Chapter 502: Battle Against Zhou Tieyi

By the time the second match ended, the sun had already climbed to the zenith.

Cheng Feng and the others found a shaded corner at the edge of the grounds to rest for a moment.

Wang Ji's expression was calm as she wiped her hands with a handkerchief.

Huo Luan rested her Steel Saber across her knees and tilted her head back to gulp down water; water droplets trickled down her chin and into her collar, but she was too lazy to wipe them away.

Gu Niangzi sat on a section of a broken stele with the Red Armored Beetle landing back in her hair; her complexion was somewhat pale, as the three Black Bees from earlier had been temporarily driven by her own vital blood, consuming quite a bit of her energy.

Liu Yu remained standing as usual, her Narrow Saber already sheathed, though her gaze never left the arena.

"The Zhe Family's foundation is still there in this match, but their formation leader was suppressed; it's no injustice that they lost."

Liu Yu said in a low voice, "But the next match won't be this easy."

Wang Ji gave an "en" sound: "The upcoming fights are the hard ones. Among the second round, besides the Yunzhou Zhe Family, there is also the Pingbei Wangfu that truly possesses military formation heritage."

Cheng Feng had just finished re-fastening his round shield; he paused upon hearing this.

The Pingbei Wangfu.

He had heard Liu Yu mention that the Pingbei Prince and the Zhennan Prince were the two pillars of the Great Zhou, both families being military lineages that had guarded the borders for generations.

The Zhennan Wangfu had produced a Qingyuan Sword Body like Wang Ji, while the most famous of the Pingbei Wangfu's generation was the eldest son, Zhou Tieyi.

"Zhou Tieyi." Cheng Feng recited the name once, "What is his style?"

"Spear." Liu Yu answered concisely, "Military heavy spear, from a heavy cavalry background. The team under him is entirely composed of veteran soldiers retired from the northern border; they have survived a hundred battles and their coordination is extremely tacit. This person doesn't do fancy tricks or play with formation changes; he just crushes you head-on."

Huo Luan snorted upon hearing this: "Crushes head-on? That's perfect. We also have a fool who practices hard-body techniques; let's see who breaks first."

Cheng Feng didn't speak, only tightened the straps on his shield face. He looked up and swept a glance at the high platform at the edge of the Great Drill Ground; the people from the Immortal Sect were still quiet.

The man in the green shirt was already gone, but there were a few new faces, one of whom was a woman in a moon-white robe, currently lowering her head to drink tea.

"Next match, A-2 versus A-7." A clerk trotted over and handed a slip of paper to Wang Ji.

Wang Ji unfolded it and looked, her eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't show it to the others, only folded the slip and tucked it into her sleeve, her voice dropping a few degrees lower than before: "A-7, Pingbei Wangfu."

Huo Luan stood up with a start, flipped the saber in her hand, and grinned: "Good, that's damn coincidental. Speak of the devil, and he arrives."

Liu Yu, however, shook her head: "It's not a coincidence. By now, the draws for the second round have mostly been arranged by someone. First the Zhe Family, then the Pingbei Wangfu; this is to roast us over a fire."

Cheng Feng frowned: "Coming for Wang Ji?"

"Coming for me." Wang Ji's expression was calm, showing neither joy nor anger, "I was sent into Tianqi City by the Zhennan Wangfu under the status of an Immortal Seed; not many people know about this, but it's not a small number either.

The Lu Clan can pass messages, and others can tamper with the draw cylinder. They don't want me to have it too easy.

Perhaps the Immortal Sect also wants to see what I'm made of."

As they were speaking, the West Three Array Platform had already been cleared.

The referee announced in a loud voice: "Second round, second match: A-2 Zhennan Wang Ji Team, against A-7 Pingbei Wangfu Team!"

A stir went through the spectator stands. The duel between the Zhennan Wang Ji and the Pingbei Wangfu's Zhou Tieyi—this name alone was enough to make the gamblers in the arena go wild.

Many people ran over from other platforms, surrounding the West Three Array Platform until it was packed tight.

When Cheng Feng stepped onto the Battle Platform, the five people on the opposite side were already standing in position.

Five people, all in uniform dark-black combat gear, armor plates neatly arranged, legs and waists thick and sturdy; they stood there like five iron pillars.

The leader was extremely tall and broad-shouldered, with a heavy spear slung diagonally across his back; the spear shaft was as thick as a child's arm, pitch-black all over, with a beast-hide sheath over the tip, revealing only a sliver of cold light.

He had an old scar on his face, running from his temple to his cheekbone, making half his face look exceptionally fierce.

Zhou Tieyi.

