Wu Dou, who had reached the Peak of the Ninth Level Body Refinement, had been defeated by Xiao Ye in a single move—and most of the crowd was still dumbfounded, unable to grasp how it had happened.
Staggering to his feet, Wu Dou stared at Xiao Ye on the stage, utterly bewildered.
The three village chiefs sat at the same table.
"Elder Shi, what's going on? Isn't Xiao Ye just waking up from a coma? His strength shouldn't have reached the Ninth Level Body Refinement yet," said Shi Zhan, his sparse hair trembling as his eyes narrowed.
Xiao Tianxiong shook his head, his face a mixture of shock and helplessness. "I… I don't know either."
Seeing Xiao Tianxiong's sincerity, Shi Zhan and Wu Shi exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.
"That youngster… he's no ordinary man," Shi Zhan finally muttered after a long pause.
"Hmph! Even if he's talented, he'll never surpass Xiao Teng!" Wu Shi scoffed coldly.
He had pinned all his hopes on his granddaughter's invitation to Xiao Teng. The last thing he wanted was for Xiao Teng to lose to Xiao Ye.
In fact, everyone believed that Xiao Teng, with the Jiaoshe Blood enhancing his strength, was now far beyond Xiao Ye.
As the crowd buzzed in disbelief, Xiao Ye descended from the stage.
"Damn, that's my boy!" Xiao Yang cheered, his face glowing with pride. Xiao Ye had just given their family immense face.
Delighted, Xiao Yang didn't press for answers about Xiao Ye's sudden surge in strength.
The sparring matches continued, but the excitement had dimmed. Most fighters were evenly matched, requiring hundreds of blows to decide a winner. Compared to Xiao Ye's one-move victories, these battles felt dull. Even the cheers from the crowd grew sparse.
Meanwhile, more young women stole glances at Xiao Ye, their eyes sparkling with newfound interest.
Finally, after another half-hour, Xiao Ye was called to the stage again. When his opponent heard his name, their face paled. After a moment of hesitation, they charged forward, only to be defeated in a single move.
One move.
Again and again.
Xiao Ye stepped onto the stage six times, each time ending the fight instantly. By the end, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers the moment his name was called.
He crushed every opponent in the mixed martial rounds, leaving everyone in awe. The young women's attention shifted entirely to him, overshadowing even the five seated on Tiger Thrones.
Alone, he dominated the battlefield, crushing the pride of every participant.
Some bold women even approached Xiao Yang and Luo Meilan, offering their invitations. Normally, a woman gave only one invitation, but Qingyang Town's history held rare cases of "transfer invitations."
The sight of Luo Meilan's growing stack of invitations brought her joy, erasing her earlier disappointment.
"Damn it! My goddess is sending invitations to him!"
"My moon too! What's wrong with this world?!"
Angry shouts and jealous curses filled the air as murderous glares rained on Xiao Ye.
Xiao Teng, gripping the armrest of his Tiger Throne, his knuckles white, trembled with rage. Over half the women who'd sent him invitations had now switched sides—a direct humiliation.
"Idiots! I'll crush you all!" he roared inwardly.
The chaos forced Xiao Dashan to intervene, urging the matches to continue.
On stage, Xiao Ye frowned. With over 600 men left, this farce could drag on forever.
"Uncle Shan, let them all come at once."
The crowd fell silent. All eyes widened. Let them all come?
"Nonsense!" Xiao Tianxiong barked, rising to his feet.
The mixed martial rounds were meant to filter contenders down to one. With 300 still standing—including seasoned veterans—how could Xiao Ye fight them all? It was suicide!
"Kill him! Kill the bastard!" The crowd's fury erupted. Fueled by jealousy and humiliation, fighters swarmed the stage.
The arena, built to accommodate large crowds, finally proved its purpose.
"Brothers, beat him to death!" cried a few veterans, hiding behind the mob.
Xiao Ye's parents paled with terror. "Elder Shi! Elder Wu! Save him!" Xiao Tianxiong roared, rushing to the stage. Most of the attackers were from Shi and Wu clans—his responsibility.
Xiao Ye, however, stood calm, disdain in his eyes. Cowards hiding behind others—pathetic.
His body crackled with energy, every muscle honed to perfection. Even without using his Qi, he radiated the power of a Ninth Level Body Refinement peak.
"Fierce Tiger Fist!"
With a roar, Xiao Ye charged like a beast, his fists cutting through the horde. Bones snapped, bodies flew, and screams echoed across the plaza. In moments, the stage stood empty—only the cowering veterans remained.
Xiao Ye stood motionless, his aura sharp enough to pierce the heavens. The remaining fighters trembled, retreating on their own.
The three village chiefs stared in disbelief.
"He's not just Ninth Level… He's at the peak!" Xiao Tianxiong whispered, his heart aching with regret.
Shi Zhan sighed. "Elder Xiao, how could you waste Jiaoshe Blood on Xiao Teng instead of this genius?"
The thought of what could have been made Xiao Tianxiong's chest twist.
"Perhaps… it was fate," he muttered bitterly.
Wu Shi glared at him. "If you're lying, I'll break your neck!"
"Rest assured. Xiao Ye won't surpass Xiao Teng," Xiao Tianxiong replied firmly.
"Is Xiao Teng already at the later stage of Body Refinement? Or even… Foundation Establishment?" Shi Zhan murmured, hope flickering in his eyes.