Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Everyone was astonished for a while and then comments started filling up the screen.
“When did Lou Cheng’s supernatural fire ability become so powerful?”
“It seems like he reached a new level in his Fire Force!”
“That move was supposed to be an alternative version of Ice Burning?”
“As the saying goes, a fighter who has been away for three days must be looked at with new eyes.”
“Incredible!”
“I am looking forward to this match.”
As the audience posted their comments, the situation on the stage was fraught with change.
Lou Cheng launched a fireball and leapt forward. But the blaze was redirected by Peng Leyun’s Ascension to Heaven’s Stars, and missed the target. As the flames lit up both their faces, Lou Cheng visualized an imposing scene of an ice-bound mighty river. It was a spectacular scene.
As the image flashed through his mind, Lou Cheng’s body, muscles, bones, and organs adjusted accordingly. A cold current surged within his body, like a raging torrent.
This was only the beginning. The Frozen River Diagram began fading away as the sky was lowering, accompanied by the muffle of thunderclouds.
Lou Cheng conducted his strength from his tiptoe to his back, swinging his hardened right arm like an iron club.
It was Thunder Roar Zen, Severe Warning!
That move was not an alternate version, but a simplified original physical invulnerability. When he entered Dan stage, Lou Cheng’s power to control was remarkably enhanced and his Spirit was also promoted to another level. Adding the “Swordsman” Formula, he finally accomplished Severe Warning!
His iron arm struck down with an ear-splitting sound!
As the blaze between them was shaking and dying out, Lou Cheng’s clenched fist was reflected in Peng Leyun’s eyes.
Peng Leyun smoldered with excitement, visualizing twice in his mind and focusing on a green jade seal floating in a void.
The jade seal was carved with complex characters, like tangled lightning, radiating silver lights and buzzing.
At last, the pattern on the seal was magnified and intensified by Yin and Yang interaction.
This was Peng Leyun’s alternate version!
His eyes crystallized into two “lightning balls.” While stretching up and showing off his muscles, he looked like a God of Thunder descending to the world. Peng Leyun hit the ground with his hands, facing directly toward Lou Cheng’s iron arm.
The eleventh skill of Thunder Sect, a simplified trick of physical invulnerability, Thunder Seal!
Bang!
Their fists froze in the midair as a violent wind suddenly sprang up. Peng Leyun lost focus as if his mind was out on a journey. Then ice crystals began forming on his arms, martial arts suit, and hair.
Lou Cheng was paralyzed as if he had received an electric shock. His ears were filled with a hiss and his hair stood up. His muscles were out of control, shivering by themselves, and his internal organs were also affected and in disorder.
Both of them were struck dumb as if someone pressed the pause button. The audience was also dumbfounded. If it were not for the close-up view of the frost covering Peng Leyun or Lou Cheng’s rising hair, most of the audience might have thought something was wrong with their eyes or the live telecast performance.
“It was said that both Lou Cheng and Peng Leyun mastered a simplified trick of physical invulnerability?”
“And that was the consequence of a powerful clash?”
“Let’s wait and see who will regain consciousness first.”
“Incredible! That young man deserves some respect!” Zhang He, the announcer sighed with emotion.
Back when I was his age, I had not mastered a single horrifying move. Even five or ten years later, I still did not have any simplified tricks of physical invulnerability.
“I have never seen Lou Cheng’s move, not to mention knowing what it is called. I guess it was the combination of Tremor Punch and Ice Sect Force. Peng Leyun’s move was called ‘Thunder Seal’ which will be poorly performed by a fighter without a supernatural thunder ability. But Peng Leyun, with only a few adjustments, enhanced the effect of Thunder Seal. Although it was less powerful than the original version, he is indeed a genius.” Zhang He seized the moment to explain the situation to the audience.
Peng Leyun was a pure fighter, without any supernatural ability!
Peng Leyun and Lou Cheng, one was almost Inhuman, with a monstrous physique, another had a supernatural ability and used a powerful simplified trick of physical invulnerability. Suddenly they both recovered from their rigid posture. One of them glowed with pride and happiness while the other regained control of his muscles.
