75: Chapter 75 Clash of Titans

The next day, just as dawn broke, the Martial Arts Field was already bustling with noise.

Compared to yesterday's defensive battles, today's "upward challenges" were even more exhilarating—everyone was waiting for the main event: the duel between the second-ranked Zhao Ya and the top-ranked Zhang Wen.

After all, one was a Forming Realm powerhouse who controlled blazing flames, and the other was the SSS-Rank Talent holder whose single punch yesterday had shocked the world; the collision between these two was the true focus in everyone's hearts.

However, just as the Spirit Gathering Crystal refreshed the challenge list, a figure leaped onto the challenge stage beside the number one arena; it was none other than Feng Yingcai from yesterday's fifth arena.

His green robes billowed, and his gaze was locked firmly onto Zhang Wen, who was walking over slowly; the wind energy around him was even stronger than yesterday, clearly indicating that he could no longer hold back.

"Zhang Wen, stop thinking only about competing with that woman, Zhao Ya," he said, deliberately raising his voice and sweeping his Forming Realm pressure across the surroundings. "Today, I'll weigh you for her and see exactly how much your first-place position is worth!"

A stir rippled through the crowd below.

"Is Feng Yingcai getting impatient?"

"He probably can't stand Zhang Wen hogging the spotlight... But with him being in the Forming Realm against Zhang Wen, we might finally see Zhang Wen's true capabilities."

Zhao Ya stood in front of the crowd, her red clothes burning like fire; she raised an eyebrow at his words but said nothing, merely crossing her arms and watching the arena.

She also wanted to know how many trump cards this New Student, who could blast Wang Lin away with a single punch, would reveal when facing a true Forming Realm expert going all out.

The masters of the other arenas also looked over: Ji Changkong held his sword, his eyes filled with inquiry; Qin Huang stood with his arms crossed, his face full of anticipation; Ding Siyi stood quietly to the side and slightly behind, her fingertips unconsciously twisting her sleeves...

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the two people in the arena.

"Enough talk." Zhang Wen stepped onto the arena, his expression remaining calm. "Make your move."

"Arrogant!" Feng Yingcai roared, his figure suddenly turning into a cyan-gray afterimage. "Wind Shadow Evasion!" He utilized the wind's momentum to dash to Zhang Wen's left, while simultaneously condensing six Wind Blades at his fingertips, which attacked Zhang Wen's vital points in a fan shape.

This strike was thirty percent faster than when he dealt with other challengers yesterday; he was clearly serious.

A faint Lightning Radiance flashed beneath Zhang Wen's feet as he activated "Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks."

His figure seemed to step on invisible thunder patterns; although his sideways movement appeared a beat slow, he always managed to dodge by a hair's breadth before the Wind Blades could touch his body. Feng Yingcai's surprise attack missed again.

"Wind Binding Spirit Lock!" Feng Yingcai did not stop; as he formed hand seals, ten wind ropes shot up from the ground like spirit snakes, weaving into a net that covered Zhang Wen, the barbs at the ends of the ropes gleaming with a cold light.

Knowing that Zhang Wen's footwork was strange, he had deliberately set up this inescapable net to seal off all directions of evasion.

"Thousand Mechanisms of Purple Lightning Transformation." Zhang Wen murmured, and dense purple lightning surged around him.

The lightning wove into a cocoon shape around his body; as soon as the wind ropes touched the lightning net, they were shattered into pieces by the crackling current, unable to even get within three feet of him.

"Impossible!" Feng Yingcai's heart sank. The blockade he had exhausted nearly half his spiritual power to set up had been broken so easily? Gritting his teeth, he activated his trump card technique: "Wind Sweeps the Heavens!"

In an instant, the entire arena was enveloped by swirling gales; the wind was so strong that even the people below the stage felt difficulty breathing.

Countless Wind Spears condensed within the gale, shooting toward Zhang Wen like a rainstorm, each Wind Spear carrying a sharp force capable of tearing through spiritual power.

This was the strongest lethal move he could muster; even a peer of the same rank would be severely injured if hit by one.

However, in the next second, Zhang Wen's figure flickered slightly amidst the Lightning Radiance, pushing "Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks" to its limit.

