Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Battle for the Champion_1
Meanwhile, Qian Wenhong finally hurried over with his grandchildren.
He had come for the sole purpose of meeting Ye Fei.
Upon inquiring, Qian Wenhong had just found out that the final round of the Qianyuan Grand Competition was to be held directly.
And it was tonight.
"The opponent is Master Wang?"
Qian Mingjie hastened to confirm.
The man gave him an odd look and nodded his head.
Excellent!
A flash of satisfaction crossed Qian Mingjie’s eyes.
If that’s the case...
Qian Mingjie sneered inwardly, already picturing the scene of Ye Fei dying in the ring.
"Let’s go, let’s enter,"
said Qian Wenhong, sweeping his hand grandly as he led the two into the venue.
Sitting in the area reserved for members of the Ancient Martial Arts Association, Qian Wenhong looked around, searching for Ye Fei’s figure.
"Grandpa, what are you looking for?"
Qian Miaoyu noticed something was off and asked softly.
Waving his hand, Qian Wenhong sighed and said, "It’s nothing now."
"Watch tonight’s final closely and learn well. Grasping even a little will benefit you for a lifetime, understand?"
"Understood," said one.
"Understood," said the other.
Both replied in unison, with Qian Mingjie snickering to himself.
Of course, he would watch tonight’s match closely and even applaud with relish!
"Ye Fei, you dared to provoke me, caused me to lose face, and even dared to take away my Qiuyu. Since you’re looking for death, you can’t blame me!"
"Master Wang has accepted my gift; he will surely kill you on the spot. If you blame anyone, blame your bad luck for running into me!"
Qian Mingjie thought darkly to himself, glancing over at the preparation area.
He saw Wang Yifeng sitting cross-legged in a chair, regulating his breath.
Excellent, it seems there really will be a great show tonight!
...
Soon, the time for the final arrived.
The referee stood on the stage and began to read from the prepared script to the audience.
"After half a month, the Qianyuan Grand Competition has whittled down from 1028 competitors to the final two."
"Wrestlers from 32 provinces have gathered, and tonight, the battle for the title will commence. Let’s welcome tonight’s contestants, Ye Fei and Wang Yifeng!"
As his words ended, sudden applause erupted from below the stage.
With all eyes upon him, Wang Yifeng was the first to stand up, ascending the platform one step at a time.
He flicked his sleeves and surveyed the surroundings with a detached gaze before finally settling on the preparation area.
Following his gaze, the crowd noticed the spot reserved for Ye Fei was empty.
"Where is Ye Fei? Why hasn’t he arrived?" someone curiously voiced out.
Scoffing, another person said, "Maybe he has run away. After all, he’s up against Master Wang!"
"It’s common to see last-minute dropouts in the Qianyuan Grand Competition. It’s a tactic for survival," added someone else.
"What do you mean? I’ve been sitting here all day, just to watch this match, and now you’re telling me someone forfeited? Didn’t I just waste my time and money?"
"Refund!"
The call for a refund started with just one voice, but the crowd quickly became turbulent.
The audience wasn’t made up of ordinary people; there were business magnates and high-ranking government officials.
Of course, most were ancient martial artists.
They were not to be trifled with, and a collective uproar could even shake the Ancient Martial Arts Association itself!
Qian Wenhong frowned at the noisy crowd, then suddenly stood up and bellowed:
"Silence, all of you!"
His voice was deep and resonant, like a bell, instantly silencing everyone.
Qian Wenhong looked sternly at the crowd, saying:
"In my opinion, contestant Ye Fei would never forfeit. There must be some reason for his delay."
"If anyone causes trouble in my Ancient Martial Arts Association’s venue again, you can’t blame me for being impolite!"
Subdued by Qian Wenhong’s shout, the people fell quiet.
However, Qian Wenhong’s action was only a temporary solution, fueling the anger in the crowd, which burned even hotter.
With gritted teeth, they remained silent but cursed both Ye Fei and the Ancient Martial Arts Association in their hearts!
Especially since Qian Wenhong had previously protected Ye Fei, people began to suspect some unsavory collusion between the two.
They waited for a long time but still saw no sign of Ye Fei.
Even Wang Yifeng was getting impatient.
"Is this the person your Ancient Martial Arts Association has vouched for? It seems he might be too faint-hearted," Wang Yifeng remarked, his words carrying clearly throughout the audience, though he spoke casually.
That comment was like lighting a fuse, rekindling the already dissatisfied crowd into a restless murmur, a mess of whispers that was annoying to hear.
"They say all the contestants withdrew because of Master Wang’s arrival."
"More than that, it’s rumored that Master Wang came specifically for Ye Fei!"
"No wonder. Who is Master Wang? He can probably defeat that boy in one move."
"And not just any move. Haven’t you heard of Master Wang’s record? Against opponents much older than himself, ten battles, ten victories—each defeating them within three moves, leaving them utterly convinced."
"With his exceptional talent, Master Wang is bound to stand at the pinnacle of the ancient martial arts world. Ye Fei must have done something terribly wrong for Master Wang to make a special trip."
"Considering his previous matches, it’s not impossible."
"He’s exceedingly brutal, each strike deadly. Who knows whether those he faced had wronged him somehow, but those who commit murder must be eliminated!"
"Master Wang, vanquish the evil!"
"Master Wang! Master Wang! Master Wang!"
No one knew who started it, but now the entire spectator stand was chanting Wang Yifeng’s name.
Just as the referee was about to give up and declare the result, a tremendously domineering aura came from outside the venue, leaving everyone ashen-faced with its intensity.
"A mere Ninth-stage Postnatal, and you dare call yourself a master?"
"Has the title of ’master’ become so cheap these days?"
