"Even though they were equally matched in cultivation level, a single punch from Ye Changkong crippled Matthew's entire arm! Compared to the day of his life-and-death battle with Huang Weiyi, Ye Changkong's strength has made such incredible breakthroughs!"
Chaos erupted in the audience, and the elated expressions of the Tianyun Peak elite disciples turned sour.
Ye Changkong's punch had rendered Matthew unable to continue fighting, therefore disqualifying him from the rest of the competition.
A prestigious disciple of Tianyun Peak with a record of five wins and one loss was considered humiliating.
However, Ye Changkong, unperturbed by their unappealing faces, jumped off the arena and left it to its successors.
"Ye Changkong, you are truly incredible. To think that even Matthew could not withstand a single hit from you."
As soon as he descended from the stage, a familiar voice greeted him.
Seeing the face behind him, Ye Changkong smiled heartily. "Senior Brother Fang, are you also on the seventh stage?"
"No, I'm on the sixth platform next to yours," replied Fang Qiming to whom Ye Changkong still referred to as Senior Brother, feeling pleasantly surprised and appreciated.
Half a month ago, when Ye Changkong left his courtyard, his strength was only slightly better than Huang Weiyi's.
Now, half a month had passed, and Ye Changkong's strength had reached an incredible level.
This made Fang Qiming feel unreal. When he faced Ye Changkong again, he had a slight sense of awe due to his enhanced status and strength.
"Senior Brother Fang, how is your current record?" Ye Changkong smiled and asked.
"I have won five games and am about to take my turn," Fang Qiming replied, feeling much more relaxed after sensing Ye Changkong's friendly smile.
Ye Changkong was still the same Ye Changkong, and he had not distanced himself from Fang Qiming due to his elevated status and strength.
"You can do it too, Senior Brother. You have improved so fast in half a month, even winning five times already. Keep going, aim for ten consecutive wins, and enter the second round."
Ye Changkong knew Fang Qiming's strength precisely, as it was no easy feat for him to achieve five consecutive wins.
"Thank you, Junior Brother. If it weren't for the Returning Yuan Art technique and the black-grade spiritual blade you gave me, I would have only won two games at most."
"You're too modest, Senior Brother."
After chatting for a while, Fang Qiming's turn came, and he rushed onto the sixth platform.
"The opponent of Senior Brother Fang is none other than him."
Ye Changkong's expression slightly froze upon seeing the man standing opposite Fang Qiming, whom he had heard of through rumors before.
While not as prominent as Wang Beixuan or Chen Chu, Lu Chen was considered a talented disciple of Tianyun Peak and had hopes of making it into the top ten of the outer disciples.
"I have openly separated myself from Senior Brother Fang. I hope that Lu Chen will not make things difficult for him."
Although Fang Qiming had improved over the past half-month, Ye Changkong knew that he was not Lu Chen's equal.
The battle began on the sixth stage soon after.
"It's you, this useless waste. I wonder what kind of luck brought you here," Lu Chen sneered disdainfully, withdrawing a slim long sword made of fine-grade material that exuded a spiritual aura.
The difference between their strength was apparent from the first few bouts as Fang Qiming could only passively defend himself.
Under Lu Chen's continued attacks, Fang Qiming could only dodge and soon found himself at the edge of the fighting arena.
With a clear clang sound, Fang Qiming's black spiritual blade was unable to withstand the onslaught and flew out of his hand in mid-air.
"I concede..."
Fang Qiming could only say that before Lu Chen's hand suddenly grabbed his neck.
"Wishing to concede? Sorry, I don't accept." With his left hand on Fang Qiming's neck, Lu Chen lifted him slowly into the air.
He held Fang Qiming, incapacitated without his weapon, off the ground, while his sword pressed against Fang Qiming's chest.
Even though Lu Chen controlled the force well, the tip of his sword had stabbed into the skin, causing Fang Qiming to emit a muffled groan.
Lu Chen gradually walked toward Ye Changkong while lifting up Fang Qiming by his neck with one hand.
