Martial Arts Arena!
Not a single seat was empty!
Half a month ago, when the Nansha Three Islands appeared in Lingxiao City and claimed they wanted to challenge the young generation of the Liang Martial Arts Academy, the news spread across most of Liang.
Seven days ago, the Liang Imperial Court responded, causing a sensation in Lingxiao City.
This battle was different from the martial arts exchanges between Sihe Martial Arts Academy and Rising Sun Martial Arts Academy at Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy.
The martial arts exchange between academies only tested the new disciples, and most of the new disciples had just broken through to Refining the Viscera, naturally not attracting much attention from powerful individuals.
In that previous competition, most of the martial artists on the Martial Arts Arena were Opening the Acupoints and Refining the Viscera level, with only a few Grade-Entering Martial Artists in evidence.
But this time, the people from Nansha Three Islands came to challenge the young generation of Liang, and the so-called young generation consisted of martial artists below the Grade.
This is a widely understood concept among the Nine Kingdoms.
After all, geniuses from various countries are few, most martial artists enter the Grade around the age of thirty.
As long as one hasn’t entered the Grade, they are still considered young.
Being young means having hope, which also serves as a mental encouragement for martial artists from various countries.
However, the Nansha Three Islands also added the phrase "geniuses among the young generation."
The so-called geniuses among the young generation refer to those under twenty.
Those under thirty who haven’t entered the Grade can only be called young, not geniuses.
Such a competition between those under twenty who haven’t entered the Grade often represents a nation’s strongest batch below the Grade and naturally draws a lot of attention.
Not to mention that this competition has certain deeper implications, attracting many geniuses from different countries.
As Lin Chen and Murong Yan entered the Martial Arts Arena, they happened to hear a burst of exclamations.
The startling cries echoed like thunder, and Lin Chen’s gaze immediately turned to the Martial Arts Performance Platform.
At this moment, as the dust on the performance platform just settled, three youths who looked exactly alike stood on the stage, while opposite them were only two young men, with another one having fallen off the platform.
Seeing this scene, Lin Chen frowned. He didn’t need Murong Yan to explain; he already understood the situation.
The three identical-looking individuals were surely the Three Boys from Nansha Three Islands, the Yu Beichen brothers.
And the two opposite them were three senior brothers from Liang; it was just that one of the senior brothers had already fallen off the Martial Arts Performance Platform.
This time, unlike Lin Chen’s previous encounter with Benshan Lang and Hu Bing, the Martial Arts Performance Platform had been enlarged tenfold, stretching a full thousand feet in length.
"With Zhang Jun falling off the platform, relying only on Di Qian and Hong Yao probably won’t stand against the Yu Beichen brothers."
In the spectator stands, many martial artists from Liang had arrived at this moment, and seeing Zhang Jun fall off the platform, their expressions were very grave.
In terms of individual strength, Zhang Jun and his group were not inferior to the Yu Beichen brothers. However, the three brothers had a seamless synergy, while Zhang Jun’s group had less coordination as they had not worked together often in the past.
Originally, Zhang Jun aimed to break the Yu Beichen brothers’ combined front with his strength, then face them one by one, not allowing the Yu Beichen brothers to exploit their teamwork advantage.
However, the Yu Beichen brothers had prepared early, gathering together during the battle, giving no chance to separate them. Ultimately, with their mutual understanding, the three brothers combined forces to knock Zhang Jun off the Martial Arts Performance Platform.
"Is this the so-called genius of Liang’s younger generation? It’s nothing special. The trio led by Senior Brother Yu are unrivaled within their realm."
In the stands, a group from Nansha Three Islands was visibly excited and happy.
For so many years, each challenge to Liang ended in defeat, but this time, they finally saw a glimmer of victory.
"Seems like there’s no notable genius in this generation of Liang."
Not far away, a youth in luxurious attire spoke lightly, another person beside him agreed, with a hint of disdain in their eyes: "Liang has always been like this, pursuing so-called martial fairness."
Liang’s approach to nurturing young martial artists had often been looked down upon by other countries, especially by the elite children.
In their view, geniuses should enjoy more resources.
As for what defines a genius, naturally, it’s them—the elite children exposed to Martial Arts since childhood.
As for the ordinary people, those from the lower strata, just a bit of resources leaking through the fingers is enough to make them grateful.
Providing resources for a hundred average-background youths occupies resources that could otherwise elevate the skills of these elite-background geniuses further.
"I heard that in this generation of Liang’s Martial Arts Academy newcomers, there are a few promising ones. Seems there’s one named Lin Chen, who recently defeated the geniuses from the Zheng Kingdom and the Xiang Kingdom."
Hearing this, the youth in luxurious attire didn’t respond, but the other youth beside him, wearing a felt hat, frowned coldly: "Hu Bing lost because he had just cultivated the Divine Elephant Body and couldn’t fully stabilize it."
A few months ago, after Hu Bing’s defeat at Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy, especially when he was defeated in what was considered the strongest body combat, rumors spread throughout Lingxiao City that the so-called Divine Elephant Body wasn’t considered top-notch in Horizontal Cultivation Methods.
Martial artists from the Xiang Kingdom were naturally dissatisfied, but they had no way to argue.
Hu Bing’s defeat was a fact witnessed by everyone.
