36: The defeated protagonist makes his grand entrance as the final act.

The Lingfa Sect Outer Sect Disciple on the arena stage announced his name upon seeing Zhang Tian step up.

“Lingfa Sect Outer Sect Disciple, Song Cizhou.”

Song Cizhou was dressed in a light green Daoist robe, holding a jade-green Medium Grade spirit sword in his hand.

“Let the battle begin!”

He Mingyuan gave the order, announcing the start of the duel.

As soon as the battle started, the Xuanji Sect Disciples below the stage broke into a commotion.

“That Outer Sect Disciple looks a bit familiar, doesn't he?”

“Isn't that the Trash, Zhang Tian?”

“You're still calling him Trash? He only entered the Outer Sect a few days ago.”

“His aura is actually at the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer; this cultivation speed is far too fast!”

“It's a pity. If he had cultivated for a bit longer, he might have been able to win!”

“I think so too. His opponent is the strongest among the Outer Sect Disciples.”

Zhang Tian also heard the discussions below the stage.

He felt that these fellow Disciples were blind.

He had cultivated his family's secret technique, and his strength had reached the Golden Core Realm.

Therefore, it was impossible for him to lose to an opponent at the Foundation Establishment Tenth Layer.

“Cangqiong Battle Art.”

Zhang Tian gave a loud shout, and the Spiritual Qi in his body surged rapidly, transforming into a gray suit of battle armor that enveloped his entire body.

With a flash, he appeared in front of Song Cizhou and threw a fierce punch.

“Wood Vine Entanglement!”

Song Cizhou nimbly dodged the strike, and the jade-green spirit sword in his hand slashed through the air.

Several streaks of green light flew onto the surface of the arena.

In an instant, ten massive vines appeared.

The massive vines charged directly at Zhang Tian like pythons.

“A mere few vines? Watch me break them with one punch!”

Facing the vines dancing all over the sky, Zhang Tian shook his head with disdain.

Then, the gray Spiritual Qi on his body gathered on his fists.

He aimed at the vines and threw a punch.

As expected, the vines were blasted apart by the punch.

In no time, the ten vines were cleared away.

When the vines exploded, a large amount of powder appeared.

For a moment, a thin mist appeared on the stage.

But Zhang Tian didn't care at all, thinking it was just an illusionary trick.

“Bring out whatever other moves you have!”

Zhang Tian stood proudly where he was, seemingly not regarding Song Cizhou as a threat.

Song Cizhou was not annoyed either, wielding his spirit sword as he swung it around.

Two tree stumps appeared beneath his feet, and those two stumps grew frantically.

In a short while, he was lifted high into the air by the stumps.

Many branches appeared around the stumps.

In the blink of an eye, those branches grew to cover half of the arena.

“Green Wood Cage!”

While in the air, Song Cizhou suddenly pointed downward with his spirit sword.

Dozens of densely packed branches appeared all around where Zhang Tian was standing.

They directly enveloped Zhang Tian.

“Is that all?”

Zhang Tian was not panicked in the least, even though he was surrounded by countless branches covered in sharp thorns.

The gray Spiritual Qi on his body enveloped his entire frame.

Facing the branches closing in on him, he directly attacked with punches and kicks.

Although he broke the branches quickly, the speed at which the branches generated was even faster.

Cold sweat appeared on Zhang Tian's forehead.

“You were too careless!”

“Although your attack power at the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer reaches the Golden Core Realm...”

“...it's a pity you allowed me to fill the entire arena with Wood Spiritual Qi.”

Song Cizhou stood atop the trees, looking down at Zhang Tian from a height.

“Damn it!”

“Firmament Spirit-Breaking Palm!”

Zhang Tian's palm emitted an intense gray spiritual light.

A palm shadow struck out, and the cage formed by the branches instantly exploded.

“It's useless!”

The jade-green Spiritual Qi on Song Cizhou's body surged out once again.

The branches on the arena grew frantically, forming several more cages to envelop Zhang Tian.

Zhang Tian couldn't dodge in time and was directly bound by the branches.

“Admit defeat!”

“Impossible!”

Veins bulged on Zhang Tian's forehead, and the gray Spiritual Qi on his body began to riot.

His Realm actually began to rise.

From Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer, he rose to Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer.

The Xuanji Sect Disciples below the stage were all stunned.

Su Yun also felt a bit speechless after seeing this.

Isn't this the protagonist's classic power-up in the heat of battle?

“Break for me!”

The vines on Zhang Tian's body suddenly exploded.

The gray Spiritual Qi on his body covered him once more. He kicked off hard with his back legs, and his entire person flew into the air.

Facing Zhang Tian, who was attacking him directly...

Song Cizhou was not flustered at all.

Several branches pulled at his body.

He instantly hid among the large number of branches and trees, his entire person vanishing from Zhang Tian's sight.

“I'll destroy all the branches here and see where you can hide!”

Zhang Tian was getting anxious. He had originally thought that facing an opponent at the Foundation Establishment Tenth Layer would be an easy win.

But who would have known that because of his carelessness, it would now be so difficult to deal with this troublesome opponent.

“Cangqiong Battle Art!”

Zhang Tian pushed his Cultivation Technique to the limit, and powerful punch shadows quickly struck the branches.

The branches were shattered piece by piece, but they quickly regenerated.

“Damn it, do you dare to come out and fight me head-on!”

Zhang Tian panted as he attacked the branches, cursing angrily.

“It's about time!”

Song Cizhou appeared once again on top of a tree.

“Hahaha, you're finished!”

Zhang Tian's figure flashed as he jumped from the ground into mid-air, wanting to blast Song Cizhou apart with a single punch.

“No, it's you who is finished!”

Facing Zhang Tian's fierce attack, a faint smile appeared on Song Cizhou's face.

“What?”

Zhang Tian suddenly felt that the Spiritual Qi in his body was becoming difficult to mobilize.

His entire body felt as if it were overly exhausted, and a strong wave of sleepiness flooded his mind.

“You actually used poison?”

“You're mistaken. My Physique is a Wood-attribute Physique that contains toxicity.”

“So my attacks all carry poison!”

“Despicable, you're far too despicable!”

“You...”

“Have a good sleep!”

Zhang Tian fell from mid-air and crashed heavily onto the arena stage.

He tried his best to stand up again, but unfortunately, the Spiritual Qi in his entire body could not be circulated.

Impossible, how could I lose?

I still have to win the duel and obtain the Cultivation Technique reward from the Scripture Pavilion!

No!

Don't!

Zhang Tian closed his eyes unwillingly and fell directly into a coma.

“Song Cizhou wins!”

He Mingyuan announced the result of the battle with a helpless tone.

Several deacons immediately stepped forward and carried Zhang Tian off the stage.

“Is this Disciple alright?”

“Elder, he's just been poisoned. These toxins aren't very harmful; their main effect is to make someone fall into a deep sleep.”

“We've already given him the antidote. He'll wake up after sleeping for a while longer.”

Hearing the deacon's report, He Mingyuan finally let out a sigh of relief.

At this time, almost all the Xuanji Sect Disciples below the stage were dejected.

“Zhang Tian lost too. I thought he was going to win just now!”

“I thought so too.”

“He was too careless, throwing away a victory for nothing!”

“Can it be that we Xuanji Sect Disciples can't win even a single match?”

“It looks like this is another year of losing to the Lingfa Sect.”

On the viewing platform, Gu Linyuan's face was ashen.

He also hadn't expected that the Xuanji Sect Disciples would lose so miserably this year.

Sitting opposite him, however, Xu Jianshan's face was filled with constant smiles, clearly overjoyed.

Suddenly, a voice from below the stage broke the heavy atmosphere of the scene.

“I'll do it!”

Su Yun gave a light leap and jumped directly onto the arena where Zhang Tian had just fought.

The Xuanji Sect Disciples below the stage immediately burst into discussion.

“Who is this? Is he going up there just to get beaten?”

“I'm an Outer Sect Disciple; I've heard of this person. His name is Su Yun, and he just became an Outer Sect Disciple.”

“I remember, isn't he only at the Qi Condensation Layer Seven Realm?”

“Strange, why can't I see what Realm he's at now?”

“Has he lost his mind? A Qi Condensation Layer Seven going to fight a Foundation Establishment Tenth Layer?”

“It's over, we're going to lose again this time!”