55: Chapter 55 Crushing Victory
On the central arena.
A piercing bell chime cut through the deafening, mountain-toppling roar inside the venue.
An indifferent and majestic voice echoed through every corner via the amplification equipment.
"The bet begins."
It was Thunderstorm.
The moment the voice fell, Cold moved.
"Wang Pingan!"
A roar filled with endless resentment and madness exploded from the depths of his throat!
"Die!"
Boom!
The Qi and blood energy of a Mid-Third Grade was driven to its limit at this moment.
The alloy arena beneath his feet let out an unbearable groan as he transformed into a black bolt of lightning, accompanied by a shriek that tore through the air, charging straight at Wang Pingan!
No probing. No holding back.
The moment he struck, it was one of his trump card finishing moves.
"Furious Wind Saber Technique"!
Since he could not use weapons, he pressed his five fingers together, turning his hand into a blade. Dense Qi and blood energy attached to it, forming a nearly tangible, sharp blade aura.
As his hand rose and fell, it brought up a continuous trail of afterimages. Like countless sharp blades whipped up by a gale, they sealed off every possible evasion route for Wang Pingan from all directions!
He wanted to use the most violent and direct method to hack Wang Pingan, the scum who had caused him to lose all face, into pieces right in front of everyone!
The Students below the stage only felt a fierce gale rushing towards them, stinging their cheeks.
Countless people subconsciously held their breath, staring at the stage without blinking.
It's coming! Cold is using his real skills!
Even a Mid-Third Grade of the same level would lose a layer of skin if they tried to take this combo head-on!
That Wang Pingan is done for!
However. Just a second before the sky-filling blade light was about to completely swallow him.
Wang Pingan also moved.
He did not take it head-on, nor did he even set up any defensive stance.
He just took a light step to the left.
Just that one step. It was like an antelope hanging its horns—leaving no traces.
His entire figure left behind a faint afterimage in place that was being torn apart by the blade light.
Yet his real body appeared exactly at the edge of Cold's attack range, unscathed.
"Phantom Step" perfected!
Cold's pupils contracted sharply as his strike missed. Such fast speed!
But after all, he was a disciple from a large family with battle experience; his reaction was extremely fast.
When one move failed, he twisted his waist violently. His Qi and blood reversed, changing from a chop to a sweep, and a more ferocious blade aura slashed horizontally towards Wang Pingan's waist!
But Wang Pingan just took another step back. Not fast, not slow. Just that one step.
The sharp blade aura brushed past his clothes, leaving a deep white mark on the hard alloy arena.
"Damn it!"
Cold was consumed by rage, his offensive becoming increasingly violent. Chop! Hack! Slash! Stab!
For a time, the entire arena was filled with his rapidly moving figure and crisscrossing blade light.
The gale generated by the surging Qi and blood turned the entire arena into a pot of boiling water.
The Students below the stage could no longer see the situation inside; they could only hear the piercing sounds of air being broken and the clang of blade auras striking the arena.
"Did he hit him? Did he hit him?"
"He must have hit him! With this attack density, how could he possibly dodge!"
"Senior Cold is too fierce! Is this the power of a Mid-Third Grade?"
However. As time passed. Some high-grade Students with good eyesight saw their expressions gradually change from excitement to confusion.
Something is wrong. Very wrong.
Although Cold's attacks were violent, apart from his own roars and the sound of his palms cutting through the air, there were no dull thuds of flesh hitting flesh, nor were there any screams.
That Wang Pingan was like a ghost that did not exist.
On the arena.
Cold's heart was sinking bit by bit.
He was going crazy. No matter how he increased his speed, how he changed his moves, or how he drove his Qi and blood without regard for consumption.
His attacks were always just a little bit off. Just a hair's breadth away!
That Wang Pingan was like a slippery loach, strolling leisurely through his storm of attacks.
Every time he thought he was bound to succeed, the opponent would always dodge lightly in the simplest, most effortless, and most frustrating way for him.
