He Actually Dared Accept Elder Song Qing's Challenge?

Song Qing turned his gaze on Jiang Yuan, ready to give him a hard time.

He looked Jiang Yuan up and down, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "Jiang Yuan, what's so impressive about running to complain and playing the victim? If you've got the nerve, spar with me."

"Don't worry. I'm an elder. I wouldn't bully an ordinary disciple like you. I promise I won't hurt you."

"Of course, you can refuse if you're scared. But that would only prove you faked your injuries to win Junior Sister Cao Ying's sympathy."

Dan Chen was the first to protest. She hurried to Jiang Yuan's defense. "Elder Song Qing, that's going too far. Senior Brother Jiang Yuan hasn't recovered from his injuries. Isn't challenging him now just making things difficult for him?"

Song Qing brushed her objection aside. "Junior Sister Dan Chen, I'm giving him a chance to prove himself. If he doesn't dare accept, that tells us he has something to hide."

Dan Chen was about to argue again when Jiang Yuan spoke.

"Fine. I accept."

Song Qing was surprised. He hadn't expected that good-for-nothing to actually dare accept.

Dan Chen froze too. She looked at Jiang Yuan with concern. "Senior Brother, you haven't fully recovered. How can you spar with him?"

Jiang Yun could see that she was worried about him, so he merely smiled. "It's fine. I know what I'm doing."

Seeing that Jiang Yuan had the nerve to accept, Song Qing gave him a mocking smile. "Not bad. You've got backbone."

"But backbone and strength are two different things. Don't blame me for hitting too hard if you can't take it."

Before long, the commotion drew the attention of quite a few Pill Tower disciples, and they gathered around.

An elder sparring with an ordinary disciple was hardly a common sight at the Pill Tower.

"What's going on? Elder Song Qing is sparring with that disciple?"

"Looks like it's Jiang Yuan, the one Elder Song Qing injured earlier."

"What? He accepted before his injuries even healed? He's asking for a beating."

"Who knows what he's thinking? Elder Song Qing is a Dou Zong. Jiang Yuan's probably a Da Dou Shi or a Dou Ling at best. The gap's enormous."

The Pill Tower disciples murmured among themselves. Almost without exception, they thought Jiang Yuan had been a fool to accept Song Qing's challenge.

An ordinary disciple sparring with an elder? He was only setting himself up for humiliation.

Jiang Yuan heard them, but his expression remained calm.

Song Qing heard them too. A derisive smile spread across his face. "How about this? I won't bully you. I'll give you three moves. Throw three punches at me. If you can make me take even half a step back, you win. What do you say?"

The disciples watching erupted into chatter again.

Three free moves?

As expected of Elder Song Qing. A Dou Zong had no reason to take Jiang Yuan seriously. Then again, someone at that level had every right to be confident.

Jiang Yuan couldn't help smiling at Song Qing's arrogance.

Three free moves?

Someone had actually come forward and offered to take a beating. Jiang Yuan had never heard of such a ridiculous request.

But since Song Qing had offered, it would be rude not to oblige him.

Jiang Yuan nodded. "Fine. You said it."

Song Qing snorted at his confident look. "I did. Come on. I won't fight back for three moves. If you make me take even half a step back, you win."

The moment Song Qing finished speaking, Jiang Yuan wasted no words. The Dou Qi within him began to circulate at full speed.

The Dou Qi of a One-Star Dou Emperor surged through his meridians. Though he had only recently broken through, his Dou Di Bloodline made his Dou Qi far purer and more abundant than that of others at the same level.

The next instant, he bent his knees slightly and lunged.

At the same time, Jiang Yuan used the Wind Shadow Step, the Earth-rank movement Dou Technique he had just learned from the inner sect. He appeared before Song Qing like a blur, moving with astonishing speed.

Then he drove a punch straight at Song Qing's chest.

Song Qing had been standing at ease with his hands behind his back, thinking about how best to mock Jiang Yuan afterward.

But the instant Jiang Yuan moved, shock swept across his face.

So fast!

He had no time to react, much less summon his Dou Qi to defend himself. Jiang Yuan's fist struck his chest.

Bang!

With a thunderous impact, Song Qing was sent flying. He stumbled back seven or eight steps before barely regaining his footing.

The entire square fell silent.

Every disciple watching stared with wide eyes, stunned.

What the hell?

What just happened?

That ordinary disciple knocked Elder Song Qing back seven or eight steps with one punch?

Dan Chen stood frozen nearby, her face full of shock.

All she had seen was Jiang Yuan moving incredibly fast. The next instant, Song Qing had gone flying. It had happened in less than the blink of an eye.

How was that possible?

Wasn't Senior Brother Jiang Yuan injured? How could he move that fast?

Not far away, the female disciples who had been gossiping moments earlier were rooted to the spot, their faces a picture of disbelief.

"D-Did I see that right? Jiang Yuan knocked Elder Song Qing back with one punch?"

"That's impossible. Elder Song Qing is a Dou Zong. How could an ordinary disciple knock him back with one punch?"

"Did you see how fast he moved? What movement Dou Technique was that?"

"Was that the Wind Shadow Step? Wait, isn't that an intermediate Earth-rank movement Dou Technique? When did Jiang Yuan learn it?"

"How could he have learned an intermediate Earth-rank Dou Technique? And even if he had, how could he use it so flawlessly?"

The Pill Tower square buzzed with discussion. The disciples now looked at Jiang Yuan in shock.

Once Song Qing had steadied himself, his face turned livid. The speed and force of Jiang Yuan's punch had far exceeded his expectations.

Even more shocking was the movement Dou Technique Jiang Yuan had used. It was unmistakably the Wind Shadow Step, and Jiang Yuan had performed it more smoothly and quickly than anyone Song Qing had ever seen.

When had that good-for-nothing learned the Wind Shadow Step?

Song Qing gritted his teeth. For the first time, uncertainty crept into his eyes.

Jiang Yuan lowered his fist and stood where he was, watching Song Qing with a faint smile. "Two moves left. Shall we continue?"

Song Qing's expression darkened further. But with so many disciples watching, he could hardly go back on his word. He forced himself to nod. "Come on! You think I'm afraid of you?"