“Bang!”
A muffled sound. Monk Jiese slapped Fang Ping’s chest.
Fang Ping was unfazed, sticking his chest out. Jiese’s hands were numb from the tremors.
“I knew you’re a pervert!”
“I don’t have feelings for guys!”
Monk Jiese mocked. He switched from palms to fingers, poking straight at Fang Ping’s eyes.
Since he was hitting below the belt, Fang Ping would not go easy on him either. Before his fingers could make an attack, Fang Ping gave his throat a stir and a blood arrow shot out of his mouth!
Monk Jiese’s expression changed slightly, raising his hands to block.
Pu!
The blood arrow penetrated his skin, smashing into his bone, emanating a creaking sound of metallic friction.
Monk Jiese’s expression stiffened again. What mighty force. If it had hit the brain, even if he did not die, he would at the very least be crippled.
“This is only a fight to learn from each other. Why are you so savage?”
“Not as savage as you are!”
Fang Ping laughed sarcastically. Both of them fought while provoking each other.
“Watch my six consecutive slashes!”
Fang Ping let out an earsplitting roar. It was as if the monk was facing a formidable enemy, yet the anticipated six consecutive slashes from Fang Ping did not come. Instead, he employed the Puncture Kick, jabbing at his groin!
“As*hole!”
Monk Jiese’s blood was boiling. He aimed a punch at the tip of Fang Ping’s foot.
The fist and the leg smashed into each other. Both of them took a step back each.
“Watch my six consecutive slashes!”
“Slash, my as*!”
Jiese cursed, yet he stepped on his heels the next second and retreated in a hurry.
Fang Ping’s expression was solemn instead. His complexion flushed red. ‘Let me perform six consecutive slashes!’
“Ha!”
With a full-throated roar. Fang Ping shifted his steps, catching up with Jiese at blinding speed. Jiese intended to avoid by employing the Midair Step, but Fang Ping’s Mentality was released without warning.
Jiese’s steps were frozen and he was forced to stand rooted to the ground. He let out a booming roar, his voice like a great bell. After that, his fists released a rich blood-tinted outburst of light. Instead of defending, he attacked, hammering at Fang Ping’s glaive at blinding speed.
Dong!
A booming crash went off. First slash, second slash, third slash...
Jiese had switched from attacking to blocking during the first three slashes, blocking them forcefully with his fists.
The fourth slash. In this slash, however, his right hand took the hit, blood splattering everywhere.
The fifth slash. The saber mark cut deep into the bones of his left hand.
Jiese let out feral roars of rage. “Go on, try and employ the sixth slash or you’ll just have to wait and die!”
He had not finished speaking when Fang Ping had already employed the sixth slash. When this slash was unleashed, Fang Ping’s face turned pale white instantly. The face of the monk standing in front of him was also white as a sheet. With a furious roar, he was prepared to take the hit forcefully!
He had been interfered by Fang Ping’s Mentality slightly. At this moment, he could not move from the spot.
It was either taking the hit or be slashed to death!
Fang Ping had already executed the slash. Even a sonic boom was released from the slash. His expression was shifting slightly.
...
Halfway up the mountain.
Old man Li frowned and exclaimed, “The monk is going to die!”
The old monk’s expression was grave. He said in a low, rough voice, “He can block it!”
“Fool. He’ll die if he can’t block it. You’re really confident!”
“He can. Jiese can do it!”
It was as if the old monk was self-comforting. His eyes were glued to the foot of the mountain, his right hand rotating the prayer beads ceaselessly.
Just as the old monk was itching to make a move, Jiese who was at the foot of the mountain let out a mad howl. It was as if his entire body’s Vitality had depleted all at once. His arms were golden yellow, with a hint of blood-tinted light seeping through at the same time.
In the blink of an eye, a boom went off.
Monk Jiese was flung out. Although he was levitating midair, blood spilled all over the place.
Fang Ping knelt on one knee as well. His eyes fixed firmly in front, panting heavily.
When Monk Jiese was thrown out, he crashed into the stone wall, causing a loud rumble.
