Martial Dao True Intent: Mountain

Time slipped quietly by amid the fierce attack and defense.

After getting through the initial phase, Xu Wuyi instead grew steadier the longer he fought, gradually reaching a stalemate with his opponent.

Above the virtual arena hung a huge ten-minute countdown timer, and it had already reached [00:08].

In the Beginner Arena, an arena match had a ten-minute time limit. If no victor was decided, it was automatically counted as a draw. In practice, this was to discourage martial artists from winning by avoiding battle.

"Time's almost up. Looks like it'll be a draw." The thought flashed through Zeng Bonan's mind, and he felt somewhat helpless.

He had already realized that his opponent's foundation was extremely solid. His attainment in the Basic Body Tempering Method was very likely no lower than his own.

And his own initial caution had already made him miss the best chance to win.

But he did not feel disappointed. He could tell that his opponent's awkwardness at the start had been entirely because he was unused to virtual combat.

If he had relied on a rushing attack to win, it would not merely have been an unfair victory—it would also have been a waste of a chance to practice real combat.

Fighting on a virtual battlefield was meant to temper one's own combat skills. Winning or losing was secondary.

As for Xu Wuyi, Zeng Bonan admired him quite a bit. For an opponent like this to enter the sprint class was also a kind of motivation for him.

The countdown read [00:02].

The fighting spirit in Zeng Bonan's heart gradually faded, and his offensive slowed with it. Attacking consumed more stamina, after all, and he felt he could no longer organize another fierce assault.

However, in the very instant his mind relaxed and his breathing changed—

Xu Wuyi, who had been focused on defense the entire time, suddenly sharpened his gaze!

The spiritual perception tempered by the Mountain Moving Method made him even better at catching that fleeting opportunity!

After waiting for a full ten minutes, his entire body and mind strung tight like a bowstring, Xu Wuyi did not hesitate in the slightest.

His waist and abdominal core abruptly exerted force, and his body contracted inward like a taut bowstring, dodging that now-powerless feint.

At the same time, he stepped half a pace forward with his left foot. It was not an attack, but a firm plant against the ground, instantly turning his retreating momentum into the foundation for a forward charge.

The entire movement flowed as one, as though he had practiced it countless times. It was precisely the Iron Plank Bridge from the Basic Body Tempering Method, used to handle impact—plain and unadorned, yet efficient.

Zeng Bonan was just about to withdraw his stance when a trace of astonishment flashed through his eyes. He had never expected Xu Wuyi to unleash such a decisive counterattack at the final moment.

"He still has stamina?"

And Xu Wuyi's fist was already coming!

His right fist had long been poised to strike. Power rose from the soles of his feet, twisted through his waist and hips, ran through his spine, drove forward joint by joint, and finally gathered in his fist.

This punch contained the entirety of the foundation he had built through bitter, unceasing training, as well as all the strength and unwillingness he had accumulated through ten minutes of passive defense!

At this moment, Xu Wuyi's mind, vitality, blood, and movements fused completely together. This was the most exhilarating punch he had thrown since he began practicing martial arts!

This punch condensed all his strength and will into a single point. Wherever the edge of his fist passed, it brought up a low, muffled blast of air.

The moment he threw this punch, Xu Wuyi was already certain in his heart that it would hit the enemy.

"Is this the 'intent' Teacher Wang talked about?" A sudden flash of understanding came to him.

Zeng Bonan's expression changed slightly, and in his haste, he could only raise his arm to block on instinct.

Boom!

Fist and arm collided, and Zeng Bonan felt a vast, surging force come crashing in. His hurried block was completely unable to dissipate it. His arm was blasted aside, leaving his center wide open!

Xu Wuyi's fist, carrying an unstoppable momentum, slammed heavily into the dead center of his chest!

Pfft!

The feedback of his virtual body suffering severe damage came through, and Zeng Bonan was sent flying backward. He crashed into the energy barrier at the edge of the arena before sliding to the ground.

His virtual image instantly became blurry and transparent, then gradually dissipated.

[You have died!]

[Winner: Xu Wuyi!]

Almost at the same moment the system notification sounded, the countdown hit zero: [00:00].

The energy barrier around the arena vanished.

Xu Wuyi slowly withdrew his fist and stood where he was, his chest heaving violently, sweat sliding down from the corner of his virtual image's forehead.

That punch just now had gathered all his essence, energy, and spirit, and it had consumed an enormous amount, completely overdrawing his body. Yet his eyes shone with a bright light.

He did not choose to leave the arena, even though doing so could directly reset the fatigue of his virtual body. What he wanted was precisely to experience this exhaustion, to savor the lingering aftertaste left by that punch.

Xu Wuyi was almost certain that the punch he had thrown just now had carried true martial intent. He just did not know whether it was still only an embryonic form.

However, the Martial Dao Diligence Record gave no notification. Xu Wuyi suspected that perhaps it was because he was still inside the virtual machine.

Zeng Bonan's figure re-formed not far away. He likewise did not leave the arena, and Battle Net also allowed both sides to exchange words after a match.

He rubbed his chest, which still felt somewhat tight, but there was no resentment or unwillingness on his face. Instead, he wore a faint wry smile and deep surprise.

He walked toward Xu Wuyi, stopped a few steps away, looked at him seriously, and said, "Impressive."

He paused, then continued, "I didn't expect you to be able to throw a punch like that under those circumstances. I thought time was up... I let my guard down. Looks like you can't underestimate your opponent at any time."

Xu Wuyi took a deep breath, calmed his churning vitality and blood, then smiled and nodded at Zeng Bonan. "You let me win. I just got lucky. If we did it again, who knows how it would turn out."

He was telling the truth. Even if he did it again, he wasn't confident he could enter that state where intent and will became one.

If it had only been an ordinary punch, at most it would have injured Zeng Bonan. It couldn't have killed him in one blow, and the result would still have been a draw.

Zeng Bonan smiled as well, his expression carrying the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent. "I believe your life level will catch up very soon. Next time, let's have a proper fight."

"All right," Xu Wuyi replied simply. In his heart, he felt a measure of admiration for Zeng Bonan.

Because the two of them walked the same path. Without the aid of the Martial Dao Diligence Record, the other man's foundation was still just as solid. Clearly, he had also put in effort ordinary people could hardly imagine.

Zeng Bonan said no more. His figure quickly turned into a streak of light and vanished, leaving the arena space.

In the real world, the access pod slowly opened.

Xu Wuyi sat up and rubbed his slightly throbbing temples.

Virtual combat really did take quite a toll on the mind, especially that final punch of his. It had almost brought out the true intent of martial dao, making it even more mentally draining.

But the gains were enormous as well. Xu Wuyi did not go home. Instead, he immediately entered the school's training room and began to practice.

He repeated the final punch from the virtual arena over and over, trying to recreate it, and also to let his real body adapt to that feeling.

But that "intent" never appeared. Just as Xu Wuyi was feeling a little discouraged and was about to go home to study it slowly, sudden inspiration struck him.

He raised his hand again. In his mind, he visualized a great mountain, and a deep, towering aura instantly enveloped his entire body.

From there, he threw another punch, and at last, a notification appeared on the Martial Dao Diligence Record:

[Slightly comprehended the martial dao true intent "Mountain." Training efficiency temporarily +100%, comprehension temporarily +50%]