Chapter 7: Brush Value Cheats

The referee looked up at the sky with a troubled expression. It was his first time encountering such a difficult contestant.

If he were to stop him, he was still a contestant. Wanting to challenge a hundred people might be arrogant, but it didn't seem to violate any rules.

But if he didn't stop him, it looked exactly like a farce. A respectable group stage match had turned into a large-scale gambling scene.

"What should I do?"

Faced with Xu Xiaoshou's question and the expectant gazes of the crowd, the referee felt a bit dazed. He clutched the black sword in his hand, unsure for a moment how to proceed.

Above the arena, Head Referee Xiao Qixiu finally noticed the situation at Ring 12.

He had to pay attention. Everyone else was fighting, but this particular ring was as quiet as a classroom.

One person was speaking, and a group of people were listening...

Xiao Qixiu's lips curved into a smile. He sent a voice transmission: "Excellent, youthful arrogance! Allow him, let him learn his lesson."

With newfound resolve, the referee immediately waved his hand: "Agreed! The match continues!"

The tall man's eyes lit up instantly, radiating greed. He darted forward, getting a head start on everyone else.

"I have a move called 'Hundred-Step Beast King Fist'! Your sword, I'll take it!"

Some people in the crowd behind were still hesitating, but seeing the first move taken, they immediately felt regret.

Indeed, opportunity always favors those who seize it first. What a pity for such a good sword, gathering dust in Xu Xiaoshou's hand as a gambling stake, only to then fall into the hands of a pugilist.

"Senior Brother Liu, aren't you going to try? Your 'Great Dark Calamity Fist'..." Zhou Zuo's eyes flickered with interest, but he knew his own limits and dared not make a move.

Liu Zhen, hidden in the crowd, shook his head slightly: "Although I've also had a breakthrough, this Xu Xiaoshou seems different. Let's observe first!"

Looking at the familiar scene before him, he recalled Xu Xiaoshou's imposing presence that day when he first emerged from his seclusion. Could truly isolating oneself for cultivation lead to such a massive breakthrough?

"Suspicion received, Passive Points +12."

Xu Xiaoshou didn't know what others were thinking. He watched as the tall man approached with his fists raised, then threw his head back and laughed heartily, full of spirit.

"Haha, come on!"

No sooner had he spoken than a phantom tiger roared and descended, making everyone's hearts tremble. When they finally reacted, they saw beneath the phantom image a rapid flurry of heavy punches, numbering in the dozens per second.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Xu Xiaoshou didn't use any specific fist technique. He met the blows with his bare fists, seemingly intending to block the peak Houtian-level spiritual skill, 'Hundred-Step Beast King Fist,' with his bare hands!

The spectators immediately erupted.

"Bare hands?"

"He's crazy!"

"Where does Xu Xiaoshou get this confidence, to try and forcefully block Qiu Wei's 'Hundred-Step Beast King Fist' with bare hands?"

"Uh, isn't Xu Xiaoshou only capable of one move from the 'White Cloud Sword Art'? I heard he only mastered the first move after three years of practice..."

Everyone watched as the four fists collided, instantly erupting into hundreds of deafening roars.

The next moment, everyone saw Xu Xiaoshou, enveloped in a flurry of punches, flailing wildly, his fists hitting only air; meanwhile, the tall man's punch shadows, dozens per breath, rained down on Xu Xiaoshou's face.

"Damn, that's brutal! I can't watch!"

"Is this Xu Xiaoshou just joking around? Does he really not know a single fist technique?"

Even the referee was shocked. This person...

At first, I thought he was here to make a joke, then I thought he was a formidable expert. Now, it seems he really is just here to make a joke!

Xu Xiaoshou took the punches to the face, getting disoriented, and appeared to be swaying precariously, yet his feet didn't move back an inch.

He couldn't move back. One step back and he'd be out of the ring.

