Rise from a Poor Family: My Martial Arts Counterattack

Chapter 315 Reaching the Top of the Heavenly Ranking
hiss!
Sensing the terrifying auras emanating from these two figures, the crowd was dumbfounded. The previous battle had already shocked them, but now they realized that both of them had been holding back.

Only now does the true showdown begin.

"Huo Ruohong hiding his strength was already shocking enough, but I never expected that Lin Chen would also hide his strength."

"It seems that Lin Chen did not go all out in the first two rounds of the competition. If Huo Ruohong had not arrived, who could have imagined that Lin Chen would still be able to hold back his strength when facing Bian Xinjie and the others?"

"It's unimaginable that Lin Chen would hold back his strength when facing Bian Xinjie and the others. What was he thinking?"

The martial artists present were shocked by Huo Ruohong, but even more shocked by Lin Chen's performance.

No one thought Lin Chen's breakthrough in just one or two days was possible. After entering the ranks, each breakthrough is not something that can be accomplished overnight, so it's impossible for it to be such a coincidence.

Bian Xinjie and Ling Tianhao's faces darkened at this moment.

Lin Chen had previously concealed his strength, making the two of them seem like clowns in comparison. Their words about fighting Lin Chen the day before now resounded loudly, leaving them utterly ashamed.

Looking at the stage, Hou Zhantian's old eyes narrowed slightly. He was the only one who could be certain that Lin Chen was at the ninth rank before today, and only one night had passed, yet Lin Chen had jumped directly from the ninth rank to the seventh rank.

Two products in one night—such progress is unprecedented.

He didn't know how Lin Chen had done it, but of course he couldn't ask right now. In fact, he couldn't reveal a word about it before even setting foot in the Great Liang territory. A breakthrough to the second rank in one night would make the other eight kingdoms extremely wary if word got out, and it would drive some people to take risks.

"interesting!"

Huo Ruohong looked at Lin Chen, whose momentum was in no way inferior to his own, with a look of surprise on his face, but a smile appeared on his lips. Only such a battle could arouse his interest.

Previously, it was just a small-scale operation.

Without a word, their eyes met, and they left several afterimages as they headed toward each other.

Rumble!
In this exchange, neither side held back. Everyone saw Lin Chen as a furnace capable of burning everything in the world, while Huo Ruohong was like a king of ice, with a phantom of an ice phoenix several feet tall appearing behind him.

This was a clash between ice and fire, and the energy unleashed by both sides made everyone present feel uneasy.

However, a dozen or so breaths later, the scene erupted in uproar.

Lin Chen let out a soft whistle, and his blood and qi surged once again. Like a fiery war god, he unleashed one powerful palm strike after another, forcing Huo Ruohong to retreat step by step.

No one expected that in this all-out battle, Huo Ruohong would be at a disadvantage.

Why!
"Lin Chen's physical strength is already unmatched among low-grade martial artists. It's not that Huo Ruohong is inferior to Lin Chen, but that he has no advantage in close combat."

A martial artist in the stands offered an answer, but his words were immediately refuted by other martial artists.

"Isn't being inferior to Lin Chen in close combat the same as being inferior to Lin Chen in overall strength? Doesn't physical strength count as a martial artist's strength?"

On the viewing platform, there were also many Liang Kingdom warriors who immediately sneered upon hearing this. Whether it was ranged combat or close combat, it was all part of a warrior's strength.

boom!
After another exchange of blows, Huo Ruohong retreated dozens of feet, his eyes filled with gloom.

He hadn't expected Lin Chen to be so difficult to deal with. Even with him holding nothing back, he still couldn't gain any advantage. Lin Chen's blood and physical strength showed no fear of his icy martial will.

"One move determines victory or defeat."

Huo Ruohong's expression turned serious. He crossed his arms, and the illusory image of the Ice Phoenix that had appeared behind him reappeared, this time even more clearly than before.

As the Ice Phoenix spread its wings, a flurry of snowflakes instantly fell, condensing into an ice sword.

"What kind of skill is this?"

The powerful figures from various countries looked at the ice sword that had been formed with a look of inquiry in their eyes. The top martial arts techniques of each country were no secret to other countries.

However, the move Huo Ruohong used did not match the martial arts techniques they knew from South Korea.

Murong Zheng narrowed his old eyes slightly, exchanged a glance with the royal family members, and saw a certain guess in each other's eyes.

The technique Huo Ruohong used did not originate from the Nine Kingdoms, but rather from a technique left behind by a certain force in the Yan Dynasty.

Huo Ruohong obtained the martial arts inheritance from a certain force in the Yan Dynasty.

"Ice Phoenix Calamity!"

Huo Ruohong's expression was icy. As his voice fell, the Ice Phoenix let out a loud cry that shook the entire arena. At the same time, the entire Ice Phoenix phantom suddenly soared into the sky, and before everyone's shocked eyes, it swooped down violently and merged into the ice sword.

The ice sword shone brightly and slashed towards Lin Chen.

"How can Lin Chen block this sword strike?"

The disciples of the Korean Martial Arts Academy were all excited at the sight. Lin Chen could not possibly block such a powerful sword strike.

Hou Zhantian and Chen Shan in the stands exchanged a glance, both ready to step in to help. Huo Ruohong's move was extraordinary, and they feared that if Lin Chen forced his way through, he would be seriously injured.

Just as the two were about to intervene, Lin Chen let out a long roar, his blood and qi receded, and in his place, an icy blue light filled his entire body.

"Canglan Energy?"

Seeing this, Chen Shan's pupils contracted slightly. He thought of how Lin Chen had spent several days at Canglan Lake and gained an opportunity there.

