22: Chapter 22 In my opinion, at most three moves.

The alloy arena reflected a cold, metallic luster.

The gazes of the hundred thousand people in the audience focused on that massive square arena, fifty meters in length and width, as if they were tangible.

The first match.

The commoner top scorer with double perfect scores versus the Prodigy from a Family.

This was not just a battle for ranking; it was a microcosm of the clash between social classes.

Su Yu stood before the steps, preparing to step onto the arena.

Suddenly, his sleeve was gripped tightly by a force.

He stopped and turned his head.

Lin Xiaoxiao was standing behind him.

On her pure and pretty face, the usual willful and carefree demeanor of a Young Miss was nowhere to be found at this moment.

There was only unconcealable nervousness.

Even the fingers gripping Su Yu's sleeve were turning slightly white.

"Su Yu."

Lin Xiaoxiao lowered her voice.

The surroundings were extremely noisy, but her voice clearly reached Su Yu's ears.

It carried a hint of stubbornness that brooked no refusal.

"Be careful."

"Zhao Ze will definitely go for the kill."

Lin Xiaoxiao stared intently into Su Yu's deep eyes.

"If you feel like you can't hold on, don't force it."

"Shout that you surrender immediately!"

"I know you have strong self-esteem, and I know how much you have sacrificed for today."

"But you only have one life!"

Lin Xiaoxiao bit her lower lip.

"Although Great Grandmaster Lei Potian is watching from the high platform and will intervene to save you as the referee at the critical moment,"

"the actual combat arena is ever-changing."

"The explosive power of a Profound Rank Martial Skill is terrifyingly high. Sometimes, even a Great Grandmaster might not be able to block every fatal blow within a fraction of a second."

"In the history of the martial arts college entrance exam practicals, it's not like Geniuses haven't died on the arena floor before!"

She said all this in one breath.

Lin Xiaoxiao took a deep breath.

She let go of Su Yu's sleeve and looked at him very solemnly.

"I'm still holding that special admission spot from my Family for you."

"As long as you walk off this arena alive,"

"that spot will still be yours."

"Daxia Capital First Martial Arts University, I will still take you there!"

Every single word.

Was full of heartfelt worry and unconditional support.

For a girl who values kindness deeply but was born into a Family where profit comes first, being able to say this much already went against all her Family's principles of conduct.

Su Yu looked at the stubborn girl in front of him.

He did not smile.

Nor did he say any arrogant boasts.

He just pulled his hands out of his trouser pockets extremely calmly.

He reached back and gently patted Lin Xiaoxiao's shoulder.

"Don't worry."

Only two words.

No extra explanation, no impassioned promises.

But just these two words.

Coupled with Su Yu's eyes, which were as deep as an abyss and without a single ripple.

They seemed to carry an incredible magic.

Instantly soothing all the anxiety and panic in Lin Xiaoxiao's heart.

Su Yu withdrew his hand.

Turned around.

Stepping on the hard alloy steps, one step, then another, he walked onto the arena.

Lin Xiaoxiao stood where she was, watching that thin but upright figure.

She clenched her fists tightly.

"You must win."

...

On the arena.

Su Yu and Zhao Ze stood on opposite sides of the arena.

Twenty meters apart.

Zhao Ze was wearing a pure white custom martial arts uniform, with the gold-threaded emblem of the "Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall" embroidered on his chest.

He loosened his wrists and neck, his bones emitting a teeth-grinding "crack" sound.

In his eyes.

There was nothing but undisguised cruelty and bloodlust.

In contrast, Su Yu.

Was still wearing that old, washed-out short-sleeved shirt and a pair of loose sweatpants.

His hands hung naturally at his sides.

He did not assume any defensive or offensive stance.

He looked just like an ordinary high school student who had finished dinner and was taking a casual walk in the park.

Full of openings.

On the high platform.

VIP spectator area.

The President of the Jiangcheng Martial Arts Association, Great Grandmaster Lei Potian.

Was sitting in the main seat with a dignified and imposing air.

