Sparring

Lin Zheng's words were as good as the final gavel.

None of them objected.

To claim this position, they naturally had to show what they were truly capable of.

Three sides were vying for it.

And in the end, only one would emerge victorious.

In the courtyard, Lin Zheng sat in the Grandmaster Chair, while Xu Zhengxiong and the other two stood behind him.

"Three of you. Who wants to go first?" Lin Zheng asked, sweeping his gaze over Fang Xing and the others.

"My lord, since I'm the newcomer, I'll give it a try first." Fang Xing stepped forward and bowed.

They would have to fight anyway. Those two were bound to cross hands.

He didn't mind.

"Then I'll go first." Ji Bochang also stepped forward.

Seeing this, Yang Xin retreated to the side.

Lin Zheng nodded. "Then let's begin."

Ji Bochang looked at Fang Xing, and Fang Xing's gaze settled on him as well.

Their eyes met. In an instant, both men quickly entered the proper state of mind.

Their energy, essence, and spirit coalesced. An invisible aura filled the air.

"Whoosh—!"

Ji Bochang darted forward and struck first, one hand shooting out as swiftly as lightning.

He was incredibly fast.

"Bang!!"

Fang Xing reacted just as quickly. In the blink of an eye, he raised his hand to meet the attack.

Their fists collided, and two forces surged against each other. Both men staggered back a step.

Then Fang Xing struck swiftly, surging forward as he unleashed the ninth form of Capture Hand.

He darted in, and his five fingers instantly clamped down on Ji Bochang's shoulder.

Like an eagle's talons, they gripped him tightly.

Ji Bochang reacted swiftly as well. He swept out a whip kick while thrusting his other hand forward.

But Fang Xing kept one hand locked on his shoulder, flipped over, and landed behind him, dodging the attack perfectly.

"Thud!!"

Internal Force surged, and a seemingly weightless palm landed on Ji Bochang's back.

The strike looked casual, but it contained tremendous power.

It sent Ji Bochang flying a full zhang away.

Before Ji Bochang could even catch his breath, Fang Xing pressed forward again.

His punches came like lightning.

His moves were vicious!

It was as if the air itself had been ripped apart.

Fang Xing unleashed three forms of Capture Hand in one breath. Ji Bochang's expression changed, and he immediately channeled his force to defend.

But he was clearly at a disadvantage.

One step back, and then another!

In Fang Xing's hands, Capture Hand unleashed astonishing combat power, practically crushing his opponent outright.

The martial arts mastery that came from cultivating with top-tier comprehension was enough to leave anyone in awe.

"Old Xu, your young friend sure knows how to hide his strength," Chen Shan remarked from the side, watching the two fight.

With his experienced eye, he could clearly see that Fang Xing had the absolute upper hand.

Seeing Capture Hand cultivated to this level was truly astonishing.

Xu Zhengxiong smiled. "He's just diligent in his studies and training. You flatter him."

Though he said that, Xu Zhengxiong wore an especially radiant smile. Seeing it, Chen Shan couldn't help but feel a twitch in his heart.

Diligent in his studies and training, my foot.

Could mere diligence and hard work produce this level of mastery?

Who did he think he was fooling?

Chen Shan said nothing, quietly watching the fight.

Meanwhile, Yang Bo furrowed his brows.

"Capture Hand cultivated to this level... Was that old fox Xu Zhengxiong deliberately hiding his strength?"

Yang Bo's brows knitted together.

Why did something feel off?

Didn't Fang Xing look like he'd only just entered Bright Force?

How could he be this impressive?

Could he really be a genius?

But why had Yang Bo never heard of Xu Zhengxiong having such a talent under his command?

Was he doing this on purpose, hoping to show off in front of Lin Zheng?

That old dog... What a deep schemer!

As his thoughts raced, Yang Bo's expression grew darker. Watching the fight, he glanced toward Yang Xin nearby.

"At least this kid has trained in Iron Stone Fist. He should be fine."

The thought flashed through his mind, and Yang Bo's expression eased slightly.

Yang Xin hadn't just trained in Capture Hand; he had also trained in Iron Stone Fist.

It was no mere basic martial art like Capture Hand.

The sparring was about winning and losing, nothing else.

Winning with Iron Stone Fist still counted as a win.

As long as he won, nothing else mattered!

Once they secured this position, they would be able to gain some control over the North City area.

"Thud!!!"

A dull thump rang out. A figure stumbled backward, retreating all the way to the corner by the courtyard wall before finally stopping.

Ji Bochang's face was pale. He clutched his chest, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

This time, Fang Xing didn't press his advantage. He stopped where he was.

