[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-roaring-dragon":3,"chapter-the-roaring-dragon-the-roaring-dragon-chapter-199":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Roaring Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2282055,4463,"Chapter 199: Youthful Arrogance!","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-199",199,"\u003Cp>The great river flows eastward; autumn wind sweeps across the field where ten thousand gather, and in the open center, a white-robed young lord stands with sword in hand, at the height of his vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aging swordsman lowers his blade and departs in gloom; before leaving, he glances back at the Dragon Altar and the roaring crowd, his eyes filled with countless thoughts, yet in summary, only one phrase:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The martial path ends here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the cultivation path or the martial road, its grandeur is real, and its cruelty is equally real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spotlight on new arrivals always accompanies the silent departure of the old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And such events will happen many times today; what is called the Hero Gathering is nothing more than a turnover of the new replacing the old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Wuyi stands atop the Dragon Altar, gazing at the white-clad figure below, and recalls his own youth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, he stood in the arena, the identity of his opponent long forgotten, but the one standing where he now stands was Ye Sheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this youth before him may well catch up to him one day, while whether he himself can catch up to Ye Sheng remains uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of commotion in the arena, Wei Wuyi spoke gently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie young friend’s achievement yesterday was no accident; your martial foundation has placed considerable pressure on us elders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke not of cultivation depth, but of potential; Duan Yuechou and others seated in the audience, having watched Xie Jinhuan’s single bout, could already estimate his potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan is undoubtedly a man of great fortune, yet no one who climbs to the top of the cultivation path lacks fortune; to truly stand alone at the summit, talent, insight, perseverance, and courage are all indispensable—Xie Jinhuan appears to possess them all, and if he walks this path without calamity, there is no reason he cannot one day sit where we sit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting for his opponent to leave the stage, Xie Jinhuan bowed respectfully to the Dragon Altar and the surrounding crowd, yet did not depart; instead, he scanned the hundred martial sects:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to past custom, martial artists step forward in pairs to duel until no one answers, ending the first round; the victors proceed to the second round, until only one remains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But fighting this way is too simple. On the arena, we may observe our opponents’ sect foundations, yet in real combat, there is no chance to study their patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Records show that the Martial Ancestor once fought in a continuous duel: the victor never left the stage, until exhausted or defeated, and rankings were determined by consecutive wins—the top three vied for the champion’s title…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, murmurs of shock rippled through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many contestants who had been eager to compete now changed expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A continuous duel is not on the same level of difficulty as a normal tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In normal duels, only the first bout is unknown; subsequent matches involve opponents already seen, so one has a rough estimate of their style and ample time to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A continuous duel is a wheel battle: after the first fight, the victor’s style is fully exposed, yet he knows nothing of his challenger’s background, relying entirely on instinct, accumulating injuries, and steadily draining stamina—with no chance to rest or recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is an endless bitter struggle, demanding endurance until exhaustion, defeat, or no challenger remains; the later it goes, the deadlier it becomes—just imagining it suffocates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this method is truly closest to real combat—no luck for your situation or fairness; a true martial artist, even in utter despair, must stand firm, seek every possible advantage, and either fight to win or fight to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this style yields the highest prestige; the top three are forged in true fire, with not a drop of doubt about their merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Sanjiangkou, where ten thousand gather, voices buzz, yet no one shouts loudly; the contestants hesitate, for this method is indeed daunting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Wuyi, as the foremost martial figure, prefers this method that tests the limits of martial artists; now, enjoying the spectacle, he scanned the assembled heroes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you all say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan stood with sword in hand; seeing no response, he directly provoked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you all let me watch your matches first and give me one or two hours to prepare, you won’t just lack any chance of victory—you’ll lose disgracefully. If no one steps forward, I’ll descend myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hundred martial sects present erupted in uproar at these words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The onlookers among the martial wanderers stared in awe:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is called youthful arrogance? This is too brazen…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A martial artist must have this spirit—if you lack the heart of invincibility, how can you reach the pinnacle of the world…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If all sects here dare not accept, then this contest need not proceed…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gongye and Bu Yuehua, hidden among the crowd, felt Xie Jinhuan was indeed youthful and arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in truth, Xie Jinhuan had spoken with considerable restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only opponents he feared were those who could overpower him with sheer force, leaving him no recourse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the rest, even without an hour or two to analyze strategy, he could still win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His proposal was purely to avoid wasting several days waiting through a slow tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he won this wheel battle outright, he could claim the treasure and leave immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he met an opponent he could not defeat even with all his strength, then in a normal tournament he’d lose anyway—so at least this way he secures a top-three reputation and returns sooner to dig his tunnels…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Xie Jinhuan scanned the crowd; seeing no one step forward, he ceased pressing and turned to descend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all martial artists present carried pride; letting Xie Jinhuan deliver his threat and walk away would mean, even if they later won, they’d be mocked for a lifetime as cowards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xie Jinhuan prepared to leave, a voice rang out near the Dragon Altar:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Xie truly has boldness. Since you seek ‘No Second Under Heaven,’ ninety-nine percent here will be broken along the way—it’s merely a matter of sooner or later. Since Brother Xie wishes a continuous duel, I, Zhang Jian, shall step forward while you remain unharmed, sparing the others from later saying I gained too much advantage.” Xie Jinhuan turned; from the Liuhex Tang seat emerged a man nearing thirty, clad in martial attire, wielding a long spear—Zhang Jian, the young master of Liuhex Men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liuhex Tang is the hegemon of Shuozhou, extending south into Lingnan and west toward the Western Rong, occupying a strategic position; its disciples often join the military, granting it considerable influence in the southwest, overlapping with Fengshan Hui’s territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Liuhex Tang’s purpose in coming was to challenge their old rival Fengshan Hui; Zhang Jian was also a favorite for the title, and his early emergence clearly marked him as another youthful and arrogant figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his opponent wield a spear, Xie Jinhuan drew the Minglong Spear from the ground and bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought the young generation of Daqian had no true men left—you, Brother Zhang, are one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Xie Jinhuan spoke without fear, the onlookers among the martial wanderers were chilled to the bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gongye widened his eyes, feeling this boy’s demeanor resembled the unruly brat in his private chambers—infuriating yet helpless, one could only grit teeth and endure the digging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciples of the sect masters present turned red with rage, but Zhang Jian had already stepped forward; no matter how furious they were, they must wait until the duel ended before demanding justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian, clad in brocade robes, stepped into the arena with his nine-foot spear; hearing Xie Jinhuan’s taunt, he felt he had come at the right moment—otherwise, sitting below, he might have been enraged to the point of vomiting blood. He returned the bow:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liuhex Tang, Zhang Jian. Our Liuhex Tang unites heart, courage, and will within, and hand, foot, and eye without; attacks and defenses shift in an instant—Brother Xie, beware.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pleasure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan said no more; one hand lifted the spear, giving it a slight tremor—the nine-foot tip cracked with a sharp “Pah—!” Then his feet slid apart into a bow stance, both hands gripping the spear forward, instantly merging man and weapon into an immovable boulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian thought Xie Jinhuan’s spear stance was elegant, yes, but overly showy—perfect for seducing women, yet useless in real combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, being elegant was no sin; Zhang Jian gripped his spear with both hands, adopting a stance, his shoulder and back muscles slowly tensing—seen from afar, he resembled a powerful bow drawn taut, arrow on the string, yet his aura sharp enough to freeze the courage of any who faced him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two assumed their stances, the ten thousand around fell silent, leaving only the autumn wind whipping dust across the yellow earth between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian was no second-tier fighter like Bao Xiaolin—he was a direct disciple of the Seven Dragon Heads of martial arts; his foundation, while not the absolute best at Sanjiangkou, was surely among the top ten. Even before the duel began, all understood this would be a brutal battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reality did not disappoint the onlookers or the Seven Martial Titans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap… tap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian struck first, yet did not unleash his spear technique; instead, he advanced step by step, locking eyes with Xie Jinhuan, inching closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan stood firm with spear in hand, sensing this man was the strongest opponent he had ever faced, aside from the Supreme Monk—his aura flawless, unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a heavy war chariot slowly rolling forward; even with clear vision, one had no way to halt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh… huh… huh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan likewise fixed his gaze on the man’s eyes, his spear trembling before him, the fifteen-inch tip swaying like a serpent, the blade slicing air with a faint hum—like a coiled dragon or python ready to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap… tap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian focused entirely on every micro-movement of Xie Jinhuan, seeking to react instantly when he struck; his steady advance forced Xie Jinhuan to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A martial artist standing still in defense reveals no openings; once he moves, he must choose between offense and defense—the more aggressive the attack, the smaller the defensive space; the more defensive, the more the offensive power diminishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian waited for that instant—but even with full anticipation, Xie Jinhuan’s explosion surpassed everyone’s expectations!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two locked eyes, a soul-shaking spear cry suddenly pierced Sanjiangkou:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sa—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear cry echoed through the heavens, like a dragon’s roar and tiger’s bellow, even scattering the southward-flying geese.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan had appeared to be calmly seeking an opening, yet when his opponent showed no flaw whatsoever, he launched without warning—like a mighty dragon breaking through the sea; from the very first motion, his qi had been pushed to its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The qi unleashed by the spear’s thrust whipped up grass and dust from the ground; before anyone could clearly see, the spear had already pierced straight through the center!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In spear techniques, the straight thrust is the hardest to parry—no flourish, no trickery, maximizing the weapon’s advantage; if one’s foundation is strong enough, it is truly “All martial arts are broken by speed.” The spear’s innate piercing power can pierce through any obstacle before it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian’s expression changed instantly; yet facing the black dragon’s thrust, which had reached its peak explosive force, he still reacted through his cultivation advantage—his hands shattered the spear’s path at the moment the Minglong Spear struck!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear tip struck the Minglong Spear’s shaft; though the motion seemed slight, it deflected the straight thrust that had torn through the earth, sending it sideways—then, like a venomous snake spitting its fang, his own spear lunged straight for Xie Jinhuan’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a duel between peak martial artists, victory or defeat hinges on a hair’s breadth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan knew he could not drown Zhang Jian with sheer explosive force in one strike; he held back his power, and as the spear was deflected, he forcibly retracted it, lifting the spear to block the horizontal thrust, then smoothly thrusting downward toward the waist and abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sa—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian instantly retreated three zhang, evading the thunderous strike; upon landing, his feet slid apart, spear raised in defense, shielding his entire body with perfect coverage, his posture as steady as a boulder—yet a bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan also halted, both hands gripping the spear in a balanced stance, his gaze as still as dead water, his mind empty of all else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom… boom… boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The qi surge from their explosive clash swept dust across the ground between them, yet was held back by invisible force—seen from afar, they resembled two rocks amid a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The onlookers among the martial wanderers nearly suffocated; even straining their eyes to the limit, they could not discern how the two had exchanged blows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only opponents of equal level—or above, the Supreme Masters—could perceive how perilous those two moves were: Zhang Jian had plucked fire from the furnace; Xie Jinhuan had danced upon a knife’s edge. Though the motion seemed slight, a hair’s difference in reaction would mean one of them dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two in the arena again locked in stalemate—but this time, it lasted only an instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2241,"2026-06-20T01:38:11.747Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","84d9af174c0e048d467656dc8614e476fa8eb37bb2b778e719755dac07a37bf1","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-200","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-198",252,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-roaring-dragon-cover.jpg"]