Martial Immortality: Starting with the Spirit Beast Scroll

Chapter 206: Chapter 196: The Four Great Disciples

"Senior Brother Zhao, you and I have been at the Wuxiang Institute for a year, but we’ve never had the chance to spar. How about we exchange a few pointers today?"

Zhong Yewu looked slightly apologetic. "If you’re low on stamina, I can challenge someone else. We can have our match another day."

Zhao Lin walked back into the center of the arena and said casually, "It’s fine. I’m not tired."

Zhong Yewu said, "Good," and looked toward Liu Shengnian.

Seeing the two were ready, Liu Shengnian called out the count: "One, two, three!"

The moment his voice fell, Zhong Yewu took a step, sunk his shoulder, and threw a punch—all in one smooth motion, attacking Zhao Lin directly.

Zhao Lin raised an eyebrow. He knew Zhong Yewu wanted to test his strength, so he stood his ground and met the attack with a punch of his own.

In martial arts, cultivation realms are distinct, but Innate constitution is also crucial.

It’s possible for two martial artists of the same cultivation level to have a strength difference of more than double.

Zhong Yewu was powerfully built and naturally strong. Furthermore, his Golden Bell Force was a Cultivation Technique that increased physical power. Ever since he began his training, no one in his age group had been able to overpower him. He had long wanted to test his strength against Zhao Lin.

As the two fists collided, Zhao Lin’s body shuddered. He felt his opponent’s fist was hard and heavy, like striking a piece of pig iron.

Zhong Yewu’s reaction was even greater. His upper body swayed twice, and his feet slid slightly.

But he had a tenacious personality and refused to cede the initiative. He lifted his left foot and threw a sweeping whip kick.

Zhao Lin brought his right forearm in to guard his side while simultaneously stepping forward, extending his arm like an ape to grab for his opponent’s throat.

Zhong Yewu’s strength was on par with Xiang Bao’s. A year ago, Zhao Lin would have had a tough time dealing with him. But now, though their realms were the same, their actual combat abilities were on completely different levels.

In less than ten moves, Zhao Lin unbalanced Zhong Yewu and slapped a palm on his shoulder.

"Thank you for going easy on me."

Zhong Yewu glanced at the hourglass. Half the sand remained. He said earnestly, "I am convinced."

"Zhao Lin is victorious," Liu Shengnian announced.

Off to the side, Fei Bin let out a soft sigh and remarked, "Incredible. I’m afraid that in less than three years, this kid will break into the top ten and threaten our positions."

Xiang Shaofeng was silent for a moment. "Three years... Let’s hope so."

The next person to take the stage was Xiang Bao, who challenged the disciple ranked thirty-sixth. Zhao Lin could finally step down to rest and watch the matches from the sidelines.

With the first three matches setting an example, the disciples who followed all fought without reservation, attacking with their full strength to secure a victory within the time limit.

After all, they were young men in their twenties, hot-blooded and full of drive. They couldn’t bring themselves to be passive and defensive just to run out the clock.

Yang Lin watched and nodded slightly, a smile appearing on his face.

The disciples took their turns on stage, but even up to the disciple ranked thirty-fourth, no one challenged Zhao Lin again.

The disciples weren’t blind. Having seen Zhao Lin’s skills, they felt his rank of thirty-third was too low. They figured their odds of winning were better if they challenged someone ranked even higher than him.

Each match was limited to seven breaths, making the pace incredibly fast. One fighter would leave the stage only for another to take their place, and the strength of the disciples grew progressively stronger.

In less than half an hour, the ranks of the disciples taking the stage had entered the top twenty.

"I challenge Chen Hao."

The disciple now on stage was named Liang Kun, ranked seventeenth in the inner court, with a cultivation at the Second Layer of the Blood Realm.

His opponent, Chen Hao, was ranked fifteenth, with a cultivation at the First Layer of the Blood Realm.

This situation was common in the Blood Realm. No matter how talented a person was, even if they had advanced rapidly through the Power Realm and Qi Realm, their progress would inevitably slow once they reached the Blood Realm. They could be stuck for ten or twenty years, or even a lifetime.

Moreover, Cultivation Techniques in the Blood Realm didn’t entirely depend on the abundance of one’s Qi and Blood.

