Chapter 471 - 453: Goal: Champion

Chapter 471: Chapter 453: Goal: Champion

CLAP! CLAP!

The stands instantly erupted in thunderous applause and a tsunami of cheers.

"He’s too strong! What’s there to analyze? Reality is just this unreasonable. Lin Qi is just too strong!"

"Even Hattori Chouzai, a fourth-year from Japan, was completely crushed. Is he planning to go for the championship?"

In stark contrast to the Xia Country audience’s excitement, the contestants from Japan looked as if they’d just lost their parents.

Their country had few contestants to begin with, and now they had lost another. Only a single contestant remained.

Most importantly, Hattori Chouzai had been so brutally beaten that many of them couldn’t help but put themselves in his shoes.

It was as if their nation, Japan, was being trampled by Xia Country.

In the Japan section of the stands, Hattori Chouzai was teleported back. His composure shattered in an instant, and he began to scream:

"Dammit!!"

His eyes were bloodshot and looked ready to burst from their sockets as he tried to find Lin Qi from Xia Country to fight him to the death, but he was held back by others.

Watching from not far away, Kitano Wakana felt a sense of vindictive pleasure.

’I knew Hattori Chouzai could never beat Lin Qi.’

Thinking of this, her admiration for Lin Qi grew even stronger. ’If only he were my boyfriend...’

At that thought, a blush involuntarily crept onto her pretty face.

Meanwhile, a few other, more powerful contestants frowned deeply, such as a man with small eyes wearing a long green robe.

He was Araki, a top-level fourth-year genius from Japan. They didn’t have any SSS-level geniuses this year.

However, they had two SS-level geniuses, and he was the stronger of the two. Even Hattori Chouzai was no match for him.

’He really is strong. If I were up there, I wouldn’t be his match either unless I used my Little Divine Power.’

Araki’s expression was grim. ’Xia Country truly lives up to its reputation as the most powerful nation in the world, always producing such monsters.’

...

Meanwhile, the other contestants who had not yet been eliminated and were extremely confident in their own abilities all had different expressions after watching the match.

「In the Bear Country stands」

Ivan Petrov, a tall man with a high-bridged nose, clapped his hands and laughed.

"Lin Qi from Xia Country is very strong."

"He’ll be a formidable opponent in the future. Unfortunately, this is my last time competing in this tournament."

"My juniors are going to have a rough time."

...

「In the Tianzhu Country stands」

Niting, a bald man with an ordinary face, also let out a breath after watching.

"There’s always someone better out there!"

"I didn’t expect another genius to appear!"

The woman next to him spoke.

"Lin Qi from Xia Country is strong, but he’s no match for you."

Niting shook his head. "In another year, he might be able to surpass me."

"The Global Martial Arts Tournament is just a small interlude on his life’s path."

"For a genius like him, even the Ninth Realm might not be his final destination."

...

「In the White Eagle Federation stands.」

Jenos, a burly black man, grinned.

"Interesting. This kid from Xia Country has some decent Talent!"

"In the next Global Martial Arts Tournament, no one will be a match for him."

"But by then, I’ll be gone."

"Of course, if he gets matched with me, then he’s just unlucky."

...

「In the Xia Country stands」

Shen Heng, Zhang Tianyang, and Lei Frost exchanged glances and sighed in amazement.

"Lin Qi has gotten stronger again. It’ll be even more difficult to defeat him now."

"His growth rate is truly astonishing!"

"It seems I’m not the only one who’s been improving."

...

「In the VIP stands」

Xue Zhou’s eyes lit up as he looked at Lin Qi.

"I haven’t seen him in a few months. Has that kid Lin Qi already gotten this strong?"

"Unless it’s a Seventh Realm Martial Artist, it would be very difficult for anyone else to defeat him."

Someone else not far away also spoke slowly.

"The Lin Qi of today already has the Ability to contend for the championship."

Everyone turned to look. Standing next to Dean Liu was Mu Hong, a man with stern features dressed in a black robe. It was he who had spoken.

