[Word Count 2312]
"Zhao Guang was defeated just like that?!"
"He was finished off even before his sneak attack managed to land."
"One punch was all it took for the fifth ranked disciple to be thrown away like a piece of garbage!"
"Where did number 521 emerge from? Considering that we don't even know his name very well then he must have been a nobody silently cultivating alone."
The Zhao Sect outer disciples exaggeratedly started chattering amongst themselves.
They were astonished by the fact that someone as remarkable as those top outer disciples was hiding in their midst without them even knowing.
And when they analyzed Zhao Wei's looks, they found that he looked quite average and easily forgettable if they weren't acquainted with him.
He was just like a ghost.
'Although his performance hasn't provided me with information about the true depths of his capabilities, I reckon he's probably someone on the same level as the top three outer disciples. But through my left eye, I feel like that guy is more dangerous than even Zhao Yue or Zhao Yijian.' Zhao Feng silently pondered while maximizing the full capabilities of his left eye to analyze what made 'number 521' seem so dangerous than what he portrayed in his performance.
Through his supervision he started to look for anything special about 'number 521' but he didn't find anything noteworthy. Maybe he would be able to fully know his battle prowess when they exchanged blows. At first, Zhao Feng had thought that Zhao Yue and Zhao Yijian were the only outer disciples capable of forcing him to display some of his strength considering that he had already formed a few strands of inner energy. But now… it seems that there was another mysterious dark horse that should also be added on the list.
From the first stage, Zhao Yijian still didn't put Zhao Wei in his eyes as he also had been finishing his matches with one slash of his sword.
The most intrigued was Zhao Yue as he felt something familiar from Zhao Wei's body movements and the way he pulled his punch casually.
With a raised eyebrow, he muttered to himself.
"He has also practiced body cultivation. I thought I would be the only one concentrating on body refining techniques but it seems I was never alone. I am truly amazed."
Folding his arms, Zhao Yue's eyes blazed with fighting intent against a fellow body cultivator.
Whose body was going to be tougher than the other?
He couldn't wait to see and experience it for himself but that was only one condition… if 'number 521' managed to enter the second round of elimination.
The following matches were uneventful as Zhao Wei's opponents all forfeited after seeing him defeating the top contender for the fifth platform with only one blow.
By the time the first preliminaries were coming to an end, Zhao Wei had already won twenty matches in a row with only one move. His stellar performance was on the same level as Zhao Yijian and his identity as dark horse, grouped him together with Zhao Feng, another shocking dark horse that came on top at the seventh platform.
The Zhao Sect disciples speculated Zhao Wei's strength to be on the Quasi Martial Master level, the same level as Zhao Yue and Zhao Yijian and some of the inner disciples.
Since the first round of elimination was ending, there were only ten outer disciples from each of the ten platforms that managed to advance to the second round of elimination. That was a total of 100 disciples from which only 50 would receive the qualifications to be inner disciples. And the disciples with most points gained during their previous matches, would be able to challenge the top 10 inner disciples and take their positions if they had the strength.
The second round of elimination was scheduled to begin on the following day and Zhao Wei didn't show any complacency when it came to his cultivation base progression.
He meditated the whole night while condensing his 'power' into thick strands of celestial inner energy. Of course, it was a night of strenuous physical exercises. Literal grinding.
Without even realizing he had practiced till the very first resplendent rays of the morning sun started bathing his room with a golden brilliance.
The competition was slowly heading towards its full stop.
Zhao Wei didn't forget to take a refreshing bath, something that seemed to have become a habit for him despite him being a cultivator who doesn't need to indulge in such mortal routines. Maybe it was due to the effects of his past life on Earth.
When Zhao Wei arrived at the Sky Martial Field, he found that all the other 99 remaining participants were also just arriving.
It seems cultivators are mindful when it comes to time management, Zhao Wei thought while looking around.
Due to his previous performance, he didn't know how many gazes he was getting at this very moment. In fact this made Zhao Wei to suddenly remember something that had occurred during the previous day. The protagonist, Zhao Feng, had actually tried to use his left eye to analyze him fully but he sadly didn't find whatever he had wanted. Zhao Wei had good control over his inner energy in addition to being able to hide his body's secrets from prying eyes. He knew all about Zhao Feng's eye abilities but it seems Zhao Feng was only going to be frustrated if he wanted to know his full power.
"The second round of elimination will commence as soon as possible. The hundred of you are elites among outer disciples but on this day, only fifty of you would be the actual winners!" The judge came and started explaining the theme of the second round of elimination.
Just as expected, the rules conformed to what he had read. There was nothing unusual and the competition began.
"Number three hundred and fifty six vs number sixty nine!"
"Number two hundred and fifty vs number seventy three!"
"Number five hundred and twenty one vs number one hundred and seventy six!"
Zhao Wei went on stage after hearing his name being called out.
His opponent this time was a cute, petite girl. She looked at him while gritting her teeth before giving up on the match.
"I… I admit defeat." She clenched her fists before leaving the platform with clear frustration written on her face.
Zhao Wei wasn't in the least bit perturbed by such an easy win.
He had expected it to happen anyways.
Would you take on a fight that had its odds against your favor?
That female disciple must have thought like that before forfeiting.
It was a wise move in itself. If she had decided to fight Zhao Wei, she wouldn't have been spared because of her beauty.
'But her heart of martial arts seems to be rather weak,' Zhao Wei thought in passing before forgetting about her altogether.
For example, Zhao Wei knew very well it would be stupid of him to think that he would ever win against a true Ascended Realm expert while being a mere Martial Learner but in a sticky situation, where his life was on the line and he was driven into a corner even after turning tail, he would use everything he had to at least injure his enemy until they regret. Even if he would die, his death would be one of no regrets.
