“MCMAU’s starter Zhao Xuemei is one of the few ladies in the championship. This will be her first match.”

　　“CCMAU’s starter is Wei Shujie. He may have lost to Chen Jiasheng previously, but he was able to escape injury. Clearly, Wei Shujie’s ability is equally powerful.”

　　“…”

　　As Liu Huarong provided the introductions, both martial artists entered the arena.

　　Wei Shujie wielded a long staff too.

　　Amongst Rank-1 martial artists, sabers and staffs were the most common weapons used by martial artists who were just starting out. Next was swords. Spears, axes, halberds and the likes were rarely used.

　　“MCMAU, Zhao Xuemei!”

　　“CCMAU, Wei Shujie!”

　　They introduced themselves, summoning a sudden roar from outside of the arena. “MCMAU for the win, defeat CCMAU!”

　　“MCMAU for the win!”

　　“CCMAU for the win, 1v5 clean sweep!”

　　“…”

　　Many people from both elite universities came to watch the fight. There was no love lost between the universities.

　　It was rare to see the first and the runner-up build a harmonious relationship with each other.

　　Even before the National Championship was announced to the public, the two elite schools held many private competitions with each other every year. MCMAU lost the majority of them.

　　“Silence!”

　　A powerhouse roared and drowned out the cheers of the audience.

　　The referee was in no hurry to commence the match. Instead, when the crowd had quieted down, he declared, “Begin!”

　　At the cue, Zhao Xuemei and Wei Shujie moved at the exact same time!

　　Wei Shujie’s first attack was to hack straight down with his staff!

　　The intensity of the Vitality outburst in that one hack caught many people off guard.

　　…

　　“Bastard!”

　　Behind the arena, Yang Xiaoman cursed with rage!

　　Wei Shujie had hidden his true abilities in the last match!

　　In the previous match against Chen Jiasheng, Wei Shujie’s Vitality outburst had only a maximum of 30cal. CCMAU might have been scheming against MCMAU by not displaying Wei Shujie’s full power. Of course, it was also possible that he would still be no match for Chen Jiasheng even if he had attempted a complete outburst. Fang Wenxiang was there to clean up anyway.

　　Previously, he had lost without putting up much of a fight, which caused many people to look down on him. MCMAU was no exception.

　　This time, Wei Shujie the starter easily achieved a 50cal Vitality outburst in his first move!

　　Zhao Xuemei had not honed her upper limbs. She had entered the arena with her mind set on going on the offensive. Her first action at the start of the match was to relentlessly hack at her opponent.

　　While Yang Xiaoman seethed, Tang Feng furrowed his brows. “It may be a plot against Fang Ping,” he mumbled

　　Wei Shujie was the starter. Based on the previous sequence, if Fang Ping was the starter, he would be the one fighting now.

　　If Fang Ping had underestimated the other party, he might find himself on the receiving end of a counterattack.

　　Fang Ping did not care about the theories. His eyes were glued to the arena.

　　…

　　Wei Shujie’s 50cal Vitality outbursts were clearly out of Xuemei’s expectations.

　　However, she could not retreat. She could not avoid the unavoidable.

　　She did not intend to yield anyway.

　　The next moment, two staffs collided!

　　Dang!

　　An ear-piercing crash resonated. Zhao Xuemei took several steps backward. Her face was flushed red, though at least she was not coughing up blood.

　　Wei Shujie accomplished his goal in one strike. He did not relent, however. Instantaneously, he chased after his opponent, going for a second strike.

　　Zhao Xuemei waved her staff to block the attack. With a loud bang, the long staff in her hands began shaking violently. Fresh blood dripped off her hands.

　　Zhao Xuemei pressed her lips tightly together. She did not utter a single complaint. She backed up a few more steps.

　　She barely fended off Wei Shujie’s two consecutive strikes. He was feeling slightly flabbergasted too. Not anybody could block those attacks. He understood Zhao Xuemei’s abilities well. She was only a single-honed martial artist.

　　Wei Shujie’s Vitality was near 300cal. While saving the necessary Vitality for survival, he could still strike with all his might for at least another four to five attacks.

　　Another successful blow should be able to critically damage Zhao Xuemei’s internal organs.

　　Wei Shujie did not care what was going through this lady’s head. Since she insisted on receiving his strikes, he would not decline the invitation!

