69: scared them away

USA team's aircraft.

"Phase One personnel are about to finish loading."

"Let's see if he really has the ability."

Simon turned his head and glanced at the loading progress bar.

20/18..., 20/19... He withdrew his gaze, his voice flat.

"If he can't even get past this phase, then he isn't Lin Yan."

"Let's wait for Phase Two."

...Virtual Battle Network, the Giant Martial Arena.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!

Spotlights flashed in time with the countdown.

The Dragon Country spectators waved their arms and shouted along, their faces flushed red.

"5! 4! 3...!"

It's been years.

They had forgotten how many years it had been since a Dragon Country Prodigy attempted to challenge the Intermediate kings road.

Ever since the golden age began.

They were even more expectant, they were filled with immense hope.

They were waiting for their golden generation to grow and mature.

Now.

The first one stood below, waiting for his first opponent to appear.

"2! 1!!!"

"ROAR!!"

"We beseech the Flame King! Bring glory to our country!!"

Swoosh—!

All sound vanished.

A young figure slowly materialized opposite Lin Yan.

"Intermediate kings road, Phase One, First Match."

"Dragon Country's Lin Yan VS Japan's Takahashi Kenshin."

"Whoa~!"

The entire martial arena erupted in an uproar.

"The top scorer in Japan's College Entrance Exam eight years ago, a Prodigy who cleared the traditional mode of the Intermediate kings road!"

"Although his clearance had some issues, he must now be at least at the sixth rank of cultivation and possess an earth extreme High Grade or even a profound extreme Low Grade Martial Skill!"

"They have no shame at all!!"

"The first match is already hellish difficulty!"

"Hellish difficulty?"

"That's for others!"

"For the Flame King?"

"I'm laughing!"

"It's bound to be a crushing opening victory!"

Heh.. heh heh heh... Lin Yan watched the expressionless young man opposite him drawing his sword, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, his starry eyes flashing with a bone-chilling coldness.

Japan.

Last time on the Elementary kings road, the first opponent was from your country, and now it is again.

It seems you simply don't understand the stimulation to the very marrow of one's Bloodline when encountering Martial Artists from this country.

Clang—!

The sharp blade of the heavenly emperor halberd slammed heavily onto the ground.

Boom—!

Lin Yan's four thick Meridians directly manifested, his violent, bloodthirsty soaring Qi and Blood wildly whipping the black clothes on his body.

On the other side.

Takahashi Kenshin remained silent, also revealing his Meridians.

At this moment.

There was nothing to say.

Lin Yan, famous across the globe, no longer needed disdain or verbal taunts.

What was needed was to face him with full strength.

Two powerful Auras collided and clashed amidst the electronic countdown.

"1!"

"Begin the battle!"

The powerful restraining force enveloping the two instantly disappeared.

Bang—!

Two explosive sounds of feet stomping the ground rang out simultaneously.

Two figures, like lightning, instantly charged forward.

The youth let out a fierce roar, something he rarely did in his many battles.

"DIE!!"

His short black hair swept back from his extreme charge speed.

The heavenly emperor halberd, gripped tightly in both hands for a horizontal slash, let out a roar as if from the depths of the Nine Nether Abyss.

No fancy moves. His slightly bloodshot eyes were enough to show that right now, he just wanted a direct clash.

Takahashi Kenshin's eyes flickered. His charging momentum suddenly halted, his figure shifting like a ghost, dodging the halberd blade that swept past in front of him.

The corner of his mouth lifted. As his body leaned sideways, the sharp sword in his hand thrust straight towards the youth's now completely unguarded right shoulder.

Regarding Lin Yan, so many people across the globe had already conducted research.

His monstrous strength was the foundation of his ability to win every battle.

So, one must never choose to clash head-on with him. Look for opportunities to... What?!

Takahashi Kenshin's pupils shook.

He saw Lin Yan, with peerless brute force, forcibly pull back the heavenly emperor halberd that should have missed its strike, bringing it right back to Takahashi Kenshin's chest, and then thrust it forward violently.

Swoosh—!

The faint sound of the halberd tip piercing through the heart.

"You...!"

Takahashi Kenshin glanced at the sharp sword in his hand that had only just been thrust out, then looked up in disbelief.

Lin Yan's expression was cold as he slowly lifted him up with the halberd.

The youth's utterly emotionless voice echoed.

"What the fuck are you dodging?"

"Hmm?"

Without waiting for Takahashi Kenshin to answer.

He exerted force with his right hand, twisting the heavenly emperor halberd.

Excruciating pain from the pierced heart surged.

"AH!!"

A scream of agony resounded throughout the entire martial arena.

"I'm asking you a question."

"Trash."

Takahashi Kenshin, filled with humiliation, lifted his head. On his deathly pale face, his eyes seemed ready to devour someone.

"Lin Yan!!"

"If this were reality!"

"I could crush you underfoot with a single step!!"

A cold smile spread across Lin Yan's face.

"If I were as much of a waste as you are at your age."

"I would have ended myself with a sword long ago."

Although the two of them couldn't hear the many voices in the martial arena at this moment.

All the spectators could hear their conversation very clearly.

"Hahaha!"

"I told you, this is our Dragon Country's strongest Prodigy!"

"What 'road-blocking clearers', it's all bullshit!"

"Well said, Flame King!"

"So satisfying!"

"Haven't you all noticed for a while now? Although the Flame King is quite ruthless when fighting domestically, he's always held back somewhat, rarely going for the kill."

"But he's different with these foreigners. Not only does he go for fatal blows every single time."

"When he encounters someone from Japan, he adds mockery and humiliation on top of it."

"I noticed that too!"

"What to do, I'm already so looking forward to him appearing in global competitions!"

"How can you not love such a top-tier Prodigy with such rock-solid principles!"

"Don't talk about global-scale competitions yet, finish watching the kings road first."

The few Japanese spectators present looked extremely grim.

Too arrogant!

Really too arrogant!

Winning is one thing, but deliberately keeping him alive with a breath just to humiliate Takahashi Kenshin, not letting him die completely.

Bastard!!

Filled with rage, they slapped the armrests of their seats.

So infuriating!!

You'd better stay this arrogant forever!

Don't let us catch you on the day you fail!

"You... you you..."

Takahashi Kenshin, feeling the gaze of the entire arena's millions of spectators and thinking of the countless others watching the live stream in reality, trembled with anger, hanging there, and roared madly.

"Kill me! Kill me!!"

"Hmph."

Lin Yan snorted coldly.

If he weren't currently in the midst of the kings road challenge and under the Virtual Network's comprehensive evaluation, he would definitely have said a few more choice words.

With that thought.

He directly reversed his grip on the heavenly emperor halberd and stabbed it downwards towards the ground.

Clang—!

With 100% realistic sensation, Takahashi Kenshin's eyes immediately bulged out, his limbs going limp and hanging down.

A pool of blood formed.

The corpse slowly dissipated.

The Virtual Network's electronic voice sounded.

"Phase One, First Match, Victory."

"Second Match, ten seconds..."

Strangely.

The voice paused for a moment.

"Contestant withdraws... Loading substitute personnel..."

"Substitute personnel withdraws..."

"One-minute registration countdown begins..."

"60...59...58..."

Lin Yan, teleported back to his original spot, raised an eyebrow.

This scene felt somewhat familiar.