Suppression (4K Double-Length Chapter, Two in One)
Bai Yushan's physical body has been tempered by Electric Current Push for many years, giving him an all-around attribute advantage over other Soul Master of the same level. Even compared to the physical strength of a typical Soul Master after Martial Soul Possession Soul Ancestor, he is not inferior. However, without the enhancement of his Martial Soul and Soul Power, he is still just a mortal.
At this moment, neither of them used any of their Soul Power.
Wu Changkong's swordsmanship is derived from the Heavenly Frost Sword Martial Soul and various Soul Skill. After stripping away the Soul Power and Martial Soul Power, only pure physical techniques remain, placing him on the same combat benchmark as Bai Yushan at present.
However, he is only one step away from becoming Seven-Ring Soul Sage. Twenty years of deep cultivation in swordsmanship have given him a far greater understanding of the rhythm of moves and the balance of offense and defense than Bai Yushan, who was confined to template martial arts. Every inch of his sword stance has long been integrated into his instincts.
The cold, sharp sword shadows suddenly spread out, devoid of Soul Power Soul Skill special effects, leaving only the extreme speed of the sword, instantly locking down all of Bai Yushan's escape routes.
The air crackled with a series of sharp, piercing sounds as the sword blades grazed Bai Yushan's body one after another.
In the blink of an eye, several bloody gashes appeared on Bai Yushan's shoulder, forearm, and waist, the crimson blood soaking through his clothes. He tried his best to use the Deer Form Step to dodge and the Five Beasts Techniques to block, but he could not keep up with Wu Changkong's sword speed.
Fine beads of blood seeped out and slid down, dripping onto the ground, layer upon layer of wounds.
The members of Class Zero, who had collapsed and were panting, were completely dazed and forgot all their exhaustion.
Bai Yushan, who had just overwhelmed them, was now being unilaterally suppressed and injured. Only then did everyone realize just how terrifying the physical strength of a top expert was after their Soul Power was removed.
Bai Yushan retreated step by step, pushing his Deer-Form Sparse Shadow Steps to its limit. His figure was elusive, yet he still couldn't break through the layers of sword net. He felt no anxiety, but instead became increasingly calm.
Countless offensive and defensive strategies, physical clashes, and exploits of weaknesses flashed through his mind.
He had relied too much on the enhancement of his Electromagnetic Clarity perception, and was used to the perfect prediction and precise exertion of force brought by external forces. Stripped of this reliance, his martial arts were just an empty shell, all form and no substance.
Wu Changkong's every sword strike precisely exposed the flaws and weaknesses in his moves, completely revealing his shortcomings in martial arts.
A sword blade suddenly flashed past, slicing through the skin of his neck, and Bai Yushan's consciousness vanished instantly.
All colors and complex appearances in the world vanished in an instant.
Everything transforms into a semi-transparent outline, shedding its surface disguise, leaving only the purest structural lines.
Every movement within Wu Changkong's body was laid bare before his eyes. Muscle contractions and relaxations, lung rises and falls as he breathed, blood flowed rapidly, and the trajectory of his tendons and bones moved—nothing was concealed.
The opponent's advance trajectory of raising their hand, stepping, and swinging their sword is clearly visible, allowing for advance prediction of all their attack intentions and offensive/defensive rhythms.
By focusing one's gaze inward, the state of one's nerves, muscles, blood circulation, and joints becomes immediately apparent. Any weaknesses, such as excessive force or sluggish movements, are precisely revealed.
At this moment, no electromagnetic force or Soul Skill enhancement is needed.
The physical body and spirit are perfectly in sync, and consciousness falls into a state of selflessness.
All distracting thoughts are cleared away, there is no distinction between strong and weak, no concern for offense or defense. Only the trajectory of movement, precise exertion of force, and optimal response remain in sight.
His profound perception, which he had relied on his Soul Skill to unlock over the years, was completely mastered after this life-or-death battle.
The Transparent World was thus freed from external support and transformed into the inherent essence of Bai Yushan itself.
Wu Changkong's sword had already pierced his face, its speed and cunning blocking all conventional evasion routes.
Previously, Bai Yushan could only fight head-on or hold a defensive position.
At this moment, his eyes were clear and calm, and his body instincts triggered before his thoughts. He slightly lowered his body and narrowly avoided the sword's edge.
