SWDnovel Chapter 57: Victory in the Martial Arts Tournament
Chapter 57: Victory in the Martial Arts Tournament
He didn't die.
Du Mei sat down in a daze, her lightly made-up face showing visible surprise and worry.
Did Wang Chen fail?
She suddenly gripped the armrest of the chair, the veins on the back of her hand bulging, showing her tension.
All of this was observed by Zhao Guangyi, who stood nearby, and a cold glint flashed in his deep eyes.
When their gaze turned downwards, the outcome of the battle on the arena had already been decided in just two breaths.
Du Jianlian's murderous sword strike was easily dodged by Wu He, who then kicked him a hundred meters away with a whip kick, sending him crashing outside the arena.
The heavy thud indicated immense force, and amidst the uproar of the onlookers, Du Jianlian lay motionless on the ground.
"The victor is Wu He!"
As the referee shouted, he slowly walked off the stage as if nothing had happened.
"Officer Wu is pretty good!"
"This is already at the Bone Strengthening stage, right?"
"Goodness, you've already advanced to the Bone Strengthening Realm! What's the point of me competing for that now?"
……
The soldiers watching gasped in surprise, their gazes varying.
Wu He, who had been keeping a low profile, made a move that left Du Jianlian, a late-stage Body Refinement cultivator, with no chance to retaliate before kicking him half to death.
That power was undoubtedly unparalleled in the realm of strengthening bones.
They are already outstanding in this stage of the selection process.
"Too weak."
Wu He remained calm, showing no desire to even draw his sword.
Looking at Du Jianlian, who was receiving urgent treatment in the distance, he also understood something.
Wang Chen's sudden attack on me last night must have been because he knew in advance that I had been drawn to fight Du Jianlian.
If he were eliminated in the first round, his chances of becoming an officer in the Imperial Guard would be gone, which is why he resorted to this desperate measure.
He never expected that this would cost him his life.
The competition then continued, and because some people readily admitted defeat as soon as they stepped onto the stage, the first round ended quickly.
An hour later, Wu He faced his second opponent, a martial artist at the early stage of the Bone Strengthening Realm.
The match wasn't difficult at all; as soon as the Thunderclap Saber Technique was unleashed, the opponent immediately conceded defeat.
Then came the third match, the fourth match...
After five consecutive matches, Wu He won easily each time, and his decisive victories drew the attention of the people on the mountaintop.
"Thunderclap Blade Technique, Splashing Blade Technique, Tiger Walk Skill, and even the Golden Light Mantra of the Celestial Master's Mansion."
"This kid named Wu He is quite interesting."
Meng Changfu sat up straight, a look of keen interest shining through his aged eyelids.
Qiao Gu also let out a long sigh and said with emotion, "Yes, most people in the world are mediocre talents who can't handle everything. Young talents like this, who are proficient in several martial arts and can still be steady and reliable, are becoming increasingly rare."
"Is General Joe interested in him?"
"Hehe, to be honest, Eunuch Meng, this boy is the adopted son of an old friend of mine."
"Old friend?"
"That's right, it was Li Bo who charged ahead of His Majesty's imperial carriage during the Northern Expedition."
"Li Bo... Oh, so he's his adopted son."
Meng Changfu nodded in relief and chuckled, saying, "His Majesty once mentioned him. He was a valiant general, but unfortunately, he lacked ambition and ruined his future."
"However, he has done a great service by teaching a junior like Wu He, who is now employed by the court."
Qiao Gu replied, "Since he is the son of an old friend, then this lad will probably have to join my ranks and serve the court."
"At that time, Lord Zhao will not allow robbery."
Qiao Gu glanced at Zhao Guangyi, who sneered, "I have plenty of talented retainers under my command. What you see as a gem is nothing but trash in my eyes."
"Furthermore, he hasn't won yet. That guy named Shi Baoji has the innate talent of the Black Tortoise, is focused and skilled, and is also a great talent."
"General Shi's son?" Meng Changfu asked, turning to the side.
"Exactly."
"Good. Those born with extraordinary bones are all martial arts prodigies. Today's competition is interesting."
The old eunuch had a standard smile and deep-set eyes; no one could tell what he was thinking.
