Chapter 9: The Final Challenger Appears!

“To think he’s won nine matches in a row—unbelievable.”

“Yes, it’s almost too incredible to believe. How does he still look so composed, his breath steady as if he’s never fought at all? What a formidable physique, what boundless reserves of strength.”

“We really misjudged him…”

“Tsk tsk, I wonder who it was that bet on Dugu’s victory—what a bold vision, what unbeatable luck.”

“It’s been years since anyone in the Skyglow Arena has achieved a ten-match winning streak at the same cultivation level. Will that record finally be broken today?”

“It’s more than just the Skyglow Arena; even in the entire Butterfly Branch, there are only a handful who’ve managed to win ten consecutive matches. Those few are all once-in-a-generation prodigies, most from powerful families with deep roots and careful training… Could Dugu be one of them?”

“He doesn’t seem like it.”

“If he wins just one more time, his fame will spread instantly, certain to attract the attention of some major figures. He’ll be favored, supported, and cultivated, his path as a cultivator broadened, and his future bright as the dawn.”

Countless speculations and words of praise filled the arena, each voice rising in turn, ceaselessly. The vast majority of the contenders gazed at the center of the stage with burning, envious eyes.

Number Forty-Four: Dugu.

“Hmph, don’t forget, he’s still one match short of the ten. The final outcome is still a mystery. No matter how strong he is, if he loses this last match after winning nine in a row, it’s all for nothing.” A jealous voice sneered from the crowd.

“Whether he becomes famous in the Combat Alliance or ends up a laughingstock, we’ll soon see.”

...

“The tenth and final match of the challenge: the challenger, Number Forty-Four, Dugu. The opponent is…” The supervisor was just about to announce the randomly selected contender’s name when a young man ran over, signaling frantically. He leaned in and whispered a few words. The supervisor’s expression changed instantly, growing strange and hesitant. After a moment, he finally continued, “The opponent is… Tiger. Tiger is a renowned warrior from another arena, a hundred battles without a single defeat.”

“What?”

“A warrior undefeated in a hundred battles?”

“How imposing! How formidable!”

“Tiger is actually the opponent for the tenth match—now this’ll be a spectacle.”

...

Boom—

As the commotion swelled, a sudden thunderous roar erupted from one corner of the arena, followed by a surge of harsh wind, howling like a rising tide.

Whoosh—

At the head of the tempest, a gigantic, powerfully built man soared on the wind, streaking through the air like a rainbow, a flash of brilliance appearing and vanishing in an instant as he landed upon the stage. As his feet touched down, another crash resounded; plumes of dust shot from the cracks between the heavy stones of the arena floor, and the entire stage trembled as if it might collapse.

What a ferocious entrance!

Every warrior present was stunned, gaping in awe. Few noticed that, at the arena’s entrance, a flood of people was pushing through—lesser soldiers, mighty generals, even a few commanders among them.

Somehow, word had spread that a cultivator of the Warrior Realm was attempting a ten-match challenge in the Skyglow Arena. Interest had been piqued across the city. They all wanted to see what manner of person dared take on such a feat, what sort of bearing he possessed, and how the contest would end.

Yet even they were shaken by Tiger’s overwhelming presence. For a mere warrior to exude a ferocity and dominance equal to a commander was astonishing. Someone couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Is that the challenger? No wonder they say he’s extraordinary!”

“You’re mistaken—it’s the other one,” a fellow corrected. “That’s the defender, Tiger by name and by nature—a wild beast unleashed.”

“Uh… That means Dugu has incredibly bad luck. He made it to the final match only to run into such a powerhouse!”

“Indeed…”

...

“The tenth match of the challenge—begin!” the supervisor announced, his brows furrowed with worry. He spoke hastily, then pressed his hands to his temples, as if beset by a pounding headache.

No matter the howling wind and driving rain, I stand like a pine, unmoved.

Dugu Bieli’s expression was as calm as ever, but inwardly, he was on high alert. There are always greater talents in the world; with a population in the hundreds of billions across the Wilds, it was inevitable to encounter peerless rivals. Geniuses were as common as crossing rivers—meeting a few supreme warriors was only to be expected. He had long since prepared himself for this.

From the start, his gaze was locked on his opponent: a hulking frame, iron muscles, a capacity for explosive power that brooked no doubt. His style would surely be direct and forceful, with broad, sweeping attacks. The man’s vital energy surged like waves—one could almost hear it, thundering and rolling, flowing smoothly with every breath. This was no ordinary foe.

“Are you ready?” Tiger did not attack, but spoke in a voice like thunder, his tone and bearing radiating a sense of superiority. There was an air of absolute dominance—a kingly presence forged from countless victories, as if everything was under his control, fate at his command, life and death determined by a single word.

Dugu Bieli felt an unprecedented pressure, as if a great mountain pressed down from above, as if the will of heaven itself bore upon him, irresistible. Tiger’s voice seemed to penetrate not just flesh but soul, reminding Dugu of the days in his former life, when as a mere martial artist he had faced a true grandmaster.

“Excellent. Come!” Dugu Bieli’s character was such that the more he was suppressed, the more fiercely he rebounded. This dual pressure of body and spirit only ignited an unyielding fighting spirit within him, kindling vitality and courage as never before.

“In battle to the death, one must possess unwavering courage and determination, setting life and death aside. The first strike wins the advantage—I must go all out and seize my chance!” With his mind made up, he exploded into action. Power surged from the wells beneath his feet, igniting like oil to flame, flooding through his body, muscles and bones resonating, blood boiling.

Hiss—

His spine arched like a dragon, coiling and releasing in a burst of force. He shot forth like an arrow loosed from its string, splitting the air with a series of piercing sonic booms sharp enough to rupture eardrums. Though they had stood over ten feet apart, he closed the distance in a single bound. His right fist clenched, swelling to the size of a hammer, howling through the air to shatter all before it. The momentum of his punch enveloped Tiger completely, cutting off all retreat.

There was only one way—take it head-on!

Tiger roared, his entire body tensed, energy coursing through him like living dragons, winding and linking head to tail, forming an impenetrable shield. He raised his arms in a cross before him, bracing for the direct onslaught.

Bang!

The instant their blows met, a hurricane of force erupted from the impact, radiating outward in all directions. Each wave of energy cut like knife or sword; those too close screamed and scrambled to flee, terrified of being caught in the aftershock.

Amidst their panic, all eyes turned to the stage in shock. If even the aftershock was so fearsome, what of Dugu and Tiger at the center? Surely, victory and defeat had already been decided—if either survived, it could only be by the narrowest margin.

Yet what they saw next stunned them even more.

Tiger stood fast, as if rooted since time immemorial—a pillar holding up the heavens, unshaken and unmoving. His crossed arms completely blocked the savage punch, the only sign of disturbance being his hair, streaming behind him in the gale.