Sparring (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"Requesting a martial arts exchange?"

Zhou Yun suddenly recalled his previous promise to Liang Chengshi, back when he had only just broken through to Bright Force.

It seemed that with his Minor Completion Black Ape Movement Technique, he had held a slight edge over Liang Chengshi.

Having just broken through to Dark Force today, he did indeed need someone to test his skills... but hearing that Liang Chengshi was only at the Great Completion of Bright Force, it would be best to hold back a little.

Zhou Yun thought to himself, smiling as he agreed: "Since Brother Liang has come to my door, I naturally welcome you..."

"Since you welcome me, then there is no time like the present..."

Liang Chengshi's implication was clear, and he secretly prepared to pull his punches when they began.

After all, he was now a Dark Force expert; he should naturally go easy on a Bright Force martial artist.

"Please."

Zhou Yun cupped his hands in a salute, yet remained standing perfectly still.

"Hm? Since Senior Brother Zhou is so modest, then I shall go first!"

Seeing Zhou Yun make no move, Liang Chengshi subconsciously assumed the other had been suppressed by his momentum, and a smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

As expected, breaking through to Dark Force is different... to think I can already make my internal energy faintly manifest on the surface of my skin; I, Liang Chengshi, am truly a genius.

He did his best to let the energy flow back into his body, utilizing only his Bright Force strength as he lunged toward Zhou Yun.

"Black Ape Fist!"

Liang Chengshi's form shifted, his fist technique becoming increasingly fierce as he struck toward Zhou Yun's abdomen.

His fist fused with a portion of the Black Ape True Intent, already possessing the posture of Great Completion, reaching a level invisible to those at the Bright Force stage.

"Great Completion, is it..."

Zhou Yun's eyes brightened slightly. With the Black Ape True Intent at Great Completion enveloping him, his gaze locked onto that incoming fist.

He transformed his fist into a palm, enveloped the aggressive strike, and pulled sharply backward.

"What?!"

Liang Chengshi suddenly lost his center of gravity, his body tilting forward as if he were about to collapse to the ground.

If a Dark Force expert were to fall flat on his face while sparring with a Bright Force martial artist, he would surely be nailed to the pillar of shame for Dark Force experts if word got out.

Just as Liang Chengshi was about to hit the ground, he gritted his teeth, and the energy in his dantian erupted outward, launching him back up from the floor.

"Senior Brother Zhou truly has excellent technique. To transform the Black Ape Fist into a palm—your attainments in martial arts are truly admirable."

Liang Chengshi cupped his hands in shame. He had intended not to release his internal energy, yet he hadn't been able to help himself...

"Brother Liang is the one to admire. When did you break through to Dark Force? My martial arts are merely side paths; a martial artist should focus primarily on the blood and energy of the body."

Zhou Yun said modestly, though he hadn't expected Liang Chengshi to have broken through to Dark Force as well. It seemed those participating in the Three Halls Martial Tournament were the seeds of their respective halls.

With their Four-Form or even Five-Form aptitude, breaking through to Dark Force was merely a natural progression.

"That Senior Brother Zhou could force me to use Dark Force is truly admirable. Let us end today's exchange here..."

Liang Chengshi knew his own martial attainments were far behind Zhou Yun's. He couldn't gain any advantage at the Bright Force level, and there was no suspense once he used Dark Force.

He decided to return and continue his bitter training, only to hear Zhou Yun's voice from behind.

"Brother Liang, stay a moment. Why don't we go a few more rounds?"

Zhou Yun spoke up. It wasn't easy to find a whetstone at the Dark Force level to test his skills; how could he let him leave so easily?

"Hm? Senior Brother Zhou still wants to spar? I couldn't gain any advantage over you at the Bright Force level, and next time I will have to use Dark Force..."

Seeing Zhou Yun still wanted to spar, Liang Chengshi was inwardly surprised, but he did not entirely refuse.

"Brother Liang, feel free to spar with all your might. I also wish to see to what extent my martial arts have improved."

Zhou Yun said with a smile.