After some time, Monk Jiese maneuvered himself out of the human-shaped hole in the stone wall, crimson blood flowing out of his mouth as he panted, “You snuck up on me. No one said that you can perform six consecutive slashes!”
When Fang Ping saw that he was only injured and very much alive, he breathed a sigh of relief. He teased, “I’ll have to report you for having an ultimate move now?”
“As*hole!”
Jiese cursed, bright-red blood flowing endlessly from the corner of his mouth. Fang Ping had gone all out on this slash. He took the hit passively and was still hacked by the B-class glaive. He was already suffering from heavy injuries, his vital organs were critically wounded. There was no combat strength left in him at this moment.
“You’re... cough, cough... you’re something!”
Jiese growled. He did not even retrieve his monk staff as he pulled himself up and walked up the mountain. This was too embarrassing. Getting slashed by others in front of his own house to the point that he was suffering critical injuries and bathing in blood. Was this not embarrassing enough?
Fang Ping burst out laughing. ‘I was only kidding!’
‘F*ck, I was really only trying to scare you off!’
‘I did not have a d*mn clue why I had managed to perform six consecutive slashes. This might have something to do with collective force. I actually executed the slash!’
If this was not the case, he would probably have lost to Monk Jiese even after employing all of his Combat Techniques and even utilizing his Mentality. Right now, however, he had won!
Fang Ping laughed out loud as if no one was around him!
As expected, actual combats were the best means to cultivate Combat Techniques.
‘I did not replenish Vitality, relied solely on my true abilities, and had defeated Flowery Monk who was ranked seventh!’
After laughing for a while, a sense of disappointment washed over Fang Ping instead.
My bone marrow like mercury, my Mentality nearly releasing outward, yet I was so close to being defeated by Jiese who was only on the seventh place on the ranking.
These guys were young people too. They were also Rank-3 martial artists. Why were they so powerful too?
“Am I really that weak?”
Fang Ping berated himself under his breath. Then, his confidence returned as he said, “I’ve won anyway. Once I can perform seven consecutive slashes and even attain collective force in the end, I’ll combine seven consecutive slashes into one. This will put me in a different league from every other Rank-3!”
Old Man Li said that one could become invincible by achieving seven consecutive slashes. However, Fang Ping figured that he would have to combine them into collective seven slashes. His opponents were not only the Rank-3 ones right now, but there were also the ones before and the ones in the future!
The Rank-3 in Fang Ping’s batch might not be in the same league as the Rank-3 in the last batch.
People like Wang Jinyang, Yao Chengjun, and Li Hansong had achieved Peak and Upper-stage Rank-4 today. All of them were powerful beyond what was considered normal. If he was invincible among all Rank-3 today, would it be the same if he was placed in the previous batch?
“Continue north. I think I will become more and more powerful. The moment I return from the north will be the moment I become an invincible Rank-3!”
Fang Ping heaved the glaive up, replenished his Vitality, and strode out of the mountain.
After walking a considerable distance, Fang Ping turned his head back suddenly. He went to the stone wall to take a look. The monk staff was still there.
As soon as he brushed his fingers across it, Fang Ping cursed!
Flowery Monk had gone too far!
He carried a golden monk staff that Fang Ping thought was made of alloy. He had only realized that it was made of iron the moment he touched it—one that was copper plated!
It was no wonder this fellow ran off without taking his monk staff with him, giving this plaything to Fang Ping as a gift. Even Fang Ping could not be bothered.
“Pooh! Poor monk!”
Only after cursing did Fang Ping leave like the wind.
...
13th of July. Fang Ping versus Rank-3 ranking 15th place Zhang Zhenhua. Victory!
14th of July. Fang Ping versus Rank-3 ranking 7th place Monk Jiese. Victory!
In only a few days, Fang Ping achieved Peak Rank-3. Manic Explosion attained six consecutive slashes. News of a suspected Mentality intimidation spread like wildfire.
Year 08. Wang Jinyang traveled north. The ones he challenged were all Rank-3 who were not listed in the ranking. Even if there were those listed in the ranking, it would only be a minuscule amount.
Whereas for Fang Ping, he had gone all the way up north, challenging Rank-3 powerhouses at the top of the ranking list consecutively, defeating each and every one of them. In a short period of time, he had risen to fame!
