Chapter 115: Holding Up the Sky

As Zhang Yu quietly conserved his energy, a gasp of surprise rippled through the stadium.

In the live broadcast room, Gang Shan looked at the "10000 kg" displayed on the Sky Pillar and exclaimed in surprise, "Are they challenging such a high weight in just the second round?"

Xiong Wenwu slowly ascended the stage, his eyes fixed on the Sky Pillar gradually descending above him, as if he were watching the sky collapse upon him.

The next moment, his bear-like hands slapped fiercely against the Sky Pillar as it thundered down.

With a resounding boom, Xiong Wenwu's muscles tensed all over his body, veins bulged, and traces of blood appeared on his clenched jaw.

But even with such immense effort, the Sky Pillar showed no sign of stopping its descent. It seemed ready to slowly, inch by inch, crush Xiong Wenwu completely.

However, the very next moment, accompanied by Xiong Wenwu's furious roar, a sound like a dragon's cry reverberated through the stadium, making countless students and spectators tremble.

Simultaneously, a mist of blood suddenly burst from Xiong Wenwu's entire body.

His black dragon scales, like clothes being torn apart, ripped open in numerous blood-red gashes.

Evidently, his skin, flesh, and scales couldn't withstand Xiong Wenwu's overloaded power burst, being torn apart by his violently expanding muscles.

As the blood mist erupted from Xiong Wenwu's body, the descending Sky Pillar gradually halted, and with another roar from him, it was even pushed back up several inches.

The 10,000 kg challenge was a success.

Below the stage, Hu Yuntao let out a tiger's roar, leading the Red Pagoda members in a burst of cheers.

Gang Shan commented in surprise, "He's already going all out in the second round? His muscles must be severely strained, right? With such serious injuries, he definitely won't be able to participate in the next round."

"Still, with a 10,000 kg result, no one else here, except for Yu Xinghan, is likely to surpass it. Now it depends on whether Yu Xinghan will push himself in the next round."

Le Jingchen watched Xiong Wenwu descend the stage, but noticed that the situation was not as expected.

His injuries... were recovering rapidly.

He mused, "Does the Black Dragon bloodline grant them extraordinary recovery abilities? And combined with..."

Seeing the medical team rushing towards Xiong Wenwu, Le Jingchen felt that Xiong Wenwu might very well appear on stage again for the third round of the Sky Pillar challenge.

Le Jingchen remarked, "Xiong Wenwu's 10,000 kg achievement will certainly motivate the other contestants. The next round will be exciting."

As the second round concluded, contestants began to report their target weights for the final round.

A staff member, while registering the weights, thought to himself, "Were they spurred on by Xiong Wenwu's desperate effort? They're all pushing themselves so hard..."

Just then, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he looked up at Zhang Yu in front of him. "This number... are you sure?"

After repeated confirmation, the staff member still registered the target weight Zhang Yu had reported, but a question arose in his mind: "Is he crazy?"

Meanwhile, in the White Dragon High School's rest area.

Yu Xinghan, who was about to report his target weight, was stopped.

Yu Xinghan said to Li Xuelian on the other end of the phone, "Senior Sister, why are you stopping me? You know my strength; this weight is absolutely no problem."

Li Xuelian replied calmly, "But if you push yourself beyond your limits, you'll get injured."

"Xinghan, your body is strong, but that also means it's very expensive to heal."

"I don't want to waste Father's money on medical expenses."

Yu Xinghan asked, "What about the contract, then? If Xiong Wenwu surpasses me in the next round, I'll only get second place in this stage."

Li Xuelian calmly stated, "Even if you get second in this stage, you'll still be first overall, and you'll remain the champion of this athletic competition."

"Don't waste money for trivial rankings."

Yu Xinghan still felt a sense of frustration.

Especially when he considered that he was clearly stronger than Xiong Wenwu but couldn't unleash his full power to crush him, and might even lose first place in the final stage to him... he felt the 'Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Art' in his mind become less fluid.

As if sensing Yu Xinghan's dissatisfaction, Li Xuelian continued, "Xinghan, understand that your body no longer belongs to you. Everything about you belongs to Father. You have no right to consume assets and money that aren't yours."

