"Luo Qiqi?"
The three of them committed the name to memory.
As hall masters, every single one of them was an existence who could take on ten opponents at once. Even so, they were still no match for the young lady.
"May I know if Lady Qiqi is interested in joining our Chongyuan Empire Combat Master Hall?" Zhao Yi asked.
"I'm not interested." Luo Qiqi shook her head.
If she wanted to join the Combat Master Hall, she would have taken the examination long ago. There was no way she would have waited until now. To be honest, all she wanted at the moment was to stay by her teacher's side.
"This …"
Having been rejected without any hesitation, Zhao Yi knew that it would be difficult for him to convince the other party to change her mind. With a bitter smile, he was just about to say a few more words when a deafening explosion suddenly echoed in the air.
At the very center of the Combat Master Hall, the Combat Master Hall sounded like the horn of a charge. A deep rumble of thunder sounded from it, as if it would tear the heavens apart at any moment.
"It's the Combat Master Assembly Order!"
The faces of the four hall masters immediately warped in horror.
The Combat Master Hall was responsible for the safety of the region, and most of the time, it was used for training and cultivation. However, as soon as the horn sounded, the members of the Combat Master Hall had to assemble immediately.
"Let's head over …"
Not daring to waste any time, the four of them hurriedly rushed toward the Combat Master Hall.
The fact that the horn was being sounded meant that something major had happened.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the square in front of the Combat Master Hall. At this moment, all of the combat masters had already gathered, and they were standing in formation with grim expressions on their faces.
Hula!
The four hall masters landed at the very front, and as soon as they landed on the ground, they felt an intense ripple of energy surging toward them, forming a massive barrier in the air.
"The headquarters have just sent a message …"
Upon seeing this, Hall Master Xing and the others heaved a sigh of relief.
They had thought that a war had broken out somewhere, but from the looks of it, that wasn't the case.
If a war had broken out, it would have been transmitted directly to their minds, and they would have set off immediately.
Hong long!
Just as they were speculating about what had happened, the voice of an old man slowly rang out as the energy flowed through them, resounding in everyone's hearts.
"Reporting from the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall that Combat Master Zheng Yang has cleared the Progeny of Combat challenge and become the new Progeny of Combat of the Combat Master Hall!"
Huala!
Then, on the energy screen, a figure slowly appeared, holding a long spear, with a sharp aura, as if he could break through the air at any time.
The current Zheng Yang was even sharper than before. In the past, although he was a divine weapon, he had never experienced battle, and had never been stained with blood. But now, his sharpness was on full display. Each and every one of his movements gave off an immense pressure.
It was as if he was touching a dagger that could easily cut through his flesh.
"Son of War?"
Zhao Yi, Wei Qianshu, and Liu Qinshan narrowed their eyes, and their bodies stiffened.
It had been three hundred years since the last Progeny of Combat had appeared in the Combat Master Hall.
He had thought that the Qingyuan Empire was just a defeated empire, and the Combat Master Hall was in dire straits. Who could have thought that the Combat Master Selection would actually succeed in the Progeny of Combat examination?
Putting everything else aside, just the 'kindness of his recommendation' was enough for him to soar to the top.
Their throats were dry, and the three of them were speechless.
They had been feeling a little frustrated that they hadn't gotten a single slot in the spar, thinking that they had been unlucky. But at this moment, they realized that it wasn't luck at all but the other party's strength that they were no match for.
Hall Master Xing narrowed his eyes in astonishment.
Zheng Yang hadn't been sent to the Combat Master Hall but to the headquarters instead, so there was a high chance that he would fail. Who could have thought that … he would actually succeed!
The Progeny of Combat … the future head of the Combat Master Hall, the future War God of the Master Teacher Continent!
To appear in their branch …
Weng!
While they were still in shock, the image on the energy screen suddenly changed. With a sweep of his spear, Zheng Yang charged right toward a massive dragon.
"Dragon Gate Formation …"
Hall Master Xing nodded.
In order to become the Progeny of Combat, one had to clear the Dragon Gate Formation first.
The Dragon Gate Formation was divided into three stages, namely the dragon's tail, dragon's back, and dragon's head. In each of these stages, there would be three cultivators, and they would be of the same cultivation realm as the challenger, one cultivation realm higher, two cultivation realms higher, three cultivation realms higher … all the way up to eight cultivation realms higher!
Furthermore, they had formed a formation, so one would have to defeat them in order to clear the trial.
It was for this reason that no one had ever succeeded in clearing the trial for the past three hundred years.
"The reason why the headquarters has sent a recording of the Progeny of Combat breaching the Dragon Gate Formation to all combat masters is to raise morale and show them the strength of the Progeny of Combat. At the same time, they will also know that the trial is fair and impartial, and there is no cheating involved!"
This recording had been recorded in a Record Crystal by the headquarters, so naturally, there was a reason for it.
It wasn't just to let everyone know the strength of the Progeny of Combat; more importantly, it was to establish their authority!
Through this, all combat masters would know the strength of the Progeny of Combat, and through that, they would be able to establish their authority.
Hula!
Hall Master Xing pondered for a moment before he saw that Zheng Yang had already arrived before the dragon's tail.
His spear pierced forth with a speed as swift as lightning, so fast that one couldn't even see it clearly.
"How powerful …"
Sensing the speed of the spear, Hall Master Xing felt a chill run down his spine, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
It was fortunate that he hadn't faced the other party before. If he had been at the same cultivation realm, he would have surely been pierced through the throat before he could even react.
While Hall Master Xing knew that he wasn't a match for the other party, the combat masters on the dragon's head swiftly reacted and countered with a spear of their own.
