Chapter 170: Past and Present  

Red and white genetic energy bisected the stage fragment where Wang Xuan and Li Feng met.

"Is this all you've got?" Wang Xuan smiled, his eyes filled with disdain. Was his opponent really going to try to block his charge with his bare hands? He might as well be asking to die!

In truth, [Arclight Dragon's Imprint] was a close-ranged body-focused framework, and Li Feng didn't think that he would lose in such a confrontation. He grabbed the bull by the horns. Rays of light radiated from his palms, dyeing Wang Xuan's vision white.

"What? This is impossible! How could this be?!" Wang Xuan, struck by a palpable beam of white light, was flung away like a kite whose string had snapped. His bull transformation was forcibly canceled in midair; he struck the green barrier that marked the stage fragment's edge before falling to the ground with a wheeze.

The audience below gaped at the sight.

"What's going on? Wang Xuan lost in a single blow too? But how? He's the top hunter in the Blackgold settlement, whereas Li Feng was nameless before this match!"

"Wang Xuan couldn't even last two blows against him? Damn, just how strong is Team Zenith?"

The outcome of the fight and the disparity between the two hunters was so obvious that it led to another wave of commotion. Zhang Lie and Team Zenith were simply too strong! Both Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had won their respective matches with ease, and they naturally drew attention because of it.

Even Elder Bai and Su Feng seemed a little shocked by Li Feng's performance, especially considering that his opponent was Wang Xuan, who was being groomed to become the next Wang clan head.

"The winner of stage fragment #35—Li Feng!"

Li Feng himself was rather confused by what was going on. What had happened? How had his opponent lost so quickly? He had only launched one attack!

"You, Li Feng, on stage fragment #35! What are you still doing up there? Are you waiting for the next batch of competitors?" Elder Bai called out with a smile, prompting Li Feng to rush back into the stands.

Even the other members of Team Zenith seemed shocked by the ease with which he had won his battle.

"What's going on? Wasn't Wang Xuan supposed to be a strong hunter? He couldn't even take a single blow from Li Feng!" Sun Xiaowu murmured.

"And it wasn't even a blow at full power! You all saw how little time Li Feng had to charge up his technique," Zhou Ying added.

Wang Xuan seemed far weaker than was rumored.

"Is Wang Xuan really on the same level as Chu Feng and the others? I felt as though I could push him back with barely any force at all!"

Li Feng glanced curiously at his palms. Hearing his words, Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying were both increasingly convinced of Wang Xuan's weakness.

On the other hand, those hunters who were seated beside Team Zenith couldn't help but spasm when they overheard the conversation. Wang Xuan was a weak hunter?! Did these hunters from Team Zenith not have a sense of just how extraordinary they were?

"You all think that Wang Xuan's weak?" Fang Yi asked casually, after the other members of Team Zenith all settled on that conclusion.

Everyone but Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng turned to Fang Yi.

Li Feng replied, "He is, isn't he? I only used about two-thirds of my strength during that last attack, but he still wasn't able to counter it!"

"No, you're all wrong. It's not Wang Xuan who's too weak, but rather you, Li Feng, who's too strong! Count how many gene fragments you have, as well as the number of superior-grade soulshards, and the grade of your framework. Do you think most hunters here can compare?" Fang Yi explained directly. As members of Team Zenith, they had all overcome numerous life-or-death trials, and they had all experienced a foundational breakthrough. Not only that, Zhang Lie had given them each a bottle of Potion #1, and they were now all at a hundred and sixty basic gene fragments each. Based on this alone, they were already far superior to Chu Feng and Yun Bing.

As for soulshards and techniques, they each had at least three highly compatible superior-grade soulshards, and their framework and techniques were honed from months of practice and training after their breakthrough.

It was only with Fang Yi's remark that they realized just how many benefits they had over a regular hunter, as well as how strong they had become.

The remainder of the first round continued over the afternoon, with Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying fighting their respective matches. With their strength, they naturally advanced to the next round without any trouble.

At the same time, the citywide stage of the tournament reached its apex in the city of Sacred Fire, on Mars. In Sacred Fire, the citywide stage of the tournament took on a different format. A number of arenas dotted the competition site. Each arena held a thousand hunters fighting in a free-for-all, with only the final victor in each arena being eligible to proceed to the next stage.

Countless bodies flew out of a fiery stage and smashed against the ground.

"Ah!"

"I lost just like that?"

"No, no! I won't stand for this!"

Those hunters who fell out of the arena howled with rage despite the severity of some of their wounds, but no matter how upset they were, they had lost their qualification to compete.

On the seventh arena, Yang Ze stood firmly on stage, staring at his one remaining opponent. The hunter who could defeat the other would advance to the next round.

"Oh, isn't this lad from the Yang clan?"

"You mean the bastard? ?I heard he went to Earth—I'm surprised he's thick-skinned enough to come back and participate in the Void Cup!"

Yang Ze could hear the taunts from the spectators as he prepared to face his final opponent, but by this point, he was more or less inured to their words. His background was no secret, after all, but he had come to terms with it. He clenched his fists as he focused on the faces of the members of Team Zenith. He would win this match, then return victorious to Earth to celebrate with his teammates!

As he glanced at Yang Yao, who was standing opposite him, his lips suddenly curled up in a smile. Wouldn't it be funny if he were to defeat Yang Yao here? That old fellow would surely be fuming! As the dust settled, the spectators nearby finally saw just who Yang Ze's last opponent was.

"It's Yang Yao!"

"Look at arena #7! The final two competitors standing are both from the Yang clan!"

