Overlord!

Sun Sheng stood in the center of the crater, his muscles still trembling slightly.

Being smashed into the ground by Li Changqing's Sakyamuni Throwing Elephant was no easy feat. The Tai Chi Force contained within it was difficult to endure. Even though his body appeared to have no major injuries on the surface, he had suffered countless soft tissue contusions and internal bleeding.

Every movement Sun Sheng made required the assistance of Qi and Blood. Otherwise, the intense discomfort would make it difficult for him to even take a step.

"Artistic Conception is the distinguishing mark between Mid-Rank Martial Artists and Lower-Rank Martial Artists. Only when one's Qi and Blood are abundant and fill the entire body can a martial artist begin to nurture their spiritual power and thus refine their Artistic Conception."

Sun Sheng gazed at Li Changqing.

"I bet your coach never told you this knowledge."

Li Changqing remained noncommittal. Kang Tianchen indeed hadn't told him anything about this.

"Since you said it requires Qi and Blood to be abundant, you should still be a little short right now, shouldn't you?"

"That's right, my Qi and Blood are indeed insufficient to nurture my spirit and refine my Artistic Conception, but..."

Sun Sheng changed the subject: "This doesn't mean I have no way to comprehend Artistic Conception."

"This isn't the gap between you and me. With your talent, anything I can do, you will definitely be able to do."

"This is the gap between the Martial Arts Hall you belong to and the one I belong to."

Sun Sheng didn't hide anything about this, feeling no shame. It was because his Martial Arts Hall had deep foundations that he could access better training.

His own talent was good, and he received more resources, thus his strength was greater. This wasn't something to avoid; it was the truth.

"Perhaps after the Youth Cup, you'll become famous and gain even better resources than me. But right now, without the backing of a powerful Martial Arts Hall, you can't defeat me."

"This is the fundamental difference between us."

"Cheng Tian is inferior to Ji Xing."

Sun Sheng finished adjusting his breathing, his Qi and Blood calming down.

"I originally didn't plan to use this power until I met you."

"You are worthy of seeing my strongest state."

Li Changqing's lips curved into a smile.

"Since Artistic Conception is a characteristic that only Mid-Rank Martial Artists can comprehend, how can you use it with the body of a Lower-Rank Martial Artist?"

"Of course not," Sun Sheng replied without any concealment.

"The prerequisite for Artistic Conception is sufficiently strong spiritual power. Even if I can comprehend it in advance, I cannot use it in combat."

"Therefore, many years ago, our Martial Arts Hall specifically created a technique to simplify the conditions for using Artistic Conception, allowing exceptionally talented martial artists to mobilize a portion of its power at the Lower-Rank stage."

"This power, I call it Momentum."

As he spoke, Sun Sheng's aura changed.

His already arrogant presence became even more pronounced, even exuding a rebellious spirit.

Xing Yi Quan was adept at imitation, and at this moment, Sun Sheng hunched his body slightly, his eyes flashing with the agility of a monkey.

If the previous Sun Sheng was a fierce tiger full of confidence, surveying the forest with its head held high, then the current him was a prehistoric ape that feared nothing and dared to charge headfirst into a fight with a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"The Artistic Conception I comprehend is about struggle, about battle. Next, you will witness power that does not belong to the domain of Lower-Rank Martial Artists."

Sun Sheng moved.

Even though his body was heavily injured by Li Changqing at this moment, the speed Sun Sheng unleashed surpassed his peak.

Bang!

The ground where Li Changqing had just stood cracked open, with massive, web-like fissures spreading out.

Sun Sheng punched through the ground. His Qi and Blood seemed to require no redirection; before his power was exhausted, his body transformed into an afterimage and disappeared again.

He reappeared behind Li Changqing.

Bang!

In the Heaven-Man Resonance state, all things in the surroundings were Li Changqing's eyes and ears.

He raised his hand to block Sun Sheng's punch, only to find that the latter's power had also exceeded its limits.

Whoosh—

The immense force propelled Li Changqing's body, grinding against the ground, the soles of his shoes emitting a burnt smell.

Bang bang bang!

Sun Sheng pressed his advantage, his punches growing faster. The advantage of Xing Yi Quan allowed him to wield this simplified Artistic Conception with ease.

The Monkey Fist, which should have emphasized agility, appeared extremely yang and hard in his execution.

However, the more he attacked, the more shocked Sun Sheng became.

In this state, whether it was speed, strength, or nerve reflexes, he was at least fifty percent stronger than his normal self.

But even the Artistic Conception, simplified by the technique, consumed an extreme amount of Qi and Blood and stamina; he couldn't maintain it for long.

And Li Changqing was actually able to maintain his guard against his onslaught.

Sweep Through a Thousand Armies!

Sun Sheng swept his leg low, forcing Li Changqing into the air. He raised his hand for a chopping hook punch. Li Changqing crossed his arms above his head, unleashing Tai Chi Soft Strength. The Flowing Water True Meaning deflected most of the power. Immediately, Li Changqing reversed yin and yang, transforming the Flowing Water True Meaning into scorching, unyielding flames.

The two met with a clash of fists.

The collision of the two immense forces exploded with a roar.

