Chapter 40

As the judge announced the verdict, the many Zhao clan disciples present suddenly came to their senses, their faces filled with shock and they began to discuss among themselves.

The confrontation between Zhao Han and Zhao Feng was a major upset.

As the "dark horse" who swept through the outer circle, Zhao Feng continued to maintain his strength, constantly creating miracles and breaking records.

Since the start of the martial arts competition, he had advanced through the ranks, sweeping away many of his clan's young men in a miraculous rise.

At this moment, he had even defeated Zhao Han, who ranked first in the inner circle, and now temporarily held the third position.

Zhao Feng smiled and took his seat in the third position of the first row.

To his right was Zhao Feng, who ranked second, his face showing surprise and his eyes filled with doubt.

When the outer circle martial arts competition ended, Zhao Feng had come to watch. Facing the top-ranked Zhao Feng of the outer circle, he had not taken him seriously at all.

After defeating Zhao Qin, Zhao Feng had intentionally or unintentionally pointed out Zhao Feng's "ambition" to reach the top three and warned him: the top three spots were off-limits to others.

However, at this moment, the Zhao Feng he had completely underestimated was sitting right next to him.

The top three: Zhao Linlong, Zhao Feng, and Zhao Feng.

Next, it was Zhao Feng's turn to challenge.

Zhao Feng stretched lazily and walked up to the challenge platform.

"Second place, Zhao Feng, who do you challenge?"

The judge's eyes held a smile, with a hint of mischief.

As the second place, who else could he challenge?

The eyes of all the Zhao clan disciples in the arena turned to Zhao Linlong, who ranked first.

Zhao Feng, sitting in third place, had an unobstructed view after Zhao Feng left. He looked at Zhao Linlong for the first time up close.

Zhao Linlong wore a wide, golden robe, his figure straight, his eyebrows thick and black, and he exuded a deep, sea-like aura.

Since the start of the competition, Zhao Linlong had mostly kept his eyes closed, his face always calm and expressionless.

Even when Zhao Feng defeated Zhao Han, he remained as calm as ever, like an uninvolved observer.

"Zhao Linlong, give me a chance, come up here."

Zhao Feng's attitude was casual, with a hint of self-mockery.

"First place, Zhao Linlong."

The judge reminded him.

"Alright."

Zhao Linlong slowly stood up.

The moment he stood, a golden afterimage flashed at his original position.

Then, several afterimages moved along unpredictable and elusive trajectories, landing on the challenge platform.

"How can there be several Zhao Linlongs!"

"Afterimages! So fast!"

The arena erupted in astonished cries.

None of the many spectators could clearly see Zhao Linlong's movements.

"What kind of footwork is that, so strange and profound?"

Zhao Feng's brow twitched slightly.

Although his left eye could see Zhao Linlong's trajectory, he could not understand its changes, let alone find any weaknesses.

"Zhao Linlong, after half a year, your 'Shadow Step' has reached its peak. You truly deserve to be one of the four great geniuses of Yuyang City."

Zhao Feng was amazed and moved.

The 'Shadow Step' was a high-level footwork technique, unique even among high-level martial arts, with a considerable reputation.

He had not expected that someone in the Zhao clan would have mastered this high-level martial art to its peak.

A high-level martial art at its peak!

Such a level made many of the Zhao clan disciples in the arena look up in awe.

Looking across the entire Zhao clan, there was no other new talent who could master a high-level martial art to its peak.

"Zhao Feng, your insight is good. In the clan's martial arts competition, the only one qualified to fight me is you. Today, I will fight you with my fourth-level cultivation."

Zhao Linlong said calmly.

These words immediately made some of the Zhao clan disciples present feel embarrassed.

— Apart from Zhao Feng, no one else in the clan's martial arts competition was qualified to be his opponent?

Zhao Linlong's words were hurtful, causing many to be displeased.

How could the third, fourth, and fifth-ranked Zhao clan geniuses feel?

Zhao Feng, who ranked third, frowned slightly but quickly returned to normal.

Since he had seen the mysterious young girl in the Hengyun Sky Forest, Zhao Feng understood the vastness of the world: there was always someone better, always a higher level.

His ambitions had become even greater, no longer limited to Yuyang City. He wanted to explore the outside world and uncover its mysteries.

"Damn! This Zhao Linlong..."

Zhao Han, who ranked sixteenth, showed intense resentment and unwillingness.

Recently, he had experienced a significant breakthrough, his martial arts inner strength reaching the peak of the fifth level, even approaching the sixth level.

This rapid progress made him, who was originally third, win immense popularity and become a top contender for the clan's first place.

In terms of popularity, he even surpassed the second-ranked Zhao Feng.

However, with Zhao Linlong's words, he felt as if he had been thrown into an ice cellar.

But Zhao Han could not retaliate. He had just lost to Zhao Feng, losing all his dignity and having no say.

At this moment, the battle on the challenge platform began.

Heaven Roaring Fist!

Zhao Feng's fist glowed with a fiery red aura, roaring like a clash of clouds and thunder, with astonishing power and speed.

In style, the 'Heaven Roaring Fist' was similar to Zhao Feng's 'Angry Dragon Fist.' However, the two techniques were a full level apart, one at the peak of high-level, the other at the peak of mid-level.

Zhao Feng used the 'Heaven Roaring Fist' to its full potential, its power rivaling that of a peak fifth-level expert.

Combined with his high-level cultivation in light body techniques, footwork, and body strengthening, his combat effectiveness was even more terrifying.

"In terms of overall strength, Zhao Feng is indeed more challenging than Zhao Han. He has almost no weaknesses, and his attacks are powerful and astonishing."

Zhao Feng nodded inwardly.

