Chapter 75: Carrying the Dragon Over the Mountain

Le Mulan returned to the Purple Cloud High School rest area and saw Lian Tianji kneeling on the ground.

She walked up to him, treating Lian Tianji as a small stool, and sat directly on his back.

This was her punishment for Lian Tianji's failure: for the next three days, whenever he appeared before her, he would have to serve as her stool.

Lian Tianji asked, "It's over so soon?"

He had reviewed Bai Zhenzhen and Xiong Wenwu's fight. Although Bai Zhenzhen's stats weren't impressive, her combat ability was extremely strong; she could always discern her opponent's weaknesses. Lian Tianji had thought Bai Zhenzhen would be able to force the sacred top-ranked student to use a few more moves.

Le Mulan frowned, nudging Lian Tianji's body with her raised right foot. She said flatly, "Stool, don't speak."

Lian Tianji immediately fell silent.

However, Le Mulan added, "She ran out of money for treatment. Even if she had more, it would just be a waste of time."

Lian Tianji instantly understood. That's just how the world works; money is also a part of strength, and a lack of it indicates weakness.

Bai Zhenzhen was poor, and...

Lian Tianji thought to himself, "It's only natural for the poor to lose to the rich."

Just then, Zhang Yu and Song Hailong stepped onto the stage, one after another.

Lian Tianji slowly shifted his head, directing his gaze towards the arena.

After being defeated, a person often has two ways to respond.

Either claim carelessness.

Or praise the opponent's overwhelming strength.

The former appears more unsightly, while the latter saves face.

So Lian Tianji also wanted to choose the latter.

"If Zhang Yu wins against Song Hailong, I might be able to get my advertising partnerships back..."

After all, this would change his defeat from 'being beaten by a Songyang student' to 'narrowly losing to a finalist.'

"Go, Zhang Yu!"

Chu Qiuhe, in the White Dragon High School rest area, was also silently cheering for Zhang Yu, even secretly cursing Song Hailong.

Although, as a White Dragon student, he was well aware of Song Hailong's formidable power, a sliver of wishful thinking still arose in his heart: "What if? What if he loses due to carelessness? Song Hailong... only if you lose will everyone save face."

As Song Hailong spread his arms and raised his hands in the arena, a roar of cheers, like a mountain tsunami, immediately erupted from the audience.

"Song Hailong! Number one!"

"Song Hailong! Number one!"

Zhao Tianxing listened to the unified shouts of the White Dragon students and felt that Zhang Yu on the stage seemed utterly isolated and helpless at that moment.

He couldn't help but think, "Should we cheer for Zhang Yu too?"

But when he voiced the thought, He Dayou quickly turned his head, pretending not to hear.

Qian Shen also said awkwardly, "Let's not. This is White Dragon's territory after all."

Seeing the White Dragon students' overwhelming cheers, Zhao Tianxing's initial desire to root for Zhang Yu gradually faded.

Considering how nervous he felt just watching from a distance, he could hardly imagine the immense pressure Zhang Yu must be feeling standing on that stage.

On the stage.

As Song Hailong clenched his right fist, the cheers from the audience immediately died down, and the entire venue fell silent once more.

Song Hailong looked at Zhang Yu and laughed heartily, "I never expected a kid from Songyang to defeat so many opponents and reach the semifinals."

"As a reward, I'll help you lower the difficulty of this battle."

With that, Song Hailong ran a hand through his spiky hair, and the next moment, a set of numbers appeared on his forehead.

10 million?

As Zhang Yu pondered, Song Hailong directly answered his unspoken question: "This is a built-in feature of my external Spirit Root; it displays my medical insurance coverage limit."

"My current medical insurance limit is 10 million. If you can completely deplete this 10 million treatment budget, I'll concede."

Well, well, you're literally showing your HP bar, aren't you? Zhang Yu stared intently at the numbers, beginning to consider their implications for the upcoming fight.

However, remembering that his opponent's insurance covered 10 million, while his own only covered 100,000... oh no, now only 70,000 worth of injuries, Zhang Yu couldn't help but feel a surge of helplessness.

But the next moment, he activated the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art, suppressing all negative emotions, raising his fighting spirit, and fully immersing himself in the battle before him.

In the audience, Song Hailong's incredibly strong physique and booming voice always captivated the entire venue. At this moment, it drew gasps of admiration and praise.

"As expected of White Dragon's top student, his insurance coverage is a full 10 million!"

"He's so rich! No wonder his grades are so good!"

"Nonsense, how could a poor person be as outstanding as Song Hailong?"

"Song Hailong had the highest monthly exam scores and is so wealthy. I think the martial arts competition championship should just be given to him directly!"

On the stage, Song Hailong waved at Zhang Yu: "You go first. If I make a move, you might not get a chance."

Seeing Song Hailong seemingly unguarded, Zhang Yu tentatively struck, unleashing a Palm of Formless Cloud Aura that slammed hard into his opponent's chest.

