Dragon Elephant Impact

From the moment Raging Fire Mad Saber Lei Jue drew his saber, everyone around them—including the people on the hill a hundred meters away—held their breath without daring to make a sound. It wasn't until Lei Jue's saber struck Zhang Yunhao in the chest and blood stained his clothes that a number of people cried out in alarm.

"As expected of Raging Fire Mad Saber!"

Many people marveled inwardly. Raging Fire Mad Saber truly was extraordinary. With a single strike, he had wounded Divine Fist Blood Hand, who had been so imposing before. And though the saber technique looked plain, it left plenty to savor. Many saber wielders felt their eyes had been opened.

After wounding his opponent with that strike, Lei Jue didn't attack again. He stopped and nodded in approval. "Not bad. That strike was meant to kill you. I didn't expect you to avoid the vital spot at the last moment. Your muscles are hard, too. That strike didn't hurt you much."

As Zhang Yunhao tightened his muscles to seal the wound and stop the bleeding, he looked at Lei Jue and smiled. "You haven't disappointed me either. Just based on that one strike, you can be called a master of the saber."

Lei Jue gazed at the long saber in his hand and sighed. "I spent twenty years honing my Mad Demon Saber Technique before I mastered it completely and reached the level of a true master!"

Zhang Yunhao narrowed his eyes. "Mastered it completely? Was that why the strike was so powerful?"

Lei Jue smiled but said nothing. Such valuable experience wasn't something he could casually share. He would only pass it on to his future disciples. People had always been stingy with anything related to martial arts.

But Zhang Yunhao had already understood quite a bit. The first step in practicing martial arts was to become proficient in the moves. Next came grasping their essence and adapting them flexibly, without being bound by fixed routines.

Zhang Yunhao's Five Forms Fist had reached the second step. He could capture both the form and spirit, though he still had some way to go in adapting it flexibly. After all, he was still too young!

After that came what Lei Jue had called mastery.

Mastering one's martial arts, mastering one's strength, and bringing it fully to bear.

Why had Lei Jue's strike been so powerful? It wasn't only because his cultivation was profound. He had also brought his full strength to bear. If Zhang Yunhao could master every ounce of his strength, the power of his fists would at least double.

Only at this stage could one truly achieve speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness. A punch would land without the slightest deviation, its full force unleashed. It wouldn't even make much noise, yet its target would be utterly destroyed.

"In this world, mastery is the highest stage. But in the Martial Immortal World, this is only the beginning. There's still the wondrous unity of man and sword, the swordless hand with a sword in the heart, and even sword intent and unity with Heaven and man."

Zhang Yunhao thought to himself, Those distant things can wait. I've only just reached the second step. And because my strength has increased so quickly, my control has fallen sharply. I might have to go back to the first step.

"Master Lei, why waste time talking to this guy? Hurry up and kill him."

The Bearded Strong Man below the platform urged him impatiently. He could hardly wait. So what if Tian Ming is strong? He's still as good as dead. That'll teach him to ignore me!

Lei Jue furrowed his brow but still said, "Tian Ming, to be honest, I admire you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have said so much. But when you take someone's money, you must solve their problem. I'm going to kill you today, so you might as well take your own life and spare yourself some pain."

Zhang Yunhao couldn't help laughing. "You really think you've already won?"

"Tian Ming, you're still mouthing off with death at your doorstep? Do you think there's any way you'll survive against Master Lei?"

The Bearded Strong Man laughed scornfully. The others shook their heads, too. That earlier strike had shown them all that Divine Fist Blood Hand wasn't weak—Raging Fire Mad Saber was simply too strong. Tian Ming was doomed this time.

Even Zhang Dazhuang and the others had begun to lose confidence. But their loyalty hadn't wavered. If Zhang Yunhao hadn't secretly stopped them, they would have rushed up to gang up on Lei Jue.

Huang Lei sighed as well. It seemed her senior brother really was in grave danger. She looked at Raging Fire Mad Saber, her gaze shifting. Perhaps she really would have to draw him into the plan!

Lei Jue shook his head. "Tian Ming, I know you don't want to admit defeat, but you have too many openings. You can't stop my saber. I won't say anything more. I'll make your death quick."

Zhang Yunhao smiled, drew a deep breath, and assumed the stance of the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Fist, like a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching. "Lei Jue, I do have an opening. But do you know? You have one, too—a fatal one! And there's something else you miscalculated."

"A fatal opening? Something I miscalculated? Tian Ming, do you really think you can surprise me?"

Lei Jue shook his head dismissively. He had lain low for twenty years and brought his saber technique to the level of a master. Though he seemed more peaceful now and no longer as wild as before, his heart was prouder than ever.

Lei Jue even felt he was qualified to contend for the title of the greatest under Heaven. So he hadn't taken Zhang Yunhao very seriously. Killing Zhang Yunhao was only natural.

"A surprise? Of course!"

Zhang Yunhao smiled faintly and took a step forward. It was much slower than before, as though his foot were as heavy as a mountain. Yet as it came down, not only the platform but everyone around them felt the ground shake!

The earth trembled, and ripples spread across the water in the teacups. Everyone stared in shock. How could anyone possess such strength?

"Dragon Elephant Impact!"

Then Zhang Yunhao roared and drove out a punch. A gale sprang up around them in an instant, like a raging giant elephant charging forward. Anyone in its path would be crushed.

"So I really did miscalculate."

Lei Jue's expression changed for the first time. This guy hadn't been using his full strength before. This was his true power—the kind that could take a life!

Lei Jue excelled in technique, but even the finest technique was useless against overwhelming strength. No matter how exquisite an ordinary person's technique was, they couldn't beat even a low-level True Qi Realm fighter. That was the power of force overwhelming skill!

"Don't think you can beat me just like this! I am Raging Fire Mad Saber! Mad Demon Reversal Saber!"

At this critical moment, Lei Jue frantically drove his deep reserves of true qi. His face flushed red as he narrowly evaded the terrifying punch. Then, amid the gale, he reversed his grip and slashed at Zhang Yunhao's arm like a bolt of lightning.

But to Lei Jue's surprise, Zhang Yunhao completely ignored the long saber. His other hand came sweeping toward Lei Jue, carrying a violent surge of air.

Lei Jue's expression changed again. At most, his saber would cut off Zhang Yunhao's arm. But if Zhang Yunhao hit him, he would be gravely wounded, if not killed!

That power was simply terrifying. And a low-level martial artist's defenses weren't just poor—they were pitifully poor.

So Lei Jue could only force himself to break off his saber move. He released his true qi, and his body floated up like a sheet of paper, narrowly evading the blow by riding the force of Zhang Yunhao's attack. He had only managed it because Zhang Yunhao's control over his strength was weak. Otherwise, Lei Jue might not have been able to evade even that move.

That forced interruption and that dodge plunged Lei Jue completely onto the defensive.