Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 77 - Individual Match

Moses met him in the Wind Elephant Sect\'s area and punched him playfully. "Why didn\'t you leave one for your senior brother? You just had to take all the fighting for yourself, didn\'t you?"

Unsure of whether to laugh or cry, Cassius just plopped down on his seat.

"Don\'t mind him, Old Five. This big bear isn\'t looking to enjoy the fight; he just wants to get beaten up. It\'s a good thing you took out the opponents, otherwise he would\'ve embarrassed us up there," Lance interjected, shooting a disdainful look at Moses.

"Hey! Don\'t slander me without reason! I know how to behave appropriately for different occasions. I know this exchange tournament isn\'t the same as our usual sparring," Moses defended himself.

"Give it a rest. Everyone knows you can\'t change your nature."

"You damn sissy, always trying to undermine me, aren\'t you? I..."

In an instant, the two started bickering again. Eventually, Senior Brother Hykal intervened by rearranging the order of appearances. Everyone would take turns going first. With this new arrangement, each person, starting from Cassius, would be able to go roughly twice.

This obviously did not include Hykal. According to the rules, the first core disciple of each sect had to go last. This was to prevent any sect from wiping out the other teams by placing their strongest member first. That would be much too disrespectful.

However, if the opposing sect’s strongest core disciple was already scheduled to go last and the first fighter, who was supposedly not the strongest, still managed to take out the entire team... Well, there was nothing much to say.

The team competition continued. Cassius sat in the resting area, sipping tea while he observed the fight on the stage. The difference between smaller sects and larger sects was very apparent, their level of martial arts varying greatly. Disciples from larger sects had much better combat experience and skills compared to those from smaller sects. This was a clear demonstration of how impactful having resources and influence was.

During this time, Cassius carefully observed the fighting styles and movements of sects like Golden Fist Sect, Black Crane Sect, and Singing Water Sect. He found that their movements had fewer flaws and their combat techniques were extensively developed. Though, there wasn’t really anything useful that stood out in his observations. Ultimately, it came down to his own strength.

Outside the window, the sun rose inch by inch amidst thin clouds until it shone directly above the arena. It was nearing noon.

"Next up, Number Eleven and Number Two! Wind Elephant Sect! Stone Elbow Sect!"

Cassius cracked his neck and stepped onto the stage again. The person from Stone Elbow Sect also came up. He was a red-haired youth with calloused fists and elbows that gave off a steadfast demeano. He seemed to be the strongest person in the Stone Elbow Sect after their senior disciple.

It seemed Cassius\'s earlier one-on-five victory over the Meditative Fist Sect had left a strong impression, prompting his opponent to make some tactical adjustments.

However, such tactics were futile in the face of absolute strength. Cassius being a pugilist was his biggest trump card. Even if his opponent used any underhanded tricks, he was confident that he would still be able to defeat them.

Cassius remained calm and composed from start to finish, from the first person the Stone Elbow Sect sent up all the way to their first core disciple.

Heeding Senior Brother Hykal\'s advice, Cassius didn\'t finish them off in one punch like before; instead, he grappled with his opponent a little longer, clashed a few more times, and traded a few more hits. The purpose was twofold: give the opponent some face, and display the magnanimity of a major sect.

Slowing the pacing of the fight allowed Cassius to discover a few interesting points. Each sect had its own unique characteristics. For instance, the Stone Elbow Sect practiced both fist and elbow techniques, switching quickly between the two such that they complemented each other. Some of their short-range rapid combos were also quite impressive. Cassius got a different experience from fighting with them, broadening his previously limited understanding of fist techniques. It was one of the purposes of the exchange tournament—different sects showcasing and learning each other\'s techniques, and broadening their horizons.

After the referee\'s announcement, Cassius walked off the stage again. Winding between the various sects, Cassius occasionally heard people talking about him. Some were amazed by his strength and age, while others saw him as a formidable opponent.

As he walked past the Black Crane Sect\'s area, a tall, skinny youth casually remarked, "This Li Wei is too weak, only knowing how to bully small sects. If we match up against him in the next match, I\'ll make sure to take him down."

Cassius glanced back. The youth also turned toward Cassius, his eyes glinting provocatively. Cassius sneered, slicing a hand across his neck. The intention behind it couldn\'t be any clearer: Don\'t let me catch you, loser.

"Idiot..." he muttered, striding back quickly.

The morning points matches paused a half hour later, allowing the sects to enjoy a hearty lunch at the dining hall and rest until 1:30 p.m.

In the afternoon, the tournament switched from the team competition to the individual matches. Participants were divided into groups and drew lots to determine the order of their bouts. Cassius was assigned to Group B, Number Thirteen. This number was engraved on a thumb-sized brass identification nameplate and was pinned to their chests.

The competition venue didn\'t take place in the same location as before but in another warehouse next to the white building. The warehouse was divided into more than a dozen areas, allowing multiple matches to take place simultaneously to save time.

At the warehouse entrance, Cassius parted ways with his senior brothers and sisters, and headed down the path to the right by himself. Every so often, a staff member pointed the way for him.

"Walk a bit further down, then turn right."

Cassius nodded, continuing along the tiled path. A moment later, he stopped and glanced around. There were a few people who looked like spectators gathered at the entrance of the competition area.

After confirming he was in the right place, Cassius pushed his way through the crowd. Initially annoyed at being shoved aside, the crowd fell silent upon seeing his tall, imposing figure.

The setup of the room was simple though the space was quite open. A small elevated stage was set in the middle with a referee standing on it. There was a whole row of red wooden seats next to the stop. As Cassius sat down, the referee asked, "Are you a contestant? This area is for contestants to rest. What\'s your number?"

Cassius paused, then pulled out his nameplate and pinned it to his chest. "Group B, Number Thirteen. Li Wei from the Wind Elephant Sect."