Chapter 31 Shock

In the arena, there was an absolute, dead silence.

Everyone knew that Shen Ye was a mysterious newcomer.

They had all guessed what kind of strength Shen Ye truly possessed.

However, no one had ever imagined that Shen Ye would possess such terrifying strength.

A moment later, the dead silence erupted into an uproar.

"A single strike, mere single strike, and he defeated Deng Xiaozi. This has to be at least the strength of the late fourth stage," someone exclaimed. The Beggar's Sect had the longest history, even older than Shaolin, and its members were the most widely distributed across the country. Therefore, in ancient times when transportation was inconvenient, the division of martial arts strength in the pugilistic world was entirely based on the rules of the Beggar's Sect.

Terms like weak third-bag, strong third-bag, strong third-bag, strong fifth-bag, and so on were commonly used.

In modern times, the Special Operations Unit established a new set of regulations.

The standards for strength were divided into nine tiers, from the first tier to the ninth tier, which largely overlapped with the Beggar's Sect's standards but were defined much more clearly.

For instance, the typical hallmark of the fifth tier was the ability to carve words directly into wood using only one's fingers.

The typical hallmark of the seventh tier was the transition of internal energy from the acquired realm to the innate realm, with innate genuine qi far surpassing acquired genuine qi.

As for the hallmark of the ninth tier, it was the ability to project internal qi outward. Be it sword qi or blade qi projection, all of them were characteristics of this stage.

Even a single tier difference meant a massive gap in power.

"This newcomer is so strong!" Infinite brilliant colors flashed in Ma Nuonuo's eyes. "It seems another formidable rival has appeared in the race for squad leader."

Tang Mo could not help but grip his own blade, cold sweat beading on his forehead as he repeatedly asked himself in his heart: "Can I possibly defeat such a powerful Shen Ye?"

Xuan Yuan Du also slapped his thigh in astonishment. "So strong! No wonder he dared to wager that he would win in a single move. He really does have some tricks up his sleeve."

His bookmaking this time resulted in a massive blood loss. Quite a few people had bet on Shen Ye, and Shen Ye alone walked away with a million and nine hundred thousand.

However, Xuan Yuan Du enjoyed the thrill of gambling and cared very little about winning or losing.

Hu Qi's mouth was wide open in shock. "We are both newcomers, yet I was easily defeated by Tang Mo, while Shen Ye easily defeated Deng Xiaozi. Shen Ye is too strong!"

When he recalled what he had said to comfort Shen Ye earlier—"Sigh, all of us newcomers are weak in strength and lack combat experience. I've already lost. You don't have to carry too much pressure; the worst that can happen is just losing a match."

"I've already come to terms with it anyway. We still have a long future ahead of us and can slowly train our strength."

At that, his face instantly flushed red.

...

Shen Ye stepped down from the ring, walked over to Deng Xiaozi's side, and extended his hand. "I'm sorry. Just now, in order to win the one million and nine hundred thousand bonus from Xuan Yuan Du, I didn't hold back and my strike was a bit too heavy."

Deng Xiaozi's mind had been in a brief state of numbness. She found it hard to believe that she had lost just like that.

It wasn't until Shen Ye extended his hand that she finally snapped back to her senses.

At this moment, the vital energy and blood within her body were churning violently, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

However, since Shen Ye had reached out to shake hands with good intentions, she naturally wouldn't refuse. After all, judging by the strength Shen Ye had just displayed, he undoubtedly had a bright future ahead of him. Being on good terms with such a person was definitely much better than making an enemy of him.

She placed her hand in Shen Ye's and stood up. "When you first joined the Special Operations Unit, I even guessed your strength. At the time, I thought you were just Squad Leader Shen's grandson, here merely to pad your resume. I never expected you to be so strong! Your strike left me injured even now. Besides, you won one million and nine hundred thousand with just that one blow. You'll have to treat me to dinner later."

"No problem," Shen Ye nodded.

"Then I'll mark it down. You owe me a meal," Deng Xiaozi said with a silvery laugh. "However, my entire body is aching and sore right now, so I need to go aside and heal my injuries."

Shen Ye could only shrug in response.

Afterward, he walked over to Xuan Yuan Du, stretched out his hand, and put on the posture of a creditor demanding a debt.

Xuan Yuan Du immediately issued a check for one million and nine hundred thousand on the spot and handed it to Shen Ye without a hint of hesitation. "What about the next match? If I run into your bout again, are we betting on a single move?"

He was a hopeless gambler and was already taking reservations for the next round's bookmaking.

"That will depend on who my next opponent is," Shen Ye dared not make any rash promises. Without his boxing gloves and without unleashing his heavy strength surge, his current strength was somewhat higher than a fifth-tier expert's, but not by a wide margin. If he faced a third-tier opponent, it would be impossible to resolve the issue with a single blade strike. When he encountered opponents like the Left-Handed Swordsman Lü Yi and a few others at the third tier, it had taken several exchanges before he could settle the fight.

...

The first round of battles continued to unfold in sequence.

The martial artists of the Eighth Squad all showcased their respective strengths.

The strong remained, while the weak were eliminated.

When the first round concluded, only fourteen people were left standing.

Next came the grouping for the second round.

Ma Nuonuo drew A1.

Shen Ye drew A2.

Meanwhile, Tang Mo checked his drawing slip, and it shockingly read B2.

This meant that his opponent was going to be none of the others, but Shen Ye.

In Tang Mo's mind, the scene of Shen Ye sending Deng Xiaozi flying out of the ring with a single strike flashed involuntarily.

Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead, though he didn't know when it started.

At that very moment, someone quietly approached Tang Mo, slipped a small note into his hand, and whispered, "Mr. Tang, Deputy Squad Leader Sun is looking for you."

Tang Mo froze. Deputy Squad Leader Sun? That would be Deputy Squad Leader Sun Hongshan. What could he possibly want with him?

However, within the Eighth Squad, the one person you could least afford to offend right now was Deputy Squad Leader Sun Hongshan. After all, Sun Hongshan possessed formidable personal strength, had powerful backing, and held a high rank. Furthermore, he was the most likely candidate to become the official captain of the Eighth Squad. He nodded and said, "Lead the way."

The person who delivered the note nodded in agreement.

Soon.

Tang Mo was led into an office.

Inside the office, a tall, middle-aged man wearing a trench coat was watching a video. On the screen, the footage of Shen Ye defeating Deng Xiaozi with a single strike played on an endless loop.

"Deputy Squad Leader," Tang Mo said after waiting for about two minutes.

The trench-coat-clad middle-aged man finally turned around. He had a square face that exuded a considerable degree of dignity. "Your next match's opponent is Shen Ye, isn't it?"

"Yes," Tang Mo nodded.

"You cannot possibly be his opponent," Sun Hongshan stated bluntly.

Tang Mo desperately wished he didn't have to admit this. Yet, he had to concede that Sun Hongshan was right; he understood the true weight of that single blade strike.

Sun Hongshan reached into the office desk and pulled out a metallic medicine vial.

Opening the vial, he revealed a pill the size of a longan fruit resting inside.

"This is the Seven Wonders Pill, refined from seven rare treasures. It can temporarily elevate the strength of a late-third-tier expert up to the fourth tier. With this, combined with your Myriad Changes Spirit Saber technique, you will have a chance of victory when fighting Shen Ye," Sun Hongshan said in a deep voice, pushing the vial forward. "Swallow it."

"An explosive secret medicinal pill. But such pills usually come with side effects, don't they?" Tang Mo asked.

"Indeed they do. Your body will experience extreme weakness for ten days, but there are no other lasting side effects," Sun Hongshan replied.

Tang Mo smiled faintly. "Deputy Squad Leader, if you want me to test the waters for Shen Ye, you can't expect me to do it without offering any benefits."

Sun Hongshan fell silent for a moment before speaking. "A Great Restoration Pill from Shaolin. Moreover, after I ascend to the position of squad leader, I will give you preferential care."

Shaolin's Great Restoration Pill could enhance a person's internal energy and was the supreme secret medicine of the pugilism's largest sect.

Its market price was generally around five million.

Tang Mo nodded and agreed to the transaction.

He took the Seven Wonders Pill and swallowed it without hesitation.

Immediately, he felt an explosive surge of energy detonate within his stomach, followed by a sensation of overflowing power flooding his limbs, organs, and viscera.

Tang Mo's heart surged with boundless battle intent.

Sun Hongshan merely wanted him to probe Shen Ye's bottom line, but for a boosted Tang Mo, the goal he wanted to achieve was simple—to defeat Shen Ye.

He was a martial artist as well, possessing a martial artist's pride, and he too wanted to win!