The announcement of the rules was met with silence for a good while before anyone reacted.
This competition would be a snowball fight, or a black swan event.
“Next, we will release the assigned lists for each group.”
Group One: Chen Jiuyang from the Dragon Country, Blasky from the Tsar Country, Enkima from Thailand, Park Yuchan from South Korea, and Hanzawa Houpu from the Eastern Sun Country.
As the information for the lists was released, the giant screen in the stadium flickered with the profiles of each participating contestant.
Countless gazes shone.
The top martial artists from various Asian countries were about to engage in true combat.
Upon hearing the rules, Chen Jiuyang smiled gently and said, “This truly feels like a ranking match now.”
“The strong remain strong, the weak are eliminated. It truly leaves no room for the weak.”
A few minutes later, after all fifteen groups’ information had been broadcast, the committee’s voice sounded again, “Next, we will begin the matches, starting with Group One.”
“King Qian (Brother Chen), you are our Dragon Country’s first representative. We’ll be counting on your performance.”
The other four sat in the waiting area, looking at Chen Jiuyang with anticipation in their eyes.
Chen Jiuyang narrowed his eyes and said, “I will not disappoint you.”
However, before Chen Jiuyang could descend, Hanzawa Houpu from the Eastern Sun Country walked onto the stage and shouted loudly, “Chen Jiuyang! Come down!”
Moments later, the stadium erupted in a clamor.
Two pieces of information appeared on the large screen.
Hanzawa Houpu, ranked tenth on the Eastern Sun Country’s martial arts ranking, versus Chen Jiuyang, ranked first on the Dragon Country’s martial arts ranking.
What was the Eastern Sun Country trying to do? Were they aiming to take on the toughest opponent right from the start?
Or was it, as the host nation, a way to assert dominance and show their authority by giving a stern warning?
The Dragon Capital’s Sword Holder frowned, turning to look at Chen Jiuyang, and said in a low voice, “Be careful.”
Chen Jiuyang’s expression was calm, with no trace of fear on his face. He picked up his saber, walked step by step from the waiting area, and then calmly took his place on the stage.
From the perspective of the external audience, regardless of Chen Jiuyang’s strength, his demeanor alone far surpassed that of ordinary martial artists.
Not far away, Hanzawa Houpu, holding a slender katana, stood opposite Chen Jiuyang and said with a cold smile, “Nice saber.”
The referee, wearing a mask, walked onto the stage and said, “If both sides are ready, the match can begin.”
Chen Jiuyang held his saber, pointing it at Hanzawa Houpu from a distance, and said calmly, “Whatever your intentions or the intentions of those behind you in provoking me, I have only one thing to say to you.”
“What is it?” Hanzawa Houpu asked coldly.
Chen Jiuyang slowly drew his saber and said softly, “You’ve picked the wrong person.”
“Today, on this stage, there will be no victory or defeat, only life and death.”
As Chen Jiuyang’s words fell, his voice was translated into dozens of languages and transmitted to the earphones of foreign spectators, causing a buzz of murmurs.
“Wow, this Dragon Country martial artist is so cool!”
“Cool, yes, but I wonder about his strength. If he gets taken down in one move, it’ll be hilarious.”
On the stage, the referee spoke, “The match countdown begins. Ten, nine…”
Hanzawa Houpu said, “Chen Jiuyang, perhaps your strength is decent in your Dragon Country, but Dragon Country martial arts are insular, like frogs in a well. Today, I will start with you.”
Chen Jiuyang’s eyes turned cold and he said, “Then let me test your strength.”
“Rumble!”
A terrifying aura erupted from Chen Jiuyang in an instant. Hanzawa Houpu was no less, also unleashing a formidable aura.
The referee’s countdown ended precisely: “Two, one! Begin!”
A whistle blew.
“Bang—”
Hanzawa Houpu gripped his saber and instantly unleashed a terrifying saber energy that slashed towards Chen Jiuyang. In the blink of an eye, it was upon him.
The chilling saber energy struck Chen Jiuyang, who simply raised his saber horizontally in front of him, blocking Hanzawa Houpu’s attack.
“Hum-rumble—”
Hanzawa Houpu’s figure vanished from his spot, leaving trails of afterimages on the stage as a flurry of saber light assaulted Chen Jiuyang.
Eastern Sun Country martial arts were known for their speed, often referred to as the ultimate path!
Clearly, Hanzawa Houpu had studied Chen Jiuyang’s profile.
Chen Jiuyang possessed immense strength and his moves were ferocious. If they were to clash head-on, he would be at a disadvantage.
And coincidentally, their Eastern Sun Country’s ultimate path could counter martial artists like Chen Jiuyang.
In the waiting area, Han Lixuan frowned and said, “Hanzawa Houpu’s speed is incredible. Is he trying to find an opening in King Qian’s defense with lightning-fast attacks?”
Yan Hongming remained silent, only watching the match on the stage.
“Bang bang bang bang!”
Violent and dense explosions echoed from the stage, causing a sensation in the stadium.
“My goodness, is this the pinnacle clash of the younger generation of Asian martial artists!”
“The saber… can it really be used like this?”
“That saber is so fast!”
Facing Hanzawa Houpu’s dense assault, Chen Jiuyang did not unleash his breakthrough, but merely relied on his reflexes to block Hanzawa Houpu’s attacks with his saber.
Hanzawa Houpu’s proud speed-based attacks were nothing in front of Chen Jiuyang.
No matter how dense your offense, could it break through my blood qi domain and harm my physical body?
It could not.
However, Chen Jiuyang had studied the information: three of the five ranked martial artists from the Eastern Sun Country had mastered saber intent.
It seemed Hanzawa Houpu was one of them. Was Hanzawa Houpu trying to use ordinary attacks to lull Chen Jiuyang into a false sense of security before instantly finishing him off with saber intent?
Chen Jiuyang’s prediction was correct. After more than ten minutes of intense attacks, Hanzawa Houpu suddenly closed the distance and unleashed a terrifying saber strike that made the hairs on the necks of many spectators stand on end, aiming for Chen Jiuyang.
“This saber strike is good!” Chen Jiuyang’s eyes blazed with excitement. Now was the time!
Chen Jiuyang instantly switched from defense to offense. His Yen Sheng saber also unleashed a strike, clashing head-on with Hanzawa Houpu’s saber.
“Clang!”
Hanzawa Houpu’s saber erupted with powerful saber intent, and a chilling saber energy enveloped Chen Jiuyang.
“Too weak, though you’ve mastered saber intent, you are too weak!”
“It might be effective against others, but in front of me, this move, no matter its purpose, is useless.”
Chen Jiuyang unleashed a burst of power, directly shattering Hanzawa Houpu’s killing blow.
The two were extremely close. Chen Jiuyang’s Yen Sheng saber executed an elegant upward slicing motion, and then the Yen Sheng saber’s form swelled magnificently.
“Boom!”
Chen Jiuyang’s movements were fluid and graceful as he executed the saber strike.
Hanzawa Houpu stood frozen, his eyes filled with disbelief. From his left shoulder to his right waist, his clothes were cleanly torn by the saber’s edge, and bright red blood spurted out, instantly staining the stage floor.
“How is this possible…”
After uttering this sentence, Hanzawa Houpu’s body split into two halves, and he perished on the spot.
In an instant, the entire stadium erupted!
“Oh my god, I didn’t expect Dragon Country’s Chen Jiuyang to instantly defeat Hanzawa Houpu with one saber strike!”
“I didn’t expect the strength difference between them to be so vast!”
“This Chen Jiuyang from the Dragon Country is too powerful. He was completely unharmed after facing so many attacks. He’s as strong as a monster!”