The arena.
"Already in the top two, based on my combined combat achievements and archery skills, I'm practically guaranteed a position as an officer in the Imperial Guard."
"The man opposite me, Shi Baoji, is said to be a famous martial arts master in the Imperial Guard, with an extremely strong physique."
"Only by fighting against such masters can we quickly catch up on our progress."
Wu He held his knife, deep in thought. When his gaze fell upon the final match, the decisive duel to determine the champion was about to begin.
"Ha!"
The moment the gong sounded, a shadow fell over Wu He.
The eight-foot-tall, burly Shi Baoji displayed an agility completely disproportionate to his size, rushing towards him almost instantly and smashing a fist-sized hammer down on his head!
Wu He did not fight him head-on, but dodged to the side and unleashed a sweeping attack with his sword.
clang!
The blade, which had always been invincible, struck his waist with a crisp, metallic sound, leaving only a faint white mark without even breaking his skin.
Such formidable external martial arts skills!
Wu He felt a chill run down his spine, and then quickly changed his body shape to dodge Shi Baoji's fierce attack.
The two engaged in a fierce back-and-forth battle, their offense and defense extremely intense.
"good!"
"Shi Baoji focused on physical training, and it turns out he really is invulnerable to swords and spears!"
……
Such a battle situation was also a great spectacle for the soldiers around them.
[Progress completed (Minor Mastery of Thunderclap Blade Technique): 51/200]
……
[Progress completed (Minor Mastery of Thunderclap Blade Technique): 71/200]
At the same time, Wu He's Thunderclap Saber Technique progress was also increasing rapidly, rising by more than twenty points in just half an hour!
He was overjoyed; it was the first time he had ever felt such exquisite and swift swordsmanship.
Until the very end, without killing Shi Baoji, the progress of his swordsmanship actually increased by fifty, reaching over one hundred before slowing down.
Time to end.
Wu He no longer hesitated. His body shone with golden light, and combined with his Thunderclap Blade Technique, he unleashed a fierce slash!
bang~
The chilling blade, tinged with gold, instantly sent Shi Baoji flying, snapping the two hammers in his hands in two.
On his chest, the gruesome knife wound was so deep that the bone was visible. No matter how strong his body was, it would eventually break before the combination of his blood and qi, sword energy, and innate qi.
"The victor is Wu He!"
As soon as the referee called out, the field erupted in chaos.
Wu He slowly exhaled and walked off the stage. Liu Baoze laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
"Commander Wu is truly displaying his might! He even managed to defeat Shi Baoji!"
"Second in military merit, first in the competition—your selection is practically guaranteed!"
"From now on, I will have to address you respectfully as Lord Wu."
Wu He chuckled in response, but his eyes were fixed on the Book of Debt.
[Progress completed (Golden Light Mantra Minor Success): 150/200]
I've been using the Golden Light Mantra frequently these days, and my progress has increased to 150. I only need to pay off the remaining 50 to complete the repayment.
War is imminent, and many are eyeing us covetously. The Wang Chen affair is definitely not over, and Zhao Guangyi and his men will not let it go easily.
To survive every danger, strength is always the foundation.
Wu Heke has a deep understanding of the power of combining innate Qi with blood and qi, which makes him almost invincible among his peers.
Next, this will be a key area for my development.
"It's time to retrieve that black jade gourd elixir. It should be much stronger than the one we got from Little Black Mountain."
……
As the event gradually ended, Du Jianlian sat pale-faced in a carriage in one corner, coughing incessantly, his eyes fixed on Wu He, who was being escorted away in the distance.
"Sis, didn't you say he wouldn't survive past last night?"
"I... I didn't expect this either..."
Du Mei, standing beside her, looked worried and said, "That good-for-nothing Wang Chen, we really shouldn't have trusted him."
"Xiao Lian, don't worry, I'll ask my husband, he'll definitely get you shortlisted!"
"Sister, will brother-in-law still listen to you?" Du Jianlian's eyes dimmed.
"meeting!"
She nodded resolutely, then touched her belly: "He doesn't have any children yet, but I will be the first to bear him a child. The position of the principal wife will be mine sooner or later!"