Chapter 0027: Qin Deren

Chapter 0027: Qin Deren

The Tian Shi Martial Association had been underway for an hour when all the matches in the eight groups concluded.

Qin Yun emerged unscathed as the group champion, while most of the other group champions were battered and bruised. This gave him a significant advantage in the upcoming matches.

Only three individuals were uninjured. Two of them were Qin Yun and Wei Xuankun, while the third was a handsome man with a gentle smile on his face—Qin Deren!

"Qin Deren? I seem to have heard that name before. Could he be the Prince of Qin?" Qin Yun suddenly recalled.

Many people did not know Qin Deren's identity, but Qin Yun knew—he was his cousin!

Qin Deren's father was the emperor's younger brother, the renowned Prince Qin, who guarded the border. Because his entire family resided at the border, their situation was not widely known.

"I wonder how the relationship between Prince Qin and the Empress is?" Qin Yun thought to himself, then went to draw lots.

Unfortunately, he drew the lot to fight against Qin Deren!

Qin Deren walked over and smiled slightly at Qin Yun. "What a coincidence. Please go easy on me during the match!"

He was around eighteen or nineteen years old, slightly taller than Qin Yun, with a slender face that was very handsome. He wore simple white clothes and carried himself with grace, instantly endearing him to others.

"I hope you will show mercy," Qin Yun replied, unsure if Qin Deren was friend or foe and not revealing his identity.

"Actually, it's you who should show mercy; I might not be your match," Qin Deren said with a humble tone and a smile on his face.

Qin Yun merely smiled and did not say more. Winning and securing a spot in the Heavenly Lion Pool was his top priority.

The two of them stepped onto the stage.

"Qin Deren defeated his opponents in one move during the group matches. His strength is unfathomable!"

"He is probably the only one who can challenge Wei Xuankun."

"His martial skills are impressive. Although he only used one move each time, every move was highly skilled and powerful!"

"Qin Deren is generous and has many friends. He must come from a distinguished background and is no ordinary person."

The crowd discussed Qin Deren on the stage.

"Brother Yun! I know where the Grand Tutor is!" Qin Deren whispered as he passed by Qin Yun.

Hearing this, Qin Yun was startled!

But Qin Deren quickly moved to the other side of the stage, standing several meters away from Qin Yun.

"Begin!"

An elder shouted, signaling the start of the match!

Due to Qin Deren's words, Qin Yun was distracted. Seeing Qin Deren charge towards him, he snapped back to reality.

Qin Deren's attack was not particularly fierce, and Qin Yun easily dodged it!

"Brother, where is the Grand Tutor?" Qin Yun asked in a low voice as he sidestepped.

"At the Qin Manor!" Qin Deren replied, then slowly struck out a palm, allowing Qin Yun to dodge easily.

Qin Yun was secretly delighted to finally know the Grand Tutor's whereabouts!

"Let's engage in a palm clash. I will deliberately lose my footing and fall from this stage, allowing you to claim victory. Your talent is extraordinary; you must work diligently to enter the Heavenly Lion Pool and enhance your strength swiftly to topple the Empress's dominion. The Qin royal house is in your corner!" Qin Deren murmured once more, "The Emperor has lost his sanity from the pursuit of martial arts and is now bedridden. The Empress and her cohorts have seized control of the entire realm!"

Qin Yun was shocked; he had never known about the Emperor's condition!

"Come!" Qin Deren whispered.

The crowd noticed Qin Deren fighting leisurely and felt puzzled.

"Qin Deren must be doing this on purpose! It looks like he wants to toy with Qin Yun!"

"Exactly, like a cat playing with a mouse, he'll finish him off after having some fun."

"Look, Qin Deren is getting serious!" someone suddenly shouted.

Seeing Qin Deren charging towards him, Qin Yun hastily struck out a palm, following what Qin Deren had said earlier and not using too much inner energy.

As his palm approached Qin Deren's, he suddenly sensed a surge of powerful inner energy from within Qin Deren!

"I've been tricked!" Qin Yun was instantly alarmed and saw a flash of cunning in Qin Deren's eyes.

He realized he had been deceived by Qin Deren!

In that moment of shock and anger, Qin Yun hurriedly circulated his dual inner energies into his arm to protect it from being crippled!

However, there was too little time, and he could only channel a small portion of his inner energy to his arm!

Bang!

Their palms collided, producing a loud explosion!

Qin Yun was pushed back more than ten steps, his face contorted in pain, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His inner energy was too weak compared to Qin Deren's.

Qin Deren's palm contained an intense coldness that sealed his arm and caused his internal organs to ache.

Qin Yun silently blamed himself: "I was too careless!"

Just as he decided to call it quits...

Qin Deren suddenly laughed and charged forward, his inner energy surging as he delivered a powerful punch to Qin Yun's abdomen!

The crowd let out a surprised cry, all could see that the force of this punch was immense, powerful enough to severely damage Qin Yun's dantian!

"Qin Yun, you can't defeat the Empress, die!" Qin Deren's face was filled with smugness, his eyes brimming with malice as he delivered another punch to Qin Yun's abdomen!

"Ahh!" Qin Yun screamed in pain, flying to the edge of the fighting platform and kneeling on one knee!

"Brother-in-law, you're really amazing, looks like Brother Kun won't have to do anything!" Yan Yun giggled from not far away, her pretty face twisted with venom: "This guy's inner essence must be ruined, hehehe, cripple him, make him leave Hualing Martial Arts Academy, a disgrace to our academy!"

Qin Yun suddenly understood—Qin Deren and Yan Yun were in cahoots!

The Prince Qin's Mansion had already allied with the Empress; if Qin Deren crippled him, he would surely receive a generous reward from the Empress!

Realizing this, a surge of anger welled up within him, merging with his inner qi, roaring fiercely inside his body!

"How despicable, I'm still too young!" Qin Yun's fists trembled under the force of his surging inner energy, his heart filled with a cold and somber determination: "Fortunately, my inner essence is intact, it was the Shocking Martial Technique that shielded my dantian, diverting the assault!"

The crowd sighed inwardly, assuming Qin Yun was so badly hurt that he couldn't even admit defeat, destined to be brutally tormented by his opponent.

Qin Deren approached, sneering, "You, a mere one-veined wretch, should just accept your mediocrity!"

He raised his leg, surrounded by inner qi, and kicked, shouting, "Get out of Hualing Martial Arts Academy!"

As Qin Deren lifted his leg, the heavily injured Qin Yun's body suddenly shook violently, bones cracking, and he unleashed a punch fueled by raging fury!

The furious punch burst forth with a flash of intense light, his fist like a red-hot branding iron, carrying a wave of scorching air, striking towards Qin Deren's abdomen!

"Flame Light Fist, at the minor accomplishment realm!" an middle-aged teacher exclaimed, cries erupting below the fighting platform, no one expecting that Qin Yun could still deliver such a powerful inner qi strike!