Some martial artists at the First Layer of the Blood Realm could cultivate a certain technique to its absolute peak, refining their Qi Strength to an incredible purity. They could still defeat opponents at the Third Layer of the Blood Realm, jumping levels.

Therefore, for a Blood Realm martial artist, cultivation level and actual strength were not always equivalent; there was an overlap.

This could be seen from the two fighters on the stage. Although Liang Kun, at the Second Layer of the Blood Realm, had more abundant Qi and Blood, Chen Hao’s mastery of the Overlapping Waves Palm was profound. As he moved, the faint sound of surging tides could be heard, and his presence was astonishing.

In the end, it was Chen Hao, at the First Layer of the Blood Realm, who won with ease.

Zhao Lin watched and analyzed intently. When the disciples ranked tenth and ninth began their match, his expression gradually turned serious.

’Before entering the inner court, I fought two Blood Realm martial artists. Although I was lucky enough to gain the upper hand, I never defeated either of them in a direct confrontation.’

’Back then, Xiang Shaofeng was worried about injuring me and only used twenty or thirty percent of his strength. He was knocked unconscious by my full-power Ice Fist.’

’And that masked man I encountered during the mountain sweep didn’t take me seriously at all. A moment of carelessness on his part led to his brutal death.’

Zhao Lin mused silently. If he were to fight the tenth-ranked disciple without using his Cold Ice True Qi, the outcome would be uncertain.

’I’ve heard the top four are a cut above the rest. I suspect that even if I used all my trump cards, I wouldn’t be a match for them.’

Just as he expected, when the fourth-ranked Yao Chong took the stage, the level of power abruptly jumped to another level.

Yao Chong cultivated the Earth Attribute Mountain Shattering Fist. His projected Qi Strength extended a full palm’s length from his hands. An earthen-gray power enveloped his fists, dense and solid. From a distance, it looked as if he were wielding two heavy hammers.

Yao Chong’s opponent was Xiang Shaofeng.

Xiang Shaofeng’s Red Flame Force was as intense as fire, with waves of heat rolling off his palms, but he couldn’t budge Yao Chong at all. Instead, on the fourth breath, he was knocked out of the circle with a single punch.

Zhao Lin was secretly astounded. He had personally experienced Xiang Shaofeng’s Red Flame Force and knew how formidable it was. He never expected him to be defeated so quickly.

Yao Chong was this strong, yet he was only ranked fourth. One could only imagine the strength of the top three.

From the discussions of the disciples around him, he learned that each of the top four had a signature ultimate Cultivation Technique.

Besides Yao Chong’s Mountain Shattering Fist, Lv Zhenglong and Miao Tianfeng both hailed from the Wuxiang Institute’s Cyan Wood department. One cultivated the "Flying Leaf Hand," and the other practiced the Shaking Shadow Palm.

The chief disciple, Xiao Jin, cultivated a metal-attribute Cultivation Technique called "Gold-Slicing Slash."

After his victory, Yao Chong challenged the third-ranked Lv Zhenglong.

The name of Lv Zhenglong’s "Flying Leaf Hand" was elegant, but in reality, the technique was incredibly swift, and his finger strength was domineering.

When his fingertips tapped against Yao Chong’s Mountain Shattering Fist, his power was actually able to break through the barrier and penetrate within.

After seven breaths passed, although Yao Chong had not been defeated, it was clear from his expression that he had suffered a hidden loss.

Yao Chong stepped down, and Miao Tianfeng took his place. The two famous geniuses of the inner court began to fight.

Miao Tianfeng’s Shadow Shaking Fist appeared ordinary, but it was resilient within its softness, its true power deeply hidden. With a single punch, he could conjure dozens of phantom fists.

The two were close in strength and evenly matched. Even when the hourglass ran out, no winner had been decided.

However, neither showed any intention of stopping and continued to fight fiercely.

The disciples seemed unsurprised, their expressions calm. Even Yang Lin let them continue fighting. Only after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed did he shout, "Alright, you two can have your rematch next time."

Lv Zhenglong and Miao Tianfeng stopped simultaneously. The former returned to the ranks of disciples, leaving Miao Tianfeng on the stage.

Finally, Xiao Jin walked into the center of the arena.

The two opponents didn’t exchange words. After clasping their fists in a salute, they began to fight.