Chapter 128: Lu Zheng

The pressure suddenly dissipated, and the one hundred registered disciples remaining on the arena platform each trembled violently before collapsing.

The sudden, uncontrollable surge of cultivation energy within their bodies was simply too much for these registered disciples to withstand, as none of them had yet crossed the threshold into the First Grade Bone-Tempering Realm.

Observing this, none of the elders on the high platform spoke. The situation was within normal parameters; given the physical constitutions of these disciples, they would recover in anywhere from fifteen minutes to half an hour.

Xie Yuan withdrew his aura, and his slightly billowing robes returned to normal. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Zhang Chengxuan staring directly at him.

His actions just now could not be hidden from Zhang Chengxuan. As the only elder on Qingyang Peak with a cultivation level at the mid-stage of the Fifth Grade Qi Sea Realm, Zhang Chengxuan had caught Xie Yuan’s subtle interference. However, out of respect for Xie Yuan’s reputation, Zhang Chengxuan did not expose him, though he had issued a silent warning that no further meddling would be tolerated.

Xie Yuan remained calm and silent, acting as if he had done nothing at all.

Half an hour passed quickly. The disciples who had failed to endure the pressure had long since been removed by the deacons, and the remaining hundred had regained consciousness.

Yang Ze stood on the arena, keenly aware of the massive force that had descended in the final moments. That sudden outburst of power could not possibly have been aimed at everyone. At that critical juncture, the pressure everyone was already bearing had reached its limit; had that extra force been applied to all, even those half-step First Grade disciples would have crumbled.

Yang Ze was certain he was the only one targeted by that force, and at such a moment, only one person would have had the opportunity to strike. Shifting his gaze toward the distant high platform, he could barely make out a few figures.

"Xie Yuan!" Yang Ze’s eyes flickered as he silently mouthed the name. Even though he could not see Xie Yuan’s face clearly, he could guess exactly who had pulled the strings.

However, Yang Ze still did not know who had covertly intervened to save him. Someone must have stepped in to neutralize that crushing force, otherwise, it would not have vanished so abruptly. He pushed the matter to the back of his mind for now; thinking about it was useless. With his current strength, he was nothing in the eyes of Xie Yuan. Swallowing his resentment, Yang Ze remained composed; he was not an impulsive man and understood how to act in the face of overwhelming odds.

On the high platform, the elders remained seated. Xie Yuan’s gaze swept across the arena, taking in all one hundred disciples.

"Congratulations to those of you who remain on the arena. You are now the top one hundred registered disciples of this tournament!"

Xie Yuan’s voice resonated throughout the venue. The disciples in the surrounding stands turned their eyes toward the stage; these one hundred people were now the most prominent figures in the academy.

Yang Ze took a deep breath. Despite the setbacks, he had finally achieved his minimum goal: becoming one of the top one hundred.

The next step: the top ten.

***

"Having passed three rounds of assessment to become the top one hundred, you have proven that your strength and luck are the best among the field. Some of you may feel that the previous assessments were somewhat trivial, but I tell you this: in the path of martial arts cultivation, not only are talent and hard work required, but luck is also indispensable.

The same applies to the coming matches. You will not only be testing your strength but also your luck. The remaining hundred will fight each other; who you face depends entirely on your fortune."

The tournament rules changed every year, but one thing remained constant: after the top one hundred were decided, they had to fight their way through to the next round. Two rounds of combat would whittle the hundred down to twenty-five, and the final top ten would be determined from that group.

Yang Ze knew these rules. He understood that at this stage, the coming battles would not be easy.

Of the remaining hundred, even those with the lowest cultivation possessed Ninth Grade True Qi. More than half exuded a physical vitality that reached the half-step First Grade level, posing a significant threat. Yang Ze did not fear Ninth Grade True Qi, but he could not afford to be careless against these half-step First Grade experts. He had not expected so many to be hiding among the registered disciples; this was a thorny problem.

The hundred were divided into groups using the same method as before. Slips of paper, wrapped in True Qi, were scattered from the high platform into the hands of the participants. Those who drew the same number would be opponents in the next round.

Yang Ze held a slip with the number forty-nine. He looked around the arena, wondering who held the matching number.

The other disciples had also received their slips, their expressions turning grave as they checked their numbers. Moments later, Yang Ze navigated to the designated arena and found his opponent: a disciple with Ninth Grade True Qi.

Seeing this, Yang Ze felt a surge of relief. There were very few Ninth Grade disciples left, and he had managed to draw one. The opponent, seeing Yang Ze, also brightened, clearly having the same thought.

Because so few disciples remained, the deacons and outer-court disciples who were usually scattered had gathered around the fifty arenas to serve as referees and ensure the safety of the participants—for even as registered disciples, they were still members of the Misty Martial Academy.

"Lu Zheng, District A!"
"Yang Ze, District D!"

They stood on opposite sides of the ring and cupped their fists in salute. It was a pity Lin Hui wasn't by his side; he would have certainly provided a detailed introduction of Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng was no ordinary person. District A was known as the district with the most disciples and the most experts among the ten districts. Lu Zheng was a man of high renown there, celebrated as the strongest Ninth Grade True Qi practitioner in the entire district.

Yang Ze, however, was unaware of this. He looked at Lu Zheng, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

At the command of a Third Grade deacon, Yang Ze stomped his right foot and launched himself like a cannonball. Having sensed a hint of danger from Lu Zheng, he refused to wait and sought to seize the initiative.

Yang Ze was fast. As he charged, the distance between them closed in an instant.

Lu Zheng locked eyes with Yang Ze. The moment Yang Ze reached him, Lu Zheng condensed his True Qi into his right fist and threw a heavy punch.

Yang Ze did not dodge. Instead, he clenched his own right fist, channeling his True Qi, and met the strike head-on.

*Boom!*

As their fists collided, a gust of wind swept out from the center of the impact, causing their robes to flutter violently. Both men remained steady, their faces resolute.

When their True Qi clashed, they appeared evenly matched until Lu Zheng exerted a burst of fresh force from his fist. The two separated, and Yang Ze was forced to retreat half a step.

Taking advantage of this opening, Lu Zheng lashed out with a whip-like kick that reached Yang Ze in the blink of an eye. The speed shocked Yang Ze, who twisted his body to narrowly avoid the strike. But Lu Zheng did not stop, immediately launching another sweeping kick.

Unable to counter, Yang Ze could only retreat, dodging the onslaught. Having been forced onto the defensive immediately, Yang Ze’s anger flared. Ignoring the turbulence in his own energy flow, he thrust his right hand forward, unleashing a "Swift Wind Bone-Breaking Hand" toward Lu Zheng’s leg.

*Slap!*

For the first time since the fight began, Lu Zheng was forced back. Having taken the hit, Lu Zheng’s expression shifted. He shook his leg, his eyes sharpening with a fierce glint.

"Since you've resorted to martial arts, I see no reason to hold back any longer."

As soon as he spoke, Lu Zheng surged forward with speed far greater than before. In an instant, he was in front of Yang Ze, his right leg wreathed in a swirling circle of True Qi, descending upon him.