Chapter 54: Winning All the Way
/ KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas
Li Yuan’s first opponent was a youth around the age of eighteen.
Their bodies jerked as they flew towards each other!
Above their heads, ancient mammoth silhouettes were indistinctly visible.
In a mere move, their speed difference was obvious; Li Yuan’s speed looked to be slightly faster...
After a moment, he found an opportunity to dash to the back of his opponent.
Heart Destruction Palm!
A clear-cut palm strike slapped on his opponent’s back, blasting him off the combat arena.
“Li Yuan is victorious!”
The judge immediately announced the result.
“The middle grade Profound Rank movement technique, Unfettered Steps, which Li Yuan cultivates, actually had break through to the Mastery Stage.”
Seeing this scene, Duan Ling Tian was mildly shocked.
In terms of speed, Unfettered Steps at the Mastery Stage was not one bit inferior to the high grade Profound Rank movement technique, Spirit Serpent Movement Technique, at the Initial Stage.
“I’ve been so busy trying to break through to the ninth level of the Body Tempering Stage that I’ve actually let my movement technique drop behind... Hmm, after the Clan Martial Meet ends, I need to increase the cultivation stage of my Spirit Serpent Movement Technique,” Duan Ling Tian thought in his heart.
Unlike defensive martial arts, which could be improved by directly consuming medicinal items, improving movement techniques required painstaking cultivation. There were no possible shortcuts.
Li Yuan walked off the combat arena in large strides. When he noticed Duan Ling Tian looking at him, he met Duan Ling Tian’s gaze, and the corners of his mouth emitted a provoking and cold smile.
Duan Ling Tian retracted his gaze, indifferent.
If it was before he broke through, the current Li Yuan might be someone he would confront seriously.
But now...
Li Yuan was not on the same level as him.
To the extent that in his eyes, the current Li Yuan was weak and fragile like a child.
In terms of strength, Duan Ling Tian was currently comparable to a martial artist at the second level of the Core Formation Stage.
On the thirty combat arenas, the inner court disciples contended against each other like a raging fire.
After each of the inner court disciples determined the victor, the judges would start recording their points...
“Duan Ling Tian!”
Finally, the judge called upon Duan Ling Tian’s name.
Combat arena number 3.
Duan Ling Tian’s body moved towards the arena.
His opponent was a slightly straightforward and robust youth.
“I’m Li Zhen. Please go easy on me.”
The robust youth naively smiled.
“I’m Duan Ling Tian.”
Duan Ling Tian returned a smile.
Across the entire surrounding combat arenas, the inner court disciples that competed would practically start fighting the moment they entered the arena. It was rare for them to speak to each other.
Everyone wanted to swiftly defeat their opponent and win points.
Li Zhen, however, was a special case.
Whoosh!
Li Zhen moved. His robust figure didn’t not seem one bit heavy and cumbersome.
With the strength of an ancient mammoth exploding out, Li Zhen’s entire body seemed to have transformed into a gust of wind that blew towards Duan Ling Tian.
Spirit Serpent Movement Technique!
Duan Ling Tian moved to meet him head on.
In terms of speed, Duan Ling Tian was slightly faster than the robust youth...
Of course, this was under the precondition that Duan Ling Tian suppressed his strength at the strength of an ancient mammoth.
Li Zhen attacked a few times, unable to touch Duan Ling Tian.
“I admit defeat.”
Abruptly, Li Zhen’s figure stopped.
“Up till now, only my speed was faster than yours, but you’re already admitting defeat?”
Duan Ling Tian was slightly startled.
“This is enough. If your speed is faster than mine, you’ve already placed yourself in an invincible position. Continuing would be meaningless.”
Li Zhen naively laughed. He was extremely straightforward. He then jumped off the combat arena.
Duan Ling Tian faintly smiled.
This Li Zhen was really clear-cut.
He followed and jumped off the combat arena.
“Eh, where’s Ke Er?”
When Duan Ling Tian noticed that the young girl wasn’t where she was earlier, he couldn’t help himself from looking around to find her.
After a short moment, on the neighboring combat arena, Duan Ling Tian saw the young girl’s figure.
Whoosh!
The young girl stood there as the Violet Meteorite Flexible Sword in her hand soundlessly stuck itself to the side of her opponent’s neck.
If she used an ounce of strength, her opponent would surely lose his life.
Her opponent’s body slightly trembled as his cold sweat poured out, then he said, in a flustered tone, “I... I admit defeat.”
Only then did the young girl withdraw her sword. Under the burning gazes of the surrounding people, she descended the combat arena and returned to Duan Ling Tian’s side.
The heavenly couple instantly attracted the attention of many people.
Even more of those gazes were filled with jealousy and envy.
“Humph!”
Not far away, the grey-clothed youth who achieved one more victory after his opponent took the initiative and admitted defeat gazed coldly through the air descending upon Duan Ling Tian.
Up till now, he had already won two matches.
As a Core Formation martial artist, the opponents he met wouldn’t even have the guts to fight him; they all admitted defeat before the fight started.
A day’s time quickly passed.
Duan Ling Tian won a 27 straight matches, accumulating 28 points.
Ke Er won a 28 straight matches, accumulating 29 points.
The overall results for today were quickly released.
On the notice board, today’s results for the 86 inner court disciples were displayed for everyone to see. They were ranked according to the total accumulated points.
“Eh.”
Duan Ling Tian quickly found a problem.
Besides him and Ke Er, there were still over ten people who were similar to them, having maintained a thirty win streak.
Among them were quite a few people Duan Ling Tian knew.
Li Shi Shi, Li Yuan, Li Zhong, Li An.
Placed at the front were all those who had obtained 30 points, a total of five people, all having a streak of 29 wins.
Among the five were Li Zhong and Li An.
“The battles arranged by the Clan today did not cause any of the relatively stronger inner court disciples to battle. They obviously purposefully arranged it this way so that the stronger disciples could battle towards the end of the Martial Meet.”
Duan Ling Tian could guess the reason why so many people maintained a winning streak.
“Little Sister Ke Er, you’re so formidable, obtaining 29 points.”
Li Shi Shi arrived besides Ke Er.
“Big Sister Shi Shi, I only participated in an extra match compared to you. If your match count was higher by one, then our points would be similar.”
Ke Er lightly smiled.
Li Shi Shi was similar to Duan Ling Tian, having a streak of 27 wins, obtaining 28 points.
“The Clan purposefully arranged it like this for sure. Look, the five people who were ranked at the top with a score of 30 points, they are all the Clan’s below nineteen Core Formation Stage inner court disciples... But this is normal. They had the easiest time today. Without even having to make a move, their opponents admitted defeat,” Li Shi Shi slowly said.
Duan Ling Tian’s eyebrows knit.
All at the Core Formation Stage?
Besides Li Zhong and Li An, which he had met before, he had never once seen the other three.
His gaze fell upon the notice board.
Li Qing, Li Fei, Li Hu.
These three people were the other three Core Formation Stage inner court disciples.
“Duan Ling Tian, you can consider yourself lucky for now, but we will meet each other sooner or later. At that time, I will properly ‘entertain’ you!”
Li Zhong had brought Li Xiao to walk past Duan Ling Tian. When they were close, the corners of his mouth curled up into a sneer.
“Idiot!”
Duan Ling Tian indifferently spat out a word.
“What did you say?!”
Li Zhong’s body jerked, the smile on his face froze, and he slowly turned around. A pair of flaming eyes stared fixedly at Duan Ling Tian.
“Ke Er, let’s go home.”
Ignoring Li Zhong, Duan Ling Tian held the young girl’s hand and walked off.
Li Shi Shi glanced at Li Zhong with an odd gaze before catching up to Duan Ling Tian and Ke Er.
Li Zhong’s body was shaking.
The gazes of ridicule from the surroundings caused his expression to turn extremely gloomy.
“Hehe... Li Zhong, he called you an idiot and you actually endured it. I really admire you.”
Just at this moment, the grey-clothed youth arrived beside Li Zhong and indifferently laughed.
“Li An, don’t think I don’t know what you’re aiming for; stop trying to sow discord here! In the next two days, I will meet him sooner or later and will defeat him, and then I’ll mercilessly humiliate him. It doesn’t require your concern.”
After coldly sweeping a gaze at Li An, Li Zhong took Li Xiao and left.
Li An’s expression turned grim, turning angry from embarrassment.
On the way home.
“Little Sister Ke Er, did you see Li Fei today?’ Li Shi Shi asked the young girl beside her.
“Li Fei?”
The young girl was dazed.
“Yeah, Li Fei, the number one beauty of the inner court. But now that there’s Little Sister Ke Er, her title of number one beauty of the inner court might not only be her’s anymore.”
Li Shi Shi lightly smiled.
“Big Sister Shi Shi, you’re teasing me again.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
......
As the two girls talked, their topic slowly moved to Li An.
“Duan Ling Tian, you have to be careful of that Li An. At least ten inner court disciples were crippled by him in last year’s Clan Martial Meet,” Li Shi Shi said to Duan Ling Tian with a serious expression.
Crippled?
Duan Ling Tian’s eyes flashed coldly.
Who gets crippled when the time comes isn’t certain yet...
“In the Clan’s younger generation, Li An’s strength is only below Li Qing’s. He’s stronger than the other three Core Formation disciples.” Noticing Duan Ling Tian’s unconcerned expression, Li Shi Shi warned again.
“Among the five Core Formation disciples, the strongest, Li Qing, what’s his cultivation?”
Duan Ling Tian finally said something.
But it wasn’t to discuss Li An, rather it was moving the conversation topic to the strongest in the Clan’s younger generation, Li Qing.
“He’s naturally at the first level of the Core Formation Stage. The reason Li Qing is the most formidable is because he cultivated the high grade Profound Rank martial skill, Strongman’s Finger, to the Mastery Stage. Combined with his Perfection Stage middle grade Profound Rank movement technique and defensive martial skill, he sweeps through all opposition! He is publically acknowledged as the disciple with the highest comprehension ability in the current younger generations of the Clan.”
Li Shi Shi’s eyes flashed with a trace of respect as she slowly said this.
High natural talent increases the speed at which one’s cultivation level progresses.
High comprehension ability increases the speed at which the martial skill cultivation progresses.
It has to be said that Li Qin was indeed a person with an extremely high natural talent and comprehension ability.
“Perfection Stage middle grade Profound Rank movement technique and defensive martial skill... Comparable to a Mastery Stage high grade Profound Rank movement technique and defense martial skill. In terms of movement technique and defense techniques, he slightly surpasses me! In terms of offensive martial skills, relying on Sword Drawing Arts, I’m not afraid of his Strongman’s Finger!” Duan Ling Tian lightly muttered to himself.
“But if I fully exert the strength of three ancient mammoths, even with my movement technique and defensive martial skills being lower than his by a stage, I will still be able to compete with him!”
Duan Ling Tian’s eyes shone brightly, slightly filled with anticipation.
This time, no matter what, the Clan Martial Meet’s champion prize would be his for sure.
Not for honor but only for the sake of the three-hundred -fifty-year-old Blood Lingzhi.
After just returning home and entering the courtyard.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A black and white bolt of lightning greeted them, respectively descending upon Duan Ling Tian and Ke Er’s wrists, coiling together.
The two little pythons nodded to them like normal humans.
“These two little things, I really do feel a little unwilling.”
Thinking about how he would have to send them home after the end of the Clan Martial Meet, Duan Ling Tian sighed.
“I’m not willing either...But if we don’t send them home, their father will surely be extremely sad.”
Ke Er couldn’t bear to part with them either.
Hiss hiss
The two little pythons seemed like they didn’t even notice their vexation, happily flicking out their tongues.