You Still Claim You Don't Know Martial Arts?

That day.

The weather was clear, with not a cloud in the sky.

At a breakfast stall, Shen Zhou ate his breakfast and asked, "A Dai, which place are we going to today?"

A Dai had just taken a sip of spicy pepper soup. He looked up at the question and thought for a moment before replying, "Mad Lion Martial Hall. It's the only one left in the south of the city that we haven't challenged."

Shen Zhou quickly finished the food in his hands, then stood up and wiped his mouth. "Good. Since they're all martial halls in the south of the city, we should treat them all equally and make sure not a single one is left out. Let's go do them that favor. Come on!"

A Dai: "..."

Now that was what you called leaving them all neat and tidy!

Inside Mad Lion Martial Hall.

Tie Zhan sat cross-legged at the head of the hall, eyes closed as he rested and gathered his strength.

Beside him, the masters of the other twelve halls sat at the guest tables, every one of them solemn-faced, their eyes cold.

Today was a battle for the honor of the south of the city. If Mad Lion Martial Hall lost too, the south would suffer a humiliating defeat in White Sheep County's martial arts community. The halls in the east, west, and north would surely laugh at them whenever the matter came up in the future.

That was why today's battle concerned the honor of the south, and all twelve martial halls had to come and show their support.

They also wanted to see with their own eyes what would happen after Tie Zhan followed the plan and dodged that sword.

What kind of expression would that kid make then?

Just thinking about the scene made them almost unable to wait.

"He's here! They're here!"

Just then, a disciple who had been keeping watch at the entrance suddenly ran in and shouted.

In an instant, the Mad Lion Hall Master opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them.

The other hall masters also shot to their feet, their fierce gazes fixed on the entrance.

Under everyone's watchful eyes,

a figure with three wooden swords strapped at his waist entered first, followed closely by the Three Little Ones.

Seeing Shen Zhou, some gritted their teeth, some shook their heads with a sigh, and others sneered to themselves... Their expressions were all different.

"Hm? Why are there so many people here?"

"Are you planning to gang up on me?"

As soon as Shen Zhou entered and saw the masters of the twelve halls all there, each looking at him with open hostility, he immediately grew wary and pulled out a wooden sword, gripping it in his hand.

As long as he had a sword in hand, he had the confidence to face anything.

Tie Zhan stepped forward and said, "Young hero, you jest. The hall masters are here only to support me and bear witness. They mean no harm."

Shen Zhou shrugged indifferently. "It's all over in one sword strike, so what's there to witness? Fine, if they want to watch, then let them. I'm in a hurry, so let's get started!"

His words drew angry glares from many of the disciples in the hall. They all thought Shen Zhou was far too arrogant!

The hall masters, including Ma Hong, felt secretly pleased instead.

The more arrogant Shen Zhou was, the more likely he was to let his guard down. That would make it easier for Tie Zhan to succeed when they fought.

Tie Zhan said nothing more. He merely gestured for Shen Zhou to proceed, and the two took their places in the martial arts practice yard.

Behind him, A Dai, San Mazi, and Xi Mei had followed Shen Zhou around as he challenged martial halls for several days. By now, they could calmly watch him take on a hall. They weren't as nervous as they had been the first time.

After all, just as Shen Zhou had said, it was only a matter of one sword strike.

Both sides were ready. Nobody called out a start; the match began of its own accord.

In an instant, Tie Zhan's gaze sharpened and he struck first.

His blood and qi erupted. He burst into motion, pushed off the ground, and shot toward Shen Zhou like a speeding arrow.

Tie Zhan's plan was simple: close the distance, dodge that sword, then strike and subdue his opponent to win.

The most crucial part was dodging that sword!

Across from him, Shen Zhou saw Tie Zhan move but didn't pay it much mind.

He was an old hand at challenging martial halls by now. Based on his experience taking on the previous twelve, all he had to do was swing his sword with a wide enough arc and enough force to leave his opponent nowhere to dodge. The other man would have only one choice: brace himself with all his blood and qi, take the sword head-on, then fall defeated and admit defeat.

That move had never failed him.

So this time, Shen Zhou did the same. "Fall!"

Sword Qi slashed sideways, razor-sharp, its force filling almost the entire practice yard.

In that instant, the hall masters of the twelve martial halls clenched their fists without meaning to and cried out nervously, "Here it comes!"

The disciples of the other martial halls were also so stunned by the sight that they couldn't speak.

That sword was too powerful!

There was no dodging left or right. Facing it head-on seemed to be the only option.

And if they did, they would surely be left gravely injured and forced to admit defeat!

Just as all the disciples thought the outcome was already settled, Tie Zhan made a move at the critical moment that nobody could have anticipated.

Right before the Sword Qi reached him, Tie Zhan suddenly threw himself to the ground. He sprawled flat, pressing himself against it like an enormous toad.

It was an undignified move, but it let him narrowly evade the Sword Qi as it skimmed over his head.

"He dodged it!"

"What a chance!"

"Quick, now!"

Seeing that Tie Zhan had really dodged the sword, the twelve hall masters, who had been anxiously watching, shouted excitedly. They looked as if they were the ones fighting in the yard.

Shen Zhou was also stunned to see Tie Zhan lying on the ground after dodging his sword.

There's a move like that?

The sound of a wooden sword snapping rang out.

A sense of foreboding washed over him right after.

