Chapter 935: Vulnerable

"This is..."

Elder Su stared in shock, his graying beard trembling slightly.

How could Xu Tian...

"Master, isn't this your palm technique? You only taught it a few days ago..." Ni Chuang inhaled a cold breath.

Yue Moli smiled warmly as she lifted the young man on the Arena, her gentle gaze tinged with a hint of pride.

Perhaps her method worked, returning Yun Mufeng to a once‑familiar place, thereby stirring his old memories.

"That's impossible..."

Elder Su was at a loss.

He had only taught for a few days?

By any count, only two days.

Within those two days, Xu Tian had already wielded his Cloud‑descending Eight Trigram Palm with such proficiency.

Originally, he thought Xu Tian would need at least two years to even mimic the form, and only after further refinement could truly grasp the essence of the technique.

Let alone Xu Tian, even his most talented disciple Yun Mufeng took nearly half a year to achieve full integration.

And Xu Tian managed to learn it in such a short span?

Elder Su was stunned for a moment, then quietly slipped his hand beneath his robe and pinched his own thigh.

He wasn't just eager for his disciple's success; perhaps he was hallucinating?

…

On the Arena, the battle was underway.

Guo Tianba stepped back a few paces, then clenched his fist and charged again.

But each time, Xu Tian deflected it with a mere fraction of force.

The two exchanged blows for dozens of rounds; Guo Tianba never even brushed Xu Tian's robe, growing frantic yet helpless.

Guo Tianba gradually lost patience; his punches and kicks became increasingly erratic, and finally, exhausted, he was knocked down by a palm from Xu Tian, falling off the Arena.

"I lost... you kid really have skill!" Guo Tianba, not a narrow‑minded man, accepted defeat wholeheartedly.

But the crowd below could not accept the scene.

A Level‑1 Hunter openly admitting defeat to a Level‑4 newcomer was just too fantastical...

"Xu Tian wins!" the host announced, then drew lots again.

This time, before Xu Tian could step down, the elder recited "Number Six Xu Tian".

Xu Tian had to remain on the stage, awaiting another contestant.

"Number 88, Fu Tu."

Fu Tu frowned and stepped onto the Arena.

He was only a Level‑2 Hunter; even Guo Tianba wasn't Xu Tian's opponent, his

could not hope to gain any advantage.

"Sir, I forfeit!"

Before the host could speak further, Fu Tu raised his hand to signal.

Having said that, without waiting for the elder's decision, he turned and fled off the stage, fearing that a moment later Xu Tian would strike.

Even Guo Tianba was knocked off the Arena by Xu Tian; he didn't want to get hurt and embarrassed.

Xu Tian raised an eyebrow; the fact that this man forfeited so easily suggested that, before meeting Hu Xiaofeng, his opponents wouldn't be too troublesome...

"Number 74, Sun Jiao Jiao." The host elder drew two more lots, and as Xu Tian reached the edge of the Arena, spoke again, "Number Six, Xu Tian."

Xu Tian had to stay on the stage.

"Sir, I also forfeit!" a delicate voice rang from the crowd.

Sun Jiao Jiao, true to her name, was a petite, cute girl.

"I'm also Level‑2, can't beat him!"

The host elder glanced at Sun Jiao Jiao, waved his hand, and approved.

Any registered contestant may forfeit; this was common even in previous tournaments, since everyone still had missions. Getting injured and recuperating for ten days or half a month would not only be shameful but also delay promotion. No one would take such a loss‑making risk of facing a superior knowing they would lose.

Seeing Sun Jiao Jiao forfeit, Xu Tian also stepped down from the Arena.

Even as a matter of probability, being drawn for three consecutive matches was unlikely.

He had just left a short while when Ni Chuang's name was called.

Opposing Ni Chuang was Hu Tianqi, a disciple of Gong Changming.

Elder Su warned Ni Chuang with some concern.

"His methods are insidious; you must be extra careful."

"Master, don't worry, I won't disgrace you!" Ni Chuang said, then leapt onto the Arena in a swift step.

As the tournament progressed, it finally featured a showdown between two Special‑grade Hunters, each a prized disciple of Elder Su and Elder Gong respectively.

Everyone knew of the feud between Elder Su and Elder Gong within the mountain villa, especially after a disciple of Su was brutally killed by Gong's disciple on the Arena, so the crowd eagerly anticipated this clash. Please download the latest content from the iRead app.

"You are not my opponent," Hu Tianqi said arrogantly, like Hu Xiaofeng, "but I don't want blood today, so I'll just cripple your two arms."

"Seeking death!" Ni Chuang roared, raising his palm to strike Hu Tianqi.

Hu

Hu Tianqi deftly evaded his attack, then used lightness skill to continuously dodge Ni Chuang's strikes without countering.

Ni Chuang, after all, was a Special‑grade Hunter, his strength among the top in the mountain villa; even Gong Changming's top disciple Hu Tianqi might not have a guaranteed victory. (advertisement omitted)

Xu Tian stared at the two on the stage, his expression growing solemn.

Hu Tianqi intended to first drain Ni Chuang's stamina, then launch his own offensive.

They had previously heard Su Lao say that Ni Chuang is too impulsive, likes to act on emotion, and when carrying out missions is overly reckless, thus easily falling into traps, which is why they have not obtained the mountain villa's completion certificate.

In fact, on paper his strength, Hu Tianqi might not necessarily defeat Ni Chuang, but Hu Tianqi knows how to use tricks, seizing the opponent's weakness; although the win is unsavory, the saying "all warfare is based on deception" especially applies in the bounty hunter trade, and no one thinks this method lacks integrity.

Now the two on the Arena have already exchanged nearly a hundred rounds; Ni Chuang's breath is visibly unstable and rapid, while Hu Tianqi remains at ease.

Since the physical exertion of light-step and palm technique differ, Hu Tianqi not only conserves stamina this way, but also makes it easier to spot flaws in Ni Chuang's moves.

No one who cannot be stronger can have every strike be flawless.

Hu Tianqi is simply waiting, waiting for Ni Chuang to slip due to fatigue.

The slightest mistake, and they swoop down like a vulture that smells carrion.

In another breath, Hu Tianqi seizes the chance, punches toward Ni Chuang's chest; Ni Chuang dodges swiftly, avoiding the vital area but still gets their shoulder struck by a punch.

Ni Chuang lets out a low growl, disregarding the shoulder pain and rises again, swinging a fist at Hu Tianqi's face.

At this moment the distance between them is extremely close; if Ni Chuang's punch lands, Hu Tianqi's skull would likely be shattered.

Yet Hu Tianqi's body is very agile; they leap backward, barely evading Ni Chuang's attack, and simultaneously lift a leg for a straight kick, driving it into Ni Chuang's abdomen.

Ni Chuang's retraction speed is half a beat slower, making their evasion of Hu Tianqi appear a bit clumsy.

Hu Tianqi strikes again, a chain of combined attacks, intent on pressing the advantage.

"Useless!" they say with a mocking laugh, tone contemptuous, "Sure enough, disciples taught by Su Lao are all so easy to defeat!"