Chapter 129: Taking on Three Alone

Fang Xian felt a stir in his heart and gave his horse, Fire King, a light tap. The steed suddenly let out a roar like a ferocious beast. The sound was so startling that Guo Shunsheng’s warhorse reared up in terror, throwing its unprepared rider to the ground.

"Does this count as my win?" Fang Xian turned to ask the referee.

"Military scholar Fang Xian is the victor." The referee, momentarily stunned, nodded subconsciously and announced it aloud, sparking a wave of discussion among the surrounding military scholars.

"No way, is Guo Shunsheng really that cowardly? He got scared off his horse by a single neigh?" one mocked.

"Didn't you see? Guo Shunsheng was so nervous the moment he saw Fang Xian that he didn't even dare to make a move. What a spineless coward," another sneered.

"Fang Xian’s presence is too overwhelming. He didn't even have to strike; his steed’s roar was enough to strike fear into his opponent's heart."

"Guo Shunsheng is famous now—scared off his horse without Fang Xian even having to make a single move."

Fang Xian ignored Guo Shunsheng and turned his attention to the other matches. Since only those with considerable skill remained, the other five groups were locked in fierce combat.

There were seven contenders left in the seventh round. However, Tang Yuyong and Tong Zhaopeng had battled for over a hundred rounds in the previous match; although Tang Yuyong narrowly emerged victorious, he was severely exhausted. After consulting with the instructors, it was decided that Tang Yuyong would receive a bye for this round.

Thus, the remaining six were Wang Dongzhu, Zhao Yaozhong, Liu Dongsheng, Gong Guoqiang, Han Jiahong, and Fang Xian. Aside from Fang Xian, the other five were well-known seeded contenders.

The three winners of this round, plus Tang Yuyong, would form the final four for the semifinals. Fang Xian’s drawn opponent was Liu Dongsheng, a guerrilla general from the Broken Wolf Army, one of the four great frontier legions.

Liu Dongsheng had a square face, large ears, a robust build, and a rugged temperament. As the Broken Wolf Army was stationed in the northern reaches of the Wu Kingdom, enduring harsh climates for years, his physique and demeanor leaned toward those of the northern barbarian tribes.

The Broken Wolf Army had long been locked in a standoff with the barbarian Sky Wolf Army, frequently engaging in small-scale skirmishes. Consequently, these frontier generals were all battle-hardened killers. Liu Dongsheng exuded a bloodthirsty aura, his eyes cold and resolute, setting him apart from the average military scholar.

"Liu Dongsheng of the Broken Wolf Army," he declared, clutching his wooden spear and bowing.

"Fang Xian of Kaiyang Prefecture," Fang Xian replied with a bow. Facing a battlefield commander like Liu Dongsheng, he grew serious, bracing himself with guarded focus.

"Ya..."

Liu Dongsheng initiated the attack. With a flick of his spear, several blossoms appeared at the tip, striking toward Fang Xian’s face like cold, glimmering stars. This was a standard opening move in spearplay—the blossoms demonstrated mastery of the art while remaining versatile. If the opponent failed to locate the spearhead, the move could transition into a direct strike; if the opponent spotted it, the move could be quickly retracted and altered.

Facing the onslaught, Fang Xian remained unfazed. He watched his opponent’s wrists coldly, then suddenly thrust his own spear forward. A loud *crack* echoed in the air as the two wooden spears collided.

*Swish, swish, swish...*

The two remained seated on their steeds, motionless. Fang Xian did not urge Fire King to lash out; instead, he engaged Liu Dongsheng in a contest of spear techniques. Though he was not trained in the spear, his prowess with the halberd shared similar principles—and in martial arts, mastering one path often illuminates all. Thus, Fang Xian did not lose ground.

*Bang...*

After about a dozen rounds, Liu Dongsheng suddenly retracted his spear behind his waist and, in a flash, struck out from the other side, aiming directly for Fang Xian’s abdomen. Fang Xian leaned back, dodging the lethal blow, and simultaneously grabbed the wooden spear, giving it a powerful twist.

*Whoosh...*

As they vied for control, Fang Xian straightened his body, brought his own spear down heavily onto Liu Dongsheng’s, and slid it forward to strike at his opponent's wrist.

"Ya..."

In the critical moment, the experienced Liu Dongsheng let out a roar and leaped from his saddle, hoping to use the momentum of his jump to reclaim his weapon or even drag Fang Xian off his horse.

"You've lost."

Fang Xian remained steady and spoke calmly. As Liu Dongsheng failed to pull him down and landed back on the ground, Fang Xian’s spear tip was already pointed at his throat.

"I concede," Liu Dongsheng said straightforwardly.

"You are too kind," Fang Xian replied, releasing the wooden spear and bowing.

"Fang Xian is the victor, advancing to the top three," the referee immediately announced. Their group was the first to finish, while the other two groups battled for a while longer before reaching their results.

"Zhao Yaozhong is the victor."

"Han Jiahong is the victor."

Ultimately, the other winners were Zhao Yaozhong and Han Jiahong. Together with Fang Xian and Tang Yuyong, they formed the final four of the semifinals.

Now, the eyes of the other three powerhouses turned toward Fang Xian. They had not taken him seriously at the beginning, nor did they change their minds even after learning of his background.

In the previous rounds, although Fang Xian had defeated his opponents in a single move, they had largely done the same without much effort. It wasn't until these last two rounds—where Fang Xian scared off Guo Shunsheng and easily defeated Liu Dongsheng—that they realized his strength, and they knew they were not much better than Liu Dongsheng.

"Examiner, this kind of testing is far too different from the slaughter of the battlefield. To save time, may I challenge the three of them? Let them come at me together," Fang Xian suddenly proposed.

"What? Fang Xian wants to take on three at once? Isn't he being too arrogant?" a military scholar exclaimed.

"What audacity! He holds the military scholars of the world in no regard. What a madman," Guo Shunsheng fanned the flames from within the crowd.

"To reach the final four and then want to challenge the remaining three at once—he is either extremely confident or utterly full of himself," others analyzed objectively.

"What is your opinion, the three of you?" The examiner had no objections; it was rare to see such a prodigious talent. If he could truly win a three-on-one, Fang Xian would undoubtedly be the undisputed champion.

"Since Scholar Fang has such confidence, I have no objections," Zhao Yaozhong said, his eyes half-closed.

"I have no objections. One might encounter an ambush on the battlefield. I am willing to fight," Tang Yuyong said, looking deeply at Fang Xian.

"How arrogant. But I don't mind teaching him a lesson with the others," Han Jiahong said coldly. He felt his status as a disciple of the Daoist Sect had been insulted and decided he would punish Fang Xian, though he lacked the confidence to do so in a one-on-one duel.

"In that case, this will be the final match: the four of you will fight together," the examiner announced after confirming their consent.

For the final mounted battle, all barriers were removed. The field was expanded tenfold, providing enough space for a true cavalry engagement, as all the military scholars gathered around to watch.