Chapter 117: Holding Up the Sky

As Zhang Yu quietly conserved his strength and stamina, a wave of gasps rolled through the arena.

In the livestream room, Gangshan stared at the number on the Sky Pillar—10,000 kilograms—and exclaimed, “Attempting such a heavy load in the second round?”

Xiong Wenwu slowly stepped onto the platform, eyes locked on the massive Sky Pillar descending inch by inch from above, as if he were staring at the collapsing sky itself.

A moment later, his bear-like hands struck fiercely against the descending Sky Pillar.

With a resounding bang, Xiong Wenwu’s entire body tensed. Veins bulged across his muscles, and blood trickled from his clenched teeth.

Despite this explosive exertion, the Sky Pillar didn’t stop descending—not even slightly. It looked as if it would crush him inch by inch, pulverizing him beneath its weight.

But then, Xiong Wenwu let out a thunderous roar, and it was as if a dragon's cry echoed above the arena, sending a shiver through every student and spectator.

At the same time, his entire body erupted in a cloud of blood.

Black dragon scales split apart, one after another, like garments being torn by swelling flesh, revealing bloody gashes.

It was clear his skin and scales couldn’t contain the overcharged power coursing through his body—the bulging muscles had ripped them open.

But with the eruption of that blood mist, the Sky Pillar's fall gradually slowed, and with another explosive bellow, Xiong Wenwu forced it back upwards by several inches.

Challenge complete—10,000 kilograms.

Hu Yuntao below the platform let out a triumphant tiger’s roar, joined by cheers from the students of Hongta High.

Gangshan said in surprise, “He's risking it all in the second round? His muscles must be badly torn. With those kinds of injuries, he probably can’t even compete in the next round.”

“But with a 10,000-kilogram score, aside from Yu Xinghan, I doubt anyone here can beat it. We’ll see if Yu Xinghan decides to go all out.”

Le Jingchen watched as Xiong Wenwu stepped off the platform and noticed something strange.

His injuries… were healing rapidly.

He thought to himself, “The Black Dragon bloodline… Does it give them extraordinary recovery? And on top of that…”

Watching the medical team rush toward Xiong Wenwu, Le Jingchen suspected the third-round Sky Pillar might still see him again.

He murmured, “That 10,000-kilogram result is bound to provoke the others. The next round is going to be intense.”

…

With the second round concluded, contestants began reporting their target weights for the final round.

The staff registered each entry, while wondering, “Were they all pushed by Xiong Wenwu’s desperation? They’re all going all-in…”

Then one of them paused, eyes locked on the number before him, and looked up at Zhang Yu.

“This number… Are you sure?”

After triple-confirming, the staff member still wrote it down, though his thoughts were full of disbelief: “Is he insane?”

…

Meanwhile, in the White Dragon High School’s rest area—

Yu Xinghan, about to report his own target, was stopped.

He spoke into his phone. “Shijie, why are you stopping me? You know my strength. This weight isn’t a problem.”

Li Xuelian replied flatly, “But going over your limits will injure you.”

“Xinghan, your body is powerful, yes—but that also means it’s expensive to repair.”

“I don’t want to waste Father’s money on medical bills.”

Yu Xinghan countered, “Then what about the contract? If Xiong Wenwu outperforms me in this round, I’ll only get second place here.”

Li Xuelian said calmly, “Even if you’re second in this round, your overall score is still number one. You’ll still be this competition’s champion.”

“Don’t waste money over meaningless rankings.”

Yu Xinghan felt stifled.

Especially knowing that he was stronger than Xiong Wenwu, but couldn’t unleash his full power to crush him—instead, he might have to watch as first place slipped away. His Celestial Martial Heart-Forging Technique even began to falter.

Sensing his resentment, Li Xuelian added sternly, “Xinghan, remember—your body no longer belongs to you. Everything you are belongs to Father. You don’t have the right to burn through assets that aren’t yours.”

“This is also Father’s decision.”

After the call ended, she mused silently, “That long-term Celestial Martial Heart-Forging Technique has made him too rigid. This is the perfect chance to suppress him a bit and pave the way for the next Heart Technique.”

As for the competition result, she had no concerns.

Yu Xinghan had accumulated such a massive lead in the first three events that even if Xiong Wenwu took first in this round, he’d still be the overall champion. The endorsement and commercial contracts with White Dragon High and Xianyun Group would continue without issue.

Back in the rest area, Yu Xinghan hung up and crushed his phone with one hand, his entire body exuding a chilling aura that kept nearby students from even approaching.

Only after multiple reminders from the staff did he finally approach the reporting desk, his face like frost, and declared his target weight.

…

The final round of the Sky Pillar began. Contestants stepped onto the stage, no longer conservative like in the previous round. Now, they all fought to their limits.

Some succeeded. Some failed. Some were injured.

Gangshan said, “Everyone’s really pushing themselves. The precision of the target weights is telling too. I think the more accurate a contestant is, the better their understanding of their own limits.”

Le Jingchen nodded. “Exactly. The more you understand your body and condition, the more precise your number will be.”

When Bai Zhenzhen stepped up, the Sky Pillar displayed 8,050 kilograms.

