The battle between Zhang Ergou and the purple-robed youth did not unfold as everyone had expected, with one side being completely dominant. Instead, both fighters engaged in a back-and-forth exchange.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of rounds passed, and they appeared to be evenly matched.
"What's going on? Is Zhang Ergou not going all out?"
The spectators buzzed with discussion, as this was vastly different from what they had anticipated.
In their view, Zhang Ergou had previously sent Jiang Xu, who was not weak, flying with just one palm strike. They assumed he wouldn't hold back against anyone else.
Now, it seemed they had been mistaken.
Those with sharp minds immediately grasped the crux of the matter. Perhaps there was a grudge between Zhang Ergou and Jiang Xu, which led Zhang Ergou to strike with such ferocity.
The youths who had managed to enter the third round of the competition were all well-traveled and knowledgeable. They quickly understood the key issue.
Instantly, the confidence of the crowd surged. Since Zhang Ergou wouldn't proactively harm them, there would naturally be a chance to win in future duels against other opponents. Although the hope of winning the championship was slim, there was still a chance to achieve a good result. Su Dan Novel Network.
The purple-robed youth, currently engaged in a fierce fight with Zhang Ergou, also sensed his intentions. Zhang Ergou was not the ruthless fighter they had imagined, one who would mercilessly attack his opponents.
The purple-robed youth immediately let loose. He no longer fought hesitantly against Zhang Ergou, unleashing various spells and skills that filled the air.
Zhang Ergou did not let his guard down due to the significant gap in their cultivation levels. Instead, he deliberately suppressed his own cultivation to match that of the purple-robed youth.
They exchanged blows, with dazzling skills flying back and forth, and in the blink of an eye, several more rounds had passed.
"What is this kid up to? He wasn't like this before?"
On the main stage, Mu Chen was also puzzled by Zhang Ergou's performance.
"Let's keep watching. This young fellow is rather interesting."
Hua Xu shook his head, having no clue what Zhang Ergou's intentions were.
Seeing Zhang Ergou's performance on the stage, Jiang Yu's face darkened considerably. It now seemed evident that Zhang Ergou had been deliberate in his actions during the match against Jiang Xu. Thinking of Jiang Xu currently lying in his room at the inn, Jiang Yu's handsome face contorted.
However, Zhang Ergou paid no mind to these matters. At this moment, the purple-robed youth he faced was fully immersed in the battle. Although Zhang Ergou had deliberately lowered his cultivation, the spiritual energy reserves within their bodies were on completely different levels.
Soon, the purple-robed youth began to falter, while Zhang Ergou remained energetic, showing no signs of exhaustion.
Resigned, the purple-robed youth unleashed his strongest attack with all his remaining strength. A torrent of violent spiritual energy surged, and the purple-robed youth was extremely confident in this strike, which was his trump card.
Seeing Zhang Ergou engulfed by his attack, the purple-robed youth secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If even this couldn't inflict any damage on Zhang Ergou, he would truly begin to doubt his own strength.
Yet, to his despair, as the smoke cleared, Zhang Ergou stood unharmed in the same spot. His strongest attack had not troubled Zhang Ergou in the slightest.
"I concede!"
The purple-robed youth lost with utter conviction. Although the battle between the two did not inflict any physical injuries on either side, it was significantly more exciting than the previous matches. Previously, all the contestants had secretly held back their strength, not going all out and engaging mostly in probing attacks. The spectators had expressed their dissatisfaction.
The duel between Zhang Ergou and the purple-robed youth concluded as the latter's spiritual energy was depleted. The audience felt they had truly enjoyed the spectacle. During his fight with the purple-robed youth, although Zhang Ergou had suppressed his cultivation, his moves were often aimed at the opponent's vital points. The purple-robed youth had managed to fend them off one by one with his extraordinary reflexes. However, his loss stemmed from the fact that his spiritual energy reserves were no match for Zhang Ergou's. He even began to doubt if Zhang Ergou was truly at the late stage of Golden Core.
Zhang Ergou offered no further explanation regarding this. After all, they would never have another chance to fight.
Next, several more matches between other contestants took place. Following the battle between Zhang Ergou and the purple-robed youth, the contestants in the subsequent matches gradually began to fight more freely. Instead of pinning their hopes on later fights, why not go all out now? Perhaps they could still achieve good results.
"That kid not only has a gap in cultivation and strength compared to others, but his every action and word also has a significant influence on others."
From beginning to end, Mu Chen and Hua Xu had never stopped paying attention to Zhang Ergou. As the battle between Zhang Ergou and the purple-robed youth concluded, and others gradually began to fight more freely, Hua Xu and Mu Chen clearly observed that this was all thanks to Zhang Ergou. Had Zhang Ergou, like he did with Jiang Xu, knocked his opponent off the stage with a single palm strike from the start, others would not be fighting so unreservedly now.
"This child's destiny is bound to be extraordinary."
Hua Xu nodded slightly, giving Zhang Ergou a very high evaluation. Mu Chen remained silent. Although his close friend rarely offered such high praise for young individuals, the more he paid attention to Zhang Ergou, the more his thoughts aligned with Hua Xu's.
In the following matches, Jiang Yu once again defeated his opponent. As he descended from the stage, he deliberately glanced at Zhang Ergou. Zhang Ergou completely ignored Jiang Yu's gaze, chatting and laughing with Li Zhan and Liu Yaxuan beside him, showing no intention of acknowledging Jiang Yu. The animosity between the two parties had deepened, leaving no room for reconciliation. Moreover, Zhang Ergou was never a magnanimous person. Those who wished him ill would certainly face severe retribution from him.
Jiang Yu hoped to encounter Zhang Ergou soon, intending to cripple him directly and avenge his brother, who was currently bedridden. Zhang Ergou harbored the same desire. He had found the eldest young master of the Jiang family, who deliberately hid his thoughts, disagreeable from the very beginning. He seemed to naturally dislike people with such deep reserves.
As if summoned, Zhang Ergou wished to face Jiang Yu in the next match. One had to wonder if he was lucky, or simply very lucky. After the final set of matches concluded, everyone gathered at the drawing station once more. This time, the number on Zhang Ergou's lot matched Jiang Yu's.
"Kid, your good luck ends here."
Looking at the number on his lot, Jiang Yu smiled triumphantly. After uttering a menacing remark, he jumped off the stage.
"I wonder where this fellow gets his arrogance from, is it innate or cultivated?"
Zhang Ergou jested with Li Zhan beside him, causing Li Zhan to roll his eyes repeatedly. The opponent had directly challenged him, and yet he was still in the mood for jokes. After all, Jiang Yu was already at the half-step Nascent Soul stage.