Chapter 36: The Martial Arts Tournament Begins

The next morning, as the first rays of warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Xiao Chen's slightly tanned and resolute face, he awoke from his meditation. After a night of cultivation, although his skills hadn't advanced significantly, he felt refreshed and full of energy. Stretching, his entire body crackled like firecrackers.

Xiao Chen laughed cheerfully, "Ah, that feels great! But I'm also nervous; the tournament is about to start!"

"Xiao Chen, relax. There's no need to be nervous. Could the competitors be more frightening than the monster beasts?" the Ancient White Tiger said telepathically.

"Of course not, but it's my first time fighting in front of so many people. I've never experienced this before, so I'm quite nervous," Xiao Chen replied, his heart pounding rapidly.

"Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen!" Mo Yan called out from outside the door.

"Coming!" Xiao Chen responded with a smile, then opened the door and stepped outside.

"How did you sleep?" Mo Yan asked with a smile.

"Good, but a bit nervous."

"Don't worry, let's go."

Mo Yan's house was just a few minutes' walk from the arena. When they arrived, the place was already packed with people. The crowd was so dense it looked like a sea of black from above, with even the rooftops full of spectators, all eagerly awaiting the start of the tournament.

"Wow! There are so many people! Much more than yesterday!" Xiao Chen exclaimed in shock.

"Xiao Chen, look up there. Even the rooftops are full of people. So many have come to watch the tournament!" the Ancient White Tiger said excitedly through telepathy.

Mo Yan laughed, "Of course, there are many people. The martial arts tournament in Tiandu is held once every three years, and each person can only participate once. That means those who competed last time can't participate this time. We can't have the same person winning every time, can we?"

"Mo Yan big brother, how do we choose our opponents?" Xiao Chen asked quickly. There were no such tournaments in Fengyue City, so he had no idea.

"By drawing lots! Since those who participated before can't join, there are usually just over a hundred participants each time. You draw lots to determine your opponent. The loser is eliminated," Mo Yan explained patiently.

"Are there any rules?" Xiao Chen asked again.

"Yes, falling off the stage means you lose. It's that simple."

"Got it!"

In front of the two large stages was a building where the heads, elders, and experts of the three major families had gathered. Their powerful presence was palpable, with each person exuding a formidable aura.

"Xiao Chen, those people up there are incredible. Most are in the Golden Core stage, and three are in the Nascent Soul stage! Their strength is extraordinary!" the Ancient White Tiger said telepathically.

"Amazing!" Xiao Chen looked at the powerful figures in the building with awe.

"Of course, they're the experts of the three major families. The heads of the three families are all in the Nascent Soul stage! Their power is terrifying; no one in Tiandu can match any one of them," Mo Yan said with admiration and reverence in his eyes.

At this moment, an old man stepped out and gestured for silence. Smiling, he said, "Hehe, everyone, please quiet down. I am Liu Xuan. The martial arts tournament held every three years is about to begin. I know everyone is excited, so I'll explain the rules."

After a pause, Liu Xuan continued with a smile, "This year's tournament is similar to previous ones. You draw lots to determine your opponent. The winner advances, and the loser is eliminated. You draw your own lot, ensuring fairness. The rule is simple: leave the stage, and you lose. Now, let's start drawing lots."

"Underage group, come here to draw lots!" a middle-aged man shouted near one stage.

"Adult group, come here to draw lots!" another middle-aged man shouted near the other stage.

"Xiao Chen, go draw your lot!" Mo Yan said with a smile, full of confidence in Xiao Chen.

"Alright!" Xiao Chen nodded and smiled, quickly running up to draw his lot.

"I hope I don't draw Liu Feng; otherwise, I'll definitely lose! That guy is too strong, already in the late Fasting Stage!"

"It's not just Liu Feng; we can't beat Su Gutian or Ge Tianming either. Even if we can't make it to the top three, we can't be too far behind."

"Don't be so pessimistic. We might win. We've been training hard for this tournament, haven't we? Believe in yourself!"

"That's right! We have to believe in our own strength!"

"I just hope I don't draw anyone in the Fasting Stage; I'm only in the late Heart Moving Stage!"

"What are you afraid of? I'm in the Fusion Stage, and I'm still participating."

"Haha!"

The teenagers in line were chatting, some filled with fighting spirit, others worried about drawing the young masters of the three major families or anyone in the Fasting Stage. Some were indifferent, treating it as a fun experience.

In a few minutes, the drawing was done. Xiao Chen opened his slip of paper and smiled, "Blue number eight. My opponent should be red number eight. I wonder who it will be?"

