The progress of Six Harmonies Mind Boxing shot upward on the panel, climbing all the way to 279/500, nearly catching up with Rock-Solid Stance Technique.
At the same time, waves of understanding surged through him, then sank into his muscles as if they were memories of experiences he had lived through.
Chen Yuan clenched his fists, his confidence soaring.
If he'd been ninety percent confident when he set out to challenge them, now he was ninety-nine percent sure!
When Chen Yuan arrived at Huo Academy, he ate breakfast, warmed up with two sets of stance exercises, then went to stand beside Tao Ping.
Tao Ping stopped what he was doing and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Brother." Chen Yuan cupped his fists.
The two of them, dressed in Huo Academy's training uniforms, headed out of the courtyard.
"Brother Chen, heading out to take care of something?" Sun Chengjie was practicing his punches. Seeing them, he couldn't help asking.
Chen Yuan nodded slightly. "Just a personal matter."
Seeing how calm Chen Yuan looked, Sun Chengjie didn't press him.
He still remembered how Chen Yuan had helped him deal with the ambush last time. If Chen Yuan ran into trouble, he'd do his best to help.
The two walked through several long streets before finally reaching the entrance to Kaishan Martial Hall.
A plaque hung above the gate, its four characters, Kaishan Martial Hall, written in bold, sweeping strokes. It looked quite impressive.
The gate stood open. From outside, they could see a spacious courtyard, wooden plum-blossom stakes set in the ground, and stone locks, sabers, spears, swords, and halberds arranged in one corner.
Dozens of vigorous young disciples shouted as they practiced their martial arts. At a glance, there seemed to be thirty or forty of them.
It was far grander than Huo Academy, that private martial hall.
And he'd heard this martial hall was divided into the Inner Court and Outer Court. The Inner Court disciples were all martial artists who had passed the entry threshold, and together they formed a formidable force.
"What brings you two here?" one of the martial hall disciples guarding the entrance asked coolly, glancing at the Huo Academy training uniforms they wore.
Tao Ping smiled slightly. "My junior brother would like to pay a visit and issue a challenge, in the spirit of friendly exchange and martial arts practice. Would that be acceptable?"
As he spoke, he let a fraction of his surging blood energy show.
The blazing force of his blood energy startled even Chen Yuan. Senior Brother Tao usually kept a low profile, but now he'd finally revealed the tip of the iceberg.
The disciple was taken aback and instinctively stepped back. Then he quickly cupped his fists. "Please wait a moment, Senior Brother. I'll go fetch Senior Brother Hong."
Before long, a burly man came over with a smile.
"So it's Brother Tao Ping. My junior brother was discourteous; I hope you'll forgive him. Please, come right in."
Tao Ping waved a hand. "It's nothing. We arrived without warning and caused you trouble. Don't take offense, Brother Hong Tao."
After Chen Yuan cupped his fists in greeting, he followed the two men into Kaishan Martial Hall. At once, he felt a multitude of gazes fall upon him.
Most were curious, though quite a few were hostile.
His own gaze swept over the crowd, then settled on his prey: Chen Kai, chatting with several disciples beneath a sunshade. Chen Yuan simply watched him in silence.
Chen Kai had been chatting away, his attention elsewhere, but the moment Chen Yuan noticed him, he'd already spotted his half-brother, who shared the same father.
His expression was complicated: first surprise, then confusion, and finally a trace of apprehension.
Chen Kai suddenly remembered what had happened the day before. His parents had both come back empty-handed, and his father had even been beaten up. He'd been so furious that he'd planned to go find Chen Yuan himself and block his way.
Yet Chen Yuan had shown up at Kaishan Martial Hall at this very moment!
Was it a coincidence?
No... obviously not!
Looking at Chen Yuan's calm face, Chen Kai felt fear spread through him. His body trembled slightly.
His mother had told him that Chen Yuan had once warned him that if he ever provoked him again, he'd cripple him...
Chen Yuan... had really come looking for him!
And then, after the fear, a more powerful fury suddenly flared up.
"Is this the junior brother who wants to issue a challenge? What's his current level of strength? Does he have anyone in mind?" After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hong Tao sized Chen Yuan up and asked bluntly.
