Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 157 Lund's Insights, everyone watched, the second round.

Lund's voice turned low and serious, "Your fighting skills, whether it's the Dark Claw technique or the kicking techniques, are still within the reasonable range I expected. But—"

Lund paused, his gaze fixed on Xilun's seemingly unremarkable muscles: "Your flesh and skin tempering has improved at an astonishing pace!"

That density, that shock-absorbing force, absolutely watertight, incredibly solid. How did you manage to do that?

Xilun felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that his secret of "coiled dragon" had aroused the other party's suspicion.

He replied without changing his expression, "Sir, I have only experienced a few life-or-death battles in the wild forest, and I have been tempering myself with deep-sea mineral ointment every day. Perhaps I was lucky, but I have stimulated some of my body's potential."

Lund gave him a deep look but didn't press the matter further.

In the world of the extraordinary, everyone has their own secrets.

He didn't care as long as the secret didn't threaten him.

Taking the opportunity to change the subject, Xilun asked with a wry smile, "Your Excellency, isn't it a bit too difficult for you to have me participate in such a competition?"

I heard at the restaurant today that some of my adversaries, like that Marshall, were baptized many years ago and have physical bodies comparable to low-level aliens.

If I lose easily later on, wouldn't I be embarrassing for the club?

Lund scoffed dismissively: "It's just a game, there's no need to worry about face."

I sent you here not so you could necessarily win the championship.

He stood up, walked up to Xilun, and looked down at him: "As long as you can learn something and gain experience on the edge of life and death, you can fight back when you are strong enough."

The media is very tolerant of people like you who come from humble beginnings and have climbed up the ladder step by step.

Your current setbacks are merely obstacles on your path. As long as you ultimately achieve success, you will eventually enjoy immense glory.

Siren nodded silently. He knew that Lund was teaching him the harshest realities of life.

"When is the next match?" Lund asked casually.

"Tomorrow morning," Siron replied.

"Okay, then I'll leave you alone."

Lund straightened the collar of his tuxedo, turned and walked towards the door. "If you have any trouble that you can't solve, come find me at that upscale hotel near the station."

Siren watched Lund's retreating figure, thought for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Sir, are you coming to watch my match tomorrow?"

Lund stopped, turned his head slightly, and a haughty smile appeared on his lips.

"I won't watch a small match between first-tier extraordinary individuals."

His voice carried an air of superior indifference. "With your current strength, you're probably only at the top eight."

"As a dignified third-tier knight, I don't have the leisure to go to the stands and watch the quarterfinals of an amateur competition."

After saying that, Lund's figure disappeared into the night at the end of the corridor.

Xiren stood quietly in place until the terrifying sense of oppression completely dissipated before he let out a long breath.

"Eight-team level, huh? —"

Xilun clenched his fist, his knuckles making a crisp cracking sound.

He was not angered by Lund's contempt; instead, it stirred a deep-seated fighting spirit within him.

He walked to the bedside, lay down on his back on the slightly hard bed board, and closed his eyes to rest for a while.

The rain finally stopped in the evening.

Xilun changed into sportswear, left the hotel, and ran a long lap around the nearby empty streets.

He found a park with lush trees, took deep breaths of the fresh air after the rain, and expelled all the stale air from his body.

Afterward, he sat cross-legged on the damp grass in the park, facing the faint moonlight, and began to practice the "Great Whale Guiding Technique" over and over again.

A cool night breeze caressed his resolute face.

Tomorrow will be another fierce battle.

The next morning, the mist had not yet completely dissipated from the streets of Saint Laurent.

Xilun had already eaten a high-calorie breakfast, dressed neatly, and walked into the main hall of the Pioneer Cup.

After yesterday's first round of eliminations, the previously crowded contestant rest area appeared much emptier.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of traditional Chinese medicine for bruises and sprains, and a subtle atmosphere of tension.

Xilun found a corner against the wall to sit down, closed his eyes to rest, and adjusted his breathing rhythm.

Shortly after, a slight commotion was heard at the entrance of the venue.

Two men in sharp suits walked in, followed by the two curious fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boys.