　　Before anyone could react, Wei Shujie swept his staff horizontally in a whiz.

　　Dang!

　　The third strike. Another crisp sound was heard.

　　Zhao Xuemei’s hands were shaking uncontrollably, the long staff vibrating ceaselessly from the tremor. Then, the long staff slipped away from Zhao Xuemei’s hands and fell to the ground with a loud crash.

　　Wei Shujie was all smiles. She had taken the full brunt of all three strikes. Right now, Zhao Xuemei was already injured critically!

　　“What a tough lady!”

　　Even though this thought flashed across his mind, Wei Shujie did not show any mercy.

　　In the blink of an eye, he unleashed his fourth strike!

　　The main purpose of today’s match was to chip away at MCMAU’s first-team members. He did not intend to fight the next match. His goal was to get through in one piece.

　　Just as the fourth strike landed, Zhao Xuemei, who had been constantly backtracking, suddenly picked up speed and headed straight for her opponent!

　　After barely evading the tip of the long staff, Zhao Xuemei grabbed the end of the staff in an unexpected move!

　　Wei Shujie was not intimidated. Zhao Xuemei wished to snatch his weapon without honed upper arms. How could it be that simple!

　　At this moment, Zhao Xuemei, who had not uttered a word all this while, opened her mouth suddenly. A streak of blood shot like an arrow toward Wei Shujie’s face!

　　Wei Shujie did not foresee that Zhao Xuemei would accumulate a mouthful of blood to use for this exact moment.

　　The blood arrow shot forward with blinding speed, and the distance between the two was already small.

　　The blood arrow headed for Wei Shujie’s eyes, forcing him to shut them. Even so, he did not slow down. He released the long staff in his right hand and aimed a fierce punch at Zhao Xuemei!

　　Zhao Xuemei did not try to avoid it. The moment Wei Shujie threw his punch at her, Zhao Xuemei took advantage of his shut eyes and lashed mercilessly with her leg. She was aiming her opponent’s groin!

　　She chose for neither side to win!

　　To immobilize Wei Shujie, she was willing to receive the full force of the punch!

　　From Wei Shujie’s first strike, Zhao Xuemei immediately knew that she was no match for him. Instead of going down alone, she chose to drag him down with her!

　　Bang!

　　Zhao Xuemei’s left shoulder received a heavy blow. A crisp cracking sound came from her bones.

　　Immediately after, Zhao Xuemei had ruthlessly kicked at the other party’s privates!

　　“Ah!”

　　The gut-wrenching scream was not from Zhao Xuemei. It was Wei Shujie!

　　Wei Shujie had not expected his opponent to take his attack head on.

　　Moreover, with his blurred vision in that fleeting moment, he was kicked by Zhao Xuemei!

　　A sudden ear-splitting cry blasted off, followed by Wei Shujie’s kneeling on the ground. He moaned in agony.

　　Zhao Xuemei had already received three heavy blows, plus a direct punch. She suffered serious injuries to her internal organs. Just as Wei Shujie knelt down, Zhao Xuemei collapsed to the ground with a thud. Crimson blood flowed from her mouth like a leaky pipe.

　　The referee frowned slightly and announced without further delay, “Zhao Xuemei wins. Carry her away!”

　　Wei Shujie had dropped first, hence the referee announced Zhao Xuemei’s victory. However, at that moment, winning or losing was irrelevant.

　　Both of them bore critical injuries. Zhao Xuemei’s injuries seemed to be much more serious than Wei Shujie’s.

　　Wei Shujie had injured his private parts. No one knew the severity of the consequences. To a man, this was far worse than having critical injuries.

　　…

　　“F*ck, I’m scared!”

　　Fu Changding covered crotch and shuddered. He then immediately asked, “It should be OK, right?”

　　“You carry on with the match. We’ll go to the infirmary and have a look!”

　　With those words, Fang Ping rushed to the infirmary. An emergency infirmary was set up behind the gym for the martial arts championship.

　　…

　　Very soon, Fang Ping and the others arrived at the infirmary.

