20: Chapter 20 Ranking Tournament

The rules of the Ranking Tournament are very simple.

Ten people draw lots for duels; the winners enter the Winners' Group, and the losers enter the Losers' Group.

The five in the Winners' Group will first play a round of ranking matches, then the five in the Losers' Group will play a round of ranking matches, and finally, the two groups will have cross-duels to determine the final rankings of the top ten.

Five battle stages will commence fighting simultaneously.

Battle Stage 1: Lin Fan versus Qian Duoduo.

Qian Duoduo stepped onto the stage, his weight of over three hundred jin making the stage tremble.

His family is in the Medicinal Pill business, so his blood-Qi value was forcibly pushed to just over three hundred using Medicinal Pills, barely squeezing him into the top ten.

Seeing Lin Fan standing opposite him, the corners of Qian Duoduo's mouth twitched.

"I concede."

He was decisive and clean, turning around and jumping off the stage immediately.

The whole audience burst into laughter.

The referee shook his head helplessly: "Lin Fan wins!"

Battle Stage 2: Zhou Hao versus Zhang Han.

Zhang Han is the top student of Class 7 with a blood-Qi value of 341, and his strength is not weak. But in front of Zhou Hao, he is completely outclassed.

Zhou Hao took a step forward, his fist wind whistling, and it only took him three moves to blast Zhang Han off the battle stage.

"Zhou Hao wins!"

Battle Stage 3: Zhao Feng versus Chen Fei.

Chen Fei is the top student of Class 6, with a blood-Qi value of just over 330, and he excels in speed.

But Zhao Feng's Earth Guardian countered him too effectively; Chen Fei's punches landed on Zhao Feng, but Zhao Feng remained motionless, and with a backhanded punch, he sent Chen Fei flying.

"Zhao Feng wins!"

Battle Stage 4: Liu Yun versus Sun Hai.

Sun Hai is the top student of Class 5, with a blood-Qi value of 352, a Metal Element Talent, and impressive attack power.

But Liu Yun's Wood Element Talent was even more bizarre. Vines emerged from the gaps in the battle stage, entangling, binding, and interfering; Sun Hai's attacks couldn't hit her at all.

After fighting for three minutes, Sun Hai had his ankles entangled by vines and was directly flung off the battle stage.

"Liu Yun wins!"

Battle Stage 5: Han Ming versus Su Wanning.

This was the focal point of the entire audience's attention.

On the battle stage, Su Wanning was dressed in a white training outfit, her long hair tied into a ponytail, looking as cold and picturesque as a painting. She looked at Han Ming opposite her with complex eyes.

"Han Ming, I know you have been hiding your strength," Su Wanning said, her voice calm, "but I will not concede."

Han Ming stood there lazily and said indifferently, "Whatever."

The referee looked at the two and waved his hand: "Begin!"

Su Wanning made the first move.

Her movement technique was elegant, her footsteps light and nimble, like a white crane skimming over water. This was the Su family's ancestral Martial Skill, Flying Crane Steps, a Yellow Rank High Grade, which she had Cultivated to the Minor Achievement Realm.

In just a few steps, she approached Han Ming's side, her right hand forming a sword finger, stabbing directly at Han Ming's Jianjing acupoint!

The speed was not slow, and the angle was tricky.

But Han Ming just tilted his body slightly and easily dodged it.

Su Wanning was not surprised; she changed from a stab to a palm strike, slapping horizontally at Han Ming's chest! Han Ming shifted his feet slightly and dodged again.

Su Wanning gritted her teeth, and her offensive suddenly accelerated!

Palm shadows flew, her finger strength was fierce, one move after another, continuous and endless. Flying Crane Palm was also a Yellow Rank High Grade Martial Skill; when used in conjunction with the Flying Crane Steps movement technique, its power was comparable to a Profound Rank Low Grade Martial Skill.

She had also Cultivated it to the Minor Achievement Realm.

But Han Ming was like a fallen leaf drifting with the wind, floating away every time just as she was about to hit him.

There was much discussion off the stage.

"Why is Han Ming only dodging and not attacking?"

"Nonsense, that's Su Wanning! Our No. 3 High School's campus belle! Who doesn't know Han Ming has been pursuing her? How could he bring himself to attack?"

"That's true, if it were me, I wouldn't be able to bring myself to attack either."

Hearing these discussions, Su Wanning's brows furrowed even tighter.

She suddenly stopped her offensive and looked at Han Ming coldly.

"Han Ming, if you aren't going to fight seriously, then concede."

Han Ming blinked: "Isn't this me fighting?"

"You only dodge and don't attack, how is that fighting?" Su Wanning bit her lip, "I don't need you to go easy on me."

Han Ming sighed inwardly; wasn't he just trying to take the opportunity to familiarize himself with his Martial Skill?

When did he ever go easy on her?

Although he had received Lin Fan's Martial Skill feedback, he still needed some time to adapt before he could fully utilize it.

