Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

—By directly forcing out the opponent's strongest combat power, you should thank me, you should really thank me.

Quite in sync, both sides fielded their strongest players as their generals. Since the Jade Tiger team had previously lost to the Northern Kingdom, they were undoubtedly playing it safe by having their strongest player go last. This way, they were guaranteed to defeat one or two opponents, and even if they lost, it wouldn't be a disgraceful defeat.

The Northern team, on the other hand, only had two players left, so to be on the safe side, they let Dadalia conserve his energy to easily defeat Qingyi Xiaohu.

Everyone is playing it safe and isn't planning on trying to win against four opponents at once.

Shen Liang apologized to Tadalia in his mind. He had gotten a little carried away and forgotten that not all girls were as brazen as Torachiyo, taking advantage of their lack of physical intimacy. However, given the strength of the Fatui executives, they could probably win easily even without subordinates.

He focused his attention, calmly preparing to watch D'Artagnan unleash his full power.

Chapter 243 The Young Master Takes the Stage

While Shen Liang was focused on the game, the Jade Tiger team's striker had already been slashed in the arm guard by Yegor, and anyone with eyes could see that his arm was in so much pain that he could no longer exert any strength.

Although such injuries severely impacted their fighting ability, in a uprising of a hundred men, anyone still capable of fighting wouldn't be forced off the stage because of such an injury; they would only fight even harder and more fiercely. Even the referee in the ring hadn't spoken, seemingly indicating that the fight was to continue.

However, Hiiragi Tokuji still conceded defeat and left the field, meaning the forwards were directly defeated.

Shen Liang was slightly taken aback, but he quickly understood. For the Jade Tiger Team, it was a four-on-two situation, and there was no need for them to get injured and affect the subsequent battles. As long as the three of them could deal with Yegor, it would be fine. Dadalia was originally meant for Qingyi Xiaohu to handle.

Even if they can't beat the Northern Team, it doesn't matter. As long as they stay in good shape, they still have a chance in the loser's bracket. But if they get crippled, they'll really be eliminated in the loser's bracket.

It seems that each team has its own agenda, meticulously planning every step, and sure enough, the battle is fierce.

However, the Northern team is ultimately cheating. Every member is a member of the Fools, and these Fools, having undergone human modification and fought for years, would be no weaker than a regular army in any country, and their individual combat abilities might even surpass those of soldiers. Among the current top four, the Prince's team is truly unique; it's said that he doesn't even personally participate in many matches.

The fact that it takes three members of the Jade Tiger Team to deal with Yegor proves that the contestants of the Northern Team are quite strong.

At this moment, Shen Liang saw the Jade Tiger team's vanguard pass by Qingyi Xiaohu, but showed no respect for the "general." Instead, he patted her shoulder heavily and said something as if giving an order. Qingyi Xiaohu, who had been resting with her eyes closed, had no choice but to show a humble expression and nod repeatedly. Only then did Hiiragi Tokuji leave, satisfied.

Shen Liang frowned.

Qingyi Xiaohu is not bad looking. Although he can't compare to the looks of the Fubuki team, he is still a beauty. However, his skin is dark from being exposed to the sun and wind, and he has several scars on his face, making him look a bit like a bandit or sailor who has been working at sea for many years.

It was obvious that she did not have the Eye of God, because Shen Liang knew very well that people with the Eye of God could have their bodies treated to be healthier. Captain Beidou of Liyue had been at sea for so many years and still had fair and firm skin like a young girl.

However, as the general, she should theoretically be the strongest in the team, but she doesn't seem to have a high status... That makes sense, the members of the Tamagotsu team all seem to come from the Hiiragi family. Even if the general is strong, her status may not be as high as that of the Hiiragi family's own people.

Shen Liang felt slightly uncomfortable, but he knew he couldn't apply Earth's concepts to the hierarchical Inazuma, so he put aside his distracting thoughts and continued watching.

At the same time, the core of the Jade Tiger team shouted and leaped forward with his giant axe in hand. His arms were thick, and the two axes chopped down like lightning!

Yegor's response was not to forcefully resist, but rather... agility!

"A mere trick!" Yegor scoffed coldly, then took a sudden step forward, his figure flashing and darting behind Hiiragi Yota in an instant, so fast that the latter had no time to react. He then abruptly turned halfway, the twin swords strapped to his arms tracing a beautiful semi-circular arc, swiftly slashing at Hiiragi Yota's back!

"Uh!"

Before the sharp-eyed audience could even take their eyes off Hiiragi Yota, they saw him roar in pain, pull back his double axes, and try to strike Yegor behind him. But Yegor remained calm, using his arm blade to block the axe blade, and with a swift movement of his left hand, he slashed again, tearing a second clear line of blood from Hiiragi Yota's abdomen!

