One move!
Two moves!
Three moves!
…
The scene on the martial stage was like a cat toying with a mouse.
“How is this possible, Ling Xiao’s using just basic martial arts and still firmly suppressing Ling Ziran!”
“What kind of monster is this guy!”
Even the dimmest onlookers could see it, Ling Xiao could have defeated Ling Ziran in a few moves.
He didn’t, because he was using him for practice!
Ling Ziran’s face was ashen, his true qi draining rapidly, reaching the point of exhaustion.
He couldn’t believe it!
He couldn’t accept this situation, the Ling Xiao before him was like an immovable mountain.
While he was more like a clumsy wild boar.
No matter how many times he charged, the mountain wouldn’t budge an inch.
“Stop, the winner’s clear!”
A voice boomed from the referee’s bench.
“No! I haven’t lost! I haven’t lost yet!”
Ling Ziran roared near hysterics, continuing his assault.
The referee sighed, they only had the right to suggest, not enforce.
Unless Ling Ziran was knocked off the stage or surrendered, the match wouldn’t end.
“What do you all think of this fight? I’m a bit baffled, a third-level Martial Vein fighter using basic martial arts to overpower a peak third-level fighter with advanced skills, it defies logic!”
One referee frowned, asking the others nearby.
“Ling Xiao is steady and reserved, his true qi is robust, and his combat experience is vast, his basic martial arts have reached the realm of perfection! Ling Ziran, though at peak third-level, has weaker true qi, is impulsive, and lacks combat experience, despite using advanced skills, he can only muster fifty or sixty percent of their power.”
An older referee stroked his beard and explained.
He was clearly the most respected among them, his words carried weight.
Though he couldn’t see Ling Xiao’s true strength, his basic judgment was spot on.
“Basic martial arts reaching perfection? Is there such a thing for basic skills?”
Perfection meant a transcendent mastery.
In martial arts, it was generally believed only top-tier skills could reach such a state.
Basic martial arts peaking at great completion was already impressive, how could they reach perfection? There were no precedents or methods for that.
“Honestly, I don’t know how he did it, but watching how he applies his moves, it’s nearly flawless! That’s the hallmark of perfection!”
He wasn’t wrong, most people couldn’t achieve full mastery of a skill.
Even at great completion, they’d only unleash ninety percent of its power.
It had much to do with the body and one’s aptitude.
But perfection allowed a skill to be executed at a flawless hundred percent!
Even with basic martial arts, it could leave weaker opponents scrambling.
“So, does that mean he could dominate the world with basic martial arts?”
“Not quite, basic martial arts are still basic, even at perfection with full power, there’s a ceiling, it works against a half-baked Ling Ziran, but against Ling Feng, Ling Yixue, or Ling Yihang, it wouldn’t hold up.”
“I see, but why waste time perfecting basic martial arts—what’s the reason?”
“There’s a reason, compared to advanced or top-tier skills, if there’s a method, basic martial arts are easier to perfect, building experience that can pave the way for advanced and top-tier skills.”
The elder sighed, “This Ling Xiao, always unnoticed, then surging in the last half month, he’s a rare genius in our Ling family, his future is boundless, what’s most precious is that he’s not even fourteen yet has the calm and cunning of a seasoned expert, truly remarkable.”
“Hm? Looks like it’s finally ending!”
Mid-conversation, he glanced at the stage.
Ling Ziran was gasping for breath, his continuous outbursts had drained his true qi completely.
Ling Xiao shook his head, this sparring partner was no longer up to par.
Time to end it.
He suddenly reached out with his right hand, pinching the sword tip between two fingers, then kicked Ling Ziran square in the chest.
Ling Ziran had no defense left, only able to watch as his body flew backward, landing hard off the stage.
“Ling Ziran, you’ve heavily injured so many Ling family disciples, you’re unfit to advance!”
Ling Xiao stood on the stage, radiating confidence.
Ling Ziran, sprawled below, groaned in pain.
His ribs were fully broken, his internal injuries severe.
Continuing the competition was impossible.
He’d either forfeit or be knocked out again.
Those were his only options.
Ling Xiao really didn’t like this Ling Ziran anyway, same sect or not, his ruthless attacks meant he’d be better off gone sooner.
“Brother Ling Xiao, well done!”
“Long live Brother Ling Xiao!”
This move swelled his supporter base once more.
“Number 9588 wins, ninety-seven consecutive victories!”
The referees were all visibly shocked.
This outcome far exceeded their expectations.
“See that, see that! I wasn’t wrong, Brother Ling Xiao took down Ling Ziran with basic martial arts! So satisfying!”
“It’s unbelievable, he actually did it and won…”
Ling Ziran’s supporters felt like they were dreaming, some pinched themselves hard to confirm it was real.
He was already a focal point of the grand competition, now even more so.
“Hehe, Senior Sister Yixue, your eye’s spot on, guessing this outcome!”
The female disciples beside Ling Yixue were equally stunned.
“Hmph, nothing impressive, no matter how well you master basic martial arts, they’re still just basic, Ling Ziran’s a waste, how can he compare to me!”
A cold snort came from nearby—it was Ling Feng.
“Brother Feng, you have to avenge me!”
Clinging to Ling Feng, Ling Yu had lost her chance to advance, glaring at Ling Xiao in the distance with venom, wishing she could slice him apart.
“Don’t worry, Sister Yu, just focus on recovering!”
At that, he shouted toward Ling Xiao, “Ling Xiao, if you’ve got the guts, win a hundred matches and advance, when you face me, I’ll show you your so-called perfected basic martial arts are trash!”
His voice carried from the stands to the stage.
It seemed deliberate.
He brimmed with confidence, never imagining he could lose.
“Don’t worry, against you, basic martial arts will do!”
Ling Xiao was confident too, as long as Ling Feng hadn’t condensed gang qi, he could win with just Barbarian Bull Strength.
Though he might need to use “Soaring Cloud Steps.”
Ling Feng wasn’t Ling Ziran, he was at least three times stronger, basic martial arts alone might be tough, but paired with “Soaring Cloud Steps.”
It’d be more than enough!
