Gao Wu: I became a saint through daily settlements

On the stage.

Lin Yue's fists rained down on Zhao Lingyun's chest like a storm.

During this time, Zhao Lingyun tried to fight back, but his attacks on Lin Yue's body, which had been tempered with more than thirty martial bones, caused him no pain or itch.

"The situation has reversed too quickly!"

On the stands, countless spectators stared in disbelief. The previously deafening chants of "Zhao Lingyun" completely fell silent, leaving only gasps of breath.

However, after only three breaths, Zhao Lingyun collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

The entire room fell silent.

wow——

"Zhao Lingyun lost?"

"I can't believe my eyes," many people exclaimed in shock.

"Zhao Lingyun is hailed as a leading figure among the younger generation in the twelve southeastern provinces, and he lost just like that?"

Doubts filled the entire Martial Hall.

Just then, Zhao Lingyun forced himself to stand up.

"Again!"

At this moment, Zhao Lingyun was relying entirely on his martial arts will to hold on.

"It has appeared! It's the legendary martial will!"

"A martial will that is one in a million!"

The disciples from Handong Province exclaimed excitedly.

The emergence of martial will means that Zhao Lingyun has not lost yet; he still has a breath left and is holding on without collapsing.

"I will defend the honor of martial arts in Handong Province!" Zhao Lingyun roared in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue decided to give his opponent absolute respect.

"Then let's go!"

"Although I don't really want to use this trick, since you respect me so much, I have no choice but to use it."

"open!"

Lin Yue's second-tier martial will erupted completely at this moment, fiercely suppressing Zhao Lingyun's first-tier martial will.

As soon as this move was made, Zhao Lingyun's aura weakened considerably.

Temple Master's Discussion Area.

"Second-tier martial will?"

"A mid-stage Martial Artist actually possesses a second-tier Martial Will?"

"This talent is terrifying." Many temple masters exclaimed in admiration.

Upon seeing this, Tang Long's eyes widened.

"When did Lin Yue acquire second-tier martial will?"

Tang Long only knew that Lin Yue had awakened his martial will during the chaotic battle in the cage, but he did not expect that Lin Yue would raise his martial will to the second level so quickly.

"Tang Long, this little guy from your Martial Hall is quite impressive!" Wan Yu praised.

"Awakening a second-tier martial will at such a young age, given time, could he become a flying martial artist?"

Flying Warrior? This is a realm that countless people dream of their entire lives.

Once they reach this level, basically nothing on Earth can restrain them.

Why is Wan Yu's evaluation so high?

Basically, each branch hall produces only one or two flying martial artists among the new generation. If this trend continues, won't the power of the new generation in Jiang Province take off?

Upon hearing this, many of the palace masters who had previously harbored hatred towards Lin Yue now felt a pang of regret.

If Lin Yue can truly become a flying martial artist in the future, then now is the best time to invest in him.

A martial arts master, from an ordinary family, lacking resources, and possessing exceptional talent—all these factors combined make him a bright and unpolished gem.

The perspective shifts back to the dueling arena.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yue's figure flew out like a cannonball, his entire body's martial bones working together as one, transmitting the power of his body to the extreme.

If mastering the subtle means unleashing power to 99%, then this punch definitely unleashed power to 99.9%!

At the same time, Zhao Lingyun also moved, throwing a punch at Lin Yue.

"boom!"

The two fists collided with a deafening sound, and smoke billowed up, obscuring the surrounding view.

Success or failure hinges entirely on this one move.

If this punch hadn't knocked Lin Yue down, Zhao Lingyun could basically have declared defeat.

Everyone is eagerly awaiting the scene after the thick smoke dissipates.

Three seconds...

Four seconds...

Five seconds...

Finally, the smoke cleared, revealing the truth behind the duel.

In the center of the ring, Lin Yue maintained his punching stance, his right fist slightly red, with abrasions visible on the surface of his fist, and beads of blood slowly seeping out.

Three meters in front of him, Zhao Lingyun knelt on one knee, his right hand supporting him on the cracked ground, his left arm hanging limply at his side.

He tried to stand up, but his knees barely left the ground before he slammed back down.

"puff--"

A mouthful of blood spurted from Zhao Lingyun's mouth, staining the arena floor in front of him red.

The entire room fell silent.

The referee quickly stepped forward, squatted down next to Zhao Lingyun, and carefully observed his condition.

"Can we continue?" the referee asked.

Zhao Lingyun raised her head and looked at Lin Yue.

There was no anger or resentment in those eyes, only a complex emotion—shock, admiration, and a hint of inexplicable loss.

"I..." Zhao Lingyun opened his mouth, a metallic taste rising in his throat.

He swallowed hard, gritting his teeth as he tried to stand up again.

He braced himself on his knees, his body swayed, and his left arm swung like a dead snake.

That's enough.

A voice came from below the stage.

Zhao Lingyun looked in the direction of the voice and saw Sun Yi, the instructor leading the team from the Handong headquarters.

"Zhao Lingyun, you've done your best." Sun Yi's voice wasn't loud, but every word clearly reached Zhao Lingyun's ears.

"I admit defeat."

