Chapter 411: Victory

Chapter 411: Victory

This man's strength was slightly inferior to Gong Zhenye, but only by a small margin.

He was a powerful warrior at the peak of the Celestial King Realm.

With each move, he exuded the aura of a formidable opponent.

And when he made his move, there was a hint of sneak attack in his intention.

Su Chen had just finished his battle with Gong Zhenye, and logically, he should have expended a considerable amount of energy.

Among the crowd, perhaps with the exception of Dongfang Yong and his two companions, everyone was hoping for Su Chen's defeat.

The more humiliating the loss, the better.

It seemed that the timing, location, and circumstances were all in his favor, and he had seized every advantage.

But at this moment, the outcome of the battle would be decided in a single move.

The tip of the sword hovered above his forehead, and with a slight tremble of the hand, he could be severely injured.

To everyone's astonishment, Gong Zhenye's teammate reluctantly retreated.

At this moment, Su Chen had consecutively defeated two warriors at the Celestial King Realm.

It appeared that he had not exhausted much of his strength.

After this man retreated, there were still three others on Gong Zhenye's team.

This time, they seemed to be in no hurry, thinking that they could wear down Su Chen's stamina and energy.

After all, Gong Zhenye hadn't expended much energy, so how could they?

Each of them wore a grim expression.

Gong Zhenye's previous arrogant words now sounded like a slap in the face.

However, regardless, the competition had to continue.

Another warrior stepped forward.

This person's ability was significantly inferior to the previous two.

And the next one was even worse.

For this team, these young warriors were there to lower the average age.

In terms of strength, they might be considered decent among the younger generation.

But when compared to Su Chen, a warrior capable of defeating Gong Zhenye, the gap was immense.

Their initial confidence in victory had now turned into a crushing defeat.

This team, which had the highest hopes of securing the qualification, had lost.

Gong Zhenye consecutively defeated five warriors.

Su Chen also consecutively defeated five warriors.

Now, looking back, everyone seemed to understand why Su Chen insisted on keeping the qualification for himself.

"Did we win the competition?"

Su Chen stood in the central area, turned his head, and asked Dongfang Yong.

Hearing Su Chen's question, Dongfang Yong felt the need to respond, "Yes, we won."

Upon hearing this, Su Chen walked away from the central area.

He returned to Dongfang Yong's side.

Dongfang Yong and his companions' mood shifted from tension to excitement.

They realized that they had encountered a true Martial Arts prodigy.

Perhaps, they thought, there was a chance to accompany him in the competition against other states, to showcase their skills.

The onlookers who had gathered to watch, their previous complaints and grumblings had vanished.

Each of them remained silent, perhaps still unconvinced, but unable to do anything at the moment.

Standing not far away, Duan Hanchuan and Tian Lan wore expressions of dismay.

What kind of strength did Gong Zhenye possess? He was at the peak of the Celestial King Realm, an opponent they had no chance of defeating.

Even if they gave it their all, Gong Zhenye could still emerge victorious.

But just now, Su Chen had completely suppressed Gong Zhenye, leaving him lying on the ground, unable to move.

In the end, he had no choice but to raise his hands and surrender in an extremely humiliating manner.

If he hadn't been completely overwhelmed, Gong Zhenye would never have surrendered like that.

In the central area, the competition continued.

But everyone watched with less enthusiasm than before.

Their minds were still occupied by Su Chen's previous move.

Duan Hanchuan cautiously turned his gaze towards Su Chen.

At this moment, he felt a bit ridiculous.

He had spoken so much, thinking he was mocking Su Chen.

But now, it seemed that Su Chen's silence was a sign of his disdain for their argument.

A middle-aged warrior in his forties was being thoroughly defeated by a young man.

Duan Hanchuan's previous confident posture and imposing aura seemed less impressive now.

The talk of 'walking the path of misfortune' now sounded even more laughable.

In the central area, the competition continued.

After observing the others' battles, Su Chen commented to Dongfang Yong, "These warriors seem to favor flashy and impractical techniques."

Hearing Su Chen's comment, Dongfang Yong could only nod awkwardly.

After all, he had also trained in similar techniques.

Although his mindset had not encountered any bottlenecks, the warriors here seemed to enjoy pretending to face obstacles in their mindset.

"You should not learn from this man. He hasn't even touched upon the true essence of mindset.

