Xiao Zuiji emerged victorious. After the second round of battles concluded, only sixty-four people remained across the four battle zones combined.
After a brief rest, they entered the third round of combat.
All participants who advanced to this round had strength at the twelfth segment of Meridian Opening, so the battles would become even more intense.
However, once it began, whenever disciples of the Tiegu Sect took the stage, intensity became irrelevant—because Lu Qianqian and her three companions resolved their opponents with exceptional efficiency.
Even Xiao Zuiji, in his third match, relied on his physical body to circle behind his opponent, wrapped both arms around their waist and lifted them forcefully, executing a suplex that made their head strike the ground first, instantly eliminating their combat ability.
The evaluation given by numerous experts was: barbaric!
“Damn!”
Su Xiaomo exclaimed in surprise, “Junior Brother’s physical body is this strong?”
Li Qingyang said earnestly, “Junior Brother trains in the training room for ten hours every day. We’re nowhere near his level.”
Xiao Zuiji’s powerful physical body owed half its credit to the Muscle Sculpting Room, while the other half came from the Low-Grade Body Sculpting Pills.
At this moment, every inch of his skin could be described as having been tempered a thousand times over.
In just over ten days, Jun Changxiao had forged Xiao Zuiji into a physical combat demon—not only durable but also possessing explosive power.
This was the fruit of training. This was his disciple.
No spiritual power? No spiritual root?
Sorry, but he could beat you to death in a straightforward brawl, beat you until you questioned your existence.
“Ding!”
“Five disciples have advanced to the fourth round. Epic Quest completion at 30%. Host receives 20 contribution points.”
“Ding!”
“Sect Contribution Points: 102/500.”
Looking at the contribution points exceeding 100 for the first time on the panel, Jun Changxiao’s smile grew even broader.
“I can refresh the shop and see if anything good shows up.”
“Ding!”
“Sect Contribution Points: 92/500.”
Jun Changxiao pulled down the Elementary Shop interface, and brand new items immediately appeared.
However, when he saw the first product named ‘Modified 8x Scope,’ his mouth twitched as he said, “There are even magnifying scopes from firearms!”
Clicking on details—
Item: Modified 8x Scope
Description: Telescopic scope with magnification function, can clearly see and identify distant targets, suitable for long-distance precision shooting.
Effect: Can be installed on precision rifles and sniper rifles. When activated, automatically locks onto targets within the scope’s range.
Duration: Permanent
Drawback: After firing while scoped, requires 1 hour cooldown.
Price: 20 contribution points
Seeing the effect description, Jun Changxiao said speechlessly, “Opening the scope automatically locks onto targets—how is this any different from cheating?”
The System said, “Host has transmigrated to another world and activated the System, which is equivalent to cheating.”
These words…
Right, right, you’re absolutely correct.
Jun Changxiao said, “What? You’re not recommending I buy it?”
The System said, “The 8x scope requires pairing with precision rifles or sniper rifles to be usable. The probability of these items refreshing is very low. This system does not recommend the host purchase it.”
“You’re quite conscientious, aren’t you,” Jun Changxiao said.
He continued viewing the products, only to discover tragically that not a single item in this refresh could help him!
Well then.
His luck had run out…
Since nothing was useful, Jun Changxiao naturally tried to pull down, but no matter how he pulled, it wouldn’t move.
The System said, “Each time the shop is refreshed, the host must purchase at least one product before being able to refresh again.”
“Holy crap.”
Jun Changxiao went berserk, “I spent 10 contribution points, not one item is useful, and I have to make a forced purchase to refresh—that’s a bit excessive!”
Though he said this, he still began considering which of these many flashy yet useless products he should choose.
“Forget it, I’ll just buy the Modified 8x Scope. What if I get lucky and refresh a sniper rifle?”
“The probability of a sniper rifle appearing in the Elementary Shop is only 1%. Please consider carefully, host.”
“What about precision rifles?”
“5%.”
“What about the Modified 8x Scope?”
“0.1%…”
Jun Changxiao’s eyes widened as he said, “This thing has an even lower refresh probability than sniper rifles—what the hell is there to consider? Of course I have to buy it!”
