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Ranked seventh, Huang Yuan was undoubtedly a ruthless figure within the outer sect.
Seeing him take the stage, Wang Lingyun and Jiang Yun'er below the platform both showed signs of delight: This time Chen Yu finally met a tough opponent.
"Chen Yu, your winning streak ends here."
Wang Lingyun's smile was cold and sinister.
Up to now,
Chen Yu had already achieved nine consecutive victories. Just one more win would solidify his place in the top ten.
Fortunately,
his interception plan had stopped Chen Yu in its tracks!
"Huang Yuan versus Chen Yu!"
"Good, good! This year's dark horse against last year's seventh place, this will be worth watching."
A crowd of disciples below eagerly anticipated.
Towards the two on the stage, most disciples held little affection. One bullied disciples in the outer sect wantonly, while the other stirred public anger in the tournament.
Now, seeing these two "villains" clash was something everyone was willing to see.
"However, Huang Yuan's strength is too formidable. Can this dark horse, Chen Yu, still win?"
Many disciples were not optimistic about Chen Yu.
Huang Yuan had such a notorious reputation within the outer sect, second only to Hu Yiba.
"Kid, if you obediently admit defeat now and apologize to Junior Sister Yun'er, I, Huang Yuan, could let you off in the future."
Huang Yuan's round, plump body stood on the platform, stomach jutted out.
Junior Sister Yun'er?
Several disciples below couldn't help but feel a chill and curse inwardly. It seemed this Huang Yuan was determined to win the beauty's favor.
"This detestable fatty."
Jiang Yun'er's pretty face turned livid with anger. If not for wanting to vent her frustration, she would've turned her back on him ages ago.
"A tiny pearl dares to compete with the bright moon!"
Chen Yu remarked nonchalantly.
"Shut up! That line should be mine to say—"
Huang Yuan erupted in fury.
For a former fringe disciple to dare use the analogy of the bright moon and a tiny pearl in comparison to him. The key point was, he was regarded as the tiny pearl.
The crowd below burst out in astonished laughter.
Chen Yu's subtly amused expression clearly showed he intended to toy with Huang Yuan.
Previously, at the early-stage Meridian Passage and Copper Skin level, he indeed held some trepidation towards Huang Yuan.
But now, his strength had risen more than a level, ready to flaunt itself.
Huang Yuan was just the right whetstone.
"You're courting death!"
Huang Yuan's figure darted forward, his round body surprisingly nimble.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, his round, plump body bounded in front of Chen Yu.
Dragon Subduing Hand!
One of Huang Yuan's hands swelled slightly, like a large fan, accompanied by a strong and startling inner breath, slamming towards Chen Yu's face.
"Trying to slap my face? Isn't that a bit too hasty?"
Chen Yu remained serene.
Whoosh!
His body elegantly spun back, evading Huang Yuan's slap and sidling to his side.
"Hmph! Don't think you can suppress me with just your movement technique."
Huang Yuan smirked coldly, his plump body shifted slightly, as his other hand swept like an iron shovel towards Chen Yu's throat.
Chen Yu was slightly surprised.
Huang Yuan's movement technique trailed just a bit behind Le Feng, and he could counteract with composure, showing considerable experience.
Seeing this.
He took a gentle breath and swung a fist to clash with Huang Yuan's "Dragon Subduing Hand."
Whoosh!
As Chen Yu threw his punch, his entire arm expanded a bit, transforming into a large bronze hand, gathering a dominant Yin Evil Qi force.
"Oh! It seems the 'Copper Statue Technique' has been cultivated to Copper Skin Great Success and beyond."
Elder Nangong Bai Xu's eyes flickered with curiosity.
"Boom!"
An astounding blast of air surged between the two.
In that moment of clash, Huang Yuan's face changed drastically.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Huang Yuan's body was forced several steps back, his palm faintly throbbing with pain.
"How is it possible! Your strength—"
Huang Yuan's face was filled with shock and disbelief.
It's known that.
He had practiced a family-inherited cross training method since childhood, excelling in strength and defense over his peers.
Yet, in that recent strike, he was actually subdued.
This kind of overwhelming power had only occurred when facing the Outer Door Strongman "Yuan Beiting."
The crowd of disciples below was even more astonished.
Hu Yiba, Cheng Yun, Wang Lingyun, and others all had faces like they'd seen a ghost.
However.
What happened next exceeded their expectations.
"In that strike, I barely used fifty percent of my power, it seems you're only capable of this much."
Chen Yu smiled faintly.
Fifty percent power!
Those four words were like a massive wave crashing upon the hearts of the disciples.
Huang Yuan felt an overwhelming insignificance, as if swallowed by that giant wave.
At that moment.
The tall youth opposite seemed to transform into a giant, carrying an unstoppable momentum.
"Fifty percent power? Could it really be true?"
"This kid is blowing smoke…"
Not only were the disciples astonished, but even some of the present sect elders turned their intrigued attention.
"Interesting, he uses the power of words to psychologically stress his opponent and build his own momentum."
Yunyue Sect Master smiled faintly.
At times,
when experts of similar strength clash, one can defeat the other on a psychological level, finding a breakthrough point.
"Hmph! Just a little show of rhetorical skills."
Xia Xian huffed coldly, a trace of disdain on her dignified jade face.
"I don't believe it! Don't think you can play mind games."
Huang Yuan wasn't foolish, he growled, arms widening, becoming harder, like two giant pincers.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As his arms vibrated, the violent inner breath surged, with vicious gusts howling around him.
In an instant.