Zhao Lingyun stared blankly at her head instructor, her eyes reddening.

"Instructor Sun, I can still..."

"This is an order." Sun Yi's tone left no room for argument.

"You've done a great job. Leave the rest to us later."

Zhao Lingyun remained silent.

He slowly turned his head and looked at Lin Yue.

Lin Yue didn't say anything, she just looked at him calmly.

That calmness was not contempt or pity, but a respect for the opponent.

"I admit defeat," Zhao Lingyun finally said, his voice hoarse.

The referee nodded, raised his right hand, and pointed at Lin Yue.

"The match is over. The winner is Lin Yue from Jiang Province!"

After a three-second silence, the sound erupted like a volcano.

"Lin Yue! Lin Yue! Lin Yue!"

This time, it wasn't just the voices of Jiang Province disciples, but the resonance of the entire Martial Hall.

In the stands, countless people stood up and applauded.

Someone muttered to themselves:

"The pinnacle of the younger generation in the twelve southeastern provinces... has changed."

"Zhao Lingyun held onto his position for over a year, but today he was defeated by a high school student from Jiang Province."

"Not a high school student, but from the Affiliated High School of Wuhan University of Science and Technology."

"Isn't that just a high school student?"

"This is insane, the world has gone mad."

Temple Master's Discussion Area.

Wan Yu clapped slowly, his face showing undisguised admiration.

"Okay." He only said one word, but everyone present could hear the weight of that word.

"The younger generation is truly formidable," the other provincial palace masters remarked.

"Zhao Lingyun's loss was not unjust; Lin Yue is indeed strong."

Tang Long's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression.

It wasn't because he was unhappy, but because he realized that from today onwards, Lin Yue would be completely in the spotlight.

All the praise, expectations, and pressure will come flooding in like a tide.

For a young man like Lin Yue, who is at the mid-stage of the Martial Realm, this may not be a good thing.

"Tang Long," Wan Yu suddenly spoke.

"exist."

"After the match, bring Lin Yue to see me."

Tang Long's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Yes."

The meaning of this "see" is completely different.

Previously, Wan Yu had only seen Lin Yue's performance in the crowd, casually praised him a few times, and asked the staff to record and pay attention to him.

Now, however, it is a formal audience.

This means that Lin Yue has entered the vision of the highest level of the Southeast Branch, and is no longer a "person of concern" but a "person of key cultivation".

……

On the other side, Lin Yue stepped off the fighting platform amidst a tidal wave of applause.

As soon as he stepped down the steps, he saw Zhou Yuanwu and Jing Ruoyi standing at the entrance of the passageway waiting for him.

Without saying a word, Zhou Yuanwu slapped Lin Yue on the shoulder.

"Awesome!"

Jing Ruoyi didn't say anything, but simply gave Lin Yue a thumbs up.

Lin Yue smiled but didn't say anything.

Zhao Hengshan walked over from behind, his expression serious, but his eyes couldn't hide his smile.

"Let's go to the rest room and get the wound treated." Zhao Hengshan pointed to Lin Yue's right fist.

Lin Yue looked down and saw that there were a few scratches on his fist with some blood seeping out, but it wasn't serious.

"It's alright."

Lin Yue treated the wound briefly, and it healed quickly.

After tempering his cervical spine, Lin Yue's recovery ability has far surpassed that of ordinary people.

"The top four have been determined." Zhao Hengshan pulled up the information on his electronic terminal.

"In the upper bracket, after you and Zhao Lingyun finish your match, the winner will advance to the finals. In the lower bracket, Zhou Yuanwu defeated Jing Ruoyi and has already advanced to the finals."

"So the final is between you and Zhou Yuanwu."

Lin Yue was taken aback: "Zhou Yuanwu?"

"That's right." Zhao Hengshan smiled. "The two of you will take first and second place in Jiang Province."

"Now, Jiang Province's reputation is truly established."

Lin Yue thought for a moment and asked, "When is the final?"

"Two o'clock this afternoon." Zhao Hengshan glanced at the time.

"There are still more than three hours left, you should get some rest."

The final match started promptly at 2 PM.

After the semi-finals, the arena floor had been repaired and the energy shield had been recharged, shimmering with a faint blue light.

Both teams facing off in the final were disciples of the Jiang Province branch.

Lin Yue to Zhou Yuanwu.

This news caused quite a stir within the Southeast Martial Hall.

This is the first time in all the years that the Southeast Twelve Provinces New Generation Regional Competition has seen a single province sweep both the championship and runner-up titles.

"Jiang Province is about to take off."

"With Lin Yue, Zhou Yuanwu, and Jing Ruoyi, this year's new generation of Jiang Province has an incredibly luxurious lineup."

"The key is that Lin Yue and Zhou Yuanwu are only at the mid-stage of the Martial Realm, and they still have a lot of room for growth."

"In two years, the landscape of the new generation in the Southeast Division will likely change dramatically."

On the stands, the disciples of the Jiang Province branch were incredibly excited, spontaneously organizing themselves and chanting slogans.

"Jiang Province! Jiang Province! Jiang Province!"