His talk of 'walking the path of misfortune' is just an act.

In reality, there is no difference between this and regular training.

Instead, it requires putting in extra effort to maintain this pretense."

Su Chen's words were directed at Dongfang Yong and his companions, but they were clearly referring to Duan Hanchuan.

Dongfang Yong and the other two nodded in agreement.

At this moment, they had come to view Su Chen as a respected senior.

Xu Rufeng, however, hesitated and couldn't help but ask, "Brother Su, how do you distinguish between pretending and truly touching upon one's state of mind?"

"I'll give you a straightforward method of judgment.

When one pretends, they are overly concerned about others' opinions.

They prefer to show off their prowess in front of others, either as a skilled expert or as an eccentric oddball."

"As for touching upon one's state of mind, you wouldn't care about others' perceptions.

You know the sky as the sky, and the earth as the earth. You know yourself as yourself.

Everything stems from your own heart, and you have no interest in letting others observe or judge you."

Su Chen's words left Duan Hanchuan's face red with embarrassment.

The key was that Su Chen's words were precise.

He was indeed pretending, and he didn't have much insight.

He was so immersed in his act that he believed he was on a path of decline.

Only by reaching the end of this path of decline could he transform and experience a sudden surge in strength.

The first round of trials concluded.

Apart from Su Chen's team, none of the other competing teams had any upsets.

As expected, whoever was predicted to win, did win.

There were thirty-four teams in the first round, and after the trials, only seventeen remained.

One team was able to skip this round.

Su Chen's team had the opportunity to choose their opponents for this round.

They casually selected an opponent, even one with considerable strength.

In front of the City Lord's Mansion, everyone's attention was now focused on Su Chen's team.

After the previous teams finished their trials, it was time for Su Chen's team of six to take the stage.

"These two seniors, Duan Hanchuan and Tian Lan, do you want to go first?" Su Chen asked, looking at the two.

The faces of the two men turned awkward, and they didn't respond.

Su Chen didn't bother listening to them further and directly walked into the arena.

Just like before, Su Chen single-handedly defeated the five opponents without any suspense.

Among the numerous spectators, there were many who had hoped to see Su Chen lose, but their expectations were dashed.

As the trials progressed, the outcomes became increasingly clear.

There was no need for Duan Hanchuan and Tian Lan to participate; Su Chen alone could defeat the five opponents.

Even towards the end, Dongfang Yong and his two companions took turns to show their faces.

Initially, Duan Hanchuan and Tian Lan were thought to be the core of the team.

However, it turned out that they weren't needed at all.

Late afternoon.

The results of the trials were announced, and Su Chen's team emerged victorious, securing the spot.

At this moment, the crowd no longer felt much surprise.

After all, Su Chen had proven his strength multiple times since the beginning.

"Young friend, according to the rules, there are only five spots available.

Your team has six members," the Pine City Lord said, addressing Su Chen as "young friend."

As the crowd looked at Su Chen, their attitudes softened.

Strength was indeed the most crucial factor in changing others' attitudes.

"Just keep the previous five members, as this person wasn't on the registration list anyway."

The person excluded by Su Chen was Tian Lan's senior, Duan Hanchuan.

Although everyone knew that among the six members, Duan Hanchuan's strength should rank second.

However, when Su Chen excluded him, the crowd didn't seem to find it strange at all.

It was as if it aligned with everyone's predictions.

This Duan Hanchuan was not needed by Su Chen, and today's performance had already proven that.

The Pine City Lord recorded this without saying more, as the qualification couldn't be altered casually, and five members were required.

If not for this rule, Su Chen might have directly removed Tian Lan from the team.

The trials for the day concluded.

Every year, the Golden Armor Kingdom only released five spots.

Most people could only use this opportunity to gain fame for themselves.

In reality, those who truly believed they had a chance to compete for the spots were few.

The Pine City Lord's Mansion hosted a banquet for all the participants.

Every warrior who took part in the trials was invited.

For the warriors, it was a celebration.

In truth, it was also a business transaction.

The City Lord's Mansion would collect money from the wealthy and influential, allowing them to attend the banquet.

Some warriors could gain patronage from these influential figures during the banquet.

It was a form of allegiance, ensuring a more comfortable life in the future.

This gesture had little impact on the warriors.

It was a win-win situation.