Shen Zhou realized what was happening, and his expression changed at once. "Damn it, this is bad!"

In the blink of an eye,

just as Shen Zhou reached for the second wooden sword at his waist, Tie Zhan seized his chance. He sprang into the air like a bird, then swooped down toward him. As soon as he reached Shen Zhou, he grabbed his right hand and twisted it behind his back, locking it in a tight joint hold.

Tie Zhan's face lit up with excitement. "I've got you!"

"..."

At that moment, A Dai, San Mazi, and Xi Mei finally lost their composure.

This was the first time they had ever seen anyone dodge Shen Zhou's wooden sword and even manage to seize the swordsman himself!

This was bad!

With his right hand locked, Shen Zhou was flustered too. This had never happened before. But even in his panic, he kept his head. His right hand was pinned, so he reached for the wooden sword at his waist with his left.

As long as he could draw it with his left hand, he'd still be invincible.

But the moment his left hand touched the hilt, Ma Hong shouted urgently from the sidelines, "Careful! Don't let him draw the sword with his left hand!"

At the warning, Tie Zhan's heart gave a jump. He hurriedly grabbed Shen Zhou's left arm too, keeping it from moving.

And ever since he had grabbed Shen Zhou, he had clearly felt that the terrifying aura that had emerged from the boy earlier had vanished completely. The person he was holding felt no different from an ordinary young man.

"So all you know is that one sword technique. Now that you're captured, why won't you admit defeat?"

Tie Zhan's eyes shone with delight.

The twelve hall masters in the south of the city had all fallen to this boy. The whole city had been in an uproar.

And now, he had beaten the boy himself. What an incredible rise to fame that would be!

Tie Zhan could already picture Mad Lion Martial Hall becoming renowned throughout White Sheep County after this battle. Even the county's three second-rate martial halls wouldn't be able to compare with him for a while.

But before Tie Zhan could enjoy his victory for even two seconds, a martial artist's instincts made him sense something was wrong.

At some point, the boy in his arms had stopped struggling. But the aura from when Shen Zhou had drawn his wooden sword suddenly appeared again, more terrifying than before—more terrifying even than when Shen Zhou had swung his sword.

"How can this be..."

Tie Zhan furrowed his brow, a sense of unease rising in him.

Then Shen Zhou turned his head. His arms were still pinned, but his left hand had already gripped the wooden sword. He grinned at Tie Zhan, who stood behind him, his expression calm, like a man watching clouds gather and drift away. "I should thank you. If you hadn't tried that sneak attack, I wouldn't have learned that this so-called 'Sword Invincible' means that as long as I have a sword in hand, I'm invincible beneath the heavens!

"It doesn't matter whether it's in my right hand or my left...

"Hell, as long as I'm holding a sword, I don't even need to draw it or use it. I'm already invincible!"

While Tie Zhan was still trying to make sense of those words, the aura around Shen Zhou burst forth. It was as fierce as a tiger, unstoppable.

A tremendous force sent Tie Zhan staggering backward.

"What?"

"How could this happen?"

"How is that possible?"

The twelve hall masters were dumbstruck. Shen Zhou had been restrained just moments ago, yet in the blink of an eye, he was free again.

They had been on the verge of victory. How had the tables turned so suddenly?

Someone in the crowd seemed to realize something. "No, we got it wrong. With Sword Qi that powerful, he must be a Transformation Realm expert. Even if he doesn't draw his sword, his formidable inner force alone is more than we can easily withstand. We all thought he knew only that one sword technique, and that if we stopped him from using it, we could turn the tables.

"Alas, the difference in strength is simply too great. What can we do but sigh?"

At that, the others' expressions changed.

Had we been trying to shake a tree from the very beginning, like mayflies?

By then, Tie Zhan had regained his footing. His face flushed red and white as his blood and qi churned inside him. Shen Zhou had only been trying to break free, so the blow hadn't caused him much harm.

He steadied himself and said, unwilling to accept defeat, "No! I won't admit defeat. This martial hall is the fruit of my life's work. As long as I'm still standing, I can't give up. And so what if he's at the Transformation Realm? He has no real combat experience. If I could dodge his first sword, I can dodge his second and third... Just give me one more chance, and I won't give him another opening!"

The battle had turned around several times, and everything had happened too quickly.

Shen Zhou was free now. He glanced back at the expressions on everyone's faces and understood at once.

These hall masters hadn't come to witness anything. They had all helped devise a plan to ambush him, then come to watch him get defeated.

But unfortunately for them, they had still underestimated the power of his Entries.

At that thought, Shen Zhou glanced at Tie Zhan and the twelve hall masters, then smiled faintly. "So you all thought the only reason I'd beaten you before was that one sword strike. I can't blame you. I was too lazy before, and didn't let you see what I was really capable of. Now, I'll show you my true strength!"

His words sent a jolt through every hall master in the building.

Then they saw Shen Zhou suddenly put his left hand, still holding the sword, behind his back and face Tie Zhan with his right palm.

Tie Zhan's expression tightened.

He wasn't going to use his sword?

He focused every ounce of his attention, his muscles tensing as he searched for an opening.

Then Shen Zhou gave a low shout. "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms!"

Roar...

In an instant, the room filled with dragon roars, and dragon shadows appeared everywhere.

Everyone inside stared in shock. "Could such a wondrous palm technique really exist?"

The Three Little Ones also stared at Shen Zhou, eyes wide.