"Wang Ji." Zhou Tieyi's voice was deep and thick; his armor plates clattered as he cupped his fists in a salute, "It has been three years since we parted in the northern frontier."

Wang Ji returned the salute: "Young Master Zhou. It has indeed been some years."

"I know your status is different, and you may not necessarily make a move after stepping onto this platform."

Zhou Tieyi's gaze passed over Wang Ji and paused on Cheng Feng and the others, "It's best if you don't move. My team only fights those who can actually fight."

He spoke extremely rudely; Huo Luan raised an eyebrow and was about to retort, but was stopped by Liu Yu's hand.

"Wang Ji is our commander and will not move easily." Liu Yu's voice was calm, "Young Master Zhou's opponents are the four of us."

Zhou Tieyi grinned, reached back to unhook his heavy spear, and pointed the tip toward the ground, driving it three inches into the bluestone with a "thud": "Then come. Let me see if the people the Zhennan Wangfu hired are enough for me to warm up."

The drums suddenly sounded.

Cheng Feng's heartbeat skipped a beat with the rhythm of the drums, then sank down.

He stood his ground, his left foot slightly extended, his left arm holding the shield across his chest, his right fist half-clenched.

Huo Luan was to his right, her saber tip pointing at the ground. Liu Yu was behind, her Narrow Saber still sheathed, her whole body like a drawn bow.

The referee lit the incense, his voice hoarse: "Begin!"

Zhou Tieyi moved first.

His stride was massive; with one step, he crossed more than half the Battle Platform, the heavy spear humming as the tip shook out a spear-flower the size of a bowl, thrusting straight at Cheng Feng's face.

This strike had no hint of probing; the wind of the spear forced Cheng Feng's bangs back, and the air itself was torn open with a sharp whistle.

Cheng Feng did not retreat. He raised his round shield with his left arm and met the spear head-on with a "clang."

The spear tip struck the iron-plated shield, sparks flying everywhere; Cheng Feng felt as if his left arm had been struck by a galloping horse.

Misjudging the force, his body flickered to the right.

He bent his knees to stabilize his stance and used the momentum to drive his right fist toward Zhou Tieyi's ribs.

"Good hard-body technique!" A flash of light appeared in Zhou Tieyi's eyes; he blocked with the spear shaft, shaking off Cheng Feng's fist, and immediately swept the butt of the spear back, aiming straight for Cheng Feng's temple.

This strike was heavy and fast, but Cheng Feng blocked it with his shield as if it were light as a feather.

"Cheng Feng, entangle the spearhead! Huo Luan, cut his left ribs!" Liu Yu's saber was already unsheathed; her figure moved like gray smoke, cutting in from the side, the blade aiming straight for Zhou Tieyi's right wrist.

Huo Luan moved at the command, her Steel Saber slashing rapidly along the ground, heading straight for Zhou Tieyi's left side.

The four northern veteran soldiers had already moved to intercept; two held shields and two held sabers, splitting left and right, actually blocking Huo Luan and Liu Yu simultaneously.

On the Battle Platform, Wang Ji retreated to a corner, and Gu Niangzi circled to the side and rear to release her Gu.

However, the Northern Border veterans were thick-armored and sturdy; the Black Bees landed on their armor surfaces but could not sting through.

Only one managed to crawl into a seam in the clothing along a neck; the man gave a muffled grunt, reached back to pinch, and crushed the Black Bee, his movements showing not the slightest hesitation.

"Tricky," Gu Niangzi said with an ugly expression, "these people don't fear pain."

Cheng Feng had no time to be distracted.

Zhou Tieyi's spear was like crashing waves, each strike heavier than the last, the spear shadows covering the sky and earth.

Cheng Feng blocked seven strikes in a row; the round shield on his left arm was already pitted and scarred, the iron plating curled back.

He knew he could not take any more head-on, so he began to move in arcs under his feet, using his body to divert the momentum of the spear to the side.

But Zhou Tieyi's spear was not only fierce and powerful. He suddenly flicked the spear shaft, the tip drawing an extremely narrow arc that bypassed the shield face and thrust straight at Cheng Feng's right shoulder.

Cheng Feng was too late to dodge; he sank his right shoulder, meeting the spear tip with his flesh and blood.

The True Qi coiled around the spear tip flickered in and out of sight; it could pierce his clothes, but it could not advance another inch.

"Hey, hey, hey, you're going too far now."

Cheng Feng let out a violent shout, the muscles in his right arm knotting, pushing his Iron Bone Golden Body to the limit as his skin took on a pale golden hue.

Hard-body training—I am a professional at this!!!

Cheng Feng's shoulder slammed forward violently, and Zhou Tieyi felt a massive force follow in its wake.

