14th April, Year 42023 of Elemental Era
Zhang Hao and Qin Yuanzhi entered the arena. The arena is around 100 meters in diameter, enough for the friendly fight between Rank 5s.
Ji Changchen secretly informed Chu Xin about Zhang Hao's real identity. Hearing this, even Chu Xin's eyes showed a very strong killing intent. But, this time it was not hidden. He looked at Zhang Hao continuously.
Su Zun smiled. "If I were you, I would restrain myself. Remember your identity."
Chu Xin didn't back down. "I request Sect Leader to hand over this Zhang Hao to us. This is order of our Holy Lord."
Su Zun narrowed his eyes. 'Hong Tian wants to kill a mere Rank 4 nobody? No, this will only happen if he harmed his interests. A rank 4 is not capable of such thing unless...'
He looked at Ji Changchen and laughed. "It seems even the so called invincible Holy Son of Celestial Sect faced a terrible defeat."
Ji Changchen didn't care about his accusation. He said. "Don't speak anything without any proof Sect Leader."
Su Zun smiled. "It's not your turn to decide what I said is right or wrong."
Ji Changchen narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. Gu Xing looked at Sect leader and asked.
"What do you mean master?"
Su Zun replied calmly. "This Zhang Hao most likely has defeated Ji Changchen, and not just defeated. He had thoroughly crushed him. But, I think it must be because Ji Changchen had lower cultivation at that time. With his talent, he can't defeat Changchen."
Gu Xing was surprised but understood. With higher cultivation, any one can be victorious.
Meanwhile the battle between Qin Yuanzhi and Zhang Hao is about to begin. Both are entering the stage.
Zhang Hao, surprisingly, was standing right at the edge of the arena, shivering like how a sheep shivers at the sight of it's predator. If he takes a single step back, he would loose.
Everyone was surprised at this. But Su Zun narrowed his eyes. "This guy is quite deep. He knows he can't win, so he is taking gamble. No, this is not gamble, his shivering seems really genuine. Even I can't distinguish fake from truth. But, my intuition tells me he is acting. No, if this goes on, Yuanzhi might lose."
He immediately transmitted his voice to Qin Yuanzhi. "This guy is acting. Don't act recklessly, he might be up to something. Remember you must win."
Qin Yuanzhi understood. He looked at Zhang Hao and said. "Don't play dirty. I know you are acting."
Zhang Hao was surprised and thought. 'Why is everyone able to see through me now? Is this the gap between Southern Continent and Central Continent?'
He no longer acted and immediately knelt down and cried. "Brother how about you give me this victory. You know, I have a family, two little kids, waiting for my selection. My life has always been tough. Can you let me through. As long as I win the reward, I would be able to help them. Please!"
Everyone looked at Zhang Hao and cursed.
"If you want to battle then battle, what are you crying here for? Do you even deserve to be a Warrior?"
"Win the reward? Do you think with your Rank 4 early stage, you can beat Holy Son Ji?"
Zhang Hao didn't care about them and still looked at Qin Yuanzhi with his pitiful eyes.
Qin Yuanzhi looked at Zhang Hao and said in a straightforward manner. "Your tactics won't work on me."
He immediately used his full power and attacked Zhang Hao. His speed surpassed Zhang Hao's and so does his strength.
But as soon as Qin Yuanzhi reached near Zhang Hao, Zhang Hao's initial all emotions swept away and a deep meaningful smiled flashed. "Got you!"
Su Zun immediately noticed this but it was already too late.
Zhang Hao disappeared from his initial position and appeared behind him. He used Qin Yuanzhi's momentum against him and pushed him out of the arena.
Su Zun looked at everything and understood as a sharp light flashed in his eyes. "A Space type treasure. At least Grade 8."
Everyone was shocked at the sudden change. All the cheer suddenly turned into a dead silence. No one had expected such outcome. An instant defeat!
All the higher up elders were surprised at the sudden change and they all looked at Su Zun with an expression. 'What now?'
Su Zun has also sent a Rank 7 treasure to Qin Yuanzhi just to defeat Ji Changchen, but this situation was completely unexpected. Qin Yuanzhi not only lost to a Warrior whole realm down, but he lost instantly.
The great elder of Ethereal Sect, Shangguan Yu, said to Su Zun. "Should we deny this victory? He used a treasure, which is not fair. This will also prevent Ji Changchen from using any treasure weapon."
Su Zun nodded. "Go ahead."
Shangguan Yu immediately stood up from her seat and looked at Zhang Hao and asked. "Did you use treasure to win here?"
Zhang Hao looked at her and nodded. "Yes, I did."
Hearing this, the silent crowd immediately started criticizing Zhang Hao. Everyone here faced defeat, but they don't want to admit their inferiority. Everyone wants to find the excuse for their elimination. This is human nature. No one wants to see themselves being inferior in front of others.
Shangguan Yu looked at him deeply and said. "You did wrong, do you admit it?"
Zhang Hao looked at her stubbornly and replied. "No."
Ji Changchen looked at everything as if watching a good show. His face was still calm on the surface but he was cursing in his heart as if he remembered something. 'This b*stard is too deceitful. I hope he wins the first position so that I can fight him.'
Shangguan Yu narrowed her eyes and a very strong killing intent flew from her and suppressed Zhang Hao.
But, Zhang Hao looked at her and said with disdain. "Too weak. Is this your way to show the majesty of your so called great Ethereal Sect? If you want only your chosen ones to be selected then, why bother calling everyone here?"
Su Zun looked at Shangguan Yu and said directly. "Stop."
Shangguan Yu immediately backed off. Su Zun looked at Zhang Hao and said. "You used a treasure to win, and you are still not willing to admit it? Who gave you the courage to question Ethereal Sect's majesty?"
Zhang Hao became polite seeing Su Zun. He bowed first. "I met the Sect Leader. I didn't mean it. But, the rules which were dictated before the battle never mentioned any Weapon or treasure is prohibited. I am entering the first time in a sect, I don't why using it is a mistake? I am just a lone cultivator and sacrificed a huge sum just to use it."
Shangguan Yu felt irritated. Zhang Hao was directly arguing her without any politeness, but as soon as Su Zun came, he immediately became polite like a docile cat.
Su Zun nodded. "It was indeed our fault then. We should have mentioned in the rules beforehand. But it is still unfair for those who are defeated here. So, how about this. If you admit defeat, I will compensate you for your loss."
Zhang Hao said pridefully. "Thank you lord for compensating me. But I would rather die fighting than admit defeat."
Everyone's face turned blank at his shameless words. Few moments ago he was crying on the knees, now he is shamelessly speaking such prideful words!
Su Zun looked at Zhang Hao and asked. "Oh, then tell me. What compensation do you want?"
The threat in his word was clearly audible but Zhang Hao didn't care.
He replied shamelessly. "It costed me around 1 million Spirit Stone. But even if you give few hundred thousand, it will do."
Su Zun smiled. He threw a space ring to him and said. "Good luck for your next game."
Zhang Hao narrowed his eyes.
Soon the battle between them started again.
Qin Yuanzhi looked at him and gritted his teeth. "Last time you won with treasure, but this time I would thoroughly crush you."
Zhang Hao said with disdain. "Have your ancestors only gave birth to loud speakers? Once a great man said: The dog that barks won't bite."
Qin Yuanzhi didn't get angry. But, he still felt his pride was hurt and attacked Zhang Hao with his full strength and even activated his Spiritual Imprint: Flameforged Armor
This allows Qin Yuanzhi to protect himself from attacks and even harm the enemy who attacks physically. But, it has disadvantage, it reduces the user's speed by 10%.
Zhang Hao immediately noticed this change and used Wind Rider Sprint to dodge again and again. The battle has turned into the game of cat and mouse and the game of stamina.
At this moment, the Sect Leader, Su Zun transmitted a message to Zhang Hao. "Don't attack recklessly. Take back your Spiritual Imprint and go close to him, then use your powerful Secret Techniques to finish him off in a blow."
Looking at Qin Yuanzhi calming down, Zhang Hao's face changed. He glanced towards Su Zun and narrowed his eyes. Su Zun was aware of the gaze but didn't care.
Without speaking anything, Zhang Hao retreated back to the border of the arena.
Qin Yuanzhi immediately took out a sword. He shouted. "Flame Blade Fury"
Zhang Hao immediately glanced back at Su Zun and asked. "Didn't you say treasures are not allowed?"
Su Zun replied calmly. "Yes, but the sword is not a treasure. Treasures are those which doesn't require user's skills to use."
Su Zun was right this time. Zhang Hao didn't have anything to counter him, he was busy in dodging. Defeating Rank 5 early stage with Rank 4 cultivation is not easy, especially when he doesn't possess any appropriate attacking Secret Techniques.
Even though his Thundering Dragon Strike and Crimson Lotus Palm are capable of hurting him, but it is not feasible. The Rank 5s body's self healing ability is very strong, and damages done by Grade 2 techniques would be healed very fast even if it is able to seriously injure them.
The quality of it's attack are not good.
Zhang Hao remained at the border, and waited for Qin Yuanzhi to come. And as soon as Qin Yuanzhi came near him, he immediately brought out a sword and used Sword's flying technique to fly in the air, but the sudden flight broke his balance and he fell back in the middle of the arena.