In the Pine Grove Yard, a luxurious room was prepared for Su Chen's team.

Su Chen, along with his team, accepted this offer, enjoying the fine accommodations.

After Su Chen's departure, the area in front of the City Lord's Mansion gradually became lively again. The onlookers finally had more to discuss, as they walked towards the teahouses and taverns in the city. What they witnessed today would be a topic of conversation for many days. Even those who didn't witness the event in person would have something to boast about to those who didn't come to watch the event.

During the match, many onlookers were on Gong Zhenye's side. They had joined Duan Hanchuan in ridiculing Su Chen. But now, their ridicule had turned into admiration. They had become Su Chen's followers, praising his bravery today.

Other warriors, who remained in front of the mansion, were also moved. The match had completely exceeded their expectations.

"Has this Su Chen already entered the Heaven Ancestor Realm? So many Peak Heaven King Realm warriors were so disheveled under his hand."

The warrior who had sparred with Su Chen earlier shook his head slightly.

"I could clearly feel that the strength he displayed was at the peak of the Heaven King Realm. Every move and technique was profound and unfathomable."

Another middle-aged man chimed in, "Sparring with so many people, this young man's techniques are the hardest to understand. I even felt he was holding back."

As they conversed, their gazes turned towards Gong Zhenye. They wanted to hear his thoughts.

Gong Zhenye hesitated and sighed, "When skills are inferior, there's nothing to say. Upon entering the Heaven Ancestor Realm, all his techniques can be countered."

The crowd acknowledged his words.

However, for Su Chen, the Heaven Ancestor Realm was still far away.

In Pinesong City, various rumors began to spread after the match. They spoke of a young genius from the Golden Armor Kingdom.

In truth, the match for the Jingbo Immortal Realm was about nurturing the young. But essentially, it was still a contest between warriors in their forties.

Regardless of the region, warriors in this age group were the pillars of the middle stream.

In the Great Zhou and Jin Kingdoms, it was the same.

Forty-plus years old was still an age of rapid cultivation improvement. However, in the Golden Armor Kingdom, it was a bit lacking.

After Su Chen returned to his room, the inn soon delivered a variety of dishes. These were the rewards Su Chen and his group had earned after winning the match, known as the "Champion Delicacies."

Only the winner of the contest was qualified to enjoy these delicacies.

Su Chen called over Dongfang Yong and the others to share the feast.

As they savored the food, Su Chen also inquired about other related matters.

"In the Golden Armor Kingdom, the peak of the Heaven King Realm is usually achieved before the age of fifty. Warriors like Gong Zhenye and Duan Hanchuan are already at the pinnacle of strength for most people."

Dongfang Yong and the others' explanations gave Su Chen a deeper understanding of the warriors in this region.

The pillar of the middle stream in his forties, only at the peak of the Heaven King Realm, the Sixth Stage Early Rank, was indeed lacking compared to other regions.

Even the Great Zhou's top genius, Fu Jianyuan, was already at the Sixth Stage Peak, the Sixth Stage Supreme Rank.

These warriors in their forties and fifties were still the pillars of their respective kingdoms, having just entered the Sixth Stage Early Rank.

Indeed, the Sixth Stage Heart Fire was a difficult hurdle to overcome. But this gap in strength was quite significant.

As they enjoyed the delicacies, Dongfang Yong and the others were noticeably restrained. Compared to before, their postures and tones had changed.

Su Chen's performance in the match had left them in awe.

After finishing the "Champion Delicacies" prepared by the tavern, they would soon attend the celebratory banquet at the City Lord's Mansion.

After resting, Su Chen noticed the abundance of food left, feeling it was a waste. Having endured hard times in Jiang'an City for many years, he disliked such wastefulness.

One should consume, but not waste.

Su Chen asked the tavern boy to distribute the leftover food to the impoverished people of Pinesong City. At least, make full use of everything.

Around the fourth quarter of the Rooster hour, Su Chen and the others arrived at the City Lord's Mansion.

The Pinesong City Lord and the Imperial Commissioner from the Golden Armor Kingdom greeted Su Chen with even more smiles.

In the past, many outstanding core warriors would often put on airs and refuse to attend. People like Duan Hanchuan and Gong Zhenye wouldn't easily "give face."

But this time, Su Chen, the young warrior who had shone brilliantly, had come. They wouldn't be as easily forgiven as before for not attending.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end