Of course, they woke up one after another. Lou Cheng was one step earlier because he possessed a supernatural ability and practiced the “Swordsman” Formula that fundamentally enhanced his body. Although his physique was weaker than Peng Leyun, he wasn’t far behind. Lou Cheng advanced forward, trying to get closer to his enemy. Lou Cheng raised his hands and shook his wrists. Spiritual attacks landed before to the actual moves and hit seven spots on Peng Leyun’s body. Mixing Feints with actual strikes was one of his tactics.
He held back the strength in his muscles and bones, waiting to release it in one ultimate move.
Meanwhile, a silver light shot from Lou Cheng’s hand, filling the air and condensing into crystal frost.
Humming! Every piece of ice crystal was vibrating, disturbing Peng Leyun’s sense of hearing. Peng also felt the sting of the sound and his Absolute Reaction was affected. Before his eyes was a stretch of indistinct white frost.
The thirteenth movement of Ice Sect, Snow Cover!
In contrast to Lou Cheng’s miraculous effect, any fighter can only influence the circumstance by strength and make frost to interfere enemy’s judgment. They will wait for the final strike, making the best use of the enemy’s weakened Absolute Reaction. In other words, although the enemy felt the pain, he could not be well prepared due to the imminent threats.
This was quite a complicated skill. After Lou Cheng spent over three months, he still could only barely initiate this move!
In the dense ice fog, Lou Cheng continued to fight while holding back some of his strength. Suddenly his hip became taut, kicking with his right foot toward Peng Leyun’s ankle without a word.
They were fighting in close combat and Peng Leyun was using his Absolute Reaction. The kick was about to land on him!
“On a foggy day, the mist rises from the ground.” This was the essence of Snow Cover!
However, a fighter from Ice Sect would not follow a prescribed rule when applying their moves. The kick would only be a feint, while the fist would release the real attack. The varied and fast-changing tactics made it difficult for an opponent to defend.
Yet, before Lou Cheng’s kick arrived, Peng Leyun had straightened his back, moving strength to his feet and biding his time.
He sensed hostility coming from below toward his feet.
Pop!
As Lou Cheng kicked, Peng lifted his left foot and right arm, as if he had practiced a thousand times, and thrust forward.
Bang! Since Lou Cheng was weaker than Peng Leyun, his left foot was bounced back by Peng Leyun’s attack. This caused Lou Cheng to lean forward, almost throwing himself into Peng Leyun’s right arm.
In this critical situation, Lou Cheng immediately adjusted his spine to regain his balance and restore his Qi and blood. He his force concentrated in his lower abdomen in order to counter the violent attacks from his enemy.
Peng Leyun’s eyes glistened with fighting spirit as he became excited. His Qi, blood, strength, and spirit were focused to a single spot within his body, drawing his right arm back and waiting for the next attack.
Boom!
Their Danqi gushed out. Peng raised his right arm up like the thunder god beating a drum with a hammer and Lou tightened his wrist, drawing his shoulder back like drawing a bow, and shot out his fist like an arrow.
Bang! Their fists met. Both fighters’ muscles, bones, tendons, and vessels began to alter slightly. The muffled noise from the stage awoke the audience, making their adrenalin flow and their blood boil!
Snap! A web of cracks appeared under Lou Cheng’s foot and he had to withdraw unexpectedly.
Peng Leyun forged ahead with an unusual visualization forming in his mind.
Peng Leyun raised his hands, punching out continuously like a Machine gun!
That was the Catapulting Movement of modern Xingyi!
Pop! The audience quieted down, hearing Peng’s fascia contracting and stretching. His joints crunched noisily like a ceaseless machine.
Pop! The repeated noise made the spectators tremble. They noticed Lou Cheng defending hastily, warding off the opponent’s blows by instinct.
“Wow... ” Li Mao felt like Peng Leyun’s fists left an after-image. He didn’t think he would even stand a chance at defending against this attack.
Lin Que looked towards the arena with his fists clenched. The favored fighter of the age was appealing as if his punch was beating on the bottom of his heart. Yan Zheke held her breath and broke out in a cold sweat, feeling like her heart was in her throat, yet she was not as scared as everyone else.
Brahman and Yan Xiaoling held their breath as well, praying silently.
“Machine Fist!” exclaimed Zhang He, the announcer. That was the name of Peng Leyun’s move.
