Breaking Down in Tears

"That Cloud-Parting Palm is incredible."

One student exclaimed in shock, "Tao Yun has probably mastered this martial art to perfection. His palm strike contains the utmost in soft, yielding force, and its destructive power is terrifying. If he struck a boulder half his height, he could probably smash it to pieces. No wonder they say his martial prowess is comparable to Zhou Tai'an's. That palm strength is no joke."

"Isn't it?" Another tall student was just as shocked, his tone grave. "Tao Yun may look frail, but he's at least a Martial Apprentice Sixth Heaven expert. An ordinary student can't compare with that kind of strength. With Xia Ping acting so arrogantly, he's bound to suffer for it."

"If they were exchanging blows, Xia Ping might still have a chance of winning. But taking that palm head-on? Even a Martial Apprentice Seventh Heaven expert would be seriously injured on the spot and carried off for treatment."

"Xia Ping is finished. One strike, and he'll be stuck in the hospital for months."

"Finally, someone can teach that bully a lesson and avenge Brother Zhou."

"Even Heaven has opened its eyes. That kid must have lost his mind."

The students were all delighted, glaring viciously at Xia Ping on the arena.

But in reality, Xia Ping was completely unharmed. The moment Tao Yun's palm struck his body, a layer of protective true energy immediately blocked it.

The unique shield of true energy quivered continuously, rapidly weakening the force of Tao Yun's palm and passing it into every corner of Xia Ping's body as an unusual vibration that tempered him.

Somehow, Xia Ping even absorbed that force, like a Kunpeng sucking up water. Not only could it do him no harm, it actually increased the strength within him.

"Impressive. So this is the Northern Underworld Body Protection Art? It's incredible." Xia Ping's eyes gleamed. Even though the system had told him this art was exceptionally powerful—a supreme body-protection technique—seeing its true might for himself still astonished him.

After all, Tao Yun's palm was no joke. It was a peak strike from a Martial Apprentice Sixth Heaven expert. Ordinary students would have to keep their distance from a blow like that.

Yet Xia Ping could stand still and block it with ease. That showed just how extraordinary the Northern Underworld Body Protection Art was.

"Y-you're all right?"

Tao Yun stared dumbfounded at Xia Ping, who stood right before him. He could hardly believe his eyes. Even a Martial Apprentice Seventh Heaven expert would be seriously injured by that palm.

But what was going on with this guy? He was still standing right in front of him, completely unharmed. Most bizarre of all, he even looked like he was enjoying himself. It was terrifying.

"Keep going. Is that really all the strength you've got?" Xia Ping stood motionless, his hands behind his back, still looking at Tao Yun with disdain.

He wanted to test the Northern Underworld Body Protection Art some more. Just one palm strike wasn't nearly enough.

"Damn you! Take this!"

Tao Yun's face flushed red as he lost his temper. If he couldn't beat someone who stood still and let him hit them, then wouldn't that mean he'd wasted more than ten years of martial arts training?

A powerful aura surged from him. He planted his feet firmly and unleashed the secrets of the Cloud-Parting Palm: Moon Veiled in Clouds, Turning Clouds and Raining, and Sweeping Mountains and Seas. He executed all three forms in succession.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Each palm carried a terrifying force of a thousand catties, slamming into Xia Ping. The blows could have pulverized a boulder. An ordinary student struck once would have been gravely injured, with their internal organs badly damaged.

The spectators could all feel the force in the wind raised by Tao Yun's every strike. The power was no illusion. A single blow would have been enough to kill a ferocious tiger.

A thousand years ago, before martial arts had flourished, this would already have been the strength of a martial arts master.

"Not bad, not bad."

Xia Ping remained motionless, feeling each palm strike as it hit him. That kind of force could seriously injure an ordinary student, but it was useless against him now that he had cultivated the Northern Underworld Body Protection Art.

As the terrifying palm force struck his body, it immediately turned into an unusual vibration that tempered him and continually stimulated his body's potential.

He felt waves of warmth welling up inside him. It seemed the energy from the Golden Potion, hidden deep within his body, had finally been fully activated, tempering his physique and strengthening the true energy within him.

It should have taken at least a week to absorb all that energy. But under Tao Yun's pounding blows, he absorbed it in a fraction of the time, his body growing stronger by the moment.

"As expected, the Northern Underworld Body Protection Art is a supreme cultivation aid. Getting beaten actually increases the efficiency with which the body absorbs energy, while also tempering the physique. It's incredible."

Xia Ping was thoroughly satisfied. His body tingled all over as streams of scorching energy flowed through him, strengthening his physique. His opponent's attacks were like iron hammers: rather than hurting him, they were helping him purge impurities from his body.

"How is this possible? You're completely unharmed? You have to be joking!"

Tao Yun struck several times in succession, using up all his true energy and unleashing the Cloud-Parting Palm's signature moves. He was nearly out of stamina. He'd thought that even if Xia Ping didn't die, he would at least be seriously injured.

He'd even started to regret that he might have hit too hard. But once he'd finished, he discovered that the guy was still standing there, completely unharmed. He hadn't even taken a single step.

"What could possibly be wrong with me? Your palm strikes are as weak as a woman's. How could they hurt me?" Xia Ping stood with his hands behind his back, still gazing calmly at Tao Yun.

"T-this!"

Hearing those words, Tao Yun's fighting spirit crumbled. His face turned bright red. He'd used all his strength in the Cloud-Parting Palm, yet this man called it as weak as a woman's. How could that be possible?!

"Why are you still standing there? Hit me harder! I haven't had enough. Keep massaging me."

Xia Ping urged him on. It wasn't often he got a chance to test the Northern Underworld Body Protection Art, and he didn't want to miss it.

A few more strikes like that and he would quickly absorb the energy from the Golden Potion. In a few days, once his dantian was filled with true energy, he would be able to break through his sixth meridian and reach Martial Apprentice Sixth Heaven.

"No! My Cloud-Parting Palm isn't meant to massage you. I'm strong! I'm not like a woman!" At those words, Tao Yun burst into tears. He bawled, his eyes brimming with tears, and finally couldn't take it anymore.

"You... You're bullying me."

With that, he broke down and fled the arena, wailing.