Chapter 97: Decisive Surrender

Several more minutes passed.

Chu Shanhe felt the Qi and Blood in his body flowing like a stream about to run dry. Its circulation was noticeably sluggish and difficult.

Aches and fatigue spread through his limbs—a sign that his stamina was nearing its limit.

He knew he was at the end of his rope.

’He must be about done for, too!’

Gritting his teeth, Chu Shanhe squeezed out the last of his Qi and Blood, his assault intensifying rather than weakening.

He believed Xu Wuyi must have expended far more energy than him. Now it was a battle of Willpower—a contest to see who would break first!

He threw a punch that knocked aside Xu Wuyi’s block, leaving his center wide open!

An opening!

A sharp glint flashed in Chu Shanhe’s eyes. He focused the last of his strength into one finger and thrust it straight toward the acupoint on Xu Wuyi’s Chest!

If this finger strike landed true, it would be enough to instantly sever the flow of Qi and Blood and seal his victory!

However, just as his fingertip was about to make contact...

Xu Wuyi’s eyes, previously dim with exhaustion, suddenly lit up!

Like a dormant volcano suddenly erupting, a terrifying aura far stronger than before—even stronger than his peak state—violently burst forth from Xu Wuyi’s body!

[Melting Furnace Boiling Blood]—Fully activated!

BOOM!

It was as if an invisible Melting Furnace had been completely ignited within him. His previously sluggish Qi and Blood instantly began to boil, like cold water thrown into sizzling oil!

An unnatural, dark red flush appeared on his skin. Visible waves of white steam rose from his body, and the scorching heat was so intense it even distorted the air around him.

The sudden explosion of power made the charging Chu Shanhe’s breath catch in his throat, his movements slowing by half a beat.

Xu Wuyi moved!

His speed was so extreme that he left a blurry afterimage in his place.

He no longer bothered to block. Instead, facing Chu Shanhe’s finger strike that held the last of his power, he met it head-on without dodging, unleashing a simple and direct [Bow Step Punch]!

There was nothing fancy about this punch, yet it concentrated all the power from the full activation of [Melting Furnace Boiling Blood]!

As the fist cut through the air, it created a sharp crack, as if the air itself couldn’t bear the strain!

Chu Shanhe’s expression changed drastically. He had never expected Xu Wuyi to be hiding such a terrifying trump card, especially at a moment when both of them seemed completely spent!

This sudden outburst completely shattered his rhythm and judgment.

In his haste, he could only force a change in his technique, turning his thrusting Finger Sword into a palm strike to attempt a block.

"BANG!!!"

The fist and palm collided, producing a huge, thunderous boom.

Chu Shanhe felt an indescribably immense force, mixed with scorching, magma-like Qi and Blood, slam viciously into his arm.

"CRACK!"

A faint sound of bone fracturing was heard.

His entire right arm went numb instantly. Excruciating pain followed as his Qi and Blood were completely blasted apart, and he was forced back several steps.

But it wasn’t over!

Xu Wuyi stomped his foot, cracking the ground, and his figure pursued the retreating Chu Shanhe relentlessly.

In his blood-boiling state, his speed, strength, and reflexes had all skyrocketed, completely overwhelming the already spent Chu Shanhe.

His left fist, like a hammer, smashed toward the left arm Chu Shanhe had hastily raised to block.

"POW!" Chu Shanhe’s left arm throbbed with pain as his block was forcefully shattered.

His right fist shot out again, wreathed in [Furnace Flame], aiming straight for Chu Shanhe’s chest!

If this punch landed, Chu Shanhe would be gravely injured, if not dead!

At the proctors’ table, the expressions of Chen Mingyuan, Li Liangcai, and the others changed dramatically. They shot to their feet almost simultaneously, their Qi and Blood flaring as they prepared to rush into the arena and save him!

At that very moment, however, a flash of resignation crossed Chu Shanhe’s eyes.

Using the impact from Xu Wuyi’s last punch, he threw his body backward, leaping directly toward the Energy Shield behind him.

"WHOOSH!"

His body shot out of the Energy Shield’s range like an arrow loosed from a bow. Although it was an undignified move, it allowed him to avoid a devastating blow.

"THUD!"

Chu Shanhe landed hard on the polished floor outside the shield, rolling twice before coming to a stop.

According to the rules, voluntarily leaving the Energy Shield’s area was equivalent to forfeiting.

