"Hmph, pretending to be something!"
As soon as those words were spoken, not only did Seven's dad’s face change, but even Fat Tiger and Teacher Zhang’s expressions stiffened.
To say someone is "pretending" in front of the person who ranked first last year—was this guy unaware of how strong his opponent was, or did he just not know his place?
A person who lacks self-awareness, stubbornly resisting even when death is imminent, only invites more contempt from others.
Teacher Zhang smiled coldly, her eyes narrowing, and she shouted loudly:
"Let the match begin!"
With a command, the pool below immediately stirred.
In an instant, the Seven family transformed into three terrifying monsters.
Leading them was a giant spider with a human head!
The giant spider’s exaggerated legs reached the edge of the pool, and its limbs jabbed deep into the ground, unmoving.
"Seven’s dad is strong because his body doesn’t need to touch the balancing bridge. No matter how much the bridge sways, he won’t fall."
"Last year’s first-place winner isn’t a joke, Li Ziyang’s dad is in trouble now."
Many people in the audience showed pity; after all, against the human-headed giant spider, winning seemed as difficult as climbing to the heavens.
Su Bingyao transformed into a huge pure white serpent, wrapping around Li Ziyang to protect him.
The human-headed giant spider bared its fangs and sprayed disgusting mucus: "Li Ziyang's dad, now you’re afraid, huh?"
As it spoke, the giant spider opened its two front pincers and attacked Li Ran.
The pincers attacked with incredible speed—whether sweeping or slashing, if they hit, they could decapitate the opponent.
But to Li Ran, the giant spider’s attacks looked like they were in slow motion.
He was aware that his eerie power had reached 380, agility 70, strength 70, and constitution 50, giving him a total eerie power value of at least 500.
A mere 180 eerie power monster seemed childishly weak in front of him.
Li Ran stood still, immediately summoning his Thunder Dagger, skillfully dodging the giant spider's attacks.
Seeing Seven's dad aiming directly for his vital spots, even trying to harm Su Bingyao, a blood-red glint appeared in Li Ran's eyes, and a faint blood mist enveloped him.
He imbued the Thunder Dagger with a layer of bloodthirsty aura and swung it forward.
Li Ran muttered, "Blood Scythe Flying Blade!"
A blood-colored crescent slash followed the balancing bridge, slashing at the human-headed giant spider.
The spider, startled, instinctively blocked with its two front pincers.
As a result, the blood scythe flew straight through its body, piercing through to the back of the scorpion monster transformed by Seven's son and crashing into the wall, leaving a terrifying crack.
The movements of the three monsters abruptly halted, and then their heads began to detach, slowly falling into the pool. The fish instantly surged, devouring their bodies until nothing but mangled remains were left.
"Li Ziyang's dad actually won?"
The people by the pool were dumbfounded.
Teacher Zhang nearly popped her eyes out.
She thought Li Ziyang's family was as good as dead, but instead, Li Ran casually waved his dagger and instantly wiped out Seven’s family!
"Seven's family is too weak, was that really last year's first place?"
"Li Ziyang’s dad seems to actually be quite impressive."
The people around the pool were discussing amongst themselves, and some began to look at Li Ran differently.
They had initially thought that Li Ziyang's dad was a fool, talking big, but now that Seven’s family was wiped out in seconds, it was clear he wasn’t just boasting.
Fat Tiger’s expression shifted.
He didn’t expect Li Ziyang to win, and win so effortlessly.
"Seven’s family was talking so tough before, bragging about how strong they were, but they were wiped out in three seconds. And they still had the nerve to say they were first last year?" Fat Tiger thought angrily.
Su Bingyao and Li Ziyang also returned to their normal states, and their gazes towards Li Ran became different.
They trusted him more and admired him even more.
"Is Dad handsome?"
"Handsome!"
Su Bingyao’s eyes shimmered with tears of emotion. Before she entrusted her life to this man, she had hesitated, been uncertain, and even thought his decision to bring the family onto the balancing bridge was extreme.
But when she stood on the bridge and heard him say, "Leave it to me," all her fear and hesitation vanished. Looking at his back, an indescribable sense of trust surged from the depths of her heart.
He didn’t disappoint her after all.
"Handsome!" Su Bingyao smiled gently.
With the balancing bridge contest over, the four victorious families moved on to the next round.
Teacher Zhang led them to a completely new venue.
"The final contest is the one the children love most: horseback combat."
"The rules are simple—the last family or individual standing will be the winners of this parent-child activity."
The venue was a space similar to a tennis court, surrounded by tall iron nets.
"Each family can send out two representatives for the contest."
Teacher Zhang's assistant brought up a box.