As the massive weight pressed into her hands, her scars began glowing a vivid crimson, like dragon claws slowly squeezing her.

Perhaps due to the speed trials earlier, her scars now gleamed like red gems.

With a furious shout, Bai Zhenzhen forced the Sky Pillar upward. Several of her scars split open, blood soaking her body.

She groaned in pain and cursed silently, “Damn it, body—hold it together! I’m aiming for the Top Ten!”

She held it for five seconds before lowering her hands and walking off the platform, bloodied.

Wang Hai rushed up, sighing helplessly. “You know your condition. Why didn’t you report a lower weight?”

Bai Zhenzhen just smiled faintly and thought, “Last martial arts tournament, I didn’t have the money or confidence to go all out.”

“This time, Yuzi’s winning the championship and covering my medical bills. I can finally fight with everything.”

She looked at Zhang Yu, still immersed in his world, utterly focused, and thought, “Good. Keep going, Yuzi. Mama’s counting on you to pay for these hospital bills.”

At that moment, she felt a wave of heat pass by—Le Mulan was walking up to the stage, her body radiating intense steam, like she was being cooked alive.

Bai Zhenzhen silently mocked, “How many pills did she take? About to turn into a pill furnace?”

Le Mulan recalled the scene moments ago, backstage.

A worried coach had asked, “Even if this is President Le Jingchen’s order, isn’t this dosage too dangerous?”

She had simply replied, “Give it to me.”

Facing a nearby advertisement camera, she said, “For other students, this round is just about testing physical limits. But for someone like me, who’s undergone the Super-Metabolism Surgery, it’s also about testing my pill-taking limit.”

After showcasing the pills one by one, she consumed them all. A moment later, her heart thundered, and her face flushed crimson.

“My target is 9,000 kilograms. A weight only strength-type contestants usually reach. But now—I can do it!”

On stage, her body trembled as she held the 9,000-kilogram Sky Pillar for five seconds, before collapsing to her knees, feeling her leg bones fracture.

But under the spotlight, with countless cameras and the pressure of upcoming PR campaigns, she knew she couldn’t falter.

She forced herself up, pretending nothing had happened as she stepped down.

Reporters swarmed her. Even with a spinning head, she managed to say the ad lines after the coach’s reminder.

Following her 9,000-kilogram success, Song Hailong lifted 9,300 kilograms, Hu Yuntao, drenched in blood, raised 9,800 kilograms, and Yu Xinghan surpassed 10,001 kilograms—becoming the second person to conquer the 10,000 mark.

Then, under the gaze of thousands, a bloodstained Xiong Wenwu slowly ascended the platform again.

As everyone watched him in anticipation, Wang Hai noticed something odd.

“Where’s Zhang Yu? Hasn’t he gone yet?”

“Is he after Xiong Wenwu?”

“How much did he report?!”

Meanwhile, Xiong Wenwu looked up once more at the descending Sky Pillar, its massive form blotting out the sky above him.

That feeling of the sky collapsing—he had known it his whole life.

From the selection rounds in the breeding facility, to each time a classmate was eliminated, to every high school exam… each time, the pressure had been crushing.

Just like now. As he raised his hands to resist the pillar’s fall…

He could only feel the unstoppable weight of 10,800 kilograms bearing down, bowing his head, bending his back, forcing him to his knees.

A judge asked, “Xiong Wenwu, do you want to continue?”

But he didn’t hear. His mind was echoing with his father's orders.

“10,800 kilograms. That should be within reach, right? Isn’t strength your specialization? If you can’t even manage this, who would want to buy the new Red Tower technique?”

“Injuries?”

“Without injuries, how will people see the new healing technology at work?”

“The worse your injuries, the better it showcases your recovery.”

Xiong Wenwu’s muscles tensed to their limit. His teeth nearly shattered. His heart pounded like an engine.

I can do it!

I can do it, Father!

I’m not the same 33456 who used to watch fate crush him.

I’ve studied. I’ve cultivated. I’m a high schooler—a favored son bound for university!

Now—I can hold up the sky!

Roaring, his muscles exploded, and Xiong Wenwu shoved upward.

With a boom, he stood up, forcing the Sky Pillar a full meter upward.

Veins burst, bones cracked, blood sprayed across his body, and a trickle of internal blood leaked from his mouth.

Those next five seconds felt like a lifetime.

When he came to, he was lying on the platform.

Looking up at Hu Yuntao, who had rushed to his side, Xiong Wenwu asked weakly, “Did… did I make it?”

Hu Yuntao nodded excitedly. “Big Bro! You did it! With this, the Black Dragon bloodline tech is going to sell like crazy!”

Cameras instantly closed in to document his entire recovery process.

Hu Yuntao urged, “Big Bro! Stay awake! Don’t pass out! You haven’t said your ad lines yet…”

As Xiong Wenwu was carried off, hailed as a champion by the ecstatic Red Tower crowd, and countless students marveled at his feat—

The Sky Pillar on stage trembled slightly.

And then… a number appeared.

12,531 kilograms.

Only then did everyone realize—someone else was still left.