Victory (Two Chapters Combined)

The moment Lin Feng's voice fell, Li He had already cut through the air like a gale of foul wind.

"Charge! Dash! Trample!"

His massive body erupted with terrifying kinetic energy, transforming into a bolt of black lightning that tore through the air as he lunged straight at Sun Jiaoyang. Before his fist even arrived, the gale it stirred up was already whipping Sun Jiaoyang's robes into a frenzy.

However.

The instant his fist touched the hem of Sun Jiaoyang's robe, Sun Jiaoyang's figure shifted half a foot to the left with uncanny, phantom-like grace.

Li He's fist whistled past the edge of his clothes, slamming into empty air.

It was no wonder Yuan Lingling had been unable to touch Sun Jiaoyang even with all her might; such bizarre footwork could no longer be described as mere speed or agility—it was more like a displacement of space itself.

Li He roared, forcibly twisting his frame as his giant arm swept out horizontally.

But Sun Jiaoyang's figure rippled once more like a reflection in water, appearing nonchalantly behind and to the right of Li He.

His movements were fluid, as if he had foreseen everything!

"You are no different from the one before."

"Boring."

Ssh!

A gust of finger-wind, like a viper flicking its tongue, struck toward the vital point at the back of Li He's neck.

The angle was treacherous, the timing precise!

Li He's hair stood on end, his muscles tensing like iron and glowing with a dark, metallic luster as he pushed his Ape Demon Iron God Technique to its limit.

At the same time, he exerted force through his feet, triggering the Mountain-Crushing Turn and twisting his waist and hips violently in an attempt to avoid the lethal strike.

Puff!

The finger-strike was like an awl, piercing just below Li He's left shoulder blade.

Although he had avoided the vital point at his neck, the vicious, piercing force still tore through his skin and muscle.

A sharp pain surged through his entire body like an electric current.

Li He let out a muffled grunt, throwing a violent Void Breaker punch backward with his other hand, forcing Sun Jiaoyang to drift away!

In the first round of the exchange, he had fallen behind.

Blood surged rapidly from the hole behind his shoulder, blooming into a glaring red flower on his shoulder. This was only because he possessed a hard-body technique; an ordinary person's body would likely have been pierced clean through.

A chorus of gasps echoed from the sidelines.

"Senior Brother Li, concede! There's still time!"

"Stop fighting, Senior Brother Li!"

Li He turned a deaf ear. He stared fixedly at Sun Jiaoyang, his eyes devoid of fear, filled only with a ferocity that had been thoroughly ignited.

Sun Jiaoyang flicked his fingers, looking down from above:

"With fifth-grade aptitude, it's not easy to have trained this body of yours."

"Pity, it's all for show—clumsy as a turtle. I'll break your shell first and see what other tricks you have."

As his voice fell.

Sun Jiaoyang's figure suddenly blurred, transforming into several afterimages that were impossible to distinguish from the real one!

He drifted around Li He like a ghost, appearing on the left to jab at his ribs with a finger like a sword, then circling to the right to slice at his neck with a palm-edge like a blade, and in the next instant, flashing to the front to drive a knee into his abdomen.

Shadows were everywhere, the onslaught like a tidal wave!

Li He's eyes were bloodshot.

He pushed his Ape Demon Steps and Wild Goose Eight Steps to the limit, shifting and dodging across the arena. His palms flew as he executed the Cloud Hand Eighteen Forms like a spinning wheel, attempting to counterattack.

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

The sounds of tearing fabric and the dull thuds of flesh being pierced were incessant.

His shoulder, arms, ribs, and back—his training uniform was shredded into tattered rags, revealing wounds of varying depths.

Blood gushed like a fountain, dyeing him into a man of blood.

Every block was a half-beat too slow, every dodge falling behind the attack!

"Too slow."

"Too stupid."

"All brute force and no substance."

Sun Jiaoyang's indifferent voice kept drilling into Li He's ears, attempting to dismantle his fighting spirit.

On the sidelines, there was dead silence.

The disciples' faces were deathly pale as they watched Li He, like a man being subjected to a slow execution, swinging his fists in vain across the arena.

Despair, like a cold tide, drowned them all.

Humiliation!

