C29 Lau Rou
The scoffs and jeers directed at the young men from Willow State East were visibly distressing, painting their faces with discomfort and dismay.
Yet, the prevailing mood was one of dejection.
The test results were irrefutable, leaving them without a leg to stand on in the face of ridicule.
To date, six youths had stepped forward in the Central Domain. Aside from Yuan Long, who initiated the challenge, the rest had all surpassed the eleventh wave, with two even breaking through the twentieth wave before being simultaneously struck by three arrows.
The young men from the western, southern, and northern regions might not have matched the Central Domain's prowess, but each had cleared ten waves.
Such comparisons dealt a harsh blow to the morale of the Willow State East youths.
Even Mentor Yanshan, witnessing their plight, found himself at a loss for words of comfort.
The harsh truth was that within the Willow State, the eastern region had long been the underdog.
"Bei Yu!"
In that moment, as Mentor Yun Feng called out a name from the platform, a spark of hope ignited among the easterners.
"Come on, Bei Yu. Show these naysayers what the east is made of!"
Previously strangers, these eastern youths now found common ground in their shared indignation, rallying behind Bei Yu with fervent cheers.
Bei Yu gave a nod of acknowledgment.
The surrounding mockery had been fueling his resolve. Now, it was his turn to restore the honor of Willow State East and give the mockers a spectacle they wouldn't forget.
With a swift whoosh, Bei Yu ascended the stage, and an arrow zipped out from the barrier.
He twisted his body, effortlessly evading the projectile.
The second wave's arrow, shot from a cunning angle, posed a greater challenge.
But Bei Yu was ready, executing a deft twist to avoid it.
The subsequent waves proved to be a breeze.
It wasn't until the eleventh wave, with two arrows flying simultaneously, that Bei Yu faced a slight hitch. Yet, it was fleeting, and he remained untouched even after the twentieth wave.
The crowd watched, astounded.
So far, only two from the Central Domain had managed to cross the twenty-wave threshold. Could it be that the traditionally weakest eastern region had now produced a contender?
Before the onlookers could fully grasp the turn of events, the twenty-first wave unleashed three arrows at once!
Under the scrutiny of countless eyes, the three arrows bore down on Bei Yu, each from a different direction—left, front, and back.
"I'll conquer the twenty-first wave right now!"
Bei Yu let out a cold snort, his body subtly leaning to one side as he ducked his head and crossed his arms, all while lifting one foot into a challenging pose. The arrows whizzed by beneath his elevated foot, past his shoulder, and over his lowered head.
With a single maneuver, he evaded all three arrows!
This marked his best performance yet, breaking through the twenty-first wave!
"Nice!"
The feat drew raucous applause from the youths of Willow State East.
The audience, momentarily taken aback, soon erupted into a chorus of boos.
But their jeers were cut short as they grew even louder.
In the blink of an eye, the twenty-second wave of arrows was launched from three distinct angles. Yet, Bei Yu executed another complex move, dodging each arrow with precision.
Twenty-three waves!
He had actually made it to the twenty-third wave!
And he wasn't done yet.
His confidence soaring with each successful dodge, Bei Yu's movements became even more breathtaking as he continued to evade the following waves with ease.
His lightning-fast reflexes and remarkable agility were on full display.
Even the dignitaries from Willow State watching from the platform were nodding in approval, with some beginning to inquire about Bei Yu's background.
Mentor Yun Feng, however, remained stoic, seemingly unimpressed by the display.
"Thirty-one! He's reached the thirty-first wave!"
A young man from Willow State East couldn't contain his amazement.
On the stage, the barrier unleashed four arrows simultaneously from four directions.
Bei Yu responded with yet another impressive maneuver.
Regrettably, the arrows were swift and their trajectories cunning. He dodged three, but the fourth found its mark on his thigh.
"It's over!"
Mentor Yun Feng's voice was dispassionate.
"Damn!"
Bei Yu let out a curse, visibly frustrated.
He felt unstoppable, confident he could have endured many more waves. Being taken out at the thirty-first wave left him feeling shortchanged!
Though dissatisfied, his achievement had already eclipsed those of all the other youths!
The mocking crowd, once jeering at Willow State East, now fell silent.
Thirty-one waves...
Could a youth from the supposedly weakest Willow State East really have achieved such a feat?
Disbelief hung in the air, but the undeniable truth of his accomplishment settled in.
At the same time, the jeering had to stop. After all, the best the Central Domain youth had managed was a mere twenty-first wave, while he had conquered the thirty-first. Any further mockery would only highlight the Central Domain youth's inferiority.
"What's this nonsense! The strongest youth of the Central Domain hasn't even stepped up yet!"
"Exactly! Just wait until the Lau siblings from our Central Domain take the stage. They'll wipe the floor with him!"
...