They were the two wealthy businessmen who were discussing Xilun in the corridor yesterday.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses looked around and his gaze quickly settled on Xilen, who was sitting in the corner.

"Is it him?" the man with the gold-rimmed glasses muttered in a low voice. "That young man named Xilun?"

The man with the mustache nodded, his eyes revealing a shrewd scrutiny: "That's right. He seems very quiet, without the thuggishness of a street thug."

Today, let's take a good look at his skill level.

"So young, and he crippled Reggie with a single kick yesterday, it couldn't really be just luck, could it?"

The two, along with their child, sat down in the stands closer to the ring, their gazes occasionally drifting towards Xiren's direction.

A while later, a familiar figure appeared again at the entrance of the venue.

Lei Jiexi's face was dark, his arms were wrapped in thick white bandages and splinted to his chest, making him look like a badly injured and dejected bear.

He was accompanied by his junior sister with a high ponytail.

"Senior, I'm going to the main hall for the second round of the competition soon, you really don't need to come and see me off."

The woman looked at Lei Jiexi's miserable state and said with some pity.

Lei Jiexi snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and fixed on Xilun's calm face.

"I didn't come to see you off."

Rejesty gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words, "I'm here to watch that guy named Celen compete."

I want to see for myself what he's really capable of!

Rejesty's eyes burned with resentful rage.

After a night of agonizing torment, he was still deeply troubled by yesterday's failure.

He always felt that if he hadn't underestimated his opponent at the beginning, if he had unleashed his full strength from the start, and even used those two killer moves, he might have had a chance to win.

He came here today because he wanted to see Xilun trampled underfoot by others, so as to wash away his own humiliation.

Fifteen minutes later, the bronze bell inside the venue was rung.

Xilun slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and began basic stretching and warm-up exercises.

He could feel many eyes on him, some curious, some scrutinizing, and some with undisguised hostility.

But he didn't care at all.

"Next match, number 24, Xiren, will face number 4, Kolo!"

The referee's booming voice echoed throughout the annex.

Xiren took off his jacket, revealing a tight black vest underneath, and strode towards the ring.

The moment he stepped onto the stairs, the information he had gathered about his opponent before the match flashed through Xiren's mind.

Kolo, 29 years old.

For a first-order baptized being, this is already an age where one is strong and healthy, but not young.

He is a seasoned veteran who has been competing in various underground and formal competitions for many years.

His strength level is average, and his physical fitness is also only average.

The reason he was able to get such a high number 4 was because he had mastered an extremely powerful kicking technique and had reached a genuine expert level!

Overall, Kolo's squad strength on paper is roughly the same as Rejesty's from yesterday.

But he was more composed and experienced than Reggie.

Xilun flipped and leaped onto the ring.

On the other side of the ring, Chloe also came up.

He was a lean man with bronze skin.

His face was covered with wrinkles, and he had a long scar on his chin. His eyes were as calm as a stagnant pool.

Kolo wore loose Muay Thai shorts, and his legs were wrapped in rough hemp rope, a protective habit left over from years of kicking hard objects.

His calf muscles weren't exaggerated, but they looked like they were made of twisted steel cables, exuding an explosive sense of power.

"Young man, you played very well yesterday."

Chloe looked at Siron and spoke in a hoarse voice, "But I'm not that idiot Reggie. I won't give you any chance to get close to me."

Ray Jesse in the audience:

66

'

Chloe's tone was calm, without provocation, only the confidence of stating the facts.

He cannot lose, nor will he allow himself to lose to a mere kid.

As Xilen looked at Kolo's calloused legs, the battle strategy flashed through his mind for a long time.

If he uses the Dark Claw Technique in conjunction with the [Coiled Dragon] move to withstand the attack, he is 80% confident that he can wear down his opponent.

but----

A fervent fighting spirit ignited in Xilun's eyes.

"Since you're also an expert in leg techniques—"

Xiren made a decision in his heart, "Then why don't I use you to practice my newly learned 'Berello Kick Technique'!"

He abandoned the safest defensive counter-attacking stance, instead slightly separating his legs, lowering his center of gravity, and adopting an extremely standard starting position for the "Berello Kick".

