58: Chapter 54 I am not_1 58: Chapter 54 I am not_1 The chase and killing, traps and madness that occurred within Fenglin City seemed unrelated to the martial arts competition ground.

Here, battles proceeded as usual.

The three winners who entered the round-robin were Zhang Linchuan, Lin Zhengren, and Fu Baosong from Wangjiang City.

This was a tall and thin man with a clean and resolute face who had difficulty defeating the five-year disciples of Fenglin City to win the last spot.

Both of Wangjiang City’s five-year-old disciples had entered into the round-robin, and the situation was very favorable.

In fact, the battles among the five-year disciples were the most important, and only the champion of the five-year disciples from the three cities’ Dao Discussions had the qualification to enter directly into the National Dao Academy.

Similar Dao Discussion competitions all had some such spots, just varying in number.

For example, “Northern Wind Plays with Snow” had two spots—although it was a Dao Discussion of five cities, in fact, it only required selecting two out of ten, which was a higher chance than in the “Three Cities Dao Discussion”.

These spots were also a kind of resource distribution, often depending on the strength of the local city Dao Academies.

And the manifestation of a Dao Academy’s strength was nothing more than the cultivators it trained.

Thus, once a cultivator grew strong, the Dao Academy he hailed from would also rise.

More National Dao Academy spots meant faster growth for the cultivators, which created a virtuous cycle.

On the other hand, places like San Mountain City, with a gap in the elite, couldn’t win Dao Discussions, had diminished resources, and their disciples faced even tougher conditions for cultivation…

that was a vicious cycle.

Only by understanding Zhuang Country’s Dao Academy system can one understand why the cultivators from San Mountain City fought with such desperation.

Returning to the competition, the first match among the five-year disciples in the Three Cities Dao Discussion was an internal fight.

Lin Zhengren against Fu Baosong.

This battle had almost no highlights; everyone knew that the current situation was Fenglin City against Wangjiang City.

The focus of the entire round-robin was whether Zhang Linchuan could consecutively defeat opponents from Wangjiang City—but now, it seemed there was little hope.

As for the internal fight, it was merely a formality.

Clearly, Lin Zhengren thought the same, so when he saw Fu Baosong walking up to him, he casually said, “You might as well give up directly.

I’ll go hard in my next match and injure Zhang Linchuan, then you can defeat him and take second place.”

He had apparently already arranged the placements.

“Hey!” Zhang Linchuan, who was covering his nose with a handkerchief in a highly disdainful manner, said, “Don’t act like I’m not here!”

Turning his head, Lin Zhengren looked at Zhang Linchuan, who was on deck, and smiled.

“Or you could just drop out now, to avoid unnecessary physical pain.”

After revealing his sixth-rank cultivator’s strength, he seemed to have become much more liberated in spirit, no longer caring much for appearances.

At that moment…

“I won’t.”

He heard a voice say this.

Lin Zhengren suddenly turned around, looking toward the source of the voice.

Fu Baosong, that tall and thin man who had been silent all day, had uttered his first words of the day.

“You won’t?

Won’t what?” Lin Zhengren found it unbelievable.

Lin Zhengli was even cursing from the sidelines, “Are you out of your mind, Fu Baosong?

Don’t you know your own limitations?”

Fu Baosong turned a deaf ear; he just looked at Lin Zhengren with a direct and equal gaze, no different from how he regarded others.

He said, “I’ll give it my all, no matter who the opponent is.

That’s the meaning of Dao Discussion.”

Lin Zhengren burst into angry laughter, “Alright, then try it.”

The situation took a turn.

The spectating citizens of Fenglin City were invigorated.

The two cultivators from Wangjiang City were serious—didn’t that mean their Fenglin City’s Zhang Linchuan had a chance?

Although Lin Zhengren was a cultivator of the sixth rank, if Fu Baosong could injure him before losing…

Zhang Linchuan was not hopeless!

“Well done, Fu Baosong!”

“Upright and resolute, firm and unyielding, a model for cultivators!”

“Right!

Why concede?

Lin Zhengren doesn’t have one more head than you; knock him down, and you’re the champion!”

The crowd outside the arena burst into cheers, their excited demeanor as if they truly adored Fu Baosong.

Especially Jiang Wang, who faintly felt that the last voice was very familiar.

Following the sound, he saw Huang Azhan sneaking through the crowd.

Jiang Wang turned back, his face expressionless.

He really didn’t know what “special talents” the guy who joined this small circle because of Du Yehu possessed.

Flattering and bootlicking, gluttonous and lecherous, and now he’s even stirring public opinion.

But it’s strange; this man seems to be all flaws, yet one can’t bring oneself to hate him.

…

On the field, Lin Zhengren had truly become enraged and opened with the Green Python Strangle.

The giant python burst forth from the earth, coiling into a mass.

Bang!

The Green Python Strangle hit the vine wall.

The interwoven snake vines formed a circle, protecting Fu Baosong at the center — the very Vine Snake Wall Lin Zhengren had used before.

But a Grade B medium-quality Vine Snake Wall could never withstand a Grade A low-quality Green Python Strangle.

In less than three breaths, the Vine Snake Wall had already shattered.

The green giant python constricted forcefully, but in the next instant, suddenly wilted away.

A jade-colored hand, exuding a sense of dryness, pressed against the python’s body.

The decayed grey and jade colors tangled upon the giant body of the green python.

Grade B high-quality Dao Technique, Decayed Wood Decision!

Although he didn’t dissolve the green python with a single hand like Dong Ah, he still managed to weaken it considerably.

Fu Baosong then took this opportunity to leap out.

But how could Lin Zhengren give him a chance?

He reached forward, and the Water Dragon Wave he had prepared roared forth!

His handsome face was somber behind the semi-transparent body of the water dragon.

Some Dao Techniques require talent, some require a compatibility of essence.

It’s not as simple as reaching a certain level of cultivation and automatically mastering the corresponding-grade Dao Techniques.

Like this Decayed Wood Decision, although only Grade B high-quality, it’s the unique secret technique of the headmaster of Wangjiang City’s Dao Academy — and Lin Zhengren had never been taught it!

The reason being he wasn’t compatible enough?

Was this poor brat, this stinking rock from the cesspool, really that compatible?

Proud as Lin Zhengren was, he had long tired of those sanctimonious and hypocritical pretexts.

Excuses such as insufficient compatibility, such as the so-called significance of discussing the Dao!

Facing the Water Dragon Wave that was practically waiting for a hare, Fu Baosong’s feet stirred the waves, preparing to dodge — given his background at Wangjiang City’s Dao Academy, he was naturally familiar with the Triple Waves.

But Lin Zhengren merely pressed his left hand downward, and turbulent waves surged forth, intertwining with the waves under Fu Baosong’s feet and turning that dodge into wishful thinking.

A simple Dao Technique, Furious Waves, perfected by impeccable timing and precision placement, effectively nullified the triple evasion effect of the Triple Waves.

The Water Dragon Wave showed no mercy as it struck Fu Baosong, sending him flying high before crashing down violently.

Lin Zhengren’s feet rode the waves as he stomped on Fu Baosong’s head.

He looked down slightly and said with a very deliberate, disdainful tone, “Do you think you can beat me?”

Fu Baosong, beneath Lin Zhengren’s foot, struggled to turn his head.

Looking at Lin Zhengren, there was no anger in his eyes, but rather an incomprehensible stubbornness: “I cannot defeat you.

But I cannot…

fail without fighting!”

This man is truly… stinking and tough.

Stinking enough to make one frown, tough enough to earn one’s respect.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep