Practical Combat (Please Keep Reading)

The reason Hu Qi could see this was not because he possessed especially keen insight, but because the situation in the arena was far too obvious.

Anyone with eyes could tell.

Of course, nothing was absolute. An accident was still possible.

Another dozen or so seconds passed.

Lin Rong began panting heavily, sweat beading on her forehead as her speed slowed.

Seeing this, Chen Chang immediately threw a punch.

Caught off guard, Lin Rong raised her arm in front of herself to block.

With a bang, driven by the immense momentum—

Lin Rong staggered back several steps and fell flat on her butt, her arm already red and swollen.

"Sorry. You let me win."

Watching this, Chen Chang gave an honest smile and prepared to walk over and pull her up.

However, Lin Rong's expression was extremely unpleasant. She ignored the hand he offered, staggered to her feet on her own, and returned to the group.

After that, Chen Wu continued calling out names.

The winners wore excited expressions, while the losers looked dejected.

However, these people had at most reached the beginner level of the Comprehensive Combat Technique. They were even inferior to Chen Chang and Lin Rong.

Two of them nearly fought with real anger, turning it into a fistfight, but Chen Wu stopped them in time.

The speed Chen Wu displayed when he made his move caused Hu Qi's eyes to narrow slightly.

Soon, it was his turn.

"Hu Qi, Song Jian!"

Chen Wu's gaze shifted slightly as he glanced at the two.

Hu Qi and Song Jian were undoubtedly the two trainees he thought most highly of among this batch.

Song Jian was one thing. The aptitude he had displayed from the very beginning was good, and he had been the first to gain an entry-level grasp of the Comprehensive Combat Technique.

But Hu Qi was someone Chen Wu could not quite figure out. This man's daily rate of improvement was astonishing.

That was why he had deliberately arranged for the two to face each other. He was very curious about the outcome of their fight.

Soon, Hu Qi and Song Jian entered the arena and stood facing each other.

"Go, Brother Song!"

"Show him what you're made of, Brother Song!"

Several cheering voices from Song Jian's lackeys sounded from the side.

Song Jian ignored them.

He looked at Hu Qi.

"You're pretty good. I've been watching you for a long time. I hope you'll be a worthy opponent."

Hu Qi smiled.

"Please."

The moment his words fell—

The two moved almost at the same time.

Song Jian thrust out both hands, curling his five fingers into claws.

His body flashed forward as he clawed at Hu Qi's vital points.

It was the Falcon Claw of the Comprehensive Combat Technique.

The Comprehensive Combat Technique had a total of eighteen forms, including techniques for legs, feet, claws, fists, palms, and more.

This Falcon Claw was one of its fierce and forceful offensive methods.

The Falcon Claw Song Jian displayed was sharp and vicious, like a hawk striking with its talons. Its imposing force was formidable, clearly showing considerable mastery.

Seeing this, Hu Qi raised his hand and likewise used Falcon Claw.

Their arms collided, producing several dull thuds.

"Not bad, not bad."

Chen Wu's eyes lit up slightly from the side.

Song Jian and Hu Qi used their moves with such ease that they had clearly surpassed the beginner level by a great deal.

Compared to them, the earlier trainees had simply been rookies pecking at each other, too awful to look at.

Meanwhile, Lin Rong and the others were all utterly shocked.

They had also sparred in private before.

Song Jian's strength far surpassed theirs.

Even Lin Rong, the strongest among them, could not last two moves against him before being defeated.

Earlier, when they saw Chen Wu praise Hu Qi, they had been somewhat dismissive.

Who would have thought this guy could actually fight Song Jian to a standstill?

In the arena—

The two exchanged several moves.

Yet Hu Qi rarely attacked proactively. Most of the time, he was defending.

Seeing this—

Song Jian frowned slightly.

This opponent was unexpectedly difficult to deal with. His application of the Comprehensive Combat Technique was actually on par with Song Jian's own.

No—as his opponent, Song Jian could even sense that Hu Qi was handling things with ease, as though he still had strength to spare.

At that thought—

A surge of anger rose in his heart.

When Hu Qi blocked his attack once more—

Song Jian immediately planted his foot on the ground, his muscles and bones tensing before springing.

His other arm rose high, five fingers clenched tight, and he threw a fierce punch!

Hu Qi's expression shifted.

He likewise unleashed a Cannon Fist!

Bang!

A dull, thunderous boom erupted in the arena!

An invisible gust of force surged outward.

As their clothes billowed, even the fine dust in the air scattered to both sides.

Their bodies shook.

Under the enormous recoil—

Song Jian stumbled back two steps.

Hu Qi, standing where he was, merely swayed and retreated half a step.

Who was stronger and who was weaker was obvious at a glance.

"You let me win."

Hu Qi said calmly.

Song Jian stood where he was, feeling waves of soreness and numbness spread through his arm.

After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"You're very strong. Next time, I won't lose to you again."

Then he turned and returned to the group.

"You have a great talent for fighting. Keep it up."

Chen Wu reached out and patted Hu Qi on the shoulder in encouragement.

His palm was thick and broad, giving off an intense sense of strength.

"Yeah, I will."

Hu Qi smiled.

During break time—

Hu Qi sat alone against a corner wall.

He raised the back of his hand. The skin over his knuckles had split open.

That was the injury caused by trading bare-fisted blows with Song Jian.

He had not felt much before, but now it was starting to hurt.

He had also formed a rough estimate of Song Jian's strength.

It should have been equivalent to the proficient level of the Comprehensive Combat Technique.

Naturally, there was a gap between them.

He picked up the chilled bottle of mineral water beside him, twisted open the cap, tipped his head back, and gulped down half the bottle in one breath.

Only then did the boiling heat throughout his body subside somewhat.

Thinking back on what had just happened—

The sensation of fists landing against flesh was strangely intoxicating.

Could it be that I'm naturally a battle maniac?

He could not help but wonder.

At that thought—

His mind stirred.

He summoned the panel.

System Host: Hu Qi

Status: Normal (skin broken over the knuckles of the right hand) △

Age: 21 (59 years of Lifespan remaining)

Skills: Comprehensive Combat Technique (minor mastery) △

Nourishing Origin Breathing Method (perfected)

Culinary Arts (mastery) △

Modification Points: 1

Hu Qi's gaze swiftly swept across the panel.

Compared to before—

There had not been much change to the crimson modification panel.

After all, it did not display precise figures for things like strength, speed, or physique.

Hu Qi was not surprised by this. Summoning the panel to check it had merely become a habit.

Just as he was about to look away—

He suddenly paused.

"Does this mean it can be modified now?"

Hu Qi was somewhat surprised.

By habit, he now summoned the panel every hour or two to take a look.

Like an ordinary person who had just gotten a new phone and habitually checked it whenever they had nothing to do.

An hour ago, he had checked it. The Comprehensive Combat Technique had been completely unable to improve.

But now—

Hu Qi looked at the triangular symbol behind Comprehensive Combat Technique, indicating that it could be modified.

Then his gaze moved downward.

The Modification Points still stood at one, without any increase at all.

There was only one explanation for the current situation.

Something came up and delayed me a bit, so the update was late. Sorry.