First Contact!

"Oh? In just over a month, your palm technique has already reached Minor Accomplishment?"

Hearing Junior Brother Xu's words, Senior Brother Li Xing's face showed surprise.

Admittedly, palm techniques improved more easily than Stance Skills, but to touch upon the advanced Cloud Palm to Minor Accomplishment in such a short time was extraordinary.

"Can someone with a below-average Bone structure reach this level?" Li Xing frowned, pondering inwardly, feeling that something was amiss.

"Junior Brother has always been cautious when observing people. Junior Brother Lin Yin is humble and values loyalty and righteousness. If we help him reach Bright Strength, we can definitely pull him completely to our side."

"With Junior Brother Lin Yin's contribution, we can also offset the negative impact of Senior Brother Shi Yan's failed Breakthrough."

Junior Brother Xu patiently persuaded him.

He had put a lot of effort into making this decision. He trusted Lin Yin's character, and his comprehension of palm techniques was unique.

At this stage, he felt Lin Yin was the best candidate to win over completely.

"Your comprehension of palm techniques is indeed commendable, but... if your Stance Skill isn't complete, you haven't crossed the threshold..."

Although only a few words, Xu Chang could still discern the meaning behind Li Xing's words, and a hint of helplessness flashed across his face.

Senior Brother Li Xing was good in every way, except his personality was too gentle, so gentle that he was indecisive about certain matters and choices!

"Junior Brother Xu, actually, more than anyone else, I want to place my hopes on you. Your palm technique is at Great Accomplishment, and your Stance Skill has been honed for over a year. If I had to say who among the junior brothers is most likely to Breakthrough to Hidden Strength, I think compared to Wan Li, you... are superior!"

At this point, Li Xing's voice became exceptionally solemn.

"If you successfully reach Hidden Strength, with your Great Accomplishment Cloud Palm, even Yun Hai will have to look at you with new eyes!"

"This... I understand, Senior Brother!"

Seeing Senior Brother Li Xing say this, Junior Brother Xu could only cup his fists in response, helpless. The two then chatted briefly about recent events before departing.

As soon as he left the courtyard, the preoccupied Xu Chang saw Lin Yin in a corner of the Training Ground. He noticed Lin Yin's posture shifting, palm shadows flying, seemingly with more power than before, and felt a surge of curiosity.

He walked over, but as Xu Chang gradually approached the figure, his eyes widened further.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

As he got closer, the palm shadows were dazzling and bewildering. Xu Chang instinctively held his breath.

The figure, moving like thunder, suddenly stopped and unleashed a palm strike, hitting the Wooden Stake in front of him with a "bang."

The Wooden Stake, halfway up, groaned as if unable to bear the disturbance. Lin Yin retracted his breath and lowered his hands, as if calming his energy.

"Minor Accomplishment in Cloud Palm... Junior Brother, your Cloud Palm has succeeded?"

As he spoke, Xu Chang himself found it hard to believe. Although he had just spoken with Li Xing and thought that his palm technique was only a finger's width away from Minor Accomplishment, that finger's width was not so easily crossed.

The Cloud Palm's momentum connected, its strength layered, and the control over one's own Qi and Blood and technique was by no means something an ordinary person could easily achieve.

However, at this moment...

Looking at Xu Chang's astonished face, Lin Yin showed humility.

"I have not failed in my mission!"

"Good! Good, good, good! Junior Brother, let's spar."

Before Lin Yin could even say anything, Xu Chang, his face alight with excitement, leaped forward and instantly closed the distance to Lin Yin.

Xu Chang's green robe and tight-fitting clothes flapped noisily in the wind. His palms were held forward, slightly concave as if to catch clouds, precisely the starting stance of the "Cloud Palm"—Treading Cloud Falling Goose.

This palm strike was the opening move. The body's rotation was for the charge, and the palm technique, though seemingly soft, concealed the power of Mountain Collapse.

Lin Yin only felt a fierce wind whistling before him. Though the momentum was terrifying, he couldn't sense any real force!

He moved inwardly and, without even activating his Stance Skill, simply spun his body like an arrow loosed from a bow. His left palm chopped diagonally, blocking this strike, while his Right Palm followed closely behind, aiming directly for Xu Chang's chest.

This move, "Startled Swan Reflection," was a follow-up to the Cloud Palm. In Lin Yin's hands, it was so fast that only afterimages remained. The palm wind carried a whistling sound through the air. The speed was so great that a flicker of surprise flashed in Xu Chang's eyes.

He sidestepped to dodge and simultaneously drew back his leg for a straight kick, continuing his attack.

Lin Yin's toes touched the ground, and he retreated half a step. His palms pushed out from bottom to top, using the momentum to disengage and block the kick.

"Good!"

A hint of admiration flashed in Xu Chang's eyes, and he felt a surge of pleasant surprise, but his movements did not cease.