"Old Mu, it looks like you’re back."

"Old Mu, Lin Qi is your disciple. You seem quite confident in him!"

Everyone laughed. Mu Hong nodded to them in greeting.

Dean Liu also spoke slowly.

"No one who makes it into the top 32 is particularly weak. It all depends on their actual combat performance."

"For Lin Qi to be among them, it seems he’s made significant progress recently."

"It has completely exceeded our expectations."

At this moment, the King of Mountains and Rivers, his face resolute, also spoke slowly.

"Let’s keep watching. Perhaps there will be a surprise."

Everyone nodded and turned their attention back to the competition.

Meanwhile, in the Japan section of the stands not far away, their high-level officials all looked displeased but didn’t dare to vent their frustration.

They knew that even if they spoke in whispers, the Martial Artists from Xia Country would overhear them.

All they could do was bottle up their dissatisfaction.

...

「In the Xia Country stands」

Lin Qi was also teleported back. Jiangtao, who was beside him, couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

"Brother Qi, you’re so fucking awesome!"

The others also let out sounds of amazement.

Wan Ming exclaimed in admiration:

"Brother Qi, you’re really going to compete for the championship."

"Any contestant who reaches the top 32 has the ability to compete for the championship. It’s just a matter of probability," Lin Qi stated calmly.

The others had to agree. Without them even realizing it, Lin Qi was once again on the path to contend for the championship.

They had been left behind.

Defeating Hattori Chouzai didn’t cause much of a stir in Lin Qi’s heart.

His goal now was to win the championship. Only a contestant on the level of Shen Heng could make him feel anything.

He fixed his gaze on the arena and continued to watch the matches.

As time passed, one expert after another took the stage.

Niting Reddy, the SSS-level genius from Tianzhu Country, whose Awakened Special Ability was [Cold Ice].

Ivan Petrov, the SSS-level genius from Bear Country, whose Awakened Special Ability was [Spiritual Mind Master].

Jenos Feratu, the SSS-level genius from the Silver Federation, whose Awakened Special Ability was [Earth Wall].

And from their own Xia Country, there was Shen Hen, whose [Thunder] had left a deep impression on him.

Besides them, there was another group of experts—all fourth-year SS-level geniuses who had also mastered a Little Divine Power.

They were only a notch below the SSS-level geniuses.

Then there were the third-year SSS-level geniuses.

These were the absolute top-level geniuses in this Martial Arts tournament.

Another hour later, the seventh round officially ended.

The top 32 had been officially decided.

Jiangtao laughed beside him.

"Xia Country is the strongest, as expected! A full seven of our people made it into the top 32. That’s more than a fifth!"

Wan Ming also laughed. "Actually, in the earlier rounds, there were other geniuses who could have made it to the top 32."

"Like Hattori Chouzai from Japan. He was just unlucky enough to run into Brother Qi."

At this, everyone laughed.

"Dear audience members and contestants!"

Just as everyone was chatting idly, the King of Mountains and Rivers’ projection appeared once again, his deep voice booming:

"After an hour of fierce competition, our top 32 contestants have been determined."

"Next, we will seamlessly transition into the eighth round to determine the top 16."

"Contestants who advance to the top 16 will receive a prize of one hundred and sixty million Xia Country Coins, as well as 6,000 kilograms of Level 7 Calamity Beast Flesh and Blood and 500 kilograms of Level 8 Calamity Beast Flesh and Blood."

"The eighth round now officially begins!"

As soon as his voice fell, a magnificent landscape of mountains and rivers materialized behind the King of Mountains and Rivers.

It depicted the famous mountains and rivers of various countries, such as Xia Country’s Five Peaks and the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

The White Eagle Federation’s Yellowstone National Park, the Sunset Country’s Thames River, the Bear Country’s Lake Baikal, Maple Country’s Niagara Falls...

BOOM!!

All the scenic landscapes converged to form a new tournament bracket, and 16 matchups appeared.

...