BXBX NOVEL Chapter 214: Champion
Chapter 214: Champion
"The world champion has been decided just like that."
"Zhao Yushi is strong, but Li Pin... is even stronger!"
"With that kind of power... Li Pin shouldn\'t have competed in the intermediate category. The adult category is where he belongs, it is where he can really shine."
The duel between Li Pin and Zhao Yushi had yet to reach its conclusion. However, the moment Li Pin threw Zhao Yushi off the stage, they knew that the fight was already over.
They all understood that the only reason Li Pin hadn’t yet wrapped up this fight was that he simply wanted to witness Zhao Yushi showcase an even stronger attack.
"It\'s clear from this match that Cheng Yufeng and the Great Sun Chosen One are still relatively standard newly ascended Martial Saints. Compared to them, Zhao Yushi and Song Wuya are already approaching the second tier of Martial Saints. But Li Pin... he can absolutely be ranked in the third tier! His strength far surpasses the others."
"That\'s why I say he should\'ve competed in the adult category! Honestly... even in the adult category, I believe he has the potential to break into the top three!"
"He\'s only twenty-three, yet he already has such talent... It\'s too late for this competition, but for the next one, or the one after... Given enough time, the Tianyuan Federation might produce another King of the Century!"
***
Rumble, rumble!
A violent explosion reverberated through the arena.
Under the audience\'s astonished gazes, Li Pin\'s fist force, blazing with intense heat like a falling golden crow, completely engulfed Zhao Yushi.
Boom!
The deafening clang of metal filled the air.
In the next moment, the Aura Force, laced with flames, scattered wildly in all directions. It was as if a bomb had detonated in the air, shaking the surroundings with intense pressure. The shockwave swept through the arena, sending dust and debris flying far off as it violently hit the ground.
Even the spectators seated dozens of meters away could feel a strong gust of wind rushing toward them.
Amid the blood and hurricane, a spear shot through the air, flying several dozen meters before piercing the green tiled flooring beneath the stage with tremendous force, embedding itself half a meter deep and scattering debris.
Right after, a figure was swept up by the violent fist force, like a fallen leaf in the wind. The hurled figure flew ten meters away before crashing heavily to the ground.
Fortunately, many Martial Saints already knew that Zhao Yushi had lost the moment she was thrown out. The judging panel was no exception.
The Astral Cultivator, having been prepared for this moment, intervened in time and saved her life. Otherwise, facing Li Pin\'s Great Sun Golden Crow in his transcended Great Sun Infinite state... she could’ve bit the dust.
Even the Great Sun Chosen One, known for his strong defense, would have been killed on the spot, let alone Zhao Yushi.
Li Pin exhaled deeply. "Huff."
The aura surging through him gradually subsided.
Before the announcer could declare the outcome, Zhao Yushi\'s tactical advisor immediately called for medical personnel and assistants to take her away. Additionally, the advisor cupped his hands toward Li Pin in gratitude.
Once they had escorted Zhao Yushi off the martial arts arena, the host stepped up and loudly declared, "The winner of this match... is Li Pin! This marks his seventh victory since the beginning of the round-robin! With just one more win, he\'ll secure the championship! Let\'s all cheer for him!"
The crowd erupted into a thunderous roar. "Li Pin! Li Pin!"
"World champion!"
Li Pin stood on the stage and quietly listened to the cheers that fell on his ears from all directions, resounding.
At this moment, the eyes of hundreds of thousands of people were focused solely on him. He was, without question, the brightest young star of the World\'s Top Martial Competition!
Fang Lingjue laughed heartily, tossing his head to Zhou Yun\'an, Jiang Shaoliu, and the others beside him. "Let\'s get drunk tonight to celebrate! It\'s on me!"
Meanwhile, Cao Tianyou cupped his hands toward Lian Hongchen and said, "Chairman Lian, congratulations! Having nurtured a world champion like Martial Saint Li, this achievement alone means you can walk sideways in the Taibai martial arts community from now on."[1]
"Congratulations to you as well." Lian Hongchen\'s face beamed with a smile. "Your glory will be far greater than mine, Sect Master Cao. After all, he\'s fighting in the name of the Five Elements Sect. I believe the Five Elements Sect will soon become the largest martial arts faction in the Taibai Kingdom."
Everyone who knew Li Pin was overjoyed.
On stage, the host handed the microphone to Li Pin and asked, "Li Pin, with just one more match, you\'ll be the undisputed champion. Do you have anything you\'d like to say?"
Technically, the host should\'ve asked Li Pin to step off the stage and invited the next competitors up. However, this slightly out-of-line interview didn\'t face any objections, obviously. Everyone knew Li Pin had secured the championship. Interviewing the world champion a little earlier wouldn’t invite any criticism.
"Anything I want to say..." mumbled Li Pin, lifting his head back slightly and thinking.
After a moment, his gaze swept across the contestants\' seats.
Finally, he smiled and said, "Thank you all for your efforts. This year\'s World\'s Top Martial Competition has been a great experience."
He meant these words sincerely. Almost all his opponents this time had something commendable.
