Swift Victory

The draw had a considerable impact on the outcome of the matches.

Each group had three people sparring against one another, so they would fight three bouts in total. Everyone hoped the other two would face off first.

Fists and feet had no eyes. If someone got injured, the one left standing would reap the benefits.

Even if no one got hurt, the fight would still drain their focus and strength—something a quarter-hour's rest couldn't restore. The last person to fight would have every advantage.

Chen Yuan and the others waited for Gu Ye to announce the results of the draw.

Gu Ye raised the bamboo slips in his hand and said calmly, "First group, first bout: Cao Yan versus Chen Yuan. Second bout: Gao Mingchang versus Chen Yuan. Third bout: Gao Mingchang versus Cao Yan. There'll be a quarter-hour's rest between bouts."

The results stirred different thoughts in each of the three.

Cao Yan's eyes darted about. Though she was up first, the second bout would be Chen Yuan against Gao Mingchang.

As long as she won quickly in the first bout and conserved both her own and Chen Yuan's strength, Chen Yuan could wear Gao Mingchang down in the second.

That would give her a certain advantage when she faced Gao Mingchang in the third bout.

She could live with that.

A faint smile had already appeared on Gao Mingchang's face. He wouldn't have to fight first, which put him at an advantage.

It would be even better if the first bout left them both battered. But even if it didn't, it wouldn't matter much.

He had confidence in his own strength to begin with. Even if the two of them were a little worn down, they still wouldn't be a match for him.

It looked like today was his lucky day.

So who was going to be the unlucky one?

Chen Yuan remained expressionless. To him, the draw made no difference.

If he couldn't gain an advantage, he'd make up for it with strength.

He'd kick both of them down and get off work early.

The draw for Sun Chengjie and the others was: first bout, Xue Anping versus He Qing; second bout, Sun Chengjie versus He Qing; third bout, Xue Anping versus Sun Chengjie.

It was plain that He Qing had drawn just as poorly as Chen Yuan, but his expression was now quite grim.

Soon, the first bout began.

The contestants were Cao Yan and Chen Yuan.

The two stood facing each other in the courtyard, several yards apart, steadying their breathing and focusing their minds.

Gu Ye called out, "This is a spar between fellow disciples. Stop once a winner is clear! No deliberately inflicting serious injuries on your opponent. Violators will be severely punished! Begin!"

"Six Harmonies Mind Boxing. Chen Yuan. Please guide me."

"White Crane Boxing. Cao Yan. Please guide me."

As soon as the words fell, both of them moved!

Cao Yan struck first.

White Crane Boxing emphasized "short power, nimble and swift." Women were naturally weaker than men, so she made up for it with speed and precision.

She tapped the ground with her toes and glided forward like a white crane skimming over water. Taking two steps in the space of three, she rushed into the center line. Her right hand's fingers gathered into a crane's beak, which shot toward Chen Yuan's throat with a sharp rush of wind!

This move was called White Crane Seeks Food. It was fast, precise, and ruthless.

Her fingertips cut through the air with a soft whistling sound.

Chen Yuan's gaze sharpened. He didn't retreat; he advanced.

Six Harmonies Mind Boxing seized the center line and took the ground.

He stepped forward halfway with his left foot, turned his body slightly, and swept his left hand sideways from his chest—Horizontal Fist, which belonged to the Earth element of the Five Elements. Earth gave birth to all things, and this technique specialized in neutralizing direct attacks.

"Smack!"

His forearm met Cao Yan's wrist with a crisp crack.

Cao Yan felt as if her beak had pecked into a tightly twisted steel cable. Her force was deflected to the side, and her whole arm slid outward against her will.

What perfect control of force! Cao Yan's heart tightened, but she didn't panic.

She spun with the momentum. The instant her right arm was deflected, her left arm spread like a white crane's wing, fingers pressed together into a knife-hand that slashed diagonally upward from below toward Chen Yuan's temple.

The change in her move flowed as smoothly as water. It was White Crane Boxing's Crane Wings Fan the Wind.

Before her palm even reached him, a gust of force was already rushing toward his face.

Chen Yuan didn't block it.

He pushed off the ground with his back foot. Force rose from his heel, his waist and spine twisted, and his whole body sprang forward like a taut bowstring—Half-Step Crushing Fist!

"Whoosh—"

His fist sliced through the air with a short, muffled sound.

The punch struck before her attack could land, aiming straight for the opening between Cao Yan's chest and abdomen.

