Chapter 20

Seeing this scene, all the surrounding disciples were greatly shocked, unable to figure out what had happened for a moment. They thought Chen Hai was unwilling to admit defeat and had some mysterious technique to stabilize his body in mid-air, preventing him from falling off the platform.

Young Kongtong was also puzzled, hesitating for a moment before his thin body suddenly tensed like a wild beast, staring guardedly at Chen Hai.

Chen Hai had already cursed inwardly, cursing the eighteen generations of women in Chai Rong's family. He never expected that Chai Rong, the scoundrel, would not even let him fall directly off the platform to end the match!

Chen Hai wiggled his toes, knowing that Chai Rong must have tampered with something. He landed on the edge of the platform at the critical moment and did not fall directly off. Only someone who had cultivated to at least the late-stage Profound Realm could have intercepted his fall in the blink of an eye and forced him to stay on the platform.

Chen Hai felt a sharp pain in his chest, suspecting that broken ribs had pierced his internal organs, filling his mouth with blood, which overflowed from the corners of his mouth. The results of his months of hard cultivation were now evident. If an ordinary person's internal organs were pierced by broken ribs, they would either die immediately or be unable to stand on the platform. However, despite the intense pain in his chest and abdomen, he did not fall over.

"Chai Rong, if you dare to harm Junior Brother Yao's life, Uncle Chen will never forgive you!" Zhou Jingyuan, who saw the situation most clearly, knew that Chai Rong had tampered with the match, keeping Chen Hai on the edge of the platform.

Chai Rong, of course, did not expect his actions to go unnoticed by everyone, especially with Zhou Jun watching from a distance.

Chai Rong glared at Zhou Jingyuan, formed a hand seal, and gathered a ball of green light, which then transformed into a whirlwind, lifting him onto the platform. He stood between Chen Hai and Kongtong, temporarily interrupting their match. Staring at Chen Hai, who was almost unable to stand, he said contemptuously, "I thought you had some skills and dared to be so stubborn. Admit defeat quickly, don't stay here to embarrass yourself and waste everyone's time."

Chen Hai coughed up a mouthful of blood, knowing that Chai Rong's actions were not out of kindness but to avoid leaving any evidence. Otherwise, even if Zhou Jun and the Zhao Ruhui behind him did not challenge him, Chen Lie would never let him live.

It was true that Chai Rong had kept him on the platform, but he also gave him the chance to admit defeat and save his life. This way, no one could blame Chai Rong. However, was he willing to suffer another humiliation and admit defeat, leaving the platform?

The other surrounding disciples also understood. This was Chai Rong's way of suppressing Xinggongzi's spirit and humiliating him again.

Disciples from noble families often had conflicts, and they were not surprised by the scene before them. They all laughed, eager to see Chen Hai's downfall.

Zhou Jingyuan sighed inwardly. Although the current situation was very difficult for Chen Hai, Chai Rong was not arrogant enough to want to kill him. He took out a blood-nourishing pill, preparing to go up and help Chen Hai down to prevent his injuries from worsening.

Chen Hai took a deep breath, and the blood and qi in his chest flowed more smoothly. He leaned on his halberd, his back against a corner post of the platform, stood up straight, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stared fiercely at Chai Rong, saying, "Since Senior Brother Chai has kindly kept me on the platform, you should know that I will not easily admit defeat!"

When Chen Hai said this, there was a commotion in the crowd.

Many people were stunned, not knowing what to say. It was clear to everyone that Chen Hai's right chest was sunken, and if he were hit again by Kongtong, his life would be in danger.

The Qingyun inner armor Chen Hai wore could block the blade of the cold iron halberd, but it did not have the protective power of a spirit armor. The immense force of the Spirit-Killing Strike had already broken several of his ribs. Such severe injuries would make it difficult for even a disciple in the middle to late Profound Realm to continue fighting.

"Junior Brother Yao!" Zhou Jingyuan shouted in alarm, not understanding why Chen Hai, who was usually sensible, would be so easily provoked by Chai Rong's taunts.

"Senior Brother Zhou, I can still fight!" Chen Hai, taking advantage of the pause, took out two Essence Yuan Pills and swallowed them.

Essence Yuan Pills, being a low-level pill, could not immediately heal his injuries, but the warm currents flowing from his throat to his entire body made him feel better. Over the past month, Chen Hai had taken Essence Yuan Pills daily to replenish his essence and qi, and he could now refine the pill's power much faster than ordinary disciples.

"..." Chai Rong, fearing that Chen Lie would hold him accountable, had not intended to harm Chen Hai's life. He wanted to humiliate this arrogant boy so much that he would have no face to stay in Iron Stream Ridge. However, he did not expect Chen Hai, despite his severe injuries, to insist on continuing the match with Kongtong.