The martial artists from various countries on the viewing stands whispered among themselves, while the battle on the Martial Arts Performance Platform was still continuing.
For Di Qian and Hong Yao, even though Zhang Jun had fallen off the platform, leaving their trio one short, they would not give up this fight.
Unfortunately, even Di Qian and Hong Yao, with the resolve to endure serious injuries, did not consider their own safety when making their moves, hoping to turn the tide of battle. Yet, the Beichen brothers did not engage them head-on.
Using their mutual understanding, the three shifted and dodged rapidly, often with one retreating while another attacked from the side.
"Di Qian and Hong Yao are going to lose."
Murong Yan whispered softly, while Lin Chen focused intently, different from the others watching the fight. His attention was on the feet of the Beichen brothers.
Bam!
Thirty breaths later, Di Qian’s movements noticeably slowed. This all-out desperate fighting style consumed a great deal of his internal Qi and blood, and the Beichen brothers seized the opportunity to strike all at once with lightning speed.
Di Qian was knocked off the Martial Arts Performance Platform, and now facing only Hong Yao, the Beichen brothers didn’t rush to attack.
The three surrounded Hong Yao, and whenever Hong Yao tried desperately to fight one of them, that brother would immediately retreat while the other two attacked Hong Yao from the sides, giving him no chance.
They toyed with him!
Everyone saw that the Beichen brothers were deliberately keeping Hong Yao on the stage to mock him.
On the side of the Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy, many youths gathered, and seeing this scene, they wore expressions of anger.
"This is too much of a bully!"
"Principal, let Hong Yao down, let us go up."
Many youths looked at Hou Zhantian. Though Hong Yao had lost this round, two rounds remained, leaving room for a chance.
The Beichen brothers were strong, but having gone through one battle, their Qi and blood were somewhat depleted. Although these youths were not as strong as Senior Brother Di and his group, they still stood a chance.
Meng Xing, standing not far away, remained silent. Their strength difference was too great, even if he wanted to fight, it was not feasible.
"Hong Yao, come down."
Hou Zhantian finally spoke. Despite Hong Yao’s reluctance, he knew staying on stage would only mean further humiliation at the hands of the Beichen brothers.
The Beichen brothers did not stop Hong Yao’s descent from the stage. Once he was down, they looked towards the Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy with regret in their eyes: "The talents of Liang are still somewhat lacking."
Upon these words, the Liang martial artists present showed anger on their faces. Depending on the advantage of the Three Boys, what right did they have to be so arrogant?
"Saying Liang has no one is truly a joke!"
Just as the Liang martial artists were enraged, at another entrance of the Martial Arts Arena, several youthful figures slowly walked in. Seeing these figures, Murong Yan’s eyes twinkled, and she whispered in Lin Chen’s ear: "These are the talented martial artists of Liang who grew up in other countries."
"In other countries?"
Lin Chen recalled his previous conversation with Minister Kong at the lakeside of Linhu Village.
A sudden premonition of unease filled his heart.
This competition felt more like a conspiracy.
But according to what his teacher had told him, since he had been named seven times at Martial Arts Mountain, becoming the epitome of a Liang Martial Arts student, the struggle between the influential figures of Liang and Minister Kong had concluded, with Minister Kong’s side having a complete victory.
Why would these talented martial artists returning from other countries come back to Liang at this moment?
For the dignity of Liang?
Lin Chen dismissed this assumption.
He wasn’t naive enough to believe that these people had heard of the Three Brothers of Nansha Three Islands challenging Liang and came here to protect Liang’s dignity.
There must be some undisclosed insider information.
Did something happen in the two months he was in Lingxiao Hall?
Lin Chen turned his gaze toward Murong Yan, who rolled her eyes: "I’m not omniscient. This is Liang, not Great Yan."
Women are indeed mysterious.
After that hour of fingertip fate, Murong Yan no longer hid her identity from Lin Chen.
Seeing the look Lin Chen directed at her, she knew he wanted to learn something from her once more.
But regarding the events in Liang, she knew little.
"It’s highly likely related to the Snow Domain, I only know that a month ago, your Liang and the Xiang Kingdom had a conflict in the Snow Domain, but neither of your sides have mentioned it since."
In the end, Murong Yan did reveal some information to Lin Chen. The conflict between the Xiang Kingdom and Liang in the Snow Domain couldn’t be hidden from the other kingdoms. Their Yan Kingdom was also investigating the inside story, even dispatching martial artists into the Snow Domain. However, to gather detailed information would still take time.
While Murong Yan murmured with Lin Chen, the Liang martial artists in the stands were curious about the identity of the five youths who entered.
"These five are also talents from Liang. They look so unfamiliar."
"Descendants of the Five Clans of Guan, Cui, Xie, Li, Zheng, Zhao... You find them unfamiliar because the children of these five clans have been cultivating abroad since childhood."
Some martial artists recognized the identities of these five youths. At this moment, Hou Zhantian’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He hadn’t expected that with the Five Clans of Guan pressured by Minister Kong recently, he thought they had already withdrawn, but here they were, still waiting for an opportunity.
A perfect blow at a vulnerable moment!
What exactly happened in the Snow Domain that could make the Imperial Court change its stance, even rendering Minister Kong silent?

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