The feeling was not like a life-and-death struggle. It was more like an adult teasing a child.
Humiliation! This was a more naked and cruel humiliation than before in the mission hall!
"Ahhh!"
Cold's eyes were bloodshot, his reason being swallowed by the accumulating anger and frustration.
He stopped his meaningless attacks, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.
A short minute of high-intensity burst had already consumed nearly 30% of his Qi and blood.
And opposite him. Wang Pingan finally stopped.
He was still standing there, hands in his pockets, not even a single hair out of place.
He looked at the mad Cold opposite him, even shaking his head lightly, a look of... disappointment appearing on his face.
That look seemed to say. Is that it? You made me wait so long, and this is what you show me?
"Pfft!"
Cold could no longer hold back, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out. It was not from being hit. It was from being angered to the point of vomiting blood!
"I'll kill you!"
He went completely crazy! He squeezed out all the remaining Qi and blood in his body without reservation and gathered it on his right fist!
The skin on his entire right arm cracked inch by inch because it could not bear this massive power, dripping with blood.
This was his final trump card, a life-or-death strike betting everything!
"Mountain-Collapsing Fist!"
He used all his strength to blast this punch, which condensed all his dignity and resentment, towards Wang Pingan!
This punch had already exceeded his limit as a Mid-Third Grade!
Everyone below the stage felt that resolute and tragic momentum, their hearts instantly jumping into their throats.
It's over! If this punch lands, the person will be gone!
However. Facing this earth-shattering punch. Wang Pingan finally made a different move.
He no longer dodged. He did not even take his hands out of his pockets.
He just looked up, calmly watching the bloodshot fist rapidly enlarging in his field of vision.
Then. Boom!
An aura far more majestic, more solid, and more domineering than Cold's erupted from his seemingly thin body!
Mid-Third Grade! And it was... a Mid-Third Grade with a foundation so solid it was hair-raising!
That powerful pressure, like an invisible mountain, descended upon the entire arena in an instant!
Cold's tragic and resolute momentum, in front of this pressure, was like ice and snow under the scorching sun, collapsing instantly!
The madness and resentment on his face froze at this moment. Replaced by endless astonishment and fear deep into his bones.
How... is this possible? He is also... a Mid-Third Grade? This is impossible!
He only just broke through to the Third Grade a week ago!
This was not the most desperate part. What made him most desperate was that while both were Mid-Third Grade, the opponent's Qi and blood density was firmly suppressing him!
His life-or-death punch had become a huge joke in front of the opponent.
Just at the moment he lost his composure. Wang Pingan threw a punch.
It was just a simple, unadorned straight punch.
No fancy techniques. No gorgeous special effects. Only power, pure to the extreme!
Bang!
Two fists collided in mid-air.
Crack!
A crisp sound of bone breaking rang out, making everyone's scalp tingle.
Cold's entire right arm snapped backwards at a weird angle, the white bone spurs even piercing through the flesh and exposing to the air.
A destructive force surged along his arm into his internal organs.
The expression on his face was forever frozen in that moment of shock and disbelief.
His whole person, as if hit head-on by a battering ram, left the ground and flew backwards.
Carving a tragic parabola in the air. He fell heavily under the arena.
He twitched twice and then completely passed out.
The whole venue was silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Everyone stared in a daze at the figure on the stage who slowly retracted his fist, not even frowning.
One punch. Just one punch. A dragon-and-tiger fight that everyone had been looking forward to ended just like that.
In the most unreasonable, barbaric, and crushing way.
Wang Pingan shook his hand as if he had just swatted a pesky fly.
He turned and walked to the edge of the arena. He looked up, his gaze passing over countless dull faces, landing precisely on the burly figure in the top-floor VIP room.
He reached out his hand. Speaking calmly.
"Instructor. The bet is over. Can his Spirit Crystal quota be transferred to me now?"
Supplies for each training camp member from their family would go through the training camp's inspection, which is why Wang Pingan asked Thunderstorm for Cold's Spirit Crystal quota.