Chapter 554 - 188: Defeating a Strong Enemy, Another Breakthrough

But Yang Jing gave him no chance to breathe. With a quick step, he shadowed him instantly, his fists wrapped in powerful Inner Qi as they smashed toward his face once more.

Su Muyuan hastily raised his sword to block. A loud "CLANG" rang out, and the force of the blow sent him stumbling backward, the blood and qi in his chest churning ever more violently.

He knew he had already suffered serious internal injuries.

In contrast, Yang Jing was brimming with energy. His eyes grew brighter and his punches more ferocious with each passing moment—he was clearly getting stronger the longer they fought.

A wave of despair quietly washed over Su Muyuan.

It was then he realized that Yang Jing seemed to have no weaknesses whatsoever.

His Inner Qi was immense and powerful, no less than the reserves Su Muyuan himself had built through years of arduous cultivation.

His offensive techniques were domineering and sharp, and the power of his Mountain-Breaking Seal far exceeded that of ordinary martial arts.

His defense was nigh-invincible; no matter how Su Muyuan struck with his sword’s light, he couldn’t inflict the slightest wound.

And even Yang Jing’s speed was enough to keep pace with his own Body Technique.

Su Muyuan reflected that he had already gone all out in this fight. He had used nearly every subtle killing blow in his Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, yet there was simply nothing he could do to Yang Jing.

Yang Jing pressed forward, channeling the Mountain-Breaking Seal to its absolute limit. His fists flew like shooting stars, the assault growing ever more ferocious. The impenetrable barrage of afterimages forced Su Muyuan into a constant retreat, leaving him no room to even breathe.

They had already exchanged over 130 moves. The arm Su Muyuan used to grip his sword was trembling noticeably, causing his forms to falter. Worse, his internal reserves of Inner Qi were rapidly depleting.

Just then, like a tireless war god, Yang Jing attacked again, his fists whipping up a frigid gale.

Su Muyuan gritted his teeth, forced up the last of his Inner Qi, and swung his sword at Yang Jing’s fist.

But he was at the end of his rope. His swing was sluggish, his power all but gone.

Seeing his chance, Yang Jing dodged sideways, evading the blade with the agility of a cat. With another quick step, he moved around to the side of the staggering and breathless Su Muyuan.

Before Su Muyuan could react, Yang Jing shot out a hand and unerringly seized him by the collar.

The color drained from Su Muyuan’s face. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, the hairs on his arms stood on end, and he instinctively tried to struggle.

But with his Inner Qi depleted, a draining weakness pervaded his limbs. He couldn’t muster even a shred of strength.

The next moment, an immense, irresistible force erupted from his chest.

Then, Su Muyuan felt his body go light. Yang Jing, holding him by the collar as if he were a chick, simply swung him around and hurled him away.

In mid-air, Su Muyuan watched the fighting ring shrink beneath him, his heart roiling with bitter indignation.

’I’ve practiced martial arts since childhood, blessed with exceptional talent. I’m the direct-line heir carrying the hopes of the Su Family, a renowned figure among the younger generation of the Xuanzhen Sect. When have I ever been this pathetic?’

He instinctively tried to channel his Inner Qi, to rally his spirit and use the momentum to flip back onto the ring.

But the Inner Qi in his Dantian was almost gone. He looked at the fiercely energetic Yang Jing still on the stage, and finally, he closed his eyes in resignation as a long sigh escaped his lips.

He knew he had lost.

’Even if I get back on the ring by some fluke, it will only lead to more humiliation before I’m defeated anyway.’

BAM!

With a heavy thud, Su Muyuan slammed into the ground outside the ring, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He lay sprawled on the ground, unable to move for a moment. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth; he was a picture of utter defeat.

...

Down below the ring.

The area where the Lingxi Peak disciples had gathered erupted.

Fang He, Yan Chenglong, Ma Qiang, and the others stared wide-eyed at the tall figure on the stage. A moment of stunned silence was followed by a deafening roar of cheers.

They pumped their fists in the air, screaming Yang Jing’s name at the top of their lungs, their voices filled with ecstatic pride.

...

「Elsewhere in Fushan Square.」

Miss Jinlian gazed at the heroic figure of Yang Jing on the stage. Her eyes sparkled with a strange light; all her earlier worry had transformed into pure awe and admiration.

Beside her, Wang Xiao, the heiress of the Wang Family, instinctively clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.

As the Wang Family heiress, she was well aware of Su Muyuan’s thunderous reputation as the Su Family’s number one genius; she knew just how exceptional and powerful he was.

But who could have imagined that this favored child of heaven, admired by so many, would be defeated so soundly by Yang Jing today?

In that moment, Yang Jing’s standing rose dramatically in her estimation.

She could already imagine it: after defeating the Su Family’s number one genius, Su Muyuan, Yang Jing’s name would spread throughout the entire Jintai Prefecture.

Wang Xiao’s gaze flickered to Miss Jinlian at her side as she silently began to calculate.

...

Just then, Steward Xue strode quickly onto the stage. His gaze landed on Yang Jing, his eyes filled with an unconcealable mix of awe and emotion.

Su Muyuan was a renowned expert in the Xuanzhen Sect. He had once ranked fourth on the Hidden Dragon List, and in the years since, while keeping a low profile, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds. Many in the sect considered him a potential candidate to reach the top three of the Fushan tournament.

Yet now, this genius with such high hopes placed on him by the sect had been defeated in such a dominant fashion by Yang Jing, a dark horse who had seemingly come from nowhere.

Steward Xue took a deep breath, then boomed, his voice amplified by Inner Qi to carry across the entire plaza: "The fifth match: Lingxi Peak’s Yang Jing is the victor!"

Yang Jing gave Steward Xue a slight bow, his movements calm and composed, before turning and descending from the stage.

His steps were steady as he walked directly toward the area where the disciples of Lingxi Peak were gathered.