　　Yang Xiaoman and Chen Yunxi’s eyes were red. They gazed at Zhao Xuemei, who was still coughing up blood. “Xuemei…”

　　“Doctor, Xuemei…”

　　“Injuries to the internal organs. She was lucky to survive. Recuperate for about a month or so to heal the internal organs. No vigorous movements for three months. She will not die, at least…”

　　The doctor had seen similar situations plenty of times. The medical team present had received training specifically from the Catacombs.

　　As long as she was alive, she would be able to recover under normal circumstances as long as she was willing to invest in plenty of pills and other resources.

　　Of course, in Sun Mingyu’s case of a severed hand, even though it could be reattached, there would still be repercussions afterward.

　　Nevertheless, a delay of at least two months in cultivation was unavoidable.

　　Hearing that Zhao Xuemei could recover, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The blood trickling from her mouth had also stopped. She was still conscious as she forced words out of her mouth. “I’m… I’m fine…”

　　Fang Ping remained silent. This was not the first time Zhao Xuemei had displayed her stubbornness.

　　She knew she could not win, yet she aimed for both sides to suffer. With that, she immobilized Wei Shujie.

　　Thinking about this, Fang Ping was suddenly intrigued. What had happened to Wei Shujie?

　　Could he have already become impotent?

　　If so, for a man, that was a worse fate than Sun Mingyu’s.

　　Wei Shujie was in another room of the infirmary. A few CCMAU guys were with him Fang Ping thought it was inappropriate to join in the fun.

　　“Recuperate well,” Fang Ping reflected.

　　Seeing Bai Ruoxi approaching, he did not linger any further. The match was still going on.

　　…

　　Martial artists achieved maximum outburst, risking their lives in the arena. The outcomes of matches were determined quickly

　　When Fang Ping and the others returned, they were just in time to see Fu Changding roaring madly. A spear had nailed Long Tao’s thigh firmly to the ground!

　　“How dare you bully MCMAU’s students. Die!”

　　Fu Changding was not aware of Zhao Xuemei’s condition. However, it was obvious that her injuries were not light. At that moment, he was fuming. Under maximum outburst, he had landed a deadly attack!

　　If it were not for Long Tao’s quick reactions, it would have been his chest that was nailed to the floor.

　　Just then, Han Xu and the other CCMAU students returned.

　　When he saw the scene, Han Xu’s expression was grim, as were the other guys from CCMAU.

　　Wei Shujie had been severely injured by Zhao Xuemei. The doctor said that they would try their best to save his dingdong. Anyway, he was in critical condition. Even if he was saved, he could not participate in this match anymore.

　　Now, Long Tao was also critically injured. When Fu Changding ran his mouth, they were justifiably furious.

　　Following the call to surrender by the CCMAU instructor on the second floor, the medical team promptly carried him off the arena.

　　It was just five minutes into the competition, yet three people had already retired with critical injuries!

　　Not waiting for the referee’s announcement, Han Xu grabbed his long spear and instantly stepped into the arena.

　　When Fu Changding saw him, he sneered. “Why are you still using a spear? Why don’t you just bring your sword out.”

　　“Fu Changding, do you think you can defeat me?”

　　Han Xu spoke in a flat, patient voice, “You have learned how to use a spear. Could it be that you were traumatized? You once took a blow from my spear and ended up bedridden for two months…”

　　Fu Changding replied in contempt, “What’s the point of bringing up ancient history?

　　“The past remains in the past. Do you think that everyone who is going through spear training was influenced by you, Han Xu? What a joke!”

　　“I am surprised to see you and Tang Songting participating in the championship. I thought MCMAU is full of talents. Both of you shouldn’t be able to participate no matter how hard you try,” Han Xu said. He then added, “It doesn’t matter, anyway. If I could beat you to a bloody pulp then, I can do the same now!”

　　“Try me!”

　　As soon as the words escaped his mouth, with a barely audible sound, the long spear was thrust forward!

　　Han Xu did not intercept the attack. Like a shadow, he shifted from his original position.

　　Fu Changding had witnessed his Stepping Techniques before. Without further ado, the long spear instantaneously changed from thrusting to sweeping. He placed himself in the center as he swept at all directions!

　　In the next moment, Han Xu’s shadow appeared.

　　“I had planned to conserve my energy. But after thinking about it, I should probably stop fooling around and take care of you. With my spear, I will permanently fix this memory into your brain. As long as I, Han Xu, use a spear, you will never be my match!”

