Acupoint Striking

In the Training Room, Situ Xuan sat cross-legged, eyes closed, his breathing long and deep.

With every inhalation, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered like a trickling stream, flowing through his meridians before finally settling into his dantian.

His physique was robust, his muscles clearly defined; he looked nothing like a ten-year-old boy, but rather like a seasoned martial artist.

The surrounding air seemed to pulse in rhythm with his breathing, at times condensing like mist, at others dispersing like light smoke.

A faint radiance shimmered across his body, a clear sign that his internal energy had reached a level of minor accomplishment.

This level of cultivation was already far beyond that of his peers.

The breathing techniques of Fist of the North Star and the circulation methods of the Black Heart Evil Palm were constantly being fused together through Situ Xuan's relentless experimentation.

His soul power circulated through his meridians, tempering his body.

Situ Xuan's expression remained unchanged, his mind calm as he continued to focus on the flow of spiritual energy within. Every breath he took made his soul power more refined, bringing him seemingly one step closer to breaking through his current realm.

The door to the Training Room was suddenly pushed open, the harsh sound of metal grinding against metal shattering the rhythm of Situ Xuan's cultivation. He didn't even lift his eyelids, merely letting out a grunt of dissatisfaction from his nose.

"You brat, who are you putting on this dead-faced act for?"

Long Xiuyuan slammed the door shut behind him, his black leather boots creaking against the floorboards. He wasn't wearing his teacher's uniform today; instead, he wore a faded black training suit, with a comical cartoon bandage stuck to his left cheek.

Situ Xuan finally opened his eyes, the dark golden light swirling within his pupils gradually fading away.

"Teacher Long,"

He slowly stretched his neck, "That cartoon pattern on your face really suits your temperament."

Veins bulged on Long Xiuyuan's forehead, and his finger joints let out a terrifying cracking sound. But then he suddenly grinned, a smile that caused the temperature in the Training Room to drop by three degrees.

"That's still better than some people spouting nonsense in front of the Dean, isn't it?"

"I was merely stating facts."

Situ Xuan stood up, his bandaged hands beginning to move instinctively, "Standard lessons are, for me—"

Before he could finish, the sound of air being torn apart reached his face.

Situ Xuan's pupils constricted, his body reacting faster than his thoughts.

The moment he raised his right arm to block, Long Xiuyuan's whip kick slammed heavily into his forearm, the dull thud sounding like a war drum.

The floor beneath their feet exploded into spiderweb-like cracks simultaneously.

"Reaction is decent."

Long Xiuyuan maintained his high-kick stance, his solid muscles visible through the tear in his pant leg, "But you should weigh your own worth before you speak."

Situ Xuan shook his numb arm and suddenly smiled.

He reached up to pull off his school tie, the black fabric fluttering down like a dead butterfly.

Long Xiuyuan's eyes lit up, and the next second, both of them vanished from where they stood.

Inside the Training Room, the air instantly solidified.

Long Xiuyuan shook his arm, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. He had clearly seen through the trajectory of Situ Xuan's strike just now, yet that finger seemed to pierce right through his defense, landing directly on his muscle.

Although it hadn't caused any real damage, this bizarre method of attack piqued his interest.

"What technique is this? Pressure point striking?"

Long Xiuyuan kneaded his own wrist, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, "However, you won't beat me with just this level of skill."

Situ Xuan didn't answer, merely settling slowly into the starting stance of Fist of the North Star. His breathing gradually slowed, his internal soul power circulating with each breath, his muscles contracting and relaxing like a beast ready to pounce.

"Not planning on using your soul skill yet?" Long Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just trying to go easy on you!"

Situ Xuan said calmly, activating his martial soul. The physical enhancement brought by his first soul skill caused his lean, strong body to bulge even further, every muscle looking as if it had been honed specifically for combat!

Hearing this, Long Xiuyuan laughed heartily, his fighting spirit surging in his eyes: "Good! Then let me see just how hard your fists really are, you little brat!"

Before the words had even faded, his figure vanished abruptly.

Bang!

Situ Xuan dodged to the side almost by instinct, but Long Xiuyuan's fist still grazed his shoulder, sending a jolt of intense pain through him.

He gritted his teeth and retreated, but just as he was about to counterattack, Long Xiuyuan's elbow pressed down like an iron hammer, slamming directly toward his chest!

"North Star Soft Rending Slash!"

Situ Xuan crossed his arms, soul power flowing between his muscles. His arms slid past Long Xiuyuan's elbow and neck like a swimming snake, his fingertips stabbing fiercely toward Long Xiuyuan's armpit—one of the most vulnerable junctions of the human body!

Ssh!

Long Xiuyuan's movements faltered for a split second, but he immediately let out a cold laugh, his body spinning violently as his knee struck upward with savage force!

Bang!

Situ Xuan blocked with his arms, but the sheer force sent him sliding back several meters, his heels carving two shallow furrows into the floor.

His arms were numb, the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers bleeding slightly, yet his eyes were burning with even greater excitement.

"Good technique, but your power is far from enough."

Long Xiuyuan rubbed his armpit, where a faint sense of soreness and numbness lingered. "I'll give you one more chance. Come at me with everything you've got."

Situ Xuan slowly adjusted his breathing, compressing the soul power within his body to its limit. He suddenly raised his hand, fingers pressed together, his fingertips glowing with a faint, eerie light.

"Seven Death Stars of the Big Dipper—"

His figure suddenly blurred, and he lunged forward like a ghost, his fingertips carving seven afterimages into the air, each strike aimed with pinpoint precision at seven acupuncture points on Long Xiuyuan's body!

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Each strike carried soul power with immense penetrating force, all of them landing squarely on his arm!

Long Xiuyuan had initially thought nothing of it, but the moment the seventh strike landed, his expression shifted abruptly—

His entire arm suddenly stiffened, the muscles paralyzed in an instant!

"Acupoint striking? And it has a chain-reaction burst?"

Long Xiuyuan was slightly startled, but then he grinned. "Interesting! But this level of power isn't enough to trap me!"

Boom!

His body gave a violent jolt, his muscles tensed up, and the soul power within his body instantly surged to break through the sealed acupuncture points!

Situ Xuan's pupils constricted. Just as he was about to retreat, Long Xiuyuan's fist arrived with the force of a howling gale!

"Bang—!"

The punch landed solidly on Situ Xuan's chest, sending him flying backward to slam hard against the wall of the Training Room, a trickle of blood spilling from his mouth.

"Cough, cough..."

Situ Xuan propped himself up against the wall and stood, his eyes still burning with fighting spirit. "Again."

Long Xiuyuan did not pursue, standing in place instead and watching him with interest.

"Your fist technique is quite unique; it doesn't look like any common fighting style."

Long Xiuyuan rubbed the arm that had just been struck, looking thoughtful. "But you've faced too few opponents. You have the technique, but you lack the experience to back it up."

Situ Xuan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and sneered, "That was just the warm-up."

"Stubborn."

Long Xiuyuan chuckled, then stretched his limbs. "Since you can still fight, let's continue."

As his words fell, his figure vanished once more.

Situ Xuan kept his eyes locked ahead, soul power surging through his body, muscles tensed, ready to meet the next round of storm-like attacks.

The real battle was only just beginning!