Chapter 25 – The World's Hero Rankings

Perhaps as Ye Kuang had declared, the enemy’s defeat was an unchangeable outcome. Though his victory process seemed prolonged, the actual resolution took merely ten minutes.

Witnessing this, Ma Xiu could hardly contain her exhilaration, nearly breaking into a celebratory dance.

After all, their Yinghao Martial Hall’s first victory had been so overwhelmingly dominant.

Whether for Ye Kuang or the rest of the Heroes Pavilion, this served as a powerful morale boost, signaling that their rise was now unstoppable.

And this was merely the opening act.

Inside a private booth.

As Ye Kuang gulped down large mouthfuls of spring water, the faint green smoke emanating from his body gradually dissipated.

Ma Xiu: “How do you feel?”

Man Lang: “How else could he feel? One word—’exhilarating’! Back in the days…”

Ye Kuang listened attentively to his words, but his eyes remained fixed on the screen, suddenly captivated by a particular figure!

This person had an extremely peculiar appearance—arms as long as an ancient ape’s, clearly honed through countless brutal training sessions, with short, unruly hair that exuded youthful sharpness.

Seeing this, Man Lang couldn’t help but sigh: “Kid, your opponents this time aren’t limited to him. That man is named Qin Feiyao, known as Tiangang Hall’s Qilin Arm!”

Hearing this, Ye Kuang couldn’t help but take mental note.

As Qin Feiyao extended his arms, they radiated an intense, oppressive aura.

His opponent repeatedly retreated under the pressure, creating a scene reminiscent of humans recoiling from an ancient ape. The entire arena erupted in uproarious laughter at the spectacle.

In contrast, Qin Feiyao remained expressionless, relentlessly advancing toward his opponent as if his eyes saw only the adversary and the outcome.

But then, something unexpected happened!

Under Qin Feiyao’s overwhelming pressure, his opponent surprisingly chose to surrender voluntarily.

In that moment, even Ye Kuang was stunned!

This counts as a victory?

Secretly, he had to admit a grudging respect for Qin Feiyao.

Considering how arduous his own first match had been, while this person achieved victory without even fighting—one could imagine what Ye Kuang must be thinking.

Some comparisons are simply maddening!

Suddenly, commotion erupted from the screens as all directions buzzed with excitement.

Ye Kuang’s expression shifted slightly—this was truly a gathering of exceptional talents, each displaying astonishing skills…

Across the twenty arenas, formidable figures had emerged one after another, though no one noticed exactly when.

Witnessing this scene, Man Lang’s face also changed as he sighed: “I never expected… this year’s tournament would attract so many troublesome contenders!”

Hearing this, Ye Kuang’s eyes widened abruptly, focusing intently on one particular person on the screen.

Before his opponent could even get close, their attacks were forcibly intercepted!

His iron fists moved like meteors, swifter than thunder, striking directly at his opponent’s chest acupoints—Shanzhong, Wuyi, and Shencang!

In the blink of an eye, his opponent collapsed limply to the ground, utterly defeated.

Pointing at that arena, Ye Kuang asked Man Lang: “Who is this person? Incredibly skilled!”

Seeing this fighter, Man Lang’s expression shifted again: “This… this is an inheritor from the Jeet Kune Do Temple. I believe his name is Li Xiao!”

Upon hearing this, Ye Kuang couldn’t help muttering to himself: “Li Xiao?”

As he spoke, his hands clenched into fists—this was someone he had never encountered before in his life.

It was foreseeable that if they were to meet, it would inevitably become another fierce battle!It must be said that his mindset had shifted once again. Clearly, he was more eager to compete with the young talents than to focus on the outcome of the tournament.

In other words, Ye Kuang’s combative spirit had been fully ignited, so pure that it radiated an unadulterated sharpness.

Deep down, he vaguely believed that when one possessed great power, it was only natural to seek superiority over others—and he was no exception!

His hidden competitive heart seemed to have taken root and begun to sprout.

As a result, his eyes brimmed with soaring fighting spirit, and his blood boiled with fervor.

Ye Kuang: “Who is this? Such formidable fist techniques!”

Man Lang: “Heaven Earth Thunderfist, Wu Tian!”

Ye Kuang: “Another one has appeared over there. This person’s legwork is incredibly strong!”

Man Lang: “Di Sha Lu Leg Technique, Wan Jinyou!”

Ye Kuang: “And who are these two?”

Man Lang: “The Xingyi Fist Kings of the Yuan-Ma Families, Yuan Tianlong and Ma Qiang!”

Ye Kuang: “Who is that one?”

Ma Xiu: “Wind Thunder Strike Hand, Xiao Tianqiong.”

