Chapter 433 - 154: Secure Second, Fight for First
’This is my chance!’
A sharp glint flashed in Yang Jing’s eyes as he seized the opening. Stomping his left foot, he shot forward. His right fist, brimming with the full force of his Inner Strength, blasted toward Zhao Chong’s chest like a clap of thunder.
Zhao Chong, true to his reputation as a top expert of the Inner Strength Level, sensed the danger the very instant the opening appeared.
His expression changed drastically. He hastily turned and raised an arm to block, but in his rush, the technique was incomplete, and he couldn’t channel his full Inner Strength into the defense.
BAM!
Fist met palm, and a dull thud resounded across the entire area.
Zhao Chong felt an irresistible wave of power crash into him, making his arm go numb and his Inner Strength roil violently.
He staggered back more than ten steps. A sweet, metallic taste filled his throat, and he violently coughed up a mouthful of blood that splattered across the stone slabs in a shocking display.
Yang Jing would not let this opportunity pass. He immediately pressed his advantage, moving like a flash of lightning to close the distance. He pounced, unleashing a torrent of punches at Zhao Chong.
Zhao Chong barely managed to raise his arms to defend, but each block grew hastier than the last, leaving him completely unable to mount an effective counterattack.
Another heavy blow landed on his shoulder. He could no longer stand his ground and was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily to the floor.
Yang Jing swiftly closed the distance, his fists clenched. Gathering his Inner Strength, he threw a full-powered punch straight at Zhao Chong’s face.
As Zhao Chong watched the shadow of the fist draw ever closer, a surge of desperation welled up within him. But his rational mind told him he had already lost.
’In terms of strength, I’m no match for Yang Jing.’
’In terms of speed, I’ve been completely overwhelmed.’
’Now I’m injured, my qi and blood are in turmoil, and my Inner Strength is a mess. The gap between us will only grow wider.’
’If I keep fighting, I won’t just lose more miserably—I’ll end up severely injured.’
At this thought, Zhao Chong gritted his teeth. A flicker of unwillingness crossed his eyes, but he still gathered all his remaining strength and shouted hoarsely, "I... I surrender!"
Upon hearing the words of surrender, Yang Jing’s pupils contracted. He instantly halted his fist’s momentum, forcefully retracting his Inner Strength.
The wind from the punch grazed Zhao Chong’s cheek, a sharp gust messing up his hair.
Yang Jing stood his ground, not taking a single step closer.
...
For a moment, a dead silence fell over the area below the Cyan Qilin Platform. You could have heard a pin drop.
All eyes were glued to the two figures on the platform, as if no one could process the shock of Zhao Chong’s surrender.
But in the next instant, the silence was shattered by a deafening uproar.
"He won! Yang Jing won! He actually defeated Zhao Chong!"
"Oh my god! Zhao Chong is a top-tier expert on the same level as Yuwen Mingjue! How did Yang Jing manage to beat him?"
"Does that mean Yang Jing might have a chance to defeat Yuwen Mingjue and take first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle?"
The voices of the crowd surged like a tide—a mixture of amazement, excitement, and disbelief so loud it made one’s ears ring.
In the eyes of most disciples, the champion of this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle was supposed to be decided between Yuwen Mingjue and Zhao Chong, with Yuwen Mingjue considered the slight favorite.
But Yang Jing had burst onto the scene and shattered everyone’s expectations, injecting a thrilling dose of uncertainty into the battle’s final outcome.
Many disciples were so excited their faces flushed red as they threw their arms in the air and cheered wildly.
Most of them had never participated in the Cyan Qilin Battle themselves. Watching Yang Jing, a newcomer, fight his way through the rounds and defeat one powerful opponent after another, they felt as if they were living vicariously through him.
Now that Yang Jing had defeated Zhao Chong and secured a spot in the top two, it felt as if they themselves had accomplished the feat. The cheers came in waves, each one louder than the last, threatening to overturn the Cyan Qilin Platform itself.
For a moment, cheers for Yang Jing thundered from below the platform, drowning out all other conversation.
Just then, the Main Peak Steward in charge of the Cyan Qilin Battle strode onto the platform. He raised a hand, and the uproar gradually subsided.
He gathered his Inner Qi and announced in a clear, loud voice, "The second match of the top four semifinals: Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak is victorious!"
The moment he finished speaking, another wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
The Main Peak Steward waited for the cheers to subside slightly before continuing his announcement. "Next, we will take a break for the time it takes one stick of incense to burn. After the break, we will proceed with the final two matches! The first will be Yuwen Mingjue of Yunxi Peak versus Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak, to decide the champion of this Cyan Qilin Battle! The second will be Zhao Chong of Celestial Derivation Peak versus Zhou Tong of Zhenyue Peak!"
With that, he turned and walked off the Cyan Qilin Platform.
Yang Jing slowly descended from the fighting stage. Countless eyes followed him, filled with admiration, awe, worship, and intense anticipation.
He subconsciously glanced toward the crowd beyond the distant railing and immediately spotted Sun Ningxiang.
She was on her tiptoes, her pretty face flushed red, waving enthusiastically at him. Her eyes shone with a brilliant light.
A warmth spread through Yang Jing’s chest. He gave her a gentle smile and a small nod.
He really wanted to go over and talk to her, to share his joy, but the competition wasn’t over. ’I have to stay in peak condition,’ he thought, so he suppressed the urge for now.
Yang Jing looked away and walked briskly toward the area designated for the disciples of Lingxi Peak.
The moment he drew near, Steward Zheng came forward with a booming laugh. He grabbed Yang Jing’s arm with a grip tight enough to shatter bone, his excitement palpable. "Excellent! Excellent! Yang Jing, my boy! You actually defeated Zhao Chong! This isn’t just making the top three, this is the top two! Damn it all, how many goddamn years has it been since our Lingxi Peak had a day like this? Fucking hell!"
Yang Jing hadn’t expected Steward Zheng to be this emotional.
Before Steward Zheng could even finish, Lin Ziheng, Zhang Hengyi, and Zhao Xuexiang crowded around, their faces alight with irrepressible excitement.
Zhang Hengyi clapped Yang Jing on the shoulder, his voice filled with both excitement and emotion. "It’s been over three years since any disciple from our Lingxi Peak has gotten a result this good in the Cyan Qilin Battle! You’ve really brought glory to our peak!"
Zhao Xuexiang’s face was also flushed as he said admiringly, "Junior Brother Yang, from this day forward, your name will be known throughout the Seven Veins of the Xuanzhen Sect!"
Lin Ziheng sidled up to Yang Jing with a grin. "Junior Brother Yang, now you’ve secured second place and are fighting for first! If even Zhao Chong was no match for you, you can definitely take down Yuwen Mingjue! Our Lingxi Peak is about to have a Cyan Qilin Battle champion!"
At the mention of those four words—"Cyan Qilin Battle champion"—the eyes of Steward Zheng, Zhang Hengyi, and Zhao Xuexiang lit up. The excitement on their faces intensified, and they looked at Yang Jing with gazes full of soaring hope and confidence.