Chapter 39: Winning Streak

In an elimination tournament involving tens of thousands of people, the audience's attention is often focused on the key figures.

According to the tournament rules, losing two matches in a row results in automatic elimination, and exceeding ten total losses also leads to automatic elimination.

Therefore, losing a single match still leaves one with a chance, but accumulating ten losses will inevitably result in elimination.

Conversely, achieving a hundred-match winning streak grants automatic advancement to the top one thousand list.

This rule was listed separately, primarily to protect certain rising star disciples who suddenly emerge.

A hundred consecutive wins are sufficient to prove their strength; there is no need for them to continue participating in such massive elimination rounds, as doing so would severely deplete their physical stamina.

Consequently, the general audience is most interested in those capable of maintaining such winning streaks.

When the competition begins, the matchups are drawn randomly, meaning no one knows who their opponent will be before the matches start.

Many people secretly hope not to encounter anyone in the top two hundred of the Stone Wall Rankings, as the likelihood of losing would be much higher.

At the start of the competition, the audience's focus is usually on the elite Hall disciples ranked between twentieth and thirtieth. After all, with the top ten not participating, they are the last group capable of achieving long winning streaks.

However, after twenty rounds of matches, only two people remained on the field maintaining their winning streaks.

One of them was Ling Ziran, ranked twentieth.

His battles could be described as extremely smooth; almost every opponent was defeated by him in a single move, completely unable to fight back.

The referees for this annual grand competition were no ordinary people; they were experts from the Ling family and specialists who had presided over many previous major tournaments.

Their judgment was highly accurate.

Who won and who lost could often be determined in an instant.

Thus, sometimes a battle did not need to last very long; if they felt it was sufficient, they would call an end to it.

"Ling Ziran is too strong! I wonder if he has a chance to break into the top ten this time!"

"It's definitely possible. You might not know, but Ling Ziran has privately challenged members of the top ten and actually won."

"No wonder he's so formidable! But who is the other person on a winning streak? I haven't seen him before."

"That guy? I've heard of him. His name is Ling Xiao. He's been rising like a comet among the bottom-tier disciples lately. Still, twenty consecutive wins is quite astonishing."

Indeed, of the two people with twenty consecutive wins, one was Ling Ziran, whom everyone expected to challenge the top ten.

The other was Ling Xiao, a true dark horse!

"It's his turn again. Come on, let's go watch the excitement. Let's see what makes this guy so special so we can be on guard if we encounter him later."

"Let's go!"

Although many matches were being held simultaneously, only the matches involving Ling Ziran and Ling Xiao were truly drawing attention.

This was because they were the only two remaining who had a chance to trigger the hundred-win rule.

"Round twenty-one! Number 9588 versus Number 6590!"

With a flash of his figure, Ling Xiao appeared on the martial stage.

He did not make any deliberate attempt to hide his movement technique.

After all, word had already spread; many people knew his movement technique was outstanding, so there was no point in hiding it.

His opponent was merely a martial artist at the peak of the second level of the Martial Vein, and facing Ling Xiao, he was already intimidated.

"Great Strength Punch!"

The opponent roared, seemingly to bolster his own courage.

He employed a mid-level fist technique that possessed decent power, yet against Ling Xiao, it was simply insufficient.

"Get down!"

Ling Xiao merely took a casual step forward, then, like a charging bull, his fists transformed into two horns.

He sent his opponent flying directly off the stage.

"Hey, was that the Bull Force?"

"That's right, it's the basic martial art, Bull Force! But how can its power be so immense!"

"Number 9588 wins, twenty-one consecutive wins!"

Surprise flashed in the eyes of the referees, not just because Ling Xiao had reached twenty-one wins.

More importantly, in all twenty-one matches, Ling Xiao had defeated his opponents in a single move.

Even more absurd was the fact that he was using the basic martial art, Bull Force!

"He probably only dares to use Bull Force against opponents at the second level of the Martial Vein."

One couldn't blame people for saying that. The key was that it might just be a coincidence; Ling Xiao's luck over these twenty-one matches had been truly excellent, with his strongest opponent being only at the second level of the Martial Vein.

Those who were unwilling to see Ling Xiao succeed naturally found all sorts of reasons to disparage him.

"Number 9588 versus Number 3489!"

After a short rest, the twenty-second round began.

The opponent in this match was also at the peak of the second level of the Martial Vein.

Therefore, Ling Xiao showed almost no hesitation.

As soon as the referee called the start, he took the initiative to attack.

It was still Bull Force.

It was still just one move.

The opponent was once again sent flying off the martial stage.

It wasn't that he was being ruthless.

It was primarily due to the rules.

A match only truly ends when an opponent is knocked off the stage or surrenders.

In other words, even if a referee makes a judgment, it is merely a reference; if a contestant disagrees, the fight must continue.

To avoid trouble, he simply knocked them off the stage with a single punch.

However, none of the disciples he knocked off were seriously injured; by now, his control over his strength had become very proficient.

"Hmph, nothing special. He's just lucky. His opponents are still only at the second level of the Martial Vein. Why can't he face someone at the third level!"

Among the spectators, there were still those who were dissatisfied.

"Number 9588 wins, twenty-two consecutive wins!"

The referee seemed somewhat desensitized; the previous shock was gone, and he merely announced the result mechanically.

However, to the annoyance of those waiting to see Ling Xiao fail, Ling Xiao still did not encounter a single third-level Martial Vein warrior in the next ten matches.

Given the massive number of participants, and the fact that the vast majority were second-level Martial Vein warriors, this was understandable.

"Number 9588 wins! Thirty-two consecutive wins!"

"Brother Ziran, this Ling Xiao guy is too lucky. You've already encountered two third-level Martial Vein warriors, but he hasn't met a single one!"

Below the stage, many people were watching the excitement during the intervals between matches.

Among them were two people: Ling Ziran, who was also maintaining a winning streak, and Ling Yu, who had lost two matches so far.

The speaker was Ling Yu; this woman certainly knew how to charm men.

She had already managed to entangle herself with Ling Ziran again so quickly.

"Don't worry, Sister Yu. As long as I get the chance to face this Ling Xiao, I will definitely teach him a lesson for you."

Ling Ziran said coldly, "However, this guy is quite lucky. If he encounters consecutive third-level Martial Vein warriors in the upcoming rounds, he might be eliminated directly. I might not even get the chance to teach him a lesson."

Clearly, Ling Ziran held Ling Xiao in contempt.

Although he knew Ling Xiao had once used trickery to defeat Ling Tieshou, many people felt that battle was merely an accident.

Some even claimed that Ling Tieshou had intentionally acted weak to play the "pig to eat the tiger" strategy for the annual grand competition.

"Number 9588 versus Number 140!"

"Hmm? That's Ling Hu! Ling Hu, ranked one hundred and fortieth in the elite Hall, with a third-level Martial Vein cultivation. Now we'll see some real action!"

Just as Ling Ziran was feeling bored and preparing to return to wait for his own opponent, the situation finally changed.

"Ling Hu! Teach that show-off a lesson!"

"Yeah, that kid is too arrogant!"

Ling Xiao had used basic martial arts to save his true qi, but unexpectedly, people took it as him showing off.

This was quite an injustice.

However, it was obvious that many people were already displeased with him.

After all, when a little beggar suddenly becomes a prominent figure, many people find it hard to maintain their sense of balance.

"Ling Xiao, I've been looking at you with disdain for a long time! I am the one who will end your winning streak!"

(End of Chapter)