Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 964 - Martial Arts Competition Begins

Chapter 964: 964 Chapter Martial Arts Competition Begins

The second round of the sub-level expert martial arts competition began, with ten people entering the stage. Gu Fan breathed a sigh of relief since he wasn’t called up to compete; however, he noticed Jin Yi taking the stage.

"I’ve seen this kid before!" Gu Fan turned around and saw Lu Bei among the crowd. Lu Bei seemed to sense someone watching him and looked over, resulting in a brief eye contact with Gu Fan.

For some reason, Gu Fan felt a strange sensation, as if there was something different about Lu Bei compared to Jin Yi.

The competition quickly got underway. Jin Yi immediately showcased the results of his martial arts training, dispatching two opponents from the platform in quick succession with efficiency, eliciting applause and cheers from the crowd.

There were ten people on the platform, but there could only be one star. Surprisingly, that star appeared quickly, and everyone’s attention was soon on Jin Yi.

"My goodness, to be so powerful at such a young age?" Gu Fan was astonished. If he was now a third-rate expert, then Jin Yi must be at least a second-rate master.

Mo Yun also added, "We also have to consider whether Jin Yi has held back his strength. I even suspect he might be at the level of a first-rate expert."

"Remarkable, truly remarkable. The younger generation can be fearsome." Lord Xiong expressed his admiration; then, he glanced at Gu Fan and sighed deeply in a hopeful manner, leaving Gu Fan feeling depressed. Was he really that lacking?

Naturally, Jin Yi’s performance caught people’s attention, such as the leader of the Xuanjian Sect, who also discerned that Jin Yi was holding back his true strength. He marveled at how someone so young could possess such formidable martial arts, which was indeed rare.

"I’m sorry, but how can you, a greenhorn, take away the Martial Arts Alliance leader’s position?" The leader of the Xuanjian Sect smirked coldly, not regarding Jin Yi as a true contender.

In a short while, Jin Yi emerged victorious from his match, becoming the winner of the second round and earning the chance to compete with other experts for the title of Martial Arts Alliance leader.

Jin Yi stepped down from the platform, still feeling the exhilaration of victory, overjoyed.

At that moment, Lu Bei approached him and whispered, "You performed really well. I was so nervous just now, worried you would encounter a formidable opponent and have to reveal your true skills."

Jin Yi nodded, "My master warned me time and time again not to use the martial arts he taught me at first, otherwise it would definitely draw attention."

"Yes, the moment you use the martial arts of senior apprentice Jian Shen, the Xuanjian Sect leader will surely recognize it, and then someone might target you," Lu Bei expressed his concern. After a glance around, he noticed no one from the Xuanjian Sect was near.

With the martial arts competition victory behind him, Jin Yi planned to leave, but Lu Bei wanted to stay, his attention now fixated on Gu Fan.

Jin Yi instantly understood what Lu Bei was worried about—that Gu Fan, an individual from the Devil Cult, might harbor some scheming intent.

"Wait a second, is that guy’s movement Devil Cult martial arts?" Jin Yi couldn’t comprehend the warm-up exercises Gu Fan was performing, and Lu Bei also shook his head, "This is my first time seeing this as well."

Driven by curiosity, Lu Bei went to greet him, "Brother Gu, judging by your posture, may I ask audaciously, what kind of martial arts is this?"

Gu Fan explained, "Brother Lu, you’ve got it wrong. This isn’t martial arts, this is called a warm-up exercise. It’s just to get the muscles moving. When the fighting gets intense later, I don’t want to overdo it and end up not being able to cope with the strain."

"Oh, so there’s such a concept," Lu Bei and Jin Yi learned something new, having never heard of warm-up exercises before, and it sounded quite reasonable.

Then came the third, fourth, and fifth rounds, all of which did not include Gu Fan, leaving him increasingly nervous and anxious as he waited.

In the competition among sub-level experts, without exception, all were true experts, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to stand out from a ten-person melee, and generally they were all first-rate experts. This only served to signal to Gu Fan that he might as well forget competing with his third-rate expert level.

In the end, Mo Yun advised Gu Fan, "It’s still not too late to forfeit."

"If I forfeited, how would I explain it to them when I go back? Let me at least try," Gu Fan had just finished speaking when he heard someone calling his name, telling him to get on stage quickly.

"Is it finally my turn?" At that moment, Gu Fan felt relieved. He headed to the platform, his heartbeat quickened, while he discreetly observed the other nine contestants, each looking quite formidable.

Mo Yun glanced at the competitors and shook her head, "Gu Fan’s opponents are all no easy match. He has no chance of winning."

"Yes, he shouldn’t have come in the first place," Lord Xiong had already lost hope.

Meanwhile, Lu Bei and Jin Yi watched intently, curious about what kind of fearsome power this member of the Devil Cult, Gu Fan, would display.

At that moment, Gu Fan had already stepped onto the platform, positioning himself towards the edge to avoid standing too centrally and becoming a prime target.

Based on the previous rounds, everyone initially sought opponents nearby to fight. Those in the center had the most opponents around them, so Gu Fan resolutely chose a spot near the edge, to hopefully last longer once the contest began.

However, to achieve the ultimate victory amidst the chaos of ten combatants, he would have to devise a way to compensate for his lack of strength.

Gu Fan focused on the person closest to him, who was likely to be his initial opponent. Then, he coughed lightly to grab the person’s attention.

Lord Xiong saw Gu Fan’s subtle motion and seemed to realize something, unable to help but laugh, "Watch carefully, Mo Yun. This bout could evolve in an unexpected direction."

"An unexpected direction? Could Gu Fan really win?" Mo Yun was skeptical of any miracle, as on the platform it all came down to genuine capability.

"In a one-on-one battle, maybe it comes down to genuine ability," Lord Xiong said, "but in a free-for-all, you can certainly use others’ strength against them, winning through strategy depends on how you exert your force."

Hearing this, Mo Yun was surprised, "Could this kid really have a strategy already in mind?"

"I can’t guarantee that, but I have a feeling that among these ten people, the only one who will remain standing on the platform will be that kid," Lord Xiong said with a slight smile, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Mo Yun shook her head, still reluctant to expect too much from Gu Fan.

Meanwhile, unknown to the others, a person stood atop a treetop, relying on exceptional qinggong to quietly observe every move Gu Fan made—that person was the Female Sword Immortal who had caused Gu Fan to be drenched in the rain earlier.

Also unbeknownst to the crowd, among the ten competitors was a master planted by the leader of the Xuanjian Sect. Thus, the sect leader also paid close attention to this round of competition. He was certain that his planted contestant would win and then help him eliminate obstacles in later rounds, ensuring a smooth path to becoming the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance.