Chapter 631: 惨败

With a flurry of activity, everyone quickly retreated to the edges of the main hall, leaving the spacious area as a ring for the contenders.

Jiang Fan sat down again, picked up his melon, and started munching on it once more. "Another good show to watch," he said with a wide smile.

Liu Li, sitting beside him, was visibly nervous. Seeing Jiang Fan's nonchalant demeanor, she remarked, "You don't look much like a consort! If our mainland beast race loses face, won't you, as the consort, be equally embarrassed?"

Jiang Fan replied indifferently, "What's the point of being nervous? The question of who is stronger or weaker has already been settled. This sparring match is simply to determine the victor."

Liu Li considered his words and realized he was right. The strength difference wasn't decided by this battle, but by the culmination of ten years of accumulation. Being nervous wouldn't change anything; they could only quietly await the outcome.

"Jiang Fan, who do you think will win between our two races?" Liu Li couldn't help but ask for his opinion. After several days together, Jiang Fan had displayed extraordinary abilities, earning Liu Li's unconscious trust.

Jiang Fan's gaze swept over both sides. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "You will lose miserably."

Liu Li's blue eyes widened. "Nonsense! They are at the seventh layer of Core Formation, but aren't our Four Talents also at the seventh layer?"

Jiang Fan shook his head slightly. "Even if all Four Talents are at the seventh layer of Core Formation, how significant is the difference in their individual strengths?"

This question left Liu Li speechless. Within the same cultivation realm, there could still be a considerable gap in strength. Mi Long could spar with the other three Talents simultaneously without falling behind, which clearly showed the disparity in their abilities.

"Then how can you be so sure that ours are weaker?" Liu Li still protested, unconvinced.

Jiang Fan replied seriously, "It's simple. They are surrounded by a very strong aura of bloodlust. This means they have experienced a lot of slaughter and possess extensive combat experience. As for the Four Talents... like our Human Race's Nine Sects, their environment has been too peaceful, lacking the tempering of actual combat. At the same cultivation level, those nurtured in different environments will have a significant disparity in strength." He himself was heavily imbued with such an aura, thus he was most acutely aware of the killing aura emanating from the Four Monarchs of the North Sea.

Liu Li still refused to believe him. "Impossible! The Four Talents have also undergone very rigorous training. There's no way they'll lose, and even if they do, it won't be as miserable as you claim!"

Jiang Fan shook his head, saying no more. Liu Li herself mentioned that the Four Talents underwent training, while the Four Monarchs experienced actual combat. Could they possibly be the same?

As the combat area was cleared, the sparring match was about to begin.

Yu Qingxuan instructed the Four Monarchs of the North Sea behind her: "When you act later, show some restraint! Don't let the mainland beast race lose too disgracefully. Understand?"

The Western Monarch Wumeng curled her lip in disdain. "Having to be held back in a spar, how pathetic!"

This exchange infuriated the mainland beast race. The Beast Emperor said with displeasure, "Since it's a sparring match, go all out! What's this talk of holding back?" He had invested immense effort and resources to cultivate the Four Talents and Ten Stars. Was it so they could be treated as garbage? If they were to win, they should win honorably. What was the point of a concession? Even if they won later, the North Sea Beast Race would claim it was because they had held back. How disgusting would that be?

Immediately, he also looked at the Four Talents and Ten Stars. "Go all out! Whoever achieves ultimate victory, I, the Emperor, will grant them any single request!"

Upon hearing this, the Beast Kings present were all moved. Given the Beast Emperor's supreme status, even having him elevate a single tribe could make it flourish overnight. The Four Talents were also deeply moved. However, even without the reward, they would have fought with all their might to win this battle!

Ten years ago, they were selected from countless young beast cultivators and subjected to rigorous training day and night. They distinguished themselves through one brutal selection after another, eventually becoming the Four Talents—all for this battle today. They could only win, not lose! If they failed, the mainland beast race would forever bear the reputation of being inferior to the North Sea Beast Race. At that point, they would be unable to hold their heads high, and neither would the mainland beast race! Therefore, this battle must be won!

