"Alright! I’ll be waiting for you to become the champion!" Li Furong shouted back.
The audience below was still buzzing with discussion, and the matches on the stage continued.
Soon, the matchups for the third round were announced.
This time, Li Chang’an’s opponent was a contestant who looked to have a high Qi and Blood Value.
He wasn’t tall, but he had a sturdy build and walked with a fierce air. He looked like a tough opponent.
The audience around the ring began to murmur again. Many of them wanted to see if Li Chang’an could continue his previous incredible performance.
After stepping onto the stage, his opponent stared at Li Chang’an with a cold smirk. "So you’re the guy who knocked Chen Feng off the stage? Heh. Looks like I’ll have to properly test you today!"
Li Chang’an maintained his usual unfazed expression and said nothing.
The opponent sneered. "Don’t think you can get all high and mighty just because you beat Chen Feng. Let me tell you, I’m no idiot like him. You’re going down today, at my hands!"
Li Chang’an glanced up, saying flatly, "Oh? Then give it a try."
The moment the starting whistle blew, his opponent charged. His movements were swift and fierce, clearly intending to intimidate Li Chang’an right from the get-go.
However, Li Chang’an stood motionless. Only when his opponent’s fist was about to smash into his face did he suddenly turn to the side, easily dodging the punch.
His opponent froze, clearly not expecting Li Chang’an to react so quickly.
He turned to continue his attack, only to find that Li Chang’an had already appeared behind him, a hand lightly resting on his back.
BAM! The single palm strike sent the opponent flying, and he crashed heavily onto the edge of the ring.
The entire arena fell silent once again.
Li Chang’an stood where he was, hands still tucked in his pockets, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if what had just happened was nothing to be surprised about.
Below the ring, everyone held their breath, as if even the air had frozen.
It wasn’t until a moment later that a spectator muttered in disbelief, "This... how is this possible? He won again?"
"Is this kid a monster? How does he win so easily every time?"
"What a dark horse! This tournament has basically become his one-man show!"
Li Furong was so excited she leaped to her feet, waving her arms and yelling, "Brother! You’re incredible! I love you!"
And just like that, news that Li Chang’an had advanced to the semi-finals spread like wildfire. Everyone in the venue, from the audience to the other contestants, was utterly shaken by this dark horse who kept performing miracles.
Many eyes that had previously overlooked him now began to focus on him. He had even attracted the attention of some major powers.
In the break room, Li Chang’an sat in a corner, quietly sipping water. The students around him regarded him with varying degrees of awe.
He had now defeated several powerful opponents, becoming one of the most prominent figures in the entire tournament.
However, he didn’t seem overly excited, maintaining his usual composure.
"Chang’an, you’re amazing! You made it to the semi-finals so quickly!" Wu Yong walked over, his face wreathed in smiles and his voice tinged with pride.
"Teacher Wu, it was just luck," Li Chang’an replied, downplaying his achievement.
Wu Yong shook his head. "Don’t be modest. Everyone has seen how strong you are.
The semi-finals won’t be as easy as the previous rounds. Your opponents will have powerful family backgrounds, so you have to be careful!"
Li Chang’an nodded but didn’t say anything more.
Just then, the door to the break room was suddenly pushed open, and several luxuriously dressed middle-aged men walked in.
The man in the lead had a cold gaze; he clearly came from a position of power.
Li Chang’an looked up, frowning slightly. "Who are you?"
The leading middle-aged man approached, his knife-like gaze sizing up Li Chang’an from head to toe before he sneered, "You’re Li Chang’an, right? I’m from the Qin Family. I’m here today because there’s something I want to discuss with you."
Li Chang’an asked flatly, "The Qin Family? What about them?"
The man from the Qin Family sneered, and an attendant beside him immediately took a check from a bag and presented it to Li Chang’an. "It’s simple. Young Master Qin is your opponent in the semi-finals. You must have heard of the Qin Family’s influence on Lion’s Fang Star.
All you have to do today is throw the match in the semi-finals. Just find some excuse to forfeit."
As he spoke, he pointed to the check. "This is for one million Cosmic Coins. Just give the word, and this money is yours."
Wu Yong, standing to the side, couldn’t help but frown. Just as he was about to speak, Li Chang’an raised a hand to stop him. He calmly glanced at the check and said softly, "Oh? The Qin Family is quite generous. One million Cosmic Coins to buy my match. So that’s all a victory for Young Master Qin is worth?"
The Qin Family man’s expression changed, and he snorted coldly. "Li Chang’an, you’d better get one thing straight! This isn’t a negotiation; it’s your last chance! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll take the money, and we can all walk away happy. But if you insist on doing this the hard way, don’t blame us for what comes next!"
Li Chang’an smiled faintly and pushed the check back without hesitation. "Sorry, I’m actually quite interested in this match. You can keep your money."
The Qin Family man’s face instantly darkened. "Do you have any idea what happens to people who offend the Qin Family? Our Young Master is not someone you can afford to provoke. If you don’t do as we say today, I doubt you’ll be walking out of this venue."
Wu Yong couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up and furiously rebuked them, "Are you threatening my student? This is an officially sanctioned tournament! No matter how powerful the Qin Family is, you can’t just bully people like this!"
The man from the Qin Family glanced at Wu Yong dismissively, his tone growing even colder. "Teacher Wu, this is none of your business.
You’d best know your place. You can’t stop the Qin Family from taking what it wants!"
Li Chang’an gave a calm smile, stood up, and walked over to the man from the Qin Family. Staring into his eyes, he said, word by word, "I don’t care how powerful the Qin Family is, but let me tell you—this match is my business. No one makes my decisions for me.
If you want something, let’s settle it in the ring!"
A sinister glint flashed in the man’s eyes. "Fine, Li Chang’an. You’ve just dug your own grave! Just you wait!"
With that, they left in a rage, slamming the door behind them. The atmosphere in the break room instantly became oppressive.
Wu Yong sighed, walked over to pat Li Chang’an’s shoulder, and said in a low voice, "Chang’an, the Qin Family is not to be trifled with.
Maybe you should..."
Li Chang’an waved his hand. "Teacher Wu, don’t worry.
Since I chose to step into this ring, I won’t be intimidated by anyone.
Besides, I’d like to see just how capable the Qin Family really is."
Seeing his determination, Wu Yong could only nod helplessly.
Just as Li Chang’an was about to continue his rest, he suddenly felt the Martial Scripture within him begin to circulate faster.
That familiar energy flowed through his meridians, and he involuntarily entered a peculiar Realm.
He closed his eyes, sensing the changes in his body as several techniques from the Martial Scripture suddenly flashed through his mind.
’Hm? These techniques... so that’s how they work...’ He had what felt like a Eureka Moment. He suddenly comprehended several brand-new techniques from the Martial Scripture. These techniques seemed to combine his Qi and Blood with his strength more perfectly, allowing his combat power to multiply in an instant.
He nodded to himself, a smile touching his lips. ’It seems today’s semi-final is the perfect opportunity to test these out!’
A short while later, it was time for the semi-final match.
Li Chang’an rose and slowly walked toward the ring.
The audience was waiting with bated breath, eager to see if this dark horse could continue to perform miracles.
And standing at the other end of the ring was none other than the Qin Family’s young master, Qin Sea. He was glaring at Li Chang’an, a grim smile on his face.
"Li Chang’an, you’re finished today! I’m going to show you what happens when you offend the Qin Family!" Qin Sea said slowly, his voice dripping with contempt and menace.