In modern Xingyi, Shooting Fillip and Catapulting Movement were the basics and Blast Punch was more advanced, but Machine Fist would not be acquired until the fighter was in full control of his body and equipped with the high agility of a Sixth-Pin fighter. The fists would be like shooting bullets when Machine Fist was carried out, and the opponent would not be able to keep up with the punches.
Zhang He reminded the audience. “Stop staring at his fists! Look at Peng Leyun’s footwork!”
If Machine Fist always hit on the same position, the defender could easily deal with it by just waving arms. Without needing to think about their defense, they could easily keep up with the attack. Therefore the essence of Machine Fist was the footwork instead of the fist. The delicate footwork altered the fist’s target causing the opponent to be caught off guard and struck by the fists violently.
Zhang He had just finished speaking when he frowned and felt puzzled.
“Why?”
Even though Peng Leyun changed the hitting spot three times, how could Lou Cheng still keep up with his pace? It seemed like they were connected at a deep level with each other and had practiced a hundred times!
“Why?” Unparalleled Dragon King was convinced there was something fishy.
Lou Cheng’s mind was like a crystal mirror, reflecting everything within a radius of a meter clearly. Peng Leyun’s muscular contraction and preparation of footwork were exposed, so Lou Cheng could estimate his next move in advance and deal with it.
This was called Ice Mirror, the most difficult skill in Ice Sect for a fighter with no physical invulnerability.
Lou Cheng’s Dan was balanced, and his Spirit, Qi, and strength were merged as one with some extraordinary power brought by the Jindan. After meditation, Lou Cheng acquired inward vision and was one step away from mastering Ice Mirror. Therefore Lou Cheng practiced the “Forwarding” Formula and the “Swordsman” Formula for a month to initiate the skill and so far he had achieved the state of Cheng!
As a result, he maintained his position in front of Peng Leyun’s Machine Fist with Thunder and lightning.
Pop! Bang! The noise was continuous but Lou Cheng always countered the attack promptly by adjusting his arms, swaying his wrists, or stretching his fingers. His comprehensive reaction made him unassailable. However, he was weaker than Peng Leyun so Lou Cheng had to pull back and release some stress from time to time. It seemed that Lou was forced to withdraw by Machine Fist.
While they were fighting, Lou Cheng stepped backwards along a zigzag pattern instead of a straight line to prevent himself from accidentally falling out of the arena.
One of them was a swift and violent attacker, while the other was a steady and nimble defender. The audience sat upright as if they were about to join the fight and get the excitement off their chest.
“Marvelous!”
“Unbelievable! Peng Leyun is such a superman.”
“Even an iron plate would be crushed by such an assault.”
“Lou Cheng is tough. I’m getting dizzy just by watching but he can still defend against it all.”
“Indeed. He seems to be undefeatable. He deserves his great reputation.”
When Lou Cheng began feeling like he could not make it through the countless strikes, Peng Leyun finally started to slow down. He finished performing Machine Fist, puffing and blowing.
Now or never! Lou Cheng stepped back, letting go of all the pressure. An ancient character appeared in his mind.
He could not afford to pay attention to his aching arms and fists. Instead, he put both palms together, soothing them solemnly.
“Army!”
That was the “Army” Formula of secret mind discipline!
The sound resonated and suddenly the fight was fierce. Peng Leyun became lost among thousands of illusory men and horses, hearing their battle cry. The ground seemed to shake like ten thousand stampeding horses. The murderous mood made Peng Leyun’s flesh creep. He felt like he was besieged by innumerable enemies!
Peng Leyun was nearly delirious, trembling unconsciously. He tried to visualize the thunderbolt caused by Yin and Yang forces.
Bang!
The thunder clapped and turned into a mighty god descending to the world. Yang, strength, and integrity filled the arena dispelling the murderous and illusive army.
That was the Unique Skill of the Thunder Sect used for resisting an evil assault!
Bang!
Lou Cheng was spiritually countered, with a humming in his head. He turned into a ghost under the thunder and lightning. It seemed he was about to vanish, like smoke in the thin air, at any moment.
After a flash crossed over his Heart Lake of Ice Mirror, it fractured.
At the moment, he envisioned a huge Chinese character in his mind with one hand gesturing in front of his chest and another pressed on Dantian.
“Forwarding!”
Lou Cheng was surrounded by the muffled noise as if all his terror and fear had disappeared.