The Beast Emperor saw their determination. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Since both sides are ready, let's decide on the participants!"

Yu Qingxuan looked at the Four Monarchs behind her. "Who will go first?"

The Western Monarch Wumeng, with long strides, calmly walked to the center of the hall. "No need for my three elder brothers to exert themselves. I alone am sufficient."

Seeing her attempt to challenge the Four Talents and Ten Stars by herself, the mainland beast race was enraged.

Zi Xing was the first to step forward, shouting in a deep voice, "I'll go!" His body surged with blood aura, condensing into a gigantic savage elephant behind him. The savage elephant charged forward with Zi Xing's powerful punches. This strike was even more formidable than Jiang Fan's Overlord Tiger Body.

The Western Monarch Wumeng remained expressionless, casually raising a palm. From her arm, a blue beam of light, like a flash of lightning, shot forth from her palm.

A tearing sound filled the air as the blue beam instantly pierced through Zi Xing's shoulder blade. And, without losing momentum, it pulverized the savage elephant of blood aura behind him!

"Ah!" Zi Xing groaned in pain and flew backward.

Everyone was startled. "What was that blue beam?""So strange!""Zi Xing's physique is so powerful, yet it was directly pierced through!"

Liu Li was also filled with shock. She had considered that Zi Xing might lose, as he was only at the sixth layer of Core Formation, but she hadn't imagined such a crushing defeat. "Such strange light! It's like a human race cultivation technique."

Jiang Fan's face showed curiosity. "That's not light. It's water!"

Liu Li was astonished. "Water? Water with such immense power?"

Jiang Fan nodded. "Water has no constant form, and its nature is ever-changing. When gentle, water benefits all things without contention. When mighty, it creates towering waves that can destroy cities and nations." He recalled his encounter with Mu Ziyu and how she had almost unleashed a similar innate ability, making him secretly feel fortunate. With such power, even his Overlord Tiger Body would be pierced through.

Qing Xing hurriedly stepped forward and helped Zi Xing up. He glared angrily at the Western Monarch Wumeng. "I'll go!"

Wumeng said calmly, "The leader of the Ten Stars was easily defeated. The rest of you shouldn't waste our time. Let's start directly with the Four Talents." Her indifferent gaze swept across the Four Talents on the opposite side.

Ling Shu bit her silver teeth slightly, stepping forward. "I'll go! We're both women, let's try it first!"

The Western Monarch Wumeng merely glanced at her. Then she shifted her gaze to Hunyuan. "You go first. I have no interest in fighting weaklings."

Ling Shu bit her red lip. To be so openly disdained! She felt deeply insulted. However, since the opponent had specifically challenged someone else, she could only retreat.

"Heh heh! You brazen woman, you're truly arrogant!" Hunyuan leaped forward. Without a word, he unleashed a flurry of punches.

Wumeng remained expressionless. Again, an astonishing blue beam of water shot from her palm.

Bang! But this time, it only scraped Hunyuan's knuckles.

"That much power isn't enough to impress me!" Hunyuan sneered. He was a beast cultivator renowned for his toughness, not comparable to Zi Xing! His fists struck Wumeng's chest forcefully.

But the imagined scene of Wumeng being sent flying did not occur! Instead, several tentacles with suction cups suddenly extended from beneath her robes, instantly coiling around Hunyuan. His hands, feet, and even his head were tightly bound. He was bundled up like a human-shaped package. As the tentacles suddenly pulled with force, Hunyuan let out a cry of agony, then fell silent.

When the tentacles released him, Hunyuan lay unconscious on the spot, his bones completely crushed!

In a single exchange! Just one exchange! Hunyuan, one of the Four Talents, was so utterly defeated!

Wumeng expressionlessly retracted her tentacles. She said calmly, "Next."