"No..." Wang Xihai gently pushed Wang Junyao's hand away, his expression serious. To be honest, ever since he'd learned Chen Qing had reached the Peak of the Ninth-Ring Martial Disciple, Wang Xihai knew he didn't stand a chance. He himself was only a Ninth-Ring Martial Disciple. While the Ninth Ring and the Peak of Nine Rings seemed to be on the same level, the gap between them was enormous.
But Wang Junyao completely ignored him. She took a step forward and leaped out of the rest area. Her nimble body traced a beautiful arc through the air before she landed lightly on the tournament stage.
"Wang Family, Junnyao." The young woman's voice was as gentle as water, a soft and pleasant murmur. Yet her fiery red dress and matching long, red hair gave her a passionate, untamed air. For two such opposing qualities to coexist in one person was an incredibly arresting sight.
Soon, every eye in the entire plaza was fixed on Wang Junyao. Mu Chen, of course, was one of them. It was then that he finally got a clear look at her face. She wasn't a world-toppling beauty, but she had a delicate, snow-white oval face. Her crimson pupils radiated not fiery passion, but a water-like tenderness that could make a person fall for her with a single glance. Her small, pink lips were lightly pressed together, her expression showing neither joy nor sorrow, neither servile nor overbearing.
He didn't know what others thought, but Mu Chen certainly admired this young woman. 'Of course, it's only admiration,' he thought. 'My heart is already filled by someone else.'
"Hm? This little girl isn't bad either. To think she possesses Cold Flame." Just then, the Profound Old Ghost, who had been watching from the side, let out a cry of surprise.
Mu Chen froze for a second, then turned to the Profound Old Ghost. "Cold Flame? What's that?"
"Oh, it's a very special Fire Attribute constitution. You can call it a Cold Flame Body. People with this constitution will find their Cultivation speed becomes incredibly fast once they advance to the Martial Artist realm."
Seeing that Mu Chen didn't ask any more questions, the Profound Old Ghost didn't mind and continued speaking as if to himself, "It's because when they cultivate, they don't need to expel the Water Attribute Primordial Qi that conflicts with the Fire Attribute Primordial Qi. Not only that, but if they absorb it properly, the Water Primordial Qi will actually assist in absorbing the Fire Primordial Qi. It removes the violent elements from the Fire Primordial Qi, allowing for faster absorption and a more refined Primordial Power—a perfect state of Cultivation. In a sense, this constitution can already be considered a Dual Attribute constitution."
"That's possible?" Mu Chen exclaimed in amazement.
The Profound Old Ghost replied, "Of course. You've just been cooped up in this small town for too long. Once these next two days are over and you venture out, your horizons will naturally broaden. You'll discover that all sorts of wonders exist on the continent."
For some reason, the Profound Old Ghost's words sent ripples through Mu Chen's calm heart. At that moment, he suddenly found himself looking forward to the world outside.
"Master, who do you think will win between Wang Junyao and Chen Qing?" Mu Chen asked, trying to make conversation.
The Profound Old Ghost answered without a moment's hesitation. "That kid Chen Qing, of course. The little girl is only an Eighth-Ring Martial Disciple. Before she reaches the Martial Artist realm, her Ice Flame Body offers no advantage whatsoever."
Hearing this, Mu Chen fell silent. If the Profound Old Ghost said so, then the outcome was all but decided.
"Miss Jun Yao, I never cross hands with women. But since we've met on this stage, I won't bully you. You can either forfeit now, or I will give you a one-arm handicap." Chen Qing had been momentarily dazed when he saw Wang Junyao, but he quickly recovered his composure and spoke coolly.
Wang Junyao's brow furrowed. "Thank you for your kind offer, Young Master Chen, but I must decline. Please, use your full strength."
Chen Qing thought for a moment. This was a family competition, after all. He smiled. "As you wish."
"The match begins!" After hearing their exchange, Elder Yan gave a low shout and retreated from the stage.
"HAH!"
Chen Qing roared, his feet shifted, and he unleashed his fluid Body Technique. His body shot toward Wang Junyao like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, his momentum making him seem like a mortal enemy.
Wang Junyao was startled. She hadn't expected his demeanor to change in the blink of an eye. Faced with this sudden shift, she froze for an instant.
She saw Chen Qing swing his fist in a wide arc behind him as he charged. After gathering power for a moment, he thrust his fist forward, sending a gust of wind blasting toward Wang Junyao. He showed absolutely no intention of going easy on her.
At that moment, almost everyone closed their eyes. If a blow that heavy landed, the slender young woman would surely be killed.
However, after waiting for a moment, many people heard nothing. When they opened their eyes, they saw that Wang Junyao, who had been standing her ground, had dodged Chen Qing's fierce attack and slipped to the side. "What was that just now?" Mu Chen's mouth fell open. He had only seen a flash of red, and then Chen Qing's attack had hit empty air.
The Profound Old Ghost nodded and explained, "I don't know what that was exactly, but one thing is for sure: this little girl's Body Technique is outstanding. Keep watching. It's only the beginning, so we can't draw any conclusions yet."
On the stage, Chen Qing's expression grew serious after his first strike missed. His subsequent attacks became even more cunning. But every time he felt his fist was about to land, Wang Junyao would always cleverly dodge a step ahead of him.
With a sharp nod, Chen Qing let out another shout. His fists danced, leaving a series of afterimages as his speed increased.
