A heavy fist taught him his place
When Song Xianming saw Qin Yi agree so readily, he could not help laughing.
Among martial skills, sabers, spears, swords, and halberds belonged to the weapons category, which was also relatively easy to get started with.
Fists and feet might seem less lethal than weapons, but in truth, the stronger someone was, the more their unarmed skills revealed their true abilities.
Besides, Qin Yi had joined the sect less than a month ago. According to Huang Tianrong, he had spent these past days reciting sword scriptures with his master.
Yes, reciting sword scriptures, not practicing swordsmanship.
New disciples were actually all like this. After choosing a sword art, they had to begin memorizing it by rote, firmly committing its mental methods and moves to memory. Only once they knew all of that by heart would they formally begin practicing with a sword.
Even if Qin Yi had learned swordsmanship, that was where all his efforts had gone.
Song Xianming appeared to have suggested using fists and feet to spare him a little dignity, but he was actually scheming against Qin Yi. Banking on his poor unarmed skills, he intended to beat him so thoroughly that he could not even fight back.
"Junior Sister Yiyi already made this clear. Whoever loses mustn't go running off to complain like a child who's been wronged. However badly you're beaten, you must bear the consequences yourself."
Just then, Qin Yi happened to hear the system's gentle, mature female voice announce: [Mantra Fist Art successfully comprehended!]
He smiled with complete confidence. "Of course. Whoever complains is a coward. Junior Brother Song, come at me."
Song Xianming beckoned dismissively. "Forget it. I'd better let you go first. Otherwise, when you lose, Junior Sister Yiyi will say I bullied someone younger and used my strength to prey on the weak."
"You're letting me go first? Are you sure?" Qin Yi chuckled.
With Dharma's full set of skills, if he hid in the brush and struck first, would you even get a chance to fight?
Wasn't Song Xianming handing over a free kill by letting him attack first?
"Just come at me." Song Xianming beckoned again, the disdain on his face growing even stronger.
"Then I won't hold back."
Dharma's passive skill added 80 points of physical defense every time he used a skill, stacking up to three times.
As Qin Yi silently recited the incantation, golden scripture faintly began to appear over his body.
Then he charged forward with a punch!
[Mantra: Formless]!
A charging straight punch that dealt 200 damage to enemies in its path and knocked them airborne for 0.5 seconds.
Song Xianming sneered inwardly. Such a simple move?
A straight punch had far too many openings!
Let me see just what you're worth!
Song Xianming prepared to dodge the punch, then seize Qin Yi in turn and land a devastating blow.
Yet just as the wind from Qin Yi's fist drew near, a strange current of air inexplicably lifted Song Xianming's entire body, even tossing him upward.
An instant knock-up?
"What kind of fist technique is this?"
Song Xianming was greatly astonished.
Meanwhile, Qin Yi seized the opportunity during those 0.5 seconds he was airborne and abruptly used his third skill, [Mantra: Universal Salvation]!
Another straight punch.
To be honest, Dharma's fist techniques did not look particularly graceful. They went straight back and forth, like a blockhead.
But there was also no denying that this set of fist techniques was simple, brutal, and effective.
Before Song Xianming could land from the 0.5-second knock-up, Qin Yi's next heavy punch reached him. Naturally, he could neither dodge nor block it.
And so, Qin Yi's [Mantra: Universal Salvation] sent him flying with one punch, slamming him into a tree.
Once Song Xianming's back made intimate contact with the trunk, the stun effect of [Mantra: Universal Salvation] also kicked in.
Song Xianming's vision went black. For 1.5 seconds, he could not tell north from south or east from west.
Qin Yi followed up with his second skill, [Mantra: Wisdom King], rapidly throwing five consecutive punches at his target.
He battered Song Xianming's face black and blue. After finishing his second skill, he followed it with the second phase of his ultimate.
Another heavy punch struck Song Xianming in the stomach. Song Xianming retched and was knocked flat on the ground, vomiting up even last night's meal.
"You..."
Song Xianming only managed that one word before clutching his stomach and curling up motionless on the ground.
It hurt. It hurt far too much. It hurt so badly that he could neither get up nor make a single sound.
Qin Yi clapped his hands, shook his head, and sighed. "Pine Cloud Peak's standards are so poor. How disappointing."
Gu Yiyi looked at him in delighted surprise, her beautiful eyes shining as though filled with stars.
Still, she was suppressing the joy in her heart.
Qin Yi had won so decisively that if she looked too happy as well, it would be too much of a blow.
"You... that isn't a fist art from the Famous Sword Sect." Gritting his teeth against the pain, Song Xianming suddenly cried out indignantly.
"Does the Famous Sword Sect have fist arts?" Qin Yi asked in return.
The Famous Sword Sect had no fist arts. Even if it did, they were basic techniques, no different from those used by outlaws in the martial world. They were not fit to be shown in respectable company.
Qin Yi said, "If you're not convinced, shall we compete in swordsmanship?"
Song Xianming opened his mouth, about to agree, but just then, the woman named Xu Xinran came to his side and helped him up, urging him once again, "Senior Brother Xianming, stop fighting him. You can't beat him."
Hearing this, Song Xianming's entire face turned green.
He couldn't beat him?
Even if he couldn't, as someone on his side, shouldn't she comfort him? Say something nice?
Exposing his shortcomings right in front of others-did this woman know how to speak?
Song Xianming was just about to fly into a rage.
But the woman's eyes suddenly shone emerald green. She glanced at Qin Yi, shook her head, and said, "He's at least at the foundation establishment late stage. You really can't beat him."
Song Xianming's blazing fury had only erupted halfway when he suddenly stopped short. "What did you say?"
Xu Xinran said with certainty, "Senior Brother Qin is at least at the foundation establishment late stage."
"The foundation establishment late stage?" Song Xianming's eyelids twitched twice in succession. He looked Qin Yi over again, unable to believe it no matter what.
Qin Yi was also quite surprised to hear Xu Xinran's words.
Gu Yiyi suddenly reminded him in a quiet voice from beside him, "So it's true. I heard Father say long ago that Xu Xinran's eyes were a little different. I never thought it was actually true. She can actually see your real cultivation realm."
Generally speaking, if someone deliberately concealed their cultivation realm or did not intentionally reveal it, those of a lower realm could never discern it.
Even someone of the same realm would find it difficult to tell.
Yet Xu Xinran had discerned Qin Yi's realm, all thanks to those special eyes of hers.
"How is that possible? He only joined a few days ago. How could he already be at the foundation establishment late stage?" Song Xianming did not believe it.
He knew Qin Yi had entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, because his younger cousin Huang Tianrong had told him.
But it had only been a few days. How could he have gone straight from the foundation establishment early stage to the foundation establishment late stage?
Qin Yi said, "You wouldn't understand the world of geniuses. Junior Sister Xinran here is much more appreciable. That 'Senior Brother' just now sounded lovely. Why not say it again?"
Xu Xinran shyly turned her head away without answering.
Qin Yi looked at her a few times. Tsk, what a bashful girl.
Speaking of which, Xu Xinran is quite pretty too. Why would a fresh flower plant itself in cow dung and become this Song Xianming's Dao companion?
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the system's gentle, mature female voice suddenly chimed: [A flower already claimed has been detected. Xu Xinran is about to become Song Xianming's wedded Dao companion. Host, would you accept the mission to steal Xu Xinran's love?]