As Ye Kuang heard these unfamiliar names one after another, not a trace of fear appeared in his eyes. Instead, he grew even more courageous.

Inside the private box, everyone witnessing this naturally understood exactly what kind of mindset this was.

In the past, hadn’t Man Lang been the same?

Truly, each generation has its own talents, each dominating the scene for decades!

Ye Kuang then repeatedly replayed the moves and fighting styles of those he had seen, while outside, chaos had already erupted.

Unbeknownst to when, the organizers had concocted the “Heroes Ranking” for the tournament!

This news naturally reached the leaders of all factions.

When Elder Yan entered the box, he placed the ranking list before everyone, causing all present to shudder at the sight.

Ye Kuang, too, became intrigued. He held great expectations for this so-called ranking.

First Place: Inheritor of the Jeet Kune Do Temple, Li Xiao.

Second Place: Yuan Family Xingyi Fist King, Yuan Tianlong.

Third Place: Ma Family Xingyi Fist King, Ma Qiang.

Fourth Place: Heavenly Qilin Arm, Qin Feiyao.

Fifth Place: Wind Thunder Strike Hand, Xiao Tianqiong.

Sixth Place: Di Sha Lu Springing Leg, Wan Jinyou.

Seventh Place: Heaven Earth Thunderfist, Wu Tian.

…

All the way to Five Hundred and First Place: Dark Horse Crouching Dragon, Ye Kuang!

As the person in question, his face darkened, his expression extremely grim—seemingly filled with indignation, yet also burning with fighting spirit.

But when the others saw his expression, they couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Although this wasn’t a gathering of all the world’s heroes, it was indeed a place where the wheat was separated from the chaff.

For their Yinghao Martial Hall to seize the championship throne would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

Thus, one by one, they had already abandoned all hope.

Simply because the participants were all figures of significant background—either inheritors of the most prestigious temples or outstanding talents who had mastered the unique skills of various martial arts schools.

One could only imagine the immense pressure involved!

Ma Xiu: “Since things have come to this, don’t overthink it. Don’t worry about the debt either. Just do your best—safety comes first.”

Ye Kuang: “I know. Thank you!”

After saying this, he couldn’t help but clench his fists. Deep down, he had already made up his mind: he must win the championship!

Even if not for Yinghao Martial Hall, he had to vent his own frustration.

To be ranked beyond five hundredth—this was utterly unbearable! Even a cornered rabbit will bite!In the following four matches, Ye Kuang defeated his opponents with overwhelming dominance.

His silent dark horse performance seemed determined to embody the very definition of a dark horse.

Witnessing this, the youths of Yinghao Martial Hall were all stirred with excitement, itching to step into the arena themselves!

However, the older generation viewed it differently.

They didn’t take it to heart, believing instead that Ye Kuang was merely testing his limits.

But in the eyes of outsiders, it appeared as though Yinghao Martial Hall was beginning to reveal its ambitions, signaling no small aspirations.

At the Jeet Kune Do Temple,

Li Xiao also saw the Wind and Cloud Ranking, yet his expression showed no trace of joy. Amid the flattery of his junior brothers, he remained as calm as still water.

In contrast, within the private boxes of the Yuan-Ma Families,

hostile glares were exchanged between the two sides. They were absolutely determined to claim the championship throne.

To both parties, no matter how many prodigies emerged in the competition, they were merely stepping stones under their feet!

It could be said that all factions were vying for the championship, driven by nothing but prestige and status.

The reason was simple: winning this tournament would bring them immeasurable benefits.

Not only would it bring them fame and fortune, but it would also attract a flood of fresh talent to their respective camps!

Surprisingly, however, the ranking list was later leaked by some troublemaker, causing an uproar.

“What’s going on? How am I only ranked 99th? This doesn’t make sense—something must be wrong. I should at least be in the top ten!”

“Stop pretending to be humble when you’ve got it good! Look at my rank—barely breaking the top 300!”

“What are you talking about? How can you compare yourself to me? We’d settle the match in just one round. Ranking around 300th is exactly what you deserve!”

“What nonsense are you spouting? How about a one-on-one? I’ll teach you a lesson!”

“…”

For a time, the reactions among the countless young talents varied widely. Some boasted loudly, while others lay low, biding their time for a stealthy comeback, waiting to strike when least expected…

But as the situation escalated, some grew resentful of their opponents’ rankings, while others seethed with indignation. This sparked a silent battlefield, nearly leading to outright clashes!

The reason was simple: no one believed they were inferior to others. This stirred up intense emotions among the disciples on site, with even those who had lost their matches joining the chorus of complaints.

Not to mention the fan clubs—they were never ones to shy away from stirring trouble. One after another, they criticized disciples from all sides, insisting that their senior brothers were the strongest!