Yàn Lìqín was watching some of the fights when he received messages through the jade tablet.
“All of you, its time.”
“What about Yù Quán?”
Yàn Lìqín stood up. “I’ll go to find him, I’ll be back before the fights start.”
…
Yù Quán was still practicing the [Yellow Qilin Dance]. He had gotten used to it. He couldn’t say he mastered it, but he was well versed.
“Things are much easier to practice when you already know how to do them.”
As Yù Quán was about to start another practice round, Yàn Lìqín landed beside him.
“Your time is up, hopefully you’ve stabilized you cultivation.”
Yù Quán grinned. “More than stabilized. I’m ready.”
Yàn Lìqín picked up Yù Quán by his robes, which was slightly embarrassing, and then blasted off to the arena.
…
They made it in minutes. Yàn Lìqín dropped him off on the arena grounds and returned to the stands. Before leaving him, he let him know which group he would be in. Yù Quán looked around, found the assigned group, and went over. He was the last one.
“Great. We can start.” said the master in charge of his group and their array.
All the participants stepped inside the array. The master placed both hands on the array, and when he did, it began to extend the sides upwards into walls. Once they rose tens of meters in the sky, they started growing toward each other, creating a ceiling. Yù Quán had read some novels with array master main characters. He thought they were interesting but didn’t want to learn them. He didn’t know they were his style.
The master in charge began to speak again. “After I say ‘Go,’ you are allowed to use all nonlethal means necessary to incapacitate each other. You can also throw each other into the walls of the array. Either of these will disqualify the opponent. Does everyone understand?”
The instructions were too simple. Yù Quán didn’t think anyone could misunderstand, even if they wanted to.
Seeing that there were no questions or concerns, the master started the fight. “Go!”
Boom
Several people instantly erupted. Some in strength, some burst out in speed, but many acted as soon as they heard the word. A few people were caught off guard, but only two were disqualified by being thrown into the array walls.
Someone had actually charged at Yù Quán, but with his new qi-sight, he sensed them when they were within his range and was ready to react. Yù Quán activated the [Yellow Qilin Dance] and strafed to the side. The person charging Yù Quán watched as he evaded his attack without even looking at him. But he realized he couldn’t follow his movement. It was complex and windy, almost like he was waltzing around.
Yù Quán stopped for a second and, without giving the person a moment to find him, charged forward with the [Yellow Qilin Dance]. By the time the person had realized, Yù Quán’s fist was already in his face.
Boom!
The person went flying into the array walls. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Yù Quán, who looked at his hands, amazed. Yù Quán began to realize something.
‘These people are all… so weak.’
Yù Quán began to giggle, then broke into a complete, heavy laugh. Everyone was still dumbfounded. How did this unknown person have so much strength? Sects had hidden masters, but this guy was in an arena with them, which meant he was in the Body Tempering realm. What type of hidden master was only in the Body Tempering realm?
When Yù Quán calmed down, he sighed in relief. “I was working so hard because I was afraid I wouldn’t be strong enough in this town. I hit him so far with just a punch… Now I realize there’s nothing to worry about.” He turned and gestured for all the participants in his group staring at him to attack him. “Let’s make this quick; all of you come at once.”
There were too many groups for the crowd to notice, but the participants and the master in charge definitely heard. Yù Quán’s provocation pissed off all the other participants. Who did this guy think he was? Even if he was strong, how dare he think we’re so weak that he could take all of us on at the same time.
The master in charge just snorted. He just found the man annoying. But his punch was strong; he was just too arrogant. How could one good punch beat a mob?
Just as the master was doubting Yù Quán, the participants all nodded at each other and rushed Yù Quán. Even if they didn’t think he was worthy enough to fight all of them alone, he disrespected them. Adding to the fact that he was strong, everyone was happy to get rid of this competitor easily.
Yù Quán let them rush in. There were always a few faster than the rest. When a couple of them were only a meter away from him, he began using the [Yellow Qilin Dance]. He wasn’t at the level where he could do complex movements, but he could easily switch between the basic directions of the technique. Yù Quán began strafing left and right, moving all around the mob. Every time there was a person within arm’s length, he threw out a punch.
Boom. Boom, Boom.
Every time a punch was thrown, a loud impact was followed by a flying participant and the sound of them colliding into the array. No one was knocked out or seriously injured, but they were all thrown back into the array, disqualifying them. Yù Quán had realized from that first punch what ‘average’ really meant.
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The strength shown in his system was the overall strength of his body. It couldn’t precisely depict other facets of strength, like how heavy a blow you can take, because other factors were involved. Not just strength. Despite that, the strength stat could be used generally. The average man on Earth had a strength of around 200 catties. Most of these Body Tempering realm cultivators were in the Skin Tempering Stage like he was. That meant their strength was likely still at 200 catties, maybe somewhat higher. But Yù Quán had done other body tempering, making him double that strength. One punch wasn’t enough to seriously injure them, but it was enough to send them flying. If he were to follow up with a barrage of punches, he didn’t think it would be difficult to kill them with regular punches alone.
This was also how he could tell the difference between those in the Skin Tempering realm and those in later stages. Some people were only pushed back far but not thrown in the air. Several were pushed a few steps back. The ones who were much stronger either directly took or dodged his punch. These people were strong, experienced, or both.
