The referee roared from above the arena, "Ten seconds to countdown! Ten, nine, eight..."
Boom!
Boom!
His vital energy, like molten gold, circulated like thunder, erupting from his body with muffled rumbles that echoed across the arena.
"Two, one! Begin!"
The referee instantly leaped off the stage, distancing himself.
"Blade!"
Chen Jiuyang drew his blade in a flash. the Yan Sheng blade erupted with a sky-shattering golden radiance, its phantom image expanding slightly.
"Thump!"
Chen Jiuyang’s foot shattered the specially made stone bricks of the arena floor. His figure shot towards Sakurai Sanbu like a bolt, his blade seemingly capable of cleaving mountains. With unmatched dominance, he slashed towards Sakurai Sanbu.
"Bang—"
With a downward slash, Sakurai Sanbu met Chen Jiuyang's attack, holding his blade with both hands. The entire arena, save for the spot where Chen Jiuyang and Sakurai Sanbu stood, immediately cracked under the residual force, shattering into several pieces.
"A fine blade technique!"
Sakurai Sanbu couldn't help but exclaim.
"Your strength is also not weak!" Chen Jiuyang's eyes gleamed brightly.
"Thus, we can have a hearty battle!"
"Bang bang bang!"
The two clashed, their blade lights ceaseless.
They stood their ground, unleashing fierce blade strikes, neither retreating nor advancing.
"Swish swish swish!"
Terrifying waves of energy, like tornadoes and typhoons, swept outwards from the center of the stadium in all directions, rustling everyone's clothes. Ordinary people without martial cultivation had to grip their handrails tightly to avoid being blown over.
The aftermath of their battle was incredibly formidable.
More and more blade-shaped phantom images appeared around Chen Jiuyang, as if he were accumulating the divine ability 'Absolute Kill'.
Sakurai Sanbu's blade light continued unabated.
The two fought with exhilarating abandon, thoroughly enjoying themselves!
"Blade Intent!"
After hundreds of exchanges, both sides unleashed their Blade Intent, and the atmosphere in the venue surged once more.
Chen Jiuyang's Blade Intent could not match Sakurai Sanbu's perfected Blade Intent, and he immediately felt a sense of being suppressed.
"Jian Jin!"
Chen Jiuyang employed the 'Holding Precepts Jian Jin', regaining a slight advantage.
However, he was still being pushed back.
Sakurai Sanbu's strength was truly formidable; even when Chen Jiuyang unleashed his full power, he was still being suppressed. Among his peers, Sakurai Sanbu was the first.
"Han Hai!"
In an instant, golden light flashed throughout the stadium as an incomparably vast blade strike was unleashed towards Sakurai Sanbu.
"Clang clang clang!"
Sakurai Sanbu employed his techniques, directly clashing with Chen Jiuyang's strike.
"Pfft—"
While his Blade Intent was strong, Chen Jiuyang's techniques were superior. Sakurai Sanbu immediately spat blood, and over a dozen wounds appeared on his body, bleeding.
He then launched a fierce offensive against Chen Jiuyang.
The two once again engaged in a heated battle, and Chen Jiuyang also sustained dozens of wounds of various sizes, being pushed back by Sakurai Sanbu.
"I cannot continue like this, nor can I keep my trump cards hidden."
Having made up his mind, Chen Jiuyang uttered a few obscure syllables.
"Rumble!"
Chen Jiuyang's aura suddenly broke through its limits, climbing higher. The vital energy burning within him instantly shifted from golden to platinum!
"Whoa!"
Countless people were astonished.
At such a critical juncture, Chen Jiuyang's combat power could still increase. No one had expected that Chen Jiuyang had concealed his means.
The baseline of Chen Jiuyang's combat power in the Dragon Country was truly beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
"Blade! Lin!"
Chen Jiuyang roared, "Absolute Kill!"
The hundreds of blade phantom images he had unleashed erupted at this moment, attacking Sakurai Sanbu.