With a crisp crack, a palm strike strong enough to shatter stone left its mark on Song Hailong's body, yet Zhang Yu felt as if he had hit a large rubber tire.

Not only did his opponent's body not budge an inch, but the 10 million on his forehead only decreased by 300.

Zhang Yu recalled what Lei Jun had told him about the Elephant Sinew Physique: "Song Hailong has elephant demon sinews implanted. Mana channeled through these sinews can directly enhance his physical strength, making his power and resistance to blows beyond normal estimation."

"Add to that his physical strength, which already far surpasses mine, and the protective effect of his external Spirit Root, the 'Body-Enriching Spirit Root'..."

Clearly, due to Song Hailong's formidable physique, he took Zhang Yu's palm strike without significant injury.

Meanwhile, Song Hailong shook his head and said, "That palm only cost me 300. Its power is too weak."

"Come on, brother, at this rate, even if I stand here and let you hit me, when would you ever deplete this 10 million?"

Several more palm strikes landed on Song Hailong's vital points, but it still felt like hitting a rubber tire. Although Song Hailong's body trembled slightly, the total reduction on his forehead numbers... was only a little over 2,000.

Even more surprising... was that the next moment, the numbers on Song Hailong's forehead showed signs of recovery.

The initial reduction of over 2,300 gradually changed to just over 2,000.

Seeming to notice Zhang Yu's change in gaze, Song Hailong laughed heartily, pointing to the numbers on his forehead and saying, "See, it's gone up again, hasn't it?"

"My apologies, my apologies. The combat Spirit Root I'm using this time isn't a common Body-Enriching Spirit Root, but the deluxe version."

"Besides enhancing my physical strength and resistance to blows, this Spirit Root can continuously absorb spiritual energy from the air, allowing my injuries to gradually heal themselves."

Seeing Zhang Yu's increasingly solemn expression, Song Hailong burst into laughter: "Aren't you going to attack? If you don't hurry, it'll go back up to 10 million."

Hearing Song Hailong's booming words, both the many spectators in the stands and the contestants from various schools around the arena felt as though countless sums of money were weighing heavily before the two fighters.

It made everyone feel as if that 10 million was an impenetrable wall, standing before Zhang Yu, leaving him no chance of victory whatsoever.

"If you're not coming, then I am."

The two-and-a-half-meter tall Song Hailong stretched out his large hand, grabbing at Zhang Yu like a dragon's claw.

Mana, channeled directly through his elephant demon sinews, augmented his strength and physique, meaning he didn't even need many techniques; this brute force alone was enough to sweep through the first-year students.

Sensing the overwhelming claw attack, Zhang Yu showed no panic.

"The difference in stats is too great. It's difficult to defeat him relying solely on my own strength."

"The only way is to use his strength against him. Defensive counter-attacking is my strategy."

Just as Zhang Yu thought this, raising his forearms with the Formless Cloud Aura to block Song Hailong, he noticed his opponent's claw stance change; he had already initiated a grappling technique.

"Grappling?"

"More than that..."

In his full concentration state, Zhang Yu watched the inch-by-inch changes in his opponent's grip, quickly dodging while parrying with his Formless Cloud Aura.

He quickly realized that Song Hailong was employing a grappling and wrestling martial art.

It was precisely the expert-level martial art Song Hailong practiced: Dragon Back Mountain Flip Hand, Level 1 activated!

This was an expert-level martial art that relied on pure physical force for grappling and wrestling.

For Song Hailong, who had elephant demon sinews implanted and used all his mana to enhance his physical body, this martial art, driven purely by physical brute force, was an incredibly perfect fit.

Although Song Hailong's martial arts skills weren't strong because he focused more on other areas, this technique, despite not being difficult, was only at Level 1.

However, with his exceptionally powerful physique, combined with this Level 1 grappling and wrestling martial art, Song Hailong was already formidable enough to crush opponents of similar rank.

Zhang Yu felt this pressure now. In his state of full concentration, he could feel his opponent's hands like a large net, slowly closing in to envelop him completely, intending to throw him to the ground and subdue him entirely.

"You want to wrestle with me? To engage in ground fighting?"

Zhang Yu, lacking any relevant skills, naturally had no desire to be taken to the ground and engage in a grappling match, testing physical strength and ground techniques.

He was like a small fish, repeatedly and narrowly escaping Song Hailong's overwhelming net.

But finally...

"Got you."

Song Hailong abruptly tightened his grip on Zhang Yu's arm, a slight smile playing on his lips.

However, at the very moment both he and Zhang Yu exerted force, Zhang Yu let out an angry roar.

The Formless Cloud Aura, which had originally only covered his palms, suddenly surged, extending to his elbows, and then, like a loach, slipped out of Song Hailong's grasp.

Below the stage, Lian Tianji's body stiffened, and he exclaimed in surprise to himself, "Under such dire circumstances, his Limitless Cloud Hand broke through again? Level 5? Zhang Yu is truly a martial arts prodigy."