But he didn't need to explain anything, and said indifferently: "Fine then."

Su Wanning took a deep breath and rushed forward again. This time she used her full strength, pushing the Flying Crane Palm technique to its limit, with dense palm shadows covering all of Han Ming's vital points!

Han Ming stood in place, watching the sky full of palm shadows, and raised his right hand.

Mountain Crushing Palm, thirty percent power.

He struck out with one palm, looking plain and unremarkable.

But wherever the palm wind passed, Su Wanning's palm shadows shattered like paper!

"Bang!"

One palm imprinted on Su Wanning's palm.

Su Wanning only felt a huge force surging towards her, her arm went numb, and she staggered back five or six steps, nearly falling off the battle stage.

She steadied herself, her beautiful eyes full of shock.

She didn't expect that even though Han Ming's blood-Qi value was so much lower than hers, his attack power was so strong; it seemed his Martial Skill had already been Cultivated to the Major Achievement Realm.

"I lost." Su Wanning took a deep breath and conceded decisively.

She was not someone who couldn't accept defeat.

"Han Ming wins! Advances to the Winners' Group!"

The audience erupted again.

"Tch, I thought Han Ming would go easy! That's Su Wanning! He actually managed to attack."

"Exactly, he even said he liked Su Wanning before! A man's mouth is truly a deceitful ghost."

Su Wanning walked off the battle stage, looked back at Han Ming, her gaze very complex; she felt that Han Ming's attitude towards her had changed.

He wasn't pestering her like before, and his gaze towards her no longer held obsession. She should have been happy, but for some reason, she felt like something was missing.

Han Ming didn't look at her and walked straight to the Winners' Group rest area.

The five in the Winners' Group: Lin Fan, Zhou Hao, Zhao Feng, Liu Yun, and Han Ming.

The five in the Losers' Group: Qian Duoduo, Zhang Han, Chen Fei, Sun Hai, and Su Wanning.

The referee announced: "Rest for ten minutes, then proceed to the Winners' Group ranking matches!"

In the Winners' Group rest area, the atmosphere was subtle.

The five people each occupied a corner, and no one spoke.

Zhou Hao leaned against a pillar, his gaze constantly sweeping between Lin Fan and Han Ming, his eyes filled with defiance.

Zhao Feng sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, earth-yellow light faintly circulating around his body as he regulated his breathing.

Liu Yun had her hair in a ponytail, squatting on the ground drawing circles, looking completely unconcerned.

Han Ming found a corner to sit down and closed his eyes to rest.

Lin Fan stood at the very edge, his expression calm; it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Soon, ten minutes passed.

"The Winners' Group ranking matches begin!"

"First match, Lin Fan versus Liu Yun!"

Liu Yun stood up, dusted off her hands, and walked onto the battle stage with a smile.

Lin Fan walked up from the other side, his pace steady.

"Begin!"

Liu Yun made the first move. She raised her hands, and over a dozen emerald green vines frantically burst out from the gaps in the battle stage, entangling towards Lin Fan's feet like spirit snakes!

This move was tried and tested against melee Martial Artists.

But Lin Fan just raised his foot and stomped lightly.

"Boom!"

An invisible wave of air exploded from under his feet; before those vines could even get close, they were shattered into pieces!

Liu Yun's expression changed.

Lin Fan took a step, and his figure instantly disappeared from where he stood.

The next second, he was already standing in front of Liu Yun, his palm hovering three inches from her forehead.

Liu Yun froze in place, a drop of cold sweat sliding down her forehead.

She didn't even see how Lin Fan got over there.

"I... I concede."

Liu Yun swallowed, conceding decisively.

"Lin Fan wins!"

The audience was silent.

Everyone was shocked by this move.

One move, just one move, and Liu Yun, who originally had a chance to win the championship, was defeated.

Xie Yunpeng sat on the podium, narrowing his eyes: "This Lin Fan... the Martial Skill he has Cultivated is likely already at Major Achievement."

Liu Qingqing also set aside her initial contempt, her beautiful eyes filled with solemnity.

"Second match, Zhou Hao versus Zhao Feng!"

These were old rivals.

The two had been fighting at Third Martial Arts High School for over two years, each having their own wins and losses.

On the battle stage, Zhou Hao loosened his wrists, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold sneer: "Zhao Feng, this time I won't go easy on you."

Zhao Feng was expressionless: "When have you ever gone easy on me?"

"Hmph!"

Zhou Hao snorted coldly, exerted force with his feet, and pounced towards Zhao Feng like a cheetah!

"Violent Wind Fist!"

The fist wind whistled, carrying a sharp screech that tore through the air! This was the Zhou family's ancestral Martial Skill, Profound Rank Low Grade, and he had already Cultivated it to Minor Achievement!

Its power was not to be underestimated.

Zhao Feng did not dodge or avoid, crossing his hands to block in front of him.

"Earth Guardian!"

Earth-yellow light condensed into a thick protective barrier, enveloping him completely.