Blood splattered everywhere!

The audience gasped. Although fighting and even injuries were commonplace in the 100-man uprising, the sight of bloodshed was still quite frightening. Although everyone knew that no one could die on the field, and that one side had to leave when they surrendered or were completely incapacitated, most people rarely saw such a bloody brawl so clearly. The torn flesh even made some spectators feel nauseous.

Kayo Kamisato's pretty face was slightly pale. She knew the competition would be brutal, but seeing it with her own eyes was still different. The thought of her daughter participating in a battle of this magnitude made her somewhat lost in thought, and even her slender fingers trembled slightly.

Just as Yegor was about to press his advantage, Hiiragi Yota raised his hand in surrender. He had no choice but to abandon his thrusting stance, frowning as he watched the burly man jump off the mat, coldly uttering two words: "Coward!"

It's truly disappointing. While the vanguard at least had a swollen hand and was incapacitated, this mainstay, though wounded by two swords, wasn't fatal or significantly affected his fighting ability and could easily continue fighting. In the Winter Kingdom, such minor injuries don't even require a medic. To think he'd act like this in the arena is utterly incompetent!

Meanwhile, in the stands, Hiiragi Yota, who had just left the field, glared at Kiyoi Kotora, who was in the captain's seat, and said, "Hey, you're a bit tough. When are you planning to go up?"

Qingyi Xiaohu immediately knelt down and replied in a fawning manner like a weak woman: "Xiaohu will obey the orders of the Hiiragi family."

He glanced at the defender, Shiroki, a tall, thin man carrying a long spear. Shiroki looked at him with an expression of understanding, then stepped onto the ring.

Shen Liang watched the Jade Tiger Team's inexplicable conversation and had a feeling that they were about to do something underhanded.

Sure enough, when the referee announced the start of the match, the defender of the Jade Tiger team didn't even bother to pretend. He tentatively thrust his spear at Yegor a few times, but after being dodged, he immediately reached out and shamelessly admitted defeat.

The audience booed.

This didn't even have the effect of exhausting Yegor's stamina; it was simply a means to surrender and then let Qingyi Xiaohu take the field!

Now everyone understood: the Jade Tiger team had deliberately held back for three rounds to conserve their strength, leaving Qingyi Xiaohu to handle the situation!

Three men are willing to risk their lives, so why let one woman fight?

“The sons of the Hiiragi family, the collateral branches of the Hiiragi family, even that Shiraishi Oni is the son of some family that serves the Hiiragi family, they are all nobles,” a sharp-eyed audience member whispered.

"I've been watching since the qualifiers. The only truly outstanding player in this team is Qingyi Xiaohu. The rest are just good-for-nothings who are here to gain experience through the competition!"

"I heard that the captain is Hiiragi Tokuji, and the strongest one, Miss Kotora, is just a slave of Nata that she bought."

"It's just a competition, this is so unmanly..."

However, it was clear that the men of the Tamagotaka team didn't care about the opinions of the spectators at the Shin-Ouka Dojo. They were all nobles from the Hiiragi family, and nobles never cared about the opinions of commoners. After all, there were many teams like this, who had earned their titles through the Hyakunin-Ikkyu (Hundred-Person Army), and there were even precedents of such teams winning championships…

On the other hand, aren't other teams like this? The Kujou team has the previous Jade Dragon Flag winner, "Okawara Goemon," and the Kamisato team has brought in "Executioner Shen Liang." Aren't they all the same? The rules don't say that there can't be any slackers in the team.

Shen Liang saw the Jade Tiger team's contestant stand. Qingyi Xiaohu, with her bronze skin, stood up. She was wearing a tight-fitting outfit suitable for combat, her arms were wrapped tightly with bandages, and she was carrying a sturdy long stick on her back.

As she passed by the three young masters of the Jade Tiger Team, she bowed and said something. Shen Liang heard it clearly, as the two teams' seats were not far apart.

She said, "Thank you everyone for your hard work. I will do my best to lead you all into the next round."

“If we lose, there’s no need for us to bet on your sisters,” Hiiragi Tokuji said calmly.

“I understand… Xiaohu, I understand…” Qingyi Xiaohu bowed even lower, “Please don’t let my brothers and sisters be bought by others, they will be tortured to death by slave traders.”

"No need to rush, Little Tiger Sister," Bai Shi Gui said with a grin, stroking Qing Yi Xiao Hu's strong waist without any regard for others' gazes. "If we lose, we can fight our way back in the loser's bracket. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. If you get killed, we'll be very bored tonight."

“If you die, then maybe we’ll have to buy some of your sisters to play with. Oh dear, it seems like you’d be happier that way? After all, they’d be bought anyway.” Hiiragi Yota laughed heartily.