As people said, Xu Xiaoshou indeed didn't know any fist techniques. As for the so-called 'Hundred-Step Beast King Fist,' he hadn't even heard of it.

But did that affect his fighting?

I'm strong, and I do as I please!

The punch shadows landing on his face only caused a slight stinging sensation, even gradually dispelling the strange feeling lingering in his body from last night, but they hadn't harmed him in the slightest!

As the punches continued to rain down, the information panel in his mind kept updating:

"Attack received, Passive Points +34.""Attack received, Passive Points +46.""Attack received, Passive Points +32.""Attack received, Passive Points +42.""..."

Xu Xiaoshou was ecstatic. As he took the blows, he watched the information panel refresh wildly, declaring that he absolutely loved this kind of fist technique that delivered a hundred punches per breath.

Just as he expected, the defense provided by his Innate-level 'Robustness' was simply impenetrable to these guys who only knew Houtian-level fist techniques.

Even if the opponent's cultivation was as high as the seventh stage!

"Are you just tickling me?" Xu Xiaoshou seized a gap to quickly blurt out, and the next second, his mouth was met with countless fists.

The tall man, Qiu Wei, became increasingly alarmed the more he fought. He felt tired himself, but this guy, how was he completely unfazed?

"Die!" Hearing this, he roared, suddenly turning crimson all over and emitting white smoke, his punching speed doubled.

"Blood Ignition Art?"

"He's crazy! Qiu Wei's gone mad!"

Everyone watched, mesmerized and their blood boiling. Qiu Wei's current punching speed was enough to contend with a Spirit Refinement Ninth Stage expert!

"Attack received, Passive Points +94.""Attack received, Passive Points +88.""Attack received, Passive Points +102.""..."

Xu Xiaoshou was ecstatic, utterly out of his mind!

The Passive Points in his mind soared: 500, 700, 900, 1000...

He continued to shout as he took the blows, constantly provoking Qiu Wei: "Excellent!"

"Faster!"

"Yes, keep this speed, keep going!"

"Fantastic, mmph!" A punch shadow struck his throat.

Everyone: "..."

Referee: "..."

The spectators in the stands were too far away to hear the insults exchanged during the fight, but they were all shocked by the brutal scene.

"Looks like your Little Beast Brother is going to turn into a pig's head, huh?" Rao Yinyin chuckled.

She looked at Su Qianqian; the little loli was staring intently at Qiu Wei, with a murderous gleam in her eyes.

Rao Yinyin: "..."

The onlookers felt their blood surge, wishing they could step in themselves and give this arrogant guy a good beating. Instead, they punched those nearby, and immediately, battles broke out again.

Everyone was young and full of vigor. After waiting so long, they naturally became impatient, especially with Xu Xiaoshou's shouts constantly stimulating their fighting spirit.

Some people started fighting on one side, while others chose to continue waiting.

At the edge of the ring, the two hadn't been fighting for long, but the hundreds of exchanges in mere moments were breathtaking to witness.

Suddenly, a faint voice rose from the crowd: "Look, Xu Xiaoshou's feet... they haven't moved, have they?"

Everyone immediately focused on his feet. Sure enough, despite the rapid punches, the guy, though swaying precariously like a rootless duckweed, was trembling.

He appeared to be off-balance, but in reality, he hadn't moved an inch.

"This..."

"How is that possible?"

"Could it be that what Xu Xiaoshou said about cultivating a peerless divine skill is true?"

A seventh-stage expert, who had previously been slapped to his knees by Xu Xiaoshou, covered his face and mumbled plaintively: "I told you he was powerful, but you didn't believe me..."

"Huh? Did you say something?"

The seventh-stage expert: "..."

He, a dignified seventh-stage master, was completely irrelevant in a group stage match... Damn you, Xu Xiaoshou!

Xu Xiaoshou, in a brief break from the flurry of punches, happened to glance and see several new battles erupting in the distance, which meant his passive points were being siphoned off. He instantly grew anxious.