Chai Rong's expression was uncertain. If someone were to die, the consequences would be significant. Yao Xing was not just a commoner from a poor family; he was Chen Lie's direct nephew. Even if Chen Lie did not like this nephew, he would not ignore his death in a disciple match. The Chen Clan and Zhao Ruhui could also use this as an excuse to act.

However, he had just kept Chen Hai on the platform and could not now force him to stop the match. If he could not persuade Chen Hai, could he force Kongtong to stop?

"Senior Brother Chai, please step down and do not interfere with my match with Junior Brother Kongtong!" Chen Hai said again, emphasizing each word.

Chai Rong, realizing his own cleverness had backfired, was now in a difficult position. If he forced Kongtong to stop the match, it would be the same as making Kongtong admit defeat, and he would lose face in Iron Stream Ridge.

At this moment, Chai Rong, caught between a rock and a hard place, saw a hint of contempt on Zhou Jun's face from a distance. It seemed that Zhou Jun was sure he would not let Chen Lie's nephew die on the platform. Chai Rong was both ashamed and angry, thinking that Chen Lie might not care about his nephew's life, otherwise, he would not have sent him to Iron Stream Ridge. He angrily shouted at Chen Hai:

"Since you are risking your life for a win, do not blame me for not stopping you."

Seeing Chai Rong grit his teeth and step down, returning the platform to Chen Hai and Kongtong, everyone was stunned. They did not expect the first match of this session to turn into a life-and-death struggle.

***************************

Although Kongtong did not expect the current situation, his determination to cultivate martial arts was firm, and his hesitation quickly disappeared. He brought his two halberds together in front of him...

"Only the first technique of the Spirit-Shocking Halberd!" Chen Hai thought to himself. To avoid being knocked off the platform by the second strike, he leaned against the corner post of the platform, his left wrist feeling as if it were on fire. The snake bracelet embedded in his flesh had now connected his soul and consciousness with the puppet body.

This was his greatest reliance at this moment!

At this moment, Chen Hai could directly sense the intense essence and qi in Kongtong's arms, and even predict that Kongtong's next strike would target his right side. He thought to himself that this boy was still not ruthless enough.

Even though it was forbidden to attack parts of the body not covered by armor in a disciple match, if Kongtong's next strike precisely hit Chen Hai's left chest, aggravating his injuries, it could be fatal.

This kind of insight should be a unique perception of the Enlightenment Stage, but Chen Hai's ability to sense Kongtong's next move was due to the mystic power of the snake bracelet and the puppet body.

He had no time to think about why this was happening and could only trust that this near-intuitive perception was not an illusion, and bet on his ability to accurately block Kongtong's second strike.

Although Kongtong's halberd strike was as fast as a meteor, Chen Hai was about six to seven meters away, and he did not believe he could not raise his hand in time to block it.

Suddenly, Kongtong felt an indescribable pressure, a sense of being seen through, which made him extremely uncomfortable. His eyes, like those of a fierce bird, showed a hint of confusion as he stared at Chen Hai's face, thinking, "Why do I suddenly feel so strong?" But the strike was inevitable, and he could not hesitate.

When Kongtong struck, he made a slight adjustment, but the target was still Chen Hai's right side.

Seeing the black meteor-like halberd strike, a flash of inspiration entered Chen Hai's mind. He instinctively brought his two halberds together on his left side, feeling his soul and consciousness immersed in a profound, mountain-like sensation. The essence and qi in his body surged, pouring into the main meridians of his arms.

This was also a martial arts secret form!

Chen Hai had been practicing the halberd for some time and did not expect to subconsciously use a new martial arts secret form at this critical moment!

This should be a basic halberd secret form, or more accurately, a stance form.

At this moment, Chen Hai felt as if his arms were infused with ten thousand pounds of force. When he blocked Kongtong's Frost Halberd, sparks flew, enveloping both of them.

With a "crack," Chen Hai felt intense pain in his arms, as if his nerves were being torn apart.

For months, Chen Hai had practiced the Wind and Cloud Leg, and his legs had been tempered by essence and qi, making his muscles and bones both strong and flexible. However, when he used the basic halberd stance form, his arms were infused with ten thousand pounds of force, but the rest of his body had not been tempered, and could not withstand the immense counterforce.

This was the greatest drawback of martial arts cultivation. One had to cultivate all twelve main meridians to temper the entire body into steel and iron, unlike disciples who cultivated mystic techniques, where a single mist armor spell or a single diamond body spell could protect the entire body.

Although Chen Hai barely managed to block Kongtong's strike and even pushed him back, his arms were broken by the immense counterforce, and his body was forced backward, causing the giant tree behind him to crack with a "crack."

Seeing this, the crowd was stunned.

Kongtong's two precise strikes of the Spirit-Shocking Halberd's Spirit-Killing Strike technique showed that he had indeed cultivated the first technique to perfection. He was a martial arts genius among junior disciples, a rarity in a hundred years.

What shocked the crowd even more was that Chen Hai had actually blocked Kongtong's second, full-force strike, and even more easily than the first.