leonardwarren Chapter 25: A dominant victory, advancing to the semifinals.
Chapter 25: A dominant victory, advancing to the semifinals.
"The first match, Chu Tiankuo versus Zhao Xuan, begins now!"
The referee announced loudly, and the entire stadium fell silent instantly.
Chu Tiankuo and Zhao Xuan slowly walked onto the arena. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
They were once the two most dazzling geniuses in this competition, their blue and red auras shining brightly, making them the biggest favorites to win the championship. Now, however, they have both been defeated by Lin Chen, their core auras scattered, and they can only meet in the first match to compete for a spot in the top four.
"Zhao Xuan, I never expected we'd meet here." Chu Tiankuo's tone was calm, yet it carried an undisguised hint of loneliness.
"Enough nonsense! Even if I'm defeated by Lin Chen, you're still no match for me! Today I'm determined to defeat you and prove that I am the second best in Qingyang!" Zhao Xuan roared and made the first move.
He circulated the last of his "Mad Lion Body Strength" within his body, and his bronze-colored blood and qi surged up. Although his aura was much weaker than before, it still carried a hint of domineering power.
"Mountain-Splitting Fist!"
Zhao Xuan threw a punch, the force of which was fierce and carried an indomitable momentum.
Seeing this, Chu Tiankuo was not to be outdone. He circulated his internal energy technique, "Blazing Sun Technique," and a layer of light red flames ignited around his body. He threw a punch to meet the attack head-on.
"Fierce Sun Fist!"
"Bang!"
The two fists collided with tremendous force, producing a loud bang.
Both of them took three steps back at the same time, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of their mouths.
Their strengths were already roughly equal, and now that their core fortunes had been shattered, their strength was greatly diminished, making their fight even more difficult to determine.
On the arena, the light blue and dark red energies collided and eroded each other repeatedly, yet neither could devour the other, resulting in mutual destruction.
For a time, fists flew back and forth on the ring, flames and blood mingled, and the fight was extremely fierce.
But it was clear to anyone with discerning eyes that their moves had lost their previous sharpness and domineering power, leaving only a final act of stubbornness. With each clash, the aura above their heads dimmed a little.
After several dozen rounds, Zhao Xuan, with his greater combat experience, seized an opening and, with all his might, punched Chu Tiankuo in the chest.
Chu Tiankuo let out a miserable cry and flew backward, crashing heavily onto the arena. The cautious light blue aura above his head completely dissipated, turning entirely gray—meaning that his martial arts path, without any other opportunities, would essentially end once his potential was exhausted.
"I surrender!"
Chu Tiankuo struggled to stand up, but found that his internal energy was disordered and he could no longer circulate his cultivation technique. He could only say helplessly.
"Zhao Xuan wins the first match! He advances to the semifinals!"
The referee announced loudly, and a sparse round of applause rang out from the crowd.
Zhao Xuan stood on the arena, but felt no joy in victory; instead, his face was filled with dejection. The dark red aura above his head dimmed further, now mixed with even more black impurities. He knew that even if he defeated Chu Tiankuo, he would never be a match for Lin Chen; he would only face the same fate as Chu Tiankuo.
"The second match, Su Qingyue versus Wang Peng, begins immediately!"
Su Qingyue slowly walked onto the arena, dressed in white, her aura ethereal and otherworldly. A shimmering white aura emanated from her head, and a faint chill emanated from her, causing the temperature of the entire arena to drop slightly.
Wang Peng, a contestant from Experimental High School, possessed considerable skill, but he appeared exceptionally nervous in front of Su Qingyue. The pale green aura above his head continuously contracted under the suppression of the radiant white aura, almost touching the top of his head.
Wang Peng took a deep breath, intending to circulate his internal energy and unleash his attack, but found that his blood and qi circulation had become extremely sluggish, as if frozen by an invisible chill. He took a step forward, feeling an immense weight pressing down on him, making it incredibly difficult.
"I surrender!"
Wang Peng hurriedly cupped his hands to Su Qingyue, his voice trembling slightly. He was well aware of his own limitations; let alone fighting, the sheer overwhelming power of Su Qingyue's radiant aura and the complete suppression of his own presence made him lack even the courage to make a move. Rather than being injured and suffering potentially irreversible internal wounds, it was better to simply admit defeat and preserve his dignity.
The entire arena erupted in uproar, no one expected the second duel to end in such a way. But no one was surprised; the difference in strength between the two was obvious, and the pure white aura of the two had an absolute suppression of the pale green ordinary aura of the two. Everyone had seen all of this.
Su Qingyue nodded slightly, and the shimmering white aura above her head subsided slightly. She turned and stepped off the arena, her expression remaining calm.