“Feng Hao wins!”
At Ouyang Peng’s announcement, Feng Hao released his grip and pushed Yang Kui away.
*Whoosh…
whoosh…*
Yang Kui collapsed weakly, staring at Feng Hao with terror-filled eyes.
His hand was grotesquely deformed, several bones cracked.
That hand was essentially crippled.
“So ruthless.”
Looking at the boy whose expression hadn’t changed at all, everyone present felt a chill in their hearts.
He was truly merciless — striking without any hesitation.
But what shocked them even more was that Yang Kui, a fourth-stage Martial Apprentice, had been utterly powerless against him!
“Heavens, how is this possible?”
A month ago, he was a talentless third-stage mid-tier fool.
How could he have already broken through to the fourth stage?
At that moment, the younger Feng family members all recalled the strange posture Feng Hao had struck on the training grounds that day.
Their hearts churned.
That talentless fool was no longer talentless — he was a genius!
“Let me test you.”
A voice rang out as Hu Ku, the direct son of the Hu family, leaped onto the stage and stood opposite Feng Hao.
“Hu Ku actually went up.”
“I heard he recently broke through to fifth-stage Martial Apprentice.”
“There’s no way Feng Hao can beat him.”
The crowd murmured among themselves.
Hu Ku had been known as the number one among the new bloods for several years running.
He had won every previous competition.
From the very start of his training, he had always been far ahead of the younger generation of the four families.
That hadn’t changed.
At fourteen years old, he had advanced to fifth-stage Martial Apprentice.
It was very possible he would become a Great Martial Master in the future.
“Do you dare?”
Hu Ku raised an eyebrow, putting on a show of contempt.
Below the stage, Feng Chen’s brow furrowed.
All eyes were on Feng Hao, waiting for his response.
“Why not?”
The corner of Feng Hao’s mouth curled up slightly.
He had been practicing the second posture of Tiger Movement specifically for this opponent.
In the past, Hu Ku had humiliated him more than once — practically every year, in fact.
“He actually agreed!”
Everyone, including Hu Ku himself, was taken aback.
The boy was far too calm.
Facing a fifth-stage Martial Apprentice, he showed no panic at all.
“That’s impossible!”
Some terrifying possibility crossed their minds, and everyone inwardly screamed.
Even the Feng family members couldn’t believe it. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
The Feng family juniors knew Feng Hao’s strength better than anyone.
How could he have jumped two levels in half a month?
“Very well.
Begin.”
Ouyang Peng’s gaze sharpened, his clear voice carrying across the arena.
*Whoosh.*
Facing a fifth-stage Martial Apprentice, Feng Hao didn’t dare be careless.
He spread his feet, tensed every muscle, and stared at his prey like a hunting leopard.
At the Martial Apprentice level, apart from raw strength, it was all about agility.
Having mastered two postures of Tiger Movement, Feng Hao’s agility far surpassed Hu Ku’s.
*Swish!*
Without a second thought, Hu Ku gathered his strength and charged at Feng Hao, his fist whistling toward Feng Hao’s chest.
He naturally didn’t believe Feng Hao had reached the fifth stage.
*Ha!*
Feng Hao lowered his body slightly, arched his back, pushed off with his rear foot — and concentrated almost all his power into his left arm.
*Bang!*
The two fists collided with a sharp crack.
*Scuff scuff scuff!*
The one who retreated was Hu Ku — the fifth-stage Martial Apprentice!
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Feng Hao pressed his advantage.
He closed in, fist raised, and chased after Hu Ku.
Punch after punch, giving Hu Ku no time to gather his strength.
On the stage, off the stage, in the distance — everyone was stunned by what was happening.
Yes, they were watching Hu Ku unable to fight back, forced into a purely defensive position.
“How is this possible?
Feng Hao is actually a fifth-stage Martial Apprentice!”
The talentless fool they all knew — his current rate of progress made them unable to believe their own eyes.
The leaders of the various factions involuntarily recalled the boy’s resolute words in the Wan family hall.
“I am no talentless fool.”
Unconsciously, their faces began to burn — including Wan Shuo’s.
If advancing two levels in half a month made someone talentless, then what did that make them?
He truly was no talentless fool.
But what everyone couldn’t figure out was how the boy’s cultivation had skyrocketed so fast.
There were no shortcuts on the path of body tempering.
His progress could only mean he had suffered enough hardship.
Feng Chen’s heart trembled.
The image of that trembling young figure in the courtyard kept appearing in his mind.
Just how much pain had he been enduring?
Feng Chen’s lips and body were both shaking.
“AHHH!”
Hu Ku was filled with unspeakable frustration.
But he couldn’t turn the tide.
Punch after punch — his fists had gone completely numb.
*Ha!*
Feng Hao let out a light shout.
The muscles in his waist tensed, sending all his power surging up his arm and exploding through his fist.
*Bang!*
The tremendous impact sent Hu Ku stumbling.
His blocking arm trembled violently.
Seeing the fist rushing toward his face, he had no strength left to defend.
A sharp pain in his chest, and then his body flew backward.
Everything went black as he lost consciousness.
*Hiss…*
The entire crowd drew in sharp breaths.
Everyone’s pupils dilated.
The number one new blood of the four families had been defeated by the talentless fool!
Seated on the elevated platform, the four family heads wore different expressions.
Aside from Feng Lie’s excitement, the other three looked grim.
“Can he actually fulfill that oath?”
People couldn’t help thinking of the boy’s promise.
The title of ‘talentless fool’ could no longer be pinned on him — there was no doubt about it.
“Feng Hao wins!”
Ouyang Peng announced loudly.
“Does anyone else wish to challenge?”
For a long while, no one from the four families dared to step forward.
The juniors all lowered their heads.
If even Hu Ku, a fifth-stage Martial Apprentice, had been defeated, what were they supposed to do — go up and get beaten?
Ouyang Peng called out three more times.
Silence.
“Then I declare the champion of this competition: Feng Hao!”
Ouyang Peng’s resounding voice carried across the entire city.
From this day forward, Feng Hao was no longer talentless.
Feng Hao twitched the corner of his mouth.
He wasn’t especially excited.
To him, this was simply how things should be.
He nodded toward Feng Chen, then jumped off the stage and headed straight for the Feng estate, ignoring the various gazes behind him.
Only with strength could one possess everything.
This competition was just the beginning for Feng Hao.
His current goal was set on reaching Martial Master — to charge straight through to that level.
Until he reached Martial Master, everything else was meaningless.
[END OF CHAPTER 16]