Tiger gauged his force and did not truly maim him.
However, he wouldn’t escape the hundred days it takes to recover from damaged muscles and bones!
Hey, big brother, look how considerate your Tiger brother is, worrying you might tire yourself, so he told you to take a good rest!
The second round. Tiger won. The opponent lay prostrate.
Soon, only five people remained on the Martial Stage. The brawl began.
Each of these five had just endured a fierce battle and was significantly exhausted. Each one bore visible injuries.
At this point, even if one had martial arts skills, it seemed like there was no energy left to use them. Yet, among these five, three would be named Martial Champion, Second Place Scholar, and Third Place Scholar, respectively. Only two would walk away without titles.
Who would want to be those unlucky two? To have struggled until the end, only to be beaten up and walk away empty-handed? That would be too ridiculous.
With this thought, they all summoned every ounce of their resolve to face the battle.
Xia Tingfeng saw Tiger’s injuries and felt a tinge of nervousness.
The thunderous drumming of five war drums resounded like thunder. It was as if they were welcoming the arrival of the Martial Champion.
The five men, forming a pentagon, stood facing each other. With the war drums booming, the five men grappled together in a chaotic mass.
Some moved with swift agility, another struck with a steady hand, and of course, some adopted a strategy of retreating to save their strength for later. In short, each had their own fighting style: chaotic, but not without opportunity.
An opponent charged at Tiger. Standing to the side, Tiger watched with calm eyes, squinting as the opponent nearly reached him. All of a sudden, Tiger’s eyes snapped open.
A pair of bell-like eyes flashed fiercely, terrifyingly intense. After a twitch in the muscles beside his cheeks, one foot powerfully pushed against the ground, and his body immediately shifted direction.
Evading the opponent’s attack, Tiger seized the opportunity and swung his fist down upon the adversary. At that moment, he spared no effort, slamming down without reserve.
His punches were so dense they resembled the relentless downpour of a midsummer rain, penetrating every gap, shattering every defense. The opponent winced in pain, immediately dodging and turning around.
With a roar, he lunged at Tiger. Tiger fell back with the motion, seemingly overpowered by the opponent, but actually searching for an opening.
Soon, the opportunity came. The opponent raised an arm, exposing a weakness of the human body—the ribs. Tiger clenched his fist and hammered away fiercely.
CRA-ACK, CRA-ACK! The sound echoed as several of the opponent’s ribs snapped. How many, exactly, was uncertain, but at least three.
Seizing the chance, Tiger shoved off the person atop him, leaped up, and pounced like a starving wolf, pinning the opponent beneath him. That opponent felt his world spin before a heavy weight descended upon him like a mountain.
Struggling to break free, yet no matter how hard he tried, this mountain simply wouldn’t budge! The Tiger chuckled.
"I might not match your Martial Arts, but I still have strength, and if not strength, haha, at the very least, I have weight on my side!"
With so many advantages, it’d be hard to lose.
The opponent was trapped below Tiger, unable to break free or escape. Amidst his struggles, one of the war drums ceased its thunder.
This meant that Tiger’s adversary had lost! Subsequently, two more war drums fell silent in turn.
Quickly, only two men remained in the combat arena. One was Tiger, and the other a robust man of ordinary appearance but extraordinary ability.
One of these two, who had fought their way to the end, would definitely become the Martial Champion. Yet, at this point, both were utterly exhausted and bore injuries all over their bodies!
Xia Tingfeng stood on the stage, somewhat nervous, his fists repeatedly clenching and unclenching.
Without concern for fancy techniques, Tiger roared and charged forward. The other did the same. His dark eyes were ablaze with the longing for a bright future and titles, and with the determination not to be defeated after having fought so fiercely until now.
The two men grappled together, trading punches and kicks.
At that moment, there was just one thought in Tiger’s mind.
He had to win, he had to win! If he won, he could be just like his elder brother, someone who had made something of himself. He would no longer be pointed at and told: "Look, he’s just a good-for-nothing street thug." Tiger thought he never wanted to live that kind of life again!
Another punch to the chest, and a spurt of blood came out. Tiger didn’t fall, but rolled aside on the spot and kicked his opponent hard in the back. Caught off guard, his opponent thudded to the ground, struggling for a long time but ultimately unable to get up.
Both of them were truly out of strength. Blood was still flowing from Tiger’s mouth, and the little strength he had left was just enough to keep him standing.
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, his opponent still had not gotten up. One of the two thunderous war drums stopped abruptly.
Tiger had won!
"Martial Champion! Martial Champion!" the Announcing Officer shouted as he stepped forward. "Congratulations to the Martial Champion, kudos to the Martial Champion!"