I was told I'd be a late bloomer, but I was born with the potential to achieve great things!

mean.

Shameless.

"I have never seen a martial artist so shamelessly pretentious in the arena!"

Seeing Zhou An standing at the edge of the arena, his left hand behind his back and his right hand holding a sword at a 45-degree angle, looking like a peerless sword immortal, the disciples of Bajiquan Martial Arts School cursed angrily.

This is a martial arts arena, not a restaurant or bookstore.

They want to see rivers of blood, to recoup their losses, not to watch any posturing.

"This child is like me!"

In the spectator area of ​​the Extreme Martial Arts Academy, Senior Brother Lin, who had once again gone all in, had incredibly bright eyes.

He admitted that there was an element of gambling involved.

Even when the ringing bell rang, and he watched Zhou An retreat rapidly towards the edge of the ring, he almost cursed.

But now...

He wholeheartedly approved of Zhou An's behavior.

This is not a life-or-death arena. There is a time limit here. If the two people on the field are still standing after one incense stick has burned, it means there is no winner or loser, and it is a draw.

and many more.

draw?

"Senior Brother Lin, if I remember correctly, you bet on Zhou An to win... If there is a draw, both of us will lose everything."

At this moment, an impatient junior brother quickly spoke up.

"Lu Yangping, you idiot, what are you standing there for? Get up there!"

Almost the instant his junior brother finished speaking, Senior Brother Lin from the Extreme Martial Arts Academy leaned against the railing and began to curse loudly at the arena.

He's willing to do anything for money.

I can only hope that Lu Yangping will make a mistake in his haste, like Feng Hui, and lose Jingzhou, allowing Zhou An to win.

"Shut up."

The owner of the Bajiquan Martial Arts School angrily rebuked him.

He was disgusted that these juniors had no shame for money and dared to try to interfere with the contestants.

At the same time, he was also a little anxious. Lu Yangping was an elite disciple of his Bajiquan Martial Arts School. If he lost in such an inexplicable way, their Bajiquan Martial Arts School would be destined to be nailed to the pillory of shame.

Most importantly, they need to win three games in a row, which greatly increases the difficulty.

"Why should Master Feng be angry? The people here are resolute and will not be easily influenced by outsiders. It's just some young fools causing trouble."

Wang Xuan, the sect leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect, smiled and looked at Zhou An on the stage with increasing admiration.

His decision, despite the opposition, was indeed correct. If the Seven Mysteries Sect wants to continue to grow stronger, in addition to the older generation's perseverance, it also needs many outstanding younger generations.

I thought that as soon as Zhou An took office, he would be eager to launch a preemptive attack to force out Lu Yangping's true strength and weaknesses, but the current approach is even more ingenious.

As for whether this action will be shameful...

Intelligence is also a form of power, especially when the weak defeat the strong. As long as you win, everything else is negotiable.

"Lin Fei, sit down properly."

The people of the Seven Mysteries Sect could watch the show, but He Qianshan, the fair and impartial head of the Limitless Martial Arts School, could not remain indifferent and immediately reprimanded them.

Left with no other choice, gambling addict Lin Fei could only sit down obediently.

Just because things are calming down off the field doesn't mean things will calm down inside.

Knowing that Zhou An's main tactic was to stall, Lu Yangping, the scalpel doctor, no longer hesitated.

He bent his knees and suddenly tensed his calves, heading straight for Zhou An amidst the flying dust.

The knife, still sheathed and behind him, approached so quickly. Though no cold glint or blade was visible, it only heightened the sense of dread.

Because it was impossible to tell the direction from which the blade would slash, but once the long sword was drawn, it would surely be a lightning-fast strike.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Yangping was only a few feet away from Zhou An.

This is the essence of a veteran's skin-smoothing technique: when still, it remains still; when it moves, it's as swift as a galloping horse.

Whether in terms of physical strength or foundation, he is far superior to someone who has just mastered internal strength and has not even tempered his skin.

Zhou An took off running, circling the arena at lightning speed.

