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When Xunuo arrived at the arena, he found a young man with a round face and red complexion already standing there. With thick eyebrows and round eyes, he was well-built and towered over Xunuo by a head. The young man stared wide-eyed at Xunuo and, upon seeing him stand still, said, "I thought you were too scared to show up and was ready to scold you. Since you're here now, I won't berate you. But making me wait this long means I have to hit you hard."
Xunuo chuckled in response, "I didn't expect so many people to be watching; I couldn't squeeze my way in. Sorry for keeping you waiting, Senior Brother."
Nangong Changjian replied, "My matches always attract this many spectators; don't try to make excuses to avoid a beating."
Xunuo maintained his composure and said, "With so many people watching, if I defeat you, I wonder if your pride can take it. But since your face is already red, I suppose a few slaps won't change much."
By the end of his statement, he seemed to be talking to himself, showing little regard for Nangong Changjian. In truth, Xunuo knew that Nangong Changjian had a fiery temper and was deliberately trying to provoke him.
As expected, Nangong Changjian became furious upon hearing Xunuo's words. He swung his fist toward Xunuo, who noticed that his opponent indeed used the Three Talents Fist. Xunuo countered with a mix of the Eight Extremes Fist and Tongbi Fist.
Although Nangong Changjian was skilled in the Three Talents Fist, Xunuo's Eight Extremes Fist was powerful and aggressive. In close combat, he managed to suppress Nangong Changjian's attacks, making his punches and kicks awkward. After seven or eight exchanges, Nangong Changjian thought to himself: This is bad; I've encountered a tough opponent.
However, Nangong Changjian was known for his bravery and practical fighting skills. Seeing that his Three Talents Fist was ineffective in close quarters, he quickly switched to Tongbi Fist.
Xunuo remained unfazed and continued to use a combination of Tongbi Fist and Eight Extremes Fist against him. This time during the Monthly Test, Xunuo had become quite adept at these techniques and grasped their essence even more deeply. He could adapt easily whether fighting from a distance or up close.
As Nangong Changjian changed his fighting style again, he found himself on the defensive as Xunuo pressed forward aggressively while Nangong tried to maintain distance. This was not Nangong Changjian's strength. After more than ten exchanges, he became increasingly passive; it turned into Xunuo's offensive while Nangong Changjian focused on defense. The Tongbi Fist relied heavily on brute force and lacked agility in footwork, putting Nangong at a disadvantage as he struggled against Xunuo's relentless attacks.
The onlooking disciples began to notice the shift in momentum. Given that Nangong Changjian was usually proud and hot-tempered with few friends, seeing him falter drew jeers from the crowd.
Feeling frustrated from being unable to fight effectively and now hearing the mocking comments around him only fueled his anger further. He abandoned Tongbi Fist and reverted back to his favored Three Talents Fist, unwilling to concede even if it meant both would suffer injuries.
With both fighters now using their preferred styles in close combat, the true intensity of their match emerged. Nangong Changjian moved swiftly with intricate punches while Xunuo remained calm and measured in his strikes.
The spectators were engrossed in the spectacle while the Outer Sect Disciple overseeing the match observed keenly. He could see that Xunuo was handling himself with ease while maintaining steady breathing. In contrast, although Nangong Changjian appeared aggressive, his movements were slowing down and his breath was becoming erratic.
After exchanging blows for over forty rounds, Nangong Changjian attempted a slicing hand strike which Xunuo dodged by sidestepping before quickly turning around to present his back to him. Anticipating that Xunuo would follow up with a leg technique like Scorpion Tail Strike aimed at his lower body, Nangong focused on defending against that.
However, what he didn't expect was for Xunuo to charge backward into him instead, slamming his back directly into Nangong Changjian's chest.
This move was part of the Eight Extremes Fist called "Pushing Against the Mountain." With no way to evade it, Nangong Changjian took the full impact of the blow and felt a sharp pain in his chest as he was sent flying out of the arena, crashing into several watching disciples in the process.
Nangong Changjian sprang up like a carp, but felt his legs weaken. Just as he gritted his teeth to steady himself, a sweet taste surged in his throat and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The crimson liquid stained his clothes, and he could no longer hold on, collapsing onto the ground. Wiping the blood from his face, he pointed at Xunuo and said, "Kid, your Fist Technique is quite strange. Once I go back and figure it out, I'll come back next month specifically to challenge you."
With that, he pushed himself up with one hand and staggered away.