The ground beneath Sun Sheng shattered, and Li Changqing retreated three steps, leaving clear footprints on the plaza.

This was the first time he had altered the terrain.

"Exhilarating!" Li Changqing grew more excited.

Finally, after his enlightenment by the lake, he was experiencing such a thrilling battle for the first time.

Sun Sheng's expression, however, turned grim. He wasn't at his peak, and even in this state, he couldn't defeat Li Changqing in a short time.

There was no other way.

"The game ends now," Sun Sheng declared. He condensed his Qi and Blood in his dantian, his muscles relaxing.

"The Youth Cup is next week. You haven't registered as a martial artist yet. I'll cover the psionic medical expenses later."

"You think this strike can injure me?"

Sun Sheng stood with his legs slightly bent on a rockery, his posture resembling a monkey.

"Protect yourself. I've never used this move on anyone before."

"Don't die."

Boom!

The condensed Qi and Blood erupted from his dantian. The nascent power was driven by a simplified Artistic Conception. Sun Sheng closed his eyes, and the insights that had been etched into his mind through countless moments of enlightenment gradually surfaced.

"Halt!"

His shout was like thunder, causing ripples on the river's surface.

Golden Monkey Raises the Thousand Jin Staff, Jade Firmament Clears Ten Thousand Miles of Dust.

In an instant, all of Sun Sheng's mental energy was depleted. He couldn't directly comprehend that Artistic Conception Scroll.

Instead, he had to meticulously copy it, stroke by stroke, as his teacher had integrated the Artistic Conception into the ink.

Even so, he had only managed to grasp these two lines so far.

But it was enough.

After all, his opponent was just an ordinary Lower-Rank Martial Artist.

Boom!

The rockery shattered as Sun Sheng transformed into an afterimage, lunging at Li Changqing. His remaining Qi and Blood erupted in that instant.

Through the lines of poetry in his mind, he drew the vague Artistic Conception into his heart, triggering the outbreak of his power.

He easily broke through the limits of a Lower-Rank Martial Artist.

All the Qi and Blood suffusing his body surged outward, transforming into a visible staff of Qi and Blood in Sun Sheng's hand.

"A incomplete Artistic Conception?"

Time seemed to pause for a moment.

Watching Sun Sheng charge at him.

Li Changqing closed his eyes.

The Overlord opened his eyes.

Clang!

Swords and sabers rang out, smoke and dust billowed.

The Overlord, fighting alone against a myriad of soldiers, looking down upon the world.

The True Intent descended!

Boom!

Li Changqing embraced his dan, returning his energy. Only at this moment did he truly match his full Qi and Blood, unleashed with all his might.

The two forces, both supremely yang and supremely hard, collided head-on.

Both represented an invincible Artistic Conception, signifying victory in every battle.

How could a fragmented, simplified Artistic Conception compare to Li Changqing, who had now comprehended the True Intent?

In the instant of contact, Sun Sheng's Artistic Conception shattered.

A colossal hand arrogantly seized the staff of Qi and Blood in his hand.

Then, a power so immense that Sun Sheng couldn't muster even a sliver of resistance, snatched the staff of Qi and Blood from his grasp.

Sun Sheng was stunned. He looked at the invincible man before him, who seemed to command the world.

Was this really Li Changqing?

The doubts in his heart didn't even have time to surface.

Li Changqing held his staff in one hand, the invincible will brought by the Overlord's True Intent allowing him to raise his arm and exert force.

"Is that all you've got? A staff technique?" His smile was unbridled, carrying the ease of someone who could jest about sweeping through a thousand armies.

"Watch closely, THIS is a staff technique!"

BOOM!

His Qi and Blood transformed into a long staff, piercing the air and stirring the surrounding heaven and earth.

In an instant, the Tuojiang River roared, and a fierce wind followed.

At this moment, Li Changqing hadn't even entered the Heaven-Man Resonance state.

The Overlord's True Intent was purely relying on Qi and Blood, using sheer human strength to leverage heaven and earth.

"THIS is what you call, Sweep Through a Thousand Armies!"

The Qi and Blood staff swung, the strong wind followed, and the surging river water crashed against the shore, transforming into a terrifying vortex beneath the pavilion in the lake.

Under the wind pressure, the airwaves were compressed into substance by the Qi and Blood.

The Qi and Blood staff, only a meter long, instantly swept through the entire pavilion in the lake.

The rockery, the greenery, the courtyard.

All of it was swept away.

"Guh—"

Sun Sheng's eyes rolled back, and he spat a mouthful of blood.

He was directly swept into the bushes by the wind and waves.

And that was just from the residual force.

The Overlord's True Intent arrived quickly and departed just as fast.

The arrogance faded from Li Changqing's eyes. He looked at Sun Sheng, who lay motionless in the bushes, and blinked.

Did I go a bit too far?

In reality, even without using the Overlord's True Intent and directly entering the state of Heaven-Man Unity, he could have defeated Sun Sheng.

But the problem was.

It's rare to find such a strong sparring partner. If I don't use all my moves this time, I'll feel like I'm not getting my money's worth.

Li Changqing raised his wrist and glanced at the time.

Without Sun Sheng, Coach Kang, surely our Martial Arts Hall should at least win one match, right?