Huang Yuan concentrated his lifetime's skill, his lifetime's power, into a peak strike.
If the previous strike was him using eighty percent of his power, this time, it was an extraordinary exertion of possibly one hundred twenty percent.
Cloud Evil Fist!
Chen Yu's fist momentum shifted, releasing an overwhelming ferocity, with the Yin Evil Qi roaring in low.
Whoom! Boom!
That punch exploded, vaguely forming a mass of evil qi cloud. The fierce, cold terror of the evil qi was felt, and many disciples below shivered.
This is—?!
Huang Yuan's face was aghast, his internal energy and breath stalled, as his consciousness was washed over by formless evil qi.
Under such circumstances, he could barely wield seventy to eighty percent of his full strength.
"Yuan Sha Divine Skill!"
"No, it's Cloud Evil Fist…"
Several sect elders on the platform were speechless.
In the middle pavilion,
Yunyue Sect Master, Elder Nangong Bai Xu, and Fairy Xia Yu all showed signs of astonishment.
Boom!
The competition stage trembled as Huang Yuan, akin to a mantis trying to oppose a chariot, was sent flying several meters away by that fierce, dominant punch.
Ugh!
Huang Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood, struggling to stabilize himself, his face pale.
The audience was in an uproar.
That punch from Chen Yu was truly terrifying, reportedly forming an evil cloud of qi with the power of the Organ Refining Stage.
A formidable Huang Yuan was sent flying, spitting blood.
It was completely a different level!
"How can he be so strong…"
Wang Lingyun and others were dumbstruck; Jiang Yun'er's lovely face was filled with shock, yet subtly drawn by the dominance of that punch.
Strong, domineering, vicious.
—Such was the sensory impact from that punch.
"Fifty percent power? That kid was quite modest just now."
Yunyue Sect Master said in a deep voice.
"He actually cultivated the 'Cloud Evil Fist' to such a level. I fear that punch is close to reaching Great Success."
Fairy Xia Yu showed astonishment for the first time.
Because of Mu Xueqing, she had always held prejudices against Chen Yu.
Yet, she didn't expect this kid to possess such high talent in martial and boxing techniques.
"If not for the cultivation restriction, perhaps that punch would be a Great Success 'Cloud Evil Fist.'"
Elder Nangong Bai Xu mumbled to himself.
In the outer sect, being able to cultivate the perilous 'Cloud Evil Fist' to such a degree was indeed rare.
On the competition stage,
Huang Yuan looked pale and breathless, his face a mixture of horror and unwillingness.
"Do you still want to fight?"
Chen Yu glanced at him playfully.
"Number 99, victory."
The referee directly waved the flag, declaring Chen Yu's victory.
Ugh!
Huang Yuan spat out another mouthful of blood, his body swaying violently, almost collapsing.
The crowd was more alarmed.
That punch was more terrifying than expected, severely injuring Huang Yuan. Forced fighting might even risk life.
No wonder, the referee swiftly declared the result.
"Ten consecutive wins!"
Chen Yu exhaled lightly, descending from the competition stage.
Whoosh!
As he descended, reverence-filled gazes parted for him in the crowd.
Some chose to step aside.
Others came forward to praise.
"Brother Chen, that punch just now was truly domineering."
"Hee hee, Brother Chen, that punch was so manly, people admire it…"
Not just male disciples, even several female disciples, came to interact.
Chen Yu couldn't help but be astonished.
Previously, he hadn't experienced such popularity.
Clearly,
that punch earned him true renown within the outer sect, simultaneously establishing him as the top dark horse of this tournament.
"I'm so angry!"
Not far away, Jiang Yun'er's face turned green with rage.
"How did he achieve such power?"
Wang Lingyun was dazed.
His interception plan ended in failure.
Now, with Chen Yu's displayed strength, he might have the potential to challenge the top three.
Following this competition,
each match of the tenth round was splendid.
There were no weaklings on the platform, strength largely ranked within the top thirty.
Among them,
Hu Yiba met dark horse Cao Lei, drawing significant attention.
As a result,
after a dozen moves, Hu Yiba wielded the famed outer sect 'Overlord Halberd,' sweeping Cao Lei out of the competition.
Cao Lei, the dark horse's win streak, was thus halted.
"That Hu Yiba's 'Overlord Halberd,' I fear it might be a half-precious artifact."
Chen Yu noted.
Hu Yiba's cultivation, skill, and power all decisively surpassed Huang Yuan. Last year's fourth-place repute was genuinely deserved.
The ten-win Hu Yiba, filled with battle intent, cast a cold and sharp glance at Chen Yu.
From their contention during registration, Hu Yiba and Chen Yu were destined for an unchangeable rivalry.
Wang Lingyun's eyes glimmered with renewed hope.
While Chen Yu could firmly secure a spot in the top ten, the top three still faced considerable obstacles.
Ahead lay formidable opponents like Nangong Li, Duan Xiaolong, Hu Yiba, and Le Feng.
Soon after,
the tenth-round elimination matches concluded.
"The elimination matches are complete! Based on performance, the top twenty advance to the ranking battles."
Before the Array board, the Black Robed Elder announced loudly.
Whoosh!
On the Array board, except for the top twenty names, all others dimmed, eliminated from the competition.
By this time,
only six individuals maintained a ten-win streak on the Array board.
These six were:
Duan Xiaolong, Nangong Li, Hu Yiba, Le Feng, Chen Yu, and Tong Yuling.
It's essentially confirmed that these six are securely in the top ten, with the first place, maybe even the top three, to be decided among them.
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