Chapter 429 - 154: Secure Second, Fight for First
The Main Peak Steward’s voice faded, and a heated discussion immediately erupted below the Cyan Qilin Platform.
Hundreds, even thousands of spectating disciples broke into a clamor, their voices surging like a tidal wave.
"Yang Jing is ranked third? He actually surpassed Qin Wenbao!"
"But Qin Wenbao is a master who’s fought in the Cyan Qilin Battle more than ten times! Yang Jing just forced an old veteran down the ranks!"
"It’s his first time in the Cyan Qilin Battle, and he made it straight into the top four. His strength is just ridiculous!"
Below the Cyan Qilin Platform, in the area for the participating disciples from Lingxi Peak.
Lin Ziheng rubbed his hands together, turned to the cross-legged, meditating Yang Jing, and couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "Junior Brother Yang, you’re about to face Zhao Chong. Are you nervous?"
Yang Jing slowly opened his eyes. They were perfectly clear, without a ripple of emotion.
He took a slow breath, looked at Lin Ziheng, and said calmly, "What do you think?"
Hearing this, Steward Zheng, who was standing to the side, stroked his beard and chuckled. His expression then turned serious as he clapped Yang Jing on the shoulder. "Stop messing around. Your next opponent is Zhao Chong. His Sky-Splitting Fist is fierce, domineering, and extremely explosive—far stronger than Wei Dongting. This will be a very dangerous fight for you."
Yang Jing nodded. A grave look flickered in his eyes, but it was mixed with a hint of fighting spirit. "Zhao Chong is very strong."
He didn’t underestimate his opponent in the slightest.
Throughout the previous rounds of the competition, the two he had paid the most attention to were Yuwen Mingjue and Zhao Chong.
Zhao Chong’s fist techniques were sharp and his moves ferocious. Every punch carried an overwhelming force, and his strength wasn’t necessarily any less than Yuwen Mingjue’s.
"Don’t overthink it," Steward Zheng said in a deep voice. "Just give it your all. No matter the outcome, you’ve already brought plenty of honor to Lingxi Peak."
As they were talking, the sound of footsteps echoed from the Cyan Qilin Platform.
The two combatants for the first match, Yuwen Mingjue of Yunxi Peak and Qin Wenbao of Thunder Peak, had already taken the stage one after the other.
Yuwen Mingjue was dressed in a brocade robe, his steps unhurried, as if victory was already in his grasp.
Qin Wenbao, on the other hand, had a grave expression. His hands were clenched into tight fists, and his eyes were locked on his opponent, not daring to relax for an instant.
The Main Peak Steward announced in a loud voice, "The first match of the top-four ranking battles: Yuwen Mingjue of Yunxi Peak versus Qin Wenbao of Thunder Peak! Let the match begin!"
As his voice faded, he turned and walked off the Cyan Qilin Platform, leaving the battlefield entirely to the two men on stage.
"HAH!"
Yuwen Mingjue was the first to attack. He stomped his foot, and the cyan stone slabs trembled in response.
He clenched both fists as Inner Strength surged through his body, and he unleashed the All Things Return to Origin Fist.
The first punch he threw was restrained, yet it carried a majestic momentum that seemed to devour all things as it shot toward Qin Wenbao’s face.
Not daring to be careless, Qin Wenbao let out a low roar and thrust both palms forward. The wind from his palms howled—this was the Sea-Covering Palm he was famous for.
A faint sheen appeared on his palms. His Palm Force was powerful and heavy; as he struck out, it was like a colossal wave crashing against the shore, carrying the force to topple mountains and overturn seas as it met Yuwen Mingjue’s fist head-on.
"THUD!"
As fist and palm collided, a muffled boom vibrated, making one’s eardrums ache.
A powerful shockwave spread out in all directions, kicking up dust from the platform.
Yuwen Mingjue stood his ground, perfectly still, a faint smirk even playing on his lips.
Qin Wenbao, in contrast, felt an utterly domineering force surge from his palms into his body, churning his blood and qi. He staggered back three heavy steps before he could barely regain his footing.
Yuwen Mingjue sneered. His footwork shifted, and his figure moved like a shadow, closing in on Qin Wenbao once again.
His All Things Return to Origin Fist grew faster with each move. Layers upon layers of fist-shadows descended like an inescapable net, each punch precisely targeting Qin Wenbao’s openings.
Qin Wenbao gritted his teeth, his palms a flurry of motion as he fully unleashed the moves of his Sea-Covering Palm. The wind from his palms was like a tide, trying to fend off Yuwen Mingjue’s assault.
But although his Palm Force was strong, it was constantly suppressed by the force of Yuwen Mingjue’s fists. He could only defend passively, with no strength to retaliate.
The sound of fists and palms colliding rang out one after another, a series of muffled THUDS echoing across the Cyan Qilin Platform.
On the eleventh move, one of Yuwen Mingjue’s punches broke through the wind of Qin Wenbao’s palm, grazing his shoulder and leaving behind a bloody gash.
On the twelfth move, Yuwen Mingjue spotted an opening revealed by Qin Wenbao. He suddenly dropped his stance to generate power, concentrating immense Inner Strength into his right fist and slamming it viciously into Qin Wenbao’s chest.
"BANG!"
With a loud bang, Qin Wenbao was struck hard. His whole body flew sideways like a kite with a snapped string, slamming heavily against the railing at the edge of the Cyan Qilin Platform with a dull thud.
The railing shuddered violently. He clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face ashen.
Qin Wenbao struggled to get up, but the moment he tried to exert any strength, an unbearable pain shot through his organs. Worse, the powerful Inner Strength in his meridians showed faint signs of going berserk.
He watched Yuwen Mingjue walk toward him step by step. A flash of unwillingness crossed his eyes, but he still gritted his teeth and called out in a hoarse voice, "I... I forfeit!"
Hearing Qin Wenbao’s voluntary forfeit, Yuwen Mingjue slowly lowered his fists and stood straight.
He glanced down at Qin Wenbao, who was slumped against the railing. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and then he gave a faint shake of his head.
He didn’t say a word, but his expression was the very picture of silent mockery, as if he felt Qin Wenbao was too weak to have given him a satisfying fight.
When Qin Wenbao saw this, his already ashen face instantly flushed crimson, and the blood and qi in his chest churned even more violently.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his palms, his heart filled with uncontrollable rage.
’This Yuwen Mingjue is too damn arrogant!’
’If my meridians weren’t in disarray and my whole body wasn’t wracked with pain, I’d definitely get up and fight him again!’