Han Xu had always been highly sought after at the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall. As a Martial Arts Prodigy admired by all, he had never possessed much patience.
After remaining deadlocked with Liu Yunche for a moment, he searched all around yet could not find the slightest flaw in his opponent.
But he did not care in the least. Since his opponent had no flaws, he would use brute force to hammer one out.
He suddenly leaped into the air, like a savage bear crushing the earth. When his feet landed, the bluestone trembled, shattered rocks flew everywhere, and the display was utterly terrifying.
His fierce, domineering fist force surged forward, using its overwhelming pressure to shake the mind and steal the enemy's courage before battle even began.
He threw a punch. An iron-colored gleam spread over his fist as it shot straight for Liu Yunche's face, clean and without hesitation.
Liu Yunche possessed the Divine Movement Gift, and his speed had long surpassed that of ordinary martial artists. Though Han Xu's movements were fast, in Liu Yunche's eyes, they seemed like slow-motion replay.
Calm and composed, he stepped back and turned aside to evade the punch. Liu Yunche gripped the scabbard in his left hand and thrust it forward, driving straight at Han Xu's abdomen.
"Bang!"
The scabbard met Han Xu's palm print, and their strength collided. Han Xu felt a force not much weaker than his own surge toward him. He could not help taking a step back to steady himself.
A bronze gleam spread across Liu Yunche's five left fingers, blocking the force that had passed through. He retreated three steps.
He was not surprised. After all, the gap in their realms was right there.
Han Xu had not expected to be forced back by a Copper Skin martial artist. With an angry roar, he charged forward again, unleashing a chain of punches. Fierce fist shadows poured forth without end, all of them the overbearing and brutal killing moves of the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall.
But Liu Yunche bore the Divine Movement Gift. His figure drifted unpredictably as he dodged and weaved from side to side, never directly clashing with the other's brute strength.
Holding the scabbard, he blocked and deflected, dissipating force and guiding momentum. No matter how violent and sharp Han Xu's punches were, the scabbard dissolved them with seeming ease.
At times, he jabbed forward to force his opponent back. At others, he slipped to the side and circled around him. No matter how fiercely Han Xu attacked, he could not touch Liu Yunche in the slightest.
After attacking for so long without results, Han Xu grew increasingly impatient. His moves gradually became disordered, exposing flaw after flaw.
In another fierce exchange, Han Xu made one careless mistake and was driven back several steps.
Liu Yunche seized the opportunity. His footwork changed, and in an instant, he closed in. His right hand settled on the scabbard as he drew his blade.
At that moment, Han Xu had only just steadied himself. Looking up, he saw a dark blade light cleave down upon him. The slash was swift, carrying a wave of air with it like a gale sweeping through the land.
Han Xu did not retreat. He circulated all the strength in his body and shouted, "Good!"
He drew his right arm back to gather force, his body bending like a bow and his fist like a sharp arrow. A pitch-black gleam spread over his fist, radiating a chilling coldness.
He threw a punch, like a raging bear roaring as it violently collided with the blade light.
Their figures crossed, then they stood still in the middle of the street. For a time, the scene fell silent as everyone held their breath and watched the two who had exchanged blows.
"Drip."
The sound of blood falling seemed exceptionally loud on the utterly silent street.
Han Xu's face twisted savagely. His eyes were wide as he stared fixedly at the bone-deep wound on his arm. His voice was dry and trembling, filled with disbelief.
"So this is what you meant when you said your blade was very sharp?"
A Copper Skin martial artist was already immune to the chopping and slashing of ordinary weapons. Moreover, he had already reached the Iron Skin Realm.
Yet the dark blade had effortlessly cut through the Iron Skin he had been so proud of, then sliced into his flesh. His heart trembled in shock.
A faint, nearly imperceptible smile curled at Liu Yunche's lips, while his eyes remained clear and calm. "I warned you."
Wang Yi stared at Han Xu's injured arm, and his expression immediately darkened. Both shocked and furious, he said, "You are not from the Rolling Stone Martial Arts Hall."
The Rolling Stone Martial Arts Hall did not have the wealth to equip a Copper Skin Realm disciple with a Martial Treasure.
