The Match

In the blink of an eye, the winner was decided. Ren Yu stood on the platform.

With a wave of his hand, another Attendant stepped up. The two cupped their fists in greeting.

The fight began again. This time, Ren Yu took the initiative and threw a vicious punch.

Then he nimbly bent low, driving a fierce back elbow toward the man's solar plexus.

The Attendant who had stepped up naturally knew Ren Yu's methods and didn't let his guard down.

He pressed both hands forward and crossed them. With a boom, their two forces collided.

When their forces canceled each other out, the Attendant's defensive stance remained unshaken.

But Ren Yu struck and withdrew at once, as nimble as a Spirit Tortoise that had found water.

The Attendant's expression darkened. As he blocked in front of himself, he swung his elbow across to break the attack, lowering his stance at the same time.

He used the second move of the Tortoise Spirit Breath-Control Technique, "Spirit Tortoise Flip."

His force gathered around both elbows, and when he swung them out, it seemed to expand in rings.

As he shifted his elbows, his slow-moving posture spun around in an instant.

But Ren Yu didn't panic. His feet stayed planted as an axis; he didn't even shift half a step.

Having predicted the Attendant's spinning elbow, Ren Yu had originally slipped behind him.

Force surged beneath his feet, and his whole body swayed. In an almost uncanny motion, he spun back around to the front.

"As expected of Ren Yu! He's even mastered the fourth move of the Tortoise Spirit Breath-Control Technique, Returning Tortoise Silent Shadow!"

"How are we supposed to fight him? Elder Zhou said that, between Ming Force and Dark Force, mastering the first three moves was all that was required.

"But Ren Yu's mastered the fourth move. There's no way to fight him!"

On the platform, Zhou Wei and Ren Yun gave almost imperceptible nods.

"Elder Zhou, what do you think of Ren Yu?"

Zhou Wei pondered for a moment. "He has a good foundation, but he's a little too eager to advance.

"I said that between Ming Force and Dark Force, mastering the first three moves was enough.

"To learn the fourth move, he must first break through to Dark Force. Otherwise, things can easily go wrong.

"Ren Yu can overpower the other Attendants because of the foundation he built with the first three moves. As for the fourth, I suspect he's showing off!"

As they spoke, the second Attendant was dragged down from the platform by Ren Yu's turning elbow, which caught him across the back.

The disciples below fell silent.

"Could it be that there are no more challengers? In that case, I'll gladly take first place, everyone!" Ren Yu clasped his fists, his face full of smugness.

Ren Yu had defeated one opponent after another, leaving everyone without the courage to challenge him.

After all, if they waited until he stepped down, those weaker than him could still take second or third place.

But if they lost, they'd get nothing.

Someone started the commotion, and everyone turned as one to look at the newly appointed martial artist, Duan Xuan.

"Brother Duan, it seems everyone below is curious about your strength."

Ren Yu also wanted to see what sort of performance the man who had killed twelve bandits from Wolf Stronghold barehanded—including one with Ming Force—could put on.

Zhou Wei extended one hand. "Brother Duan, these Ren Family Attendants are arrogant and look down on everyone.

"They also lack practical combat experience. We need someone to knock some sense into them.

"I'm counting on you!"

Duan Xuan drew a deep breath. He didn't refuse, and slowly walked toward the center of the platform.

The atmosphere reached its peak.

"I heard that when the people at Wolf Stronghold were wiped out, this kid was the only one on the mountain."

"You mean he was the one who killed them? Look at how scrawny and pitiful he is. Do you really think that's possible?"

"Anyway, I'm betting on Ren Yu. I doubt this kid's fists can even break through Ren Yu's defense!"

Ren Yu folded his arms, his eyes filled with disdain. How could a country bumpkin like him ever match me?

"Tortoise Spirit Qi-Control Technique, Ren Yu!"

"Broken Mountain Fist, Duan Xuan."

As soon as the words fell, Ren Yu was about to charge forward to test his opponent. But what he hadn't expected was that the slender boy before him would launch the first attack.

With a boom, Duan Xuan stomped the ground with both feet, sending dust flying. His face flushed rapidly as his force transformed from his qi and blood.

His steady Broken Mountain Fist stance formed in an instant. With the first move, Opening Mountain, Breaking Earth, he drove forward like a cannonball, striking straight into Ren Yu's lower abdomen.

With a muffled thud, Duan Xuan's fist landed squarely on Ren Yu's Tortoise Spirit defensive stance.

Ren Yu didn't retreat, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

Why does this kid's punch hurt so much?

As the thought crossed his mind, Duan Xuan didn't pause. A charged punch from his left followed close behind.

His feet rooted to the ground, his waist pivoting wildly, Duan Xuan threw punches with both hands, leaving Ren Yu no chance to strike back.

Ren Yu held his stance throughout. Although he felt Duan Xuan's power building with each blow,

growing more and more ferocious, he merely curled his lips.

At last, after more than a dozen blows had collided,

Ren Yu seized the instant Duan Xuan paused to catch his breath. In his defensive stance, his chest pressed back, his force merging into one.

Like a giant tortoise turning over, it expanded outward, releasing a fierce burst of force that was heavy and solid.

But at that very moment, he sensed something was wrong. As his defense opened wide,

the frail boy stood before him, turned slightly to the side, staring at him like a mountain. His expression showed neither joy nor sorrow, neither panic nor frenzy.

It was as though he had calculated everything in advance, waiting for the moment Ren Yu's center opened up.

"Break Wall!"

The thought flashed through Duan Xuan's mind, and the unstoppable momentum of his Broken Mountain Fist burst forth.

"Not good!" Ren Yu's heart surged like stormy seas.

But he had long since mastered the first three moves of his own technique.

He also had complete confidence in his defense.

Instead of protecting his center, he actually stood up and moved closer, intending to use another move of the Tortoise Spirit Qi-Control Technique.

He would wrap his arms around Duan Xuan, then crush his bones with brute force to end the match.

"Duan Xuan's in trouble!" Ren Yun's brows knitted tightly.

Zhou Wei had a keen eye. He shook his head. "That punch is indeed gathering all his strength for a desperate gamble, but something about it still feels wrong to me!"

On the platform, Duan Xuan watched as Ren Yu abandoned his center and prepared to trade injury for injury to close the distance. His charged fist came to a complete stop.

They say a smile never disappears; it only changes places.

Ren Yu had abandoned his center to move closer, but Duan Xuan's feet were like springs. His Achilles tendons stretched long.

His muscles tensed in unison, as if assembling into a hydraulic press.

Thump—

With explosive force, Duan Xuan leapt a great step to the left.

The smile vanished from Ren Yu's face.

In its place, the shock in his heart exploded, growing without limit.

Because Duan Xuan's charged-up punch had been a feint!

There were two kinds of attacks that couldn't be dodged: one with no windup, and one with such a long windup that the enemy mistook it for some kind of ultimate move.

"Rupture!"

Ren Yu's entire body was exposed. Duan Xuan's fists struck high and low, distributing the stress he had built up earlier as they traced an arc and tore through the air.

At that moment, everyone below the platform held their breath. They felt as if they were watching two enormous sledgehammers about to smash a motionless giant tortoise to pieces.

But these were mountain-breaking hammers.

They could bore straight through a mountain. What good was a thick shell against them?

That was exactly how it looked to Ren Yu. Duan Xuan's fists weren't large, but their power was unfathomably deep.

Duan Xuan was short and slight, but at that moment, he was enormous!

Whoosh!

One of Duan Xuan's fists stopped just short of Ren Yu's exposed left ribs; the other headed straight for his vitals. But both fists stopped.

His force roared, blasting Ren Yu's long hair aside and tearing his clothes. It exploded behind Ren Yu's head.

Ren Yu's pupils were blank. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

"Just now, I think I saw death..."