An unprecedented sense of humiliation scorched Li He's nerves!

He realized for the first time just how clumsy he was!

Once again, Sun Jiaoyang appeared at his side as if teleporting, his fingertips like blades, flashing toward his right eye.

He jerked his head to the side!

Rip!

The wind from the strike grazed his cheekbone, drawing a trail of blood and a small piece of flesh!

Agonizing pain split through his mind.

Li He froze in place.

"What, are you going to lose?" Sun Jiaoyang stood atop a Plum Blossom Stakes, looking down from above.

However.

Li He slowly straightened his body. On his blood-stained face, there was no despair or anger, only a wide, ferocious, and insane grin.

He raised his right arm and tapped his own heart.

"Come."

"Stab right here!"

He completely abandoned his defense, abandoned his stance, leaving his vitals wide open.

"You're courting death!"

A hint of anger at being provoked by an ant crept into Sun Jiaoyang's indifferent voice.

His figure moved like lightning, instantly cutting into the fatal opening Li He had exposed. His five fingers, hooked like claws, flashed toward Li He's chest; he intended to rip Li He's heart out alive.

"Well come!"

Li He let out a wild laugh. Instead of retreating, he lunged forward, crashing directly into those lethal claws!

Squelch!

Sun Jiaoyang's hand pierced into his chest like a knife through tofu, tearing through his lung.

Excruciating pain! Suffocation! The stench of blood!

The chill of death instantly gripped Li He, but his bloodshot eyes shone with a terrifying light.

At the final moment, he used every ounce of his strength to twist his body, forcing the opponent's hand into his right chest and away from his heart.

At the same time, he pushed the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique to its limit. His muscles coiled tight, locking onto Sun Jiaoyang's wrist like a vice, while his blood vessels constricted to delay the ebbing of his life!

"Five minutes!"

Li He grinned hideously. This was the final window he estimated he could remain conscious and continue to fight.

"You're like a bug, jumping around." He stared intensely at that handsome face, now inches away, which held a trace of shock.

He grinned and laughed wildly, like a demon from hell.

"Come!"

"Let me teach you what a man's way of fighting is!"

Li He's two massive palms slammed onto both sides of Sun Jiaoyang's head, his ten fingers digging deep into the hair until his knuckles turned white.

He let out a manic laugh, the veins on his forehead bulging, and used all his strength to pull that arrogant head toward his own.

Bang!

A crisp sound that made one's scalp tingle. Li He's forehead slammed solidly into Sun Jiaoyang's nose!

Blood!

It exploded between them like blooming fireworks!

Sun Jiaoyang's handsome face, which had always maintained an elegant and composed air as if he were above the mortal world, twisted and deformed for the first time.

He let out a pained grunt as his nasal bridge visibly collapsed. Warm blood, mixed with the tears and mucus stimulated by the impact, stained half of his face.

Drip, drip—it fell to the ground in a pathetic mess.

"Hahahaha, so you can bleed too!"

Li He kept his grip locked on Sun Jiaoyang's head, ignoring the struggle and the heavy punches raining down on his own body, slamming his forehead into the other man's mangled face again and again!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Every impact was accompanied by the crisp sound of cracking bone and flying flesh!

"You bastard!"

Sun Jiaoyang's inner energy erupted, blasting Li He's hands away while simultaneously pulling his hand out of Li He's chest.

The agonizing pain caused Li He's vision to black out, but he still clung to a sliver of clarity in his mind, spreading his arms and, covered in his own blood, lunging forward once more.

He held onto the waist of Sun Jiaoyang with a death grip.

The two of them rolled across the debris-strewn, blood-stained arena like a pair of tumbling gourds.

"You bastard, let go of me!" Sun Jiaoyang roared, his fists raining down on Li He's back with dull, thudding impacts.

But Li He seemed not to feel a thing.

He opened his blood-filled mouth, baring his gore-stained teeth, and bit down hard.

"Ah!" Sun Jiaoyang let out a shrill, miserable scream.

Rip!

A large chunk of flesh, still attached to fabric and skin, was torn clean away by Li He, and warm blood sprayed across his face!

At this moment.