Without hesitation, he clicked purchase.
“Ding!”
“Host has spent 20 contribution points to obtain Modified 8x Scope ×1. Already transferred to spatial ring.”
“Ding!”
“Sect Contribution Points: 72/500.”
Jun Changxiao willed it, took out the 8x scope, brought one eye close to it, and the distant scenery immediately drew much nearer. He could even see the sweat droplets on the participants on stage clearly.
Though it wasn’t attached to a gun and couldn’t activate the lock-on function, using it as binoculars wasn’t bad either.
An elder from the Great Red Gate leaned over and asked curiously, “Sect Leader Jun, what is this long, thick thing in your hand?”
“A toy,” Jun Chang responded casually.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he thought shamefully to himself, “He asked like that, and I answered like this—it sounds a bit dirty.”
“Fourth round, first match: Lu Qianqian versus Xi Honglei!”
On the battle stage, the referee called out the first match participants for the fourth round. Jun Changxiao aimed the 8x scope at the battle stage where Lu Qianqian was.
With the magnified view, that woman’s face remained flawlessly perfect, making him unconsciously recite, “In the north there is a beauty, peerless and independent. One glance topples a city, another glance topples a nation.”
This was a short poem created by Li Yannian of the Han Dynasty, very fitting to describe Lu Qianqian.
“Begin!” said the referee.
Xi Honglei clearly knew Lu Qianqian’s spiritual power was profound, so he hastily deployed his movement technique… which became unnecessary, because before he could even take a step, he was pushed off by spiritual power that surged like ocean waves.
“Wutu!”
“That woman is definitely Wutu!”
Seeing a twelfth segment Meridian Opening participant pushed off the stage again, numerous high-realm martial artists formed rough estimates of Lu Qianqian’s cultivation level.
Jun Changxiao kept watching through the 8x scope, silently confirming, “She’s definitely already entered Wutu.”
Why “already” and not “was originally Wutu”?
That didn’t exist.
The Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic could only be cultivated during the Meridian Opening stage.
Since that woman comprehended it, it meant she was still in Meridian Opening stage at that time. The aura she revealed after killing the Earth Flame Wolf shouldn’t have been weaker than Li Qingyang.
So there was only one truth… Before Lu Qianqian underwent the demonic training, her true strength was at the twelfth segment of Meridian Opening!
“Sect Leader Jun.”
The Great Red Gate elder said with a fawning smile, “Your sect’s disciples hide their true strength well. In my opinion, there’s no suspense about taking first place in Zone C.”
Experts from various sects thought the same, since pushing opponents off three consecutive times was sufficient proof of profound spiritual power!
Jun Changxiao said, “This seat has no interest in first place in a battle zone. If we’re taking anything, it’ll be the true first place.”
The Great Red Gate elder shook his head and pointed toward a young man in gray robes in Zone B, saying, “His name is Zhang Linghe, a disciple of the sixth-tier Heroic Martial Gate. His strength is Wutu, and he’s one of the favorites to win the championship.”
“Oh?”
Jun Changxiao raised the 8x scope to look and discovered that fellow wasn’t very old, with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, quite a rebellious air about him.
“He’s in the same battle zone as Xiao Mu. Judging from the number plates, they should meet in the zone finals.”
The Great Red Gate elder pointed at Xiao Linye again, “This is a legitimate Xiao family heir, a disciple of the sixth-tier Absolute Sound Valley, also one of the favorites to win.”
“Holy crap.”
Only then did Jun Changxiao realize that the Xiao family’s legitimate heir had been assigned to Zone D.
Currently, Zone D still had eight people. Judging from the number plates, if he and Xiao Zuiji both advanced to the next round, they would face each other to compete for a spot in the zone finals!
Cousins assigned together was quite fate…
“Fourth round, sixth match: Bei Qian versus Xiao Zuiji!”
Jun Changxiao quickly turned the 8x scope and saw that earlier at the inn entrance, the Bei family’s legitimate heir with the farting verbal tic walked onto the battle stage.
Dammit.
So this guy was also in Zone D!
Just seeing him made him angry. Zuiji, give this seat a brutal beating—beat him until he has no will to live!
—