You're in the Blood Tempering Realm?

Zhang Tian quickly crossed his arms in front of his chest.

On the ring, he launched into an extremely flashy combination of punches.

A faint force of qi and blood clung to his fists, stirring up rings of visible ripples in the air.

His punches whipped up a howling wind.

Sharp sonic booms burst through the air.

"Come on, Gu Yuan! Attack me with everything you've got!"

Zhang Tian spread his legs slightly and let his hands hang loosely at his sides.

He struck an exceedingly casual starting pose.

"Today, if I use even the slightest bit of qi and blood, I lose!"

The students nearby heard the commotion and stopped training one after another.

Curious, the crowd gathered around the ring.

"Who's that yellow-haired guy? He's got a retro vibe. I think I remember... the Mosaic Family."

"Hell's Mosaic Family? They're called the Shaqima Family!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you two mean Shamate, right?"

The murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"I heard he's a top student from Martial University, a bona fide martial artist! Is he going to give that high schooler some pointers?"

"That yellow-haired guy's from Martial University? Doesn't look like it. More like he works in a beauty salon."

"Don't judge a book by its cover. He's a bona fide martial artist."

"A Martial University student fighting a high schooler? That's just bullying."

"Didn't you hear him? He said he wouldn't use his qi and blood, and he'd just stand there and let the kid hit him. That's called feeding him moves. He's helping out a junior."

"Even without qi and blood, a bona fide martial artist's physical strength and fighting skills are nothing a Blood Tempering Realm student can match. They're not even on the same level."

Gu Yuan stood below the ring.

Every word of the surrounding chatter reached his ears.

His gaze swept over Zhang Tian, whose nostrils were practically pointed at the sky.

No qi and blood?

Just stand there and take a beating?

This was a perfect punching bag delivered right to his doorstep.

If he didn't give the guy a proper thrashing, he'd be letting those bold words go to waste.

Gu Yuan placed one hand on the edge of the ring. With a light push from his legs, he flipped nimbly onto it.

A few sharp-eyed martial arts instructors below exchanged glances.

"That kid has incredible core strength."

"His body control is exceptional. He's definitely no ordinary Blood Tempering Realm student."

Gu Yuan looked up.

"Brother Tian, be careful."

Gu Yuan gave him a warning.

"Brother Tian, are you ready?"

"Come on! Quit stalling!"

Zhang Tian waved his hand impatiently.

Gu Yuan didn't waste any more words. He stamped hard on the platform.

His body shot straight toward Zhang Tian.

He clenched his right fist and channeled qi and blood into it, whipping up a fierce gust as he aimed for Zhang Tian's chest.

He held back on this punch, using only about twenty percent of his strength.

But for a high schooler in the Blood Tempering Realm, that was already a full-power strike.

Zhang Tian's gaze sharpened slightly.

He raised his right arm across his chest, preparing to take the punch head-on.

There was a limit to how much force someone in the Blood Tempering Realm could muster.

He was a bona fide martial artist who'd received systematic training at Martial University.

His physical strength was far beyond what someone in the Blood Tempering Realm could match.

Thud!

A muffled impact boomed across the ring.

Fist and arm collided with full force.

Zhang Tian's body staggered twice.

His right foot involuntarily slid back two steps.

The sole of his shoe scraped a black mark across the platform before he managed to steady himself.

He glanced down at his forearm.

A sharp, tingling numbness ran up his arm.

That kid's strong!

What kind of monster is he? He's completely beyond my expectations.

Can someone in the Blood Tempering Realm really hit that hard?

"Not bad, Gu Yuan! That punch had some real weight!"

Zhang Tian shook out his arm and stood firm again, putting on an excited front.

"Again!"

Gu Yuan said nothing.

His left fist followed right behind.

He twisted at the waist, driving force up through his whole body, and struck again.

Thud!

Zhang Tian staggered back several more steps.

"Damn, what a heavy punch!"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Gu Yuan unleashed a string of punches.

Every blow landed squarely on Zhang Tian's crossed forearms.

