Seeing this scene, everyone instantly held their breath and widened their eyes.

No one had expected Qian Jun to launch a sneak attack after already gaining an absolute advantage.

This time, Xu Ke is going to die a terrible death...

As this thought flashed through their minds, Qian Jun's fist shot forward.

His fist was incredibly fast.

But a hand shot out even faster than his fist, catching it and squeezing tight. At the same time, a quiet voice echoed throughout the venue. "I haven't finished speaking. It's not right for you to launch a sneak attack."

The crowd was stunned. When they took in the scene before them, everyone's expression filled with horror, their eyes widening in shock.

They saw Xu Ke casually holding Qian Jun's fist.

Qian Jun's face was beet red from the effort, but no matter how hard he struggled, his fist couldn't move forward another inch.

This scene left only one thought in everyone's mind: How... how is this possible?! This is Qian Jun, an Innate Initial Stage cultivator! And not just any random one, either. How could he be stopped so easily?

"You..."

Qian Jun stared up at Xu Ke in disbelief, his composure instantly crumbling.

He couldn't accept what was happening.

How could I accept this? I broke through! Isn't Xu Ke only at the Postnatal Late Stage? Why can't I even move?

Down below the stage, the Ye, Huang, Kang, and Qin Families, as well as Zhou Qingyong of the Zhou Family, were all dumbstruck.

When they saw Qian Jun display the strength of the Innate Initial Stage, they'd had only one thought: Xu Ke is going to be crushed!

But now... what was this? How could the man who was supposed to be crushed so easily catch his crusher's hand?!

As for Chen Xiong and Yuan Shang, they suddenly realized something. Exchanging a glance, they said in unison, "The kid wasn't poisoned at all!"

A moment later, Yuan Shang almost coughed up blood in anger. That kid had played him for a fool!

If I still don't realize he was acting, then I'm a complete idiot...

Meanwhile, Jin Hankang shot up from the judge's seat, his eyes wide with rage.

Xu Ke... how is this possible?!

While the crowd was still reeling in shock and disbelief, Xu Ke, still holding Qian Jun's fist, spoke coolly. "Since you enjoy sneak attacks, wouldn't I be letting you down if I didn't return the favor?"

Qian Jun, still immersed in his disbelief, felt a wave of ominous premonition wash over him as his face changed dramatically.

This time, he struggled even more desperately to escape Xu Ke's grasp.

But it was too late.

BANG!

Xu Ke lifted his leg. There was no explosive power, no terrifying gust of wind—just a simple, unadorned kick.

Seeing the attack, everyone wondered if it could possibly do any damage. They found out its true power an instant later...

The plain-looking kick landed squarely on Qian Jun's abdomen.

The next moment.

PFFT!!

Qian Jun's face turned from red to purple as he sprayed a mouthful of blood.

The ferocious force slammed into him like a runaway truck, smashing his abdomen to a pulp. Immediately after, his previously wild and unrestrained aura deflated like a punctured balloon, vanishing completely.

A one-kick takedown.

Watching Qian Jun's body go limp, the entire audience fell silent.

An absolute silence was the only possible response.

How can we accept this? An Innate Initial Stage master, taken down with a single kick?

Xu Ke looked at Qian Jun, his lips curling into a cold smirk. "Qian Jun, do you remember what you said when we first met?"

"What?"

His face contorted in pain, Qian Jun shakily looked up at Xu Ke, his eyes filled with resentment and disbelief.

To this moment, he still didn't understand what had happened...

"You said you would step on my head and take a picture for Wong Ting."

Xu Ke spoke softly.

At these words, Qian Jun's expression froze. His venomous glare instantly turned to terror. The next moment, he pleaded in a panic, "Xu Ke, no, I'm begging you..."

He was immensely proud.

How could he accept such a thing?

But there were many things he couldn't accept, and Xu Ke had no intention of waiting. He would simply force him to.

Xu Ke raised his leg, and as everyone stared with eyes so wide they looked ready to pop from their sockets, he stomped down fiercely.

CRUNCH!!

The explosive sound this time didn't come from Xu Ke's leg, but from Qian Jun's head.

Xu Ke's foot ruthlessly pinned his head to the floor.

Like a dog, he was utterly unable to move.

"Xu Ke..."

Qian Jun grit his teeth in despair and humiliation, squeezing the name out from between them. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

He was terrified. He used every ounce of strength he had to try and get up.

He wanted to fight back, but he couldn't.

I don't understand why this is happening... I just know that the one being ground into the floor is me!

Seeing this, the entire contestant area fell deathly silent.

Zhao Xiangping and Su Ximing, who had been the most boisterous, were now as quiet as corpses.

The Ye, Huang, Qin, and Kang Families were enveloped in a dead silence.

Jin Hankang's body was stiff, his face ashen. The man who had been all smiles just moments ago now wore a face as black as the bottom of a pot.

Even Yuan Shang and Chen Xiong, who knew Xu Ke was acting, were left speechless.

The entire venue was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

In the past two days, Xu Ke's opponents, whether it was Wong Qiang or Li Ming, had all lost. But at least they had managed to exchange a few blows with him. Even Wong Qiang, who suffered the most miserable defeat, had managed to land two punches, even if they did no damage.

But now... their leader, Qian Jun—the one who had magnificently crushed all his opponents to reach the final—had just provided the most humiliating moment of the entire Martial Alliance competition?!

This left everyone completely floored.

At this point, even a complete fool would understand that Xu Ke vomiting blood and collapsing this morning had been an act, all designed to make Qian Jun lower his guard.

But seeing Xu Ke's true strength, they were all baffled.

If Xu Ke had the power to crush Qian Jun this easily from the very beginning, why go through all the trouble of acting? Wasn't that completely unnecessary?

The reason Xu Ke had said he regretted acting before getting on stage was because he only realized Qian Jun had broken through to the Innate Initial Stage when he got close to him. Only then did Xu Ke understand he had truly wasted his effort.

One shouldn't assume that this kind of recent breakthrough to the Innate Initial Stage would grant immense power. Qian Jun had only broken through two or three days ago. Although his aura seemed formidable, he was actually at his weakest because he couldn't control his newfound power properly.

For Xu Ke, killing Qian Jun in this state was a hundred times easier than killing a Qian Jun at the Innate Great Perfection.

That was why he said he regretted acting. A Qian Jun in this state was destined to be taken down in one blow, acting or not.

Power isn't about being the strongest; it's about having control! That was what his master had taught him.

Unfortunately, Qian Jun didn't understand this principle and was still smug about his breakthrough to the Innate Initial Stage.

The moment he stomped on Qian Jun's head, Xu Ke turned to look at Jin Hankang and flashed a grin.

"Elder Jin, don't look so grim. Give me a smile."

He continued, "You should be happy, you know? You said it yourself, today is a good day."

Jin Hankang flew into a rage and pointed a finger at Xu Ke. "What did you say?!"

Xu Ke had thrown his own words right back at him.

Be happy after witnessing this scene?

Impossible.

Happy, his ass