The rules for horseback combat were that the son would ride on the father, the son acting as the knight, and the father as the horse. They would defeat their opponents until only one family or individual remained standing.
In his past life, Li Ran had played this game when he was a child. However, as living conditions improved and parents began to treat their children like precious treasures, this type of activity was viewed as dangerous and gradually phased out.
Li Ran never expected that he would get to play such a childhood game again.
The four families each sent two people into the arena.
"Go for it."
Su Bingyao clenched her small fist and cheered on Li Ran and Li Ziyang.
"I believe Dad will definitely take first place," Li Ziyang said happily.
Other families also gradually entered the arena. Fat Tiger and his father, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall, exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Although Li Ran had easily defeated last year's first-place team in the balance bridge competition, Fat Tiger and his father still appeared confident. After all, Fat Tiger's father was large and powerful, which made him a formidable opponent.
Teacher Zhang was slightly relieved, thinking to herself, "With Fat Tiger's dad here, Su Bingyao can't win."
"That's right, Fat Tiger's dad used to be a free-fighting expert, and I heard he even won awards. How could he fear Su Bingyao's husband?"
She looked at Li Ran with disdain, her heart filled with resentment: "Bingyao, don't blame me. It was you who ignored my advice and insisted on marrying this man. Did you ever think of my feelings? Since I can't have you, I'll destroy everything you hold dear!"
Fat Tiger and his father stepped into the arena, and the invisible pressure instantly stunned the crowd.
In comparison, Li Ran, with his thin, frail body, seemed insignificant.
The other two father-son pairs kept their distance from Fat Tiger's group.
"Son, come up."
Li Ran easily lifted Li Ziyang and placed him on his back.
The other two groups also mounted their horses.
Fat Tiger's dad and Fat Tiger, towering and imposing, immediately intimidated the other two groups into staying far away.
"Let the game begin!"
With Teacher Zhang's command, the game started.
"Hmph, troublesome!" Fat Tiger's dad snorted coldly.
He then transformed into a ferocious giant demon tiger, charging toward the other two family teams.
The giant demon tiger, which Fat Tiger's dad morphed into, was massive, entirely black, with a muscular body adorned with purple patterns. Fat Tiger himself looked like a vicious boar, riding on the back of the demon tiger.
A boar riding a fierce tiger? This combination was something Li Ran had never expected.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
With two cries of agony, the match ended before it even began.
One team lost its upper body, while another was torn apart by the tiger's claws...
The audience was horrified.
Fat Tiger's dad displayed such overwhelming power that it stunned everyone in place.
Su Bingyao's beautiful eyes filled with worry.
Teacher Zhang, seeing that Su Bingyao was nervous about her husband and son, felt a surge of hatred in her heart, "Su Bingyao, I'll destroy everything you have now. Just wait, at that point, you’ll belong to me!"
On the field, Li Ran faced a huge demon tiger, and he seemed like a small rabbit locked in the sights of the ferocious tiger.
"Roar~!"
The giant demon tiger let out a deafening roar.
"Li Ziyang, what do you have to compare with me? Your useless dad?" The boar on the back of the giant demon tiger, Fat Tiger, sneered mockingly, his savage tusks, huge belly, and arrogant, ugly face fully displaying the boar's pride.
"Dad..."
Li Ziyang was so scared that his head seemed to crack open, and the Ghost Hand that emerged from his neck trembled in fear.
Humans and Ghost Hand Demon Child VS Mad Boar Riding Demon Tiger.
These two combinations on the field were as bizarre as they come!
"Roar!"
The giant demon tiger roared, swinging its massive tiger paw toward Li Ran. The force of the strike ripped through the air, and before it even hit Li Ran, he could already feel a slight sting on his face.
Meanwhile, the Mad Boar, its entire body covered in tough bone spines, was wildly throwing spikes from the back of the demon tiger.
Li Ran stepped forward with his right foot, his figure shifting rapidly over ten meters, dodging the demon tiger’s repeated attacks. He then made a stylish block, deflecting the incoming boar spikes.
"A B-rank monster with 330 ghost power is no joke. Its strength is much greater than the Blood-red Mantis Monster. And these two, the giant demon tiger and the mad boar, actually know how to coordinate?" Li Ran was slightly taken aback.
When he killed the transformed mantis monster earlier, it was partly by luck. First, the mantis monster hadn't fully evolved; second, Deng Zhiwei lacked combat experience. The difference with the giant demon tiger in front of him was stark.
The other mothers on the sidelines, who weren’t participating, saw how Fat Tiger’s team instantly suppressed Li Ran, and they couldn’t help but scream.
Teacher Zhang even silently cheered, thinking, "With Fat Tiger’s combat experience, Su Bingyao’s husband and son are doomed!"
(End of Chapter)