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Chapter 74: Suppression

Upon hearing the news, Li Pin felt a twinge of regret. Core Formation martial artists usually maintained a flawless aura and rarely fell ill. If his opponent was too sick to compete... It must have been quite serious.

With that, Li Pin refrained from saying anything further.

Humans were inherently fragile beings. A single mishap could end their life. This was also the reason for his pursuit in cultivation.

Li Pin promptly departed from the training arena. Quite a number of people sighed in disappointment at missing his duel with another Core Formation expert. However, since every Core Formation expert was a distinguished figure in society, and those present before the finals were mostly insiders or individuals connected to the martial arts community, they refrained from speaking disrespectfully.

Li Pin strolled out of the training arena with ease. Several reporters approached him for interviews, but he waved them off. He headed straight to where Fang Lingjue was.

Upon seeing Li Pin, Fang Lingjue nodded in acknowledgment. However, since he was next to compete and was focused on preparing himself, he didn\'t say anything more.

Shortly after, the two Transformative Force martial artists concluded their match, and Fang Lingjue confidently stepped onto the stage. His opponent, a Core Force martial artist, showed great humility, adopting the demeanor of a junior seeking advice from a senior. Their interaction reflected a spirit where friendship was valued more than competition.

While the Core Force martial artist was skilled in various aspects, he lacked practical combat experience. In less than a minute, Fang Lingjue seized an opportunity and defeated him with two swift strikes of Core Force, claiming victory.

"Congratulations," Li Pin said.

"Thanks. How did your match go? I recall your opponent was Master Zhou, a Core Formation expert from Wuxi City," Fang Lingjue remarked. "A month ago, Hall Master Zhou sparred with Hall Master Chang, your opponent from yesterday, and lost in one move. Defeating him should be a piece of cake for you."

"Really? I\'m not sure," Li Pin continued. "He didn\'t turn up at all."

"He didn\'t turn up?" Fang Lingjue paused briefly before quickly coming to a reasonable conclusion. "You defeated Chang Yueming and have faced three Core Formation experts in a row. Clearly, you\'re seen as a serious threat to the top three seeded competitors. Hall Master Zhou must have realized he was being used as a pawn to target you, which explains his reluctance.

"Your killing of Zhang Chiyan also factors into this. You\'re highly dangerous. Core Formation martial artists who own martial halls often earn tens of millions annually and have net worths in the hundreds of millions. They\'re willing to compete for honors at the Jiang Province Competition, but if it involves risking their lives, they might hesitate and withdraw."

"This seems a bit too timid," Li Pin remarked.

"Timid? In this era of peace, everyone would naturally seek stability and prosperity. It\'s not like the turbulent times when people had to fight fiercely over petty gains," Fang Lingjue refuted.

Upon hearing this, Li Pin understood why the underhanded tactics in the Jiang Province Martial Competition were so audacious and why figures like Cao Tianyou and Jiang Qingyue seemed unfazed. There were too few courageous individuals, especially among those aspiring to high status and recognition. To achieve their goals, they first had to smooth their rough edges and master the subtleties of social maneuvering.

***

At night, in a renowned upscale private restaurant in Jiang Province.

Jiang Qingyue, Cao Tianyou, Fang Lingjue, Wang Zuocai, and the others were gathered in a private room. Zhao Yuan and Jiang Qingyue\'s two sons were also present. As for Zhang Chuge, Fang Lingjue had already informed everyone that he had been defeated by a Core Formation expert and had sustained serious injuries.

"Zuocai, how\'s your hand?" Jiang Qingyue asked.

"What else can I do? I can\'t move it anymore. If my next opponent is a Transformative Force or Overt Force martial artist, I might stand a chance. But if they\'re at the Core Force or Formation realm... I\'m basically done," Wang Zuocai said with a self-deprecating chuckle.

He had entered the competition full of confidence, but in just two days, he faced three matches, two against Core Force opponents and one against a Core Formation expert. Despite defeating the Core Formation opponent, his arm was injured, and he wouldn\'t be able to fight again for the next three to five days.

"I\'ve heard that your opponents were reshuffled based on the winners," Jiang Qingyue said, glancing at Wang Zuocai before sighing. "Your next opponent is Gu Haoran."

Wang Zuocai was shocked. "The prodigy from the capital city who has manifested Aura Force!?"

Jiang Qingyue nodded.

Cao Tianyou added, "Zhou Yuanfei is a prominent figure among the youth in Jiang Province City, so being seeded is unquestionable. Similarly, Jiang Zhenhai, known as Dragonfist, is supported by the Solar Vermilion Sect, so people accept him as a seeded competitor without any issue. This leaves us with Gu Haoran. Though he\'s from the capital city, his fame isn\'t as established, so he needs a strong opponent to prove himself."

Clearly, Wang Zuocai was the perfect opponent for him, having demonstrated his strength by defeating two Core Force and one Core Formation expert.

Wang Zuocai\'s expression darkened as he realized he was being used as a stepping stone. "Gu Haoran is an Aura Force expert. Even in a direct fight, I\'m no match for him. Why did they have to arrange so many experts to injure me beforehand?"

"Gu Haoran has indeed cultivated his qi into Aura Force and can wield it effectively, but they aim for absolute certainty," Jiang Qingyue remarked.

The gap between Core Formation and Aura Force is significant, but it doesn\'t mean that Core Formation martial artists have no chance of turning the tables. In fact, history has seen Core Formation experts defeat Aura Force practitioners.

Mental fortitude, physical condition, and luck... It\'s like a hundred-meter sprint between a provincial-level athlete and a world-class athlete. If the world-class athlete were to stumble during the race, victory could easily go to the provincial-level athlete. Unless there\'s an overwhelming difference in ability, an advantage based on skill level always carries various uncertainties.

Wang Zuocai\'s expression shifted between anger and sorrow. Finally, he sighed heavily, "I had thought that I would surely secure a place in the top ten of the Jiang Province Competition... I never expected..."

"You\'re still young. You can try again in the next competition," Jiang Qingyue said, turning his gaze to Fang Lingjue.

"I\'m feeling good and can still handle a Core Formation expert," Fang Lingjue replied.

"Your opponent should be a Core Formation martial artist," Jiang Qingyue said.

Hearing this, Fang Lingjue let out a sigh of relief.

At that moment, the chairman of the Zanglong City Martial Society turned to Li Pin. "As for you—"

"Let me explain," Cao Tianyou interjected, his expression serious. "You have two matches tomorrow. Your opponents are..."

He took a deep breath. "One is Grandmaster Luo\'s disciple, Luo Shengle, and the other is Black Sword Yun Yi, the son of the Four Pillars Martial Hall\'s hall master."

Fang Lingjue burst out before Li Pin could speak. "Two matches!? Against two Core Formation experts!? Yun Yi... he\'s a top contender for the top ten this year, groomed by the Four Pillars Martial Hall and the future hall master!"

"Normally, breaking into the top ten requires six to seven matches, maybe eight, spread over ten days to allow for some breathing room! But this... five matches in three days, all against Core Formation experts!? Are they expecting Li Pin to face every Core Formation competitor in the competition on his own!?"