He was very fast, and the afterimage left by his blue robe could be clearly seen in the arena, like a blue arc of light, quickly widening the distance between him and Lu Yangping.

"What kind of footwork is this?"

Lin, the senior student, whose eyes lit up while standing outside the arena.

"It's Elder Huang's Shadow Chasing Step. This kid has at least reached the minor completion level."

Those in the Seven Mysteries Sect who were acquainted with Huang Huayuan exclaimed in surprise, their faces filled with astonishment.

I thought we'd be locked in close combat soon, but it seems... Zhou An can still stall for a while longer.

"Good, good, good!"

An elder from the Seven Mysteries Sect exclaimed "Good!" three times and clapped his hands.

The faster they run, the better, so that they can wear down Lu Yangping's stamina. When their men come back on the field, they can easily take him down.

Sect leader Wang Xuan, feeling as if bathed in a spring breeze, glanced at the livid-faced head of the Bajiquan Martial Arts School before looking in the direction of the Black Tiger Gang.

"Is all you can do running?"

On the arena, Lu Yangping initially remained calm, but seeing Zhou An repeatedly create distance whenever he drew his sword, he finally couldn't help but shout at him.

"I am no match for Senior Brother Lu. The only way for me now is to obtain more sect resources through this method. I hope Senior Brother Lu will grant my request."

Zhou An remained calm and composed, his steps quick and rapid. As he responded in a loud voice, he stomped his right foot repeatedly, while his left foot slid along the ground in an extremely strange way, disappearing into the distance.

"Not enough, this person's aura is not yet disordered... At least wait until there are more than half of the incense sticks on the stage, then I will have a chance to counterattack and win by luck."

With this in mind, Zhou An increased his speed once again.

He appeared disheveled, but in reality, he was extremely calm, constantly observing the changes in Lu Yangping and the onlookers.

On the ring, one chased and the other fled.

Compared to the previous fist-to-fist fight, this was extremely boring, but the people outside the arena were completely engrossed.

Because Zhou An always walked on the edge of the ring, like dancing on the tip of a knife, victory or defeat was only a matter of moments.

As time passed, Lu Yangping finally couldn't hold back any longer.

Instead of concealing his knife, he seized the opportunity to take a deep breath, his leg muscles bulging under his shirt, and he shot towards Zhou An like an arrow released from a bow.

A cold glint flashed from its sheath!

At that moment, the paper-thin scalpel flew through the air, creating a stunning spectacle and instantly attracting everyone's attention.

Zhou An touched the ground with his toes, his body swayed, and he flipped in mid-air, watching the sharp blade flash past his eyes.

"Snapped!"

A person is in mid-air with nowhere to grab onto.

However, Zhou An, who had flipped over, touched the ground with his long sword in front of everyone's astonished gazes.

"Celestial Sword Technique, Sweeping Sword Stance!"

In an instant, the Qingfeng Sword, forged from refined iron, bent on the ground like a taut bow, and with a sharp sword whistle, it rushed straight toward Lu Yangping's face amidst Zhou An's shout.

The sword was devoid of light and energy, yet Lu Yangping felt a chill in his heart and instinctively slowed down by half a beat.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhou An braced himself with one hand on the ground and quickly sprang up, running around the edge of the arena.

"That was just now..."

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he seemed to have sensed a sharp sword aura just now.

But as he watched Zhou An disappear into the distance, Lu Yangping's doubts were immediately replaced by shame and anger.

He'd been tricked.

Heavenly Rank Sword Technique?

Let alone the Seven Mysteries Sect, it might not even exist in the entire Ningshan City... Even if it did, it wouldn't be something a disciple who has just entered the sect could possess.

At that moment, Lu Yangping seemed to hear laughter coming from outside the arena. He immediately touched the ground with his toes and charged towards Zhou An again.

His footwork was unpredictable, constantly compressing the space around Zhou An.

The huge arena felt extremely cramped because of the two of them.

Zhou An, his clothes fluttering in the wind, swayed precariously at the edge of the arena. His movements were incredibly fast, and he always managed to slip away half a step just before the blade reached him.

It was dangerous, yet it didn't cause any damage whatsoever.

Someone in the audience sneered, "Is all the Seven Mysteries Sect knows how to do is run away?"

Lu Yangping heard this and his swordsmanship became even faster.

He chased Zhou An for half an incense stick's time, but the man ran around on the stage and never managed to take a direct hit from the knife, which made him increasingly anxious.

"It's time."

Seeing that the time was ripe, Zhou An took a breath and deliberately created an opening.

Without further hesitation, Lu Yangping took a deep breath, his blade flashed, and he slashed three times in quick succession.

The first strike was like a venomous snake seeking its lair, slashing diagonally at Zhou An's left rib.

Zhou An quickly dodged, avoiding two blows in succession, then turned to the side, watching the tip of the third blade glide past his clothes.

Lu Yangping frowned, and with a backhand slash, his blade flashed again, aiming straight for Zhou An's lower body.

Zhou An leaped up, the blade slicing past the sole of his boot, tearing up half a piece of cloth.

With a flick of his wrist, Zhou An unleashed his inner strength, and his fine iron longsword moved swiftly like the wind, aiming straight for Lu Yangping's blade.

"clang!"

As the swords clashed, Zhou An used the force to flip back three feet, landing on the edge of the arena.

His heel had already slipped half an inch into the air, making the onlookers tremble with fear.

It was clear that Zhou An was no match for Lu Yangping in the previous clash.

Zhou An swayed slightly, a hint of panic on his face, and then he put on an act and shouted.

"Breaking Blade Stance!"

Lu Yangping was not about to be fooled again. He paused, then, with his blade as one, he charged straight at Zhou An's central gate.

This strike isn't about ruthlessness; it's all about speed.

His strength surged, the blade whistled, and the cold light on its surface made one feel as if they were covered in frost.

Zhou An did not draw his sword. Instead, he quickly stepped to the left and right, attempting to leave the edge of the arena.

Lu Yangping shouted and gave chase, his blade flashing as he slashed straight at Zhou An's face.

At that very moment, Zhou An's sword moved.

The sword is slender and only two fingers wide, but the tip trembles, not meeting the blade, but pointing diagonally towards the middle of the blade.

Ding.

A soft sound, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

Lu Yangping felt a jolt in his hand, and the force of his slash was deflected by two inches, grazing Zhou An's shoulder as it flew through the air.

Instead of being alarmed, he was delighted. Since the two had already clashed, Zhou An had nowhere to escape.

Lu Yangping spun around and slashed horizontally at the waist.

Zhou An's sword tip touched the ground, his body as slender as a willow in the wind, and he stepped aside.

This concession was extremely risky.

The audience could clearly see Lu Yangping's blade grazing past Zhou An's clothes, eliciting gasps of surprise.

Li Fei, the gambling addict from the Extreme Martial Arts Academy, subconsciously held his breath, afraid of disturbing Zhou An on the stage.

Lu Yangping sneered, and the blade flashed again, moving as fast and swiftly as willow leaves.

One slash, two slashes, three slashes... it was a series of seven slashes, each slash faster than the last.

Zhou An retreated with his sword, dodging and blocking. The sword blade clashed with the blade, producing several clanging sounds and sparks flying.

Although he managed to block one wave of attacks, he staggered and nearly stepped off the edge of the arena several times, and his hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

Lu Yangping saw this and felt much more at ease.

He had been hunting for this moment for so long.

Although Zhou An's footwork was fast, his strength and blood circulation were inferior to his. Even though he barely managed to block the attack just now, he could not completely relieve the force of the attack he had just launched.

The next strike will be the end.

With these thoughts in mind, Lu Yangping turned his blade, gathering all his strength, and slashed down.

The angle of this slash was sinister and cunning, yet it came with extreme dominance, its blade always gleaming, capable of cleaving even a piece of pig iron in two.

Zhou An suddenly looked up, appearing to outsiders like a cornered rabbit, ready to bite.

The two on stage locked eyes.

For some reason, Lu Yangping felt a chill in his heart.

Because Zhou An's eyes seemed flustered, but inside he was calm as still water.

suddenly.

