"Splash! Splash!"
On February 26th, the semi-finals of the Asian Martial Rankings World Championship commenced.
The day was overcast, and a torrential downpour struck again.
Spectators who had arrived early shivered on their plastic chairs.
Yet, hundreds of thousands of people, both inside and outside the stadium, braved the rain to witness the competition.
What was a little rain compared to a grand event held once every sixty years?
Chen Jiuyang, Sakurai Sambu, Yamato Hanaren, and Mito walked onto the stage.
On the arena, the Martial Rankings draw box was placed.
"Number one, step up to draw."
Only slips numbered two, three, and four were placed inside the draw box.
Chen Jiuyang reached in and drew the slip marked number four.
"Number one versus number four."
"Number two versus number three."
"Dragon Country's Chen Jiuyang versus India God Country's Mito."
"Sakurai Sambu versus Yamato Hanaren."
Sakurai Sambu and Yamato Hanaren exited the arena.
Chen Jiuyang and Mito remained on the stage.
Mito was a monk who appeared to be in his early twenties, with golden skin that exuded a sacred aura.
Chen Jiuyang had reviewed his profile: Mito was the current chief disciple of the Lesser Thunderclap Temple in India God Country, possessing a special physique and immense strength.
Standing opposite him, Chen Jiuyang felt a chill; Mito's physical body and vital energy seemed no less than his own.
This was unbelievable. He possessed the Pure Yang Body and had undergone three blood changes, his physique comparable to the Heavenly Realm.
Mito was also sizing up Chen Jiuyang. He clasped his hands together and said to Chen Jiuyang, "Five participants from my India God Country, two of them died by your blade."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression calm. "What do you intend to do then?"
Mito's expression remained serene. "Naturally, blood debt must be repaid with blood."
Chen Jiuyang chuckled, "My life is right here. I just don't know if you have the strength to take it."
Mito still appeared calm. "This seat has not taken a life in hundreds of years. Taking the life of a junior like you is as easy as plucking something from one's palm."
Chen Jiuyang's smile gradually faded as he stared at Mito, asking with uncertainty, "You are a reincarnator."
Mito replied, "Indeed."
"This seat has reincarnated and is cultivating anew, walking the path of this life, recognized by heaven and earth."
"This seat has some connection with Lotus."
"You have made Lotus suffer setbacks twice. Before my reincarnation, I owed her a favor. Today, I am here to kill you on this arena to repay that favor."
Chen Jiuyang said coldly, "Old bald donkey, are you so confident?"
"I do not speak falsehoods," Mito replied, clasping his hands together, his expression serene.
"Very well, then I shall await it," Chen Jiuyang's eyes glinted with killing intent.
He had never imagined that the old monster from the Lotus Sect could extend their influence to the Martial Rankings competition, which shocked him greatly, filling his heart with intense killing intent.
The referee stood at the edge of the arena and shouted hoarsely, "Match countdown, ten seconds! Ten, nine, eight..."
"Rumble!"
Mito and Chen Jiuyang's bodies erupted with a heart-palpitating aura, causing countless people to gasp in terror, their expressions changing drastically.
The mere aura of their vital energy bursting forth made the arena tremble.
"Something is not right," the Sword Bearer of Longjing frowned slightly.
Chen Jiuyang had never gone all out so early in his matches. Something unusual was afoot.
"Two, one! Begin!"
"Buzz!"
"Instant Light—" Chen Jiuyang shouted as he swung his saber.
A cold gleam flashed, and a saber strike was unleashed, as if to cleave through the heavens.
"Buddha!"
Mito stood his ground. A golden phantom of a Buddha statue materialized behind him, enveloping Mito. This Buddha statue moved without command, its Buddha hand gently pressing forward, catching Chen Jiuyang's Instant Light saber strike without a scratch!
"Bang—"
The Buddha hand transformed into a fist, crushing Chen Jiuyang's saber strike into pieces.
Yan Hongming, Ye Tiannan, Jiang Lihuo, and Han Lixuan's eyelids twitched violently, and their expressions immediately turned solemn.
"This bald donkey actually crushed Dry King's saber strike. Remarkable..."
Since Chen Jiuyang's ascent, no one had ever directly countered his moves, let alone shattered his saber energy.
"This is not the nascent form of divine might! It is divine might!" The Sword Bearer of Longjing suddenly stood up, his eyes bulging, and exclaimed involuntarily.
"Divine might!?"
"This bald donkey, like Dry King, is at the peak of the sixth layer of the Earth Realm. How could he have mastered divine might!"
"There's something strange!"
"Does this mean Dry King is facing a bald donkey with Heavenly Realm combat power?"
"This battle... will be difficult..."
Even with Chen Jiuyang's strength, his best achievement was killing those at the half-step Heavenly Realm.
However, the gap in strength between the half-step Heavenly Realm and the Heavenly Realm was like a chasm, insurmountable.
After unleashing his strike, Chen Jiuyang's heart also sank. His eyes flickered with light. "This bald donkey has an Earth Realm body but possesses Heavenly Realm combat power."
Mito clasped his hands together and looked at Chen Jiuyang expressionlessly. "Take this seat's punch."
"Clang!"
The Buddha statue phantom was as heavy as ten thousand pounds. The punch was thrown as if a mountain was moving, with immense force.
The colossal Buddha fist phantom surged forward, making Chen Jiuyang's figure appear as minuscule as an ant!
"Good!"
Chen Jiuyang roared, "See All! Shatter Prison Saber Intent! No Regrets!"
"Rumble!"
Golden vital energy instantly ignited, and the Yan Sheng Saber in his hand suddenly grew, transforming into an overbearing, unparalleled saber strike. He then met the golden Buddha fist head-on.
"Bang bang bang—"
The first "bang" was the sound of the saber phantom and fist phantom colliding.
The second "bang" was the stone slab floor of the arena, unable to withstand the pressure, beginning to crack!
The third "bang" was the brief contact of the two moves, vital energy clashing and battling, stirring up a hundred-meter air current that swept out in all directions.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths!
Chen Jiuyang's saber did not yield to Mito's Buddha fist.
The arena had already completely cracked, astonishing everyone.
"Swish swish swish!"
The gusting wind from the leaking air current made Chen Jiuyang's clothes and hair rustle.
Everyone was once again shocked and amazed. Not only did Mito possess Heavenly Realm combat power!
Chen Jiuyang himself also possessed Heavenly Realm combat power! How terrifying was this?
"Good lad... good lad..." The Sword Bearer of Longjing showed emotion for the first time, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Yan Hongming, Ye Tiannan, and the others felt a pang of bitterness. Chen Jiuyang actually possessed Heavenly Realm combat power!
Chen Jiuyang's body burned with golden vital energy, like an invincible human king. Even his eyes had a hint of gold. He looked at Mito and said coldly:
"Is this the confidence with which you intend to take my life?"
A flicker of astonishment also crossed Mito's eyes, his gaze becoming somewhat unsettled. "I did not expect you to possess Heavenly Realm combat power at such a young age. I miscalculated."
"However, the outcome of taking your life will remain unchanged."
"Rumble!"
Chen Jiuyang's aura surged again, and the saber phantom in his hand grew even more intense.
"Boom!"
Mito's Buddha fist phantom began to show cracks, and then it started to shatter.
"Tap—"
Mito's divine might was severed and torn apart. He took a step back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Chen Jiuyang held his long saber, his eyes looking at him indifferently:
"In that case, you may try."