Chapter Twenty-Seven: Advancing and Alliances

Below the arena, countless spectators erupted in astonishment, their voices rising in heated debate. Feng Yuancheng, the greatest contender in this exchange event, had been defeated—defeated by a mere fourteen or fifteen-year-old disciple from Flying Tiger Sect!

Yan Linzu's eyes flickered with a hint of satisfaction. Tilting his head, he looked toward the disciples of White Cloud Dojo and made a thumbs-down gesture—a display of arrogance and audacity.

“Senior Brother Feng lost! How is that possible?!”
“No, it can’t be!”

The disciples of White Cloud Dojo gathered around the ring, their faces dark and mournful, unable to accept what had happened. If it had been a black horse from the second or third level of martial arts, perhaps they could have managed. But the victor over Senior Brother Feng was just an unknown youth, fourteen or fifteen years old! What was even more astonishing was that Yan Linzu had defeated Feng Yuancheng head-on. It was clear to everyone that Yan Linzu’s combat experience was limited.

Instructor Zhu sighed, gazing at Feng Yuancheng, whose face was pale as he descended from the arena.
“In a competition, there are winners and losers. No one is invincible. Feng Yuancheng, don’t lose heart. Go rest for now—you still have another chance, the opportunity to compete for the final spot on Ring Five!”

Fortunately, Feng Yuancheng had met Yan Linzu in this round. A round earlier or later, he would have been eliminated outright.

Feng Yuancheng’s cheeks flushed red. He dared not look at the victorious youth again, biting his lip and clasping his fists in resignation as he turned away, his face full of unwillingness. He had always been proud and self-assured, considering himself extraordinary, yet now he had become a stepping stone for a younger disciple’s rise to fame. It wasn’t that he couldn’t accept losing to someone else, but he simply couldn’t accept losing to someone he had never taken seriously.

Feng Yuancheng’s defeat was soon the talk of the entire competition venue. The seeded contestants on every ring learned that Flying Tiger Sect had hidden such a prodigy. Feng Yuancheng, renowned for his unparalleled talent throughout Feiling County, had now become Yan Linzu’s stepping stone.

...

The second match on Ring Five was about to begin—it was Chen Fan’s turn.

“Hmm, Chen Fan’s still not fourteen, isn’t he? Is he about to break into the county’s top thirty?”
Instructor Zhu, knowing Chen Fan’s age and curious about his strength, decided to stay and watch another match.

Chen Fan calmed his earlier excitement and anticipation and leapt onto the ring. His opponent was a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old disciple from a small boxing dojo. After a few exchanges, Chen Fan confirmed his opponent’s strength: a second-rate martial artist practicing a force-training manual with internal energy—not stronger than Zhang Feihong.

Chen Fan fought steadily. After probing and finding his opponent less skilled than himself, he refrained from attacking outright. He used the opportunity to hone his "Wind and Thunder Palm," searching for another moment of enlightenment.

Though his opponent wielded internal energy, his combat experience paled compared to Zhang Feihong from the previous day. His moves lacked ferocity, his strength inferior to Chen Fan’s—he was simply no match. In just a few moves, he fell completely behind.

Compared to the previous clash between Yan Linzu and Feng Yuancheng, this bout between force-training practitioners was far less intense. Spectators from other rings gradually drifted away. No one paid much attention to Chen Fan’s abilities.

In truth, Chen Fan’s previous opponent had begun true skill practice but was fundamentally weak, not necessarily stronger than the current challenger. Chen Fan’s luck was indeed favorable. Unlike Feng Yuancheng, he hadn’t encountered particularly formidable adversaries. Feng Yuancheng had faced a second-level martial artist, then the even stronger Yan Linzu—both far tougher than Chen Fan’s opponents.

Chen Fan actually wished for stronger opponents to pressure him into comprehending his boxing technique. This one’s strength was similar to Zhang Feihong’s, but lacked his extremity, while Chen Fan had accumulated several bouts’ worth of experience, growing stronger. He felt no pressure at all.

Unable to enter a special combat state, he attacked with full force—within a hundred exchanges, he easily knocked his opponent off the ring and claimed victory.

This win marked his emergence from Ring Five and his official entry into the top thirty. Chen Fan’s battle didn’t shock or astonish the crowd like Feng Yuancheng’s defeat, but it was steady and assured, far more confident than his matches the day before—an impressive display of skill.

“Excellent, excellent,”
Several instructors nodded approvingly. At his age, such performance was outstanding. If not for Yan Linzu’s dazzling display earlier, Chen Fan’s own would have drawn even more praise.

Spectators, comparing this match to the previous, pronounced it dull.

“They’re not even on the same level. If those two from earlier got up here, they’d settle the fight in ten moves.”

On the White Cloud Dojo’s side:

“Who would’ve thought—Senior Brother Feng, our seeded contender, lost so unexpectedly, while Junior Brother Chen easily entered the top thirty!”
A disciple sighed.