Zhou Yuanwu was the first to step onto the stage, waving to the stands and eliciting screams.

Lin Yue followed closely behind, his expression calm and revealing neither joy nor anger.

The two stood facing each other in the center of the ring.

The referee stepped forward and, as usual, read out the rules.

After the announcement was read, the referee looked at the two and asked, "Are you ready?"

Zhou Yuanwu nodded.

Lin Yue nodded.

The referee stepped back to the edge of the ring, raising his right hand.

"The match begins!"

However, to everyone's surprise, Zhou Yuanwu did not move.

Lin Yue didn't move either.

The two stood in the center of the ring, facing each other.

Some people in the audience started to make a fuss.

"Hit me! Why aren't you moving?"

"Brothers fighting, but you're too embarrassed to make a move?"

"Lin Yue, kill him! Zhou Yuanwu, kill him!"

Zhou Yuanwu suddenly laughed.

"Lin Yue, how should we fight?"

Lin Yue thought for a moment and said, "Let's really fight."

"Really?" Zhou Yuanwu raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Sure."

Zhou Yuanwu's smile faded, and his eyes became serious.

"Okay, then let's really fight."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhou Yuanwu made his move.

His figure moved like lightning, instantly closing in on Lin Yue, his right fist aimed straight at Lin Yue's face.

The speed and power of this punch were greater than in any previous match.

Clearly, Zhou Yuanwu had been hiding his true strength in the previous matches.

Lin Yue's eyes narrowed, and he dodged to the side, simultaneously forming a knife with his right hand and slashing towards Zhou Yuanwu's neck.

Zhou Yuanwu blocked with his arm, taking the blow head-on.

"Bang--!"

Both of them took a step back at the same time.

Zhou Yuanwu stretched his arm, which was numb from the shock, and grinned:

"Your chop is even more ruthless than a Mo Dao (a type of ancient Chinese sword)."

Lin Yue did not respond. He unleashed his full power with the Wave-Treading Step, his figure moving around Zhou Yuanwu like a ghost.

Zhou Yuanwu was not to be outdone, his footwork equally exquisite, relentlessly pursuing Lin Yue's position.

The two engaged in a dazzling exchange of attacks in the center of the ring.

Fists, palms, elbows, knees, legs—every inch of the body became a weapon.

Ancient martial arts versus modern training methods; Flowing Water Rock-Breaking Fist versus Mountain-Crushing Fist.

The cheers from the audience grew louder and louder.

Wan Yu was thoroughly enjoying the discussion area with the temple masters.

"Both of them are excellent boxers," Wan Yu commented, "but their styles are completely different."

"Lin Yue is a typical practitioner of using softness to overcome hardness and borrowing force to strike back. He has mastered the essence of the Flowing Water Rock-Shattering Fist very well."

"Zhou Yuanwu's style is fierce and powerful, with every punch landing hard, relying on brute force to overcome any technique."

"One is gentle, the other is strong; it's very interesting."

Sun Yi nodded in agreement: "Zhou Yuanwu's foundation is also very solid, no less than Lin Yue's."

"This year, Jiang Province has indeed produced two promising talents."

On the arena, the battle had entered a fierce stage.

Neither Lin Yue nor Zhou Yuanwu used weapons; they fought purely with their fists and feet.

Both fighters pushed their speed and power to the limit, each collision producing a dull thud, and new cracks constantly appeared on the arena floor.

"Bang--!"

It was another head-on clash of fists, and both men retreated several steps, leaving deep footprints on the ground.

Zhou Yuanwu was panting heavily, and the veins on his forehead were bulging.

Lin Yue's breathing also became noticeably rapid, and his chest heaved violently.

"Lin Yue," Zhou Yuanwu suddenly spoke.

"Um?"

"Are you sure you want to continue fighting like this?"

Lin Yue didn't answer, she just looked at him quietly.

Zhou Yuanwu gave a wry smile: "If we keep fighting like this, we'll both be exhausted."

"Will the national finals still be held?"

Lin Yue was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "What are you trying to say?"

Zhou Yuanwu took a deep breath and put away his stance.

"I surrender."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

"Admit defeat? Zhou Yuanwu admitted defeat?"

"Weren't they really fighting? Why did they suddenly admit defeat?"

"Is there some inside story?"

The referee was also taken aback for a moment, then looked at Zhou Yuanwu: "Are you sure?"

Zhou Yuanwu nodded: "Confirmed."

Then he looked at Lin Yue and grinned, "There's no need for us to fight to the death."

"If we really fight, I'll most likely be the one who loses."

"Rather than getting injured by you before the national finals, I'd rather conserve my strength and have a proper fight with you later."

Lin Yue looked at Zhou Yuanwu and suddenly smiled.

"You're quite optimistic."

Zhou Yuanwu shrugged: "That's just how it is, what's there to be upset about?"

"It's better to admit defeat gracefully; at least you'll save face."

The referee looked at Lin Yue, who nodded in acceptance.

The referee raised his right hand and pointed at Lin Yue.

"The match is over, the winner is Lin Yue!"

"The champion of this year's Southeast Twelve Provinces New Generation Regional Competition is Lin Yue!"