Chapter Sixteen: Liu Kuangsheng

"Bang!"
A dull thud echoed as Jackal's body was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the arena stage.
The entire square fell silent for a split second, only for an even louder uproar to erupt immediately after.
After all, though Leopard had previously kicked Jackal off the stage, many had dismissed it as a mere accident or coincidence, never expecting such an event to repeat itself a second time. How could they possibly remain calm now?
From the moment the two stepped onto the stage, Leopard had been completely on the defensive—utterly so, in fact, without the slightest chance to strike back. Even when Leopard used Jackal's attacks to force a breakthrough in his body refinement, it had only caused mild surprise among the spectators. The truth was clear: even after breaking through to the ninth level of martial cultivation, Leopard was still no match for Jackal.
In matches between opponents of equal rank, if one side's speed absolutely suppressed the other, the outcome was rarely in doubt.
So why was Jackal kicked off the stage again? The watching disciples were bewildered, but the elders on the viewing platform furrowed their brows, a strange glint flickering in their eyes. Clearly, after this second kick, they too had noticed something.
Jackal remained stunned, then slowly sat up. Reaching to touch the footprint stamped on his chest, he felt his mind buzz with emptiness. He knew he should calm himself, but the sudden turn of events left him unable to do so. In this moment, even some absurd ideas sprang to mind.
The two kicks Leopard had landed were identical to the ones Pan had used, and Jackal was certain that, before this, Leopard's speed could never have come close to touching even the hem of his robes. So why now?
Was this the reason Leopard had spoken of—why Jackal could find the cause of his defeat in their match? What exactly was happening?
Moving in a flash, Jackal charged at Leopard once again, only to be sent flying by another kick moments later.
Leopard raised an eyebrow; after kicking Jackal off the stage three times in a row, he seemed to have realized something, a strange light flashing deep within his eyes.
As for the crowd, most wore expressions of shocked confusion.
Three times Jackal was kicked away, and three times he rose with a look of bewilderment, clearly unable to grasp how he was caught by those kicks.
As the saying goes, the onlookers see more than the participants. Had it not been for Leopard's subsequent actions, no one would have thought anything amiss about Jackal dodging the small green stones on the stage. But because of what followed, many now saw Jackal, while dodging those stones, practically hurling himself into the path of Leopard's kicks.
There is a saying: once might be chance, twice a coincidence, but three times is never an accident. Since Jackal had "collided" with Leopard's kicks three times in succession, it could no longer be dismissed as mere happenstance.
However, due to their age, everyone's understanding and experience were limited and varied. So, while many believed Leopard kicking Jackal off the stage wasn't a fluke, most still couldn't fathom why. Only a few of the older disciples had a faint glimmer of realization in their eyes.
"Bang!"
Yet another kick, and Jackal was sent flying again. Leopard now fully confirmed his suspicions, and with that certainty, much of his prior confusion suddenly made sense.
Jackal's odd reactions were no doubt because these kicks provided him with clues to his defeat by Pan. And why did these kicks hold answers? It must be because the way Leopard delivered them was akin to the circumstances under which Jackal lost to Pan.