Qingyi Xiaohu kept his head down and did not react to these words.

Then she walked to the starting line of the ring, untied the stick behind her, and instead of looking at Yegor, she looked at the young master behind him.

At this moment, her aura suddenly rose, and Yegor subconsciously took a step back. At the same time, the young master and Shen Liang narrowed their eyes.

Shen Liang realized something: if the Jade Tiger team could reach the top four solely based on Qingyi Xiaohu, then this woman must be quite strong, at least under the rules of the Hundred-Man Uprising. In this world, those who possess the Eye of God are not invincible; many ordinary people can defeat a Primal God.

Ordinary people who are not watched over by the gods may even be more powerful under the rule of one hundred people per uprising!

The young master stood up, his eyes sparkling with the joy of having discovered a promising talent.

At the same time, the referee raised his hand, but before he could even lower it, Qingyi Xiaohu was faster than the debt collectors of the Fools, instantly appearing in front of Yegor! A powerful sweeping strike!

Yegor immediately retracted his arm and used his arm blade to block, and the sound of metal clashing suddenly erupted, much louder than the previous battle!

This proves that the power unleashed by both sides in this level of battle is far greater than before!

In combat, skill is certainly important, but strength is actually even more crucial. A 100-meter by 100-meter ring may seem large, but once you fall behind in terms of strength, it's easy to be overwhelmed and gradually forced back to the edge, leaving you with no chance to fight back.

Having great strength means having fast weapons and strong suppressive power, and the long staff has a huge advantage in range compared to the arm blade!

The saying "an inch longer, an inch stronger" has been taken to its extreme by Qingyi Xiaohu!

After several clashes, the two men came to a standoff, their swords locked against their long staffs. This state is called "exchanging blades," and once they were in this state, it became a contest of strength.

With a loud roar, Qingyi Xiaohu forcefully pushed Yegor forward in large strides!

"Go to hell!"

Yegor was surprised to find that his strength was far inferior to that of his opponent. This ordinary person without the Eye of God, this gladiator slave from Nata, actually possessed the power to suppress him after his human modification!

This power is completely comparable to that of the enhanced Genshin Impacts! No, only those Genshin Impacts who specialize in combat could possibly surpass her in power!

After all, Qingyi Xiaohu was moving forward while he was retreating. If he continued to retreat like this, he would definitely lose his balance, and once he lost his balance, he would probably be sent flying by her stick! Yegor gritted his teeth and decided to break the deadlock!

He only had his right hand left to block the long stick, while his left hand punched Qingyi Xiaohu! At the same time, he prepared to take the blow from her stick head-on.

Taking a blow and then retaliating with a punch isn't a bad deal, and it also creates distance! Creating distance might give you a chance to maneuver!

This was Yegor's judgment, but this time his judgment was wrong.

Qingyi Xiaohu didn't exchange moves with him at all. Instead, he twisted his body to avoid the punch and launched a flying kick while spinning! A fierce side kick!

The debt collector was kicked and sent flying through the air!

"Drink!"

Qingyi Xiaohu raised his long stick upright and held it high above his head with a backhand!

A sudden blow to the head!

If this blow had been delivered with full force, it could have broken a person's spine in the middle! But Yegor, at the most critical moment, crossed his arms, using two blades to protect his body, and was then slammed into the ground by this blow!

The two arm blades were smashed to pieces by the long staff! Yegor landed heavily on the ground, and the arena made of bluestone slabs was directly shattered by this enormous force, forming a crater almost in the shape of a human. The rubble and dust exploded into a cloud of smoke, and Yegor lay on the ground, spitting out mouthfuls of blood!

Qingyi Xiaohu showed no mercy, and the moment he landed, he pulled up the stick again and delivered another powerful blow to the head!

The audience was almost dumbfounded. Yegor, who had just fought against three opponents, was almost powerless against this female gladiator. This move would surely kill him. Qingyi Xiaohu seemed to be in a bloodthirsty state and had no intention of holding back!

Didn't she know that if she really killed someone, she would have to withdraw from the competition?

Just then, the young master in the audience sighed and said, "I concede."

Yae no Miko smiled slightly, and without any visible movement, cherry-colored magic circles appeared on the surface of the arena. Then, the arena melted like water, engulfing Yegor. Qingyi Xiaohu's staff struck empty air, and she looked up blankly.

"Team Jade Tiger wins! Next up is the Northern Country's general, Dadalia!" the referee announced loudly.

Yegor, whose sternum was almost shattered, struggled to support himself, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, as he walked step by step toward the young master who had come down from the contestants' bench, a look of shame on his face.

"I'm sorry, young master."