Ji Bochang took a deep breath as he looked at Fang Xing. "I lost."

Fang Xing gave a slight cupped-hand salute. "You were gracious, Brother Ji."

Ji Bochang looked at him and said, "When you have time, I hope I can ask you for some pointers."

Fang Xing nodded slightly, not refusing.

"Mm, this young man is impressive." From his Grandmaster Chair, Lin Zheng nodded in approval.

At this, the smile on Xu Zhengxiong's face grew even brighter.

By contrast, Yang Bo's expression darkened, though he didn't say anything.

After this fight, he had no choice but to admit how outstanding Fang Xing was.

"My lord, there's no time to lose. Let's continue," Yang Bo said.

Lin Zheng nodded. Yang Xin, who had been waiting, immediately stepped forward.

"Not bad. You've got some skill," Yang Xin said.

Fang Xing looked at Yang Xin without replying, silently gathering his Internal Force.

Seeing Fang Xing ignore him, Yang Xin's expression darkened, and he immediately attacked.

He charged forward with a Capture Hand strike.

"Smack!!"

Fang Xing caught his fist firmly. At the same time, he thrust out his other hand and struck Yang Xin in the chest.

Yang Xin staggered back, feeling his blood and qi churn. As he looked at Fang Xing, a faint black sheen surfaced over his fist.

He lunged forward, his fist wrapped in a fierce gale as he smashed it toward Fang Xing.

Fang Xing immediately sensed that something was different about this punch.

A hint of danger welled up within him.

He turned sideways and barely dodged the blow. But in the next instant, Yang Xin pressed in close, rolled his shoulder, and slammed straight into Fang Xing.

Iron Mountain Lean!

The impact sent Fang Xing reeling backward.

His blood and qi churned within him, and even his internal organs shuddered.

"That wasn't Capture Hand. It was another martial art." From that brief exchange, Fang Xing immediately understood.

At that moment, a feral grin spread across Yang Xin's face. He gave Fang Xing no chance to catch his breath, rushing forward again.

Iron Stone Fist erupted. His fist wind tore through the air as he slammed in at incredible speed.

Fang Xing immediately countered with Capture Hand.

He dodged the punch head-on, curled his fingers, and swiftly seized Yang Xin's wrist.

"Thud!!"

He lifted his leg and kicked hard.

"Bang—!"

The kick sent Yang Xin flying.

"Whoosh—"

Fang Xing immediately closed in and attacked again.

He thrust out one hand, turning his palm into a fist.

Sensing danger, Yang Xin's forehead veins bulged as he lay on the ground. Black light pulsed around his fist, and he met Fang Xing head-on.

"Thump, thump, thump!!!"

The force of the collision not only thwarted Fang Xing's attack, but also shook him backward again and again.

In a head-on clash, he was at a disadvantage.

At the same time, Yang Xin rolled over and sprang to his feet.

"Whoosh—!"

Wind roared as he unleashed Iron Stone Fist and charged again.

"I can't meet him head-on. I need to overcome force with skill."

Fang Xing's gaze sharpened. He didn't know what martial art Yang Xin had cultivated, but it was definitely stronger than Capture Hand.

A head-on clash was certainly no wise move.

Whoosh—!

In a flash, Fang Xing dodged the attack and unleashed the sixth form of Capture Hand, clamping down on Yang Xin's shoulder.

But the instant he grabbed him, a powerful force shook his hand loose. At the same time, Yang Xin punched again, black light gathering around his fist as it came crashing down.

His hand was shaken free, and his thumb and forefinger went numb. Seeing the incoming fist, Fang Xing could only dodge again.

In the courtyard, the two men darted back and forth.

Sweat beaded on Fang Xing's forehead.

Dodging at such high intensity took a tremendous toll on his stamina.

But even as he dodged, he spotted an opening.

His top-tier comprehension helped him in battle as well.

The two men were testing two different martial arts against each other.

Yang Xin's martial art was unfamiliar to him, but after clashing several times, he quickly picked up on its patterns.

"Thud!!!"

A punch flashed like lightning. The instant an opening appeared, Fang Xing landed a perfect blow to Yang Xin's chest.

A muffled thump sounded. The force packed into that punch made Yang Xin spit blood.

His body flew backward.

Seizing the opportunity, Fang Xing pressed his advantage, sweeping out a whip kick that sent Yang Xin crashing into the courtyard wall.

Cracks appeared across the wall, a testament to the terrifying force behind the blow.

Those two heavy strikes had inflicted severe injuries.

"Bang!!"

The final palm strike landed. This time, it completely robbed Yang Xin of his ability to fight.