With his feet dangling in mid-air, Fang Qiming's eyes bulged out, face turning purple from the lack of oxygen. Every step that Lu Chen took, the sword in his hand drew closer and closer to Fang Qiming's heart.
"I want everyone to bear witness to this. Anyone closely associated with Ye Changkong shall suffer the same fate as him!" Lu Chen grinned cruelly, sweeping his gaze across the audience before resting it on Ye Changkong.
"Ah! Lu Chen, do not let me meet you in the second round, or I will make you wish you were dead!" yelled Ye Changkong with eyes full of fury.
He wanted nothing more than to rush onto the sixth combat platform and tear Lu Chen into pieces.
Lu Chen wasn't just tormenting Fang Qiming – he was tormenting Ye Changkong!
When Ye Changkong was about to suppress his anger and charge onto the sixth platform, the referee finally spoke: "Combatant #1 Fang Qiming has completely lost his fighting power. Combatant #566 Lu Chen wins."
Lu Chen looked at Fang Qiming lying unconscious on the ground, loosened his grip on his neck, feeling quite discontented that Fang Qiming had fainted like this, just a bit more, and he could have made Ye Changkong lose his mind.
"I'll be waiting for you," Lu Chen snorted and walked towards the direction of the disciples of Tianyun Peak.
If Fang Qiming had held on for a bit longer, he could have driven Ye Changkong into an abyss by his own means.
However, causing chaos in the Outer Sect competition was a serious offense – punishment could range from destroying one's Qi Sea to even immediate execution.
He intended to use the referee to ruin Ye Changkong, but it was a pity, just missed it by a hair's breadth!
As Ye Changkong held the unconscious Fang Qiming and walked down from the platform, he suddenly turned around, glaring at Lu Chen and his group with bloodshot eyes, "All the people of Tianyun Peak deserve to die!"
At his words, the people around him stopped talking and retreated, aware that they couldn't get too close to Ye Changkong, as they might draw the displeasure of Tianyun Peak, knowing what had happened to Fang Qiming.
This scene made the previously heated atmosphere turn rather dull.
Lu Chen and his group were not afraid of Ye Changkong, but the elite disciples on the seventh platform of Tianyun Peak felt the goosebumps on their scalps.
Lu Chen had successfully provoked Ye Changkong. In the next round, he would undoubtedly take his anger out on them.
These elite disciples of Tianyun Peak on the seventh platform all silently prayed that they wouldn't encounter Ye Changkong or wished him to meet Chen Xueyao instead.
"Cough... Cough..."
Not far from the seventh platform, Ye Changkong used the power of the Undead Emperor's Technique to heal Fang Qiming.
But after only half an incense stick's time, Fang Qiming woke up from his dizziness.
"Junior brother, it hurts so much," Fang Qiming said weakly, his face still blackened with bruises.
"Just bear with it, and it'll pass," Ye Changkong retrieved a healing pill from his storage ring, which Yang Yiyi gave him and administered it to Fang Qiming.
With the help of the healing pill, Fang Qiming's complexion improved somewhat.
"Don't worry, senior brother. I will avenge you. When we enter the second round, I will deal with Lu Chen myself!" Ye Changkong's eyes flickered with coldness like sharp blades, which he never displayed even when he witnessed Fang Qiming's tragic situation in the past.
The scene on the sixth platform was just a small episode in the competition, and most people's attention was soon drawn to the exciting battles on each platform.
The first round of battles was intense, with one bout after another, without any breaks in between.
Because of Fang Qiming, Ye Changkong no longer held back, launching into two rounds of fierce combat.
Although not facing any disciples from Tianyun Peak, both opponents were severely injured by Ye Changkong's ferocious attacks.
After two bouts of combat, Ye Changkong's fury was somewhat vented, no longer as strong as before.
But when it came to his ninth bout, upon ascending the platform, the rage in his heart was once again ignited – his opponent was a genius disciple of Tianyun Peak! (To be continued)