Since reincarnating into this world, he had met many opponents, but the man before him was the first to truly possess the spirit of a top-tier master.

The man’s perceptive ability was clearly powerful, and he was being intensely suppressed by Zhao Xuanqi’s own unrestrained will. Yet, he had managed to break free on his own, reigniting his martial valor with a fearless posture. ’That kind of mettle, that kind of spirit... it’s worthy of my respect!’

’A true master isn’t defined just by a powerful body and techniques, but by an unyielding spirit and will!’

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Ruan Yuanhe’s massive body charged toward Zhao Xuanqi. His speed wasn’t as great as before, yet he exuded an intense, oppressive feeling that made it seem impossible to dodge.

It was as if an unstoppable army of thousands was charging behind him.

An army of one.

CHARGE!!

War drums like thunder!

By now, the fight in their ring had captured the attention of countless onlookers.

There is a subtle connection that exists between the powerful.

When Ruan Yuanhe used a Secret Technique to ignite his martial valor, the surging spirit it created seemed to call out to everyone, and they all turned to look, their eyes filled with utter astonishment.

A fight of this caliber shouldn’t be happening in the second round. It was already on par with the battles for the Ten Heroes!

HAAAH!!

Ruan Yuanhe let out a great shout, his entire body vibrating violently. The surge of his Qi and Blood was so intense that, without having completed his Inner Cultivation, his internal organs were inevitably damaged. Wisps of fresh blood trickled from his mouth and nose, flung behind him as he moved. They floated in the air like the heroic red tassels on a spear.

Primordial Saint Hammer!

A massive hammer-like fist shot forward, seeming to send ripples through the very air.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xuanqi stood his ground, arms spread wide. Hidden from the crowd’s view beneath his clothes, the muscles, fascia, and bones of his exaggerated upper torso—all tempered and reshaped by the Hundred Beasts Mystic Gate—were generating power at their absolute maximum. This method of power generation was far beyond what a normal human body could withstand.

If an ordinary person or even a Martial Artist were to generate force the way he was now, their fascia would twist and tear, their muscles would rip, and their joints would dislocate.

The human body is not built for combat. Even with techniques honed to perfection, it still has insurmountable flaws.

That was what the Hundred Beasts Fist sought to change. During the Cross-Training stage, it used the Profound Technique of the Hundred Beasts Mystic Gate to enable the body to withstand unimaginable methods of Force Release and explosive power.

Previously, because his tempering through the Hundred Beasts Mystic Gate was incomplete, Zhao Xuanqi couldn’t use many of its power generation methods and explosive techniques at all, forcing him to rely on simpler skills.

The true terror of the Hundred Beasts Fist’s fighting style could not be fully unleashed.

But now, things were completely different.

He could now fully master and utilize all the terrifying techniques of the Fierce Form.

This included all the techniques of the Tiger Form within the Fierce Form.

With his Qi and Blood now flowing unimpeded through his entire body, his method of power generation surpassed human limits, elevating his explosive attacks to a level ordinary people couldn’t even imagine.

With a single step, he shot forward to meet Ruan Yuanhe’s charge.

He struck out with a sudden, sharp palm.

ROAR!!

The clawed fist struck the air, and empowered by his formidable explosive force, the resulting sonic boom actually sounded like the roar of a savage tiger.

In that instant, Ruan Yuanhe’s sky-piercing aura of martial valor seemed to be suppressed.

Fierce Form, Tiger Monarch.

HUNDRED! FIERCE! MOUNTAIN! FOREST!

The hammer-fist and the striking palm met head-on.

BOOM!!

The terrifying sound of the impact spread.

THUD! THUD! THUD!!

After the impact, Zhao Xuanqi was forced back three consecutive steps. With each step, fine, web-like cracks spread across the specially-made ring floor beneath his feet.

Meanwhile...

Ruan Yuanhe’s body was sent flying backward like a rolling ball of flesh. The tremendous force of the impact launched him straight out of the ring and into the crowd, the aftershock sending a large number of people flying.

If most of the people present hadn’t been skilled Martial Artists, Ruan Yuanhe’s impact would have crushed countless ordinary people to death, turning the scene into a bloody pulp.

When Ruan Yuanhe’s body finally came to a stop, he was lying spread-eagled on the ground. The Qi Surge around him had completely dissipated. He gasped for breath, blood pouring from his mouth and nose. Lying there, unable to move, his eyes were filled with a sense of resignation.

The entire venue fell silent.

"Number Fifty-Seven, Zhao Qisheng of the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall!"

It was the referee who finally broke the silence, his loud cry snapping the crowd out of their stupor.

Quasi-Ten Heroes Level Ruan Yuanhe had actually lost? He had lost, even after using his school’s Secret Technique?

How could a single head-on blow be that terrifying?

Everyone stared at Zhao Xuanqi on the ring. As his Qi Surge and Blood Essence faded and he returned to his normal size, the scene felt surreal.

The impact of that final blow replayed in their minds.

Overbearing, terrifying, savage.

It was the spirit of an unrivaled Overlord.

’This is... Tiger Form Fist?!’

Zhong Daorong of the Taihe Tiger Form Fist stared blankly at the scene, completely at a loss for words.

He had thought Zhao Xuanqi’s journey would end in the second round after running into Ruan Yuanhe. He never expected him to win, let alone in such an overwhelming fashion.

He never knew the Tiger Form Fist could be so ferocious.

’Compared to his, my own Fist Technique should probably be called Kitten Fist.’

He wasn’t the only one. Others had similar thoughts. For the Tiger Form to be so savage was simply beyond all reason.

On the second floor, Weng Xiaolin was silent for a moment. He knew Zhou’s Tiger Form Fist was incapable of producing such a ferocious burst of power.

Hearing the referee’s announcement, Zhao Xuanqi slowly descended from the ring, a look of pleasure on his face that sent a chill down the spines of the onlookers.

’It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had such an enjoyable fight.’

After unleashing the strongest explosive blow of the Fierce Form’s Tiger Monarch, a sense of release washed over Zhao Xuanqi’s body and mind. The pores all over his body seemed to open, and every cell felt like it was pulsing with joy.

As he stepped off the ring, the crowd naturally parted, clearing a path for him. It was as if the man was surrounded by an intimidating aura.

Zhao Xuanqi walked over to the registration desk, recorded his victory, and slowly turned to leave.

On the second floor, Li Zhaotong watched Zhao Xuanqi’s retreating figure and spoke in a low voice.

"Which school’s Tiger Form Fist in Yuehai can produce that kind of power?"

"The strongest Tiger Form Fist school in Yuehai is the Taihe Tiger Form Fist, but it can’t produce an explosion of that magnitude. Across the entire Divine Land, as far as I know, perhaps only the White Tiger Fist of the Four Saints Sect is capable of such a burst," Du Zhan said quietly.

"The Four Saints Sect is a Martial Arts School with an ancient lineage. The strength of their Secret Transmissions rivals that of the Giant Spirit Sect. However, their cultivation requirements are extremely demanding, so their numbers are small. On top of that, their core Secret Transmissions have become fragmented over the long years of their history. Only the Vermilion Bird Sect’s Secret Transmission remains complete. They are the strongest branch now, having established the Phoenix Army and entrenched themselves in the Su and Hu region."

"This man is probably not a successor of the Four Saints Sect. The Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall teaches Zhou’s Tiger Form Fist, doesn’t it? Could it be that he’s just exceptionally talented? Or perhaps he created his own explosive Secret Technique?"

"In any case, it looks like this year’s competition has one more interesting opponent."

A smile touched the corners of Li Zhaotong’s lips.