Three Minutes

Chen Chong and Peng Wei stood facing each other in the middle of the Training Room. The noisy fighters all moved as far back as they could, making room for them.

About seventy percent of the Thunder Dragon Official Fighters who lived in the building were here.

Peng Wei looked at Chen Chong and said in a low voice,

"I practice grappling, and it can be pretty dangerous. If you can't hold out, surrender right away. Don't push yourself."

Chen Chong glanced at him, a little surprised. He hadn't expected Peng Wei to be so forthright. He nodded.

"Sure. Same goes for you."

"..."

Peng Wei narrowed his eyes and said nothing more.

At the word "Begin" from a fighter temporarily acting as referee, both men entered the bout.

Chen Chong took the standard stance of the Yu Style Combat Drill.

His hands were held up before his chest, ready to strike high or low; his feet shifted back and forth, prepared to attack or defend.

Peng Wei, on the other hand, was clearly different. Though he was much taller, he crouched far lower, his long arms reaching slightly forward as if he were ready to take Chen Chong down at any moment.

The two faced each other, maintaining a fixed distance as they slowly shifted positions.

After testing the waters for a moment, Peng Wei gave a slight nod. Seeing no obvious openings in Chen Chong's defense, he decisively stepped forward to close the distance, reaching both arms toward Chen Chong's waist!

Chen Chong's breathing changed, taking on an odd rhythm. The blood throughout his body surged faster, and his strength and reflexes rose at once.

He tracked the path of Peng Wei's hands precisely. His guard opened, and both hands shot out, slapping the opponent's forearms aside with blinding speed!

Peng Wei was startled. He hadn't expected his opening move to be so easily deflected, leaving his chest exposed.

Chen Chong's palm came slashing toward him, but Peng Wei didn't flinch. A glint flashed in his eyes.

An opponent unfamiliar with him might think his hand grabs were his main weapon and try to avoid them at all costs. But those who had fought him knew his long, python-like legs were just as deadly.

His upper-body attack had been neutralized, but his left leg had already reached Chen Chong's feet.

All he needed was a light sweep to throw off Chen Chong's balance. Once they were on the ground, he would have the advantage.

Seeing Chen Chong casually deflect Peng Wei's arm attack and follow up with a palm strike at his exposed chest, Wang Li couldn't help cheering.

But the other fighters saw that Chen Chong had left himself wide open as Peng Wei's leg closed in. They were sure the outcome was settled, and wore expressions that said, "He's not all that."

Feeling the fierce rush of wind near his chest, Peng Wei actually smiled.

Once his leg swept across, Chen Chong's palm would go flying God knew where. After all, a leg was much longer than an arm, and Peng Wei had the size advantage too.

Meeting Chen Chong's eyes, Peng Wei widened his own and shouted, "Down!"

He dipped low, his left leg hooking hard behind Chen Chong's right heel. At the same time, he drove forward with his right leg, ready to press in and win in one fluid motion!

Smack!

A sharp crack rang out. Peng Wei took a solid slap to the face and toppled onto his back, clutching his nose.

Chen Chong hadn't moved from where he stood. Looking a little surprised, he watched Peng Wei run his face straight into his palm, then glanced down at his feet, thoughtful.

It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

The noise in the Training Room stopped at once.

The fighters stared in disbelief at Chen Chong standing tall and Peng Wei sprawled on the floor, unable to understand what had happened.

Why hadn't Peng Wei swept Chen Chong off his feet? Why had he run his own face into Chen Chong's palm instead?

Even Peng Wei himself was dazed and confused.

He'd felt his leg hook Chen Chong's ankle. With his honed technique and sudden burst of power, even an opponent stronger than him should have stumbled and lost balance.

Yet Chen Chong hadn't moved an inch. He stood there like a mountain, and Peng Wei's force had disappeared into him like a stone dropped into the sea.

Instead, when Peng Wei instinctively dipped forward, he'd turned Chen Chong's palm to his chest into a solid slap across his face, leaving himself dazed.

What had happened?

After a moment, he saw Chen Chong watching him with a calm expression. His face flushed red with embarrassment.

"That doesn't count! Again! I didn't even use the Breathing Method just now. You snuck that move in! It's not fair. Rematch!"

The fighters nearby looked enlightened.

So that was it. Chen Chong had used the Breathing Method. That explained why Peng Wei hadn't been able to move him—

Wait!

Chen Chong had used the Breathing Method?

The fighters' expressions changed instantly.

Not one person in the audience had mastered the Breathing Method, and yet this newcomer had learned it?

No wonder he could kill Zhang Yao... Their expressions turned serious as their gazes shifted subtly when they looked at Chen Chong.

Peng Wei flipped back to his feet, looking grave as well.

