Chapter 46: Close Quarters Combat

On this tenth day of October, under the watchful eyes, both overt and hidden, the Three Cities Debate commenced its yearly ritual.

The first-year, third-year, and fifth-year disciples, as was the custom, held their contests separately. Thus, the two first-year cultivators representing Maple Forest City would face off against their counterparts from Three Mountains City and Wangjiang City, each in turn.

Following the initial round, the three victorious cultivators would enter a round-robin phase. That is, Combatant A would contend with Combatant B, B with C, and C with A. A victory earned three points, a draw one, and a defeat none. The one who accumulated the highest score would be crowned the champion of the first-year cultivators in this year's Three Cities Debate.

This format, therefore, tested not only individual prowess but also the overall strength of the respective academies. After all, if two contenders in the final round-robin hailed from the same academy, they could afford to conserve their strength, strategically targeting their third opponent.

The first-year cultivators' debate began first, with six cultivators from the three cities stepping forth, and three battles unfolding simultaneously.

The arena for this grand spectacle was none other than the square before the City Lord's mansion. As this space was frequently utilized for the city guard's oath-taking ceremonies before deployment, the common folk had aptly named it the Martial Arts Arena.

The first-year cultivators from the academies were, for the most part, newly inducted into the Foundation Establishment realm. Their clashes relied heavily on Dao techniques, yet martial arts were by no means absent. Indeed, these were the contests the common people found most comprehensible, thus drawing the largest crowds.

From the earliest hours of the morning, the place was already thronged with spectators. The residents of Maple Forest City, bringing their families along, clustered around the Martial Arts Arena as if attending a bustling market. City guards were required to maintain order amidst the fervent atmosphere.

On this auspicious day, Jiang An'an's school was dismissed. Naturally, Ling He brought her to witness the competition.

Due to the overwhelming crowd, Jiang An'an perched upon Ling He's shoulders. At this moment, she clapped her small hands together, cheering loudly for her "Ge Ge" (brother).

Zhao Rucheng and Huang Azhan, too, naturally arrived early to witness Jiang Wang's match. However, Zhao, being a man of wealth and standing, would not engage in such undignified acts as personally shouting. Instead, he had hired over a dozen burly men nearby, who roared their support at the top of their lungs.

"Jiang Wang, he will win! Jiang Wang, he will win!"

Two large banners billowed in the wind –

On the left, "Punching Three Mountains, no opponent in sight."

On the right, "Stepping on Wangjiang, who can be called a hero?"

Though Jiang Wang, for one, certainly would not appreciate such a spectacle.

For a moment, the clamor for Jiang Wang drowned out the entire arena. This debate seemed to have become a personal performance for him. People occasionally whispered amongst themselves, asking about this Jiang Wang. Upon learning he was a contender from Maple Forest City, the simple and honest common folk of Maple Forest City also let out cheers of support.

Jiang Wang stood upon the competition field, feeling… exceedingly awkward.

The three matches were arrayed alongside one another, and all six cultivators were present. From the intentional or unintentional gazes of the surrounding competitors, Jiang Wang discerned that he had become a public enemy. Were it not for the rules, he would likely be facing a five-against-one situation at this very moment. This included even the senior brother from his own academy in Maple Forest City.

"What a show-off, flaunting yourself like that!" Lin Zhenglin from Wangjiang City was the most openly disgruntled. He paid no mind to his own opponent, instead spitting in Jiang Wang's direction.

His voice was neither loud nor soft. Jiang Wang turned a deaf ear.

The entire Martial Arts Arena was divided into three battlefields, with a generous buffer zone between the demarcations.

Cultivators from the county academy served as the chief referees, with two instructors from the Maple Forest City Academy acting as deputy referees. Combat was a straightforward affair; the one who fell was the loser, leaving little room for concerns about biased officiating. Indeed, the primary role of the referees was to prevent young cultivators from losing control and inflicting serious harm.

Jiang Wang's opponent hailed from Three Mountains City.

This person was short but stout, clad in a form-fitting martial uniform, his muscles thick as stone blocks.

After both parties performed the Dao ritual, they stood poised for battle.

With a command from the referee, Jiang Wang drew his sword!

A man like a rising dragon, his sword piercing like a meteor.

Almost at the very instant the Three Mountains City cultivator was halfway through forming a hand seal, Jiang Wang's sword had arrived.

Decisive, swift.