Su Qingyang, feeling a pang of envy, pretended not to care and said, “Chen Fan was luckier, benefited from the competition’s format.”

In this format, advancing didn’t necessarily mean being stronger than those eliminated. Some people, with good fortune and moderate skill, kept winning simply because their opponents weren’t strong.

But regardless of the process, the result stood. Chen Fan became the first to emerge from Ring Five. The last match was Meng Qi’s turn. Meng Qi’s opponent had also practiced true skills, but was merely a second-rate force-training practitioner.

While Meng Qi’s strength was slightly lower, during the fight his “Wind and Thunder Palm” broke through at the critical moment, producing internal energy. His power suddenly surged, catching his opponent off guard and turning defeat into victory, becoming the fifth to advance.

Victory is victory—luck is part of strength.

Meng Qi descended from the ring, his pale face flushed with excitement, joining Chen Fan.
“Haha, we’re both lucky, brother!”

He had almost lost, but broke through his bottleneck in the end. Returning to the dojo, he could take the entrance examination for disciples and begin training in true arts. Naturally, he was delighted.

After the five were decided, the last five contenders for the top ten would compete for a single spot, making a total of six qualifiers.

As expected, Feng Yuancheng ultimately prevailed, securing the final place and entering the top thirty. Though he had survived by a narrow margin, his expression was far from happy, his gaze fixed on Yan Linzu, who stood not far away.

Yan Linzu, however, never once looked back at him.

...

The day’s matches concluded.

Meng Qi dragged Chen Fan out. To celebrate their entry into the top thirty, Bao Tianyou had gathered a group of friends to throw a banquet for the two at Jiangshan Tower.

Chen Fan had been rapidly advancing these past days, his martial arts repeatedly reaching new heights, his vitality swelling. It still lagged behind his martial prowess, so he was not shy about feasting.

The youth who had previously joked about Chen Fan being a reincarnated hungry ghost watched him devouring food and laughed,
“Junior Brother Chen Fan was born with amazing strength—even his appetite is extraordinary!”

Chen Fan didn’t consider breaking into the top thirty particularly difficult, yet, given his age, his achievement was remarkable. No one could imagine that, at less than fourteen, Chen Fan had already mastered over a dozen force-training manuals. To them, his talent was exceptional, helped by a bit of luck.

Chen Fan felt somewhat embarrassed by their comments, smiling shyly. He slowed his eating pace a little, but didn’t stop. The banquet at Jiangshan Tower offered not only delicious flavors but also ample nutrition. The table was piled with every kind of meat, known and unknown, that Chen Fan could name. The meal was even more lavish than his first at Jiangshan Tower.

His vitality surged, and the food quickly transformed into nourishment for his body. This meal did more for him than five or six ordinary ones combined. Of course, full metamorphosis of his vitality was still a long way off.

Bao Tianyou watched Chen Fan with increasing approval, unconcerned by his appetite. He suddenly said,

“By the way, I remember you once asked me where you could find cranes. Do you like those animals?”

Chen Fan’s eyes brightened,
“Do you know of any cranes nearby?”

Bao Tianyou shook his head,
“None nearby. But recently, my family acquired a batch of calligraphy and paintings. Among them, there’s a White Crane painting, apparently by a renowned artist, possessing a certain spiritual charm. If you like it, I’ll bring it for you.”

Chen Fan felt a twinge of disappointment.
In Feiling County’s White Cloud Dojo, there was a crane painting hanging in the corridor, but it was a mass-produced work by an ordinary artist. Chen Fan had tried repeatedly to gain insight from it, but to no avail.

Still, Bao Tianyou’s mention of “spiritual charm” intrigued Chen Fan.

He pondered,
“The dojo’s painting is a mediocre work, surely inferior to Bao family’s collection. If it holds special vitality, perhaps I could gain some insight…”

He smiled and said,
“I’m practicing the ‘White Cloud Pine and Crane Palm,’ so I wanted to see the animal for myself, but haven’t had the chance. If I could see a crane painting, it would be wonderful. But I can’t accept it from you for nothing—I’m willing to buy it.”

Bao Tianyou laughed and shook his head,
“We’re brothers, there’s no need for such formalities. If you insist on paying, I won’t give it to you!”

Chen Fan fell silent and shook his head.
For a disciple from a prominent family like Bao Tianyou, dozens of taels of silver meant nothing. For him, granting Chen Fan a favor was far more valuable.

Chen Fan understood his thinking and didn’t press the issue further.

Since there were more matches tomorrow, the group didn’t linger after the meal. They finished and dispersed, heading home.

But Chen Fan was stopped by Bao Tianyou, who, quite earnestly, looked at him and said,

“Junior Brother Chen Fan, would you be willing to become a retainer of the Bao family?”