However, Zheng Yang didn't show the slightest hint of fear. With a slight sway of his body, he took a step forward. His movements might seem light, but for some inexplicable reason, he moved with incredible speed. In an instant, he appeared before one of the combat masters on the dragon's tail and swept his spear horizontally.
Peng!
With just a single strike, the combat master was sent flying. Following which, Zhang Xuan continued executing his spear art, and three moves later, the remaining two combat masters were defeated as well.
"What swift spear art!"
All of the combat masters on the square clenched their fists tightly in agitation, and their faces reddened in agitation.
This was especially so for those from the Martial Arts Division, and their eyes were practically glowing in excitement.
Breaking the Dragon's Tail, Zheng Yang had used a total of five moves. Each of them might have seemed simple, consisting of a straight thrust and a horizontal sweep, but they harnessed the ultimate essence of spear art, leaving one with no choice but to dodge and defend against them.
Even if they were to cultivate for several hundred years, or perhaps even their entire lives, they would never be able to achieve such a feat.
Of course, the dragon's tail was the simplest, followed by the dragon's back.
The three combat masters on the dragon's back were already three, four, and five cultivation stages higher than Zheng Yang, and they cleared the trial swiftly as well.
While it was a little more difficult, it did not pose too much of a hindrance to them.
"He used a total of seventeen spear moves!"
Hall Master Xing made a rough calculation.
After clearing the dragon's back, he walked up to the dragon's head.
The three combat masters were three cultivation stages higher than Zheng Yang, six, seven, and eight cultivation stages respectively. As soon as they made a move, a powerful gust of wind and lightning rumbled in the air.
In an instant, their auras blanketed the entire sky.
It was as if a Pureblooded True Dragon had appeared, and the sky darkened.
Standing in the midst of the storm, Zheng Yang felt like a withered leaf floating on the surface of a lake. It felt as if he would be swallowed by the storm at any moment, but somehow, he managed to remain standing in the sky.
Peng! Peng! Peng!
After an unknown period of time, the clouds and rain dispersed, revealing Zheng Yang's figure once again. He was panting heavily, and sweat continuously flowed down his forehead.
There were at least dozens of wounds on his body, and his injuries were severe. However, the three combat masters on the dragon's head had also been knocked to the ground. Clearly, they had already cleared the trial!
"Looks like I'll have to return the final Dragon Orb …"
The Dragon Gate Formation in the headquarters was guarded by the Dragon Orb.
In the past three hundred years, there had been nearly ten people who had cleared the simplified Dragon Gate Formation without the Dragon Orb, but not a single one of them had succeeded in clearing the Dragon Orb.
Standing on the spot, Zheng Yang took a few deep breaths to recover a little before proceeding forward. Fresh blood flowed from his wounds, and the tip of his spear left a deep crimson mark on the ground. However, he did not stop at all. Instead, his footsteps grew steadier and steadier.
It was as if there was a strong conviction in his heart that he would not back down even if he were to face death.
Boom boom boom!
He fought against the Dragon Orb.
The battle between the two was so intense that it felt as if space was being torn apart. Even Zheng Yang's spear had been shattered by the Dragon Orb.
However, he still did not give up. His punches, palm strikes, movement techniques, leg techniques … Each move was more exquisite than the one before it. In the end, he even used his body as a spear to breach the defense of the Dragon Orb.
"388 moves …"
Hall Master Xing's throat turned dry as he counted.
In the battle against the Dragon Orb, Zheng Yang had actually used close to four hundred moves.
Even though Zhang Xuan had defeated the other party, he was already close to his limit. His entire body was covered in blood, and there was not a single part of his body that was unscathed.
"It's not easy to become the Progeny of Combat!"
Seeing how the other party was still able to persevere despite his severe injuries, the combat masters fell silent.
To be honest, if they were in his shoes, they would have already given up on the Dragon Orb. This had nothing to do with strength but conviction.
It seemed like Zheng Yang carried a conviction that he would never lose. Even if dozens of holes were pierced through his body, he would still persevere to defeat his opponent.
This was something that they would never be able to match.
"I, Zheng Yang, am just an ordinary spearmanship practitioner in Tianxuan Kingdom!"
After the recording of the Dragon Gate Formation ended, Zheng Yang appeared before the crowd once more. This time, his injuries had fully recovered.
"I was fortunate to meet my teacher! He was the one who imparted me the most profound of spearmanship and set me as an example. He taught me the principles of a person and guided me step by step against the current to reach where I am today.
"The Way of the Spear is the Way of Humanity! Cultivation is the cultivation of one's life. The reason why I became the Progeny of Combat isn't because I possess superior strength but because I have my own principles and goals.
"I hope that all combat masters will be able to understand this.
"… Lastly, I will announce the first [Progeny of Combat Seal].
"We will heed the teachings of the Progeny of Combat!"
The members of the Combat Master Hall knelt down on one knee and clasped their fists.
The Progeny of Combat Seal was equivalent to the Hall Master Seal of the Combat Master Hall, equivalent to the Marshal's Seal of the army. All combat masters had to obey it unconditionally.
"I am a student of my teacher, and without him, I wouldn't be where I am today. In the future, everyone in the Combat Master Hall, regardless of who it is, has to treat him respectfully!"
"Yes!"
The crowd nodded in agreement.
Respect for one's teacher was something that everyone had to abide by. The teacher of the Progeny of Combat and the future hall master was the teacher of the entire Combat Master Hall.
If anyone dared to disrespect him, they would be disrespecting the entire Combat Master Hall.
"My teacher has always maintained a low profile, and this news is only known to the Combat Master Hall. Anyone who dares to spread this news will be killed without mercy!"
Zheng Yang said with killing intent boiling in his eyes.
"Yes!"
The crowd replied.
"Very well. I hope that you will remember his name."
"My teacher … Zhang Xuan!"
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