Chen Yuan cupped his fists. "To answer you, Senior Brother, I'm Chen Yuan. I'm still building up my blood energy and haven't yet broken through the Skin Realm. I have Grade D-Upper bone structure, and I've been at Huo Academy for a little over a month. I'd like to challenge Chen Kai of your martial hall."
Hong Tao raised his brows slightly. He hadn't even reached the Skin Realm, and he'd come to issue a challenge?
So this would just be a minor scuffle. And since he'd named Chen Kai, they probably had a personal grudge.
Still, Hong Tao didn't concern himself with private grievances. Since Chen Yuan had come under the name of a formal challenge, they had to follow the rules.
Hong Tao turned to look for Chen Kai, only to see him striding over in a rage.
"Senior Brother, I'll fight him!" he shouted.
His eyes were fixed on Chen Yuan, as if he wanted to devour him alive.
Hong Tao nodded slightly. Chen Kai also had Grade D-Upper bone structure, and they'd entered their respective martial halls at about the same time. The match met the rules.
The Outer Court disciples were more than happy to watch the excitement. They quickly scattered, leaving the two a place to fight.
Hong Tao took charge from the side and said, "A challenge is a chance to meet through martial arts. Know when to stop, and don't strike to kill. Now, both sides, touch fists."
While their fists met, Chen Kai lowered his voice and began to shower Chen Yuan with insults.
"Chen Yuan! You're a real bastard! You even dare to hit your own father! And now you've got the nerve to show up here and challenge me, trying to humiliate me in front of everyone? You're an animal! But don't get too full of yourself. I'll teach you how to behave!"
He wasn't afraid of Chen Yuan.
They both had Grade D-Upper aptitude, but last month Chen Yuan had only received one tael and five mace of silver for dietary supplements, and he'd trained at Huo Academy, where the conditions were worse.
In all three respects, he had the advantage over Chen Yuan!
Even if Chen Yuan's support had increased to five taels this month, with four taels' worth of dietary supplements and medicinal tonics, he still didn't believe Chen Yuan could catch up.
Now he'd use overwhelming force to crush Chen Yuan and show him what it meant to bring humiliation upon himself!
He'd avenge his father and make his mother proud.
It was also a great chance to make a name for himself at Kaishan Martial Hall—perhaps even earn the hall master's favor!
A hint of excitement crept into his vicious gaze. He was going to thoroughly torment this stepping stone who'd delivered himself to his door.
"Confident, aren't you?" Chen Yuan remarked mildly.
The only thing he'd been worried about was Chen Kai turning into a cowardly lizard and chickening out. Since Chen Kai had stepped forward on his own, that saved him a lot of trouble—and made the provocation he'd prepared unnecessary.
As for threats, he'd let his fists do the talking.
During those few moments of preparation, the story of Chen Kai and Chen Yuan's grudge had already spread through the mouths of several disciples who knew Chen Kai.
Naturally, it was Chen Kai's version, with a generous helping of embellishment.
For example, Chen Yuan was a heartless, ungrateful wretch who'd cut ties with the Chen Family that had raised him, all for the sake of living it up.
For example, his mother had once tried to reconcile with Chen Yuan, only for him to insult her and threaten to kill Chen Kai if she ever came looking for him again.
For example, his father—also Chen Yuan's father—had gone to Huo Academy in person the day before, only to suffer the most vicious humiliation and get beaten up by the animal Chen Yuan.
As these stories passed from mouth to mouth, the group of vigorous men instantly grew disgusted with Chen Yuan, who stood in the ring.
A heartless, disloyal animal like that deserved to be beaten to death!
One after another, they indignantly cheered Chen Kai on.
"Go, Chen Kai! Beat that bastard to death!"
"Don't let him surrender! Beat him to a pulp!"
The crowd erupted in a roar.
Chen Kai's morale surged, his fighting spirit soaring.
With so many people on his side, what did he have to fear? Justice would prevail!
Chen Yuan remained expressionless.
He'd expected the home crowd to be against him. It was no different from trash talk in the NBA.
All he had to do was let his strength shut them up.
Hong Tao said nothing. There was nothing he could do to control the situation. He coughed twice, then said:
"Once you've stated your names and styles, the match can begin."
After stepping apart in the ring, the two of them announced their names and styles.
"Six Harmonies Mind Boxing, Chen Yuan."
"Stone-Splitting Palm, Chen Kai."
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