He was not looking at the two people on the arena, but was looking down, flipping through an electronic file in his hand.

That was the biographical data about Su Yu that had just been automatically retrieved by the System.

"Three days ago, Qi blood value was 0.8."

"Three days later, Qi blood value is 10.4."

Great Grandmaster Lei Potian looked at these two sets of extremely glaring data.

His rugged brows furrowed slightly.

As a Great Grandmaster with a Qi blood value exceeding one hundred thousand, he had seen too many Geniuses and Prodigies in the Great Xia Kingdom.

He also knew that countless incredible Opportunities existed in this world.

A high-level Spiritual Plant, a beast core, or even a genetic mutation.

Could all potentially allow someone to be reborn overnight.

Su Yu being able to have his Qi blood surge more than tenfold in these three days must mean he had stumbled upon some massive Opportunity.

This was a good thing.

The Great Xia Kingdom needed lucky Geniuses.

However.

Great Grandmaster Lei Potian put down the electronic tablet in his hand and cast his gaze toward Su Yu on the arena.

There was a hint of pity in his eyes.

"What a pity."

"In the end, he's just an upstart with good luck."

Great Grandmaster Lei Potian made an extremely professional judgment in his heart.

Martial arts has never been a simple addition of numbers.

Qi blood value is just the source of power.

And how to perfectly unleash this power requires the endurance of the Meridians and the tempering of Martial Skills!

A body that originally only had a Qi blood value of 0.8.

Its Meridians must be extremely fragile and narrow.

Forcibly injecting 10.4 worth of massive Qi blood in three days.

It's like forcing a rushing river into an old plastic water pipe.

If one is not careful, the Meridians will shatter, leading to Qi Deviation!

"His Qi blood is absolutely extremely unstable."

Great Grandmaster Lei Potian's gaze was incredibly sharp.

"Furthermore, in three days, he simply had no extra energy to polish his Martial Skills."

"He possesses 10.4 worth of brute force but dare not use it to its full extent, otherwise his Meridians would collapse first."

"In this state, he might be able to crush ordinary martial arts students with brute force."

"But against that kid from the Zhao Family, who has been using century-old medicinal baths to widen his Meridians since childhood and is proficient in Profound Rank Martial Skills..."

Great Grandmaster Lei Potian shook his head.

"There is no chance of winning."

"He will undoubtedly be defeated within ten moves."

As a Great Grandmaster, he had seen through the essence of this seemingly evenly matched competition.

This is the cruelest barrier between the heritage of a Family and a commoner upstart.

However.

Great Grandmaster Lei Potian's body leaned forward slightly, the one hundred thousand Qi blood within him in a standby state, ready to erupt at any moment.

"He is a good seedling after all, and he even got a perfect score in liberal arts."

"When the Zhao Family kid goes for the kill later, I must intervene quickly."

"Don't let this kid actually die on the arena."

...

Meanwhile.

On the other side of the stands.

In the VIP box where the Jiangcheng dignitaries gathered.

Zhao Ze's father, the current master of the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall, Zhao Tianxiong.

Was sitting upright on a leather sofa.

Holding a cup of expensive first-rank beast blood tea.

Steam curled upwards.

Zhao Tianxiong looked at his high-spirited son on the arena, a satisfied arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Old Liu."

Zhao Tianxiong blew the foam off the surface of the tea and spoke slowly.

"How many moves do you think Ze'er needs to take down that commoner named Su Yu?"

Standing next to the sofa was the butler with the handlebar mustache.

Hearing the boss's question.

The butler hurriedly bowed slightly, his face full of flattering smiles.

"Sir, you are belittling the Young Master."

"That Su Yu just got lucky; he probably ate some wild fruit. His Qi blood is as unstable as a rotten balloon."

"The Young Master grew up soaking in the medicinal baths you bought at a high price, and his Meridians are incredibly tough."

"Furthermore, the Young Master is proficient in our Zhao Family's trump card, the 'Rock-Crushing Palm'!"

The butler patted his chest confidently.

"In my opinion, three moves at most."