Cheng Yufeng\'s movements, the Great Sun Chosen One\'s physique, Song Wuya\'s Saber Intent, Zhao Yushi\'s spear momentum... even the cunning Yan Hongtu and Nan Lifeng\'s empty boast, were worth praising.
As for Ying Long? He surrendered too quickly, so he didn\'t count.
But overall, Li Pin had benefited greatly from this experience.
He had a feeling that after taking a few days to carefully reflect on the insights from these battles, his martial arts system would become more refined.
Song Wuya\'s Saber Intent and Zhao Yushi\'s spear momentum, in particular, had sparked new inspiration within him.
As for the overall gains... he would need to summarize them later to know for sure.
Li Pin nodded toward Song Wuya and the others. "I hope there will be a chance to face you all again in the future."
With that, he walked off the stage.
Following that, the host continued with the program.
Amidst all the cheers and attention, Li Pin returned to his designated resting area.
Tuo Bafeng and the assistants the Taibai Kingdom had arranged for him were already waiting there. When they saw him approach, everyone stepped forward.
"Congratulations!"
"You won! Brother, you\'re the world champion!"
"The number one in the World\'s Top Martial Competition intermediate category.... This is a glorious achievement the Taibai Kingdom had never witnessed before. Brother Li Pin, the Taibai martial arts community will start a new chapter because of you!" n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Everyone congratulated him—Tuo Bafeng, Li Yunyao, Lin Xiaolu, and Qin Rouran.
Li Pin nodded slightly. This honor belonged to him, and he didn\'t deny it. Nevertheless, he wasn\'t about to get lost in the glory either.
He had always been clear-headed about external fame and achievements. As long as he was strong enough, these things would come naturally. Just like now. He had become the world champion, drawing immense attention.
If he could advance further and claim the throne of the King of the Century Competition, that would eclipse even the glory of becoming the world champion.
So, he was far from reaching the limit and standing at the peak.
***
The World\'s Top Martial Competition continued smoothly.
It seemed as though, out of respect for Li Pin, Cheng Yufeng and the Great Sun Chosen One refrained from challenging Su Feiyu in the upcoming matches.
Even Yan Hongtu was the same. After assessing his condition and noting Su Feiyu\'s almost untapped strength, he decided not to impulsively challenge her.
As for Nan Lifeng, since he had no other opponents he could choose from, he was forced to face Su Feiyu.
The result was a grueling battle. In the end, the match ended in a tie. This is the best he could have done considering he was still recovering from his previous match.
However, Su Feiyu emerged victorious in this double knockout. The key difference was that Li Pin would certainly challenge Su Feiyu tomorrow, giving her four entire days to rest.
Nan Lifeng, on the other hand...
Even with astral equipment treatment, how much could he recover in just two days?
He was drawing ever closer to the bottom of the rankings.
***
Li Pin\'s phone didn\'t stop ringing on the way back to Martial Arts Village. Calls came in one after the other.
After answering a few selective calls, Li Pin switched off his phone.
Seeing this, Tuo Bafeng smiled and said, "Securing the championship as early as the third round of the round-robin. This kind of achievement is truly unprecedented. Martial Saint Li, have you thought about the plan moving forward?"
"The plan moving forward?" Li Pin chuckled. "The Dragon Gate Hall is a renowned martial arts sanctuary within the Tianyuan Federation. It gathered all the martial arts knowledge across the world and houses numerous grandmasters and Martial Saints.
"As the champion of this year\'s World\'s Top Martial Competition, I\'m entitled to a Dragon Prince spot to train there... I plan to go and further enrich myself, enhancing my martial arts foundation."
"The Dragon Gate Hall, huh..." murmured Tuo Bafeng.
He nodded. "The Taibai Royal Family may have collected a vast number of manuals, but when it comes to the cultivation environment best for grandmasters and Martial Saints, it can\'t compare to the Dragon Gate Hall.
"That becomes especially evident if you have the status of a Dragon Prince. The training resources you can access with that title are on par with the direct descendants of the Tianyuan Royal Family. Many branch members of royal families go to great lengths to secure a Dragon Prince spot for training there."
Li Pin responded. "Yeah."
He had a deep understanding of both Core Formation and Aura Cultivation, but when it came to the Martial Saint realm, his knowledge was still limited, let alone the path beyond.
He knew if he returned to the Taibai Kingdom, they would undoubtedly do their utmost to support his growth. But as Tuo Bafeng pointed out, the Taibai Royal Family couldn\'t match the Dragon Gate Hall when it came to nurturing grandmasters and Martial Saints.
Therefore, spending some time at Dragon Gate Hall to deepen his Martial Saint foundation and lay the groundwork for his future path as a Martial Saint was exactly what he needed to focus on.
Moreover, unlike the World\'s Top Martial Competition, the Dragon Gate Hall hosted many Extreme Martial Saints dedicated to refining their qi into Spirit. They all strove to achieve the extreme transcended state and pursue the path of Astral Cultivators.
Only there could he witness the final frontier of martial arts. A condition the Taibai Kingdom, with its few Martial Saints, could never provide.
1. walk sideways means to have complete dominance or control. ☜