Liu Yunche smiled. "I never said I was from the Rolling Stone Martial Arts Hall."
"A mere Copper Skin martial artist, yet he holds a Low-grade Martial Treasure." Wang Yi stared at Concealed Edge in Liu Yunche's hand and muttered.
The moment the words "Martial Treasure" were spoken, the people behind Wang Yi from the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall exploded like a pot boiling over.
Someone shouted, "Unfair! You have a Martial Treasure. Aren't you plainly bullying honest people?"
"Despicable and shameless!"
"How precious is a Low-grade Martial Treasure? Even ordinary Tendon Forging martial artists rarely obtain one, yet it has fallen into the hands of a Copper Skin youth."
The onlookers by the street instantly began whispering among themselves. Their eyes gleamed as they stared at the long blade in Liu Yunche's hand, speaking in low voices and marveling that he could possess such a rare treasure.
Wang Yi waited no longer. He quickly stepped forward to Han Xu's side and examined his injury.
When he saw that it had only cut through flesh and had not reached the tendons or bones, he immediately let out a breath of relief. If Han Xu's tendons and bones had been injured, his master would certainly fly into a rage, and Wang Yi would not have a good time of it.
He took out a bottle of wound medicine and carefully sprinkled it around Han Xu's injury.
Then he glared viciously at Liu Yunche, seemingly ready to start trouble. Yet an incomparably sharp gaze remained fixed on his vital points, and a chill instantly spread through his body.
He knew it was Shi Qingyue.
Shi Qingyue had already stepped forward to Liu Yunche's side. His aura surged violently as he glared fiercely at Wang Yi.
Seeing that nothing could be done, Wang Yi could only throw down a gloomy sentence. "Just you wait!"
Then he led the people of the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall away in disgrace.
Before leaving, Han Xu turned back to glance at Liu Yunche. A trace of viciousness filled his eyes, like a savage bear that had failed to catch its prey and nursed its resentment.
"That brat has a vicious look in his eyes. He doesn't seem like a good sort. Yunche, be careful," Shi Qingyue warned.
Liu Yunche was not frightened by Han Xu's gaze. To him, that exchange had merely been a warm-up.
After their brief exchange just now, he had gained a rough assessment of his own strength. Taking Han Xu as an example, if he fully activated the Divine Movement Gift, he was confident he could cut Han Xu down with a single slash.
Liu Yunche withdrew his gaze and smiled calmly. "Don't worry, Qing Yue. I know my limits."
In the rear courtyard of the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall, an ancient tree spread its branches and leaves, casting patches of shade. This was the private domain of the hall master, Xue Changli.
Beneath the ancient tree, Xue Changli lay in an old master chair made of nanmu wood. He turned a piece of refined ornament in one hand while holding a martial arts manual in the other, studying it.
Behind him, two pretty maidservants vigorously fanned him with palm-leaf fans. On a nearby redwood table sat exquisite pastries and tea.
Xue Changli was now fifty-six. In his early years, he had fought fiercely and established the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall. Yet it was also because of this that his body had accumulated severe hidden injuries.
Now, he relied on martial practice to recuperate and powerful medicines to nourish himself, maintaining his Perfected Bone Tempering Realm cultivation.
During this period, Xue Changli had been in high spirits. He had originally been worried about the continued existence of the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall, until he encountered Han Xu.
A brawny youth born with Bear Bone had quietly appeared before him just like that.
At one point, he had believed it was a conspiracy and trap laid by his enemies. But he could not resist the temptation of those Bear Bones. After investigating in secret for many days, he finally confirmed that it was merely a coincidence.
That day, all the pain and ailments in his body seemed to vanish. He gathered his disciples and, for once, drank heartily.
Looking back over his life, he had taken in many disciples.
Only three still remained by his side. Unfortunately, those three had limited talent and had stopped at the Early Bone Tempering Realm. They could not protect the foundation he had built.
Fortunately, there was Han Xu. After he was gone, he would have no worries.
At this thought, Xue Changli asked in a low voice, "Where is Han Xu?"
