Tang Sect Secret Arts vs. Panda Kung Fu

Bang!

Dong Jian's back slammed into the stone wall of the Hundred Battles Hall once again.

The pain in his chest kept him from getting up for quite a while.

In the center of the hall, the mirror image of Dong Jian slowly drew back his shoulder.

The same level-seven Soul Power.

The same physical strength.

Even that Mountain-Leaning Collision just now had been no different from the one Dong Jian usually used.

"The third time."

Dong Jian pushed himself up from the ground.

In their first exchange, he had tried to use Circular Force Redirection to change the direction of the mirror image's attack.

But the mirror image had withdrawn his force in advance, grabbed his wrist with a backhand motion, and thrown him to the ground.

The second time, he had taken the initiative and used Mountain-Leaning Collision.

The mirror image hadn't met it head-on. Instead, he had used the exact same Circular Force Redirection to send his attack into empty air.

The third time, he had deliberately exposed an opening, ready to counterattack when the mirror image approached.

But the mirror image had seen through his intentions as well.

"He doesn't just have my abilities."

"He also knows how I'll use them."

Dong Jian stared at the face before him, identical to his own.

Against an ordinary enemy, he could find weaknesses by observing their movements.

But the mirror image knew every one of his habits.

When he would retreat.

When he would shift his center of gravity.

He even knew the distance at which Dong Jian liked to use Mountain-Leaning Collision most.

Set moves meant nothing against him.

Dong Jian advanced again.

His right foot planted on the ground.

His center of gravity sank.

The mirror image assumed the same opening stance in sync with him.

Both charged at once.

Just as their shoulders were about to collide, Dong Jian suddenly stopped.

But the mirror image wasn't fooled.

He stopped as well, his right hand reaching for Dong Jian's collar in one fluid motion.

Dong Jian sidestepped.

The mirror image's knee was already driving toward his abdomen.

Bang!

Dong Jian blocked with both hands, but his body still staggered back several steps.

Before he could regain his footing, the mirror image's palm had already stopped in front of his throat.

The stone stele lit up red.

Challenge failed.

"Lost again."

Dong Jian didn't charge in again.

He still had to spar with Tang San tomorrow.

Wearing himself out mentally would only affect his condition in the real world.

He watched the mirror image slowly retreat to his original position and finally realized what the Hundred Battles Hall truly wanted to teach him.

Moves were dead.

People were alive.

If he only used Center of Gravity Perception, Circular Force Redirection, and Mountain-Leaning Collision separately, no matter how proficient he became, there would still be obvious patterns.

Against someone familiar with him, patterns were openings.

"Once I'm done with tomorrow's match, I'll come back."

Dong Jian left the Divine Dragon Secret Realm.

Early morning.

Nuoding Academy's training ground.

Almost all the work-study students from Dorm Seven had come.

Wang Sheng had even claimed a spot with the best view ahead of time.

"Little San has Innate Full Soul Power."

"Dong Jian is only level seven."

"But Dong Jian beat me yesterday without even using his Martial Soul."

"Who's stronger?"

A work-study student beside him couldn't help saying:

"Getting beaten isn't something worth bringing up all the time, is it?"

Wang Sheng glared at him.

"What do you know?"

"I'm telling you all how formidable Dong Jian's skills are!"

In the center of the training ground, Dong Jian and Tang San stood facing each other.

Neither of them had released his Martial Soul.

As agreed yesterday, this spar would test only their bodies, footwork, and fighting skills.

Li Man stood at the edge of the field.

Her record book was already open.

Xiao Wu sat on the fence, swinging her legs back and forth.

She was also a little curious about Tang San.

Yesterday, Dong Jian had caught her Waist Bow, proving his skills were no small matter.

Since Tang San had dared to challenge him of his own accord, he must have some special abilities up his sleeve too.

"Can we start?"

Tang San asked.

"Anytime."

Dong Jian took his stance.

Tang San didn't attack immediately.

He set his feet apart, one in front of the other, and his breathing gradually slowed.

A faint but sustained force circulated through his meridians.

Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Dong Jian couldn't see internal force directly, but he could sense a change in Tang San's Qi.

It was different from ordinary Soul Power.

More concentrated and more stable.

"Begin."

Yu Xiaogang's voice came from outside the field.

Dong Jian turned to look.

Yu Xiaogang had arrived at the training ground at some unknown point and was standing not far from Li Man.

Tang San wasn't distracted by his teacher's appearance.

The moment Yu Xiaogang finished speaking, he charged forward.

His speed wasn't particularly outrageous.

At least, it was still within a range Dong Jian could follow.

Tang San struck at his chest with a palm.

Dong Jian raised a hand to block.

The instant their palms met, however, he felt that Tang San's arm was unusually hard.

It didn't feel like a child's skin.

Rather, it was as if it were covered in a layer of smooth stone.

