Chapter 715: Progress
Just as Fang Chunyang had said, time was tight, and there was no way to raise the attention on the World's Top Martial Competition to a global sensation.
Xiya had vigorously promoted the tournament and even secured endorsement from the newly ascended Supreme Expert, Shou Zhen. But after more than half a month, only twelve Tier Ten Supreme Experts had confirmed attendance, while another fourteen remained noncommittal. Their participation remained in doubt.
In reality, the number of local tier ten martial artists alone numbered well over a hundred. Twelve was barely a tenth of them.
However, this situation came to an abrupt end the moment Xiya publicly conducted a nuclear test. When a nuclear bomb with a yield of one hundred thousand tons detonated, a towering mushroom cloud rose into the sky. The intense brilliance turned broad daylight into a deep crimson, sending shockwaves across the world.
The devastating power of such a terrifying weapon shattered the pride of all Tier Ten Supreme Experts in an instant. Their individual strength, capable of changing the tide of wars, stood no chance against such overwhelming destruction.
Shock came first. Then, fear. And finally... uncontrollable fury.
They were enraged that Xiya dared to defy the Deterrence Agreement and develop a weapon that threatened the supremacy of martial artists.
One after another, world-class martial arts factions that had never taken Xiya seriously stepped forward, launching fierce condemnations. They painted Xiya as a monstrous evil poised to destroy the world, calling for its annihilation through a united global effort.
Amidst this storm of public outcry, Li Pin once again brought the World's Top Martial Competition into the spotlight.
Ban the further development of such weapons? Crush Xiya for violating the Deterrence Agreement? Fine. But first... defeat me. Claim the title of the World Champion.
With their core interests under threat and ruling positions destabilized, those world-class factions and Tier Ten Supreme Experts could no longer remain passive or indifferent. By the time the World's Top Martial Competition was only a few days away, the number of Tier Ten Supreme Experts willing to participate had already surged past fifty.
As for the rest, there was no need to guess. Even if they chose not to compete, they would not miss witnessing a battle that would determine the future of the martial world.