Chapter 77: A Stronger Pawn

  Ning Xing returned to his position at the host's table, and someone beside him couldn't help but whisper: "Clan leader, Ning Chong's strength has actually increased by so much compared to half a year ago! It looks like we've miscalculated this time!"

  The middle-aged man who spoke had a gloomy gaze, with eyes as sharp and poisonous as knives - it was Li Yi, the steward who was expelled by Wang Changlao half a year ago for plotting against Ning Chong.

  After being expelled from the Lecture Hall by Elder Wang, Li Yi returned to serve beside Ning Xingzi, where he had no chance of getting rich. So, he resented Ning Chong a lot.

  Upon hearing Li Yi's words, Ning Xing's face turned iron-green as he slowly sat back in his armchair, coldly snorting: "Don't panic. Ning Dafeng is just the weakest piece on the entire chessboard; discarding him wouldn't be a waste. Hmph, this useless thing seems to have had a stroke of good luck, eating some heavenly material and earthly treasure, cultivating a body of brute strength. If that's all, then the next pieces we set up will definitely be able to safely discard him! We don't need to rush."

  Soon, the first round of competition came to an end. Except for Ning Chong's surprising match, the rest were dull and uneventful. The stronger disciples who were expected to win all smoothly advanced to the second round.

  The second round draw was held immediately after. With half the number of people, the drawing speed was faster. Ning Chong didn't wait for too long before the two drawing officials on stage drew out his opponent in the second round with an unfriendly gaze.

  His opponent was a young man four or five years older than Ning Chong, tall and thin in build, wearing magnificent clothes, with an arrogant look on his face. He turned his back to the crowd, tapped his toes, and in the next instant, he appeared on the martial arts stage.

  This person's footwork is incredibly powerful! With just this footwork alone, they can already break into the top five of the outer gate!

  Ning Chong silently praised in his heart, but at this time, he faintly heard people discussing below the stage:

  "It's actually Ning Kai Zheng! I heard that Ning Kai Zheng had once been to Qiyu, where he found a copy of 'Fei Jiao Bu' on the body of a notorious thief. It was an advanced footwork technique, extremely rare and precious. After mastering it, his speed and agility were among the top in the outer sect. Last year's outer sect competition, he relied on this technique and his years of practice in 'Hu Zao Gong', to defeat many strong opponents, causing them to retreat in disarray. If not for encountering a senior brother who had entered the inner sect, he almost made it into the top five and became an inner sect disciple!"

  "It's been a year, and his strength has increased again. I heard that he is now at the mid-term of Wu Tu Fifth Stage, and even ordinary Wu Tu Sixth Stage may not be his opponent!"

  "Oh no, is it that bad? Won't Ningchong be ruined then?"

  "It's hard to say, but Ning Chong is not the same as before. Before, he was just a waste of space, but now he's absolutely not some soft persimmon! Didn't you see that even Ni Daifeng, who's so arrogant, couldn't withstand his one move and got knocked out? I also heard that during yesterday's selection test, Ning Chong actually managed to leave a fist print on the bronze bell from ten steps away!"

  "It seems like this showdown is going to be a battle of the titans!"

  ……

  Standing on the stage, Ning Kai seemed to have heard the comments of the surrounding crowd and suddenly sneered: "I originally thought that the task would be taken away by Ning Dafeng first, but unexpectedly, Ning Dafeng's stupid cow was defeated by your strength. Tsk tsk, you indeed have a strong physique, better than Ning Dafeng who has well-developed limbs but a simple mind. However... Hmph, strength is useless against me! Don't worry, I won't cripple you, I'll just kill you quickly, so fast that you won't even feel the pain!"

  Another lackey who only knows how to follow orders! Ning's eyebrows sank, and the anger in his heart surged threefold. He said coldly: "Are you also a vicious dog that listens to some old dog's commands? Very good!"

  "Looking for death! I've changed my mind, I'll cripple your limbs first! Then trample all your ribs to pieces and let you die slowly!"

  Ning Kai Zheng was enraged, and with a loud roar, his body suddenly burst forth with intense killing intent. His hands had transformed into tiger claws, one in front of the other, as he unleashed a fierce and menacing aura that spread out in all directions, like a ferocious tiger about to pounce - it was the starting move of the Ning family's renowned high-level martial skill, "Tiger Claw Technique".

  Wow!

  Ning Kaiyan's foot stomped down with force, and his figure suddenly disappeared. The powerful explosion of strength even left a clear footprint on the hard green brick martial arts platform.

  So fast!

  Among the crowd's successive cries of surprise, in the next moment, Ning Kai Zheng had already appeared before Ning Chong, his left and right arms opening like a bow, both claws suddenly closing together, with internal energy rapidly circulating between his claw tips.

  "Fly, Tiger, Strike!"

  With a single move, the air shook, and Ning Kai suddenly seemed to be like a flying tiger pouncing on its prey. The crowd seemed to see his open claws shining with a cold light, as if he was about to tear everything apart and grab towards Ning Chong. His killing intent was palpable, and his speed was incredibly fast!

  Ning Kai Zheng's attack was so powerful that it caused a stir among the several elder deacons who were watching from the host platform.

  "Last year's family outer gate competition, Ning Kai Zheng was only one step away from breaking into the top five and entering the inner gate. His martial arts talent is indeed excellent! I heard that after his narrow defeat, he disappeared and closed himself off to focus on his training. Now it seems that whether it's the 'Flying Dragon Step' or the 'Tiger Claw Technique', compared to last year, although he hasn't broken through to the next level, his progress is very obvious!"

  "Yes, but this time's outer gate competition is quite something, with many talented individuals. Just Ning Fan Yu alone is stunning, and Ning Mo Feng, known as the second genius of the outer gate, has also returned. And then there's Ning Que Yue from the Commercial River City branch, who apparently masters the nearly lost 'Flying Swallow Cutting Technique', which is quite intriguing! With so many talents this time around, it'll be extremely difficult for Ning Kai Xiang to break into the top five!"

  "The first five may be extremely difficult, but defeating Ning Chong should be a piece of cake. Ning Chong was still a nobody with almost no cultivation six months ago, yet his strength has made a shocking breakthrough. I reckon he's just lucky and must have consumed some kind of spiritual medicine or treasure to achieve what he has today. Relying on external objects for power is not the right way; with his innate talent in martial arts, he'll probably stop at this level."

  "Hey, I don't care about that anymore. Anyway, this time, as long as Ning Kai Zheng can enter the top ten, I'll take him as my personal disciple! I've already reserved him, so don't try to snatch him from me, everyone! Haha!"

  "You're a sly old thing, knowing that few geniuses don't have a master, and the competition is fierce, so you quickly grab an inferior one to be your direct disciple. Old thing, there's no such easy deal in this world!"

  "Do you want to compete with me? Alright, let's gamble with dice then. If you lose, Ning Kai Zheng will be mine, and you can take Ning Chong as your personal disciple! Haha!"

  "Pah! Crafty old thing! I'm not even good at dice games! Besides, even if I were to gamble, I wouldn't make a deal with that useless Ning Chong as the condition..."

  ……

  On the rostrum, the seven elders and Wang Lao listened to the conversation of the crowd of elders, only slightly shaking their heads, without speaking, all feeling that these few elders were short-sighted, really not matching their identity as elders.

  At this time, a burst of exclamation suddenly came from the crowd watching the battle around them. The elders immediately stopped their discussion and focused their attention on the arena...