"Number eight? Then it won't be long before it's your turn," the Ancient White Tiger said telepathically.

"Probably," Xiao Chen replied with a smile, moving to stand in front of Mo Yan.

Mo Yan quickly asked, "Xiao Chen, what's your number?"

"Blue number eight," Xiao Chen said with a smile, handing over the slip of paper.

"Blue number eight. Hehe, it'll be your turn soon. Your opponent will be red number eight," Mo Yan said excitedly, looking like he was about to compete himself.

Soon, the judge for the underage group announced loudly, "The martial arts tournament starts now. The first match: blue number one Liu Hai vs. red number one Zhang Feng. Please come to the stage."

Two teenagers leapt onto the stage. Both were around thirteen or fourteen years old and had reached the early Fasting Stage. At this age, reaching the Fasting Stage was considered genius level in Tiandu.

"The first match is between two in the Fasting Stage. This will be interesting. Both kids are about equal in strength."

"Both kids are in the early Fasting Stage. This battle will be exciting!"

Seeing that the first match was between two in the Fasting Stage, the crowd grew more excited, while the adult group's matches had also begun, featuring similar Fasting Stage confrontations.

"It's starting? Two early Fasting Stage kids; it won't be easy to determine the winner," Xiao Chen said, his eyes fixed on the two teenagers on the stage.

"Liu Hai and Zhang Feng are considered geniuses in Tiandu. Their strength is not weak, and their fight will be exciting," Mo Yan said happily, his face full of excitement.

On the stage, the two teenagers stared at each other for a moment. Liu Hai smiled, "Zhang Feng, I will definitely win this time!"

"It won't be that easy. I've been training hard these past few years for this tournament!" Zhang Feng replied, both of them brimming with fighting spirit.

"Good! Let's show our true skills!" Liu Hai said, his aura changing suddenly as he activated his True Yuan, charging across the stage.

"I will be the winner!" Zhang Feng said confidently, also activating his True Yuan and charging forward.

"Bang!"

The first clash was a heavy punch, resulting in a loud thud. Neither gained the upper hand, their strength evenly matched. Both boys showed a hint of pride on their faces.

"Don't lose too quickly!" Liu Hai said with a smile.

"The loser will be you!" Zhang Feng retorted, unwilling to be outdone.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After the first clash, they engaged in intense hand-to-hand combat, their fists and feet launching fierce attacks at each other. Their movements were agile and swift, a series of collision sounds echoing.

"Good! Very good!" As the two boys fought fiercely, the crowd grew more excited, cheering loudly.

"These two kids are really impressive. They must have put in a lot of hard work for this tournament!" Xiao Chen said, evaluating the fighting teenagers.

"Xiao Chen, who do you think will win?" the Ancient White Tiger asked telepathically.

"It's hard to say now. They haven't shown their true strength yet; they're still testing each other," Xiao Chen replied with a smile. The fight had just begun, making it difficult to judge the outcome.

"Xiao Chen, you don't seem worried at all. Your cultivation must be above theirs. Hehe, back in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, you were already stronger than them," Mo Yan said, looking at Xiao Chen with a smile. Although he didn't know Xiao Chen's exact cultivation level, he guessed it was above the early Fasting Stage.

"Hehe!" Xiao Chen responded with a faint smile, saying nothing more.

On the stage, Liu Hai and Zhang Feng's battle grew more intense. As time passed, they began to unleash greater power.

"Not bad, not bad, Zhang Feng. Your strength has improved a lot," Liu Hai said with a smile, though he showed no signs of worry.

"You too. Your cultivation has improved significantly, which surprises me," Zhang Feng replied with a smile.

"I think we should stop testing each other and show our real skills. I can't wait!" Liu Hai said, his True Yuan surging again, his aura doubling in strength.

"Good! I also want to see who is stronger between us!" Zhang Feng said boldly, unleashing his full power.

The real fight was just beginning!

"Now the real show starts! These kids are about to show their true strength! They'll start using martial skills soon!"

"Go for it! Both of you are doing great!"

"Stay calm, everyone, and observe carefully!"

The crowd grew more excited, cheering the fighters on, their faces flushed with excitement.

"Zhang Feng, be careful! The real fight starts now! I won't hold back! I must win this battle!" Liu Hai said, his eyes filled with a thirst for victory.

"I must win too!" Zhang Feng replied, charging forward.

Seeing this, Liu Hai shouted, "Good! Let me show you the Xuan-level martial skill I've just learned!"