Naturally, there were still many in the audience who remained skeptical. Their eyes were drawn to the young man and woman standing behind the female mentor.
They were the prodigious siblings from the Lau family, the preeminent household of the Central Domain!
These two were the mightiest youths in the region, hailed as once-in-a-century talents from Willow State!
The crowd's anticipation seemed to align with the unfolding events.
After youths from the west, south, and north had their turns, Mentor Yun Feng calmly read from the list, "Lau Rou!"
At the mention of this name, the entire venue erupted into chaos!
The audience cheered wildly, their faces alight with fervor.
Indeed, this Lau Rou was none other than the sister from the Lau family!
As she ascended to the stage, many men were utterly captivated by her first glimpse.
She was a ravishing young beauty in light pink attire, her hair tied in twin ponytails. Though young, her charm was evident, a budding beauty who would undoubtedly grow into a stunning woman.
Even Bei Yu and his peers were mesmerized by the girl in the arena, their hearts racing—a sure sign of enchantment.
Even the typically stoic Du Qianyan couldn't hide a flash of amazement.
But Chen Yi remained unfazed.
She was certainly a sight to behold, and while Chen Yi's three centuries of past experiences had shown him few of such allure, it wasn't enough to sway him. At most, he would afford her a second glance of appreciation.
Luckily, everyone else was too captivated by the girl to notice him. Otherwise, they might question whether he was truly a youth in the prime of his vigor!
To have such a stunning girl before him and yet, as a young man in his impassioned years, to show no reaction?
One look at her and you could tell she wasn't a fresh-faced youth. She was either ill or possessed by some ancient creature. Indeed, it turned out to be the latter!
Cough, cough, let's get back on track.
The Lau Rou before us was clearly more than just a stunning beauty; her strength was remarkable as well.
On the stage, she moved like a butterfly in flight, gracefully evading each arrow with her lithe body.
In no time at all, she had reached the thirty-first wave.
Bei Yu, smitten, snapped to attention, his face betraying his anxiety.
Falling for Lau Rou at first sight didn't mean he was ready to be outdone by her!
But wishing something wasn't so doesn't make it any less true.
Four arrows whizzed by Lau Rou's slender form, missing their mark entirely!
That moment signaled that Bei Yu's recent record had just been surpassed.
The crowd burst into thunderous applause!
But the challenge wasn't over yet.
As the old saying goes, dodge one wave and another follows. Lau Rou deftly avoided another four arrows.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"
Before the audience could catch their breath, four more arrows sped out from the barrier.
Lau Rou's reflexes were astonishingly quick. With a fish-like leap, she soared through the air, letting the arrows slip by her one by one.
The arrows came faster and faster, the thirty-fourth wave hot on her heels. Lau Rou, as if treading on blossoming lotuses, let the arrows skim past her.
Wave thirty-five came and went.
She dodged it once more.
Wave thirty-six... thirty-seven... thirty-eight...
She evaded each one with a grace that was a delight to behold.
Watching Lau Rou dodge arrows was indeed a treat. Her beauty aside, the sight of her twirling figure was utterly mesmerizing!
But all beauty has its finale.
At the start of the forty-first wave, with five arrows slicing through the air, the pressure on Lau Rou mounted. The arrows sped up, their frequency increasing with each wave. Despite her persistence, by the forty-sixth wave, an arrow finally found its target.
As she fell to the ground, hearts broke throughout the arena.
"It's over."
Yet, Mentor Yun Feng on the high platform remained as indifferent as ever. This prompted many in the crowd to wonder if he was devoid of emotion. How could he not react to such a beautiful girl? Or perhaps, was there another issue at play? These thoughts crossed the minds of some spectators.
"Can't this guy crack even the slightest smile?"
The Female Mentor, standing before the youth from the Central Domain, looked up at Mentor Yun Feng and couldn't help but shake her head slightly. Then her eyes landed on the girl in the arena, and her lips curled into a faint smile. Lau Rou's performance had clearly pleased her mentor.
As Lau Rou left the stage, Mentor Yun Feng wasted no time in announcing the next contender, "Hu Zhen!"
A short-haired youth with a broadsword strapped to his back felt a jolt on the eastern side. "Go for it, Hu Zhen!" His peers shouted words of encouragement.
Hu Zhen nodded in acknowledgment, but instead of heading straight for the stage, he removed the broadsword from his back and handed it to Chen Yi, who was right beside him. "Could you hold this for me?"
Chen Yi, taken aback, looked at him and agreed without hesitation, "Sure."
The moment Chen Yi took the broadsword, he felt the weight pull at his hand. He glanced at Hu Zhen, now striding toward the stage, and a small smirk played on his lips. "Quite intriguing!" He estimated the broadsword to weigh around fifty kilograms—a challenging burden for a Cultivator in the Meditation Stage to bear constantly. Hu Zhen's perseverance in carrying it was indeed noteworthy!
