The examination involved hand-to-hand combat. Every tournament round would roughly last around five minutes at most. Within this span of five minutes, they would have to either knock down the opponent and hit them off the arena or hold a clear advantage over the opponent during the course of the tournament. Either of these would grant them victory. Those who were evenly matched would then progressively move on to the next round of choosing new opponents to fight.
The five minutes alone was already sufficient to decide the victor for youngsters around Yan Liqiang’s age. In actuality, the most of the time needed to determine the victor in the arena would be within the span of two minutes. Half of the outcome could be determined within one minute alone. The strength of both parties such as reaction, speed, as well as the minute disparity in the capability of adapting to changes could determine the outcome of one battle in a split second.
The candidates who lost would immediately be disqualified. The judge hosting the arena as well as the martial arts academy personnel would take back the number plate from the losing party. This also meant that the loser had lost the qualifications to continue the examination. Although they could still remain inside the martial arts academy, they could only be spectators.
He heard that those who lost the martial arts examination before would usually be asked to leave the martial arts academy. However, due to the fact that for some of them left the martial arts academy during the early stages of the examination—when facing the onlookers’ scrutinizing gazes outside the martial arts academy—the stress brought by the immense setback would make them unable to face the overwhelming pressure, leading them to turn to suicide in the end. Thus, the rules of the martial arts academy were later changed. Those who lost could still remain to continue observing after they lost their qualifications and would leave together with the audience after the examination ended.
The tournaments in the nine arenas within the martial arts academy happened at the same time. A victor would emerge every minute and there would always be a candidate’s number plate being confiscated.
Yan Liqiang stood underneath the arena observing the tournament happening on it. Two years ago, he had felt that the tournament confrontation on the arena was considerably intense but after watching it again, he began to feel that everyone’s strength on the arena was too small, their speeds were too slow and their reactions were slightly rigid. In his opinion, there wasn’t any point in studying them.
‘BANG…’—A candidate in Arena C was sent a maneuvering kick in the chest by his opponent and was instantly knocked down from the arena. With this, the tournament also ended.
The candidate that was kicked down from the arena suffered some minor injuries but they weren’t severe. After he got back on his feet, he forlornly rejoined the crowd. The candidate in the arena received his own number plate back and proceeded to stand at the other side of the arena. The victor and the loser were already obvious.
Inside the wooden box underneath the arena, another two numbers were drawn out at random.
"The next group, number 64 Yan Liqiang and number 19 Guo Mingyi, please proceed to the arena…"
When he heard his name, Yan Liqiang immediately went up the stairs on the left into the arena. He stood properly on it, facing his opponent named Guo Mingyi. The man looked to be around the age of seventeen or eighteen, a young man who was older than Yan Liqiang by three to four years. The edges of his lips were already covered in a layer of light stuble. On top of that, Guo Mingyi’s body build was extremely sturdy. Among the many candidates in Arena C, his stature could be ranked amongst the top three.
The moment the fourteen-year-old Yan Liqiang stood along with Guo Mingyi on the arena, it was evident that their physiques were completely different. Guo Mingyi was taller than Yan Liqiang by half a head, and his figure was also more sturdy.
In the Martial Arts County Trial Examination, all youths aged fourteen to eighteen were eligible to enter upon passing the preliminary exams. This was Yan Liqiang’s first time participating while some of the candidates here had already entered more than once. This probably wasn’t Guo Mingyi’s first time participating. To true martial arts practitioners, when they turn eighteen, what determined the disparity in the strength between both parties wasn’t their natural born bodies but the hardships, the sweat, and the realm of their training. The further they went, the more unimportant the age became. But after they reached eighteen years of age, those candidates who were older would still have an advantage in terms of their physique.
There were also quite a number of candidates around Yan Liqiang’s age who entered the examination at fourteen years of age. But the majority of those candidates weren’t able to pass the preliminary rounds. Even if some of them managed to pass, the reason why they entered the examination in the first year was for the sake of accumulating their experience so they could prepare for the examination in the following year. Those who were similar to Yan Liqiang in being fourteen years of age were the youngest amongst all candidates. Beneath Arena C stood a total of three. As for the others, they were all basically youths aged fifteen to eighteen who were older than Yan Liqiang.
With a distance of three meters, the two stood outside the red line of the arena. They cupped their fists at each other.
A confident smile revealed itself on Guo Mingyi’s countenance when he gazed at Yan Liqiang.
On the other hand, Yan Liqiang’s face appeared extremely indifferent and calm.
Right at this moment, the scenes that flashed past in Yan Liqiang’s mind were the two devastating wounds King Cobra had left on Yan Dechang’s body as well as Yan Dechang living frugally and bearing bitter hardship for many years just for the sake of letting him concentrate on training martial arts...
I must win first place. In this martial arts examination, I must rank at the top in Qinghe County!
A voice resonated from within Yan Liqiang. It became louder and louder.
And this number one title was not for the sake of anyone else but for the sake of allowing Yan Dechang the chance to see the returns he made by investing in him for all these years.
Lions and tigers hunt for fame, but who takes pity on the moose? If a moose didn’t want to end up being a prey, then it should become a highly terrifying, revered lion and tiger...
Yan Liqiang’s expression became determined.
