Forbidden Zone of the Human Race

Chapter 257: Fierce Battle

The two combatants slowly walked toward each other, each licking their lips in anticipation.

“Wait, Xiang Ning doesn’t have a weapon!”

“Why do you care so much? We just need to make sure that both of them get injured from their fight!”

“But didn’t Wu Rui lose to Xiang Ning before?”

“Who cares if he can win or not, we just need to stall this.”

Anran didn’t know much about the details of the events in Marsh City. While she felt disgusted by the other contestants’ behavior and language, she also learned that Xiang Ning was very strong. Xiang Ning's eyes were relaxed, yet filled with determination. She was curious about his strength, which made even geniuses shiver in fear.

She was also intrigued by Wu Rui. His information had stated that he was only a tier three eight-star martial artist, but the pressure he was giving off right now was close to tier four. She’d met many strong martial artists, as she herself was a tier four martial artist, and not even she had the confidence to win against Wu Rui in his current condition. Even if she could win, it would be a difficult victory where she would be heavily wounded. And looking at Wu Rui calling himself the challenger, she wondered how strong Xiang Ning would be as the one being challenged.

“Come! Let me see how much you’ve improved!” Xiang Ning smiled as he raised his fist and punched Wu Rui. The punch he used wasn’t reinforced with his Mental Power.

Wu Rui answered with his own punch. The pressure from his fist was stronger than Xiang Ning’s.

Anran closed her eyes and came to a conclusion: Xiang Ning was weaker than Wu Rui.

Their fists collided and Wu Rui took half a step back. Xiang Ning took a full step back instead.

Wu Rui was displeased. He picked up his iridium rod and took ten steps back, then shook his head in disappointment. Everyone thought that he was disappointed with Xiang Ning’s strength and that the opponent he had been waiting for was weak. But was that really the case?

Xiang Ning didn’t mind and smiled. “Hey, one of you, go and get me a longsword.”

The other three immediately complied and took out an iridium longsword from the weapon cache and tossed it toward Xiang Ning. They were terrified by the clash between the two.

Xiang Ning took it and gave it a few swings. “Hmm, too light.”

“Hehe.” Anran chuckled when she heard that. Wu Rui was using an Mk. 4 iridium rod that weighed a hundred and thirty kilograms. To be able to use it so fluidly meant that he had extremely amazing talent.

Xiang Ning was holding a Mk. 4 iridium longsword that weighed a hundred and thirty-two kilograms, heavier than Wu Rui’s weapon by two kilograms. He had already shown that his strength was weaker than Wu Rui; surely he must be joking saying that it was light?

Anran didn’t know whether he was faking or not, but the fight should show the truth.

“Mountain Crash!” Wu Rui dug his foot into the floor and shot forward like an arrow. He was now capable of traveling at a speed of forty-one meters per second. He appeared in front of Xiang Ning almost instantaneously, his iridium rod swishing through the air like the rotor of a helicopter.

Any strong martial artist could sense that the power behind the rod would be enough to kill a tier three beast in a single blow. To use it against a human would either cripple or kill them. Just like the predecessors of Wu Rui’s clan, he had revealed his killing intent at the start of the match.

Xiang Ning kept his composure and moved the moment Wu Rui swung his arm. He used the Shadowmist Ghost Step and evaded. Before everyone could react the rod had been brought down. But rather than the soft thud of a human body, a loud clang exploded as a shockwave rippled across the arena.

Xiang Ning was standing to one side, his face still relaxed.

The other eight contestants were in shock. Are we not in the same tier? Why’re they so strong?

Anran was surprised too. “A Peak Mastery Mountain Crash and a Peak Mastery Shadowmist Ghost Step. What kind of monsters are these?”

Wu Rui’s Mountain Crash had advanced to Peak Mastery thanks to his experience on the battlefield. Various chance encounters, intense fights, realization, and his will to win against Xiang Ning had forced him to grow like crazy.

“Earthquake!” Wu Rui explosively twisted his waist as he spun his body in the air. A dent was left in the metal floor that could normally withstand the attack from a tier five martial artist! He increased the momentum of the iridium rod as he spun his body and brought it down at blinding speed.

Xiang Ning roared in retaliation and used his Mountain-Splitting Slash. The enormous strength coursed through his arm as he swung his sword upward.

“Mountain-Splitting Slash!”

Their weapons clashed and sparks flew everywhere. The screeching and groaning sound of metal reverberated across the arena as their weapons seemingly fused together. No one knew whether Wu Rui’s rod was cut or Xiang Ning’s sword was broken.

Their weapons flew up as Wu Rui took two steps backward while Xiang Ning stood his ground. When the weapon fell back down to the ground everyone saw that Xiang Ning’s sword had cut into Wu Rui’s rod.

“Holy shit! These are Mk. 4 iridium weapons! What kind of monstrous strength do they possess?!” Anran’s heart was beating fast in excitement. Even on Azura—no! Not even she could do it!

While everyone was unsure of what to do next, she walked to the weapon cache and took out two weapons, then tossed them toward Wu Rui and Xiang Ning.

When both of them held the new weapons they were somewhat surprised. Xiang Ning held the sword in his hand and studied it. “Heh, finally it's heavy enough.”

Wu Rui smiled as well.

The other eight contestants were at a loss. “Wait, this is impossible! How could they both even pick up Mk. 5 iridium weapons?!”

“This… this isn’t real! Even if they can pick one up, there’s no way they could swing it!”

“Mk. 5 weapons are at least a hundred and eighty kilograms!”

The scene that unfolded before their eyes soon made them realize why almost no one else from Marsh City had joined the screening process. With Wu Rui and Xiang Ning here, the rest of the people would just be cannon fodder.

The five people who had fought against Wu Rui before that were secretly relieved that they weren’t fighting against him in his current condition. A single hit would be enough to send them to heaven.

The clash between Wu Rui and Xiang Ning lasted only three seconds, but Wu Rui’s overwhelming pressure had already surpassed tier three. He was a tier four martial artist!