Chapter 163: Alliance of the Ten Major Martial Arts Gyms

Chapter 163: The Alliance of the Ten Major Martial Arts Academies

Zhang Tian, the master of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy, walked up to Shen An and said respectfully, "Welcome, King of Earls!"

Huang Zhitian, the master of the Firmament Martial Arts Academy, approached Shen An and said, "Welcome, King of Earls!"

Zhou Yaotian, the master of the soaring Martial Arts Academy, stepped forward and said, "Welcome, King of Earls!"

...

No fewer than ten masters of the major martial arts academies came before Shen An, each showing him the utmost respect.

At this moment, Zhang Tian of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy stepped forward and said, "I have long heard of the King of Earls' mighty reputation. If I recall correctly, not long ago at the Grandmaster Council, Lord Shen An merely held the rank of an Earl. How is it that you have already ascended to the rank of King of Earls?"

"It seems that advancement is a remarkably simple matter in front of Earl Shen An," remarked Huang Zhitian, master of the Firmament Martial Arts Academy.

"Heh, that is precisely the brilliance of the King of Earls. Perhaps you haven't heard yet, but this King of Earls has already mastered the Tremor Fist! The disciples under my academy's banner witnessed with their own eyes as he punched straight through a main battle tank."

"Oh? Heh, the King of Earls possesses truly astonishing strength."

Naturally, these martial arts masters did not consider punching through a tank to be any sort of breathtaking feat. After all, having reached their level, piercing a tank with a bare fist was hardly difficult.

However, in the eyes of the ordinary martial arts disciples, this sounded like an absolute impossibility.

"What? He easily punched right through a tank? Is this the kind of strength one must possess to become a King of Earls? Isn't that a bit too terrifying?"

"Such formidable power! That is unquestionably an unimaginable level of strength."

"An unthinkable existence... punching a tank clean through. I reckon I could never accomplish such a feat."

"Are tanks really that fragile? A powerful awakener can actually shatter one with his bare fists?"

These martial arts masters were figures of immense renown among the ten major academies, and naturally, no one doubted their words. Consequently, the onlookers believed it, convinced that Shen An was truly capable of punching through a tank.

Shen An could genuinely feel the enthusiasm of the ten major academies, though it perhaps bordered on being a bit too overwhelming.

"As expected of the ten major academies, to show me such intense warmth," Shen An said with a smile.

"King of Earls, please follow me this way. The joint tournament of the ten major academies is about to begin," Zhang Tian of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy said.

"Very well!"

Shen An followed him, soon arriving at the VIP seating area to take his seat. Flanking Shen An were no fewer than ten academy masters, every single one of whom was a figure of great prestige and veneration in the outside world.

Had it been anyone else sitting alongside these masters at this moment, they undoubtedly would have found it surreal. Yet Shen An remained utterly composed, possessing a calmness and serenity that seemed far beyond his years.

"Lord Shen An, the competition is about to commence. The first match is a bout between the disciples of my Youdao Martial Arts Academy and those of the Firmament Martial Arts Academy. I believe the Youdao Academy possesses greater strength. I wonder what the King of Earls thinks of this?" asked Zhang Tian, master of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy.

In truth, he cared very little about whether his own academy won or lost. All of these masters knew that the honor contested by the disciples was hardly worth mentioning.

Their true objective was to pull Shen An in as a powerful patron. When they first issued the invitation, they merely regarded Shen An as a standard Earl, but now, he had become a King of Earls.

A King of Earls stood supreme above numerous other Earls; he was far from an ordinary figure.

"For this match, I favor the Youdao Martial Arts Academy," Shen An replied.

"You flatter me too much, King of Earls. With the backing of your support, my Youdao Martial Arts Academy is bound to emerge victorious," said Zhang Tian.

With a smile, master Zhang Tian continued, "Lord King of Earls, you are so young and promising, are you currently betrothed? I would love to introduce my daughter to you. What are your thoughts on that?"

The master of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy figured that if Shen An took a liking to his daughter, he would successfully forge a personal connection with him. After all, for Shen An to have attained the rank of King of Earls at such a young age meant his future achievements were bound to be limitless.

Shen An gave a wry smile and replied, "Academy Master, there is no need for that. As awakeners, we must prioritize cultivation above all else, and I have not considered such matters for the time being."

"Ah! Since the King of Earls has said so, I shall not press the issue. In truth, that daughter of mine is an absolute beauty; it is truly a pity to let such a chance with the King of Earls slip away so easily," Zhang Tian sighed.

He understood that someone of the King of Earls' stature would naturally have exceedingly high standards. As a King of Earls within the Grandmaster Council, his status was terrifyingly high, and rumors of his formidable strength preceded him.

For an existence like this, only a woman whose strength and status matched his could truly be a fitting match.

The master of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy knew very well that he was reaching far above his station. Therefore, after Shen An's refusal, he did not press the matter any further.

At that very moment, a towering, murderous giant burst into the arena, directly shattering the atmosphere of the joint tournament.

Behind him followed dozens of men dressed in black. These men possessed strengths reaching the mid-stage of the Second Rank, and the ordinary academy disciples were simply no match for them.

"It's actually people from the Black Sandalwood Martial Arts Academy! They certainly know how to pick their moments. Are they deliberately choosing this timing to attack us? Hmph, what a wonderful time to arrive," Zhang Tian of the Youdao Martial Arts Academy said with a cold huff, his heart filled with extreme displeasure.

"Though the Black Sandalwood Martial Arts Academy is ostensibly an academy just like ours, in my eyes, they are utterly disgraceful. They commit every imaginable evil, and their arrival here today spells nothing but trouble."

"I've heard that the Black Sandalwood Martial Arts Academy frequently slaughters disciples from other academies with extreme cruelty."

"We absolutely cannot allow these people from Black Sandalwood to ruin our joint tournament today. This concerns the dignity of all ten major academies. If we let them sabotage this event, what face will the Ten Major Martial Arts Alliance have left?"

...

The alliance of the ten major academies was filled with indignation, feeling that the actions of the Black Sandalwood Martial Arts Academy were entirely overbearing.

"This is going too far," Zhang Tian stood up and said. Casting a glance at Shen An beside him, he added, "King of Earls, do not worry. Our Youdao Martial Arts Academy will handle this matter properly."

Zhang Zaitian of the Black Sandalwood Martial Arts Academy swept his gaze across the area, eventually landing on Shen An. As he looked at the King of Earls badge pinned to Shen An's chest, a flash of deep hatred welled up within him.

"I never imagined that during the joint tournament of the ten major academies, a King of Earls would actually make an appearance. That shining diamond insignia... that must be the badge of a Grandmaster Council King of Earls, isn't it?" Zhang Zaitian sneered.

Had Zhang Zaitian merely been in conflict with the ten major academies, Shen An would have had no intention of intervening. However, the people from the Black Sandalwood Martial Arts Academy had now explicitly called him out, intending to target him directly.