Everyone was completely stunned by this bloody, savage style of fighting, watching Sun Jiaoyang's collapsed nose, his blood-covered face, and his mangled, bitten body. Then they looked at Li He—his chest caved in, his body bathed in blood, and his face twisted into a ferocious grin.

An indescribable chill and shock swept through the hearts of everyone present.

How could this be a martial arts duel?

This was clearly two wild beasts fighting for their lives!

Li He... he had gone mad!

Using the most primitive and brutal methods, he had forcibly torn away the mask of Sun Jiaoyang's lofty, elegant composure, dragging this contest—which should have been about technique and strength—into a mire of blood and violence!

Blood!

There was blood everywhere!

"Get off, you lunatic!"

Sun Jiaoyang's roar was laced with unprecedented terror.

His handsome face was now a bloody mess, blood gushing from his collapsed nose, and a large chunk of flesh had been torn from his shoulder, exposing the bone beneath.

He had never been this wretched! He had never been this close to death!

He struggled desperately, trying to break free from Li He's iron-like grip.

"So, you can feel fear too?" Li He did not let go; instead, he tightened his arms, leaped up, arched his back, and swung Sun Jiaoyang high into the air.

A violent back-throw!

Sun Jiaoyang's entire upper body was slammed deep into the ground, his blood instantly staining the gravel as he saw stars from the impact.

"Enough!" Sun Jiaoyang roared, his internal energy exploding like an invisible bomb between the two of them.

Li He was forcibly blasted away, his body flying backward to crash heavily onto the gravel-covered, blood-soaked ground.

Sun Jiaoyang staggered to his feet, drenched in blood, his eyes filled with malice and murderous intent as he glared at Li He.

"Do you think a flash of mad inspiration can defeat my hard-won, perfected martial arts? Don't dream! Die!"

Sun Jiaoyang let out a beast-like howl and vanished in a blur, using a displacement technique to appear instantly before Li He, his fingers curled into a blade to strike directly at his heart.

Just as the lethal hand-blade was about to pierce Li He's chest, his unfocused eyes suddenly brightened, erupting with a fierce, final burst of vitality.

Li He raised both hands high and slammed them into the ground.

Boom!

Centered on his fists, the hard bluestone floor for several meters around instantly turned to powder, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading wildly.

Ape Demon Three Styles, Earth Shaker.

A violent shockwave erupted from the ground up!

Sun Jiaoyang, stepping onto the shockwave, was instantly launched into the air, his eyes filled with horror. This madman, why does he still have such strength left?

At this very instant.

Every muscle, bone, and even the shattered internal organs of Li He hummed in unison. He stepped into a horse stance, clenched his right fist, and punched upward with a tyrannical momentum that seemed to defy the heavens and shatter everything in its path.

It was the Ape Demon Three Styles, Heaven Lifter.

Where the fist wind passed, the air was compressed into a piercing shriek, and the blood mist was instantly evaporated. The sheer power of the strike seemed as if it would punch a hole through the sky itself.

"What?" Sun Jiaoyang's expression changed drastically. Ignoring his own attack, he immediately deployed Cloud Rolling Cloud Relaxing, attempting to deflect Li He's force.

However, the power was simply too great.

Coupled with his shoulder injury, the slightest exertion caused blood to flow freely, and his Cloud Rolling Cloud Relaxing was instantly broken. He let out a muffled groan as his body flew backward, staggering out of control!

And Li He had already transformed into a gale, closing the distance at high speed.

Ape Demon Three Styles, Void Breaker.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Everyone saw only a blood-stained afterimage, as if crossing through space and time, appearing before Sun Jiaoyang.

After one punch.

Sun Jiaoyang collapsed to the ground, his fate unknown.

Li He stood upon the earth, still maintaining the posture of his final punch.

He remained motionless, blood continuously gushing from his shattered chest, yet he did not fall; his fist remained thrust forward.

The Martial Arts Arena was deathly silent.

Five... minutes... This thought flashed through Li He's mind. His vision had long since blurred, and the world was reduced to swaying shadows and a sharp ringing in his ears.

"Senior Brother Li!"

Someone, voice trembling with a sob, let out a cry.

This sound was like a stone cast into a calm lake, instantly shattering the silence.

"Senior Brother Li won!"

