Supreme of the Heavenly Realm
Chapter 419 - 416 Unexpected Fierce Battle

Chapter 419: Chapter 416 Unexpected Fierce Battle

At this eighth round of the competition, since only the final sixteen remained, the matchups took place in pairs, with four individuals in each group, making a total of four groups, each conducting their contests separately.

Ye Xuan’s matchup against Gui Qingluo was arranged in the second group, while Nangong Yao’s matchup with "Xue Qianling" was in the third group.

"The first match of the eighth round, Zhao Xin of the Divine Spear Sect against Mr. Iron Hand."

With the referee’s shout, the first fight of the first group began and, at that moment, the crowd below erupted in an uproar as the words spread.

"Zhao Xin versus Mr. Iron Hand; who would have thought the first match would feature two such heavy-hitters?"

"Yes, Zhao Xin is a disciple of the Divine Spear Venerable and a dark horse in this tournament, while Mr. Iron Hand ranks third on the Master List. Although his strength is quite a bit less than that of Demon Sword Jue Wuchen from the Sword Sect Liu Qinghe, being ranked third means he can’t be much weaker. Taking down this Zhao Xin should be no problem."

"Exactly, that kid Zhao Xin is extremely arrogant, thinks he’s better than everyone else, and doesn’t even consider the major sects of the Chaotic Sea Domain worth his notice. Now’s the perfect time for him to get a taste of his own medicine. His streak of victories has only been because he hasn’t faced any strong opponents yet."

The crowd watched the two figures taking the stage, buzzing with discussion. Most people were instinctively siding with Mr. Iron Hand, as Zhao Xin’s previous display of arrogance had left quite a few people fuming.

On the battle platform, two figures stood fifty meters apart, each releasing their aura, dividing the platform into two distinct sides.

"Number three on the Master List is it, Mr. Iron Hand? You’re no match for me, let alone if you were number one on that list – then you might have a chance."

Zhao Xin looked nonchalantly at Mr. Iron Hand across from him and then slightly curved his lips, speaking with indifference.

"Young man, I know you have some strength, but it’s best to be modest in front of your elders. Your power isn’t great enough to look down upon the world."

Although Mr. Iron Hand was not one to get angry easily, his ire rose after being belittled so directly by Zhao Xin. This kid was far too dismissive.

"Elders? I only have one elder, and that’s my master, the Divine Spear Venerable. If anyone else wants to be my elder, they’ll have to defeat me first."

Zhao Xin picked up his long spear and violently thrust it into the ground below him. The next moment, an incredibly fierce aura burst forth from his body. Before him, Mr. Iron Hand’s once unshakeable aura began to tear apart.

"Fine, let this old man teach you a lesson!"

With a loud shout, Mr. Iron Hand suddenly made his move. If he didn’t strike now, his aura might be completely broken by Zhao Xin’s, and without it, he’d lose the advantage.

As soon as Mr. Iron Hand made his move, his mechanical arm, made entirely of interlocking metal, shot out with a screeching sound of gears turning within. The spectators watched in shock as the mechanical limb extended, tearing away from Mr. Iron Hand’s body like a shooting star and, even before his iron fist arrived, the wind from the punch made Zhao Xin’s hair whip around in a fury.

Facing the sudden assault of the mechanical arm, Zhao Xin’s expression shifted slightly. He blocked with his spear, and the mechanical fist slammed into it with a clang, sending Zhao Xin stumbling back.

After knocking Zhao Xin back, the mechanical fist swiftly retracted with a whoosh, reattaching seamlessly to Mr. Iron Hand’s body.

"Kid, how about that? Not enjoying the taste of my iron fist, are you?" Mr. Iron Hand smirked coldly. After all the years he had roamed the Chaotic Sea Domain, did he not have a few tricks up his sleeve? The idea that he couldn’t handle a kid was a joke.

"Childish tricks, suitable only for playing with kids. I’m just surprised you would resort to such a boring tactic, which caught me off guard for a moment." Zhao Xin remained unabashedly arrogant, his expression unaltered and his tone as cold as ever.

"What did you say?"

The smile froze on Mr. Iron Hand’s face, soon darkening into a scowl. This kid was unbelievable, and if he couldn’t defeat him here on the battle platform, there was no telling what outrageous words he might spout next.

"That Zhao Xin is too arrogant. Pride goes before a fall, and Mr. Iron Hand is no ordinary opponent. This round is set for his loss," said Nangong Yao, shaking her head as she watched the events unfold. Zhao Xin’s words were sharp and dismissive, without any restraint.

"Not necessarily. Though his personality is arrogant, his skills are by no means sloppy. This could very well be one of his tactics, deliberately provoking his opponent to reveal weaknesses; that’s all." Ye Xuan was paying attention to the fight, unperturbed, knowing that while pride often led to defeat, Zhao Xin’s arrogance could just be a ruse.

