Chapter 180: A Frightening Disparity

"This match has yet to conclude. Clan heads, return to the stands! I will send for necessary treatment once one party surrenders," Yan Long commanded, forcing the two clan heads to leave.

As Qin Zongming trudged back up, he stared at Zhou Ruo balefully, as though he wanted to swallow Zhou Ruo whole.

"Xiao'er, surrender! Your life's more important!" he called out, eyeing Zhou Ruo in warning as he did so.

"I-I surrender!"

The winner of arena #7—Fang Yi! As Qin Xiao surrendered, the name of the victor appeared on the screen behind Yan Long, and Qin Xiao, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, was quickly carried off like a dead dog. The combined effects of consuming two restricted potions, as well as the grievous injuries he had suffered, would undoubtedly end Qin Xiao's path as a cultivator prematurely.

Fang Yi stowed his spear as he left the arena. By that time, the results of the other simultaneous matches were out, as was the list of competitors who would participate in the finals. Except for the members of Team Zenith, the only other hunters who had qualified were Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and one hunter each from the He and Qian clans.

This was the first time that an entire team had qualified for the finals of China's nationwide tournament, an accomplishment that was quickly flaunted by the media.

"I knew it! The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie will surely be the victor of China's nationwide tournament! He's the pride of the Ning slums!"

"What nonsense are you spouting? The results aren't even out yet."

"Ha! Given his track record, do you think Zhang Lie will lose?"

The residents of the slums were heatedly discussing the likelihood of Zhang Lie's success with gusto as they watched the tournament play out, and similar conversations were happening all over the country.

"As usual, rewards will be handed out to the top ten participants, and this year's rewards will be exceptional indeed. Rest well and prepare yourselves for the battles to come tomorrow," Yan Long announced, his gaze pausing on Zhang Lie's body for a moment.

Chu Feng and the others chuckled bitterly. Based on Team Zenith's performance that day, the rest of them would be relegated to placing seventh through tenth.

After the tournament, teams of hunters began to depart from the capital.

"Zhang Lie, you haven't found any accommodations, have you? Why not come stay at my dojo? It's free of charge for you."

"Ha! Zhang Lie, my dojo's far better, and you're always welcome there."

"No, he should come stay with the Huang clan!"

Quite a few clan heads and dojo leaders began walking purposefully toward Zhang Lie, smiles plastered on their faces, as though they were hotel managers trying to acquire more guests.

"Alright, alright, stop crowding around! Mr. Zhang, Official Yan's inviting you to join his delegation!" Luo Lie shouted as he made his way toward Zhang Lie.

Even Zhang Lie was surprised that Yan Long had extended him an invitation.

"I'm not dreaming, am I? To think Official Yan himself would be interested in us!" Sun Xiaowu exclaimed.

"Thank you." Zhang Lie accepted the military's invitation and joined their party.

"Ah! If I had befriended Zhang Lie before he rose to power and fame, do you think that I'd be as strong as the members of Team Zenith by now?" Quite a few hunters watched Zhang Lie depart with frustration at their lack of foresight, at their cruel reality.

Luo Lie brought Team Zenith to a luxurious manor located in the center of the capital, rather than a military fortress. Armed soldiers stood outside the entrance to the manor, and there were even a few troops patrolling the interior. ?When the guards saw Zhang Lie and the others approach, the two guards trembled, as if trying to hide something.

"This is the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, invited at Commander Yan's personal behest," Luo Lie introduced.

The two guards bowed and stood aside, allowing Luo Lie to bring the members of Team Zenith in.

"That was the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, wasn't it?"

"Surely we're not dreaming?"

They were loud enough that Zhang Lie could still hear their murmurs from quite some distance away.

"You're a hero to many soldiers in the military," Luo Lie explained.

Indeed, Zhang Lie had gradually become used to such treatment after his participation against the Kez invasion. While they spoke, the hunters walked deeper into the manor, into corridors that were ever more densely populated with armed guards.

