C439 A Situation That Has Never Happened Before!(2)

When Woo Zhengyang picked up his number, he also drew a bamboo stick with the number seventy-eight on it, indicating his opponent for the third round. He wasn't worried about this stage at all.

Apart from the other nine young contenders at the peak of the Skin Stage, the rest were not a concern for Woo Zhengyang. Even though the local youths, who had been consuming the meat and blood of beasts since childhood, might have slightly more physical strength than him, the difference wasn't significant. With his mastery of martial arts and sword force, victory would come easily.

The draw for the top fifty was conducted by those temporarily ranked in the top fifty, who would then select opponents from those ranked below. The nine youths at the peak of the Skin Stage occupied ranks two through ten, meaning Woo Zhengyang wouldn't face them no matter how the draw went. Meanwhile, the fate of Liu Dahu and others was left to chance.

Once the draw concluded, the matches began with the person ranked fiftieth. This was a young girl with braided hair, who drew number sixty-seven, a burly young man. The burly youth wielded a large broken blade, while the girl carried a spiked club. The mismatch in weapons reminded Woo Zhengyang of a Hammer Man he once encountered in No Life City.

I wonder how that woman with the mighty physique is doing now. Her body was naturally suited for physical training, but the decline of body tempering techniques in that world meant her innate potential was wasted.

"If I could get my hands on a complete body tempering technique and meet her again, I could pass it on to her."

Even now, Woo Zhengyang doesn't know her family or even her name, but their shared life-and-death experiences brought them closer.

Thinking about her, Woo Zhengyang couldn't help but also think of the Blade Man and the Dragon Dance. And inevitably, he thought about the world he was in.

In No Life City, danger lurks everywhere, and violence is rampant, but Woo Zhengyang and his companions still have goals. Now, though Woo Zhengyang seems determined, he is uncertain about the path ahead. He doesn't even know if he'll ever return to see those familiar faces, whether friends or foes...

"Zhengyang, it's Erdan's turn!" Rice's voice pulled Woo Zhengyang back to reality.

The battles in the arena had ended several times, and now it was number 42's turn. His opponent was number 95, Erdan.

"Remember, if you can't win, just concede. We've already gained a lot by now," Sun Li advised from the side.

The reputation of Great Leaf Village is soaring, but it doesn't change the reality of Liu Dahu and the others' situation. They can't compete with larger villages. So, regarding the top 50 competition, the Old Village Chief and Sun Li agreed that they should try but not push too hard!

It turns out the decisions made by the Old Village Chief and others were spot on. Although the current rankings are temporary, anyone who makes it into the top fifty at the Azure Sun Martial Mansion is no pushover.

When Erdan stepped up, he barely lasted a dozen moves before he started to falter. After thirty moves, he was knocked out of the ring. The battles continued, with people from Great Leaf Village stepping up one after another, only to face defeat.

Among the six participants, Rice was just there to make up the numbers. Only Liu Dahu and Erdan were in the late Skin Stage, while the others were in the mid or even early stages. Everyone in the top fifty was at least in the late Skin Stage, so aside from Liu Dahu and Erdan, the others didn't even bother trying—they just conceded right away.

When it came time for the twenty-sixth challenge, Liu Dahu was the one drawn. Given the high ranking, the Old Village Chief and Liu Li suggested Dahu should concede immediately. However, Liu Dahu was unwilling to give up without a fight.

Dahu's opponent was a shifty-looking guy. According to the age requirements for the Thousand-village Martial Competition, he should have been a teenager, but he looked more like a man in his thirties. Based on Woo Zhengyang's experience, such people might not be very strong, but they would use every trick in the book. Therefore, Woo Zhengyang agreed with Liu Li and the others that Dahu should concede.

Liu Dahu's stubborn streak kicked in, and he wouldn't rest until he gave it a try, so they had to let him go ahead.

As the battle began, Liu Dahu was immediately on the defensive, making everyone in Great Leaf Village hold their breath in suspense. Despite being at a disadvantage, Liu Dahu didn't give up. He stayed calm and methodical, trading moves with his opponent.

Back and forth they went, exchanging dozens of blows, and Liu Dahu managed to even the score, even showing signs of gaining the upper hand. But just then, the shifty-looking man suddenly wiped his face.

The sly look vanished, replaced by a terrifying, bloody visage. At such close range, Liu Dahu let out a startled yell, nearly slicing his own leg with his blade in shock.

Seizing the moment, the opponent's longsword flashed like a streak of lightning, aiming straight for Liu Dahu's chest...