Defeating Liu Mang with One Punch

"BOOM!!!"

The two fists collided without any fancy tricks.

A deafening roar erupted, as if two volcanoes had smashed into each other.

A terrifying blast of air exploded from the point of impact, whipping up a visible circular shockwave that slammed into the Mystic Water Formation light barrier at the edge of the Black Iron Arena, causing the barrier to ripple and undulate violently.

"CRACK!"

The sound of bone fracturing rang out clearly.

To the disbelief of everyone watching, Liu Mang actually staggered back three steps! Each step left a deep footprint in the hard Black Iron Arena, and his fist—which was said to be capable of shaking those in the True Qi Realm—now had skin split open, with his finger bones bent at an unnatural angle!

In contrast, Lin Ye only swayed slightly, not moving a single inch.

Comparing the two, the winner was immediately clear!

"What?!"

"Senior Brother Liu Mang was pushed back?"

"His Iron Fist was broken?"

"How is this possible?! Is Lin Ye's strength even greater than Liu Mang's?!"

The entire arena was in an uproar; countless disciples widened their eyes, almost thinking they were hallucinating.

"Good!" On the high platform, Master Huoyun couldn't help but blurt out in praise, "His fist force is as concentrated as a needle, breaking through the surface with a single point; his control over his power is refined to the peak! Even more rare is that his fist technique already contains the embryonic form of the 'Breaking Hardness' intent!"

"Truly extraordinary." Master Tiejian said in a deep voice, "Liu Mang's Iron Wall Technique has reached perfection, with his only weak point hidden three inches under his armpit. For this child to see through it at a glance and strike the node of his True Qi circulation—this level of insight and timing is monstrous."

Yun Leizi stroked his beard in silence, but the look of admiration in his eyes was obvious.

Ye Wuchen curled his lips into a playful arc: "Fist containing intent, force piercing the iron wall; this is getting more and more interesting."

On the arena, Liu Mang looked down at his bleeding, shattered fist, his face turning livid.

A humiliating shame! He, Liu Mang, had run rampant in the outer sect for three years; when had he ever been pushed back by a single punch?

"Good! Good! Very good!" Liu Mang squeezed the words through his teeth, "Lin Ye, I admit I underestimated you! You are the first person to force me to use Iron Body!"

"Iron Wall Technique—Iron Body!!!"

He let out a roar toward the sky, his blood and Qi burning crazily. The bronze color beneath his skin deepened at a speed visible to the naked eye, and in the blink of an eye, he seemed to have transformed into an iron man cast from bronze! His muscles bulged all over his body, emitting a terrifying, indestructible aura!

"Iron Body! It's the highest realm of the Iron Wall Technique, Iron Body!"

"It is said that once activated, one's defensive power skyrockets, and strength and speed increase simultaneously; for a short time, it's comparable to a body-refining cultivator who has just entered the True Qi Realm!"

"Senior Brother Liu Mang has actually been forced to this point!"

Everyone could see that Liu Mang was going to spare no cost to crush Lin Ye with his strongest posture and regain his face!

"Die!"

He threw both fists out, the wind from his punches covering a radius of ten feet, sealing off all of Lin Ye's room to dodge!

Facing this terrifying strike, Lin Ye's eyes finally became a bit more serious.

He moved his feet, blending the essence of Flowing Cloud Steps with his deduced Wind Chasing Steps. His figure became ghost-like, slipping out of the airtight shadow of the punches at the very last possible moment.

At the same time, he joined his fingers like a sword, seizing the gap in Liu Mang's swing to strike at the spot three inches under the ribs that was glowing slightly due to the activation of Iron Body.

"CLANG!"

His fingertips collided with the bronze-colored skin, actually emitting a sound like metal striking metal.

Liu Mang's whole body shook violently, his momentum stalling, and the light on his Iron Body flickered in chaos. He was shocked and furious; Lin Ye had actually struck his weak point again!

"You're courting death!" Liu Mang roared, sweeping his arm around.

But Lin Ye's movement technique was too fast, always avoiding the brunt of the attack at the critical moment, while his hands and feet turned into the sharpest weapons, attacking the joints and weak points all over Liu Mang's body again and again!

"Bang, bang, bang! Clang, clang, clang!"

A series of collision sounds rang out across the arena.

Liu Mang couldn't even touch a corner of Lin Ye's clothes, and instead, he was being attacked so precisely and ruthlessly that his blood and Qi were churning, making him feel like he was about to vomit blood.

"He's wearing Liu Mang down!" Chen Feng stood at the edge of the arena, his eyes flashing, "The Iron Body state consumes a massive amount of energy and can't last long. If he can't end the battle within thirty breaths, he will undoubtedly lose!"