Zhang Tian was driven backward again and again, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

But he'd already made a big show of promising not to use his qi and blood.

With so many people watching, how could a proud Martial University student break his word to a high schooler?

If he went back on it now, where would that leave his pride?

If word got back to school, how could he show his face around campus?

After a few rounds,

Zhang Tian's heels had reached the edge of the ring.

His forearms were bright red.

Tiny spots of blood were already seeping up beneath his skin.

"Huff..."

Zhang Tian let out a breath.

He shook his aching arms and stood up straight again.

Fighting down his shock,

"Not bad, not bad! That's a lot of power for someone in the Blood Tempering Realm. You've definitely made good progress, but..."

He let his hands fall to his sides again.

He stubbornly maintained his air of a master.

"If that's all you've got, it still isn't enough."

Someone below the ring yelled,

"Come on, Yellow Hair! Don't let that high schooler knock you off the ring!"

Another person chimed in,

"Yeah! It wouldn't look good if a Martial University student lost to a high schooler!"

Zhang Tian's face twitched twice.

What do you mean, lose to a high schooler?

I'm feeding him moves! Feeding him moves, got it? What a bunch of clueless idiots!

Zhang Tian took a deep breath.

He resumed his starting stance.

His gaze locked onto Gu Yuan.

"Go on. Whatever else you've got, show me."

Gu Yuan stood in the center of the ring.

His breathing remained steady.

He looked at Zhang Tian, who was still stubbornly refusing to admit defeat.

Brother Tian's habit of suffering just to save face really hadn't changed at all.

Fine, then. He'd turn it up a notch.

This time, Zhang Tian didn't dare get cocky.

He darted across the platform, trying to put some distance between them and reset his defense.

But Gu Yuan was just as fast as he was.

Every step cut off an opening in Zhang Tian's retreat.

He gave him no chance to catch his breath.

Zhang Tian had barely planted his feet

when another punch came flying in.

This time, the fist came much faster.

It carried even more force.

The punch tore through the air as it drove straight for Zhang Tian's chest.

Zhang Tian had no choice but to raise his arm and block.

The same spot again.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Three punches.

Zhang Tian's right arm went completely numb.

He gritted his teeth.

His right foot shoved hard against the platform.

He shifted sharply to the left.

He tried to dodge the damned combination.

But Gu Yuan's left fist seemed to be waiting at the spot where he'd land.

Zhang Tian's eyes flew wide.

In that instant, his reason completely crumbled.

His pride, his promise—he cast it all aside.

His body's instinct took over.

He couldn't dodge!

Zhang Tian abandoned his guard.

His right fist clenched tight.

A layer of pale red qi and blood surged over his knuckles.

He met Gu Yuan's fist head-on.

Boom!

Their fists collided.

A wave of air exploded between them.

A shockwave far stronger than before spread in every direction.

Zhang Tian lowered his head.

He stared at the qi and blood glowing across his fist.

The corner of his mouth twitched. He'd been forced to use his qi and blood.

It was an instinctive protective response when his body sensed a mortal threat.

He was done for.

The ring fell silent for two seconds.

Then the students around them began to jeer.

"Hahaha! The Martial University student was forced to use his qi and blood!"

"He said he wouldn't use it. Guess he got called out!"

"That high schooler's incredible! He actually beat a bona fide martial artist into breaking!"

The coaches who had been questioning him just moments ago now stared wide-eyed.

"This is impossible. How could someone in the Blood Tempering Realm unleash a combo with that kind of force?"

"This high schooler actually forced a formal martial artist to release his blood energy!"

Zhang Tian ignored the commotion below and slowly raised his head.

Looking at Gu Yuan, whose breathing was still steady, his mind churned with shock.

He lowered his fists and took two steps back.

He shook his still-trembling right arm.

This was simply not the kind of power someone in the Blood Tempering Realm should have.

Even a martial artist who had just broken through to the Qi Condensation Realm shouldn't have been able to push him this far.

He looked at Gu Yuan.

"You're in the Blood Tempering Realm?"