Mysterious Jade Hand!

Dong Jian didn't meet force with force.

He turned his wrist outward along Tang San's arm, trying to divert the force to one side.

Just as he activated Circular Force Redirection, Tang San's five fingers suddenly spread.

An invisible pulling force caught Dong Jian's wrist.

Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon!

Dong Jian's arm was pulled forward and off course.

Tang San seized the chance to close in, his left palm striking straight for his shoulder.

Dong Jian lowered his center of gravity.

His shoulder drove forward.

Mountain-Leaning Collision!

Bang!

Tang San crossed his palms in front of his chest to block.

His body slid two steps backward.

Dong Jian didn't pursue.

That collision had indeed landed.

But Tang San had already protected his body with Mysterious Heaven Skill before the impact.

He hadn't actually taken much of the force.

"You're stronger than I expected."

Tang San lowered his hands.

"The same goes for you."

Dong Jian said.

Innate Full Soul Power was merely the talent visible to outsiders.

What truly put Tang San so far ahead of his peers now was the Mysterious Heaven Skill he had cultivated for years.

Even without a Soul Ring, his strength, reactions, and endurance couldn't be judged by the standards of an ordinary Soul Scholar.

Tang San charged again.

This time, Dong Jian didn't stand in place and wait.

He took the initiative to close the distance.

Circular Force Redirection could only take effect after contact.

Against someone like Tang San, who possessed Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, the farther away he was, the easier it was to be restrained.

Dong Jian threw a punch.

Tang San turned his head aside to evade it.

Dong Jian spun with the motion, driving his elbow toward Tang San's chest.

Tang San's footwork suddenly changed.

His body clearly moved left, yet the next moment he appeared on Dong Jian's right.

Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!

Dong Jian's elbow strike missed.

A faint rush of wind came from behind him.

Without looking back, he rolled straight forward.

Tang San's palm swept past, brushing his back.

Dong Jian rolled to his feet and quickly turned.

But Tang San had already moved again.

To the left.

To the right.

Behind him.

Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track wasn't simply a matter of speed.

Every time Tang San changed direction, he landed precisely at the edge of Dong Jian's vision as he turned.

Dong Jian could see him.

But couldn't keep up.

Dong Jian launched three attacks in succession.

Each time, he touched only the edge of Tang San's clothing as he moved away.

"Is dodging all you can do?"

Xiao Wu said from her seat on the fence:

"How long will this fight go on?"

Yu Xiaogang answered calmly:

"Fighting isn't a contest to see who can stand still and take a beating."

"Avoiding an opponent's strengths is the right choice."

Xiao Wu curled her lip.

"Even so, you have to land a hit to win."

Yu Xiaogang did not argue further.

His gaze remained fixed on Dong Jian's feet.

"Dong Jian's control over his body is indeed excellent."

"But all his abilities require close contact."

"As long as Tang San doesn't clash with him head-on, he'll run out of stamina sooner or later."

Li Man did not answer.

She was quickly recording the position of each of Tang San's changes in direction.

The first time, his left foot turned inward.

The second time, the ball of his right foot touched the ground.

The third time, his body appeared to move backward, but his center of gravity had already shifted to the right.

Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track seemed to follow no pattern.

But every footwork technique had to rely on the ground.

As long as a foot landed, there would be a shift in force.

In the training field, Dong Jian had stopped chasing.

He stood in place, his chest rising and falling gently.

Missing repeatedly consumed more stamina than clashing head-on.

Tang San had noticed this too.

He did not waste any more time.

His right hand reached into his sleeve.

Three pebbles he had prepared beforehand fell into his palm.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't use Hidden Weapons?"

Dong Jian asked.

"Ordinary pebbles don't count as weapons."

Tang San said:

"Don't worry, I won't attack any vital points."

His wrist flicked.

Whoosh!

The first pebble shot straight toward Dong Jian's left shoulder.

It was several times faster than an ordinary throw.

Dong Jian turned sideways to evade it.

But the second pebble was not aimed at his body.

Instead, it struck the ground in front of his right foot.

Crack!

Fragments of stone flew.

Dong Jian instinctively pulled his foot back.

His center of gravity briefly shifted to the left.

The third pebble shot out right after.

Its target was the side of his left knee.

"He's forcing Dong Jian to shift his center of gravity."

Li Man's gaze sharpened slightly.

Tang San did not expect the pebbles to knock Dong Jian down directly.

He only needed Dong Jian to move in the direction he had anticipated.

Dong Jian raised his leg to avoid the third pebble.

Just as he landed, a pulling force suddenly came from his right.

Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon activated again.

Dong Jian's center of gravity was already shifting.

Now, pulled by the force, his body inevitably tilted to the right.

Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and appeared before him in an instant.

Mysterious Jade Hand went straight for his chest.

Dong Jian forcibly twisted his waist.