At first, Wang Junyao could dodge with ease. But as Chen Qing's speed continued to increase, her evasions became extremely strenuous. In less than a minute, her stamina gave out. She could only retreat to one side, panting for breath.
Women naturally have less stamina than men, and Chen Qing's cultivation level was much higher than Wang Junyao's. It was inevitable that he would win in the end. What was unexpected, however, was that this seemingly weak young woman had managed to avoid being hit even once despite being at an absolute disadvantage.
"So that's how it is. Heh heh, this little girl is rather interesting. To think she focused entirely on training her speed and Body Technique during the Martial Disciple realm. No wonder that kid's attacks can't hit her. Her Body Technique is quite exceptional for anyone below the Martial Artist realm," the Profound Old Ghost chuckled slowly.
Mu Chen pouted and said grumpily, "Anyone could see that."
On the stage, Chen Qing was not even flushed or out of breath. He was gathering his power, preparing to attack again. To be honest, he had never encountered an opponent of the same rank with such an excellent Body Technique, and it was starting to excite him.
"I forfeit..." After catching her breath, Wang Junyao waved her hand. If the fight continued, she would definitely be hit.
As soon as those two words were spoken, not only did Chen Qing freeze, but the entire plaza fell silent. Wang Junyao, however, didn't seem to care. She casually walked off the stage under countless gazes and returned to the Wang Family's rest area. She stuck her tongue out playfully at Wang Xihai and said helplessly, "Brother, I did my best. He's really strong. I have a feeling he might be even a little stronger than you."
Wang Xihai lovingly patted his gentle sister's head and smiled. "It can't be helped. Even knowing I'll lose, I still have to go up. Otherwise, people will look down on me. A man can lose, but he cannot retreat without a fight."
Mu Chen heard every single word. His body trembled as he murmured, "'A man can lose... but he cannot retreat without a fight.'"
"Bullshit. Utterly childish." Just as Mu Chen was repeating the phrase to himself, the Profound Old Ghost at his side sneered.
Mu Chen once again turned a questioning gaze on his so-called master. The Profound Old Ghost snorted. "Those words are only fit for hothouse flowers. In the Outer Realm, the most important thing is never dignity or face—it's your life. Only if you're alive do you have the right to dignity. Only if you're alive do you have the right to face. Only by living do you have any hope of being the one left standing in the end. 'Can lose?' There's no such concept as 'losing' in the Outer Realm. There is only life and death. If you lose, you lose everything. Reality is a cruel thing."
Hearing this, Mu Chen was stunned. He had been moved by Wang Xihai's words, but now, a single sentence from the Profound Old Ghost had shaken him to the core. 'He's right. This is just a tournament; the worst that could happen is a serious injury. But would it be this safe in the world outside? The answer is no. The Extreme Martial Continent is vast, and countless people die every day. A single careless mistake, and the next one to die could be me.'
"Hmph. It's all just children playing house. There's nothing worth watching in this competition. In terms of talent, these little kids are passable, but in terms of skill... heh heh, they're nothing but hothouse flowers after all. I'm going to take a nap!" The Profound Old Ghost shook his head and, in the next instant, vanished without a trace.
Mu Chen shook his head helplessly. He found it increasingly difficult to see through his master. Not only was he mysterious, but his experience was astonishingly vast. He saw Wang Xihai step onto the stage, and everyone else's eyes went wide. This battle could be considered a clash between two of Luofeng City's greatest geniuses. Of course, they didn't know about the existence of the Mu Family's Mu Rongxuan, who, three years ago, had been unable to even practice Body Forging.
"Wang Xihai, heh heh, I've been waiting for you for a long time." Seeing the refined young man walk onto the stage, Chen Qing finally brought his hands from behind his back, his face alight with excitement.
But Wang Xihai, standing opposite him, simply gave a bitter smile. "Enough talk. Let's begin."
Chen Qing nodded. Seeing that both were ready, Elder Yan called "Begin!" and retreated.
The moment the word was spoken, Wang Xihai, having learned from the previous match, attacked before Chen Qing could. Chen Qing's strategy was simple: charge forward with an explosive burst of speed from the start to overwhelm his opponent with momentum, then follow up with a relentless barrage of fierce attacks. It didn't take long; under the dual psychological and physical pressure, his opponents were unable to display their full strength.
"Fierce Tiger Strike!"
Wang Xihai shouted, forming his hands into claws. He twisted his body, putting the power of his stance and waist into a swift swipe of his arms, clawing for Chen Qing's face. Seeing Wang Xihai launch a fast attack and use a Fist Technique right from the start, Chen Qing wasn't alarmed at all. Instead, a look of excitement crossed his face, and he laughed. "Now this is more fun."
As he spoke, Chen Qing formed his right hand into a palm and slapped Wang Xihai's wrist, neutralizing the attack. His other hand shot out at a cunning angle, aiming for the soft spot under Wang Xihai's arm. Wang Xihai's expression changed. He spun around quickly to dodge the blow, then used the momentum of his turn to unleash a Whip Kick, lashing out horizontally.
The spin had added power to the Whip Kick. When it connected with Chen Qing's body, even though he had already raised his defense, the force of the kick still sent him sliding back two steps.
The crowd murmured their approval. A corner of Chen Qing's mouth quirked up. "Not bad. But it's still a long way off."