...
Meanwhile.
On the Internet, a video was circulating.
Peak Rank-3 combat!
Two Peak Rank-3 martial artists fought midair, splitting mountains and hewing rocks, smashing the earth with their feet. So this was Peak Rank-3?
Many people watched it. All of them found it difficult to believe.
Someone had recognized Fang Ping. Third place on the martial arts university Rank-3 ranking. If this was the ability of someone in the third place, what about first and second?
Also, where did that monk come from?
...
15th of July. Sino Nation Martial Arts Association released a comprehensive ranking list—Sino Nation Martial Arts Rank-3 Ranking.
Chen Qiufeng. Peak Rank-3. Martial artist of the Military Department. First place.
Guo Xuan. Peak Rank-3. Martial artist of the Military Department. Second place.
Ling Yiyi. Peak Rank-3. CCMAU student. Third place.
Xu Xiaobing. Peak Rank-3. Zhenwu disciple. Fourth place.
Yu Chen. Peak Rank-3. Hope Corporation Subsidiary Group Deputy General Manager. Fifth place.
Fang Ping. Peak Rank-3. MCMAU student. Sixth place.
Jiese (monastic title). Peak Rank-3. Wanshan Temple disciple. Seventh place.
...
The ranking list was updated once again!
Qin Fengqing broke through Rank-4 and had disappeared from the ranking list.
Fang Ping defeated Jiese, taking over the sixth place that Jiese had initially advanced to.
In half a month, Fang Ping shot up from the ninth place to the sixth.
Combat results were no longer announced in this ranking list. Certain information was not too appropriate to be exposed to the public.
Despite that, this ranking list still caused an uproar!
...
“What’s with Wanshan Temple? Isn’t that a temple? They have martial artists too?”
“Zhenwu too. This... is considered a gang?”
“Even the Military Department is nurturing martial artists? I’ve always thought that the people in the Military Department are ordinary people. Their martial artists are all so powerful too!”
“Are you a fool? If there are no martial artists in the Military Department, how could they keep these martial artists under control? Wouldn’t they turn the world upside down?”
“That monk who fought with Fang Ping is actually Monk Jiese. There are actually sects in Sino Nation. This is the complete opposite of what I have been imagining!”
“...”
Plenty of people were shocked, confused.
All their lives, this was the first time they learned that Sino Nation had sects.
This was the first time they learned that there were many other places, other than martial arts universities, nurturing martial artists as well.
Similarly, this was also the first time many people learned that Rank-3 martial artists were so powerful. Were Fang Ping and Jiese powerful?
To them, they were extremely powerful!
Fang Ping’s previous combat result stated that he had hacked a Middle-stage Rank-4 to death, and he had escaped from the hands of a Rank-6. What about now?
He was listed in sixth place now!
If that was the case, he was already so strong, yet there were five others on top of him.
Rank-3s were so strong. What about Rank-4? Rank-5?
What about Grandmasters!
Before this, everyone thought that Grandmasters were equivalent to human RPG. Could they still think the same now?
When Rank-3 Fang Ping and Jiese’s combat video was circulated, everyone dared not think of it this way anymore. If Grandmasters were only so strong, then there was no need to differentiate Rank-4, 5 and 6 anymore.
...
“Fang Ping traveled all the way up north, challenging the powerhouses on the ranking list. It seems like he wishes to achieve first place!”
In the video that was circulated, Liu Dali’s face beamed with delight, and said, “I, Liu Dali will continue to follow up. Based on the route, Fang Ping’s next stop will be Beihe Province, where Hope Corporation is situated. Hope Corporation’s Yu Deputy General Manager is also the one and only top ten Rank-3 martial artist who has come from the business world.
“The Military Department nurtured Grandmasters, the sects nurtured Grandmasters, even martial arts universities nurtured Grandmasters. None of this is surprising.
“Hope Corporation’s Yu Chen does not come from a martial arts university, nor is he from the Military Department or the sects. He is not too old either, at exactly 30 years old.
“All this while, no one has a clear concept on how to judge the combat strength of martial artists from the business world.