The Purple Qi Comes from the East Sword Technique held an overwhelming advantage in the pre-transcendence methods of battle.

In the earlier selection within the Maple Forest City Academy, he had defeated Fang Heling with this very move. Now, it seemed, history was poised to repeat itself.

But what surprised Jiang Wang, and indeed the onlookers, was that this Three Mountains City cultivator did not dodge!

He remained rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed upon the sword assailing Jiang Wang. His hand was steady, his Dao technique forming under this unwavering gaze.

In such a predicament, he could either abandon his technique and evade, or directly concede defeat. But with the speed Jiang Wang had displayed, the next Dao technique, even if he dodged, would have no chance to land.

And he made a choice utterly different from Fang Heling's!

Earth-elemental Yuan Qi surged forth furiously, and Jiang Wang felt a force erupting from the ground. He, of course, knew its nature.

He possessed ample confidence to pierce his opponent's heart with a single sword thrust before the earth spikes arrived. However, his own feet would also be impaled by the earth spikes that followed close behind.

Using injury to secure victory, he would still prevail. But this was not how he wished to win.

Jiang Wang twisted his long sword, deflecting the earth spikes that suddenly burst forth from beneath his feet. Then, utilizing the momentum, he flipped backward, returning to his original position.

At this juncture, the dense and sharp earth spikes had just finished covering the immediate surroundings of the Three Mountains City cultivator.

This cultivator from Three Mountains City, the one contemptuously labeled a "mountain barbarian," had just seized a turning point in the battle, exchanging it for a moment of peril.

He immediately kicked out several times, scattering the earth spikes before him, kicking them away. The earth spikes flew like javelins, whistling as they attacked Jiang Wang one after another.

And this Three Mountains City cultivator, following the whistling earth spikes, launched his own assault upon Jiang Wang.

Under Jiang An'an's anxious gaze, Jiang Wang turned like the wind, lightly traversing through the barrage of attacking earth spikes, emerging unscathed.

And the Three Mountains City cultivator was close behind.

His short, stocky body leaped high, his fist gradually transforming into stone, swelling into a giant fist like a small mountain.

Stone-Covering Fist!

The tide of offense and defense had reversed!

He could not meet it head-on. Jiang Wang held his sword before him, using the sword face to touch the stone fist, seeking to borrow its momentum to drift away, and then find an opportunity to counter.

Regardless, the Dao Yuan of Foundation Establishment cultivators was limited; they simply could not unleash an endless stream of Dao techniques. As long as he could prolong the engagement, with his swordsmanship, victory would ultimately be his.

But the stone fist suddenly flipped over and seized the sword in Jiang Wang's hand, crushing it!

The Stone-Covering Fist itself was merely a D-grade upper-class Dao technique. Though Jiang Wang had not mastered it, he was intimately familiar with it. He had never imagined this Dao technique possessed such a flexible variation!

In the emergency, Jiang Wang released the sword hilt, clasping the stone fist that had crushed his long sword with both hands, and spun it with force.

The powerful physical strength honed by the Four Spirits Refining Body Technique was unleashed without reservation. With the spinning motion, shattered stone fragments flew in all directions.

Jiang Wang's toes touched the ground, and his entire body retreated urgently in a backward posture. At the same time, he skillfully evaded the sudden explosion of the stone fist!

The Three Mountains City cultivator had simply detonated the stone fist as another means of attack while Jiang Wang was attempting to destroy it. But he had not anticipated Jiang Wang's lightning-fast reaction, managing to evade it at the very first instant.

The explosion of the stone fist was not without consequence for him. Though he had striven to control it, his entire right arm was still covered in wounds, blood flowing freely.

But he seemed oblivious to the pain, remaining silent as he relentlessly pursued Jiang Wang.

He did not form another Dao technique; it was already too late for such intricate movements. Or perhaps, he realized that with the Dao techniques he currently commanded, he could not overcome his opponent.

Therefore, he would rely on his body, capable of scaling mountains and traversing ridges, and his fists and feet, trained to fight tigers and lions.

Elbow strikes, knee strikes, headbutts!

Jiang Wang, too, could no longer create distance. Without his sword, his swordsmanship was rendered useless.

Fist punches, kicks, shoulder strikes!

The two of them plunged into a fierce, close-quarters brawl!

Within the confines of a small space, the most intense, the most direct, the most savage combat unfolded!

Among the audience were many ordinary martial artists who knew a few stances, and they all erupted in cheers as they witnessed this spectacle!