“Not bad!” Peng Leyun brought down his fist and used the Force Concentration to perform Divine Pound, one of twenty four pounding skills in Thunder Sect. He swung his right arm towards Lou Cheng, leaving him no room to dodge.
With the Divine Pound came the repercussion!
Lou Cheng held his Dan, forcing strength into his right arm. Instead of swelling, his arm strained and tightened. Lou Cheng brandished his fist showing no sign of fear.
A Rocket-like Punch approached!
Boom! There was an explosion in the arena and the blast wave spread in all directions, centered around the two fighters in a deadlock.
Lou Cheng’s feet almost got bogged down into the ground and his shoes were torn. He staggered around and drew back.
Suddenly, he took a breath, while concentrating the running Qi and blood to maintain his balance. He drew support from his opponent, and then withdrew his left foot swiftly.
Double Explosion! Mega Avalanche!
Peng Leyun ignited his Dan, kicking and thrusting like lightning.
Pong! Lou Cheng applied Brutal Blizzard into the successive explosions, giving Peng Leyun tit for tat.
Third Explosion, Fourth Explosion, Fifth Explosion, and Sixth Explosion! Their fight caused a raging storm on the stage, with the explosion sound incessantly lingering.
Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth explosion! Lou Cheng resisted the enemy at every step and based on his 24 Blizzard Strikes, Lou Cheng even gained an advantage. while Peng Leyun fought, he became even stronger and inexhaustible. The fighting stage was trampled into a pit, draping in a veil of flying ash.
Bang! Every hand-to-hand fight was like a bomb dropping, exploding upon the heart of Xu Wannian and others. Fang Zhirong could not help ripping the white towel wrapped around his head while staring at the arena.
“Brilliant!” The comments alike were posted on the screen.
“How could Lou Cheng deal with ten explosions?”
“Is this a top-level match between two ordinary fighters?”
“Oh! Now I’d like to pick a fight with someone!”
“I’m even willing to fight a girl!”
Crack! Lou Cheng’s martial arts shoes split, resembling a pair of butterflies, while Peng Leyun’s shoes were smashed to pieces. One of them turned his hand over, and another clenched his fist, making the Eleventh Explosion.
After entering Dan stage, Lou Cheng could finish five Explosions in a row without the Jindan replenishing him. When his supernatural ability awoke twice, with Dan stage skills and practicing the “Swordsman” Formula, Lou Cheng already made a breakthrough that enhanced his body and ability significantly. Even without the Jindan, he could accomplish twelve Explosions, while Peng Leyun made ten Explosions when he fought Ren Li this year, and he was almost an Inhuman, even a monster.
Speaking of which, they were far beyond Fang Zhirong and others.
Bang!
A fair-complexioned fist and a sun-burnt fist collided with each other. Lou Cheng felt that Peng Leyun had a stronger physique so he retreated, causing the ground to subside with his footprints. Peng Leyun faltered and failed to attack quickly enough.
After a while, they came apart, applying the Internal Training Methods to alleviate the pressure caused by Tremor Punch. The successive explosions finally went off.
——They just used Force Concentration and got entangled so they were not fully recovered.
As they broke away from each other, the audience burst into thunderous applause. Yan Zheke and others could finally catch their breath, and the rest were joyful, relieved, shocked, or astounded.
“Initial Sixth Pin fighter... ” Said Ren Li, in front of the TV screen in the office of Martial Arts Club of Capital College.
“Initial Sixth Pin fighter?” Shen You, Jiang Kongchan, and the others were aware that Sunny Star referred to Lou Cheng, so they looked at each other in dismay while recalling the fight they just witnessed.
In a mere four months, Lou Cheng almost became a Sixth Pin fighter?
You’ve got to be kidding me! This is insane!
What’s more, Peng Leyun left no opportunity for Lou Cheng!
What is Peng Leyun’s actual strength?
Lou Cheng, standing on the stage, wondered the same thing. He even felt desperate because he did his utmost, yet Peng Leyun was handling it with ease. Peng was such a deep and immeasurable opponent that no matter how hard Lou Cheng tried, Peng Leyun could always find a way to fight back. There was no stratagem that ensured Lou Cheng’s success.
