Chapter 69: The Third Trial (Part-4)

The moment the two stepped onto the ring and faced each other, the atmosphere changed. Their brief exchange alone was enough to draw attention from a large portion of the crowd.

This time was different from Ryan’s first match. Previously, no one had taken him seriously. Wu Xiao’s lazy attitude and Ryan’s reputation as a waste had made that bout seem like a joke, hardly worth watching. Yet Ryan had still won, and in a strangely inexplicable way.

That unexpected outcome planted doubt and curiosity in everyone’s hearts.

Now, Ryan’s second match instantly became a focal point. Curious spectators, skeptical onlookers, Li Clan members who supported him, and rivals eager to see him humiliated all turned their attention toward this ring.

“Li Wei is finally up again. I’ve been waiting to see how this waste actually won.”

“Same here. I don’t believe he has real strength. That last match must’ve been some trick. Maybe the opponent acted.”

“This time we’ll see the truth.”

“His opponent is Su Jian from the Su Clan. His strength isn’t bad.”

“I watched Su Jian’s earlier match. He crushed an eight-star Elite without trouble. Even if he’s not a nine-star yet, that alone proves his talent.”

“Li Wei is about to be exposed.”

Whispers filled the air.

When the referee announced the start, Su Jian moved instantly. His figure shot forward, fast and fierce, his aura surging as he charged straight at Ryan.

“Die, you trash!” Su Jian shouted.

His speed was impressive. Against a normal seven-star or eight-star Elite, this kind of charge would have been extremely dangerous.

But Ryan was neither a seven nor eight star Elite.

In Ryan’s eyes, Su Jian’s movements were slow, almost laughably so, like a turtle crawling forward. Every motion was clearly visible, every intention laid bare. Ryan wasn’t in the slightest hurry.

Dealing with Su Jian was easier than breathing.

So when Su Jian rushed forward, Ryan remained where he was, standing still, relaxed and unhurried.

To the crowd, however, this looked ridiculous.

“Tch, just an embroidered pillow.”

“He’s scared stiff. How did someone like this win earlier?”

“A waste is still a waste. Dreaming of turning the tables.”

“I bet Li Wei gets beaten in the next second.”

Mockery spread quickly.

Naturally, the Li Clan’s voices rose in opposition.

“You idiots, Brother Wei is letting him move first!”

“Are your eyes blind? Look at how calm Young Master Li is!”

“A waste can’t turn the sky, but Brother Wei isn’t a waste at all.”

“I’ve got a feeling Su Jian will end up just like Wu Xiao.”

Their voices were drowned out almost immediately by ridicule and disbelief. No one outside the Li Clan was willing to believe them. But then again, it is normal. Until Ryan defeated Li Mingtian in everyone’s eyes and then killed the seventh elder, even his own clan members berated him.

At that moment, Su Jian was already in front of Ryan.

Without hesitation, he threw a punch straight toward Ryan’s face, targeting his teeth. He even used a boxing technique and unleashed his full strength. His intention was simple and cruel: smash Ryan’s teeth and humiliate him completely.

Back when Ryan had stood beside Li Wujie and ignored him, Su Jian’s pride had been trampled. Now, with Li Wujie absent, this was his chance for revenge.

As long as this punch landed, Ryan would lose face completely.

Su Jian’s plan was perfect.

Unfortunately, Ryan had no intention of letting it succeed.

Just as the punch was about to connect, Ryan moved. His body shifted slightly to the side, smooth and effortless. Su Jian’s fist cut through empty air, missing its target entirely.

That alone was shocking, but what followed was even stranger.

Logically, after missing the punch, Su Jian should have regained his balance and continued attacking. Instead, his body seemed to lose control. Rather than stopping, he lurched forward, as if pulled by some invisible force.

He rushed past Ryan, unable to halt his momentum.

Under countless stunned gazes, Su Jian sprinted straight out of the ring.

“Thump!”

He crashed to the ground below, landing face-first in an extremely embarrassing posture. His handsome face met the dirt head-on, completely destroying what little dignity he had left.

Su Jian lay outside the ring, while Ryan remained where he was, standing calmly at the center of the platform, clothes spotless, expression unchanged, a faint smile still lingering at the corner of his lips.

For a brief second, the scene froze.

Then the entire auditorium exploded.

“Whoa—!”

This time, the uproar was far louder than before. But the shock was not because people sensed Ryan’s strength. It was because the result was simply too absurd.

Su Jian attacked… and then fell out of the ring by himself?

Was there anything more ridiculous than that?

“Now I finally understand how Li Wei won.”

“Damn it, I’m only at the Warrior level, but even I could win like this. What kind of nonsense is this?”

“That Su Jian is obviously acting. The two of them must have colluded. One attacks, one dodges, then the attacker pretends to lose balance and falls off the ring. Li Wei wins just like that. The acting was so realistic I almost believed it.”

“Tsk, even a blind man could tell Su Jian was putting on a show. This is hilarious.”

“Our Holy Mystic Continent respects martial strength. Since when do we rely on acting skills to rise?”

“This is too fake. Absolutely fake. This kind of behavior must be condemned.”

“Good thing I watched. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known something this disgusting could happen in a qualification exam.”

“If Li Wei enters Western Mansion by these methods, then I seriously question the fairness of Western Mansion. As the center of power of the Western Region, if Western Mansion can’t even maintain justice, what right does it have to govern the region?”

“Kick Li Wei out! Let Su Jian crawl back!”

“The Li Clan should be kicked out of Fengyue City! The Su Clan, too! Fengyue City doesn’t want families that collude and act together like despicable villains!”

Curses, accusations, ridicule, and angry shouts overlapped one another, turning the square into complete chaos. Ryan was scolded, the Li Clan was dragged into it, and even the Su Clan was implicated simply because Su Jian belonged to them.

On the high platform, the Su Clan elders were livid.

“What did Su Jian even do? He didn’t hit anyone and just fell off the ring. Why are we being dragged into this?” one elder roared, beard bristling.

“This must be collusion,” another elder said angrily. “I said it already. How could a known waste defeat a family disciple? So this is how he won. And for a Su Clan junior to take part in such dirty tricks… utterly shameless!”

“Patriarch,” another elder said grimly, “listen to the crowd. They’re not just scolding Ryan and the Li Clan anymore. They’re scolding us, too. This matter must be handled carefully, or our Su Clan will be dragged down with them.”

The Su Clan patriarch fell silent for a moment, his face dark. After a long pause, he spoke coldly. “When Su Jian wakes up, give him fifty lashes, then expel him from the Su Clan. Our Su Clan does not tolerate this kind of disgrace.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep