Even though Jian Wuji had just tried to severely injure Lan Yuer, Ling Xiao only intended to take one of Jian Wuji’s arms as revenge.
However, his force was too strong, leading to the current situation.
The rules of the Martial Arts Festival finals only stated that killing opponents was forbidden, not that heavily injuring them was prohibited.
Thus, his actions weren’t against the rules.
“Why! Why! How could I not even block a single strike from this useless kid, how can he be so strong!”
Jian Wuji seemed not to hear Ling Xiao’s words, his mind filled with confusion.
He couldn’t understand.
He truly couldn’t comprehend.
Back then, Ling Xiao was just an insignificant figure he could kill at any moment.
During the Three Sects Martial Assembly, he didn’t even bother to fight Ling Xiao.
Yet now, he couldn’t withstand a single strike from him.
This stark contrast caused him immense mental anguish, far worse than his physical pain.
He finally understood why even the Holy Son was so wary of Ling Xiao.
This person must not be spared. When you think him insignificant and beneath notice, you don’t kill him.
Soon after, you find yourself the pitiful ant.
“You weren’t even serious in your previous fights?”
Jian Wuji roared.
“Sort of.”
Ling Xiao nodded. There was no need to lie now. Many others, like him, conserved strength, especially those likely to reach the top ten. It was just a matter of how much strength they held back.
He knew Jian Wuji’s current feelings, a mix of despair and fear.
Frankly, he scorned such emotions.
If he were Jian Wuji, as long as he wasn’t dead, he’d see a chance for revenge and never give up.
That was the difference in their characters.
The judges of Group Two were collectively stunned, as was the head judge.
They had some expectations for Ling Xiao, as he was a dark horse.
As judges, they loved dark horses stirring things up, otherwise the competition would be too dull.
But in their view, Ling Xiao could likely make the top twenty, though reaching the top ten would be tough, and anything higher seemed nearly impossible.
They didn’t think he could compare to the top ten young giants, let alone defeat Jian Wuji, one of the Holy Dynasty’s Six Young Masters, with a single strike.
They even wondered if they were hallucinating.
Could some terrifying evil sect master have orchestrated this?
The judge from Group Ten gasped and said to the Group One judge, “We misjudged, completely misjudged. How can this kid be so strong!”
“Indeed, defeating Jian Wuji, one of the Six Young Masters, with one strike, probably only a few among the Six could do that.”
“Head judge, is this his full strength?”
Perhaps feeling their judgment was too poor, the Group Ten judge asked the head judge.
“He might still have hidden strength. After all, he didn’t even draw his sword to defeat Jian Wuji.”
As a Yin-Yang Realm expert, the head judge had keen insight. Though he couldn’t fully see through Ling Xiao, he felt Ling Xiao still had cards to play.
“That’s impossible, right? If he has more, doesn’t that mean he could rival the strongest two among the Six Young Masters?”
“Why not? You underestimated him from the start. From his first fight, he’s been creating miracles, revealing a bit of strength each time while holding back. Who dares say he’s not hiding something now?”
The head judge smiled. “Our Holy Dynasty is blessed to have such a prodigy.”
“Seems so. The upcoming matches will be exciting. Group Two still has Mo Wushang and Liu Taiyin, two of the Six Young Masters. Will he defeat them all?”
The judges felt an inexplicable anticipation for Ling Xiao.
If the judges were this shocked, the ordinary spectators were even more so.
Every warrior watching this fight was stunned, lost in disbelief.
Jian Wuji, one of the Six Young Masters, couldn’t last a single move against Ling Xiao, beyond anyone’s imagination.
If Mo Wushang, Liu Taiyin, or even Qin Bixue had defeated Jian Wuji, they wouldn’t be too surprised.
After all, Mo Wushang and Liu Taiyin were among the Six, and Qin Bixue was one of the strongest of the new generation.
But who was Ling Xiao? A newcomer to the Martial Arts Festival, a disciple of the lowest-ranking Yuehua Sect among the twelve sects.
His earlier performances weren’t even as notable as Long Chen of the Divine Sword Sect.
Yet this newcomer so easily defeated Jian Wuji. How could they not be shocked, not be dazed?
To them, Ling Xiao’s string of victories wasn’t remarkable, as his opponents weren’t strong.
His forcing Po Qianjun to concede was acceptable.
Even defeating Liang Xiao after his soul-merge technique was within reason.
But this time, it was utterly unacceptable.
Who was Ling Xiao’s opponent?
One of the six most outstanding youths on the Tianlong Continent, defeated by a single strike?
“I’d bet Ling Xiao is absolutely qualified to compete for a seat among the Six Young Masters!”
“Obviously, he’s already beaten Jian Wuji. Who’d dare say he’s not qualified? They’d be brainless.”
“This guy’s been so low-key. He didn’t seem that strong before, but this fight made him a sensation, completely explosive.”
“That’s called playing the pig to eat the tiger. Damn, he hid it deep!”
“I heard he wanted to challenge the Holy Son before, thought it was a joke, but now it might not be.”
“Right, after this fight, no one will underestimate him.”
Beside the arena, Po Qianjun wore an expression of admiration.
From the moment he lost to Ling Xiao, he knew Ling Xiao was far stronger than him.
But no one believed him, thinking he was making excuses for his defeat.
Now, Ling Xiao’s defeat of Jian Wuji proved his judgment with ironclad fact.
He turned to the temporary head of Tianlong Academy, sneering, “Keep boasting. Didn’t you say Jian Wuji could beat Ling Xiao? What now?”
The temporary head was utterly dumbfounded. Ling Xiao’s strike had even made him, a Celestial Realm warrior, feel danger, though only at the First Line Heaven level.
This was too outrageous.
“Who in Group Two can stop this Ling Xiao? Mo Wushang or Liu Taiyin? No one else qualifies.”
