Chapter 588 - 195: The Grand Competition Concludes, the Final Rankings
The two clashed fiercely once more. The muffled impact of their fists and palms sent tremors through the entire platform.
Taking advantage of the close-quarters exchange, Yang Jing gritted his teeth against the searing pain in his chest and smashed a fist viciously into Chu Yunhai’s shoulder.
Not to be outdone, Chu Yunhai landed a palm strike on Yang Jing’s chest.
Both grunted in pain simultaneously, their bodies flying backward like kites with snapped strings. They each spat a mouthful of blood in mid-air before crashing heavily onto opposite ends of the platform.
Below the platform, the disciples from the various branches, along with the heads and core members of Jintai Prefecture’s major families, were all stunned by the scene.
The vast Fushan Square instantly fell silent.
Everyone had expected a fierce battle, but no one had imagined it would be this intense.
The two were completely disregarding their own injuries. This mutually destructive fighting style was simply too brutal.
...
On the platform.
Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai slammed hard into the railings at the edge of the platform, letting out two muffled THUDS.
The hard wooden railings dented and cracked from the impact. A sharp pain shot through both of their backs, and a sweet, metallic taste rose in their throats as another mouthful of blood surged up, staining the fronts of their robes.
Their black and moon-white martial attire were now soaked in blood, mottled and ruined.
But neither of them showed the slightest sign of retreat. They leaped to their feet almost simultaneously.
Yang Jing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes burning with fighting spirit, his fists clenched tight.
Chu Yunhai’s eyes were also bloodshot. The vital energy from his activated War Body still churned, and the force behind his Refining Gang Palm remained as sharp as ever.
With another roar, they charged at each other again. The sound of their fists and palms colliding was as dense as a downpour as they exchanged another twenty-plus moves.
The powerful gusts of wind from their blows tore at their already tattered clothes. Their robes were shredded to pieces, revealing skin covered in purple bruises and wounds of varying depths.
Blood slowly seeped from their wounds, dyeing their limbs red. Even their faces were spattered with blood, but they paid it no mind. They had fought themselves into a frenzy, their eyes holding nothing but the obsessive desire for victory.
On Fushan Square, the crowd watched with shocked expressions, their breathing hitched.
Watching the two men fighting to the death, bathed in blood, no one could utter a word.
Both were now heavily injured and drenched in blood, yet they were still gritting their teeth and forcing themselves to continue. This ferocity and perseverance moved everyone who witnessed it.
Yang Jing frantically circulated the Heart Method of the Mountain-Breaking Seal. The three strands of fused Inner Qi in his Dantian surged recklessly toward his fists.
He poured all his strength into every punch, trading blows madly with Chu Yunhai, completely ignoring his ever-worsening injuries.
’He knew with perfect clarity that he had to fight this battle to the very end, no matter what.’
’Both the incredibly precious Yunqiao Jade Marrow and the long-term access to the B-grade Training Room were far too important to him. They would allow him to avoid many detours on his Martial Dao path.’
’As long as there was a sliver of hope, he would fight for it with everything he had.’
A brutal atmosphere now permeated the entire platform.
The frenzied, life-or-death battle between them made many disciples in the stands clench their fists, their eyes filled with admiration and shock.
On the high dais, Cao Zhen watched the bloody struggle on the platform, his brow furrowing ever deeper as the smile on his face slowly vanished.
He rose to his feet, his gaze fixed solemnly on the two blood-soaked young men on the platform.
’These two lads are the future pillars of the Xuanzhen Sect.’
’Their strengths are already comparable, and now they’ve both been severely injured. If they keep fighting like this until they’ve exhausted themselves completely, they might damage their foundations.’
’For a Martial Artist, a damaged foundation is tantamount to destroying one’s own future. These are the Xuanzhen Sect’s top seeds; their foundations absolutely cannot be allowed to suffer real harm.’
At this thought, Cao Zhen no longer hesitated and immediately stood up.
He pushed off lightly with his feet. A vast torrent of Inner Qi surged from his Dantian, supporting his body.
He seemed to fly through the air, his robes fluttering, as he crossed the distance of several dozen yards from the high dais in an instant. It was as if the ground beneath him had shrunk as he landed directly in the center of the platform, right between Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai at the very moment they were about to clash.
Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai had already fought themselves into a frenzy, their minds consumed by the singular thought of battle.
One swung his palm, stirring up a biting wind; the other raised his fist, gathering the last of his Inner Qi, both about to charge their opponent once more.
Suddenly, a tall, imposing figure appeared in the center of the platform. Both of them froze, their attacks halting abruptly in mid-air.
They focused their eyes and quickly recognized the man’s face. It was the Sect Leader, Cao Zhen.
A chill ran through them. They immediately ceased all movement, dispersed the Inner Qi from their fists and palms, and bowed to Cao Zhen, saying in unison, "Greetings, Sect Leader!"
Cao Zhen nodded slightly. His gaze swept over their injuries before settling on the two young men, a satisfied smile gracing his face.
’He could see the unyielding resilience in their eyes. This was precisely the spirit the Xuanzhen Sect needed. And most importantly, their talent in the Martial Dao...’
Cao Zhen spoke, his voice echoing across the entire Fushan Square: "The two of you are evenly matched. After such a fierce battle, it is impossible to determine a clear winner. There is no need to continue. I hereby declare that you are both tied for first place in the Fushan Grand Competition!"