Chapter 132: The Semifinals

Following two rounds of combat, there should have been eleven qualifiers, but due to one contestant withdrawing because of severe injuries, the third round proceeded with only ten.

Since the winner had to be decided within a single day, the intensity of the matches was extreme. Competitors had to avoid taking heavy damage at all costs; otherwise, even if they won, they would be forced to withdraw.

The draw for the ten contestants was quickly finalized, and Du Long soon found himself standing on the arena stage. His opponent was a fourth-year martial arts student who had reached the intermediate level of the ninth-stage Qi Cyclone.

Du Long had long prepared for battles against these ninth-stage opponents. Back when he was only at the fourth stage, he had managed to defeat Fan Tong, who possessed the strength of the seventh stage. Fighting three levels above his own within the same major rank was not a major issue for him.

It was worth noting that he was currently carrying over a thousand pounds of weight on his body. He wore this burden throughout his daily routine—eating, sleeping, and moving—without exception. While anyone who had reached the high stages of the Qi Cyclone could technically lift such a weight, no one else could carry it for an entire day without it affecting their agility or causing them to feel fatigued.

Once he shed this burden, his overall capabilities would experience a terrifying surge. This was not even considering the immense physical toughness granted by his Innate Profound Yang physique, which was far beyond anything an ordinary martial artist of the Qi Cyclone rank could compare to.

"Du Long, I truly didn't expect us to end up on the same stage. To be honest, I really admire you!" Du Long’s opponent remarked with a look of genuine surprise.

"Haha! Brother Yuntian, you flatter me!" Du Long replied with a polite bow. His opponent was the younger brother of Yang Yunfeng, known as the Second Son of the Yang Family.

"It is no flattery! You are the second person in the history of our Royal Academy to dare participate in the live combat assessment after only one year of enrollment and make it to the top five," Yang Yuntian said, shaking his head with a sigh. "However, I won't go easy on you today! Prepare to give it your all!"

"Understood! I will give it my all. Forgive me, Brother Yuntian!" With the referee having already signaled the start of the match, Du Long did not stand on ceremony and launched the first strike.

"Well fought!" Yang Yuntian exclaimed excitedly as he engaged him. The two battled before a crowd of countless spectators. After a dozen rounds, their strengths appeared to be evenly matched.

"My God! To think he can hold his own against the Second Son of the Yang family, who is at the ninth stage of the Qi Cyclone! How is Du Long doing this?!" Many in the audience were stunned to see Du Long fighting without faltering.

"Is there any other way to improve one's strength so quickly besides recklessly consuming second-grade spirit liquid? Even if one spent twelve hours a day soaking in a spirit-gathering cave, they couldn't possibly cultivate that fast!"

"If his strength is truly boosted by constant consumption of second-grade spirit liquid, then wouldn't it be impossible for Du Long to break through the Qi Cyclone rank in the future? Could he be unaware of such a grave consequence?"

The audience whispered among themselves, while on the stage, the battle between Du Long and Yang Yuntian turned fierce. In truth, Du Long was slightly inferior in raw strength but held an advantage in speed, leaving their overall combat effectiveness quite similar.

Such closely matched battles looked incredibly intense. Thanks to his Innate Profound Yang physique and the hellish training imposed on him by the spirit within his ring whenever she had the chance, Du Long's physical toughness had reached a staggering level. Despite being slightly weaker in power, he grew more courageous with every collision.

Conversely, Yang Yuntian became increasingly shocked and unsettled. He could clearly feel that his own power was greater, yet after every clash, his arms ached unbearably, while his opponent acted as if nothing had happened.

*How is this possible?* Haunted by this question, Yang Yuntian gritted his teeth and persisted. Unfortunately, the numbness in his arms caused his movements to shift from agile to sluggish. Since his speed was already inferior to his opponent's, the situation worsened until Du Long found an opening and blasted him off the stage.

Forced to accept his defeat, Yang Yuntian looked up at Du Long and smiled bitterly. "Sigh! I accept this defeat wholeheartedly. When you have time, let's join Yunfeng and have a few drinks together!"

