Chen Jiuyang rushed to Mi Hongfu's front and struck down with a palm.
"Bang!"
Mi Hongfu's heart meridians were shattered by Chen Jiuyang, and he died on the spot, his body falling to the ground.
Silence fell again.
Mi Hongfu, an expert in poison from the Lotus Sect, had actually died from Chen Jiuyang's poison pill.
"This..."
Countless people were stunned. This Chen Jiuyang had too many unorthodox methods.
Indeed.
Chen Jiuyang felt that his cultivation in the Four Apertures might not be enough, so he naturally had to prepare other means.
On the high platform, the elder of the Martial Ranking Association frowned, "Winning through poison goes against the spirit of us martial artists. If other countries find out, it will become a joke."
"Go, remove all hidden weapons and poisons from the remaining martial artists. The Martial Ranking only allows martial artists to win through their true strength."
"Yes." The staff of the Martial Ranking carried out the elder's orders.
All the martial artists were searched and stripped once more.
In the audience, the crippled old man, no longer being punished by Qiu Yihan, his face was pale, covered in cold sweat. He forced a smile and praised, "This kid is quite good, actually being able to counter someone from the Lotus Sect in the art of poison."
Granny Gui: "He was just lucky this time. He simultaneously shot out dozens of silver needles, mixing the real with the fake. Coupled with Mi Hongfu's arrogance and failure to activate his Qi shield, Chen Jiuyang managed to kill him sneakily."
Qiu Yihan tapped her slender, jade-like fingers, "Go inform Chen Jiuyang to withdraw from the competition. He doesn't need to participate in the Martial Ranking anymore. He has already qualified as a candidate for my Dao companion. He can focus on cultivation from now on."
Granny Gui: "Yes, Saintess."
Granny Gui immediately went to find Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang was waiting for the next round of matches when Granny Gui quietly approached him, "Congratulations, Young Master Chen, on winning the second round."
Chen Jiuyang: "What are you here for? To warn me again that I'll be killed if I don't win the Martial Ranking championship?"
"No." Granny Gui smiled, "Young Master Chen's talent has proven to be enough to match our Saintess, making him one of the Dao companion candidates."
"The Saintess has asked me to inform you that you no longer need to continue participating in the Martial Ranking. From now on, Young Master Chen can follow the Saintess back to the Holy Sect and cultivate diligently."
"Congratulations, Young Master Chen!"
"Oh." Chen Jiuyang: "You threatened me with my life to force me to participate in the Martial Ranking, and now halfway through, you don't want me to participate. Are you treating me, Chen Jiuyang, like a toy?"
Seeing Chen Jiuyang's anger, Granny Gui did not get angry, "Young Master Chen, not everyone is qualified to be by the Saintess's side. You can leave the Martial Ranking competition now."
"No." Chen Jiuyang's eyes held fighting spirit. Looking at the vast stage with tens of thousands of spectators, "I want to continue participating in the Martial Ranking. I want to see where my limit is, and if I can win the championship of the Feng Province Martial Ranking."
"Even if I have to withdraw from this Martial Ranking, I will leave backwards, not just leave with you like this."
Granny Gui's brow furrowed slightly, "I understand what Young Master Chen means. I will report back to the Saintess now."
With that, Granny Gui left.
She returned to Qiu Yihan's side and reported truthfully.
A hint of displeasure flashed in Qiu Yihan's beautiful eyes, and her voice was indifferent, "He dares to defy my orders, he doesn't know what's good for him. Since he doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, then we don't need to care about his life or death."
In the rest area for martial artists, Chen Jiuyang closed his eyes to rest. While it was good that Qiu Yihan no longer threatened him with his life, he also discovered deep within himself a desire to compete with the strong and to climb to higher vantage points.
Therefore, he not only wanted to continue in this Martial Ranking, but he also wanted to win the championship before participating in the national competition.
Another signal had not yet arrived, and he could not fully unleash his power. He still had to use a significant portion of his energy in the current matches to suppress the cold and yin energy within his body.
In the old residential area behind Fengcheng Medical College, Qin Rouyu's parents were watching the Feng Province Martial Ranking competition on television, their faces filled with complex emotions.
They never expected the young man Qin Rouyu had brought back last time to be so extraordinary, a Xuan-level Grandmaster, and to have come this far, it truly surprised them.
Having had their child late in life, they had hoped their daughter would build an ordinary family and live a peaceful life. Therefore, when Chen Jiuyang said he was a martial artist and wanted to participate in the Martial Ranking competition, they opposed it. Martial artists were too dangerous; they didn't want their daughter to become a widow.
Inside the Feng Province Gymnasium, Chen Jiuyang's fighting spirit was brewing. With the inheritance of the Medical Immortal and the cultivation of the Eight-Nine Profound Art, he wanted to see the limits of his current strength.
"Chen Jiuyang versus Zha Yuansi!"
This person was also a peak Xuan-level martial artist with twelve apertures, cultivating blade techniques.
In the third match, Chen Jiuyang paid the price of a broken arm to win, but his expression showed no pain, and his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit.
This time, he did not use any unorthodox methods but defeated his opponent honorably, once again astonishing the crowd as if witnessing the birth of a peerless genius!
With one arm broken, Chen Jiuyang, being a divine physician himself, inserted silver needles into his arm and could restore some mobility, though his arm was now adorned with silver needles.
Fighting with injuries was a first for Chen Jiuyang, but he felt no fear; instead, his fighting spirit intensified.
Fighting with injuries and crossing realms to face his opponent in the fourth match, every martial artist present nodded slowly, recognizing Chen Jiuyang as a true man.
Martial artists were the epitome of strength and yang, unyielding and unbroken, just as he was.
In the fourth match, Chen Jiuyang fought his opponent for an hour, depleting each other's true qi. Chen Jiuyang was hit in the chest with a punch, spat blood, and fell to the ground, almost unable to stand.
Fortunately, his divine soul was powerful. Gritting his teeth, he inserted more than a dozen silver needles, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and finally, with severe injuries and internal organ damage, Chen Jiuyang used pure yang true qi to restrain the opponent's apertures, rendering him immobile, and thus narrowly won the match.
This match was exhilarating to watch.
His disregard for his own life, body, and cultivation, his attitude of fighting solely for victory, made many people look at Chen Jiuyang with renewed admiration!
"Fifth match, Chen Jiuyang has a bye!"
With thirty-six participants, Chen Jiuyang was fortunate to have a bye in the fifth match, the semifinals. This gave him some time to breathe. He quickly took elixirs to recover his true qi while also treating his injuries.
"Final, Chen Jiuyang versus Mu Hongyi!"
Chen Jiuyang slowly opened his eyes. His upper garment was torn, his chest was bandaged, and dozens of silver needles were inserted into his upper body. He slowly walked out of the waiting area and onto the much-anticipated arena.
Mu Hongyi was also an injured martial artist. He held a folding fan and had a refined appearance. The two clasped their fists in salute, "Feng Province Confucian School, Mu Hongyi!"
"Feng Han Marquis, Chen Jiuyang!"
Chen Jiuyang's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, "Come on!"