"Oh? In that case, this brother shall respectfully comply."

Liang Chengshi walked back to the center of the courtyard, his hands itching for a fight.

Although it felt like bullying a Bright Force martial artist just after breaking through to Dark Force, since the person opposite him was his senior brother, he couldn't refuse this request...

Perhaps Senior Brother Zhou's Black Ape Fist had already reached a higher level?

But the gap between Dark Force and Bright Force was a chasm; even the way one utilized internal energy was worlds apart.

"Senior Brother Zhou, be careful!"

Liang Chengshi charged again. This time he did not hold back, unleashing his full Dark Force strength.

His fist peak carried internal energy, echoing with the energy within his arm to generate an extremely powerful potential energy.

With layers of internal energy, the sheer power was something no ordinary Bright Force martial artist could withstand.

But Zhou Yun was eager to try.

"My Black Ape Fist has reached Perfection; I wonder if I can block this strike..."

Zhou Yun once again transformed his fist into a palm, but this time it was completely different. With the Black Ape True Intent at the Semi-Perfection level enveloping him, his eyes seemed to have found the flaw in that fist.

He simultaneously executed the Black Ape Movement Technique, his figure retreating as his palm shifted into a posture to receive the strike.

Pa!

The fist struck his palm with a sharp sound, yet it lacked the expected power, feeling as if a child were merely practicing punches against an adult.

"You caught it??"

Liang Chengshi's pupils constricted. He instinctively tried to retract his fist, only to find it felt as if he had punched into a mass of damp cotton, unable to pull free.

Such strength and technique were impossible even for a master-level variation of the Black Ape Fist; could Zhou Yun's martial attainment have already broken through to the Perfection realm?

No, although this Senior Brother Zhou was two years his senior, it was impossible for him to have reached the realm of Perfection, right?

One had to realize, every figure who had cultivated a martial art to Perfection was a renowned master of Transformation Force.

Liang Chengshi gritted his teeth, using the momentum to rotate his body in mid-air and lashing out with a whip kick toward Zhou Yun's right shoulder.

This kick still contained two layers of internal energy, and its force was not to be underestimated.

Peng!

Zhou Yun's other hand shifted into a palm, catching Liang Chengshi's leg with a pa sound before his hands exerted force to flip him in the air.

In the next instant, Liang Chengshi's body spun through the air, and he landed face-first on the ground, getting a mouthful of dirt.

"Are you alright, Brother Liang?"

Zhou Yun hurriedly stepped forward, having expected Liang Chengshi to use Dark Force to rise again, not anticipating he would actually take such a solid face-plant.

"I'm fine, I'm fine..."

Liang Chengshi struggled to his feet, quickly refusing Zhou Yun's offer of assistance.

How embarrassing; to be beaten like this by a Bright Force practitioner while he was at the Dark Force level—if word got out, where would he, the young master of the Black Stone Martial Hall, hide his face?

He feared that within two days, those in the Emerald Pavilion and Peach Pavilion of Black Stone County would be composing songs and poems about this very incident.

"Senior Brother Zhou, tell me honestly, has your Black Ape Fist reached the realm of Perfection?"

Liang Chengshi's eyes gleamed as he stared into Zhou Yun's gaze.

"I only just managed to break through by sheer luck..."

Zhou Yun felt a bit awkward; it seemed that using others as a whetstone had been exposed after all. It was difficult to hide one's true skill in front of experienced martial artists.

"Damn it, how old are you this year? Your martial talent is truly monstrous... Why didn't that old man Liang Wanshan choose you for the Three Halls Martial Tournament?"

Liang Chengshi couldn't help but mutter, then suddenly seemed to recall something.

"Right, Senior Brother Zhou, the Sea Whale Gang has returned to Black Stone County and invited me to attend their gang banquet... I heard they've invited many of the top stars from the Peach Blossom Pavilion as well. Do you want to come and take a look with me?"

"The Sea Whale Gang is back?"

Zhou Yun was stunned, a name he hadn't thought of in a long time surfacing in his mind.