His shoulder slammed forward.

But Tang San seemed to have anticipated it.

He shifted his feet and slipped around to Dong Jian's side, brushing past his shoulder.

His right hand pressed lightly against Dong Jian's back.

He gave him a forward push.

Dong Jian took three successive steps before regaining his footing.

He had barely turned around when Tang San appeared in front of him.

A palm covered in a faint jade hue stopped less than an inch from his chest.

Outside the field, everything fell silent.

"I lost."

Dong Jian made no excuses.

If this had been a real fight, Tang San's final palm strike would have hit his chest.

Even if it had not been fatal, it would have been enough to make him lose his balance.

Tang San withdrew his hand.

"Your close-range skills are very strong."

"If Mountain-Leaning Collision had hit me head-on just now, I might not have been able to withstand it."

He was not saying that to comfort him.

It was the truth.

Relying on Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, and the pebbles, Tang San had never given Dong Jian another chance to close in and clash with him.

He was equally aware that, if he had stood his ground and taken the attack head-on, Dong Jian's strength and ability to dissipate force might have changed the outcome.

"A loss is a loss."

Dong Jian looked down at the training field.

Every moment of the fight replayed in his mind.

Whenever Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his feet had to touch the ground.

No matter how light his movements were, they would still leave changes behind.

The earth on the left had sunk slightly.

The hem of his clothes had stirred the air.

His breathing had paused briefly before he changed direction.

The reason Dong Jian had never been able to catch up was that he had relied solely on his eyes to track Tang San's position.

By the time his eyes saw him, Tang San had already completed his next move.

"After some time has passed, let's have another match."

Dong Jian said.

Tang San nodded.

"All right."

This victory confirmed that his judgment had been correct.

Dong Jian's techniques were indeed unusual.

But his teacher had been right as well.

Strong attacks and force dissipation had no room to be put to use if he could not get close to his enemy.

Yu Xiaogang walked over to Tang San.

"You did well."

"You didn't let your opponent's fighting style dictate your rhythm."

Tang San bowed.

"Thank you for your guidance, teacher."

Yu Xiaogang then looked at Dong Jian.

"Your problems are also quite clear now."

"You lack speed and long-range means of attack."

"If your First Soul Ring continues to strengthen your defense, this weakness will become more serious."

Dong Jian did not argue.

"So have you changed your Soul Ring recommendation now?"

Yu Xiaogang paused for a moment.

"I need to observe further."

Li Man wrote a line in her notebook.

Revise the original judgment based on new evidence from the fight.

Yu Xiaogang saw it but said nothing.

Xiao Wu jumped down from the fence.

"What's so interesting about running back and forth?"

"If it were me, I'd throw him straight out if he dared come close."

Tang San looked at her.

"You can give it a try."

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up.

"Sure."

"Not today."

Wang Sheng hurriedly stepped between them.

"If you keep fighting, we'll miss all our morning classes!"

The group gradually dispersed.

Li Man walked over to Dong Jian and handed him her notebook.

It showed the paths Tang San had taken.

"Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track isn't without a pattern."

"His footsteps can deceive you, but his body weight can't."

Dong Jian looked at the intersecting paths.

"You noticed?"

"Only part of it."

Li Man said:

"If you want to truly keep up, you can't rely on your eyes alone."

This was exactly the same as the conclusion Dong Jian had just reached.

"We'll start training this afternoon."

"How?"

Li Man raised her Green Jade Bamboo.

Several emerald-green bamboo leaves fell from its branches.

"Close your eyes."

"I'll throw bamboo leaves from different directions."

"Judge their positions by sound alone."

Dong Jian smiled.

Losing to Tang San was certainly unpleasant.

But this defeat had at least shown him what to train next.

That night.

Dong Jian entered the Hundred Battles Hall again.

The mirror image was still standing in the center of the hall.

But this time, a faint, illusory outline surrounded its body.

Its feet crossed.

Its figure shifted left and right.

Although it was not the real Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, it had clearly absorbed Tang San's combat data from the day.

The mirror image raised its right hand.

Three pebbles were held between its fingers.

New text appeared on the stone stele.

Failed battle in reality recorded.

Detected: user unable to cope with high-speed changes of direction and long-range interference.

Begin targeted training?

"Begin."

As soon as Dong Jian spoke,

all the lights in the Hundred Battles Hall went out at once.

The surroundings plunged into complete darkness.

He could not even see his own hand.

The next second-

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

At least six stones flew at him from different directions at once.

Dong Jian had just tried to dodge when sharp pain tore through his chest, shoulder, and knee in quick succession.

Bang!

The last stone struck him in the forehead, and he fell onto his back.

In the darkness, the mirror image's footsteps sounded endlessly from every direction.

The requirements for the new trial slowly surfaced in his consciousness.

Do not use your eyes.

Hold out for one incense stick's time.