Cao Yan's knife-hand was still three inches from his temple, but his fist was already closing in on her heart.

Cao Yan's pupils contracted. She had no choice but to withdraw her attack.

Her right foot shot backward. She dropped her waist sharply and crossed her arms to press down, blocking the path of the Crushing Fist.

"Thud!"

Fist and arms collided with a muffled boom like a drumbeat.

Cao Yan felt a twisting, spiraling force drill straight through her forearm. Her thumb and forefinger went numb, and she staggered back three steps before she could finally shed the force.

She gritted her teeth and steadied herself. She was just about to open the distance again and look for another chance—

Chen Yuan had already moved.

This was the true way of fighting in Xingyi.

Once you gained the upper hand, you pressed forward step by step, never giving your opponent a chance to catch their breath.

He drove his right foot forward, grinding it into the ground. Force rose from the earth, his knee and hip moved as one, and he shot toward Cao Yan like an arrow loosed from its bow!

Cao Yan's pupils contracted sharply.

Too fast!

She had only just steadied herself, and Chen Yuan's fist was already there.

His right fist shot straight down the center line. His waist and spine twisted to drive the force as his fist drilled forward in a spiral. The air tore apart with a muffled "boom"—like thunder exploding, like a heavy cannon firing.

Cannon Fist straight at her!

Before his fist even landed, its force was already rushing into her face.

Cao Yan felt a terrifying force surge toward her like an angry tide. The cloth over her chest caved inward under the pressure of the wind from his punch.

She wanted to dodge, but Chen Yuan's intent had already locked her firmly in place.

It was over!

An icy chill shot up from her tailbone to the back of her head. The hair all over her body stood on end, and cold sweat instantly soaked her back.

She wouldn't even have time to surrender! Instinctively, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, preparing to take the punch head-on.

The fist stopped.

It stopped an inch from her heart.

The wind from the punch still hadn't dissipated, blowing the loose hair over her forehead backward.

The courtyard fell utterly silent.

Cao Yan slowly opened her eyes and saw the fist hovering steadily in front of her chest, not trembling in the slightest.

Heat still rose from its knuckles after that punch, and they were faintly red.

Her legs went weak, and she nearly fell to her knees.

Chen Yuan withdrew his fist, stepped back two paces, and cupped his hands. "You were too kind."

Cao Yan hadn't meant to strike hard, and her moves had been clean. Naturally, he wouldn't hurt her.

Cao Yan gasped for breath, cold sweat trickling down from her temples.

At that moment, she'd truly thought the bones in her arms would break.

She took several deep breaths before she could steady her trembling voice. Then she returned his salute.

"Brother Chen, your fistwork is superb. Thank you for holding back. I...I concede."

She could clearly feel that Chen Yuan's mastery of Six Harmonies Mind Boxing was a level above her own White Crane Boxing.

She had no idea how he'd trained!

The spectators outside the ring were completely silent.

Gu Ye and Huang Yan both looked at Chen Yuan a little differently.

They had just been discussing and predicting the outcome of this bout.

Gu Ye had thought that Cao Yan, being a woman, lacked strength and was at an innate disadvantage, while Chen Yuan, though he had a D-Grade Bone Structure, was extremely driven.

His fight with Gao Mingchang last month had also shown Chen Yuan's combat intelligence, so Gu Ye had favored him.

Huang Yan, on the other hand, disagreed. He thought that though Cao Yan lacked strength, judging a fight by strength alone was far too shallow.

Cao Yan was quicker on her feet, and she practiced White Crane Boxing, a style renowned for agility. She could easily circle around Chen Yuan, wear down his strength, and look for an opening to win with a single strike.

But neither of them had expected Chen Yuan's fighting style to be so ferocious.

His defense was airtight. The moment he spotted an opening, he struck like thunder and ended the fight in one blow. His use of the moves in Six Harmonies Mind Boxing was already masterful.

Cao Yan had wanted a quick victory. Instead, she'd been beaten in a flash.

And he'd still managed to stop at the right moment. Neither side had been worn down much—a rare feat.

Gu Ye smiled faintly. "Master Huang, you misjudged it this time."

Huang Yan wasn't embarrassed. He laughed. "I underestimated Chen Yuan. The way he's trained in Six Harmonies Mind Boxing is every bit as good as mine was."

There was more admiration in the way he looked at Chen Yuan.

After all, they were fellow disciples.

Some rejoiced while others worried. The smile had completely vanished from Gao Mingchang's face.