His figure seemed to merge into the wind, or perhaps transform into a bolt of lightning, moving freely amidst the sky full of Wind Spears; those attacks that seemed impossible to avoid couldn't even touch a corner of his clothing.

Feng Yingcai's pupils constricted. He finally realized that his all-out offensive was like slow motion in the other's eyes—Zhang Wen wasn't dodging at all; he was toying with him!

"Enough." Zhang Wen's voice pierced through the sound of the wind, clearly reaching Feng Yingcai's ears.

Before the words faded, Zhang Wen had already appeared in front of Feng Yingcai, his right fist wrapped in blinding purple lightning, with Lightning Radiance exploding on his fist like a miniature Startling Thunder Arises. "Rushing Thunder Delusion Breaking Fist · Startling Thunder Arises!"

The moment the fist was thrown, the air was torn apart, and the wind's momentum actually stalled.

The wind shield Feng Yingcai had hastily condensed shattered like paper, and the fist slammed into his chest without any obstruction.

"Pfft—"

Feng Yingcai flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the barrier as blood mixed with shattered spiritual power sprayed out.

He struggled to get up, only to find that the spiritual power within his body had been churned into a mess by the lightning in the fist's force; a numbing sensation spread through his entire body, making it difficult even to move a finger.

The entire arena fell silent.

Everyone stared at the composed Zhang Wen on the arena, their minds blank.

How many methods had Feng Yingcai used? Wind Shadow Evasion, Wind Binding Spirit Lock, Wind Sweeps the Heavens... He had brought out almost all his trump cards, but what was the result? He hadn't even touched Zhang Wen's clothes.

And what about Zhang Wen? He had merely taken a few steps, released a layer of lightning net, and finally thrown a single punch.

"Is... is this the gap between the Forming Realm and him?" A New Student muttered, their voice trembling.

Zhao Ya narrowed her eyes, her fingertips beneath her red clothes tightening slightly—she had originally thought Feng Yingcai could at least force Zhang Wen to use seventy or eighty percent of his strength, but unexpectedly... it was so easy.

Ji Changkong gripped his sword hilt, Qin Huang's furrowed brow was tight enough to crush a mosquito, and Ding Siyi quietly breathed a sigh of relief before quickly pressing her lips together...

The expressions of all the arena masters had changed, and their gazes toward Zhang Wen contained a bit more incredulous gravity.

Zhang Wen retracted his fist, and the purple lightning faded. He didn't even look at the struggling Feng Yingcai below the stage, merely letting his gaze pass over the crowd and land on Zhao Ya, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint arc.

As if to say: Next, it's your turn.

The atmosphere instantly tightened to the extreme again. The lingering shock of Feng Yingcai's miserable defeat had not yet dissipated, and the challenge list on the Spirit Gathering Crystal had already quietly refreshed.

The names for the next duel had just lit up, drawing considerable attention—Wan Hao from the tenth arena had actually challenged Ding Siyi from the ninth arena.

"This New Student Wan Hao has quite a lot of guts, daring to challenge the ninth spot just after securing the tenth?"

"His Wood Leaf Pupil can see through trajectories, but Ding Siyi's Crimson Pearl Immortal Fire is an S-Rank Talent, integrating both offense and defense. Being both New Students, the gap is likely not small..."

Amidst the discussions, Wan Hao had already leaped onto the arena. The boy's eyes were still astonishingly bright, though there was a bit more tension at this moment.

He looked at Ding Siyi, who was walking over slowly from the opposite side, and took a deep breath: "Classmate Ding, I am Wan Hao, and I would like to learn from you."

Ding Siyi was dressed in a light purple dress, toying with a condensed pink-purple flame lotus in her hand; she smiled slightly and nodded at his words: "Please, go ahead."

Her tone was gentle, yet a faint warmth lingered around her; the seemingly soft and beautiful flame actually hid a temperature that could not be underestimated—as a fellow New Student, her composed demeanor already revealed a degree of calmness.

"Pardon the offense!" Wan Hao shouted softly, his eyes suddenly lighting up with a pale green spiritual radiance.

Fully activating his A-Rank Wood Leaf Pupil, everything within his line of sight—the flow of spiritual power around Ding Siyi and the energy nodes of the flame lotus—clearly appeared before his eyes.