44: Chapter 44 Battle

Li Wuniang struggled several times before managing to kneel halfway on the ground, saying weakly, "I concede."

Ye Yisong cupped his hands in a salute, "I accept your concession."

Before Ye Yisong had even stepped off the arena, a weak, charming voice came from Li Wuniang behind him, "Young Master Ye, could you tell this one what that green lotus was? Let me at least lose with clarity."

"Sure," Ye Yisong said, flashing a grin of bright white teeth.

"Really?" Li Wuniang said, pleasantly surprised.

That green lotus was too terrifying. Despite exhausting all her skills, she hadn't been able to dodge its attack; it felt as if it were destined to strike her.

Ye Yisong walked over to Li Wuniang, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, "It's a secret."

"Miss Li, I've only told you this secret, so don't tell anyone else, okay?" Ye Yisong said loudly while standing on the arena.

"You just told me it's a secret; you didn't actually say anything!" Li Wuniang said, exasperated.

"Exactly, that's just what I said," Ye Yisong laughed, turned to leave the arena, and returned to the Cangjiang Ye Family's resting area to continue drinking tea with the two elders. It would be a waste not to eat the free Spiritual Melons.

Little wench, completely shameless, and she still dares to ask me what the green lotus is?

If I had known, I would have slapped you to death with one palm, saving you from flaunting yourself here. You really just open your stinking mouth to ask about Martial Dao secrets?

"Hahaha..." Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang laughed, "This old man can't understand the young people of today."

"An interesting kid," Magistrate Sun Nanyu said.

Others couldn't hear what Ye Yisong had whispered to Li Wuniang, but the Fourth-Stage big shots present heard every word clearly.

After a Martial Artist reaches the Fourth Stage, their five senses undergo a qualitative improvement, not to mention they also possess Spiritual Sense.

With a sweep of Mental Energy, everything became clear.

This was the second time the Martial Artists under the arena had seen that eerie green lotus. Not only was its power immense, but it was also unavoidable, as if one could only face it head-on.

"Brother Li, did you figure out what that thing was?" Zhao Wentao asked Li Yuan, a short, dark-faced man beside him.

Li Yuan didn't answer Zhao Wentao's question, but instead said heavily, "The Cangjiang Ye Family is truly the Cangjiang Ye Family; another major enemy."

In the previous matches, they had already seen three suspected Five-Star Martial Masters from the Cangjiang Ye Family, and now another one, Ye Yisong, had appeared. This was going to be tough!

Another obstacle to getting first place had been added.

Regarding those three suspected Five-Star Martial Masters, including Zhao Wentao beside him, Li Yuan was fifty percent confident he could beat them in his heart. No matter how powerful the Cangjiang Ye Family was, a Martial Master was still a Martial Master after all.

But seeing Ye Yisong, Li Yuan felt uncertain. That eerie, unavoidable green lotus? What exactly was it? The unknown was the most terrifying thing.

Perhaps only by actually fighting on the arena would he know whether he could withstand it, and who the true powerhouse was.

In less than half an hour, all 29 matches were completed; 29 people were eliminated, and 29 advanced.

White-armored Squad Leader Sun Er took the register out of the groove, and after Magistrate Sun Nanyu stamped it, he consciously stepped back to make room for Magistrate Sun Nanyu. He would have to preside over the upcoming Top 100 ranking battles himself.

Magistrate Sun Nanyu said, "Truly, heroes are born in youth."

"Next, we will conduct the final round of matches, which will determine everyone's ranking in this Martial Examination tournament."

"The first match will still be a one-on-one battle. The winner advances to the Top 50, and the loser is ranked in the bottom fifty."

"Losers have one chance to challenge the Top 50, and if they win, they will take their place."

Magistrate Sun Nanyu briefly explained the rules, not caring whether the advancing Martial Artists understood or not, and inserted the advancement register into the groove. Those familiar numbers appeared in the sky once again.

The Martial Artists who could make it to the final round were not to be underestimated.

The last rule was to prevent special circumstances from occurring, giving the defeated Martial Artists a chance to make a comeback.

This time, Ye Yisong's luck was very good. He was matched against a Martial Artist who was still just a Martial Warrior, and without any pressure, he sent him flying with one punch, advancing to the Top 50.

