Chapter 135: Arrogant Freshman

Chapter 135: Arrogant Freshman

Bai Ziyue slammed three blue crystal cards on the betting counter.

"1,300 credits!"

The blue-robed bookmaker stared at Bai Ziyue in disbelief, as did everyone around them.

"Kid, are you out of your mind? Betting 1,300 credits on a freshman?" the bookmaker exclaimed.

"That's right. Every credit on these cards, I'm putting it all in," Bai Ziyue replied confidently.

"Wow, looks like someone's here to donate their credits!"

"This guy must be a freshman himself. He probably doesn't understand how things work yet," someone nearby remarked mockingly.

As the betting pool closed, all eyes turned to the stage where Mu Feng and Li Huan prepared to fight.

Li Huan glanced at Bai Ziyue and then at Mu Feng, smirking. "Those two are with you, right? Looks like they've got a lot of faith in you."

Mu Feng returned the smirk. "Please, Senior, make your move."

"Hmph! Dealing with a freshman like you won't take more than ten moves," Li Huan scoffed. Golden Yuan energy enveloped his body as he stepped forward. Raising his hand, a dazzling golden light gathered in his palm.

"Crushing Gold Palm!"

The mid-tier Yellow-level Yuan technique radiated power. Li Huan had clearly perfected it, and his strike carried an intensity capable of shattering stone.

The palm strike shot toward Mu Feng, its pressure sending waves of wind in all directions. Mu Feng, however, stood with his hands behind his back, unmoving. The eight energy vortices in his dantian churned as he prepared his counterstrike.

"Take this!" Li Huan roared, his palm hurtling toward Mu Feng's chest.

At the last moment, Mu Feng moved. His fist shot forward, generating a series of crisp pops from his arm, as if his bones were resonating with power. White light enveloped his fist as it met Li Huan's palm head-on.

Boom!

A shockwave rippled across the arena. The golden palm imprint in Li Huan's attack shattered under Mu Feng's strike. The counterforce sent Li Huan staggering back four or five steps, his eyes wide with disbelief as Mu Feng remained steadfast.

"Impossible!" Li Huan gasped.

The audience erupted in astonishment.

"Did that freshman just block Li Huan's Crushing Gold Palm with a basic technique?"

"Unbelievable!"

Li Huan, his face darkening, gritted his teeth. "That was a fluke! Let's see how you handle this!"

Golden energy flared as Li Huan charged again, both palms glowing with brilliance. Mu Feng matched him, meeting the double palm strikes with a flurry of punches.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of blows echoed across the arena. Every Crushing Gold Palm Li Huan unleashed was neutralized by Mu Feng's seemingly rudimentary punches.

Suddenly, Li Huan's palm missed its target. Mu Feng sidestepped, driving a punch directly into Li Huan's abdomen.

Thud!

Li Huan spat blood as the Twelvefold Tongmai Punch delivered its combined force. His body arced through the air before crashing outside the stage.

Mu Feng calmly retracted his fist, exhaling softly. His breathing was steady, his expression serene, as though the fight had not even taxed him.

The crowd stared in stunned silence.

"He won… with the Tongmai Punch?"

"This freshman is no ordinary guy!"

"Let's go, let's go! Payout time!" Bai Ziyue shouted jubilantly as he collected the winnings. He gleefully transferred the newly won credits onto their cards.

Those who had bet against Mu Feng glared bitterly, muttering curses under their breath.

The bookmaker grimaced as he handed over 1,300 credits. Bai Ziyue, Mu Kuang, and Mu Feng's combined cards now boasted several thousand credits each.

"A freshman… actually beat Li Huan," muttered the white-robed student who had mocked them earlier. His face twisted in disbelief before he quietly slipped away, unwilling to face the humiliation of admitting he was wrong.

On stage, Mu Feng clasped his fists and called out, "Is there another senior who would like to offer guidance?"

"I don't believe this! Let's see what you're made of, freshman!"

A black-robed youth leapt onto the stage, introducing himself. "Zhang Zheng, seventh level of the Zifu Stage. Mu Feng, do you dare face me?"

Mu Feng nodded. The betting began again, and this time, more people wagered on Mu Feng, though many still favored Zhang Zheng.

Zhang Zheng, unlike Li Huan, had a cultivation advantage. Previously, when Zhang Zheng had challenged Li Huan, Li Huan had refused, citing the cultivation disparity.

Once the bets were placed, Zhang Zheng launched his attack.

"Tiger Shock Punch!"

Golden light wrapped around his fist as a tiger's roar echoed, a phantom tiger materializing in the air and roaring toward Mu Feng. The power of the technique stirred a fierce wind.

Mu Feng's expression turned serious. This wasn't a technique he could dismiss with basic strikes. Bringing his fingers together, golden light gathered at their tips. Twin streams of golden energy shot forth, slicing through the tiger phantom and dispersing the attack.

Seizing the moment, Mu Feng leapt into the air, twisting his body mid-flight. Unleashing his full strength, his cultivation at the eighth level of the Zifu Stage became evident. His foot arced down toward Zhang Zheng with immense force.

Zhang Zheng's face paled. He crossed his arms defensively.

Boom!

The kick sent Zhang Zheng flying off the stage, landing hard. Mu Feng landed gracefully, unscathed.

"Eighth level of the Zifu Stage!" the crowd exclaimed. The revelation of Mu Feng's cultivation stunned the audience.

"Freshmen are supposed to be under eighteen! How did he reach the eighth level of the Zifu Stage? No wonder he defeated Li Huan and Zhang Zheng!"

The gamblers who had bet against Mu Feng cursed their luck, realizing they had been fooled by his apparent status as a freshman.

"More credits! More credits!" Bai Ziyue and Mu Kuang laughed as they gathered their winnings.

The bookmaker, his face ashen, had lost over 3,000 credits to them. Sending a signal to a nearby blue-robed senior, he watched as the senior nodded and stepped onto the stage.

The crowd murmured in recognition.

"Zhou Tao? He's a third-year student who's been at Tianyun for six years. Is he going to challenge the freshman?"

"That kid isn't dumb. Zhou Tao's at the Greater Heaven tier of the Zifu Stage. He won't accept the challenge."

Zhou Tao cupped his fists at Mu Feng. "Zhou Tao, third-year student at Tianyun Academy, Greater Heaven tier of the Zifu Stage. Will you accept my challenge?"

The crowd held their breath, expecting Mu Feng to refuse.

"Alright!" Mu Feng replied without hesitation, his voice calm and unwavering.