His left palm retracted to defend, while his Right Palm, like a viper flicking its tongue, charged forward again. As he approached, he swept a palm strike low to the ground towards Lin Yin's lower body, a move to break the opponent's foundation.

Lin Yin's toes flicked, and his body shifted sideways like a willow catkin in the wind, dodging again.

"Bang!"

One palm struck a wooden stake. Even though Xu Chang hadn't used his full strength, wood chips still flew everywhere.

His attack unsuccessful, Xu Chang prepared to pursue, but he saw Lin Yin charge forward first. His body moved like a swallow returning to its nest, both palms striking out together, precisely the killing move of the Cloud Palm—Flowing Cloud!

"Good!"

Seeing Lin Yin take the initiative to attack so ferociously, Xu Chang shouted his approval and struck out with a palm of his own.

This palm strike seemed ordinary, but as Lin Yin struck it, he felt the force layering upon itself, like thousands of waves surging forward.

Lin Yin didn't dare to be careless. His palm touched and then separated, his arms crossed to block, and he forcefully took the palm strike.

"Bang," Lin Yin retreated three steps. The soles of his boots left two shallow marks on the bluestone slab.

"Junior Brother has good reflexes."

Seeing this, Xu Chang's fighting spirit intensified. He no longer held back, fully unleashing his palm techniques. The next moment, palm shadows flew, sometimes like a torrential downpour, palm strikes following one after another, sometimes like tsunamis crashing against the shore.

This move was both fast and fierce, truly bringing out the essence of the Cloud Palm. It forced Lin Yin to retreat continuously, leaving him only able to rely on the circularity of the Cloud Palm for support.

However, although Lin Yin appeared to be in a sorry state, Xu Chang became more and more alarmed as the fight progressed.

He himself had mastered the Cloud Palm to the Great Accomplishment Realm!

Lin Yin's palm technique was only at Minor Accomplishment, yet he felt that his opponent's palm technique was even more fluid and "perfect" than he had imagined.

Unable to press his advantage after a prolonged assault, Xu Chang's eyes flickered. Suddenly, he retracted his palms and changed to a kick, stomping on a nearby wooden stake. His body leaped into the air, and he slammed his palm down towards Lin Yin's head.

This move, Falling Cloud Treading Goose, came from a tricky angle and was incredibly fast. Lin Yin, however, was not flustered at all. He retreated his steps, as if countless palm shadows were blasting towards the figure lunging at him.

The moment their palms met, their bodies trembled almost simultaneously. Lin Yin staggered backward, while Xu Chang swayed but landed steadily.

"Junior Brother's Cloud Palm is truly profound."

Xu Chang exclaimed, his expression turning solemn the next moment.

"Take another palm from me."

He suddenly changed his move, unleashing both palms simultaneously, so fast that even afterimages were blurred.

Lin Yin's pupils contracted slightly. He lowered his left shoulder, channeling his strength downwards.

During the half-hour of combat, he hadn't just defended; he had also secretly observed Xu Chang's stance patterns, discerning which moves were real and which were feints, where his opponent was weakening, and where there were openings.

"In that case, I shall concede."

With a low shout, Lin Yin planted his feet firmly on the ground. His palms, however, flipped like living things, transitioning from Flowing Cloud to Accumulating Cloud. This was the second stance of the Cloud Palm, requiring one to gather all previous palm force into the palm and then unleash it in an instant.

Xu Chang felt his vision blur. The overwhelming palm shadows that had been clashing with him vanished. Instead, an incredibly fast palm strike, delivered at an extremely tricky angle, hit his elbow.

The surging force seemed to be dispersed by this palm strike, breaking his fierce offensive. His expression was one of astonishment, but he immediately switched his palm to a fist, launching a punch at the youth before him.

"Bang—"

Lin Yin blocked with his palm, feeling a numbness in his palm. His body staggered, and under the explosive, terrifying force, he used the momentum to retreat.

"You..."

After forcing Lin Yin back with a punch, Xu Chang's expression became serious.

Lin Yin retracted his palm, the folds of his green robe still unsettled. "Thank you for your guidance today, Senior Brother. It has allowed me to see the shortcomings of the Cloud Palm."

The setting sun dipped behind the mountains, and only a few lanterns were lit on the Staking Ground. The atmosphere was rather quiet.

Xu Chang gazed at Lin Yin in silence, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Good! To spar with me, who has achieved Great Accomplishment, after only a month of Minor Accomplishment! Junior Brother Lin will surely become a great talent in the future!"

Lin Yin quickly flattered him, "It is Senior Brother who held back. If Senior Brother had used his full strength, I fear I wouldn't have been able to withstand even a few palms!"

"Alas, you shouldn't be so modest. With that last move just now, even I was almost caught off guard. Your understanding of the Cloud Palm makes me feel ashamed!"

Xu Chang said sincerely, his hands clasped behind his back trembling slightly, his eyes filled with astonishment.

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