodge this!"
"The match is decided!"
Everyone thought Chen Shouheng’s defeat was certain.
「In the nick of time.」
Chen Shouheng’s gaze suddenly focused, and the aura he had been suppressing erupted with a roar.
A majestic pressure far surpassing Qi Realm Perfection awoke like a slumbering dragon.
He no longer dodged. He took a single step forward.
Facing Yue Zifeng’s incomparably ferocious Han Shan Yi, the Inner Qi in his Eight Extraordinary Meridians surged. His Tiger Subduing Fist Intent merged perfectly with his Spirit Realm Inner Qi as he threw a simple, direct punch.
There was no grand display of power, just a single, simple strike.
BOOM!
An extremely deep, muffled boom exploded outward.
The peak of his fist collided head-on with Yue Zifeng’s elbow.
Yue Zifeng’s rampaging forward momentum came to an abrupt halt.
The savage expression on his face instantly froze, transforming into one of utter shock and disbelief!
CRACK!
The distinct sound of a bone breaking rang out.
"Argh..."
Yue Zifeng let out a wretched, pain-filled howl.
His body, which he prided for its Horizontal Cultivation, was like it had been struck by an invisible sledgehammer. His protective Qi Strength shattered instantly.
His entire body flew uncontrollably off the ground, smashing heavily onto the earth outside the stage and kicking up a cloud of dust.
"I... I lost? How is that possible?"
He struggled to get up but suddenly coughed up another mouthful of blood. The bones in his right arm were completely shattered, and he had lost all ability to fight.
The entire training ground fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone was stunned by the sudden reversal, staring dumbfounded at the figure in green robes on the stage who was withdrawing his fist, his aura gradually calming.
One punch!
He had defeated the previously arrogant Yue Zifeng, who had dominated the field with his power.
On the finals stage, time seemed to freeze.
Dead silence.
The entire venue fell into an extreme, unbelievable, dead silence.
Tens of thousands of gazes were fixed rigidly on the stage, focused on the young man slowly withdrawing his fist as he stood.
"Spirit Realm! He’s in the Spirit Realm!"
"He was hiding his strength the whole time!"
"My heavens! I remember he’s not even twenty yet, right?"
"The champion! Unquestionably the champion!"
Cries of shock, gasps of admiration, and disbelieving murmurs surged like a tsunami, deafeningly loud!
All eyes were focused on Chen Shouheng.
After the dead silence, an uproar like a volcanic eruption swept across the entire training ground.
"Sp... Spirit Realm?!"
In the stands, Zhou Zhen cried out in shock and shot up from his seat. His face was filled with utter astonishment and confusion, as if he had just witnessed the most unbelievable thing.
He stared intently at the figure on the stage, his lips trembling. "Shouheng... when did he... break through to the Spirit Realm? This... how is this possible?!"
Zhou Zhen’s body trembled slightly with excitement, his face flushed red.
He slapped his thigh hard, his voice changing pitch with excitement. "Excellent! A Spirit Realm... after all these years, my Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall has finally produced a Spirit Realm expert under the age of twenty. Hahaha!"
After the shock came instant, wild joy.