Just as everyone was pondering how Sakurai Sanbu would block Chen Jiuyang's move, a dumbfounding scene unfolded.
Sakurai Sanbu leaped directly off the stage: "I concede."
However, Chen Jiuyang's blade momentum could not be stopped.
"Rumble!"
A member of the Martial Ranking Committee standing on the high platform immediately leaped down, blocking Chen Jiuyang's strike.
The referee, after a moment of stunned silence, announced, "Chen Jiuyang of the Dragon Country wins!"
Chen Jiuyang frowned, looking at Sakurai Sanbu, his eyes narrowed with intense killing intent: "Are you playing me?"
Sakurai Sanbu said calmly, "This is not a place for you and me to decide life and death. I cannot withstand this move, and it is fine to concede. My survival is more useful to my country."
"This Asian Martial Ranking competition, our Eastern Ying Nation has no regrets."
"Heh heh, to be able to test all your trump cards, the gains are immense."
Chen Jiuyang frowned, and after a moment, took a deep breath, slowly lowering his aura and retracting his burning vital energy.
"If I meet you in the World Martial Ranking competition, I will kill you."
To everyone's astonishment, the Eastern Ying Nation's Sakurai Sanbu voluntarily conceded at the last moment in the battle for the championship of the Asian Martial Ranking.
No one had expected that Chen Jiuyang of the Dragon Country would thus claim the title of Asian Martial Ranking Champion!
A moment later, thunderous cheers erupted!
This was not an act of shame; rather, it proved Chen Jiuyang's combat power was strong enough to threaten Sakurai Sanbu's life, forcing him to concede.
This was the first time in the Asian Martial Ranking competition.
"Good!"
The Sword Bearer of Longjing stood up and shouted with approval.
Chen Jiuyang had fulfilled the regret of King Yan, claiming the championship of the Asian Martial Ranking!
Half an hour later, Chen Jiuyang, Sakurai Sanbu, and Yamato Hanako ascended the stage to receive their awards.
Chen Jiuyang, holding the Asian Martial Ranking champion cup crafted from pure gold and diamonds, stood on the high platform, receiving countless praises.
When the news reached the Dragon Country, the entire nation rejoiced!
The threshold of the Qian King's mansion in Longjing was almost trampled flat.
Many people crowded at the entrance of the Qian King's mansion, presenting gifts and cheering.
Before Chen Jiuyang departed, he had asked them to await good news, never expecting that Chen Jiuyang would bring so much surprise!
He had won the Asian Martial Ranking competition!
In the Dragon Country's martial rankings, any other person would not have been able to defeat Sakurai Sanbu and reach this stage.
The martial arts world of the Dragon Country was in an uproar.
Longjing bestowed ten golden King's Orders upon Chen Jiuyang, and King Yan personally wrote an invitation, intending to visit personally once the Qian King returned to the country.
After the competition concluded, Chen Jiuyang and the others savored their moment of joy before rushing to board their flight, preparing to return to the Dragon Country.
That evening at seven o'clock, Chen Jiuyang appeared in the news, in an interview previously conducted by Yun Jingbai.
On television, Chen Jiuyang spoke eloquently to Yun Jingbai:
"You asked how far I could go in the Asian Martial Ranking?"
"I, Chen Jiuyang, as long as I still draw breath, will never stop progressing in competition."
"We warriors must carry on the aspirations of our predecessors and bring glory to our Dragon Country!"
After the news broadcast, Dragon Country officials immediately headed to Ziyang County, Feng Province.
That very night, Qingzhu Village was upgraded from a village to a town!
The entire Ziyang County, and countless people within it, were in an uproar, unable to sleep.
The powerful figures of Feng Province all drove onto the highway, heading towards Ziyang County.
At this moment, Chen Jiuyang, laden with honor, was to return home.
As the saying goes, when one person achieves success, their entire household prospers.
Chen Jiuyang had already repaid the Dragon Country's destiny multiple times.
Many people were waiting for Chen Jiuyang's return to the country.