"Regardless, it looks like he’s truly angered Mr. Iron Hand."

With a grave look, Qin Qi followed her gaze, and along with Ye Xuan and Nangong Yao, saw Mr. Iron Hand’s darkened face, signifying his rage.

Bringing his hands together, Mr. Iron Hand, in his fury, began to muster his full strength. Known throughout the Chaotic Sea Domain for his mechanical arm, that was not the only thing behind his reputation. He also had a famed technique for speed that, when combined with his mechanical arm, delivered unavoidable strikes. Opponents weaker than him were often instantly defeated, not even getting a chance to counter.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Atop the Battle Platform, black flashes crisscrossed so rapidly that the crowd could no longer see Mr. Iron Hand’s body.

Suddenly appearing behind Zhao Xin, Mr. Iron Hand swung his arm, and the mechanical fist shot out quickly, as fast as a flash of lightning.

Crack!

The mechanical fist struck Zhao Xin’s back, but it was like hitting an iron board – merely sparking brilliantly while Zhao Xin himself seemed to be protected by a layer of prohibitive energy, unharmed.

This layer of prohibitive energy, glowing with a silver light, seemed to be composed of tiny particles, each resembling a star.

It was precisely this layer of prohibitive energy that blocked Mr. Iron Hand’s mechanical fist.

"Body defense Martial Arts?"

Mr. Iron Hand was taken aback, then his expression slightly changed, and he quickly retracted his mechanical arm – this youngster actually had such a backup, indeed not to be underestimated.

"Old man, you’ve forced out my Star Energy Battle Body; even if you lose now, there’s no shame in it."

Zhao Xin grinned, Mr. Iron Hand wasn’t even fifty years old, but his hair was already graying, so he looked a bit old.

"You’ve been attacking for so long, now it’s my turn to repay you."

Zhao Xin gripped his long spear with both hands, a stream of silver True Qi flowing from his palms into the spear, followed by a shout that suddenly echoed across the Battle Platform.

"Daluo Divine Spear Skill, Thunder Shuttle!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Xin’s body shot out like a bolt of lightning, stabbing straightforwardly in a straight trajectory.

Faced with such a sharp and aggressive attack, Mr. Iron Hand’s expression darkened. He raised his mechanical arm, which started to click and whirl, then changed shape; the five fingers, along with the palm, contracted under the operation of the mechanism, turning the arm into a drill, violently boring forward.

Pfft, pfft!

Sounds of air bursting incessantly, where the drill formed by the mechanical arm collided with Zhao Xin’s spear tip. In the middle between them, the space couldn’t bear the stress, emitting screeching noises, and sparks flew chaotically, creating an extremely shocking scene.

Bang!

An explosive wave erupted at the heart of their clash, pushing both of them back. After retreating several steps back, they finally steadied their stances.

"Good, let’s go again, Nine Thunderclaps!"

Zhao Xin laughed loudly, sweeping his long spear, and in an instant, multiple spear shadows emerged, nine in total, all shooting out like lightning, rapidly changing directions in midair, sealing off all of Mr. Iron Hand’s escape routes.

"Break for me!"

Mr. Iron Hand moved swiftly, dodging spear shadow after spear shadow. His mechanical iron hand continuously clashed with the spear’s radiance, emitting metallic roars.

The battle was gradually becoming extremely intense.

"This youngster, he can actually fight to this extent with Mr. Iron Hand?"

The spectators who had been waiting to see Zhao Xin defeated by Mr. Iron Hand were now becoming somewhat anxious. From the looks of it, whether Mr. Iron Hand could eliminate Zhao Xin was still an uncertainty; they had not expected this brash young man to be so strong.

The experts who had advanced to the eighth round, including Ye Xuan, were all quietly watching the fight, without uttering a word. To them, regardless of who won or lost, one of the combatants could potentially become their opponent. At this time, it was crucial to discern the strengths and styles of their potential adversaries. After all, no one had been fighting at full strength in the previous rounds, so it was difficult to gauge their true capabilities. But now it was different; no one dared to hold back any longer. If they conserved their strength now, they might not get another chance to display it.

"Old man, I’ve humored you for quite some time, and it should be enough by now. Young master will entertain you no longer; time for you to go down!"

Suddenly, Zhao Xin’s spear technique became fiercely unpredictable, and in this abrupt shift, Mr. Iron Hand was caught off guard atop the Battle Platform, rapidly falling into a disadvantage, forced to continuously retreat.

"This youngster still had something hidden up his sleeve!"

Mr. Iron Hand was shocked, but now was not the time for surprise. Immediately, he retreated, slamming his left hand fiercely on his mechanical iron hand, causing it to change shape yet again. From the front of the iron hand, a hollow appeared, and from within emerged an extremely powerful surge of energy, sweeping outwards.