Seeing Xilun's stance, Rejesty in the audience froze, then let out a cold laugh: "Has this kid gone mad? He actually wants to compete with Chloe in leg techniques? He's practically asking for death!"

A flicker of surprise crossed Chloe's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by coldness.

"The match begins!" the referee announced.

boom!

Kolo moved.

His movements were devoid of any fancy moves; his right leg, like a raised battle axe, whistled through the air as he delivered a high sweeping kick, striking hard at Xilun's carotid artery.

This kick was incredibly fast and the angle was extremely tricky, showcasing the terrifying skill of an expert-level leg technique.

Xilun did not back down.

He took a deep breath, and the "Great Ocean Whale Guiding Technique" within his body frantically poured his blood and energy into his right leg.

"bring it on!"

With a low growl, Xiren lashed out with his right leg like a whip, meeting Kolo's sweeping kick head-on.

boom!

Two thick legs collided violently in mid-air.

The dull thuds of flesh colliding echoed through the stadium, like two solid steel pipes striking each other heavily.

A visible white wave of air rippled out from where the two legs met.

Chloe's expression changed slightly. He felt as if his shin had hit a piece of rubber covered with iron. A strong recoil force traveled up his bones, making his right leg go numb instantly.

Xilun let out a muffled groan and involuntarily slid back half a step.

In terms of skill and timing of his strikes, he is clearly inferior to Kolo, who has been immersed in this art for many years.

However, thanks to the powerful defense of [Coiled Dragon], he withstood the attack without suffering any real damage.

"What a tough bone!" Chloe thought to himself in surprise, but he didn't stop for a moment.

Using the recoil, Kolo completed an extremely elegant turn in mid-air, his left leg transforming into a fierce spinning back kick, heading straight for Xiren's chest.

A glint of light shone brightly in Xilun's eyes.

Instead of using his Dark Claw technique to block, he forcefully twisted his waist again, unleashing a defensive move from the "Berello Kick Technique," and met Chloe's heel with his knee.

boom! boom! boom!

On the ring, the two completely abandoned upper body attacks, turning the fight into an extremely pure and violent leg-based duel.

Kolo's leg techniques were relentless, like a storm, each strike aimed directly at vital points, demonstrating extremely high tactical skill.

Xilun's movements were initially a bit awkward.

He was repeatedly fooled by Kolo's feints and took several heavy kicks.

But what chilled everyone to the bone was that Siron was like a monster who couldn't feel pain.

Those heavy blows, enough to break an ordinary person's ribs, only left white marks on him.

On the contrary, under this intense pressure, Xilun's "Berello Kick Technique" is evolving at a speed visible to the naked eye!

From initially being on the defensive, to gradually being able to keep up with Kolo's pace, and then occasionally being able to launch powerful counterattacks.

Siren was like a dried-up sponge, frantically absorbing the leg techniques from actual combat under the perfect "whetstone" of Kolo.

"How is this possible—" Lei Jiexi, sitting in the audience, was stunned, and the resentment in his eyes was gradually replaced by fear.

He finally understood that when Xilun defeated him yesterday, he hadn't even used half of his strength.

On the ring, Chloe's breathing began to become heavy.

He was already 29 years old, and the high-intensity, continuous bursts of energy were causing his blood and energy to decline.

On the other hand, Xilun's momentum grew stronger and stronger, and the fighting spirit in his eyes seemed to devour him.

"We can't delay any longer!"

Kolo bit her tongue hard, desperately squeezing out the last bit of blood and energy from her body.

His legs crossed repeatedly on the ground, and he soared into the air. His knees, like two heavy hammers, slammed down on Xilun's head with unwavering determination.

This is his most powerful killing move—Meteor Knees!

Faced with this overwhelming attack, Xilun stopped defending.

He felt the blood and qi surging within his body, and a wild smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Thank you for your guidance.

Xiren whispered something and slammed his right foot down on the ring.

boom!

The canvas ripped apart, and the planks burst open.

Xiren's body shot skyward like a cannonball. He mastered all the power techniques he had just learned, his right leg drawing a perfect crescent arc in mid-air, accompanied by a terrifying sonic boom that tore through the air, as it fiercely chopped down towards Chloe's knees!