"Zhang Ergou, I will not let you go!"
Xin Chen roared, then retreated from the battle stage as if fleeing, a move that seemed rather staged.
"Are these two putting on a show?"
The disciples below the stage realized the truth too late.
...
An extremely bizarre duel concluded with Xin Chen's retreat, and Zhang Ergou once again emerged victorious.
Although the watching disciples couldn't understand, they could only reluctantly accept the reality.
...
"What round is this now? How is that kid Zhang Ergou not getting tired?"
Discussions erupted from below the stage again. After Xin Chen, several more masters from the Inner Sect Ranking were defeated by Zhang Ergou, yet he remained as spirited as ever.
Morning light spread across the land, and the night gradually receded. Zhang Ergou had been in continuous battle for a day and a night.
Now that the challenges were issued, it was no longer something he could control.
If he had been a little more low-key at the beginning, perhaps these masters on the Inner Sect Ranking wouldn't have united against him.
Everyone had their own little schemes, and they were also in competition with each other.
Naturally, they wished to see others defeated.
But Zhang Ergou was too high-profile. After arriving at Lower Spiritual Jade Peak, Chi Yu had instructed him to openly challenge all the masters on the Inner Sect Ranking.
Perhaps at the time, the masters on the Inner Sect Ranking heard this and dismissed it as a joke.
However, after Zhang Ergou's consecutive victories, these masters on the Inner Sect Ranking began to panic.
Zhang Ergou's ranking had now entered the top ninety.
Over the course of a day and a night, Zhang Ergou had fought non-stop, consecutively defeating over a dozen Inner Sect masters.
This record was certainly something to be proud of.
After all, Zhang Ergou had only been in the Inner Sect for half a year.
His cultivation was still at the late Foundation Establishment stage, while every master he defeated from the Inner Sect Ranking possessed cultivation at the early Golden Core stage.
Terrifying!
Finally, these disciples on the Inner Sect Ranking panicked!
They needed to find a way to stop Zhang Ergou. If things continued like this, they, the masters on the Inner Sect Ranking, would be injured or crippled one by one, while Zhang Ergou wouldn't be tired to death.
This path was unsustainable.
The masters on the Inner Sect Ranking who had been defeated by Zhang Ergou returned to their respective main peaks, one by one, to go into seclusion and cultivate.
Those who had not yet fought Zhang Ergou were now gathering together, plotting how to make Zhang Ergou lose quickly, or at least collapse from exhaustion.
This Zhang Ergou fellow simply couldn't be judged by normal standards.
"What's going on? Why is no one coming up to challenge Zhang Ergou?"
"Could it be that the masters on the Inner Sect Ranking are afraid of him?"
Zhang Ergou stood alone on the battle stage, waiting for the time it took for about one stick of incense to burn, yet not a single disciple stepped onto the stage.
This was a stark contrast to the previous situation.
Earlier, the masters on the Inner Sect Ranking had not behaved this way; some would even step onto the stage immediately without giving Zhang Ergou any time to rest and recover. The transition between one defeated opponent and the next seemed rehearsed.
But this time was different. Zhang Ergou waited for the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, and still, no one came. Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Ergou quickly consumed a healing pill.
Although he appeared full of vigor, after more than ten battles, he had accumulated many hidden injuries. If he hadn't pushed himself, those masters on the Inner Sect Ranking would have likely discovered his abnormality long ago.
The terrifying recovery ability of a body refiner was evident here. In just half a stick of incense's time, the wounds on Zhang Ergou's body were gradually healing.
Anyone who witnessed it would surely be astonished by Zhang Ergou's recovery speed.
Feeling a tingling sensation spread through his body, Zhang Ergou knew that his wounds were healing and scabbing over.
Since no one was coming up to challenge him, Zhang Ergou was happy to enjoy the peace, using the downtime to recover his strength.
While Zhang Ergou on the stage remained calm, the disciples watching below erupted in discussion.
"That's right, why aren't those masters on the Inner Sect Ranking coming up? Zhang Ergou is about to fall asleep waiting!"
"Nonsense, Zhang Ergou is closing his eyes to heal. After so many battles, he must be severely injured!"
"Then why are they waiting? Isn't it easier to defeat him while he's injured?"
"That's what I'm wondering too. What are those masters on the Inner Sect Ranking thinking? Are they really afraid of Zhang Ergou?"
The crowd below buzzed with debate, but still, no masters from the Inner Sect Ranking stepped onto the stage.
Zhang Ergou's challenge order was from bottom to top. Logically, disciples with higher rankings should be confident in their abilities.
But this peculiar scene left the watching disciples utterly bewildered.
The crowd gradually became restless, and seeing that no one was coming up, some began to leave.
"Let's go. The masters on the Inner Sect Ranking probably won't come up. Look, Zhang Ergou is already meditating."
On the battle stage, seeing that still no one was coming up, Zhang Ergou feared that if he were to leave, someone with no sense would jump onto the stage.
So, he simply sat down on the ground and began to meditate with his eyes closed.
Chi Yu had not yet permitted him to cultivate Qi, so Zhang Ergou couldn't absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth by just sitting there.
The Sky Phoenix Body Refinement technique required one to two hours to complete a cycle. If interrupted, it could be life-threatening.
No matter how bold Zhang Ergou was, he wouldn't dare to cultivate Sky Phoenix Body Refinement at this time. Therefore, he simply sat cross-legged on the battle stage, like an old monk in deep meditation, carefully recalling his shortcomings and discoveries from his battles over the past two days.
With the formidable power of the Samsara Eye, every move and technique executed by Zhang Ergou, as well as his opponents, appeared in his mind.
Zhang Ergou observed meticulously, as if he were an outsider. With the slowing of the river of time, all the moves that were too fast to discern during the battles were replayed.
Under Chi Yu's instructions, although Zhang Ergou couldn't use spiritual energy or magical skills, he had recorded the powerful techniques of those masters he defeated through the Samsara Eye.
As a cultivator with a Heaven-grade, low-tier, five-element spiritual root, these masters' magical skills were practically tailor-made for Zhang Ergou.
If the opponents Zhang Ergou defeated knew that not only had they lost to him, but their ultimate moves had also been stolen, they would surely be angered to the point of spitting blood...
Like an old monk in deep contemplation, Zhang Ergou entered a wondrous state. The surrounding noise gradually faded.
His mind became clear and empty...
Suddenly, Zhang Ergou saw his own body. As if observing someone else, he watched his body sitting quietly on the ground, eyes closed.
"What's happening? Why can I see myself?"
He circled his body once, confirming that he could see himself from an outsider's perspective.
With this discovery, Zhang Ergou didn't know if it was good or bad.
But it seemed that the people around him couldn't perceive him, as no one was looking up at his aerial form.
Could it be?
Suddenly, Zhang Ergou thought of a possibility...