Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Defeating the Crowd of Heroes
"What did you say, you punk?"
Fang Can’s provocation was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples through the crowd. The gazes of his fellow disciples immediately turned hostile.
’One person challenging the several hundred people in the entire training ground?’
Even Instructor Yang Lie, who had practiced his whole life and barely reached the Profound Gate Fifth Layer, might not be able to accomplish such a feat.
Although they didn’t know how Fang Can had cultivated so quickly in just seven days, he clearly couldn’t have surpassed the Profound Gate Second Layer.
’Since there isn’t a huge disparity in power between them, his claim of taking on a hundred men is far too arrogant.’
At this thought, they suppressed their shock at Fang Can’s increased strength and all surged forward, surrounding him. It seemed like they were ready to mob him at the slightest provocation.
"Are my seniors hard of hearing?" Fang Can tossed Li Qunfan’s body aside like a piece of trash, then cupped his fists and announced,
"I wish to test my own abilities, so I invite my seniors to give me a few pointers."
"A spar between fellow disciples. No limit on the number of participants. I eagerly await your instruction."
"Fine, fine, fine. I admit you might be a genius, but you’re still far too arrogant." A massive, burly man, two meters tall, strode out from the crowd.
"My name is Ye Qin. No one else needs to interfere. I’ll take you on by myself," the huge man said, his eyes filled with contempt.
’This country bumpkin really thinks he’s an expert just for sucker-punching some guy named Li. Talk after you’ve beaten the strongest one here.’
As he settled into his stance, Ye Qin assumed the opening posture of the sixty-six-move Tiger’s Hunger Fist Skill. Faintly, everyone seemed to hear the roar of a tiger in a mountain forest.
Seeing Ye Qin’s opening stance, everyone held their breath. He had already fused his true intent into his technique.
When an attack carries martial intent and the opponent’s lacks it, the opponent is at an innate disadvantage. Their momentum falters, and a flaw opens in their state of mind, leading to defeat.
"Then please, senior, instruct me." Seeing his opponent’s move, Fang Can mirrored his opening stance.
But even though it was the same posture, the crowd felt a sense of daze, as if a real tiger were crouching, ready to pounce.
That’s right. The so-called "true intent" was just a lesser substitute for an externalized Heart Image. In terms of sheer presence, it didn’t even reach one percent of a Heart Image’s power.
Pitting true intent against a Heart Image was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Even though Fang Can hadn’t even externalized his Heart Image, in the clash of auras, Ye Qin was already innately inferior.
’His understanding of this fist style is even deeper than mine.’
Ye Qin found it hard to believe, but the duel had already begun. The more he hesitated, the greater his chances of failure.
"BOOM!"
Channeling the intent of a tiger fighting to the death, Ye Qin stomped hard, shattering the green bricks beneath his feet, and launched himself forward like a real pouncing tiger.
In response, Fang Can didn’t dodge at all. His right hand formed a claw and shot out, anticipating his opponent’s move. He grabbed Ye Qin’s thick wrist and redirected the force of the blow.
By the time Ye Qin could react, his entire body was spinning in the air like a top before Fang Can grabbed his head with one hand and slammed it straight into the green bricks.
’Who am I? Where am I? How did I lose?’
With his face embedded in the brickwork, Ye Qin’s skin burned. He couldn’t tell if it was from pain or rage; he couldn’t even comprehend how he had lost.
’I should be stronger than him. How is this possible?’ Ye Qin stood up, questioning his very existence, and assumed a fighting stance. "Again!"
Fang Can ignored him and cupped his fists again. "Are there any other seniors who wish to challenge me? One-on-one or a group fight, I’ll accept either."
"I’ll go!" A tall, slender man stepped forward. "You’ve got some skill, junior brother, but I don’t use the Tiger Slayer Fist. You won’t be able to defeat me simply by being more familiar with the style."
"Then I ask for your instruction, senior." As Fang Can spoke, he took a step back. A leg as thick as a log swung up at him from below like a cleaver.
"SHIIING!"
In an instant, the man’s toes plowed through the ground, carving a conspicuous gash into the green bricks.
If Fang Can hadn’t dodged at just the right moment, the area from his groin to his Dantian would have been sliced open.
’Leg techniques? As it happens, I know a little of those, too.’ Fang Can smiled and shot out a kick of his own. Just as his opponent was retracting his leg, he aimed a swift kick at the man’s knee, startling him into hastily raising his own leg to defend.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
The collision of their legs sent shockwaves through the air. The onlookers were astonished by the pure contest of leg techniques.
"Am I seeing things? It looks like they’re both using a leg technique."
"That’s right. That’s the sect’s Fierce Blade Leg Technique. This newcomer not only surpasses Ye Qin in fist techniques, but his legwork is just as good."
The crowd was surprised, but the Disciple in the middle of the fight was utterly horrified.
Because in this pure exchange of leg techniques, every one of Fang Can’s kicks struck his opponent’s openings precisely. As a result, even though he was clearly far stronger, he couldn’t bring any of his power to bear.
The entire fierce exchange of kicks lasted only four or five seconds before Fang Can found an opening and stomped down hard.
With a dull thud, Fang Can stomped on his opponent’s knee joint, forcing the leg technique specialist to his knee, unable to rise.
Fang Can took two steps back, smiled, and clasped his hands. "Senior, you let me win."
Knowing he was outmatched, the man said nothing more and disappeared back into the crowd.
This time, before Fang Can could speak, another person stepped forward, holding a longsword. "Junior brother, this senior only knows Swordsmanship. I wonder how your own Swordsmanship is?"
"I know a little," Fang Can replied calmly.
The next moment, from within the crowd, Yang Lie, who had been watching the fun, tossed a sword to him. "Catch."
Catching the longsword, Fang Can slowly drew the blade slightly from its sheath, revealing a sharp, cold glint of light.
"Blade length, three feet, three inches, three lines. Weight, six pounds, four ounces. Cold glint. A decent sword, just barely," Fang Can commented sharply.
Without another word, two cold gleams of light flared simultaneously. Though the sun blazed high in the sky, the surrounding disciples felt a piercing chill.
There is a great wall between fighting bare-handed and with a weapon. Before the Heaven-Ascending Road, a Martial Artist is ultimately flesh and blood; they can only dodge when facing the attack of sharp Sword Qi.
"CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!"
The crowd could only see the two of them weaving their longswords into an impenetrable defense, so tight not even water could pass through. In a single second, they heard at least a dozen dense clashes.
"RIP! RIP! RIP!"
As Sword Qi crisscrossed the area, the clothes of the surrounding disciples—who were standing a meter or two away—were cut open by the energy from the fight, forcing them to retreat even further.
The fight still only lasted a little over ten seconds. Fang Can suddenly retracted his sword, creating distance, and said, "Senior, that was thirteen strikes."
As soon as Fang Can spoke, the crowd realized with a start that his opponent’s clothing had thirteen cuts over his neck, heart, and the tendons of his hands and feet, all made by the tip of a sword.
Looking at his opponent’s tattered clothes and then at Fang Can’s still-pristine Tiger Slaughter Sect uniform, the man held up his sword in a bitter salute. "I concede."
"Any other seniors wish to offer their instruction?" Fang Can smiled and stabbed the longsword into the ground beside him.
"No matter what martial art, no matter what weapon."
"Whether it’s a one-on-one duel or a group fight, I’ll accept."
"Because right now is when the gap between you and me is at its smallest."
"It’s also your best chance to defeat me."
"Miss this chance, and from this day forward, all you’ll be able to do is stare at my back as you struggle to follow in my footsteps."
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