"This strength..."

And Cheng Feng's right fist, carrying the sound of wind, had already smashed into Zhou Tieyi's chest.

Zhou Tieyi gave a muffled grunt, four or five armor plates on his chest exploded outward, and his entire body retreated several steps, his boot heels cracking the bluestone floor before he could barely stand steady.

He looked down at the dent in his chest armor, and when he looked up again, there was not a trace of contempt in his eyes, only gravity.

"Your physical body, it actually blocked my spear?"

Zhou Tieyi wore an expression of astonishment, spat out a mouthful of turbid blood, and slammed his great spear onto the ground.

"But no matter how tough you are, you are only one person. How much longer can your companions hold out?"

Cheng Feng turned his head to look; Huo Luan and Liu Yu had already been forced to the edge of the Battle Platform by four veterans.

Those four operated in pairs, shields raised and sabers slashing, coordinating like an iron barrel.

Huo Luan's Blade Technique was fierce, but under the pincer attack of two veterans, she was struggling to defend, and a bloody gash had already appeared on her waist.

Although Liu Yu's movement technique was fast, he could not break through the shield formation to provide support, and his blade momentum was being squeezed narrower and narrower.

Gu Niangzi tried to get close but was forced back by a veteran wielding a saber; she took a blow from the back of a blade on her shoulder and stumbled to the ground.

"Cheng Feng!" Wang Ji suddenly shouted from the corner, "Don't worry about me! Break the formation and go help Huo Luan!"

Wang Ji's hand was already gripping the Sword at her waist.

Cheng Feng hesitated for only an instant before putting force into his feet and turning to charge toward Huo Luan's side.

Zhou Tieyi laughed loudly, raised his spear, and gave chase, the tip stabbing straight at Cheng Feng's back.

Cheng Feng did not look back. He reached his left hand behind him, the round shield strapped to his back, and with a 'clang', blocked that spear, the entire shield face splitting completely in two. He used the momentum of the spear to lunge forward, his right fist smashing toward the shield-wielding veteran on the left.

That Organ Refining Late Stage veteran raised his shield to block, a fist-shaped dent appearing on the shield face.

Yet the man only retreated half a step, blood spraying continuously from his mouth, but he still relied on a single breath to withstand Cheng Feng's high-speed punch.

Cheng Feng flipped in mid-air, stepped on the air, and kicked the shoulder of the saber-wielding veteran on the right, kicking the man until he half-knelt.

"Wind-Stepping Walk."

Huo Luan was quick-eyed and fast-handed; she swirled her Steel Saber, knocked the weapon from the man's hand, and then smashed her blade into the back of his neck, knocking him over.

"Two!" Huo Luan roared, her face covered in blood.

With the pressure on his right gone, Liu Yu's blade light surged, and a round of rapid attacks separated the shield-bearer and saber-wielder on the left.

Cheng Feng forced his way between the two, throwing out his right fist and left elbow simultaneously, forcefully beating the saber-wielder until he vomited blood and flew off the platform. Seeing the situation was bad, the shield-bearer retreated quickly to Zhou Tieyi's side.

Zhou Tieyi frowned, watching Cheng Feng, who was fighting the veterans with all his might before him.

Only one Northern Border veteran remained standing on the Battle Platform.

"Since when is the Jiao Snake Physique this strong? Shouldn't it be about flexible speed and maneuvering?"

Zhou Tieyi's expression was as heavy as iron. He stood leaning on his spear; most of the armor plates on his chest were shattered, yet he still stood straight.

He glanced at the three fallen subordinates, then looked at Cheng Feng.

"What is your name?" he suddenly asked.

"Cheng Feng."

"Cheng Feng." Zhou Tieyi laid his great spear horizontally. "I have remembered this name."

Wang Ji walked slowly back into the formation, her voice cold: "Young Master Zhou, if you keep fighting, all your men will end up lying down. Let's end this match here."

Zhou Tieyi was silent for a moment, looked at his three comrades who could still breathe, and finally waved his hand, taking off his spear cover and putting it back on: "Pingbei Wangfu, we concede."

The crowd below was silent for a moment, then it was as if a pot had boiled over. Cheers, curses, and copper coins and silver fragments rained down from the stands like a downpour.

Cheng Feng stood on the platform, unscathed, looked down at the shattered bluestone beneath his feet, and then looked up toward the high platform.

"I've already used forty percent of my strength; I shouldn't be targeted, right? I am just a plain and unremarkable Martial Artist..."

The people from the Immortal Sect remained quiet.

The woman in the moon-white robe seemed to have heard Cheng Feng's muttering, and she was scanning him with a strange expression.

???