A middle-aged man outside the door respectfully answered.
"Reporting to Master, Junior Brother Han went out with Senior Brother Wang Yi."
Xue Changli nodded, set the martial arts book aside, and closed his eyes to rest.
After quite a while, bursts of noise suddenly came from the front courtyard. Xue Changli frowned deeply, opened his eyes, and abruptly rose to his feet. "Why is there such a clamor?"
The moment he stepped out of the rear courtyard, he saw Wang Yi hurrying toward him. Xue Changli said mildly, "Wang Yi, remain calm when things happen. Keep your heart peaceful and your temper even."
Seeing his master's slightly furrowed brows, Wang Yi hurriedly lowered his head and adjusted his breathing. A moment later, though fear filled his heart, he still gathered his courage and said.
"Master, Junior Brother Han has been injured."
"What!" Xue Changli's right hand abruptly seized Wang Yi's arm, his fingers unconsciously tightening.
Wang Yi's face flushed bright red as he felt his arm was about to be crushed. He began trembling uncontrollably.
"Hmph!" Xue Changli flung Wang Yi aside and strode straight toward the front courtyard.
Wang Yi shook his numb arm and looked at his master's retreating back, muttering softly.
"Master, you didn't do what you said either. You weren't calm when something happened..."
Then, not daring to delay, he hurried after him.
In the front courtyard of the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall, a group of people surrounded Han Xu, talking all at once.
Han Xu remained silent, his eyes fixed tightly on his injured arm as several female disciples treated his wound.
The disciples who had returned with him were explaining the details of what had happened to the others.
"That brat was despicable and shameless. He relied on having a Martial Treasure to bully our Junior Brother Han."
"That's right. If he hadn't had that Martial Treasure, Junior Brother Han could have suppressed that mere Copper Skin martial artist with a single punch."
As soon as those words were spoken, the scene quieted considerably. Most of those qualified to practice martial arts came from middle-class families. After all, the martial path consumed money and silver like water; without money at home, one could not practice martial arts.
No one was stupid. A Copper Skin Realm martial artist holding a Martial Treasure—put those two things together, and he was likely some young master from an aristocratic family.
They could follow the crowd in shouting and cheering, of course. But if they were asked to charge at the front, heh... they could not afford to provoke such a person.
Suddenly, someone sharp-eyed noticed Xue Changli's arrival and quietly reminded the others, "Master is here."
Hearing this, everyone hurriedly bowed their heads and stood to either side, falling silent.
When Han Xu saw his master arrive, he rose to greet him. "Master..."
"Enough. Sit down first." Xue Changli carefully examined Han Xu's injury, then sighed in relief. "Fortunately, it is only a flesh wound. His tendons and bones have not been harmed."
He reined in his emotions, his expression returning to calm. A composed note entered his voice as he asked, "What exactly happened?"
Han Xu slowly explained, "Today, I went out with Senior Brother Wang Yi and encountered Shi Qingyue from the Rolling Stone Martial Arts Hall at the Small Yuan Tower."
"He injured you?" Xue Changli asked. His tone was low, carrying a trace of anger. "Wang Yi, come here!"
Upon hearing his master's words, Wang Yi's heart trembled. Not daring to delay, he hurried over.
Just as he thought he was about to receive a harsh punishment from his master, Han Xu spoke. "It wasn't him. It was someone beside him."
"At the time, Senior Brother Wang was preparing to fight Shi Qingyue. I remembered Master saying a few days ago that we should keep a low profile recently, so I thought I would fight the person beside Shi Qingyue instead."
"I never expected that man to be holding a Martial Treasure. He even warned me beforehand, saying that his blade was very sharp."
He snorted coldly. "Thinking about it now, that man was clearly plotting against me."
As he spoke, the waves of pain coming from his arm filled Han Xu with resentment.
Hearing Han Xu speak up for him, Wang Yi looked at him with gratitude. This junior brother is someone worth keeping around.
Filled with indignation, he angrily rebuked, "Master, that brat is a scheming villain. He did it deliberately, intending to seriously injure Junior Brother Han. Perhaps it was even the work of some force that holds a grudge against us."
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