Disarming Technique, Nine Sects of Taoism

In an instant, their fingertips struck each other's bodies almost simultaneously. As a surge of force erupted, Neji Hyuga could not help but smile. "At last, I still won..."

But at that moment, Chen Feng's voice rang out softly. "Is that so?"

As his words fell, Neji's expression froze, and an ominous feeling rose from the depths of his heart.

Immediately afterward, he felt as though an invisible force had tightly bound his body. No matter how he struggled, he could not move in the slightest.

"What is going on? Why is my body..."

Chen Feng said, "You did not truly think that only the Hyuga Clan could use the Acupuncture Technique, did you?"

Hearing this, Neji was even more shocked. "No, you do not have the Byakugan. You cannot see the locations of the Human Meridians and Acupoints, so how can you strike acupoints?"

Chen Feng raised an eyebrow slightly. "Do you need to look to know the distribution of Meridians and Bones?"

"You... what do you mean?"

Neji was deeply puzzled.

Chen Feng tapped his own head and explained, "The locations of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Acupoints of the human body are all in here. Even with my eyes closed, I could strike them accurately."

Neji was stunned once more. This was the first time he had heard such a claim. He had never expected his opponent to know acupuncture techniques as well, and to be so skilled at them.

Chen Feng continued, "Your Hyuga Clan's acupuncture technique uses strikes against the meridians to obstruct the flow of energy within the body, achieving the effect of subduing an enemy.

"But that method is far too inefficient. You should know that the hundreds of acupoints each serve different purposes. Crying Acupoints, Laughing Acupoints, and even Death Acupoints all exist.

"For example, the reason you cannot move right now is because I struck the Juque Acupoint beneath your ribs. If I had struck the Yuzhen Acupoint just now, you likely would not still be standing here talking."

Upon hearing this, Neji Hyuga's mind became dazed, as though a new door had opened before him.

But then, as if recalling something, he said, "No, I clearly struck your acupoint as well. Why are you fine?"

He had struck a major acupoint of the human body. By all reason, his opponent should have collapsed to the ground in agony.

Chen Feng smiled faintly at those words and responded, "I was indeed struck in an acupoint just now. However, this method is not without a solution.

"Did the elders of the Hyuga Clan not teach you the Disarming Technique?"

As those words fell, Neji Hyuga was stunned. He had studied the Gentle Fist for so many years, yet he had never heard of any Disarming Technique. Could it be a secret art passed down only within the main family?

But even so, he should not have been completely unaware of it...

For a moment, his heart sank into profound confusion.

And he was not the only one confused.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with loose, flowing hair sat high in the stands. He possessed the same unusual pale eyes as Neji, but his strength far surpassed Neji's.

This man was Hyuga Hiashi, the head of Konoha's foremost clan.

As the clan head of the Hyuga Clan, he naturally knew that the main family possessed no Disarming Technique. Even if such a technique had once existed, it had long since been lost.

After watching the entire match, the shock in his heart was greater than anyone else's.

From beginning to end, Neji Hyuga had been pressured by his opponent. Or rather, the Hyuga Gentle Fist had been suppressed by the Martial Arts used by Chen Feng.

Whether it was the Eight Trigrams Palm or acupuncture techniques, they had been completely countered, as though an imitation had encountered the genuine article.

At this moment, beyond surprise, Hyuga Hiashi felt even more apprehension and worry.

As the leader of the main family, he understood clearly that the outcome of this battle concerned not only Neji Hyuga's personal victory or defeat, but also posed a threat to the entire clan.

The Hyuga Clan had risen to fame through the Byakugan and the Gentle Fist, yet now both had been thoroughly deciphered.

If Chen Feng's cultivation methods spread, how would the Hyuga Clan maintain its footing in the Shinobi World?

Thinking of this, Hyuga Hiashi took a deep breath, his expression growing solemn.

Below the stage, the victor had already been decided. Once Neji's acupoints were released, he fell directly to the ground. This battle had exhausted both his mental and physical strength.

Yet what filled his heart even more was confusion. The methods he had painstakingly cultivated for years had been countered so completely. What, then, had all his efforts over the years amounted to...?

After several more matches, the emergency preliminary round came to an end, with ten contestants remaining.

They would participate in the third official round one month later, where those advancing to Chunin would be decided.

After the battle had drawn to a close, Chen Feng planned to leave. He had been busy for so many days and was rather tired. Next, he intended to go back, get some proper sleep, and take stock of his gains.

Just as he was about to depart, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, called out to him.

"Young friend Chen Feng, wait a moment."

Chen Feng turned his head and saw the other man approaching. He said, "May I ask what advice Senior Sarutobi has for me?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled. "Do you have some free time, young friend? This old man would like to have a chat with you."

At those words, Chen Feng's expression shifted slightly. After giving it some thought, he agreed.

Before long, the two arrived at the Hokage's private office. Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk with a pipe in his mouth and said, "Young friend, your performance today was truly unexpected."

Chen Feng found a seat and replied, "Senior Sarutobi flatters me. This junior's modest cultivation is nothing worth mentioning. Within the Dao Sect, there are countless people stronger than me, and quite a few peerless geniuses as well."

Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze flickered slightly. He chuckled. "This old man is quite curious about the Dao Sect. Would it be convenient for you to tell me a little more?"

Chen Feng nodded. "Since Senior is interested, this junior will give a general explanation."

"Please, go ahead."

Sarutobi adopted an attentive posture.

Chen Feng continued, "The Dao Sect is a collective term for numerous cultivation factions. Among them, the nine major sects hold the highest prestige. Each sect has its own inheritance, somewhat similar to the Five Great Shinobi Villages of the Shinobi World.

"For example, the Tai Chi Fist and Eight Trigrams Palm this junior used today are supreme arts of the Wudang Sect. As for my guardian, she belongs to the Heaven Sect."

"Wudang, Heaven Sect..."

It was his first time hearing of either faction. He then said, "Since young friend has mentioned them, these two sects must surely be extraordinary."

Chen Feng nodded and continued, "Both sects are orthodox branches of the Dao School. The founder of Wudang was the true master Zhang Sanfeng, a transcendent figure said to have ascended several centuries ago.

"As for the Heaven Sect, its most accomplished expert should be Grandmaster Bei Ming. He is also Xiao Meng's master, and his depths are unfathomable. There are even rumors that his cultivation has long surpassed the realm of Harmony of Man and Nature. I do not know what realm he has reached now..."