Chapter 1284: Arena Tournament (Part 2)

After speaking, he didn't retrieve any weapon. He simply extended his hand forward.

His palm landed directly against the spear tip, appearing as though it would be pierced. Yet, for some reason, before the spear shaft even reached him, it dipped slightly, as if deliberately held back.

With a swift motion, it was caught by his palm and given a gentle shake.

A massive force surged along the spear shaft.

Kuai Qing's face flushed, and he couldn't help but stumble back several steps.

"You can see through my moves?" Disbelief filled his eyes.

He hadn't held back earlier; it had been a normal attack. However, the opponent had anticipated his ultimate move in advance, allowing them to gain the upper hand and inflict a loss with bare hands.

"I told you, when it comes to spear techniques, I am the ancestor. Using a spear in front of me is still too amateurish!"

He swayed again, appearing directly in front of Kuai Qing. He raised his palm and struck downward.

With a crash, power cascaded down, like a meteor striking the earth.

Kuai Qing quickly recoiled. He had thought his opponent, having fought five consecutive matches, would be exhausted and unable to execute this move again, making victory easy with his spear. He never dreamed that not only did his opponent understand spear techniques so well, but he could also still perform this very move.

He brought his palm down to block the oncoming force, but his body shook again, and the spear flew from his grasp. A palm was already on its way to his face.

*Slap!* He fell to the ground, his vision went dark, and Kuai Qing passed out.

"Seventh match: Zhang Xuan versus Guan Yongfeng!"

Immediately afterward, a figure walked up. It was none other than the scar-faced youth who had earlier regarded him as a sheep.

"I thought he was a sheep, but he turned out to be a wolf..." As he approached, the scar-faced youth, Guan Yongfeng, wore a wry smile.

When the opponent first entered, looking bewildered, he had assumed Zhang Xuan knew nothing and would surely lose. He never imagined... Zhang Xuan would be so strong that even Qian Xu was no match!

"However, making me surrender without a fight is impossible. Come on!"

With a swish, a long saber appeared in his palm, and with a surge of true energy, he chopped it down.

Feeling some goodwill towards him, Zhang Xuan didn't strike hard. After two moves, he knocked Guan Yongfeng unconscious.

As the fighting progressed to the sixth match, Zhang Jiuxiao, observing from the stands, also began placing bets.

As Zhang Xuan was a newcomer, despite knocking out the referee upon arrival, people were still unsure of his strength. In the sixth match, more people bet on Kuai Qing. In the first round, Zhang Jiuxiao, using 111 spirit stones, doubled his winnings to 222 stones.

Once Zhang Xuan's strength became known, the odds decreased significantly. However, in the seventh match, Zhang Jiuxiao bet all his capital and profits. After it concluded, his total assets reached over 300 spirit stones.

"It really makes money..." Zhang Jiuxiao couldn't help but exclaim as he looked at the piles of spirit stones.

Although he was a member of the Zhang Clan, as a side branch member, his monthly allowance wasn't much. High-grade primeval spirit stones were very useful to him. Normally, he would earn less than one or two a month, but in less than twenty minutes, he had more than quadrupled his initial hundred-plus stones. It was truly astonishing!

"Continue!" Understanding Zhang Shi's intention, he didn't hesitate and bet all 300 spirit stones on Zhang Xuan to win.

The opponent for the eighth match was a young man in his thirties with naturally bulky arms. By this point, Zhang Xuan, having fought continuously, seemed to be heavily depleted of strength, which caused the odds to increase again.

After fighting for over thirty moves, he narrowly secured the victory. The spirit stones in Zhang Jiuxiao's hands increased from 300 to 720!

Previously, he had defeated opponents in a single move, but now he had fought for over thirty. Everyone on the platform seemed to have figured out the newcomer's limit.

"He's faking it so well..." Zhang Jiuxiao shook his head, smiling, his eyes sparkling.

In these arena matches, one needs to appear unbeatable to attract more bets. If every match is a one-move knockout with no suspense, who would be willing to spend money, knowing they'd surely lose?

Those betting here, though wealthy young masters, were not fools. They would only place their bets when they felt confident. Therefore, Zhang Shi's increasing fatigue with each fight was definitely an act, aimed at earning more money here.

Seeing the newcomer's steps grow unsteady, fewer and fewer people bet on him, with most shifting their wagers to the other participant.

The opponent for the ninth match was a middle-aged man. He had previously fought eight consecutive matches, failing in the ninth. The reason wasn't a lack of strength; it was said that he had partied hard and depleted his body for relaxation, causing his legs to tremble uncontrollably during the match the next day. To win eight consecutive matches under such circumstances, his strength was clearly formidable.

For this match, he likely hadn't gone out again, arriving well-rested and full of vigor. His initial move was extraordinary, eliciting screams from the audience. In contrast, Zhang Xuan appeared somewhat unsteady, seemingly unable to hold on much longer.

Observing this contrast, the odds for Zhang Xuan to win again reached new highs. However, despite the middle-aged man's fierce strength and powerful attacks, the newcomer was like an unkillable cockroach. He looked as though he could collapse and drop dead at any moment, yet for some reason, he continued to endure, simply refusing to fall.