The sword flashed.

On the stage, Zhou An touched the edge of the ring with his toes, his body like a bowstring, his arm like a bow, and his long sword thrust straight out.

The first sword was aimed straight at his throat. Lu Yangping parried with his sword. As the sword and blade clashed, a spiraling force spread throughout his body, causing his right hand to tremble.

Zhou An seized the opportunity to press his advantage, and with a quick flick of his wrist, he stabbed the man in the ribs with his second sword.

Lu Yangping dared not be negligent; he quickly turned the hilt of his knife and knocked away the tip of the sword.

But at that moment, the third and fourth swords struck simultaneously, one targeting the left shoulder and the other the right waist.

fast.

too fast.

Lu Yangping swung his sword to block, but he felt a gust of wind rush past his eyes, and his tiger's mouth began to feel sore and numb, causing his swordsmanship to become chaotic.

Then came the fifth, sixth, and seventh sword strikes, each faster than the last, silent and stealthy, all striking precisely the center of Lu Yangping's blade.

Lu Yangping felt layers of force constantly building up on the blade, striking him and forcing him to retreat repeatedly... The willow-leaf blade was even about to slip from his hand.

Lu Yangping was greatly alarmed.

Since he began learning the sword, he has always kept the sword with him and the sword with him, and he has never taught anyone to throw their weapon away.

But now...

This person was clearly weaker than him and hadn't even used his sword's edge, yet each of his sword strikes was faster than the last, creating a series of overlapping, cascading attacks.

Lu Yangping subconsciously mustered all his strength and gripped the knife handle tightly.

However, at that moment, Zhou An's eighth sword arrived. He flicked his wrist and opened the sword with a clang. His ninth sword spiraled inward layer by layer.

"Clang!"

In an instant, the sword tip pressed against the edge of his blade and was pushed outwards smoothly.

The force wasn't great, but the direction was diagonally outwards.

Lu Yangping was thrown off balance by this movement, staggered, and shifted his weight forward.

He tried to sit down on his horse, but Zhou An charged at him, sword and all.

"not good."

Lu Yangping's eyelids twitched, and he lost his footing, sending both of them flying off the field.

Lu Yangping swung his arm as if trying to grab something, but his five fingers only grasped a wisp of wind.

While he was in mid-air, he wanted to kick Zhou An, but if he kicked him, he might send him back to the ring.

The wind howled.

Lu Yangping fell backward off the stage, and in a daze, he seemed to see Feng Hui's figure.

He instinctively opened his eyes, only to be met with a black foot that kicked him squarely in the stomach.

The next moment, dust flew up.

Lu Yangping, lying in the dust, saw Zhou An use the force of that kick to fly towards the arena.

In an instant, the entire room fell silent.

Zhou An was seen standing outside the arena with his right hand holding a sword, while his left hand gripped the edge of the ring, panting heavily and in grave danger.

But he still had half his body on the stage, unlike Lu Yangping, who had already dropped the knife to the ground.

Won!

How did they even win?

The same failure occurred twice at the Bajiquan Martial Arts School.

The crowd outside the arena was filled with disbelief. This was too hasty. Was Zhou An hiding his true abilities?

But his sword did not emit any sword light... it was just too clever and decisive.

"Senior Brother Lu, you flatter me."

At this moment, Zhou An, who was hanging on the arena, fell down and landed in the dust.

Some people noticed that Zhou An's face was pale, and he looked like he had suffered a great loss of energy. Even when he stood up, he swayed and looked as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

Soon, with the help of the Seven Mysteries Sect, Zhou An disappeared into the crowd.

In contrast, Lu Yangping was the one with the willow-leaf knife.

Although there was a dark footprint on his chest, his face was rosy when he stood up, indicating that he had not been seriously injured.

"The people from Bajiquan Martial Arts School are truly my lucky stars."

At this moment, a loud shout came from the Extreme Martial Arts Hall. Gambling addict Li Fei was gesticulating wildly, ignoring the angry stares of the crowd.

All suspicions were instantly shattered, and then briefly submerged in a tsunami of discussion.

......