Chapter 259: Chapter 120: I am Huajin, Dominant Suppression
Song Kang was swept off the stage by Li Shi’s palm.
From Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, the last Mingjin Disciple, Lin Fuxiang, took a deep breath and strode out from the ranks.
He wasn’t tall, standing just over five feet, but he was built as solid as a millstone. His martial arts uniform strained against his bulging muscles.
"Sun’s Martial Arts Hall. Lin Fuxiang," he announced in a booming voice, then leaped onto the stage and assumed the opening stance of the Mountain-Shattering Fist.
On the stage, Li Shi was already gasping for breath. Fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and his chest heaved erratically.
After defeating three opponents in a row, even for someone at the Peak of Mingjin, his Inner Strength was almost completely depleted.
But as he looked at the unremarkable Lin Fuxiang before him, a flicker of competitiveness still glinted in his eyes. ’One more victory, and I’ll secure a four-win streak for the Li Family. The Patriarch is sitting right there, watching everything. There will definitely be a reward when I get back!’
"Take this!" Li Shi mustered his Inner Strength, his palms a blur as he executed the Cloud-Piercing Palm once more. However, the strikes lacked their previous swiftness, feeling somewhat weak and hollow.
Lin Fuxiang, however, remained unhurried. In his hands, the Mountain-Shattering Fist was as solid as a deeply rooted ancient tree. Every punch was heavy and stable, creating an impenetrable defense around him.
His movements seemed slow, yet he always managed to precisely block Li Shi’s palm strikes. The occasional counter-punch he threw carried enough force to shake a mountain.
The crowd below gradually began to understand. This Lin Fuxiang looked ordinary, but his foundation was incredibly solid. He had practiced the Mountain-Shattering Fist’s Sinking Rune Technique until it was ingrained in his very bones.
After another dozen exchanges, Li Shi’s Inner Strength completely gave out. He threw one last palm strike, and his movements visibly faltered.
Lin Fuxiang seized the fleeting opportunity. He sank his hips, twisted his torso, and unleashed his right fist like a sledgehammer, planting it squarely on Li Shi’s chest.
BANG!
Struck by the heavy blow, Li Shi flew backward like a kite with a broken string. He crashed heavily onto the ground below the stage and lost consciousness.
Lin Fuxiang was victorious!
The disciples of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall let out a collective sigh of relief, and a murmur of discussion rose from the guest seats.
"That Lin Fuxiang doesn’t look like much, but he’s a tough nut to crack!"
"The Mountain-Shattering Fist of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall really lives up to its reputation."
Just then, another man stepped out from the Li Family’s line of fighters. He wore a gray robe, his aura completely restrained.
Li Shan leaped onto the stage and said coolly, "Li Family. Dark Energy. Li Shan."
He practiced the Li Family’s Tiger-Subduing Fist. While not a top-tier martial art, it was still fierce and overbearing.
Lin Fuxiang’s expression changed. He knew the gulf between their realms was immense, but he still gritted his teeth and assumed his fighting stance.
Unfortunately, the gap between the Dark Energy and Mingjin realms was an impassable chasm. Li Shan gave him little chance. Within three moves, a Tiger-Subduing Fist landed on his shoulder. Lin Fuxiang let out a muffled grunt, his face went white, and he immediately conceded and left the stage.
Li Shan was victorious!
"Sun’s Martial Arts Hall. Zhao Wenzheng."
With a deep shout, Zhao Wenzheng walked onto the stage.
His gaze locked onto Li Shan as he flawlessly assumed the opening stance of the Mountain-Shattering Fist. Dark Energy slowly began to circulate within his body.
"Then let’s see this Mountain-Shattering Fist of Young Master Zhao’s," Li Shan said with a grin, striking his fists together with a dull thud.
Zhao Wenzheng’s Mountain-Shattering Fist had reached the Dark Energy realm. Its momentum was fierce yet fluid, and every punch seemed to carry immense power.
Li Shan’s Tiger-Subduing Fist was equally formidable. Its movements were cunning, specifically targeting his opponent’s openings.
The clash between Dark Energy Martial Artists was far more intense than a Mingjin bout. As their fists collided, waves of Qi Force erupted, causing the bluestone slabs of the stage to rattle and shake.
Everyone in the guest seats watched with rapt attention. Even Sun Yong and Li Haitao leaned forward slightly in their seats.
This was a true duel between masters, where every single detail could determine the victor.
After more than fifty exchanges, Zhao Wenzheng seized the instant Li Shan’s momentum was spent. He abruptly switched from a fist to a palm, concentrating Dark Energy into one heavy Mountain-Shattering Seal that he slammed into Li Shan’s chest.
Li Shan staggered backward, his qi and blood roiling within him. He nearly lost his footing. Knowing he was defeated, he gave a bitter smile. "Young Master Zhao, your skill is superior. I concede."
Zhao Wenzheng was victorious!
Time ticked by, and the bouts on the stage grew increasingly fierce.
The Martial Artists stepping onto the stage were stronger and stronger, ranging from the Mingjin to the Dark Energy realm. Each new clash held the crowd in rapt attention.
The common folk in the surrounding crowd were thrilled, letting out gasps of surprise from time to time. In their eyes, a Martial Artist who could shatter a wooden plank from afar or leave a shallow crater with a single punch was an incredible existence. Watching such a ferocious battle was an absolute thrill!
But in the guest seats, the expressions of the Huajin Powerhouses and masters at the Peak of Dark Energy gradually grew more serious.
To them, the bouts at the Mingjin level were ultimately just child’s play. Only the duels between Dark Energy experts were worthy of their real attention.
On the stone steps at the edge of the square.
People were squeezed shoulder to shoulder, a dense crowd of commoners eager to watch the spectacle.
Yang An stood on his tiptoes, craning his neck as he strained to see the stage.
He had a sturdy build but wasn’t particularly tall, so the people in front of him blocked most of his view. He could only vaguely make out the familiar figure of Yang Jing near the stage.
Amidst the ceaseless chatter around him, he heard more than a few comments about Yang Jing’s extraordinary skill.
Listening in, Yang An couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his face. He felt more pleased than if he’d received the praise himself. He couldn’t help but lean in and add, "That’s right! My Brother Jing is incredibly skilled!"
A person nearby glanced at him, and though they didn’t know him, they nodded in agreement.
This made him even prouder. His gaze remained locked on that familiar figure, his own fists clenched so tight his palms began to sweat.
...
On the stage, Zhao Wenzheng had just been defeated.
The one who defeated him was another Dark Energy expert from the Li Family, Li Lie. He was tall and slender, with prominent knuckles. He practiced a superior martial art known as the Netherworld Claw, a sinister and cunning technique that specialized in attacking a person’s vital points.