"This is also Father's wish."

After ending the call, Li Xuelian thought to herself, "The long-term practice of the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Art has made his mindset somewhat rigid. This is a good opportunity to temper him, and it can also lay the groundwork for his next mental cultivation technique."

As for the competition ranking, Li Xuelian had no concerns.

After all, Yu Xinghan had accumulated too significant an advantage in the first three stages. Even if Xiong Wenwu took first place in this stage, it wouldn't matter; Yu Xinghan would still be the champion of the athletic competition, and the advertising and endorsement contracts with White Dragon High School and Xianyun Group would proceed smoothly.

On the other side, after Yu Xinghan hung up the phone, he clenched his fist with a *bang*, crushing the device. A cold aura emanated from him, making none of the surrounding high school students dare to approach.

After a long while, and only after repeated prompting from the staff, he walked over with an icy expression to report his target weight for the final round.

As the final round of the Sky Pillar began, contestants, once on stage, were no longer as conservative as in the previous round. Instead, they all went all out, challenging their limits.

Consequently, some succeeded, some failed, and many were injured.

Gang Shan commented, "Everyone is giving their all in this round. The precise numbers for their target weights are also very interesting. I believe that contestants who can set their target weight more accurately have a more thorough understanding of their own maximum strength."

Le Jingchen nodded, "Theoretically, the better one understands their own physique and condition, the more accurate the chosen weight will be."

When Bai Zhenzhen stepped onto the stage, the number displayed on the Sky Pillar was 8050 kg.

As immense pressure came through her palms, the scars on Bai Zhenzhen's body turned crimson again, like dragon claws slowly tightening around her.

Perhaps due to the excitement of the speed competition, Bai Zhenzhen's scars now glowed even more vividly, radiating a ruby-like sheen.

And when Bai Zhenzhen, with a fierce shout, pushed the Sky Pillar upwards, several scars finally tore open, staining her body with blood.

Bai Zhenzhen let out a groan of pain, inwardly roaring, "Damn this body... hold on! I need to get into one of the top ten universities!"

After holding on for five seconds, Bai Zhenzhen finally lowered her hands from supporting the Sky Pillar and, covered in blood, stepped down from the platform.

Wang Hai immediately ran up to her, sighing helplessly, "You know your condition; why didn't you report a lower weight?"

Bai Zhenzhen smiled faintly without speaking, thinking to herself, "During the last martial arts competition, I didn't have the money or the confidence to go all the way."

"Now that Yu-zi won the championship and will cover my medical expenses, I can finally go all out."

With that thought, Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu, who was still absorbed in his own world, oblivious to his surroundings, and thought, "Good, Yu-zi, keep it up. Your mom's injuries are counting on you to reimburse the medical bills."

Just then, Bai Zhenzhen felt a wave of heat wash over her and saw Le Mulan, who was passing by on her way to the stage, steaming profusely as if she were about to boil.

Bai Zhenzhen muttered under her breath, "What the hell... how much medicine did she take? Is she trying to turn into a pill furnace?"

Le Mulan recalled taking the medicine backstage just moments ago.

Her competition coach said worriedly, "Even if it's President Le Jingchen's request, isn't this dosage too dangerous?"

Le Mulan replied indifferently, "Give it to me."

She slowly said to a nearby advertising camera, "For other students, this round is merely a challenge to their physical strength. But for me, having undergone super-metabolism surgery, this round also serves as a challenge to my medication limit."

After displaying each dose of medicine, Le Mulan injected them into her body one by one. Moments later, she felt her heart pound fiercely, and her face instantly turned bright red.

"My target weight is 9000 kg. This is an achievement only strong power-type athletes can reach, but now... I can do it!"

On stage, after Le Mulan, trembling all over, supported the 9000 kg Sky Pillar for five seconds, she suddenly collapsed to her knees, feeling her leg bones fracture.

But facing countless cameras and the impending public relations, she knew she couldn't show weakness. This was her responsibility and duty as a key training candidate for her family.

