Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Song Qiao strolled off the training ground as if on a leisurely walk.
Noticing Gao Meng's surprised expression, he calmly said, "Did you watch carefully just now? Learn from it. The martial path is about first seeing the heavens and the masses, and only then seeing oneself. Did you see why Xie Zhong lost just now?"
Gao Meng was immersed in Song Qiao's martial philosophy. His understanding of the martial arts and the principles contained within were all worth exploring. Hearing Song Qiao's sudden question, he quickly snapped back to attention and nodded blankly, replying, "He showed his weakness prematurely!"
Song Qiao grinned, raised his hand, and ruffled Gao Meng's hair. "Silly! He lost because he was no match for your master at all!"
Led by Song Qiao, Gao Meng and Xu Rou followed him as they continued forward, preparing for the third round of assessment. No one had expected Song Qiao to clear two rounds consecutively. But now, he had not only won, but won brilliantly!
Xue Zhifeng practiced boxing, while Xie Zhong practiced swordsmanship. Both were exceptionally skilled in their respective domains. If Xue Zhifeng were to use a sword, he would definitely not be Xie Zhong's opponent, and vice versa. It was only then that the crowd suddenly came to their senses and realized Song Qiao's true capabilities! When facing Xue Zhifeng, he exchanged blows with fists and palms, employing myriad techniques. When confronting Xie Zhong, he countered with a sword!
"This guy! Could it be that he's truly proficient in all martial arts?" Only after Song Qiao's group moved on to the next assessment did the onlookers suddenly realize this. With shock and admiration filling their hearts, they hurriedly followed, eager to witness the third round of the competition!
On the training ground, where no one was paying attention, Xie Zhong slowly sat up, clutching his chest. "Cough, cough..." He coughed heavily, spitting out another clot of blood. Lu Ming, standing by in distress, was frightened and immediately cried out for help. "Someone! Help!" "Quick, save my master!"
Facing his disciple's panic, Xie Zhong appeared relatively calm and waved his hand. "Stop shouting, I'm alright for now." After saying this, a wave of intense pain surged through his chest, causing his facial muscles to twitch violently. "Cough, cough... Help me to the next round to watch."
"Master, you?" Lu Ming looked confused. His master was so seriously injured; surely, the most important thing now was rest and treatment. Why was he still forcing himself to watch?
Although every word caused Xie Zhong immense pain, he did not hesitate to explain. "Song Qiao has fought two matches, especially in the duel just now, his stamina was severely depleted. Coupled with his arrogance, he's prone to underestimating his opponents. Therefore, I predict he will definitely falter in the third round!"
Lu Ming suddenly understood, slapping his thigh in admiration. "That's right! The examiner for the third round is Uncle Jiang, his footwork is nimble and bizarre, he's quite difficult to deal with!" The ignorant crowd thought Song Qiao was merely a dilettante with no real skill. However, these three examiners knew that Song Qiao possessed some strength. Thus, their seemingly casual rearrangement of the order of assessment was a carefully planned strategy.
Xue Zhifeng's initial barrage disrupted his rhythm and disturbed his mind. Then, Xie Zhong unleashed his full-power sword strikes, forcing Song Qiao to match his terrifying speed. In this way, even if the first two rounds failed to eliminate Song Qiao, with his severely depleted stamina and mental state, he would then face Jiang Wei, the most agile among the three examiners! Lu Ming and Xie Zhong could almost foresee the upcoming match. It would inevitably be a struggle for survival, with flaws constantly appearing!
With these thoughts, Lu Ming hurriedly helped Xie Zhong towards the next examination hall, fearing that Jiang Wei's attack would be too fast, causing them to miss the sight of Song Qiao's disastrous defeat.
The third courtyard had a layout not significantly different from the previous two. It still contained a training ground with an examiner standing on it. Upon seeing Jiang Wei, Xu Rou did not give him a pleasant look. Instead of arguing with Jiang Wei immediately, she looked at Song Qiao with concern and reminded him, "You've expended a lot of energy. You should rest for a while longer. Leave the matter of holding Jiang Wei back to me."
Before Song Qiao could reply, Xu Rou, with a scowl, became irate. Pointing at Jiang Wei on the stage, she reprimanded him, "Jiang Wei! We demand an explanation!"
Jiang Wei clearly saw through Xu Rou's intention and chuckled, "You should have received that explanation in the previous two rounds. Do you still intend to use this method to stall for time?" Despite her scheme being exposed, Xu Rou remained unfazed. After all, this was an open maneuver. As long as she was willing, she could argue with Jiang Wei about this issue indefinitely. Examiners could arbitrarily change the order of rounds, and in fact, she was doing just that. "You examiners always act so arrogant in person, but in the end, you can only resort to such despicable tactics? Last round, Xie Zhong used a sword. What will you bring out this round? Should I apply for two guns for you!"
Seeing Xu Rou's incessant pestering, Jiang Wei indeed felt a headache coming on. This girl was a subordinate of Mo Ling, and even if he wanted to drive her away, he would have to consider Mo Ling's feelings. However, arguing with her would not only be a waste of mental energy but also difficult to ensure that he wouldn't be affected by the content of their argument. Just like that, before the match even began, Jiang Wei started to feel immense pressure. At this moment, someone stepped forward to intervene.
Xu Rou stared at Song Qiao, her eyes wide with anger, and snapped, "What are you doing!" Song Qiao stopped, turned back, and smiled, "Thanks, I'll treat you to a meal sometime." With that, he strode onto the training ground. Xu Rou, left below, pouted and muttered, "As if I'd want your meal..."
Jiang Wei looked at Song Qiao before him and a look of disdain immediately appeared on his face. "I didn't expect you to perform quite well. I thought I wouldn't need to step in today." Song Qiao chuckled in response, "It makes no difference whether you step in or not. So I suggest you get out of the way early, lest you end up like the previous two, crippled by me!"
Hearing Song Qiao's tone, the crowd below collectively let out a hiss, pointing fingers and accusing Song Qiao of being overconfident. However, Jiang Wei showed no displeasure. Instead, he calmly admitted, "To be honest, my strength is the weakest among us three examiners. You must have felt it; when Xie Zhong wasn't using his sword, I was barely his equal. You say you can cripple me, and I naturally believe you, but... the premise is that you can touch me!" Jiang Wei's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he said coldly, "The moniker 'Little Divine Movement' is not self-proclaimed. You will soon experience it!"
Hearing Jiang Wei's words, Song Qiao couldn't help but burst into laughter. Looking at him as if he were an idiot, he said, "Truly strong individuals have no need to take on nicknames. Your defeat is inevitable anyway, let's begin!"