Unable to stop his punch in time, Xu Wuyi slammed it directly into the Energy Shield. A gentle repulsive force pushed him back.

He looked at Chu Shanhe with some surprise, not expecting his opponent, who had been fighting so fiercely for victory just a moment ago, to choose to surrender so decisively in the next. It was shockingly resolute.

What he didn’t know was that Chu Shanhe had been competing in tournaments since he was a child. No one is a born genius; everyone learns to win by first learning to lose.

When faced with an unbeatable opponent, only by learning to forfeit decisively could one avoid serious injuries that would affect their future training.

The light of the Energy Shield slowly dimmed and finally vanished, allowing the scorching air inside to mix with the air outside once more.

At the proctors’ table, the teachers who had been ready to intervene all breathed a sigh of relief. They slowly returned to their seats, exchanging glances filled with shock.

Chen Mingyuan took a deep breath and announced, "The match is over. Xu Wuyi is the winner."

His voice echoed throughout the room via the amplification system.

Xu Wuyi stood in the center of the arena as the boiling aura around him receded like a tide.

He steadied himself, looked at the pale-faced Chu Shanhe outside the shield, and slowly clasped his fist. "I was fortunate to win."

Those words came from the heart.

Chu Shanhe was the strongest opponent he had ever faced. His Martial Arts Techniques and understanding of combat had been incredibly enlightening.

Even in the end, he had only won by exhausting his opponent’s stamina.

Chu Shanhe wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Xu Wuyi with a complicated expression. "That last move... was that the [Melting Furnace Boiling Blood] Secret Technique?"

Xu Wuyi didn’t deny it, simply nodding. "Yes."

Xu Wuyi wasn’t surprised that Chu Shanhe could name "Melting Furnace Boiling Blood." After all, Chu Shanhe had researched his file and also looked into the general contents of the *Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace*.

Hearing his confirmation, Chu Shanhe couldn’t help but say with a sense of helplessness, "The data says that’s the final hurdle before reaching the Entry Level of the *Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace*. You’ve been practicing this Body Refining Technique for four months at most, and you..."

’This is a B-level Martial Art!’

’And it’s a Body Refining Technique, the hardest type of Martial Arts to train in! Do you know how long Shen Wei has been practicing the *Seven Kills Saber*?’

’Two years, and he still hasn’t reached the Entry Level!’

Chu Shanhe was roaring internally. ’You geniuses are impossible!’

Just then, two medical personnel hurried in with a first-aid kit and began to examine Chu Shanhe’s injuries, providing initial treatment for his fractured right arm.

Xu Wuyi also had some injuries. Though they weren’t serious, he still needed treatment.

As the two sat side by side, Chu Shanhe returned to his usual gentle demeanor. "I’ll be going to the Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy. If all goes as planned, I’ll start participating in the Federation’s youth Martial Arts tournament starting in the second semester of my freshman year."

Xu Wuyi looked at him, confused, wondering why he would suddenly bring this up.

But Chu Shanhe continued, "I heard your family isn’t well-off. Once you get into a university, you’ll find yourself lacking many resources. My personal advice is not to spend too much time earning money. Focus on your training and participate in the youth tournament as soon as you can."

"The elders and teachers around you probably don’t understand how things work inside the Three Greats. With your strength, your best bet is Star Martial University. It wouldn’t be hard for you to get an S-class scholarship, which would be enough to support your training during the Martial Disciple Stage."

"Once you become an Official Martial Artist, money isn’t as useful for acquiring the rare resources you’ll need. Instead, getting good results in the youth tournament will earn you school-awarded points, which are much better for exchanges."

"I see..." Xu Wuyi nodded slightly. It was true that the people around him, whether it was Principal Zhang or Teacher Wang, really didn’t know about the internal rules of the "Three Greats."

Chu Shanhe looked at him and said seriously, "It’s also best not to accept funding from outside factions... no matter their reason. Once you get involved, you might be branded as part of their clique for the rest of your life."

"If you can become a Martial Artist, you’ll have a chance to become a Grandmaster’s disciple. At that point, these behind-the-scenes ties could come back to affect you. Factional strife, sectarian divides... not even a Grandmaster can avoid them."

Xu Wuyi listened and nodded slowly. He could tell that Chu Shanhe’s advice truly came from a place of goodwill, and that right now, he was probably the only one who knew these inside details.

The others around him likely lacked this kind of perspective.

"I understand. Thank you for the advice," Xu Wuyi said with sincere gratitude.