Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

Chapter 287: Chapter 165: Rewrite

The Grand Competition began!

After a few matches, it was Sun Tao’s turn. He was lucky, drawing an opponent who was also at the Gang Qi Minor Achievement stage.

However, everyone who dared to register was confident in their abilities. Sun Tao battled his opponent for a hundred exchanges, and the two were still evenly matched.

Thirty exchanges later, he finally secured a narrow victory to defeat his opponent and advance.

Zhang Yong had worse luck. He drew a senior disciple at the Gang Qi Great Success stage and was blasted off the platform within three exchanges. Fortunately, he defeated his opponent in the second round and advanced to the next match.

Xu Yang paid special attention to the members of the Ten Heroes List, such as Han Feng, Xiong Kun, and Xie Zhan.

He would be competing for the top three next year, and his opponents would likely be from the Ten Heroes List.

Li Chuyang, Jiang Fan, and Du Chuan had taken the top three spots this year, so they wouldn’t participate in the Grand Competition next year.

This was an unspoken agreement among the Outer Disciples: once you placed in the top three, you didn’t compete again and take up a spot.

Xu Yang scanned the crowd. None of them, not even Lu Ren or Su Zhe, had cultivated their Gang Qi to the Perfection stage.

However, with the exception of Lu Ren, the others now had the backing of major families from Cyan Yang City. By the time of next year’s Grand Competition, there would likely be more people breaking through to the Marrow Cleansing realm than this time.

Soon, it was the second day. The majority of contestants had been eliminated yesterday, leaving only disciples whose Cultivation had reached Gang Qi Great Success. The competition was finally getting intense.

"It’s Lu Ren’s turn!"

"Huh, his opponent is Su Zhe? Two of the Ten Heroes are clashing this early."

Xu Yang heard the gasps of surprise from the crowd and turned to look. On Platform Two, Lu Ren and Su Zhe were walking onto the stage at the same time.

Lu Ren was taken aback; he hadn’t expected his opponent to be Su Zhe. ’This is some truly bad luck.’

’Fighting one of the Ten Heroes this early could easily turn into a vicious brawl where we both end up injured. I was hoping to face them later, when fighting for a spot in the top twenty.’

Su Zhe was brimming with fighting spirit. "Make your move. Today, I will rewrite the Ten Heroes List."

’In this Grand Competition, my goal is to defeat everyone aside from the top three. I have to stabilize the Su Family’s position.’

’For me, facing Lu Ren now is even better. First, I’ll defeat Lu Ren, then Xie Zhan and Chen Yu. I’ll take down everyone ranked above me, one by one.’

"Such ambition from Su Zhe!"

"What boldness! To challenge the authority of the Ten Heroes List."

"So he never accepted his ranking on the list."

"It’s not just Su Zhe. I bet the other Ten Heroes don’t accept their rankings either."

"Looks like we’re in for a good show at this year’s Outer Disciple Grand Competition."

...

Su Zhe’s words immediately sparked a heated discussion. Many people turned their attention away from the other platforms, eager to watch the duel between number eight and number nine of the Ten Heroes.

Lu Ren’s own fighting spirit surged. "I feel the same way!"

’I, too, refuse to accept my ranking. I also plan to rewrite the Ten Heroes List during this Grand Competition and show the world that my true talent is far beyond my rank as number eight of the Ten Heroes.’

With a flare of Gang Qi, Lu Ren strode forward, making the platform tremble. He thrust out a palm, wrapped in immense Force.

"A fine attack!"

Su Zhe let out a long cry. Without dodging or evading, he unleashed a torrent of crimson Gang Qi and blasted out a palm of his own, intending to meet Lu Ren’s attack head-on.

BAM!

As their palms collided, Gang Qi spilled outwards in visible ripples. The sound was deafening.

Lu Ren merely shuddered, not moving an inch, but Su Zhe’s face flushed, his expression pained, and he couldn’t stop himself from stumbling back three steps.

In a direct confrontation, he was no match for Lu Ren.

"Su Zhe was overpowered."

"The authority of the Ten Heroes List isn’t so easily challenged."

"Su Zhe’s foundation is clearly much weaker."

...

A commotion broke out among the Outer Disciples. Despite his status as Young Master Su, Su Zhe was still no match for Lu Ren.

"He was so arrogant with Xu Yang earlier, I thought he actually had some skill. Turns out he’s all talk; the moment he fights someone ranked higher, his true colors are exposed."

"The Young Master Marquis was right. He just bullies the weak and fears the strong."

Someone brought up Su Zhe’s challenge to Xu Yang. Overhearing this from the platform, Su Zhe’s expression turned incredibly foul, especially since he was now hearing the same words he had once thrown at Xu Yang.

’I have to restore the Su Family’s prestige. If I can’t even beat Lu Ren, who’s ranked eighth, how can I possibly face those ranked even higher?’

"Your body conditioning is somewhat lacking. You’ve probably taken too many Elixirs, which has left your foundation unstable," Lu Ren said with a smile.

Lu Ren’s intention was to offer a friendly reminder to the young master, but to Su Zhe’s ears, the words sounded like the gloating of a victor, condescendingly critiquing him.

Adding to the mockery from the crowd below, Su Zhe roared in anger, "Who the hell do you think you are, lecturing me?"

Lu Ren’s smile froze on his face. "Ungrateful," he snorted.

The next moment, his body blurred as he shot from his spot, sweeping toward Su Zhe like a gale-force wind.

His friendly overture had been met with a cold shoulder, and he was starting to lose face. Disregarding Su Zhe’s status, he unleashed a flurry of vicious attacks.

Su Zhe retreated, drawing his Treasure Sword in a fluid motion to counterattack.

But after holding on for fifty exchanges, he and his sword were blasted off the platform by Lu Ren.

’I lost... I can’t even beat Lu Ren?’

Su Zhe stood dazedly below the platform, sword in hand, utterly crestfallen.

’I carry the hopes of the Su Family. I was supposed to raise my rank on the Ten Heroes List in this Grand Competition, to stabilize our family’s position... but I couldn’t even defeat Lu Ren, who’s ranked eighth.’

’Even with a Weapon, I was blasted off the platform in less than fifty exchanges.’

’If I can’t even beat number eight, what hope do I have against number seven, Chen Yu, or number six, Xie Zhan?’

"Su Zhe lost. It’s ridiculous. He got up there and kept talking about rewriting the Ten Heroes List. I really thought he had some ace up his sleeve."

"After all that bullshitting, this is all he’s got?"

"No wonder that out of everyone on the Ten Heroes List, he only ever bothered Xu Yang. Turns out Xu Yang is the only one he *can* bully."