Chapter 125: I Really Didn't Want to Show Off
Chu Qiguang's fist rapidly enlarged in Huang Weiming's vision, and Huang Weiming had never felt so close to death before.
Just as he became convinced his life was about to end, Chu Qiguang's fist stopped barely an inch from his face. A massive wave of relief washed over him, followed immediately by an intense sense of lingering fear.
Thankfully, Chu Qiguang had managed to suppress his irrational aggression at the very last second and barely pulled back his punch in time.
I can't believe I'm fighting so valiantly even while dealing with my condition! I've almost moved myself to tears!
Huang Weiming was finally able to speak coherently, and he immediately yelled frantically, "I surrender! I surrender!"
Looking at the fear on his opponent's face, Chu Qiguang could feel his symptoms fading away, and his mental state improved once again. He could clearly sense that he had just moved a little closer to becoming a fifth-state Dao artist.
The medical staff quickly rushed onto the platform to carry Huang Weiming away, while the stunned examiners announced Chu Qiguang's victory.
On the raised stage, an awkward look appeared on Xue Chengdao's face as he said, "That was a very impressive display for someone who's only just reached the third state."
"He must've taken a large number of Qi Enhancement Pills to achieve this effect," Shang Ziyan remarked in an indifferent manner. "It seems like the Wu Clan holds him in very high regard."
In their eyes, the Wu Clan had to have provided Chu Qiguang with immense financial support for him to attain this level of strength so soon after reaching the third state.
A hint of displeasure flashed through Wu Liangxu's eyes. It wasn't because Huang Weiming had been defeated, but because he was worried that Chu Qiguang's dominant display would set a bad example and encourage everyone else to rely on pills.
With that in mind, his brows furrowed slightly as he said, "Pills are undeniably effective, but even when consumed in moderation, pill poison will still gradually build up in the body over time. That'll undoubtedly hinder one's future cultivation. On top of that, by taking a shortcut through pill consumption, one misses out on the mental fortification that comes from making progress through hard work, and that will only hinder their progress further down the line. I fear that by securing victory through these means, Chu Qiguang will be setting a bad example for everyone else."
Wu Liangxu was a firm believer in hard work, and he had always opposed excessive pill consumption.
Shang Ziyan didn't have much of an opinion on the matter, but he was eager to please Wu Liangxu, so he immediately chimed in. "The strength that Chu Qiguang gained through pills is not truly his own, so he's unable to control it properly. That's why he couldn't restrain himself and went completely overboard against Huang Weiming. I don't think he has what it takes to claim a spot in the top fifteen, so he won't be able to secure the wusheng title. In that case, we won't have to worry about anyone else following his bad example."
"Please make sure to nip this in the bud," Wu Liangxu cautioned. "Don't let our young talents be led astray."
"I'll write up a public announcement criticizing Chu Qiguang's actions," Shang Ziyan promised with a nod.
Right at this moment, one of the scribes reported, "Jiang Longyu is about to fight."
The three examiners immediately turned their attention to Jiang Longyu's platform.
***
Meanwhile, Qiao Zhi looked pleasantly surprised on the rooftop.
"That's it! He should've been doing this all along!"
In the restaurant, Hao Xiangtong heaved a long sigh of relief, then exclaimed, "Since when did Chu Qiguang get so strong? Has he been spending all his money on pills? Surely he has a decent chance of securing the wusheng title now, right?"
She received no response from Hao Yongtai, so she turned to him with a puzzled expression and asked, "What's wrong?"
"N... Nothing," Hao Yongtai replied distractedly.
Shoot! I can't believe he actually won! That's so much money down the drain! It's fine. He only reached the third state a month ago, so even if he's taken a bunch of pills, he's still severely lacking in experience. There's no way he'll keep winning. I can still make money if I keep betting against him. I feel a little scummy for doing this... It's alright, I'll give him a share of my winnings afterward. That way, at least he won't have lost in vain.
Before he could dwell on his thoughts any longer, his attention was abruptly drawn elsewhere.
"Look! Jiang Longyu is about to fight!"
"Woah, he knocked his opponent off the platform with a single kick! That looks like the Ghost Feet of the Seven Kill Faction!"
"I didn't know the Ghost Feet could be used with such explosive force and variation!"
Hao Yongtai analyzed Jiang Longyu's kick over and over in his mind, and he knew that he wouldn't have fared any better than Jiang Longyu's opponent.
I'd say there are no more than three people from this batch of examinees that can evade that kick.
Everyone was thoroughly impressed with Jiang Longyu. After all, compared with Chu Qiguang's display of raw power and brute strength, Jiang Longyu had put on a much more masterful display of technique and control.
The three examiners on the raised stage were all nodding in approval, clearly impressed by Jiang Longyu's brilliant aptitude.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuebai watched with a grim expression, quietly pondering how he could evade that kick if Jiang Longyu were to use the same attack on him.
The battles were all decided relatively quickly, and after around fifteen minutes, it was once again Chu Qiguang's turn to take the stage. As soon as he stepped onto the platform, he immediately came under intense scrutiny from many of the spectators and examinees present.
My condition has only just flared up, so I should be safe for now. From now on, I have to keep a low profile. I'm here to pass the martial examination, not to make a bunch of enemies from the Vast Heavens Faction. Hopefully, my next opponent is at least going to be strong enough that I can pretend to struggle against them without raising suspicion.
With that in mind, he cast his gaze toward his opponent across the platform, and to his relief, he discovered that it was Tao Zhiyue.
Good. According to Qiao Zhi, he goes on to become a wujinshi, so I'm sure he can't be too bad. I'll pretend to struggle against him for a bit, then squeeze out a narrow victory.
Tao Zhiyue wore a lofty expression as he scoffed, "Chu Qiguang! You colluded with nefarious scoundrels to plot against innocent and upright..."
Chu Qiguang barely managed to suppress the urge to roll his eyes as Tao Zhiyue launched into a heated spiel. He knew that Tao Zhiyue, ever the opportunist, was using this as an opportunity to make a name for himself. Then, all of a sudden, that familiar sense of violent aggression rose in Chu Qiguang's chest once again.
Again?! How?! Could it be... Could it be because of the audience? Is my condition more likely to flaring up when so many people are watching me?
On the raised stage, Shang Ziyan was giving his assessment of Tao Zhiyue.
"Tao Zhiyue comes from the Tao Clan of Past Sun County, and he gained quite a bit of renown even as a child. Unfortunately, he failed the martial examination three years ago because he was overly ambitious, but over the past three years, he's built a very solid foundation, and he should be able to claim a spot in the top five..."
All of a sudden, Shang Ziyan's voice trailed off into silence, while looks of surprise appeared on the faces of Xue Chengdao and Wu Liangxu.
On the platform, Chu Qiguang was charging straight toward Tao Zhiyue like a moving mountain.
Tao Zhiyue let out a loud roar and threw seven consecutive punches into Chu Qiguang's body, but they were so ineffective that he may as well have been an ant trying to punch an elephant.
Chu Qiguang's physical constitution had been enhanced to an unimaginable degree thanks to the combination of the Heavenly Fiend Foundation Establishment Technique and the Sumeru King Scripture, and he was able to eat Tao Zhiyue's punches like they were light snacks. He reached out to grab Tao Zhiyue by the neck, then lifted him up into the air and hurled him off the platform.
Tao Zhiyue crashed to the ground and tumbled end over end for nearly twenty meters before finally coming to a stop. He sat on the ground in a daze, staring up at Chu Qiguang with a stunned expression.
"How is that possible?!" Shang Ziyan exclaimed, involuntarily rising to his feet in shock.