"Brother Yuntian, why wait for another day? There are no matches this morning anyway, so why don't we have lunch together?" Du Long replied with a smile.

Yang Yuntian was momentarily stunned. He never expected Du Long to extend the invitation on the spot. Without much hesitation, he nodded. "That works! Let's meet for lunch then. But it’s settled—you’re paying! I know you’re a wealthy lord now, and you’ve successfully reached the top five, so we must celebrate! Haha!"

"Haha! No problem!" Du Long agreed readily, jumped off the stage, and pulled Yang Yuntian along to meet up with their friends. With only one other match still ongoing on the stage, they didn't bother watching and headed straight to the academy cafeteria. They couldn't leave the campus for lunch, as there were more matches in the afternoon and there wouldn't be enough time for a round trip.

In a private room at the cafeteria, the young men toasted each other in a lively atmosphere. When questioned by the others, Du Long did not offer many explanations. He admitted that he had just reached the sixth stage of the Qi Cyclone, but even so, many suspected he was relying on second-grade spirit liquid and urged him not to be reckless, warning him that excessive consumption would surely stunt his future growth.

Even his two confidantes, Princess Huofeng and Xia Qinglian, were deeply worried. Although they had heard Du Long's explanation regarding the so-called Profound Yang and Profound Yin physiques, such theories did not exist on the Star Continent, leaving them feeling uneasy. However, the two women decided to trust him—after all, his ability to tame a fifth-grade spirit beast like the Blazing Unicorn Lion and raise a massive army of demonic beasts gave his words a great deal of weight.

Lunch ended quickly. Du Long didn't drink much, knowing he had more matches in the afternoon. His friends didn't pressure him, and whenever Yang Yuntian tried to offer him a drink, Princess Huofeng stepped in to intercept, eventually forcing him to give up.

During the next draw, Du Long learned that the final pair from the previous round had both been severely injured, and the winner was unable to compete in the afternoon. Thus, the top five became the top four. After the draw, the semifinals began.

By this stage, apart from Du Long, the other three were all at the peak of the ninth stage of the Qi Cyclone. Yet, none of them dared to underestimate the lower-year student.

"I never thought you would make it to the semifinals! I can't tell if it’s just your luck or true strength," his opponent muttered as if to himself.

"Greetings, Second Prince Shang," Du Long said with a polite bow.

His semifinal opponent was the current Second Prince and the older brother of Princess Huofeng. However, he was born to Imperial Concubine Fan and did not have a good relationship with Huofeng; Du Long had no prior interactions with him.

"Hmph! Don't think that just because you defeated that weakling Yang Yuntian, you can challenge me. If you don't want to lose miserably, just forfeit now!" Prince Qin Shang said coldly.

Du Long knew this precious son of Concubine Fan well; the man had some talent in martial arts, but his arrogance was legendary.

"Heh! No one in the Du family ever surrenders without a fight! Even if I lose, I will lose with honor," Du Long replied with an indifferent smile.

"In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Prince Qin Shang retorted coldly and launched an attack without further warning.

Du Long’s smile faded, and he met the charge without backing down. After several fierce collisions, Du Long realized this man was far stronger than Yang Yuntian; there was a significant gap between the peak and the intermediate levels of the ninth stage.

With every impact, Du Long was staggered by the immense force, struggling to maintain his balance. However, relying on his Wind-Walking footwork and physical toughness, he steadied his offense and avoided revealing any fatal openings.

Faced with an opponent whose base combat power far exceeded his own, Du Long defended while contemplating the second form of the Profound Yang Blade technique his ring-spirit mentor had taught him months ago: The Profound Yang Triple Wave.

It was essentially an extension of the Double Wave, adding a third layer of force to deliver three times the combat power. The Double Wave seemed simple, but after months of practice, Du Long had only managed to execute it a few times while standing perfectly still and wielding his Profound Yang Blade.

Attempting to manifest it through mere punches and kicks was an entirely different challenge.