However, his clansmen were in a bit of a bad spot this round.

Ye Jiehua was matched against Zhao Wentao, and Ye Jieyang was matched against Li Yuan. Four Five-Star Martial Masters met in the very first match of this round; the System had arranged good opponents.

The most cliché part was that Ye Jiekang actually ended up facing Ye Jiejing. The two strongest Martial Artists of the Cangjiang Ye Family on the surface didn't meet people from other families, but instead started fighting among themselves first.

On Arena No. 1, Ye Jiehua and Zhao Wentao; on Arena No. 2, Ye Jieyang and Li Yuan, both pairs faced each other from a distance.

Ye Jiehua launched the first attack. With the blessing of Fire Spiritual Qi, the Great Sun Sword Sutra engulfed the entire arena in a sea of fire.

Zhao Wentao was not to be outdone, unleashing the Shuinan Zhao Family's famous signature technique—the Prairie Fire Sword Style, fighting fire with fire, tit for tat.

The two fully demonstrated the power of Third-Stage Martial Masters, using Fire Spiritual Power against Fire Spiritual Power, scorching the entire arena until it was charred black, with rubble flying everywhere.

Ye Jieyang glanced at his cousin's side, where the fight was incredibly intense, and subconsciously drew his precious sword, pointing it at Li Yuan, "Brother Li, let me see if your Li Family's Water Wave Sword Art is still sharp."

Li Yuan took out a glistening sword and said, "Brother Ye, come and try it yourself to see if the Li Family sword is sharp."

"Mystic Ice Sword Art."

Ye Jieyang channeled his Spiritual Qi, coordinating it with his sword art to cover the entire arena with a layer of thin ice, making it easier for him to attack Li Yuan.

Li Yuan shattered the ice with one strike, turning the ice into water. The sword brought with it a water mist that shrouded the entire arena, making it blurry and difficult for people to see clearly.

Ye Jieyang, situated within the water mist, increased his output of Spiritual Qi, as if he wanted to freeze all the water mist entirely.

The Martial Artists under the arena watched, cheering with satisfaction; the Cangjiang Ye Family lived up to its reputation.

"Aren't these four a bit too powerful?"

"Don't say these are Five-Star Martial Masters; I would even believe it if you said they were Nine-Star Martial Masters."

"It's a good thing I'm not the one facing them; who could beat them?"

"Exactly, exactly, the arena is almost demolished; they are more monstrous than the last."

Ye Yisong watched the four of them fight, wondering if he were them, could he win against his opponent?

They had two stars more than him in cultivation, but if it came down to the storage of Spiritual Qi, who had more and who had less was not necessarily certain.

On Arena No. 1, for two Martial Artists with Fire Spiritual Qi, one green lotus would be enough to settle it, but what about this one creating water mist?

Interesting!

Ye Yisong looked at the water mist filling the entire Arena No. 2; he really didn't know how to break it for the moment, so he would think about it later.

Ye Yisong had absolute confidence in his own strength; the first place in the Shuinan County Martial Examination would undoubtedly be his.

It wouldn't matter who came; mere water mist wasn't without a solution. If it really came down to it, he would just use that move, hehe!

The two matches were about to be decided.

Ye Jiehua unleashed one of the ultimate moves of the Great Sun Sword Sutra—the Great Sun Divine Sword, a searing wave of Spiritual Qi attacking Zhao Wentao.

Zhao Wentao had no choice but to use the final move of the Prairie Fire Sword Style—Prairie Fire Across a Hundred Li. Two waves of Spiritual Qi, filled with immense energy, collided, instantly exploding in this narrow space.

The clothes on both of them were burned to tatters. Ye Jiehua, regardless of everything, leaped in front of Zhao Wentao and thrust his sword out. Zhao Wentao couldn't dodge in time and could only counter-thrust with his sword, forcing Ye Jiehua to withdraw his own.

Ye Jiehua, however, let the sword pierce his own body, determined to run his sword straight through Zhao Wentao's right hand.

Zhao Wentao reacted instantly and immediately raised his hand to concede.

Ye Jiehua resentfully withdrew the sword that was thrusting toward his left hand; if he didn't stop, Magistrate Sun Nanyu might kill him.