The movement was seamless and unimpeded, perfectly matching the trajectory of the sword strike.
He simultaneously flipped his wrist, bent and straightened his five fingers, completely breaking free from the constraints of the Five Beasts move template, and delivered a simple palm strike with precise accuracy to the acupoint where Wu Changkong held the sword.
The movements were crisp and efficient, with no unnecessary exertion.
With a crisp "ding," the fingertip precisely struck the target.
Wu Changkong's wrist suddenly went numb, and most of the strength in his grip on the sword instantly dissipated. The rapidly thrusting Heavenly Frost Sword suddenly veered off course, and the sword's momentum collapsed.
Wu Changkong's pupils contracted slightly, his heart filled with shock. In a short instant, Bai Yushan's aura, rhythm, and the charm of his moves had completely changed.
The previously somewhat stiff moves of the Five Beasts have now become fluid, unrestrained, and ever-changing.
Before Wu Changkong could adjust his posture, Bai Yushan was already close behind.
Stepping, twisting, striking, spinning—every movement was precise to the extreme. At times, his power was strong and fierce, overwhelming like a mountain; at other times, he was agile and elusive, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion; and at still other times, he was cunning and unpredictable, launching surprise attacks with no way to counter them.
The ferocity of the tiger, the agility of the deer, the solidity of the bear, the speed of the ape, and the precision of the crane—the essence of these five animal forms is completely blended together, eliminating any sense of separation from fixed moves, and transforming them all into the power of his own fists and feet.
Wu Changkong hastily withdrew his sword to parry, but every change in his move and every exertion of force was anticipated by Bai Yushan. The moment the sword moved, his opponent's response was already in place; the moment his body changed, his path was precisely blocked.
With perfect anticipation and extremely streamlined physical exertion, Bai Yushan's offensive and defensive rhythm completely overwhelmed Wu Changkong.
In just a few breaths, the situation completely reversed. Bai Yushan, who had been constantly injured, was now suppressing Wu Changkong.
The wind howled through the air, fists and feet flew, there were no fancy special effects, only the purest physical combat.
Wu Changkong retreated continuously, his Heavenly Frost Sword repeatedly deflected, blocked, and locked down, completely losing his close-range advantage and forced to passively defend, struggling to keep up. His physical swordsmanship, which he relied on, completely lost its suppressive power in the face of Bai Yushan's new martial arts realm.
On the training ground, the wind howled, and the crisp sounds of fists and feet colliding with sword blades echoed continuously.
The five students from Class Zero were dumbfounded, unable to keep up with the speed of the two fighters. They could only see two figures rapidly crossing paths on the field, and the situation reversed so suddenly that they were caught off guard.
Bai Yushan is the most shrewd kind of person. When others ask him if he won or lost, he says he's enlightened!
In the midst of the fierce battle, Bai Yushan suddenly withdrew and retreated, standing firmly on the spot.
He raised his hand to wipe away the tiny beads of blood on his face, a wild and unrestrained laugh spreading across his lips. The clear laughter carried a wild and confident madness that seemed to break free from all constraints.
The next moment, a clear chanting voice resounded throughout the entire training ground.
"The tiger commands a thousand mountains with its might, the deer treads on flowing clouds to return, the bear inherits the bounty of heaven and earth, the ape pursues a hundred transformations, the crane carries the gentle breeze's intent; the five beasts return to one subtle unity."
As the six lines of poetry were recited, Bai Yushan's aura underwent a complete transformation.
Every gesture and movement embodies the essence of all five beasts, and is more pure, more domineering, and more in line with one's own nature than any deliberate imitation of wild animal forms.
At that moment, he understood completely.
Others who practice martial arts are obsessed with imitating its form, spirit, and strength, relying on external objects and illusions to enhance the artistic conception of their moves.
He had always been like this, trapped in the template of the Five Beasts' moves, obsessed with condensing beast shadows and pursuing the divine power of beasts.
However, the way of martial arts is never about rigid imitation.
The form of a wild beast enters my body, and that becomes my form!
The god of beasts has entered my heart, and he is my god!
By merging the essence of the five beasts into myself, I become the five beasts myself; why then do I need external objects or illusions to enhance my techniques?
Standing here, I myself am the ultimate martial arts spirit!
This epiphany was arrogant to the extreme, and also insane to the extreme.