The luck of an individual is an uncontrollable variable. Good luck can't be consistent throughout someone's life but that is unless you have supreme strength capable of manipulating the probability of events to your desired outcome.
As a cultivator there would always come a day where you would be forced to fight against odds that aren't in your favor and without an unwavering heart, how can you hope to progress in the eternal path of cultivation?
Anyways, the next few matches only passed to add up his points as his opponents either directly admitted defeat or were just hurled out of the platform with one punch.
By this point, he has already won fifty matches in a row without breaking a sweat.
Zhao Wei yawned lazily while observing other Martial platforms.
"Zhao Yufei has quite the fanbase." Zhao Wei looked at how the disciples went crazy everytime Zhao Yufei made an elegant move to defeat her opponents.
"And also Zhao Feng… since he didn't face Zhao Guang due to my existence, his matches have been smooth sailing so far. If he meets either of the top four, then I won't be surprised." Zhao Wei had slowly started not to care about if he messed up the timeline or not. It was bound to happen in the end. The future won't always remain static. Nothing is ever set in stone.
So far Zhao Yijian, Zhao Yue, Zhao Yufei, and Zhao Feng had a perfect winning streak since they hadn't met each other but soon…
"Number 521 vs Number eighty seven!" The judge announced his next match
Zhao Wei immediately looked at his opponent and was a little bit surprised.
If it wasn't the Metal man, Zhao Yue, a fellow body cultivator.
"Wow, that kid's luck is surely bad. His winning streak is going to end for sure."
"Let's see where he will get his confidence against the number one top outer disciple with the most powerful defense."
"Hmph, I can't wait for Zhao Yue to beat up this ordinary kid into a pulp. I have been dissatisfied with him for a very long time."
"He thinks that he is invincible with no rival. Today, his invincibility will be rendered useless and he will know that they will always be heavens beyond heavens."
Zhao Wei chuckled lightly after hearing the blubberings of the NPCs in the background.
He found it funny. Very funny.
"It seems my prayers have finally been answered. I have never fought a true fellow body cultivator. Your body seems strong but I have full confidence in my Metal Body," Zhao Yue said blandly while sizing up number 521.
"My name is Zhao Yue. May I know your name, fellow body cultivator?" He continued with respect in his eyes.
That was just him showing some courtesy to someone who cultivated the same path as him.
"Zhao Wei," Zhao Wei replied coolly.
"Zhao Wei, I will remember your name, that is… if you are able to bypass the defense of my physical body," Zhao Yue said confidently while his towering figure took on a fighting stance.
His opponent, Zhao Yue, seemed 'down to earth' and a chill guy.
Zhao Wei had no scruples against using his techniques on him.
'Wait… didn't he say that he had full confidence in his Metal Body?'
Zhao Wei smirked sadistically in his mind as he slowly started walking towards Zhao Yue.
"You said that you had utmost confidence in your defense, right?" Zhao Wei slowly walked… menacingly like a predator.
Without even waiting for Zhao Yue to reply, Zhao Wei continued, "It seems you really don't know that defenses are meant to be broken!"
"Let me open your eyes, Zhao Yue!"
"See how I trample on your confidence."
Zhao Wei immediately used [Instantaneous Lightning Movement] and shot towards Zhao Yue.
Everyone watched with bated breaths as Zhao Wei's figure seemingly turned into a blue lightning streak, his sheer speed undeniably difficult to perceive.
Almost instantly, Zhao Wei was already in front of the surprised Zhao Yue who had already put his guard up but his eyes still didn't lose their confidence. The distance between them was only an arm's length.
Zhao Wei lowered his center of gravity by getting into a horse stance and then activated [Tyrant Fists].
He then calmly directed his clenched fist toward Zhao Yue's Metal Body, and stopped an inch away from his clenched abdomen.
Everyone wondered why the hell Zhao Wei stopped his fist movement instead of continuing his attack.
Was he thinking of joking at this juncture?
Even Zhao Yue was mesmerized by Zhao Wei's actions and thought that Zhao Wei was making a stupid mistake instead of attacking. So Zhao Yue decided to use [Metal Fist] to make him realize that he wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Zhao Wei smirked.
"One Inch Punch Killer… It's over!"
BANG!
The full force of a fist reverberated all over the place as Zhao Yue's body curved inwardly like a shrimp and his [Metal Body] terrifyingly broken as if he never had any defenses in the first place.
Zhao Yue's mouth started frothing uncontrollably before he dropped down unconscious with his opened eyes, madly terror-stricken.
Everyone sucked in a deep breath. Even the main judge was visibly shocked. It was now that flashes of the image of an ordinary youth appeared in his mind. He started remembering Zhao Wei as the kid who had borrowed the [Illusory Mist Steps] from the martial arts library. He had mistakenly long forgotten him but now… he remembered.
"This kid… diverges from all the standards that I know!"
"He's a terrifying monster!"
How could such a terrifying predator be lurking amongst clueless preys?!
"Zhao Yue was defeated just like that!"
"The one move series displays itself once again!"
"Honestly I don't think even Zhao Yijian can defeat Zhao Yue with only one move!"
The disciples couldn't help but tremble after witnessing Zhao Wei's strike.
The competition was slowly becoming more interesting and full of surprises.
After that win, Zhao Wei's next opponents all admitted defeat until…
It was Zhao Feng's turn!
It seems destiny wanted to play with him. It was finally time to get a little bit serious after all… he was ultimately going to 'spar' with the Son of Fate.
Also, Zhao Wei just wanted the competition to end as he had already had enough of it!
***