Watching the two figures constantly moving on the arena stage—Lin Yun endlessly dodging while Lu Tao attacked frantically—the crowd began to lose interest in the match. It was simple. In their eyes, the outcome was already decided.
Lin Yun, who was only in the Body Refining Realm, had no chance of holding out against Lu Tao's Wolf Spirit Claw.
"Lin Yun, is dodging all you know how to do?" Lu Tao taunted, unable to land a hit for some time. He had no choice. Even though Lin Yun was only in the Body Refining Realm, his speed was incredible within the small confines of the arena.
Hearing Lu Tao's taunt, Lin Yun stopped in his tracks. His eyes were impassive as he looked at his opponent. "You want to settle this?"
At his words, Lu Tao burst out laughing. "Settle this? Lin Yun, don't you think the winner was decided long ago?"
Lu Tao was extremely arrogant, believing he had Lin Yun cornered. Once a Martial Skill was used, anyone below the Opening Realm was certain to be defeated. This was common knowledge among all Martial Artists, so it was no wonder Lu Tao was so fearless.
But did common sense apply to Lin Yun? The next second, Lin Yun gave his answer. The previously evasive Lin Yun fiercely pushed off his feet, his entire body shooting toward Lu Tao like an arrow.
"Is he crazy? He's actually trying to face Lu Tao head-on?"
"Looks to me like the kid has lost all hope and is just giving up."
Seeing Lin Yun's action, the crowd all thought he had gone mad. But as Lin Yun flew through the air, he suddenly threw a punch, and the ethereal sound of a tiger's roar emanated from his right fist.
"Th-that... I just heard a tiger roar."
"I heard it too! It wasn't my imagination, was it? I feel like it came from Lin Yun's fist."
The youths were all in disbelief. In the stands, Lin Xiaotian and the others frowned slightly. With their superior strength, they could naturally see more clearly than anyone else that the tiger's roar had indeed come from Lin Yun's fist.
"Tiger Roar Fist. To think someone in the Body Refining Realm could actually execute the Tiger Roar Fist," a Vice General said, his face filled with astonishment.
"Hmph, it's nothing but a hollow imitation. How could someone without even a trace of Elemental Power possibly use the Tiger Roar Fist?" Lu Xiong said coldly.
Lin Xiaotian sat in his seat without a word, but his inner shock was no less than anyone else's. Lin Yun had just used the Tiger Roar Fist, and Lin Xiaotian knew for a fact that he had never taught it to him.
'Could Yun'Er have learned it in secret? To be able to use the Tiger Roar Fist in the Body Refining Realm, and even produce the roar... this...' In his heart, Lin Xiaotian realized that he had never truly paid attention to Lin Yun. He didn't even know his son had mastered the Tiger Roar Fist.
"Haha, Tiger Roar Fist? You think putting on a show and pretending to use the Tiger Roar Fist is enough to fight me?" Facing Lin Yun directly, Lu Tao hadn't even heard the tiger's roar. He was laughing heartily as he spoke.
"Wolf Spirit Claw!" Using the Wolf Spirit Claw once more, Lu Tao didn't dodge or evade, meeting Lin Yun's fist head-on.
A fist and a claw collided violently in mid-air. With a muffled BANG, a powerful current of air radiated outward from the two of them, knocking some of the surrounding commoners who had no cultivation off their feet.
"How is that possible?" Lu Tao exclaimed in astonishment. He couldn't believe that Lin Yun had actually blocked his Wolf Spirit Claw.
It wasn't just Lu Tao; everyone present found it unbelievable. Faced with an Opening Realm Martial Artist using a Martial Skill, Lin Yun was able to withstand a direct clash without being at a disadvantage.
"Are you surprised?" Lin Yun said with a slight smile, the corners of his mouth tilting up.
Before Lu Tao could reply, another tiger's roar burst from Lin Yun's fist. Along with the roar, Lin Yun's fist jolted, directly knocking Lu Tao back several steps.
"Lu Tao retreated? Heavens, am I seeing things? Lu Tao was actually forced back?"
"The Tiger Roar Fist! There was another roar just now. It's definitely the Tiger Roar Fist! But he's merely in the Body Refining Realm, how could he possibly have learned it?"
The crowd chattered amongst themselves. Using a Martial Skill while still in the Body Refining Realm was something they had never heard of; it completely defied their understanding.
However, they didn't know that the only reason Lin Yun could do this was because he had been Tempering his Body with Elemental Power. Although he hadn't reached the Opening Realm, because he used Elemental Power for Body Tempering every night, a small amount of it was already present in his meridians and bones.
This Elemental Power was scarce, but it was bone-deep. This was precisely why Lin Yun was able to use a Martial Skill while in the Body Refining Realm.
"Impossible... how could you possibly use a Martial Skill? Aaargh! Lin Yun, I, Lu Tao, am going to cripple you!" Mumbling to himself, Lu Tao felt he had been utterly humiliated today. He then charged at Lin Yun like a madman.
"Lin Yun, I'll make you understand that trash is trash! You'll never reach my level!" Lu Tao unleashed his Wolf Spirit Claw, having completely descended into a frenzy.
Facing the utterly crazed Lu Tao, Lin Yun's expression remained as calm as an ancient well. It was as if Lu Tao were nothing but a buffoon, and no matter what he did, he wouldn't even register in Lin Yun's eyes.
"Since you can't see the truth, I'll just have to beat you until you do." With that, Lin Yun once again used the Tiger Roar Fist. The sound of a tiger's roar echoed as he attacked Lu Tao's Wolf Spirit Claw.
This time, Lu Tao held nothing back. Faint Elemental Power surfaced on his right hand, already taking the faint shape of a wolf's claw.
In contrast, Lin Yun still relied on his physical strength alone. Although the crowd didn't know why Lin Yun could use a Martial Skill in the Body Refining Realm, they still believed his chances of winning against an all-out Lu Tao were slim.
"Lin Yun, the power of the Opening Realm isn't something trash like you can comprehend! Break for me!" Lu Tao roared maniacally as their fist and claw collided once more.
After the direct clash, neither of them pulled back. Instead, they engaged in close-quarters combat. Fists, feet, elbows, and knees collided in a frenzy. And Lin Yun, with his Body Refining Realm cultivation, actually traded dozens of blows with Lu Tao without being defeated.
"This guy... he wasn't this strong last year, was he?"
"His physical body is strong, but it's useless to keep fighting. Without Elemental Power, he's still just a mortal." While the crowd was murmuring, the young woman who had previously called Lin Yun trash spoke up coolly.
Hearing the young woman's words, the crowd nodded subconsciously. She was none other than Lu Tao's sister, Lu Bingning.
Speaking of Lu Bingning, she was very famous in Iron Gate Pass and the dream girl of many in the younger generation. However, Lu Bingning was very haughty, and her talent was absurdly high. At the same age as Lin Yun, she had already reached the Peak of the Fourth Layer of the Opening Realm, just one step away from reaching the Fifth Layer and entering the Academy.
At this moment, watching Lin Yun locked in combat with Lu Tao on the stage, a faint chill appeared on Lu Bingning's face. In her heart, Lin Yun was trash, and trash should know its place.
Lu Bingning was very displeased that a piece of trash could actually push her younger brother to such a state.