A Long River Myth

The second round of martial arts competition has ended after Li Hongqian decisively defeated Yang Jinnian.

So far, a total of 26 people have advanced to the top-tier arena.

Eleven people, including Yang Jinnian, sustained injuries of varying degrees during the fight at the Yi Arena.

They have basically lost their chance to compete for the top three in this fierce autumn exam and have become mere runners-up.

After a short rest, the game will resume in two quarters of an hour.

Sure enough, starting from this round, the competition took on a different form.

Its thrilling and intense nature is enough to make one's heart pound, especially the combat, in which five people on stage sustained serious injuries.

These scenes undoubtedly captivated the hearts of the audience members outside the stadium.

This round of military combat is a mandatory part of the annual martial arts examination, accounting for a significant portion of the test.

Li Hong, wielding a wooden spear, unleashed his "North Wind Spear Technique," sweeping forward in a single motion.

His opponents in this round were not as outstanding as those others, so he tried to end the battle as quickly as possible.

In just five rounds, he knocked his opponent off the stage.

The gasps from the stands came like waves of surging tides.

No one expected that Li Hong would actually win all three of his matches in the Jia arena!

After all the matches in the third round were completed, Li Hong's performance was among the best, attracting widespread attention.

No matter how much the major powers calculated beforehand, they never expected that someone from the outer city would achieve such a result in this autumn examination.

Even if Li Hong doesn't make it into the top three in the end, his performance today alone has already caught the attention of many powerful forces.

The inevitable end will require some courting.

Before long, the fourth round began, and only ten people remained in the arena who could still fight.

The results were quickly obtained, and Li Hong indeed ran into Zhu Wen.

"Based on the current rankings, I only need four more wins to secure a top-three position."

"Zhu Wen is currently riding high. If we were to defeat him head-on in the skills test, it would cause such a sensation... a complete loss for the enemy, but a humb one would gain!"

Li Hong gripped the lottery ticket in his hand, pondered for a moment, and made up his mind.

So far, after three rounds, only Zhu Wen, Wan Gu, and he remain undefeated.

In particular, the former has almost never encountered an evenly matched opponent in the A-level arena.

He came from a distinguished family and was well-prepared for the autumn examination.

It's no longer just about his status as a top-tier martial arts performer.

The family is building momentum for the sudden emergence of this third young master!

"Never mind, the top three in the arena are all first-class martial arts students, and there is no real difference between the first and second-ranked ones."

"My only goal is to participate in the martial arts examination... Losing one match to him is enough; I must endure it for the sake of the top spot in the future martial arts examination!"

Li Hong suppressed the surge of competitive spirit that welled up within him; he had already completed his plan.

Good steel should be used on the blade.

His sudden rise to prominence in such a short time is already a great achievement; we must be wary of the consequences of overreaching.

Without a distinguished family background and unable to establish his own power, he can only remain a hidden dragon.

After all, if swords and spears appear on this path, one will have to bear the consequences alone, with no one to share the burden.

On the arena.

Zhu Wen rubbed his hands together, looking at Li Hong from afar as if he had been waiting for a long time.

With his keen eye, he could tell that Li Hong gave him a slightly different feeling compared to the other candidates.

"Hidden strength? Let me test you!"

Zhu Wen's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

"I admit defeat!"

But to everyone's surprise, Li Hong took the stage and announced his "defeat" without any hesitation!

"Um?"

Zhu Wen frowned, a cold smile creeping onto his face, somewhat surprised by the man's shamelessness.

In the struggle of martial arts, fame and fortune have always been the primary considerations, with fame taking precedence.

However, this greatly boosted his prestige, making him a dark horse who suddenly emerged from the sidelines, far exceeding the expectations of many forces in the inner city.

Even Li Hong, who had defeated several well-known candidates, was willing to admit defeat when he met him...

Those who had been eagerly anticipating this fierce battle immediately booed.

"This Li Hong is very clever. He is not confident in his ability to defeat Zhu Wen. If he gets injured in the fight, he will really have no chance later."