On the high platform, the interest in Ye Wuchen's eyes grew even stronger: "Controlling movement with stillness, breaking force with skill. His movement technique has already attained the intent of 'perfect circulation,' and his attacks strike directly at the flaws of the technique; his combat talent is truly stunning."

"Liu Mang's defeat is sealed," Yun Leizi said indifferently.

Sure enough, the bronze-colored light around Liu Mang's body began to dim at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his aura showed obvious signs of weakening and disorder.

Now is the time!

Lin Ye, who had been maneuvering and dodging, felt a cold light suddenly explode in his eyes!

His figure shifted from extreme motion to extreme stillness, as if he had instantly transformed from a gentle breeze into a mountain. He slowly raised his right fist from his waist; wherever the fist passed, the air was silently pushed aside, and a low, rumbling sound of wind and thunder faintly gathered in the void.

The moment this punch was thrown, the expressions of everyone on the high platform changed slightly!

"Wind-Thunder Break!!!"

Lin Ye took a single step forward, and the Black Iron Arena beneath his feet exploded, leaving a shallow crater. That seemingly slow fist was, in reality, fast to the extreme; carrying the power of wind and thunder compressed to its limit, it landed squarely in the center of Liu Mang's wide-open chest!

"Crack—!"

A dense, scalp-numbing sound of shattering bones rang out.

Liu Mang let out a wild roar, his eyes bulging as he sprayed a mouthful of blood. A fist-shaped indentation became visibly sunken into his chest. He was sent flying backward as if struck head-on by an ancient wild elephant, tracing an arc through the air before slamming into the edge of the arena, causing the protective light barrier to cave inward!

"Pfft—" Another mouthful of blood, mixed with fragments of internal organs, sprayed out. Liu Mang struggled twice, but ultimately failed to rise, falling into a dead faint. The bronze hue surrounding his body receded like a tide, and his aura withered to the extreme.

One punch to break the Iron Body and defeat Liu Mang!

The entire arena fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared blankly at the youth standing on the stage with his fist retracted, then looked at the miserable state of Liu Mang below, their minds completely blank.

Liu Mang, just like that, was defeated?

Defeated so thoroughly, so devastatingly?

After a brief silence, a thunderous uproar erupted!

"Defeated?!"

"One punch! Just one punch!"

"That punch Lin Ye just threw definitely had the power of the True Qi Realm!"

"He's only at the ninth level of Body Tempering! How is this possible?!"

Exclamations, skepticism, shock, and fervor spread wildly among the disciples.

Several elders exchanged glances, each seeing the amazement in the other's eyes.

"This punch has already grasped the surface of the True Meaning of Wind and Thunder, with force as condensed as one," Master Huoyun sighed. "Within the Body Tempering realm, this punch can be called invincible."

"He could rank in the top ten of the inner sect," Master Tiejian offered a high evaluation.

Yun Leizi stroked his beard, nodded slightly, and looked at Ye Wuchen: "What does Nephew Ye think?"

Ye Wuchen looked at Lin Ye, no longer hiding the appreciation in his eyes. He slowly stood up, his moon-white robes fluttering without a breeze.

"Within the Body Tempering realm, he breaks techniques with force and defeats enemies with his fists. Even more rare is his steady temperament, decisive killing intent, and perfect control," Ye Wuchen's voice was clear, carrying across the entire arena. "This child, I want him for Qingyun Peak."

As soon as these words were spoken, the arena fell silent, followed by an eruption of fervent exclamations!

Qingyun Peak! The sect's main peak, the lineage of the sect master! Was Senior Brother Ye Wuchen intending to take Lin Ye as a follower, or perhaps even a named disciple?

What a massive opportunity! A step into the heavens!

Countless gazes of envy and jealousy instantly focused on Lin Ye.

Facing the recruitment that countless people dreamed of, Lin Ye raised his head, looked at the figure in snow-white robes on the high platform, and spoke calmly:

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Ye. But this disciple wishes to use the fists in my hands to enter the inner sect with dignity, and only then ascend to Qingyun Peak."

He refused!

He actually refused Ye Wuchen's recruitment!

"Arrogant!" someone below the stage couldn't help but curse under their breath.

"He doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"

"To be personally recruited by Senior Brother Ye is such an honor, and yet he..."

Upon hearing this, Ye Wuchen was slightly stunned. Then, instead of being angry, he laughed out loud.

"Good! You have ambition! You have backbone!" His laughter was hearty. "I will wait for you at Qingyun Peak. I hope that when I see you next, you are no longer an outer sect disciple."