Lin Chen still has a backup plan. Although Hou Zhantian is the dean of Lingxiao Martial Academy, he is naturally familiar with the Canglan Power of Canglan Martial Academy, which is on par with Lingxiao Martial Academy. After seeing Chen Shan nod slightly, he also temporarily suppressed his intention to make a move.

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes, facing Huo Ruohong's sword, and slowly raised his right hand, whispering, "Azure Wave Finger!"

A burst of icy blue energy shot out from his fingertips, and in the next moment it surged violently, and an icy blue dragon shadow appeared, colliding with Huo Ruohong's Ice Phoenix Sword amidst the horrified gazes of the crowd.

In an instant, the ice sword shattered, and the phantom of the ice phoenix emerged from the sword, but it was torn apart by the ice blue dragon shadow the next moment.

Huo Ruohong's pupils shrank suddenly as he stared at the scene before him in disbelief.

His strongest move was so easily broken by Lin Chen.

impossible!
At this moment, Huo Ruohong lost his previous composure and his expression became ferocious. What he was most proud of was never the number one genius of Han Kingdom or the number one on the Hidden Dragon List or the Heavenly List. What he was truly proud of was the Ice Phoenix Tribulation.

This is a cultivation technique that transcends the Nine Kingdoms. From the moment he successfully cultivated the Ice Phoenix Tribulation, he no longer cared about the martial artists of the Nine Kingdoms. His target was the martial arts geniuses of the Yan Dynasty.

"This is impossible!"

The disciples of the Korean Martial Arts Academy gasped in surprise, and many martial artists on the stands stood up instinctively. At this moment, Lu Qiguang's old eyes were filled with endless coldness.

On the arena, Huo Ruohong knelt on one knee, the illusory ice phoenix behind him emitting a mournful cry, turning into thousands of ice shards that fluttered down. At the point where his right arm hung down, Lin Chen's finger pierced directly through it.

In the stands, Murong Yan's eyes sparkled with admiration. She had confidence in Lin Chen and had thought he would win, but she hadn't expected him to win so easily.

From beginning to end, Lin Chen suppressed Huo Ruohong, and Huo Ruohong has no chance to turn the tables.

The entire arena was deathly silent, the aftershocks of the icy blue dragon still lingering in the air, until the referee announced, "Lin Chen wins," which finally brought everyone back to reality.

The Liang Kingdom martial artists in the stands, the Liang Kingdom martial arts academy disciples below the arena, and many other shocked martial artists erupted in thunderous cheers at this moment.

Regardless of nationality, at this moment they cheered for Lin Chen's strength.

"The number one spot on the Hidden Dragon Ranking changes hands today; Lin Chen officially ascends to the top of the Hidden Dragon Ranking."

"I can say without exaggeration that Lin Chen is absolutely the number one genius in the past three hundred years of the Nine Kingdoms."

A martial artist from another country said with a trembling voice, “In recent years, many genius martial artists have emerged in various countries. They are said to appear only once every few hundred years. For example, Pei Qingming, a martial arts genius from Liang, is known as the number one genius in Liang in three hundred years.”

However, martial artists from other countries did not agree with Pei Qingming's title, and even felt that their own country's martial arts geniuses were in no way inferior to Pei Qingming.

But this time, when facing Lin Chen, the martial artists from all nine kingdoms will have no objections.

He ranked first on the Hidden Dragon List and the Heavenly List. He reached the top at the young age of eighteen, and was even a year younger than Huo Ruohong. If such a genius is not considered the number one genius in the Nine Kingdoms, then who is?

Looking at Huo Ruohong kneeling on one knee, Lin Chen remained calm, turned around, and walked off the stage.

From this moment on, he could no longer hide; he would be exposed to the warriors of the nine kingdoms, and his every move would be watched by them.

"According to the rules, Hundred Battles Martial Academy is ranked eighth in this ranking competition."

The referee's words on the stage made the already upset Korean martial artists even more heartbroken. Not only did Senior Brother Huo lose and lose his title as the number one on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, but the Hundred Battles Martial Academy was also directly ranked eighth.

But everyone present had heard what Senior Brother Huo had said earlier, so even if the Korean martial artists were unwilling, they had no choice but to accept it.

"In this battle, Canglan Martial Academy defeated Baizhan Martial Academy and directly advanced to the top four."

The semifinals?

Upon hearing the referee's words, the other martial arts academy disciples' expressions turned strange. If Lin Chen and Huo Ruohong had fought to the point of mutual injury before winning, they could still compete for first place. But Lin Chen was completely unharmed, and his strength was not affected at all. Who could snatch the first place from Canglan Martial Arts Academy from Lin Chen?

"Strive for second place!"

These are the thoughts of the disciples from other martial arts academies at this moment. As for the number one spot... they should give up on that idea as soon as possible.

Lu Qiguang's expression changed for a long time before he suddenly said, "My country, Han, is withdrawing from this ranking competition."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the other powerful figures from the other countries in the stands all turned to him.

Withdraw from the ranking tournament?

"Brother Lu, what do you mean by that?" Murong Song asked, frowning.

"Our Korean Martial Arts Academy will not participate in the upcoming competitions. As for the rankings... it's up to us."

Lu Qiguang didn't offer much explanation, but instead said to the disciples of the Korean Martial Arts Academy, "Let's go."

Lu Qiguang didn't even greet the Yan emperor before leaving with his Han disciples.

This sudden turn of events left everyone present looking at each other in bewilderment.

What is the meaning behind South Korea's move?
Did you give up on ranking because you felt you couldn't get first place?

still is……

Upon realizing a possibility, the expressions of the martial artists from various countries suddenly turned grim.

(End of this chapter)