"Looks like we're in for a treat! Yang Yao's the young clan head of the Yao clan, and he's not on good terms with Yang Ze. I bet they'll settle their score with each other here in the arena!"

"Settle their score? What do you think Yang Ze can do against Yang Yao? Would he dare to win against him?"

"Right, Yang Yao's to be the next clan head of the Yao clan, whereas Yang Ze's just a bastard. Wouldn't Yang Ze rather lose to get into Yang Yao's good books?"

"Shh! Be quiet! Don't you see that the Yang clan head's right there watching?" magic

Yang Ze, ignoring the crowd's comments, slowly walked toward the center of the arena.

From the other side, a youthful hunter in purple armor also strode forward, his face dark. The two of them glanced at each other as they approached, each noticing mirrored features in the other. The atmosphere grew tense. A hot wind began to blow, causing their clothing to flutter.

"Bastard, how could you be so shameless as to return to participate in the Void Cup? Admit defeat and I'll let you live!" Yang Yao announced, his tone contemptuous, as though his offer to Yang Ze was particularly generous.

Yang Ze didn't speak. He turned to the stands, where an older man was seated; the man turned away.

Yang Ze chuckled bitterly. "You're as annoying as ever, aren't you?" Yang Yao's eyes narrowed. "You dare speak to me like this?"

Yang Yao summoned forth his genetic energy, a sensation Yang Ze was keenly familiar with. The complicated expression on his face resolved into a calm smile. "I dare. Not only that, I'll squash you like the bug you are! Let's give you a taste of your own medicine, shall we?"

"You? Just who do you think you are?" Yang Yao shot toward Yang Ze, who stood still and allowed him to draw close. Yang Yao grinned: he knew very well that Yang Ze's framework was a few grades lower than his own. Not only that, Yang Ze had left the Yang clan for quite a few years. Without any funds or resources from the clan, how could he hope to stand against him? "[Heaven's Blessing]!"

Dark purple genetic energy, the same color of Yang Yao's armor, enveloped the arena. Sensing the pressure, Yang Ze frowned.

As he drew close to Yang Ze, Yang Yao drew his spear back and made to thrust it through Yang Ze's neck, intending to decapitate and kill.

"The Yang clan's [Heaven's Blessing] can temporarily enhance a hunter's potential, and its strength can only grow with the hunter himself! It's a frightening technique, one that forms the basis of the clan's strength."

"Is Yang Ze just going to stand there?!"

"He's far weaker than his brother, after all, and he consumed much of his genetic energy getting rid of the other opponents in the arena. I'm afraid there's no hope left for him now!"

The outcome of the fight was already clear. Even Yang Yao thought that Yang Ze had frozen after the activation of [Heaven's Blessing] and was too shocked to react.

"Hah! [Heaven's Blessing] might be a strong technique, but there are certainly counters to it. Let me break your pitiful pride and show them to you myself! [Mirrored Refraction]!"

Pale blue genetic energy radiated from his body and quickly spread over the stage. At the same time, Yang Yao's spearhead thrust into Yang Ze's neck. The crowds fell silent, and the Yang clan head suddenly stood up from where he was seated.

"What? It's over?"

"Did he really kill his own brother?!"

"Ah, the Yang clan head's surely going to be upset now!"

"Upset? Yang Ze and his mother live like servants in the Yang clan. What's there to be upset about?"

Yang Ze's 'body' suddenly popped, exploding into a mist that blanketed the arena. Yang Yao turned around to the other side of the arena, where he could sense a strong fluctuation of water-attuned genetic energy. There, Yang Ze appeared.

"What? Yang Ze! You've even changed your framework?!"

Yang Yao raised his spear, his gaze narrowed as he took in Yang Ze once more.

"That footwork didn't belong to the Yang clan! Has he left the clan for good? But if he has, how could he hope to stand against Yang Yao? No matter how many times he escapes from Yang Yao's grasp, the only fate that awaits him is death!"

"What choice does he have? He's a bastard spurned by his own clan!"

As snatches of their conversation drifted over to Yang Yao, his face turned red and he brimmed with killing intent.?Yang Ze! If not for Yang Ze, who would dare tarnish the Yang clan's reputation with their idle remarks?

"Yang Ze, this arena shall be your grave!" Yang Yao's voice turned hoarse as a huge wave of genetic energy erupted from his body.

A black soulshard glowed in Yang Yao's hands.

"Look, a superior-grade soulkiller soulshard! It allows Yang Yao to strike at a hunter's soul and spirit directly—with the additional boost from [Heaven's Blessing], wouldn't Yang Ze die just from a grazing blow?"

Several of the more keen-eyed hunters could immediately identify the rare soulshard that Yang Yao had just activated.

"[Desolate Silence]!" His body covered in a glowing purple haze, Yang Yao dropped his spear as the skies above the arena turned dark.

Yang Ze's expression was grave. As a member of the Yang clan, even an ostracized one, he knew the power of Yang Yao's framework and techniques very well. If he weren't mistaken, this blow would concentrate the power of [Heaven's Blessing] and release it all in a single moment as a fieldwide skill.

Once activated, it would annihilate everything and everyone around him. It looked as though Yang Yao wanted to end this match with a single attack, one that would hit him no matter how he tried to avoid it with his footwork technique.

"We'll see just whose technique is superior!" Yang Ze raised his broadsword, genetic energy gathering in a torrent around the blade. "[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!"

Water flooded the battlefield. A gigantic wave rose behind Yang Ze, one so tall it seemed as though it would drown him and Yang Yao both. So intense were the fluctuations in genetic energy that the crowd collectively sucked in a huge breath, their scattered conversations all suddenly paused.