"These are Commander Yan's personal quarters, so security is a little tight." Luo Lie paused in front of a robotic door, which slowly opened with a whirr. He beckoned them in. "Commander Yan will await you all inside."

Zhang Lie peered inside. The exterior of the mansion looked rather lavish, but the interior seemed plain and ordinary. The spacious chambers had little in terms of furniture and accoutrement, and it gave off a surprisingly lonely sensation.

"Do you find it surprising that my rooms are so plain?" Yan Long's voice boomed as he approached. He had taken off his military attire and was instead dressed in a set of plain robes.

"Greetings, Commander Yan." Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith bowed.

"I'm shocked that every member of Team Zenith seems to have made it into the finals," Yan Long began. He motioned for them to sit, then instructed the housekeeper to prepare a pot of tea.

"No, no, it's just a matter of luck."

"No need for false modesty," Yan Long replied. "To be honest, I'm hoping that you'll be willing to provide some training for some of the world federation's troops under my command."

Just like Su Feng, he identified Zhang Lie's potential, and wanted to develop a friendly relationship with him, and he wanted to improve the strength of his own troops.

"This isn't a problem, Commander, but I won't be available until next month at the earliest." Zhang Lie made up his mind quickly.

Yan Long blinked in surprise; he didn't expect that Zhang Lie would agree so readily. The reason Zhang Lie had done so was because he had knowledge of the future: if the world federation's forces didn't grow stronger, how could he prevent mankind's past fate? How was mankind to grow strong enough to defend itself against ever more powerful foes?

While the other members of Team Zenith relaxed and went to sleep, Zhang Lie suddenly wondered about how Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were faring.

In the first realm of the dimensional world, outside the Dragonsoul settlement, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were panting as they explored the outskirts of a nearby forest, the carcasses of two basic-grade lifeforms at their feet.

The two youths had been in the dimensional world for just over a month, and they had just met the last requirement for Zhang Lie's trial—though at a steep price. Wounds covered their bodies, large and small. They had encountered quite a few mutated-grade lifeforms along their way, and if not for their wits and the body-reinforcement technique that Sun Mengmeng had taught them, they might have been filling up a lifeform's belly at this moment.

"We're finally finished!" Ye Xianchen murmured in joy, her voice trembling from relief and fatigue. As she laughed, she began to cry, thinking back to how much she had suffered over the last month.

"Yes, it's finally over!" Jun Jiuxiao murmured, relief equally evident in his eyes.

"Instructor Xu, Instructor Ding!" Tired beyond compare, the two youths fell unconscious the moment they returned to safety, teleporting back to the dojo grounds.

Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang rushed over to the slumped forms. Xu Xiu sighed: it looked as though the two children hadn't rested a whit in order to fulfill the conditions of Zhang Lie's trial. After carrying them to bed, Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang immediately sent notice to Zhang Lie about their return.

The next day was the finals of the nationwide tournament, but, curiously, many of the spectators had already left the capital, well aware of the foregone conclusion.

"Well met, Zhang Lie!" Chu Feng and Zhang Lie bowed to each other.

As Chu Feng activated [Wings of Wind], Zhang Lie combined [Eclipse] and [Ninecarp Transformation], producing such tremendous pressure that Chu Feng was unable to step forward.

"I surrender," Chu Feng shouted, a complicated expression on his face as his [Wings of Wind] dematerialized. The reason he had struck was to get a sense of the disparity between him and Zhang Lie. From the beginning, it was clear that Zhang Lie's strength was far beyond his own, and, indeed, far beyond his comprehension.

After Chu Feng was Yun Bing, who announced her surrender immediately as the match started. Her strength was comparable to Chu Feng's, and if Chu Feng wasn't able to close in on him, she would suffer the same fate. Why embarrass herself needlessly?

In the end, every other hunter in the top ten—members of Team Zenith and the two hunters of the He and Qian clans—surrendered to him without a fight. They had seen enough from Chu Feng's performance against him.

As a result, the spectators of the nationwide stage were as dumbfounded as those of the citywide stage had been...