"START!" The judge’s voice sounded out. Standing from across Yan Liqiang, Guo Mingyi instantly rushed towards him without hesitation, striking out with a direct and efficient Black Tiger Yanks the Heart move, right at Yan Liqiang’s chest.
But just when Guo Mingyi’s fist was on the verge of hitting Yan Liqiang’s body, all of a sudden—‘AOO...’—a loud ferocious roar abruptly thundered across the entire training grounds of the martial arts academy, instantly enveloping the clamors in the arena. As the voice rang out, Yan Liqiang’s fist had already collided with Guo Mingyi’s fists without any little tricks. A loud horrifying scream erupted from Guo Mingyi, and his entire body was sent flying, heavily thrown three meters away. He was unable to get up already in just a short amount of time.
In the midst of the thundering tiger roar, a green illusory image appeared behind Yan Liqiang’s back which was the Dharmic projection of a vicious South China tiger.
In that brief moment, the judge of Arena C, the academy bureaucrat of the martial arts academy, along with the audience underneath the arena were struck dumb. Each and every single one of them was stupefied as they stared dumbfoundedly at the Dharmic projection which appeared behind Yan Liqiang’s body as though they had seen a ghost in broad daylight. All of them inhaled a sharp breath of cold air.
...
"Tiger Roaring Consecutive Fist….already at the realm of the fourth layer…" Seated atop the audience seat above the first arena in heart of the training grounds was the current academy tutor of the martial arts academy of the Pingxi Prefecture, Shi Changfeng. His eyes flickered with extraordinary splendor as he watched the spectacle that unfolded in Arena C. Turning his head around, he shot a puzzling glance at the similarly stupefied Shen Hongbing. "Qinghe County is indeed a place propitious for giving birth to great men and has many men with concealed talents. I don’t know how long it has been since I last seen such an outstanding youth in the Martial Arts County Trial Examination. It is evident that this young man has attained the Horse Stance stage. On top of that, his accomplishments were not shallow. Based on this youth’s strength alone, he should already have been netted top three and could have been exempted from participating in today’s arena match. He should have instantly been competing with those candidates who had entered the top 100. May I know why that youth still fighting in Arena C?"
Even Shen Hongbing had a stomach full of doubts. He gestured and an academy bureaucrat from the martial arts academy swiftly ran to his side. After Shen Hongbing lightly whispered to him, the academy bureaucrat nodded his head before leaving posthaste.
...
"Can the outcome be announced now?" Yan Liqiang couldn’t help but issue a gentle reminder upon seeing that the judge in the arena was still in a trance. He drew back his fists and stood properly as the Dharmic projection of a vicious tiger gradually disappeared from his body.
The judge on the arena swallowed thickly as he gazed deeply at Yan Liqiang for a brief moment as though he wanted to etch Yan Liqiang into his memories. Then, he loudly announced, "Number 64, Yan Liqiang wins!"
Guo Mingyi grimaced in pain as he stood up shakily. The fist which had collided with Yan Liqiang just now was already swollen, burning with pain. On top of that, his entire hand from the arm to the fist was numb right now. However, he could still clench his fist and could still exert some force. This meant that the bones in his hand were not broken, there were only some bruises.
He stared at Yan Liqiang with surprise as well as terror. The Tiger Roaring Consecutive Fists of the fourth layer—if Yan Liqiang didn’t withdraw the force of his fist—it would be sufficient enough to shatter all the bones in his palm when they collided with that much force just now. The moment they hit each other, Guo Mingyi felt that Yan Liqiang had already been lenient on him by only making him suffer slightly and wasn’t cruel with his attack.
The difference in their strength was too wide so a defeat was well within expectations. Having suffered no fractures and serious injuries was absolutely a matter worthy to be rejoicing about.
"Thank you for showing mercy…" Guo Mingyi panted hoarsely. He kneaded his fist before cupping them at Yan Liqiang.
"You went easy on me!" Yan Liqiang wasted no time and cupped his fists courteously at Guo Mingyi. He then received his own number plate given to him by the judge and stood to the side where the victors of Arena C were.
The previous winners of Arena C were nervous when they saw Yan Liqiang approaching. After the battles ended in Arena C, there would be a showdown between them. With Yan Liqiang’s skills, none of the victors from Arena C were his match. Whoever met him later on could only resign themselves to the fate of being disqualified. Everyone could only pray and hope their luck was better.
An academy bureaucrat came over to Arena C and talked to a couple of personnel from the martial arts academy in the arena. After casting a glance at Yan Liqiang, he then left in a hurry.
...
The examination inside the martial arts academy was still in progress. The exception was that after Yan Liqiang’s performance just now, Arena C unexpectedly and instantly became the stage that attracted the spectators the most amongst all the arenas. It was unknown as to how many people were silently scrutinizing Yan Liqiang.
Yan Liqiang continued to wait with a calm expression on his face.
He knew at this moment that not putting on a facade was the best course of pretension.
...
The first round of the tournament in Arena C hadn’t ended yet and a martial arts academy bureaucrat had already come to the arena to pass on the news to Yan Liqiang. After the discussion between the martial arts academy’s headmaster and the current academy tutor of the martial arts academy of Pingxi Prefecture, Yan Liqiang was exempted from entering the next few rounds of the tournament and could directly head over to Arena A to wait so he could compete in the last tournament with the other 100 outstanding candidates.