"He won, Senior Brother Li won!"

"Sun Jiaoyang fell, but Senior Brother Li is still standing!"

"Senior Brother Li!"

Deafening cheers swept across the entire Martial Arts Arena.

On the stone platform.

Yuan Shan stood up abruptly, his eyes erupting with an unprecedented brilliance. He took a single step, his figure moving like lightning, and appeared in the center of the arena in an instant.

A gentle surge of energy enveloped Li He's teetering body.

"Quick, save him!"

Lin Feng had already rushed up with the medical team, treating the wounds of both Li He and Sun Jiaoyang. Hemostatic agents, stabilizers, cardiac stimulants... their movements were as fast as lightning.

Jin Wancai also rushed down, looking at Li He's tragic state with a face full of complex shock.

Sun Zhenhai's face was ashen; he said nothing, walking quickly toward his son.

His consciousness sank into the deep sea.

Before losing consciousness entirely, Li He heard a voice ring out from the depths of his mind.

[Proficiency +5]
[Proficiency +5]
[Proficiency +5]
[Skill: Ape Demon Iron Body Technique: Minor Achievement (2%) → (7%)]
[Skill: Ape Demon Three Styles: Minor Achievement (5%) → (10%)]
[Skill: Ape Demon Steps: Proficient (4%) → (9%)]

As his consciousness slowly floated up from the seabed.

The first thing he felt was the pungent smell of disinfectant, followed by pain everywhere. His chest felt as if it were being crushed by a giant boulder, and every breath pulled at a tearing, agonizing pain. His shoulders, arms, back—every bone in his body felt as if it had been shattered and then pieced back together.

Li He lifted his heavy eyelids.

His vision gradually focused.

What came into view was a stark white ceiling, soft lighting, and an IV drip hanging above his head. The transparent medicinal liquid dripped into his body one drop at a time.

This was a clean, tidy private hospital room, with sunlight spilling in through the gaps in the blinds.

Sun Jiaoyang's face—distorted, horrified, and finally sent flying by his punch—appeared clearly before his eyes. The mist of blood in the sky, the crisp sound of shattering bones, and the deafening cheers...

Memories flooded back like a tide.

"I won."

Li He stared at the ceiling.

An indescribable emotion surged within his chest. Was it wild joy? Relief? Or the emptiness that follows the defeat of a powerful enemy?

He opened his mouth, wanting to make a sound, but it only triggered a violent coughing fit. The sharp pain in his chest made him knit his brows instantly.

Beep, beep.

After he woke up, an instrument beside him chimed twice.

"He's awake, Senior Brother Li is awake!"

A voice full of pleasant surprise rang out from the doorway.

"Everyone slow down, don't get too excited, don't startle him!"

Immediately after, the door was pushed open. Lin Feng walked cautiously to the bedside, his eyes filled with excitement. "That's great, Junior Brother, you're finally awake. Don't talk; your injuries are too severe. Eat this first!"

Lin Feng took out a small, crystalline hexagon and fed it into Li He's mouth.

Li He swallowed it.

A surge of pure energy instantly flooded his limbs and bones, leaving his whole body feeling tingly and slightly itchy. Then, Li He discovered that the agonizing pain in his body had vanished.

"This is the Wine Crystal formed from the century-old Monkey Wine I told you about. The effect is pretty good, right? This is your reward for taking first place in the grand exam."

Lin Feng pulled over a chair and sat down by the bedside.

"You brat, you're truly insane. You have no idea—when we carried you down, your chest was caved in and I don't even know how many bones you had broken. I honestly thought you were going to die," Lin Feng remarked with a sigh. "However, you could say this misfortune turned into a blessing for you."

Li He turned his head slightly, his eyes filled with inquiry.

"Because you were critically injured and on the verge of death, then nourished by a miraculous item like the Wine Crystal, your muscles and bones have been broken and rebuilt. Once you fully recover, not only will your bones be tougher, but your meridians will also be widened. Your strength will inevitably skyrocket."

Li He felt a shock in his heart.

He had only wanted to win; he hadn't expected it to bring such a generous reward.

"Sun... Jiaoyang..." he squeezed the words out from his throat with difficulty. He needed to confirm the fate of his opponent.