Chapter Seventy-Four: The Shame of the Outsider

The next morning, bright and early.

On Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

Ye Yan and his companions had just arrived at the arena when they spotted Feng Xingtong, her face alight with excitement, waving enthusiastically as she greeted them.

"Morning, Bao Bao, Zhang Chulan, morning, Brother Liangchen."

"Good morning, Little Star," Ye Yan replied lazily, stifling a yawn and nodding in greeting.

"Hey, why do you all look so drained? Did something happen last night?" Feng Xingtong eyed the trio with suspicion. Aside from Feng Baobao, the other two seemed as if they hadn't slept a wink.

Zhang Chulan forced a wry smile. "Heh... Didn't sleep well? We didn't sleep at all."

As they chatted, a man in a cherry-pink shirt, his face battered and swollen like a pig's head, trudged toward the arena, head down. Despite his swollen face, his build and the programmer-style shirt made it easy to guess who he was.

"Fatty? What happened to your face? Did you get beaten up?" Feng Xingtong called out from afar.

"Ah, don't even mention it... I got up to pee in the middle of the night, and some bastard jumped me, pulled a sack over my head, and whacked me with a club."

"Clubbed?" Canglong's words left Feng Xingtong, Zhang Chulan, and the others stunned. "No way, this is Dragon-Tiger Mountain. The order here is supposed to be impeccable..."

At this, Canglong grew indignant, pursing his lips. "Impeccable, my ass. Three guys tied me to a tree and beat me for an hour—nobody came, not a soul."

Everyone: "..."

Old Man Ma and his crew did a fine job.

Seeing Canglong beaten to such a miserable state, Ye Yan felt a surge of delight. Serves you right for slandering me, calling me Ye Shameless, acting all righteous. Satisfied now?

Although he felt much better, Ye Yan still maintained the aloof, indifferent demeanor befitting Ye Liangchen's persona—eyes lowered, detached from all matters.

"Fatty, could it be you've been too flashy lately and pissed someone off?"

Though the chubby one had a sharp tongue, he wasn't so odious as to be universally despised. To be beaten so badly, he must have offended someone.

"You know," Zhang Chulan mused, "is it possible that the ones who did this to him are his next opponents?"

It wasn't out of the question. After all, he and Feng Baobao had nearly buried Dan Shitong alive just the night before. The logic was much the same. Maybe Fatty was also seen as a threat.

But before anyone else could chime in, Canglong denied it himself. "Impossible. My next opponent is Master Lingyu. With his strength, there’s no need for such underhanded tricks."

"…That’s true," Zhang Chulan conceded. He didn't much care for Zhang Lingyu and his haughty airs, but given the man's pride, he wouldn't stoop to such tactics.

They talked it over, but not a clue emerged—no sign of the culprit, no leads at all.

In the end, Canglong could only sigh. "Maybe I'm just too handsome. People can't help but get jealous."

"Tch..."

Everyone around him raised their middle fingers in unison.

Since everyone had made their thoughts known, Ye Yan couldn't stay silent forever. After some thought, he remarked, "Those are some serious injuries. Find some bruise ointment when you have a chance. It works wonders."

Hearing Ye Yan's concern, Canglong was moved to tears. At last, someone had shown him a bit of kindness that morning.

"You're the best, Brother Liangchen. For that alone, once the Heavenly Grand Competition is over, come to the capital—I'll arrange the finest foot massage for you, everything included... Satisfaction guaranteed."

Ye Yan: "…"

…

After yesterday's round, the already heated tournament was even more explosive. Walking through the venue, Ye Yan clearly felt the crowd had swelled in number.

He also noticed many reporters among the spectators, some from organizations like Pasture Inn and Starshine Society, providing live coverage for those unable to attend in person. It was quite convenient, considering the contestants were all of the younger generation, but there were still plenty of elders and family members in the community who could only watch remotely.

"Master Lingyu, I love you!"

"Zhuge Qing, I want to have ten babies for you!"

"Do your best! Don't lose your nerve—I’ve bet everything I have on you!"

Zhang Lingyu and Zhuge Qing were still wildly popular, which came as no surprise. The first two shouts, Ye Yan could understand. But the last one? Was that person crazy? Betting everything on the highest-odds contestant? Ye Yan truly couldn't comprehend.

Today's arena had also seen some changes. Four large screens in the central area were already activated and being calibrated. With these, spectators could stand in the middle and watch all matches without running around as they had the day before.

As everyone took in the new setup, a voice drew their attention.

"Everyone."

"Today, the thirty-six contestants will compete across four arenas. If you wish to watch all the matches, please remain here. The conditions of each arena will be broadcast in real time on the four main screens, allowing everyone to follow along. Now, here are the pairings for the first group of matches."

"Wang Ye versus Iron Monkey."

"Lu Linglong versus Yun."

"Feng Shayan versus Zhi Jinhua."

"Ye Yan versus Zheng Guofeng."

"Will all contestants please enter the arena."

"…"

"Well, first group again," Ye Yan muttered.

He'd already known his opponent today would be Zheng Guofeng, but he hadn't expected to be drawn for the first round again. What a surprise.

Yawning, Ye Yan waved to Feng Xingtong and the others. "My match is about to start. I'll head over now..."

"See you, Brother Liangchen!" Little Star, as sweet as ever, made Ye Yan smile. Before leaving, he ruffled her silvery hair until it was a tousled mess, then made his way to the arena.

Upon arrival, Ye Yan was surprised by the sizable crowd gathered for his match. The spectator seats were packed, and among them were many familiar faces: Feng Zhenghao, Zhuge Qing, Huang Bo, and others.

Ye Yan even spotted the old grandmaster and the elderly man in a wheelchair among the audience.

The moment Ye Yan entered, the stands erupted in noise, and jeers soon followed.

"Zheng Guofeng, don't let us down—teach that bastard a lesson and show him what a real Adept is!"

"Go, Zheng Guofeng!"

"Don't let this disgrace to the Adepts get away!"

Passion ran high in the stands, the shouts rising in waves. Some people, their faces twisted in anger, waved placards reading 'The Three Disgraces of North China.'

Disgrace to the Adepts?

Ye Yan’s mouth twitched. He was stunned. When had he become so hated?

Honestly, if you keep this up, I'll have Jin Erpeng bring out the Italian cannon.

Perhaps responding to the fervor of the crowd, Zheng Guofeng stood in place, fixing Ye Yan with a cold stare. After a long moment, he finally spoke.

"So, you're that Shameless Ye?"