The onlooking disciples saw him approaching and immediately cleared a path several feet wide for Nangong Changjian to pass. Guo Shujiang had been caught in the crowd, unable to see anything or understand the situation of the duel. Frustrated and cursing under his breath, he finally squeezed through the gap only to bump into Nangong Changjian.
In a fit of anger, Nangong Changjian shouted, "Get lost!"
Guo Shujiang was oblivious to the circumstances. When he looked up and saw Nangong Changjian's bloodshot eyes and blood-stained face and clothes, he nearly collapsed in fear. He quickly stepped aside to let Nangong Changjian pass and then dashed into the arena.
He shouted as he ran, "Brother Lu, don’t get killed!"
Guo Shujiang thought that the blood on Nangong Changjian was from fighting Xunuo. Upon reaching the arena, he saw the Outer Sect Disciple announcing the results of the match. When he heard that Xunuo had won, he couldn't believe his ears. He rushed over to Xunuo, grabbing him and inspecting him closely for injuries. To his relief, Xunuo showed no signs of harm—he hadn't even lost a drop of blood.
Feeling reassured, Guo Shujiang hugged Xunuo and said, "I just saw Nangong covered in blood and thought it was yours. You scared me to death!"
Seeing Guo Shujiang nearly in tears made Xunuo feel a bit touched. He replied, "Sorry for scaring you, Brother Guo. Why didn’t I see you come in to watch earlier?"
Guo Shujiang's frustration flared up at this question. He jumped up in anger and exclaimed, "Those damned people squeezed me in the middle! I couldn’t move left or right; all I could see were heads!"
A disciple standing in the front row teased him, "Guo Chaozi, you knew there would be a lot of people here but didn’t come early to claim your spot? Did you think our Wuhua Sect has no experts?"
Laughter erupted among the crowd.
Guo Shujiang was sensitive about others calling him short. With a quick thought, he retorted, "My brother is aiming for the rankings; how about I advise him to challenge you, oh great one?"
The man’s expression changed as he awkwardly laughed it off. "What do I count as a great one? Brother Guo is joking; you’re joking."
With that finished speaking, he turned and walked away.
Guo Shujiang cheerfully pulled Xunuo away from the arena.
As soon as the match between Xunuo and Nangong Changjian concluded, the news spread like wildfire. Wherever Guo Shujiang and Xunuo went to watch the matches, the surrounding disciples eagerly made way for them, showering them with congratulations.
Xunuo didn't recognize any of these disciples; he merely clasped his fists in acknowledgment.
Guo Shujiang, however, relished this kind of social interaction. He strutted around like he had personally defeated Nangong Changjian, greeting everyone with his short stature. He accepted every invitation for discussions and exchanges without hesitation. Xunuo glared at him in frustration from the side, but Guo Shujiang remained oblivious, animatedly chatting away.
Xunuo thought to himself: You can deal with the matters you've agreed to; don't expect me to take the blame when it comes time to face the consequences.
The third round of matches wrapped up in just a couple of hours, determining the top two hundred disciples for this Monthly Test. Next, there would be two more rounds to decide the rankings for the top one hundred and top fifty.
Xunuo mused: I only need to get on the Challenge List; the upcoming rounds hold no significance for me.
Thus, he approached the Manager Disciple overseeing the monthly competition and inquired whether he could skip the next matches and go directly to the Challenge List.
The Manager Disciple hesitated for a long moment before replying, "The rules state that any disciple who places in the top two hundred has the right to challenge a Ranking Disciple. However, there has never been a precedent for a disciple opting out of the advancement matches to go straight to the Challenge List. I will need to consult with my superiors."
The disciple hurried off to ask Elder in front of, which caused quite a stir among the higher-ups within the sect.
Originally, the Monthly Test was overseen by two Vice Hall Masters from Seven Star Sword Hall and Divine Blade Hall. The emergence of a new disciple who disdained the advancement matches and requested direct access to the Challenge List was indeed unusual. The news quickly reached several Hall Masters and even the Sect Leader. After some discussion, they concluded that while this was an odd request, it did comply with regulations. They decided to grant it. The other disciples would continue with their advancement matches, while Xunuo would be scheduled for his challenge match early tomorrow morning.
Guo Shujiang was taken aback by Xunuo's unexpected move. Once permission was granted by the sect, confirming tomorrow's match, Guo Shujiang couldn't help but give Xunuo a thumbs-up and exclaimed, "You're amazing! You're my brother!"
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