After the battle on Han Lang's side concluded, he and Ma Long had only recently arrived at Arena 105 when Tang Geng and Tang Qin also quickly walked over.
"How was it? Tang Geng. Everything okay?"
Before Tang Geng could reply, Tang Qin, looking displeased, complained.
"So boring! I cheered him on so hard before he went on stage! He finished the fight in less than two seconds, and even incapacitated his opponent so they couldn't participate in the second round! What a waste of my enthusiasm!"
Ma Long, upon hearing this, burst into laughter and extended his hand to Tang Geng, shaking it in solidarity.
"Fellow sufferers of the same fate, my situation was pretty much the same! Haha..."
The conversation between the two made Tang Geng feel rather embarrassed.
Han Lang, however, spoke to Ma Long and Tang Qin with utmost seriousness.
"Everyone's luck is different, and Tang Geng and I have cultivation levels that are inherently higher than most new recruits. So when it's your turn later, you absolutely cannot let your guard down!"
Tang Qin immediately became serious after hearing this. But Ma Long remained dismissive.
"Don't worry, little sir! Although I, Ma Long, am a bit rough around the edges, I've been through my share of storms. My mindset is steady!"
Hearing this, Han Lang finally felt a little relieved.
Arena 105 had witnessed several evenly matched battles before Ma Long's turn.
Although these fights didn't offer much learning value for Han Lang and Tang Geng, Tang Qin, Ma Long, and even the surrounding spectators still gained something from watching.
Soon, Arena 105 welcomed its fifth battle.
Ma Long's opponent was a clean-cut young man who exuded an air of gentle scholarly refinement.
His appearance stood in stark contrast to Ma Long's burly, imposing physique.
Before the fight even began, the crowd below the stage was already engaged in heated discussion about it.
"Hey, hey, who do you think will win this match?"
"Is that even a question? Under normal circumstances, people who look fierce usually have higher combat power!"
"I agree with this gentleman. That one over there looks too frail, almost weak and fragile. If I didn't know he was a cultivator, I'd think he belonged to the category of the elderly, weak, and disabled!"
"That's not necessarily true! As you said, we are all cultivators! From this perspective, people who are usually gentle and refined often have explosive combat power!"
"That makes sense! Just like in the second match I saw at Arena 50. One of them was also refined and gentle. But the moment he made a move, he directly incapacitated his opponent so they couldn't even participate in the second round!"
Upon hearing the last person's comment, Tang Qin beside them couldn't help but chuckle.
"Arena 50, second match, Tang Geng, that's you they're talking about! Hee hee..."
Tang Geng only then reacted slightly, replying with a rather embarrassed look.
"Oh, right! I never expected to gain a little fan so quickly! Heh heh..."
While the crowd below was chatting merrily, Ma Long on the stage remained completely unfazed.
He grinned foolishly at his opponent and said with a laugh.
"Brother, I'm usually a bit careless and don't really hold back when I strike. If you can't take it and need to surrender quickly, I'll stop in time!"
Han Lang and the others naturally knew that Ma Long's words were entirely out of good intentions. However, such words, to the scholar and even to the entire audience, were undoubtedly blatant provocation.
As expected, the scholar's brow furrowed upon hearing this, and he let out a cold snort.
"We haven't even started, and you're already boasting too much, aren't you?"
After speaking, he drew the sword from his back, performed a nimble flourish, and stood ready, awaiting the referee's command.
As soon as the order was given, the scholar executed a cross-slash almost without hesitation, sending two streams of sword energy directly towards Ma Long.
Simultaneously, the scholar did not falter, following closely behind the two sword energies, pointing his sword to form a third consecutive offensive, aimed directly at Ma Long.
"Good!"
Seeing the scholar's fluid and seamless offensive, Tang Geng and Han Lang couldn't help but praise his combat ability.
The crowd below also erupted in an uproar.
"Such a dense and inescapable offensive is too powerful!"
"That big guy is probably in grave danger! The scholar's offense is too sharp; ordinary people can't possibly withstand this move!"
"Who was it that favored the big guy earlier? Shall we place some side bets now that the match has begun?"
The supporters below the stage were overwhelmingly one-sided, and a smug smile flickered across the scholar's lips.
However, Ma Long remained unhurried.
His moves were not fancy.
He simply made the spirit-infused gloves on his hands flash with spiritual light, then, as expected, he gathered his strength and punched forward.
With a loud roar.
"Tiger Roars in the Forest!"
A visible spiritual energy tiger instantly took shape before him.
With a fierce roar, the tiger, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, charged directly at the scholar's sword energy.
The sheer power of it even forced the spectators below to squint their eyes shut.
"Holy cow! What kind of technique is this! It's too strong!"
"With this kind of pressure, you probably need late-stage Foundation Establishment strength to unleash it, right?"
"Brother, you're exaggerating a bit! How many late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators are there in the entire new recruit camp! But the power of this move is indeed somewhat unexpected!"
"If the scholar is defeated, it won't be due to a lack of combat technique. The opponent's techniques and spiritual equipment augmentation are truly too unexpected!"
"So, who was it that wanted to place side bets earlier?"
...
Amidst the discussions below, the tiger on the stage collided with the scholar's sword energy.
With a massive roar,
The sword energy, as if made of paper, instantly dissipated.
However, the tiger, having broken through the two streams of sword energy, showed no reduction in its might and continued its charge directly towards the scholar who followed closely behind.
The scholar was greatly alarmed, flipping to dodge. His sword was also frantically slashing left and right, attempting to break Ma Long's move.
But no matter how hard he struggled, the tiger clung to him like a persistent parasite, hammering him relentlessly.
After three to five breaths, the scholar was already panting, while the tiger's form had shrunk by only an inch from its initial size.
The scholar was helpless.
The gap in strength between the two was simply too vast. Even if he exerted all his skill at this moment, he would inevitably fail to break Ma Long's move.
At this moment, he accepted his fate!
He no longer thought Ma Long's earlier words were contemptuous of him. Instead, he felt they were like celestial sounds, offering profound guidance.
"Surrender, I surrender!"
The scholar shouted.
Ma Long, hearing this, also withdrew his move as planned, and the tiger instantly vanished into thin air!
The referee followed suit and announced the result.
"First round, Ma Long, wins!"
Just as the referee was about to ask if they wanted to rest before the second round, the scholar respectfully clasped his fists at Ma Long and then sheepishly walked off the stage.
The referee was stunned and quickly asked.
"Hey, aren't you fighting the second round?"
The scholar waved his hand.
"With this kind of gap, what's the point of fighting! I'm not fighting!"
Hearing this, the referee shrugged helplessly and finally announced again.
"Fifth match in Arena 105, the victor is Ma Long!"
Cheers from Han Lang and the others erupted instantly.
The crowd below began to discuss again.
"Ma Long? Who is this guy? I haven't heard of him before!"
"Don't know! He probably came from some low-key sect! He's really strong!"
"Conservatively speaking, this guy should have no problem reaching the finals. I estimate that ordinary mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators are no match for him!"
"Can you please remove the word 'conservatively'? I dare to bet that this guy will have absolutely no problem reaching the finals!"
...
One battle, one rising star!
Ma Long, after this match, became famous, even becoming the biggest topic of post-meal conversation in the first round of the new recruit arena competition!
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