Chapter 172: Multi-Stage Transformation

Boom—Boom—Boom—

Within the cluster of cities, a massive echo reverberated outward.

Beneath Fang Can's fist, that martial artist's body tore apart like rags.

After piercing house after house and carving a trench across the ground, the momentum barely halted.

'My... my arm is broken.'

Feeling the excruciating pain radiating from his hand, cold sweat poured down his forehead.

The flesh at the impact site had all turned to mush. The bones displayed spiderweb-like cracks, suffering a comminuted fracture.

In mid-air, Fang Can flipped and landed lightly atop the city tower.

Looking down from above, he gazed at the martial artist before him and said indifferently, 'A combat power of 9,200 is indeed impressive. I didn't expect a single strike wouldn't kill you.'

Hearing the words, the martial artist's veins bulged, his skin turning pale red as blood surged through him, yet he bitterly smiled inwardly.

Just now, he had directly activated his desperate, life-risking technique, forcibly raising his power from 4,100 to 9,200, yet he nearly couldn't withstand a single punch.

Moreover, this state would not last long; at most, he could endure for one stick of incense's time before bleeding to death.

It seems that for every thirty percent increase in power, the amplification effect is incomparably obvious, impossible to cross even by risking one's life.

His gaze turned toward the distance, where two figures stood hundreds of meters away, one to the left and one to the right.

The martial artist on the left had his heart pierced through by a black-gold dragon-patterned long spear, pinned firmly to the earth, his life force severed.

As for the person on the right, he knelt on both knees with a vacant stare; his consciousness had been eroded by the youth's mental projection, unable to recover for several minutes.

In a single exchange, one died, one was injured, and one collapsed; the gap between the two sides was visible to the naked eye.

'Enough nonsense. If you want to fight, then fight.' The martial artist snorted coldly, too lazy to beg for mercy.

At worst, he would be kicked out of the grand tournament, losing this precious opportunity.

If he feared even this, he might as well go home and plant potatoes.

As he spoke, his muscles suddenly tensed, forcing the shattered bones back into place, and he made a 'come on' gesture toward Fang Can with his purple-blue arms.

'Oh, preparing to fight to the death? You have spirit.' Fang Can said softly, 'In that case, I shall grant you a little respect.'

As he spoke, fine golden patterns emerged from Fang Can's skin.

After his body was completely transformed, Fang Can's blood had turned into a brilliant gold.

With the eruption of Xiehu Shishen, the blood flowing through his major arteries appeared like magnificent patterns.

Above Fang Can's head, the numbers began to skyrocket in the youth's vacant gaze.

【10205→20410→35145!】

'3... 35,000!!!' The martial artist's eyes widened, finding it almost unbelievable; this gap was even greater.

'Is this fellow using a life-risking technique too?' The martial artist looked at the youth before him covered in fine golden patterns.

Twisting his neck slightly, Fang Can looked at the vacant youth before him and smiled wickedly, 'By the way, there is one thing I forgot to mention. This form that boosts numbers is not limited to just one stage.'

As he spoke, in the despairing gaze of the opponent, Fang Can slowly raised his right fist.

Boom!!!

Amidst the violent trembling of the earth, a cloud of dust shot skyward.

Where the martial artist had stood moments ago, a pit over three meters wide, as if bombed, instantly appeared.

In the center of the pit, Fang Can retracted his right arm; the martial artist below had already turned into scattered chunks of flesh.

Flicking the dirt from his hand, Fang Can turned and struck the head of the mentally collapsed martial artist, exploding it, then pulled the long spear from the other man's chest.

Looking at the long spear in his hand, inlaid with black gold and engraved with red dragon patterns, it had now turned into ordinary iron.

Aside from its inherent hardness, the original properties of high temperature and increased weight had vanished.

Slinging the spear over his back, Fang Can strode northward, where another battle awaited him.

But although Fang Can had already left, the gaze lingering at the spot did not shift for a long time.

Three martial artists ranked 98, 82, and 75 on the Hidden Dragon List had been crushed to death without any resistance.

And Fang Can's number must have been filled in with his feet; others risk their lives and barely reach ten thousand, while you casually hit thirty-five thousand in a single stage.

Moreover, this number didn't just change once; could it increase further next?

'It seems this fellow indeed did not waste these days.'

Liu Qingmeng nodded in satisfaction, but seeing the delighted gaze of the disciple beside her left her speechless.

'Sigh, having received such a love-struck disciple, this is truly pathetic; I still need to step in and train him properly.'

Meanwhile, the harem group on the other side, though fanatical, looked wordlessly at their companions beside them.

The young woman who had previously tasted the delicacy was drooling, her eyes fixed, murmuring, 'Hehe, my lord's jade feet adorned with golden patterns must taste like sweet cream.'

'If she really got to lick a bite, she'd faint from excitement.' The surrounding young women thought wordlessly.

As for the common people of the various nations, many had already been won over by Fang Can's looks.

Compared to other power-focused martial artists on the Hidden Dragon List, Fang Can, who combined both power and idol appeal, was truly a crane standing among chickens.

In the matter of gaining fans, the power of looks was clearly demonstrated.

Previously, they had only heard from the Heavenly Secret List how formidable Fang Can was, but seeing him with their own eyes now, they realized his looks were even more formidable than his combat power, crushing the other muscle-bound mortals in a crushing manner.

Right there, some believers with weak wills chose to unfollow, then immediately followed Fang Can.

And at this moment, on the grand tournament battlefield of the various nations, as martial artists from each family entered, their choices varied.

On the battlefield of the Great Chu Imperial City, a young woman in white robes found a quiet corner, preparing to enter seclusion to breakthrough to the First Transformation realm.

Looking toward the top of the Twin Imperial Towers not far away.

Standing atop the left tower, Xiang Longtao crossed his arms, overlooking the entire city from the top of the nearly thousand-meter-high building.

The number above his head displayed his overwhelming power blatantly: 13,070!

Inside this terrifying two-and-a-half-meter body, just like the shaman's blessing, resided the power of a giant dragon.

Beside him, a three-meter-six-long Eight-Treasures Tu-Long Spear was now planted.

This one-zhang-six spear had a dragon head for its tip, a dragon tongue for its point, a scaled shaft, and a dragon tail for its butt; eight gems were inlaid from head to tail, making it the Four-Turn Ritual Artifact, a national treasure of the Great Chu.

Yet even now on Fangcun Mountain, its spiritual energy was suppressed, just like Fang Can's Profound Rainbow, both turned into hard, mundane weapons.

"Prepare to break through; only at the First Turn will there be a chance to control these two monsters," the white-robed maiden thought silently.

As time passed, the number of people breaking through to the First Turn would only grow.

And the first thing these people would do after breaking through was to seize the opportunity to besiege Fang Can and Xiang Longtao.

After all, anyone with eyes could see clearly that if these two succeeded in breaking through to the First Turn, the champion would emerge only from between them.

Therefore, they must keep besieging and killing the two, allowing them not the slightest chance to break through.

(End of this chapter)