After a series of power clashes, they fought for over a hundred moves. The exhausted Zhang Shi somehow accidentally elbowed the middle-aged man in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious and securing another victory.

By this point, his spirit stones had reached an impressive 1800!

"To win like that, he has incredible luck! One more victory, and a new Ten-Crown King will be born!"

"Indeed, but the last match took too much out of him. I don't think Zhang Xuan can go on!"

"I felt the same way during the eighth match, but he still persevered in the ninth. This guy possesses an unimaginable willpower. I think he might become the new Ten-Crown King!"

"I'm betting on him to win..."

Soon, the tenth match began. Zhang Xuan's previous performances had instilled confidence in the crowd, and the odds lowered. He placed all his spirit stones on the bet. When the results came out, his total had only increased to just over 2,200, significantly less than the previous doublings.

Of course... the tenth match was even more arduous. The two sides fought for over three hundred moves, and Zhang Xuan still wore a half-dead expression, simply refusing to fall... The way he ultimately won was even more bewildering: the tenth combatant, attacking too quickly, inexplicably smashed his head into the ground and knocked himself out...

Those who could reach the ninth match usually had the glorious record of winning nine consecutive fights. Such individuals were renowned powerhouses wherever they went. To see one knock themselves out by hitting their head, Zhang Jiuxiao felt he couldn't even bear to watch...

"Big brother, could you be any more fake?"

"Do you take everyone for fools?"

However, this was already the tenth match, meaning the competition for the Ten-Crown King had concluded.

"Congratulations, Zhang Xuan, on becoming the new Ten-Crown King! You now have two choices: first, continue challenging; second, rest and fight again later, which also allows you to contend for the Hundred-Crown King title. My suggestion is to rest, as that would be a more secure approach..." the voice continued.

The Ten-Crown King title was a turning point. After achieving it, one could rest, replenish their energy, and return later to challenge for higher titles. The current victor looked so exhausted he might collapse at any moment. It would be best for him to choose to rest before fighting again.

"I'll continue..." Hearing the persuasion, Zhang Xuan, with tired eyes, lifted his gaze and shook his head.

"Are you kidding? We've barely begun!" Since he was here, it would be a huge loss to leave without earning a fortune! Anyway, the other party was earning ill-gotten gains, so there was no loss in spending them.

"Continue? Given your current physical condition, I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it..." the voice said. Every Ten-Crown King was a cash cow for the black market. If this newly crowned champion were to continue and die on stage, it would be difficult to earn money from him again.

"I think... I can still hold on a little longer!" Zhang Xuan spoke weakly.

"Alright, I'll now explain the method to become the Hundred-Crown King... You succeed by consecutively defeating ten Ten-Crown Kings. Your first opponent is..."

Before the voice could finish, a faint voice resonated throughout the entire arena.

"I will fight him. If he can defeat me, he will be the new Hundred-Crown King!"

The voice, like clashing bronze, pierced everyone's ears. All eyes turned simultaneously to see a tall figure emerge from within.

"It's Hong Yang..."

"Hong Yang is going to fight himself, and he's promising the Hundred-Crown King title?"

"Hong Yang always challenges others; why is he taking the initiative this time? He has a hundred victories with no defeats; no one is his match... If he truly makes a move, this guy is surely finished!"

"That's for sure... but I think this guy, if he's not crazy, shouldn't agree!"

Seeing the figure emerge, the platform immediately erupted in an uproar.

The one who spoke was none other than Hong Yang, the Hundred-Crown King, whose mere low growl had made Qian Xu tremble and turn away earlier! Hong Yang showed no sign of fatigue from any previous battles. Instead, his eyes glowed red, making him resemble a killing machine.

"So, what do you say? Do you dare?" He gave a cold smile, looking at Zhang Xuan.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's face was filled with hesitation and conflicted emotions.

"Heh heh, your fatigue might look convincing, but I've seen countless powerhouses die by my hands. It's clear you're feigning it! To defeat ten opponents consecutively and still have the energy to conceal your strength... Your abilities have piqued my interest!" Hong Yang smiled.

"You must be joking..." Zhang Xuan's face turned green, and he almost swore aloud.

He had originally planned to continue feigning weakness, fight more Ten-Crown Kings, and earn more bets, but he hadn't expected to be seen through by this guy.

"Feigning? He's been faking it?"

"He didn't look like it to me..."

"He looked like he was about to collapse at any moment, yet he won so many consecutive matches and is still fine. It is indeed suspicious!"

"That son of a bitch! I bet all my money on him losing, and it turns out he was faking it the whole time..." Hearing Hong Yang's words, everyone was furious. Those who had been misled by him and lost their bets were especially on the verge of exploding with rage.

"Even if you want to fight me, you shouldn't slander me, right? Any cultivator knows how much strength is expended fighting ten people consecutively!"

Zhang Xuan, pale and weak, raised his head: "Forget about others; if it were you, do you think you'd still have the energy to fake fatigue after winning ten straight matches?"

"Yes!" Hong Yang nodded.

Zhang Xuan was speechless.