Although Jackal couldn't quite work out what was happening for the moment, Leopard believed that a little calm reflection would reveal the key points.
As for why Jackal had been left clueless after his defeat by Pan, the answer lay, as Yan had said, in Pan's omniscience.
Because Pan knew everything, he was aware of Jackal's weakness from the outset. Thus, when he defeated him, there was no prelude—just two casual kicks were enough to send Jackal flying. Naturally, Jackal was left none the wiser.
As for why Pan said Jackal could find the reason for his defeat in Leopard, it was likely because, unlike Pan, Leopard's battle with Jackal unfolded with a build-up: from complete suppression to a sudden reversal and victory. Many would ponder such a dramatic turnaround, and Jackal was no exception; thus, he would naturally find the crux of his loss.
Yet, even after understanding this much, Leopard was still at a loss as to why Pan had such confidence—how could he be so certain that Leopard would uncover Jackal's weakness? Was Pan truly omniscient?
Because Jackal himself remained confused and oblivious to the key, there was no surprise in the final outcome: Jackal was kicked off the stage by Leopard.
In truth, many found Leopard's victory troubling. Jackal's strength far surpassed Leopard's; if not for Jackal's "holding back," if not for Leopard's use of the small green stones to "accidentally" expose Jackal's weakness, if not for the fact that Leopard kicked Jackal off before he could realize what was happening, the outcome would surely have been Jackal's victory.
Nevertheless, however dissatisfied they were, no one voiced their discontent. Victory was still victory, and defeat was still defeat.
Jackal's "holding back" was his own choice—perhaps it wasn't even that, but merely an attempt to humiliate his opponent. Who could say for sure?
And Leopard's trick with the shattered stones was his own ingenuity. After all, martial combat isn't just about brute force; making clever use of anything at hand can be the key to victory.
In the end, the arena battle may seem fair, but for those with quick wits, it's not fair at all, for the terrain is fixed and direct confrontation is the only option.
Besides, what is the purpose of martial combat? On the sect's arena, the chance of death is low, but in a true fight to the death, would you really forbid an opponent from grabbing a handful of stones from the ground to attack? That would be utterly unreasonable.
As for Leopard giving Jackal no chance to recover before booting him off the stage, some might call it "biting the hand that fed him" after Jackal's earlier leniency. But in martial combat, Leopard did nothing wrong!
In battle, regardless of your opponent's state of mind, you must keep your own heart steadfast.
Once you've gained the upper hand, you should immediately knock your opponent to the ground and stomp on him, never letting him rise again. Harsh as it sounds, in a true life-or-death struggle, such ruthlessness is not only justified but necessary.
If your opponent is your enemy, and clearly stronger than you, would you really wait for him to recover before engaging in a "suicidal" duel? Obviously, that would be foolish.
Therefore, Leopard was right not to give Jackal any breathing room. In battle, there is no room for mercy.
The duel between Leopard and Jackal became a profound lesson for all who watched.
This is the true and ruthless reality of martial arts!
With Jackal kicked off the stage, Leopard was the victor. Next up would be the match between Pan and Nightfall.

Yet, as is often the case, events unfolded in the most unexpected way: the match never even began, for Pan declared his surrender outright.
Surrender—yes, that's right, he surrendered!
When Pan's words were relayed throughout the crowd by Elder Li Liao, everyone was stunned before the place erupted in chaos.
Many couldn't understand Pan's actions. To concede without a fight was hardly the spirit of martial arts, yet Pan did so without a trace of concern.
Many had witnessed Pan's previous battles—simple, direct, seemingly never using his full strength—leading to much speculation about his true abilities.
Among those most curious were the new disciples of Peak Thirteen, for they knew Pan had once easily defeated Jackal.
Yet this very man, who had so easily bested Jackal, chose to surrender in the final contest.
Everyone was in an uproar, but Pan remained utterly indifferent. All he wanted was the chance to freely select a martial technique from the sect's library; the rest was of no importance. In fact, this had been his plan all along—once he secured a spot in the top three, he saw no reason to compete further.
On stage, the third elder's eyes gleamed with an inscrutable light; at that moment, he found Pan truly remarkable.
With Pan's surrender, the third match was set.
This match would decide whether Leopard, as the winner of the third-place bout, would choose to challenge either Pan or Nightfall in a bid for a place in the top two.
Though the match was scheduled for the next day, Leopard's decision to challenge had to be announced immediately.
All eyes were fixed on Leopard, many hoping he would accept the challenge.
He did not disappoint; he chose to challenge—the current second place, Pan.
Pan's lips curled into a faint smile; he was not at all surprised by Leopard's decision. Because of Jackal, he knew Leopard would inevitably choose to challenge him.
However, Pan had no intention of accepting the challenge.
So, under the expectant gaze of the crowd, Pan calmly spoke three words:
"I surrender."