He was one of the few Official Fighters who had mastered the method himself. For that very reason, he knew how difficult it was and how powerful it could be.

That alone was enough to convince him that Chen Chong was stronger than Zhang Yao.

Still, at this point, whether or not he was convinced didn't matter. He had to fight. Seeing that Chen Chong had no objections, he said more seriously than before,

"Let's go again."

"Come on."

Chen Chong nodded and raised his guard before his chest.

Peng Wei crouched even lower. His hands hovered forward, neither fully extended nor drawn back, while his center of gravity rose and fell. He seemed ready to pounce at any moment, yet just as capable of waiting. His breathing grew steadier, but beneath that calm lay immense energy, ready to call forth his full potential in an instant.

The two shifted positions more slowly than before, yet the tension between them grew heavier, making the watching fighters unconsciously slow their breathing.

Peng Wei struck first again.

His eyes flashed, and he suddenly stepped forward, like a leopard bursting from the undergrowth. He was far faster than before!

Chen Chong tensed, but he was ready. He exhaled, and his speed surged just as sharply. He barely managed to slap aside Peng Wei's reaching arms, then returned a palm strike. At the same time, he read his opponent's footwork and raised his leg in advance, keeping Peng Wei from sweeping him off balance.

Peng Wei's leg came at him again, this time with even greater force, but it swept through empty air. His eyes lit up, and he didn't lose heart in the slightest.

This was exactly what he'd been waiting for!

He hadn't underestimated Chen Chong. He'd expected Chen Chong to keep him from sweeping his ankle, so he'd prepared a whole string of follow-up moves. Whether Chen Chong dodged or retreated, Peng Wei had an answer.

And now Chen Chong had briefly lifted one leg, standing like a rooster on one foot. This was the perfect opportunity!

Peng Wei folded his body low and ducked his head. His sturdy leg accelerated again, sweeping upward and striking the sole of Chen Chong's shoe. By redirecting the force, even the slightest loss of balance would send Chen Chong flying backward. And then...

Smack.

Peng Wei took another slap to the face and toppled to the floor.

Chen Chong slowly lowered his hand and set his right foot down, looking a little regretful.

His speed and technique were still lacking. He hadn't managed to dodge his opponent's leg sweep.

Still, with the Devour Form, taking a hit wasn't a big deal.

But Chen Chong still wanted to hone his technique. After all, the stronger he was, the more confident he could be.

After several real fights, he'd learned that the Combat Drill was versatile, useful for both training and combat. But that also meant it lacked a distinctive strength. He still needed to explore and develop his own fighting style.

He'd won without much difficulty, but opponents skilled in ground fighting were unusual. The key was not to let them take you to the floor.

But what if he did end up in that kind of predicament? Chen Chong began to think.

After all, if he hadn't mastered the Breathing Method, he would have barely kept up with his opponent's speed and strength. Then he would have been thrown to the ground, and even the Devour Form might not have saved him from defeat.

Several ideas flashed through his mind. Chen Chong nodded slowly. He'd learned a fair amount from this fight, and next time he'd be better prepared.

But everyone else in the Training Room wore blank expressions. Chen Chong stood in the middle, lost in thought, while Peng Wei lay on the floor and the fighters watched. Even Wang Li looked stunned.

Just now, had they fought once or twice?

Why did the second bout feel like something they'd seen not long ago?

Right—just two minutes ago...

The other fighters couldn't understand how Peng Wei, one of the strongest among them, had managed to get slapped in exactly the same way twice. They'd never noticed him having that kind of habit.

Hadn't he used the Breathing Method too?

Could it be that his mastery of the Breathing Method was nowhere near Chen Chong's?

It was such a terrifying conclusion that they'd rather believe Peng Wei had a strange habit.

Peng Wei, meanwhile, looked utterly confused.

He couldn't understand why the techniques he prided himself on were completely useless against Chen Chong.

The human body was built this way. Physics worked that way.

With this and that, shouldn't Chen Chong have been on the ground already, at Peng Wei's mercy?

But he just wouldn't fall!

Was he some kind of roly-poly toy?

"Chen Chong, you're awesome!"

Wang Li finally couldn't hold back and broke the silence with a shout.

It was like someone had disturbed the ghosts in an ancient tomb. All the silent fighters turned to look at Wang Li.

But this time, Wang Li wasn't afraid. He puffed out his chest and enthusiastically clapped his hands.

"Brother Chong is the best! From now on, whoever agrees or disagrees with what Brother Chong says can speak up!"

Chen Chong shook his head and headed for the stairs.

"Enough. Let's go get some buns. They should be hot by now."

The fighters all turned their heads toward the clock on the Training Room wall, then fell silent together.

From the moment Chen Chong entered the Training Room to the moment he opened the door and left,

exactly three minutes.