So she struggled to stand on her legs, trying her best to descend the stage as if nothing had happened.

As soon as she stepped off the stage, she was immediately surrounded by many cameras. Though her head was spinning, Le Mulan still managed to deliver her advertisement lines, prompted by her competition coach.

As Le Mulan successfully challenged 9000 kg, Song Hailong supported 9300 kg, Hu Yuntao, covered in blood, held up 9800 kg, and Yu Xinghan surpassed 10001 kg, becoming the second contestant to successfully challenge the 10,000 kg Sky Pillar.

Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xiong Wenwu, still bearing traces of blood, slowly ascended the stage.

But just as everyone was anticipating Xiong Wenwu's performance, Wang Hai noticed something strange.

"Where's Zhang Yu? Why hasn't he gone on stage yet?"

"Is he scheduled after Xiong Wenwu?"

"How much weight did he actually declare?"

Meanwhile, Xiong Wenwu once again looked up at the slowly descending Sky Pillar, feeling its dark, oppressive mass gradually obscure his vision, as if the sky itself were collapsing.

This feeling of the sky collapsing... he had experienced countless times since childhood.

Every screening at the breeding base, every time a companion was eliminated, every exam after entering high school... each time was filled with such tension, fear, and a sense of helplessness.

Just like at this moment, as he tried to push up with both palms, wanting to withstand the crushing pressure from above.

Yet, he could only feel the 10,800 kg weight continuing to bear down with irresistible force, pressing him to lower his head, bend his back, and ultimately forcing him to his knees.

The nearby referee asked, "Xiong Wenwu, do you want to continue?"

Xiong Wenwu didn't hear the referee. His mind was replaying the orders from his Father.

"10,800 kg, you should be able to achieve that, right? Isn't strength supposed to be your strong suit? If you can't even do this, who will buy Red Pagoda's new technology?"

"Injured?"

"If you don't get injured, how will you demonstrate the new technology's recovery capabilities?"

"Injuries are good. The more severe the injury, the better you can showcase your recovery power."

At this moment, Xiong Wenwu's muscles tensed tighter and tighter, his teeth felt like they would shatter, and his heart pounded violently like a car engine.

I can do it!

I can do it, Father!

I am no longer the Number 33456 who could only helplessly accept fate's arrangements and watch the sky collapse around me.

Now, I have studied, I have cultivated the immortal path, I am a high school student! I am a prodigy destined for university!

Now... I can hold up the heavens!

As the muscles in his arms burst, Xiong Wenwu fiercely pushed against the descending Sky Pillar.

Then, as his massive body rose with a crash, the Sky Pillar was pushed back up by one meter.

With tearing muscles and fracturing bones, bursts of blood erupted from Xiong Wenwu's body, and a trickle of fresh blood, from internal injuries, flowed from the corner of his mouth.

The next five seconds felt as long as his entire past life.

When Xiong Wenwu finally came to, he was already lying on the stage.

Looking at Hu Yuntao, who had rushed to his side, Xiong Wenwu murmured, "Did I... succeed?"

Hu Yuntao nodded repeatedly, exclaiming excitedly, "Brother! You succeeded! With your promotion this time, the Black Dragon Bloodline technology will definitely sell big!"

At the same time, cameras immediately moved in, beginning to record Xiong Wenwu's entire recovery process.

Hu Yuntao encouraged him from the side, "Brother! You must hold on, don't faint! There are still advertisement lines to say..."

Just as Xiong Wenwu was being carried off, with the Red Pagoda members excitedly chanting "First Place," and many students and spectators marveling at Xiong Wenwu's achievement...

The Sky Pillar on stage vibrated slightly, and a new number appeared.

12531 kg.

Only then did everyone realize: There's still another master?!

The "Battle of the Gods" competition at Qidian officially begins today. Thank you for your previous nominations, which qualified me for the Oasis Group's buffet. Although recently, as I'm publishing two updates a day, I only deserve to eat in the bathroom, I still hope everyone can give me some exclusive commemorative monthly passes for the Battle of the Gods. The chapter fragments for my loan repayment are almost complete; I should be able to repay one chapter the day after tomorrow.