Zhao Han's strength lay in his martial arts inner strength, but he was not strong in body strengthening, light body techniques, or footwork.

"Take my punch!"

On the challenge platform, Zhao Feng shouted and unleashed a powerful punch that fiercely struck Zhao Linlong.

Swish!

An afterimage of destruction was left at the original spot.

In the next instant, Zhao Linlong appeared beside Zhao Feng, looking relaxed and smiling faintly.

Zhao Feng's punch did not even touch his clothes.

More shockingly, Zhao Linlong was less than half a meter in front of him.

Zhao Feng broke out in a cold sweat.

At this moment, he could even smell Zhao Linlong's scent, they were so close.

Rainy Mist Step!

Zhao Feng was not an easy opponent. He also used a high-level footwork technique, making his movements unpredictable as he moved back and forth with Zhao Linlong.

Immediately, the two figures crisscrossed and darted around, leaving the audience below dazzled.

Both of their footwork techniques were high-level martial arts.

Footwork techniques were different from light body techniques. The former was suitable for close combat, while the latter was for long-range movement and pursuit.

The reason Zhao Feng was qualified to fight Zhao Linlong was that he had mastered multiple high-level martial arts.

High-level fist techniques! High-level footwork! High-level light body techniques! High-level body strengthening... Each martial art was cultivated to a high level.

Zhao Feng's techniques were flawless, combining various martial arts to great effect, surpassing the previous Zhao Han in momentum.

But even so, after a few exchanges, Zhao Feng still fell into a disadvantage.

After a dozen exchanges, Zhao Linlong, with his fourth-level cultivation, easily overpowered him.

"I will make you lose with no regrets!"

After twenty exchanges, Zhao Linlong smiled faintly, pointed a finger, and a purple-green aura swirled like a sharp needle.

It was hard to imagine how he had condensed his martial arts inner strength to such a degree.

Sizzle!

Just a thread of martial arts inner strength, emitted from his fingertip, gave off a piercing and bone-chilling aura.

The moment his finger pointed, a faint, disorienting sound echoed in the air, confusing the mind.

"Cloud Piercing Finger!"

In his vision, that finger seemed to pierce through the clouds and sky, faintly visible, with a majestic aura that overlooked the mountains and rivers.

That was...

Zhao Feng's heart raced. He took a deep breath, gathered all his strength and martial arts inner strength, and faced the terrifying finger that seemed to penetrate his mind.

"Heaven Roaring Thunder!"

Zhao Feng's fist drew a fiery red trajectory, like a thunderbolt piercing the sky, surging forward against the tide.

The power of this punch surpassed any Zhao clan disciple who had previously participated, becoming the peak of Zhao Feng's life.

But as the thunderous punch was unleashed, he felt a suffocating sensation.

The opponent's finger seemed to stand on a high point, like an ant facing an elephant, an inherent gap.

Puff!

The two shocking techniques clashed.

Zhao Feng felt a sweetness in his throat, a trace of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he staggered backward.

"Good, you actually managed to withstand a hit from a top-level martial art."

Beside him, the young man in the golden robe stood with his hands behind his back, looking like a king in the midst of the fierce wind and waves.

"Top-level martial art? I lost without regret."

Zhao Feng, with a hint of bitterness, admitted defeat directly.

Cloud Piercing Finger!

Top-level martial art!

The arena erupted in excitement. Countless Zhao clan disciples, including some elders, showed shock.

When had Zhao Linlong learned a top-level martial art?

"Hehe, Linlong has already learned the first three techniques of the 'Cloud Piercing Finger.' The one he used just now was only the first technique."

The clan head, Zhao Tiancang, had a red face.

"Congratulations, clan head, for having such a talented 'adopted son.'"

The nearby Zhao clan elders nodded and congratulated him.

It turned out that Zhao Linlong was the clan head's adopted son!

More impressively, he had learned the first few techniques of a top-level martial art.

It was known that top-level martial arts generally required at least a seventh-level cultivation to comprehend.

Those who could master top-level martial arts were often martial arts masters!

...

"Zhao Han! Challenge failed, rank unchanged. Zhao Linlong, first place, rank unchanged."

The judge announced.

The match between the first and second places did not change their rankings.

Zhao Linlong and Zhao Feng returned to their seats, in front of Zhao Feng.

Back in his seat, Zhao Linlong remained expressionless and did not challenge anyone.

In his view, there was no one in the entire Zhao clan worth fighting.

Thus, the first round of challenges ended.

Next, there was a second round of challenges, as everyone initially had three challenge opportunities.

The second round saw scattered challenges.

Since the first round, the rankings were largely determined.

However, when it was Zhao Han's turn, he suddenly challenged, first defeating the fourth-ranked Zhao Qin and winning the fourth place.

Then, Zhao Han continued to challenge the second-ranked Zhao Feng and the first-ranked Zhao Linlong.

The result was that Zhao Han, with his strong martial arts inner strength, barely managed to fight Zhao Feng to a draw, leaving the rankings unchanged.

However, when facing Zhao Linlong, Zhao Han was defeated in three moves.

Unlike Zhao Feng, who had a strong overall strength and was flawless, Zhao Han could not withstand even three moves against a master like Zhao Linlong.

First place: Zhao Linlong... Second place: Zhao Feng... Third place: Zhao Feng... Fourth place: Zhao Han.

The top four in the inner circle had become the four major figures among the Zhao clan disciples, unchallenged.

Among the four major figures, Zhao Linlong was far ahead, having defeated both Zhao Feng and Zhao Han.

Among the four major figures, Zhao Feng had not yet faced Zhao Linlong.

"Third place, Zhao Feng, it's your turn for the second round of challenges."

The judge announced.