Peng Leyun regretted meeting force with force, but he did so when he used Simplified Physical Invulnerable Move. It was different when he fought Ren Li because he dodged and evaded.
In other words, he was fully convinced that he could deal with all the possibilities this time when confronting Lou Cheng.
Peng Leyun was not underestimating his enemy, he was just a keen fan of martial arts, so he was waiting for the right time to experience his opponent’s secret skills personally.
Of course, it showed through Peng Leyun’s calm and confident manner.
” Maybe Peng Leyun’s arrogance and negligence can be exploited...” Lou Cheng reckoned as he leapt forward. He prepared to use a double-edged sword.
He visualized an ice-bound river, frozen waves, and a bright sun in the air.
The Great Sun fell from the sky, causing a change in Lou Cheng’s body, and then hit the ice ruthlessly.
This was Lou Cheng’s Severe Warning, and this time the supernatural ability of ice and flame reached the balance, carrying out a destructive power that would hurt both sides.
Pop! Lou Cheng’s back trembled, and then he raised his right arm, putting his fist forward.
While Peng Leyun was excited, visualizing thundering in his mind as he hit the ground, causing a burst of golden blaze and sparks.
The fifteenth move of Thunder Sect, a simplified trick of physical invulnerability, Thunderbolt Fire!
This was a simplified version from Golden Blaze of physical invulnerability. Lightning and Fire Stance, an even simpler version of it that can produce a temporary blast.
Peng Leyun started to tighten his muscles. As he clenched his fist confidently, he used the trick of Raise the Fire, Burn the Sky!
Bang!
Ice and blaze bumped into each other and then concentrated into a tiny whirl at Lou Cheng’s fist, sucking all the strength of numbness and fire from Peng Leyun.
Peng Leyun’s fist was tangled with Lou Cheng’s so he could not get away.
Bang!
The tiny whirl lost its balance due to the external force and it blew up, releasing shocking waves.
Bang!
This was the first time Peng Leyun was struck by Lou Cheng. Peng Leyun hobbled back and seemed a little crestfallen and heavy-minded.
Under the backfire of the explosion, Lou Cheng was in hot pursuit of his enemy. Lou Cheng’s Spirit preceded him and he tried to use his left and right hook to attack.
Under such circumstances, he could not use Force Concentration.
With his Absolute Reaction, Peng Leyun resumed his focus and got back to Dan realm immediately. His lifted his arms to his chest.
At this point, Lou Cheng’s fascia was bouncing. He made a detour to Peng Leyun’s back.
A snowy gleam and a bloody blaze rushed toward Peng Leyun.
The attack of ice and fire!
Meanwhile, Lou Cheng’s hands were held together and tightened. He pounded from right and left like a giant cracking a mountain, cutting off Peng Leyun’s retreat.
This was Cold Swallow, the nineteenth skill of Ice Sect! A chill came from all directions.
At this moment, Lou Cheng realized Peng Leyun had reached his limit, and he stood a good chance of defeating him.
Suddenly, it seemed that one worm wheel after another turned on inside Peng Leyun’s body, kindling Yin, Yang, Thunder, and lightning, erupting a formidable repulsion. The ice and blaze from Lou Cheng’s Mountain Blast Punch slowed down.
Pop!
Before Mountain Blast Punch landed on him, Peng Leyun tripped off and avoided ice and blaze burning. Not far away there was an outburst with boundless white smoke.
The spirit in his eyes reappeared, turning into a flashing lightning ball. He bent his arm, using his elbows to counter Lou Cheng’s fists. Meanwhile, Thunder Seal was visualized in his mind, floating in emptiness with sparks flying off.
Bang! Since Lou Chen used his double-edged sword, he could not evade in time and got a thump on the fists. A strong numbness infected in his body.
His hair turned up, and his heart almost paused. His felt pain and his internal organs were injured.
When Lou Cheng recovered, Peng Leyun turned around, hanging his fist between Lou Cheng’s eyebrows.
Peng Leyun, the God’s favored fighter, puffed heavily, and his forehead poured with sweat. He was less determined and confident.
The referee also raised his right hand to announce the result,
“The third round, Peng Leyun wins!”
Lou Cheng was quite dizzy as if he was still stupefied by Lightning Force.
“Peng Leyun, a worthy opponent...” Lou Cheng closed his eyes painfully.