Yù Quán continued dancing around until only those he couldn’t get disqualified were left. That left those who only took a few steps back or those who weren't affected or hit by his punches. Seeing this, Yù Quán stopped some ways away from them. He slowly looked from left to right. He was surveying all of them. He guessed that most of them were in the Muscle Tempering realm and were probably average. The others should either be skilled or in the Bone Tempering Stage.
“Tch~ seems I have to train harder in the future.”
Those who were left were dumbfounded. Sure, they had survived, but what about those who didn’t? They could take the punch, but they were sure they wouldn’t be able to move around or deliver blows like he did. And what was that that they just heard? Train harder? Was this lunatic trying to be able to beat everyone he fought in one punch?
“Okay! Let’s try with qi now.”
All the leftover participants’ eyes widened. What kind of attack does that much damage without using qi? Before they could think of an answer to their question or a plan to beat him, Yù Quán dashed out with the [Yellow Qilin Dance]. They hadn’t looked at Yù Quán until after he had hit the first guy, so they didn’t see how his movement technique worked. All they saw was the illusive strafes. How could they be prepared for such a dominating charge?
When Yù Quán flew out this time, he circulated his qi and empowered his fist with it. This would be his first time attack with actual qi. He had used essence before, but essence could only be compared to the weakest of qi. Yù Quán wanted to see how strong his qi would be with the core he had. His target was one of the Muscle Tempering Stage cultivators nearest to him.
BOOM!
When his punch connected, it threw the cultivator like a ragdoll toward the array walls. One punch had bruised him so badly.
“It seems I overestimated the people of this town. I was scared I was too weak… I guess my senior brother was the only strong person I had seen fight. That must be it! He ruined my perspective of strength.”
Yù Quán was talking to them without a response. It seemed he had gone crazy. But when they heard his words, a few of them shivered. ‘If he thinks we’re too weak, what kind of monster is his senior brother?’
Yù Quán smiled and dashed out again.
BOOM!...BOOM!...BOOM!
Yù Quán continued to take the Muscle Tempering Stage cultivators out one by one. The other cultivators wanted to attack, but they didn’t dare move. Yù Quán was traversing tens of meters in seconds. Even if they were fast enough, who’s to say he doesn’t do the windy movements from before?
Yù Quán took it down to those with skill or Vicera Tempering Stage strength. There were four people left. Yù Quán was still grinning. The burden he had been carrying this entire time, worrying about not being enough and having to claw his way up. He may not be powerful, but at least in this tone, he was strong enough. With his senior brother and sister, Yàn Lìqín, and Elder Jiang, he didn’t think anyone could take his life so easy.
He looked at the few opponents left over. “Will you still not come at me? You were all stronger than them? Are you really so scared I will do to you as I did them?”
Yù Quán noticed two clench their fists. Yù Quán thought these two should be stronger, as it was more advantageous for them to strike first. The other two should be the experienced ones, who should be more confident in counterattacking. Once again, the two preparing to attack looked at each other and nodded. They would attack together now and worry about each other later.
Both erupted at a speed even faster than Yù Quán. Yù Quán had positioned himself further away than before, so there was a second or two before they would reach him. When they were halfway, one of them felt a faint feeling that someone wanted to take advantage of him. He stopped in his tracks and looked behind him at the experienced ones. They hadn’t moved.
“Hmm, it seems they work through my clothes. I could’ve fought those boars with my shirt on.”
Fwoosh
The one who stopped felt the wind fly by him. He slowly turned to see Yù Quán smiling. He reacted quickly, turning and throwing out a punch. Yù Quán strafed to the right and circled behind him. He then activated the Murderous Flame and coated his fist with it. Before the man could turn back around, the fist landed on the back of his head.
BOOM!...BOOM!
This time, there were two loud impacts. One from the punch and another when he hit the wall. The Murderous Flame had increased the strength of his punch so much that he threw the Bone Tempering Stage cultivator harder than the others. The back of that man’s head was burned and dented.
Seeing this, the other three immediately surrendered. They no longer felt like they had a chance. Even a Bone Tempering Stage cultivator was trounced. What could they do? The master in charge dropped his jaw further every time Yù Quán showed more strength. Yù Quán looked to the master expectantly.
The master quickly shook his head and woke up. “The fight is over. Yù Quán, Yellow Qilin Academy, wins!”
…
Yù Quán
Realm: Body Tempering Realm
Stage: 1st Level Skin Tempering
Main Cultivation Art: [Stolen-eyed Mùmùlián Body](Level 3)
Strength: 550 Catties
Qi: 1245/2060 wisps
Mùmùlián Core: 6/100
Strange Fire: (Level 2)Murderous Flame(x1)
Techniques:
[Mùmùlián Eye Stealing](Level 3)
[Mùmùlián Eye Refining](Level 3)
[Murder Mantra](Level 1)
[Yellow Qilin Dance](Level 1)
Attributes:
[Strange Fire: Murderous Flame]
[Star Gazing Eyes](Level 1)
[Top-Quality Mortal Avarice Eyes](Level 1)
[Top-Quality Mortal Avarice Eyes](Level 1)
[Top-Quality Three-Finned Boar Aggression Eyes](Level 5)
[Top-Quality Three-Finned Boar Aggression Eyes](Level 1)(x2)
[Top-Quality Five-Finned Boar Aggression Eyes](Level 1)
[Low-Quality Blue Wolf Ferocity Eyes](Level 1)
[Low-Quality Winged Watcher Awareness Eyes](Level 1)
[Low-Quality False Dragon Pride Eyes](Level 1)