"Absolutely! There's still Wan Gu to come. Between two evils, choose the lesser. You've got brains."

On the stands, some astute individuals have already begun their analysis.

Wan Gu, the eldest son of the commander of the Divine Guard Battalion, appears weaker than Zhu Wen, the undisputed champion of this autumn examination.

However, their strength should not be underestimated, as they have defeated many top opponents.

It's pretty much confirmed that these two will definitely be among the top three in this autumn's exams.

"It's a pity about Yang Jinnian and Zhang Zhilan. These first-rate martial arts students can only wait for the spring examination."

"The spring examination? The Zhu family will handle the autumn examination, and the Hong family will handle the spring examination. It's all been arranged long ago. If you don't have the ability, you'll just be a foil!"

Many people sighed.

..........

The situation in the next round has become quite clear.

In the fourth round, they were all at their last gasp, clinging on only by sheer willpower.

Only Li Hong stood out, achieving the best result in the Jia-class arena, second only to Zhu Wen and Wan Gu.

Both of them had already won four games.

The fifth round soon followed.

Zhu Wen took the lead and won the first round. It was clear that although he won the first place in the autumn examination without any pressure, his face did not show any joy.

Calm and undisturbed, as if he were simply retrieving something that already belonged to him.

In the remaining matches, the teams were evenly matched, with only three players achieving a three-win record.

In the fifth round, Li Hong's opponent was indeed Wan Gu.

This is his highlight match!

If Li Hong can win a victory against Wan Gu, he will be confirmed to become the third first-class martial arts student!

"Li Hong, in front of everyone, I won't hold back!"

Wan Gu rolled up his sleeves and laughed heartily. He felt that he had met Li Hongping by chance these past two days and wanted to win him over.

However, I will not show favoritism in this martial arts examination, as that would ruin my reputation.

"Brother Wan, please!"

Li Hong responded by bowing.

The next moment, a sudden gust of wind blew around Wan Gu, and he rushed forward.

Li Hong responded calmly, and after more than ten exchanges, neither side gained the upper hand.

The strong winds collided violently around them.

The martial arts practiced by Wan Gu also carried a strong official style.

Seeing that Li Hong was skilled in the Hundred Refinements Fist, he also used the Great Perfection Hundred Refinements Fist to compete with him.

In an instant, the air crackled with the force of punches on the ring, all straight and deadly.

After more than thirty rounds, Li Hong seized upon Wan Gu's fleeting weakness and began to exploit it relentlessly.

In an instant, with a combination of slashes and blows, Wan Gu was forced to the edge of the arena.

Wan Gu seems to have some trump cards yet to be revealed, and Bo's anger is about to change his tactics.

Li Hong had anticipated this and was unwilling to let the battle drag on any longer.

If he were to unleash the "Ten Thousand Valleys Bottom Hand" technique, delaying the fight, he would need to use even more ruthless methods to suppress it, which would inevitably increase the risk of being exposed.

Thinking of this, Li Hong let out a low shout, his left fist clenched into a hundred knots, and his right hand suddenly unleashed the long-hidden finger-flicking technique.

Snapped!

In a flash, Wan Gu's pupils contracted, his movements suddenly froze, and the hidden armor on his body emitted a strange sound.

A powerful force spread throughout his body, forcing his feet so that only his toes remained on the ring.

In that brief moment, he was already slightly suppressed when Li Hong's fist arrived.

A crisis is imminent!

Without a ring, he would still have room to maneuver.

Just as he was about to fall off the stage, Li Hong changed his fist to a palm, grabbed his collar, and threw him upwards.

Wan Gu used the momentum to leap onto the ring, showing no resentment, and laughed heartily:

"I admire you, I concede defeat! I am no match for Brother Li."

Knowing that Li Hong was very good at dealing with people, she did not make him lose face even though she had the upper hand. The outcome was already decided, and in the end, she was still lacking in skill.

"You're too kind!"

Li Hong smiled slightly.