　　Han Xu still found the time to talk. For one thing, he was trying to dispirit Fu Changding. On the other hand, this also showed that he was not yet exerting himself.

　　Hum!

　　A loud noise came from the sky. Han Xu’s spear swept outward in a quick motion and collided with Fu Changding’s long spear.

　　Bang!

　　Sparks rained out.

　　Seconds later, Han Xu’s arm swelled up, his temple caved in.

　　Watching the match, Liu Huarong exclaimed, “Thrice-honed. No, the upper limbs had been honed. Perhaps even higher than thirty percent…”

　　Han Xu had also honed his lower limbs. His arms swelled up suddenly, achieving intense Vitality outbursts.

　　“Initially, I had thought that Han Xu was just quick in his Stepping Techniques. It seems that I have underestimated him. Vitality outburst at 60cal…That’s no worse than Fang Ping.”

　　Chen Xueyan went on, “Fang Ping has a worthy opponent. Han Xu is faster than him. Moreover, he had already attained the lethal move.”

　　“They may not face each other, though.”

　　“…”

　　As they were commenting, Fu Changding and Han Xu had exchanged more than ten moves on the arena.

　　Han Xu did not use outburst for every attack, yet his moves were even faster than Fu Changding. Soon, Fu Changding was forced into a disadvantageous position.

　　Fu Changding’s face was flushed red. He was fuming inside.

　　In an abrupt moment, Fu Changding cried out in rage, “Witness my Luo Family Spear”

　　With those words, the long staff in his hands swung outward. The movement even created a wave of air.

　　Han Xu’s expression darkened.

　　Not wishing to receive this attack, Han Xu rearranged his steps and tried to evade.

　　What happened next had everyone fooled.

　　Fu Changding swept his long staff, then tossed it unexpectedly and randomly, letting the weapon fly out. He was not worried about hurting any spectators: There were many Grandmasters around.

　　The long staff soared out of the arena and headed for the area below. Without waiting for the powerhouses on the second floor to act, the referee effortlessly pinched and caught the long staff.

　　Having thrown out his weapon, Fu Changding ran toward Han Xu.

　　Han Xu’s attention was transfixed on the long staff. When he finally caught on, Fu Changding had already closed their distance.

　　Both of them moved at lightning speed. A few seconds later, a shadow was sent flying with a loud bang.

　　Everyone focused to see who it was. It was Fu Changding.

　　Fu Changding’s complexion was pale. Blood gushed out of his mouth, yet he was grinning proudly.

　　Then, he glanced quickly toward the second floor.

　　The words of surrender would never come from his own mouth!

　　On the second floor, Tang Feng gave a helpless look as he announced, “Surrender!”

　　At this moment, everyone turned their attention back to Han Xu. Han Xu’s face was also slightly pale. However, he looked much better compared to Fu Changding.

　　There was surely a reason behind Fu Changding’s contented smile.

　　Han Xu’s eyes were dark purple. He found it hard to open them. Even his nose was dripping blood.

　　Han Xu’s Vitality was not entirely depleted, but his eyes were swelling larger and larger. It seemed like he could hardly see.

　　It would be extremely difficult for a Rank-1 martial artist to employ sound localization after losing their vision. Han Xu was significantly impaired.

　　“Great fight!”

　　Watching Fu Changding carried off the arena, Fang Ping praised him: something he rarely did.

　　With his face bashed up, Han Xu might not stand a chance against Yang Xiaoman in the next round.

　　Fu Changding panted as he forced a smile. “This is nothing. Look at his face. I will make sure that he carries on to the final match with that pummeled face of his!”

　　The mood of the team was grim after seeing Zhao Xuemei’s condition. Right now, however, they were feeling way better. Everyone burst out laughing.

　　Yang Xiaoman had put on her fighting gloves and gave a humph. “Watch me. To the bastards who hit ladies, I’ll show them!”

　　Her words were directed to both CCMAU and Fang Ping.

　　Fang Ping rolled his eyes. After thinking for a moment, he cautioned her, “Han Xu’s vision is impaired. It will be a good match between the two of you. However, Fang Wenxiang is not weak either. Don’t hurt yourself too much. We still need to fight them two days later.”

　　“I know!”

　　It was hard to say whether Yang Xiaoman had truly heeded his advice. She was already entering the arena.