Chapter 49: The Prodigy Girl

At the final critical moment, Hu Guozheng made every effort to dodge, but the force of the punch sliced a long gash across his chest. Had it landed head-on, he would have been cut in two. Blood streamed ceaselessly from the wound. Clutching his injury, he saw the Iron Lion collapse to one knee, supporting himself with a single hand as he gasped for breath. Consumed by fury, he growled, “Such utter humiliation.”

The Iron Lion’s eyes were bloodshot, his expression dark and impassive. He was gathering his last ounce of strength to finish off this detestable fat man. Hu Guozheng, tormented by pain, saw the opponent attacking again through his blurred vision. With a weary sigh, he muttered, “Here we go again. I haven't the strength to dodge anymore.”

The force of a whirlwind gathered in the Iron Lion’s hand. With a roar, he leapt skyward, descending in a straight line toward Hu Guozheng. Frozen in place, Hu Guozheng stood right where the whirlwind would strike, knowing he was at his limit but stubbornly raising his blade to meet the attack.

Boom! A deafening explosion rocked the arena, blasting a deep crater where Hu Guozheng stood. Yet, in the instant the Iron Lion struck the ground, Hu Guozheng abandoned any thought of direct confrontation and summoned all his remaining strength to leap away. The powerful blast hurled him into the air, and when he finally crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, Xiaoxue began her countdown.

The Iron Lion, having spent all his strength, collapsed, clutching his chest, and lost consciousness. At last, Hu Guozheng, battered and bloodied, managed to sit up. When Xiaoxue’s countdown finished, she announced the Hunters had won the first round.

From afar, Yamato watched, his expression sour. “To force Iron Lion to exhaust his powers to this extent—quite lucky. It seems these guests are far from ordinary.”

“Hmph! It’s the first time Iron Lion has lost so miserably,” scoffed the girl beside Yamato. With a striking face and undeniable beauty, she wore her bangs straight and her glossy hair tied in a long ponytail. Dressed in a short blue-patterned kimono, she declared, “Leave the next round to me.”

“Ler, it’s in your hands,” Yamato replied.

“No problem.” Ler strode eagerly onto the stage, brandishing a long spear modeled after the Su Lance, which she called Swallowtail. Its strength lay in its piercing power.

Hu Guozheng, critically injured, was carried off on a stretcher by staff to the medical wing. Xiaoxue began announcing the lineup for the second match. Yamato sent in their contestant, Nakamura Ler.

Ler twisted her waist expectantly and pointed at Ye Tang. “We’re both girls—come, let’s see who’s better.”

Ye Tang had initially planned to deal with Yamato himself, but sensing this girl’s formidable strength, she turned to Du Bin. “I’d intended to face that arrogant Yamato, but this girl feels like the strongest in their team. If I lose, I’ll leave the rest to you and Aunt Lan.”

Sword in hand, Ye Tang stepped calmly into the ring. Ler smiled and introduced herself, “I’m Ler. I’m glad to face a worthy opponent.”

“Likewise,” replied Ye Tang, drawing her blade and pointing it at Ler. “Come on!”

Ler grasped Swallowtail, feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, her weight centered and breath steady. Suddenly, she launched a barrage of swift thrusts. Ye Tang parried with measured poise. Ler retracted her spear, swept low with the shaft in a half arc, and Ye Tang stepped back, spotting a brief opening and stabbing forward.

But Ler spun nimbly and countered with a reverse thrust. Agile as she was, Ye Tang dodged with ease.

A careless moment nearly cost her; she realized this girl’s mastery of the spear was not easy to approach. Without finding an opening, she risked falling into disadvantage.

“They’re just testing each other,” said Ye Lan, and Du Bin could only nod. “Both are evenly matched. The spear is versatile, long and short. Defeating her won’t be easy.”

Ler lunged again. Ye Tang slotted her sword to the left, pinching the blade with her left hand, sliding along the spear’s length, and advanced in close. The sword and spear shaft scraped together; as Ye Tang prepared to strike upward, Ler abruptly retreated, grasping the spear’s end and flicking it outward in a small arc—a coiling maneuver.

Ye Tang parried, but Ler’s hands flicked back and the entire shaft spun clockwise, the butt of the spear whipping around. With a deft reversal, Ler swung it so both ends were nearly the same length, stabbing with the rear as she spun.

Ye Tang sensed the attack and instinctively dodged. Ler pressed with several rapid thrusts. Ye Tang, withdrawing, conjured a burning fireball and shifted to defense.

Ler gripped her spear and, like a baseball slugger, struck the fireball, launching it out of the arena. If not for protective wards neutralizing the force, many high-rolling spectators might have perished.

In the VIP box, investors laughed raucously. Zeng Yilong played chess with Yamato’s backer, Lu Jiada; their match was dead even.

Lu Jiada, swirling his wine, remarked with a mocking smile, “Though the Hunters snatched the first round by luck, the team I scouted and funded—the Yamato group—has formidable strength. Especially Ler—eldest daughter of the Nakamura clan, one of the three great syndicates of Eastern Nation, and a prized disciple of the Hozoin school. Though young, she’s already among the nation’s elite, known as a genius girl.”

“I never imagined, Mr. Lu, that you could recruit such a formidable prodigy. It seems my Hunters are in for some misfortune,” Zeng Yilong replied, unconcerned for his team’s fate. The two laughed heartily and toasted. “Of course—I’ve staked my entire fortune on them.”

Qin Ling, uneasy amid the scheming, wished to leave if not for Zeng Yilong’s hold on her arm. She despised these conspirators most of all.

On the arena, the two contestants were evenly matched. The announcer narrated the shifting momentum. Ler channeled her power into her spear, spun around, and let out a sudden shout. An invisible force rippled outward from her body.

Ye Tang did not evade; she raised a barrier of flames and charged, hurling streams of fire from her hand as she closed the distance.

Ler set her spear aside, her expression grave. Suddenly, golden radiance spread from her palm, growing into a massive sphere. She raised her hand toward the fire; a beam of light shot from the orb, colliding headlong with the flames. The two forces were evenly matched.

“It’s light,” Ye Lan murmured, her vast experience unable to recall another like this. For the first time, she feared for the girls’ safety.

“Aunt Lan, what is the power of light?”

“All Awakened use the forces of nature, driven by the human spirit. Ler can manipulate all light at will, converting it into energy. If this weren’t a sealed arena, under the sun her power would grow exponentially—terrifyingly so.”

“Light’s power is that fearsome?” Du Bin was stunned by the revelation.

“If she matures for a few more years, even I might not be her match. Yet those who wield this power are rarely fortunate. The ability is rare, but excessive positive energy generates great negative force, damaging the mind and ultimately causing a painful death.”