What's the hurry? Couldn't they wait a while before fighting?

He felt he shouldn't put all his eggs in one basket.

Qiu Wei was furiously delivering blows when he suddenly saw Xu Xiaoshou, who seemed about to collapse at any moment, straighten up and calmly say amidst the wild flurry of punches: "You're tired. You need a rest."

The next moment, an ordinary-looking punch drifted towards him.

*Thump!*

The air exploded. Qiu Wei was instantly sent flying backward, crashing into the crowd.

"Rest for a bit. We'll fight again later, wait for me!" Xu Xiaoshou shouted across the distance to him.

This was a cheat for grinding points, extremely useful, and he absolutely couldn't lose it.

Qiu Wei was dumbfounded!

What the hell was happening?

I've been attacking for ages, half-dead from exhaustion, and not only are you completely fine, but you're telling me to rest?

Others saw Qiu Wei sent flying by a seemingly light punch, and immediately retreated quickly.

Now everyone knew this guy was feigning weakness to ambush the strong, a truly formidable expert with terrifying physical strength!

"My god, is he really only at the fifth stage?"

"His physical body is more terrifying than even an eighth or ninth stage expert's!"

"What kind of spiritual skill is this? I've never heard of it!"

Xu Xiaoshou smiled faintly: "It's not a spiritual skill; it's Innate-level 'Robustness'!"

Everyone: "..."

I'll believe that when pigs fly! Can Innate-level 'Robustness' truly reach this extent?

"Suspicion received, Passive Points +32."

*Sigh*, why does no one believe me whenever I tell the truth?

Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands, showing his helplessness.

I've already told you the truth. If you don't believe me, then it's none of my business.

"You over there, stop fighting." His gaze swept over the crowd, looking towards the scattered battlefields behind them. "Your opponent is me!"

"I'll fight you!"

A man with a hooked nose leaped out, named Ye Chongting, an eighth-stage cultivator.

He called out clearly: "I have a move called 'Sun Offering Fist.' Do you dare to take it?"

Without waiting for Xu Xiaoshou's reply, he unleashed a punch that ignited blazing flames, and charged, wreathed in thick smoke.

Sun Offering Fist?

Xu Xiaoshou knew this fist technique. It required a long charge-up and was designed to defeat an opponent in a single blow.

He sidestepped, dodging the frontal assault. His hand chopped towards the opponent's wrist, and as the man recoiled in pain, Xu Xiaoshou grabbed his neck, effortlessly tossing him outside the barrier.

Ye Chongting: ???

"You've changed! You weren't like this when you were fighting Qiu Wei just now!"

He almost burst into tears.

An eighth-stage cultivation! That was a powerful strength capable of contending for first place in the group, yet he was unexpectedly thrown out of the ring by the opponent.

"Didn't we agree you'd take the hit? You big liar!"

Xu Xiaoshou clapped his hands and said nonchalantly: "My apologies, I'm more interested in fist techniques that deliver a hundred punches per breath. As for 'Sun Offering Fist' and similar ones, please don't bother. Go fight somewhere else!"

After speaking, he glanced at the information panel, and his whole body swayed slightly.

Passive Points: 1766.

In other words, just Qiu Wei alone had contributed over a thousand passive points!

With this precedent, why would he waste time on these "one-shot" trashy fist techniques?

Everyone looked at Ye Chongting below the stage, feeling as if they had transformed from hunters into prey.

"Stop!"

Xu Xiaoshou let out another roar, and everyone inexplicably stopped again. The heated arena instantly fell silent.

The referee, holding several defeated contestants, had his work interrupted mid-way, and the anger in his heart surged!

He kept telling himself not to act impulsively. This person was also a contestant...

Xu Xiaoshou's gaze swept disdainfully around him, reigniting the anger in each person. Then he suddenly flicked his sleeve, gripped his leg which had mostly recovered from trembling, and assumed a horse stance.

"Time is limited, all of you, come at me!"