“This time, perhaps we can witness the combat strength of these martial artists!
“Maybe, we will soon witness CCMAU and MCMAU fighting each other again. Martial arts university students and the Military Department martial artists’ fighting each other...
“I’m looking forward to it!
“However, in order to raise funds for the traveling expenses, I do hope everyone can head over to Kudou online video platform and run some of my previous videos.
“I’ve also risked my life to film the Rank-8 Grandmaster fight in the past. However, you don’t have to run it on video on demand anymore. In order to give everyone benefits, I’ve already authorized the site for everyone to watch for free...
“It’s such a pity. I wasn’t able to watch the Rank-8 Grandmaster fight up close at that time, but rest assured everyone. As soon as there’s another Grandmaster fight, I, Liu Dali will definitely risk my life to film it down!”
He was only saying!
Back then, you would not be afraid of anything that you did not know.
When he saw how the fight between Peak Rank-3 martial artists unfolded, Liu Dali was already scared out of his wits.
‘I actually survived back then?’
Outsiders did not know the difference between the Grandmaster rank and Rank-3. Could he possibly not have a hint about it?
However, he had not watched any Grandmasters fight before and had only heard it from others last time. Curiosity killed the cat. He went there to film it down.
As a result, he realized that... it seemed acceptable to him.
Right now, Liu Dali learned that he had narrowly escaped death!
As a Middle-stage Rank-3 martial artist, Liu Dali came from martial arts training classes. He was one of a kind in the martial arts training classes. It was really rare for someone to achieve Rank-3 in ten years.
For a Rank-3 martial artist like him, if he was enlisted in the Military Department or joined other places now, he could lead an equally leisurely life.
However, Liu Dali did not have any intention to, and stuck with his old profession all these while.
As for the Catacombs, he really did not know much about it as he had not achieved Upper-stage Rank-3. Not many people looked for him either.
Therefore, he had not witnessed a Grandmasters’ fight before. Liu Dali experienced a lingering fear now when he harked back to the past. He actually survived even when he was out seeking death. God bless.
As for a Peak Rank-3 martial artist like Fang Ping, though he was much stronger than him, it was still within the tolerance level. He would not die unless he was hit directly. He could film it secretly and earn some pill money.
...
Fang Ping did not watch anything on the Internet.
Despite that, he knew what was going on.
When Fang Yuan called him on the phone, she sounded really unhappy. “Fang Ping, didn’t you say that you have something to do? Why are you fighting with someone again!”
This time he did not kill any cult martial artists.
It was the summer holiday at last and he could have chosen to rest for a few days. Instead, Fang Ping went out again to bash up a monk!
In a hotel.
Fang Ping was juggling his glaive as he chuckled, “Your brother is trying to win the first place for your sake. I’m in third place right now...”
“You’re the sixth!”
“Sixth?”
“The new ranking list says so...”
Fang Ping had just learned about the newly released ranking list when Fang Yuan had finished speaking. Hearing what she said, he chuckled, “You’re right. I’m only sixth. Say, do you think your brother is a person who is willing to be behind others?
“I must be in the first place. I’ll go back once I’ve swept the board. Don’t worry. It’ll be really soon.
“If everything goes according to plan, it’ll happen at the end of this month.”
There were still five people placed above him. It was not like he had to challenge each and every one of them. He would progress based on his ability. Fang Ping figured that he had achieved seven consecutive slashes, hence he should just challenge the first place straightaway.
“Will that be dangerous? I saw you bashing up the monk until he was spitting out blood...”
“There’s a video on the Internet?” Fang Ping was only aware of it afterward.
“There is, and it’s gone viral. So many people, even my friends are watching it. Everyone’s jaws dropped when they realized how powerful you are...”
Fang Yuan was slightly proud. Everyone always knew that her big brother was very powerful. As for how powerful he was, they had no idea.
Now they knew!
Splitting a mountain in a slash!
“It’s not dangerous. We’re just fooling around. Spitting a little bit of blood is nothing. I myself have been spitting blood every day when I cultivate.
Fang Ping had skimped on the details. Then, he asked again, “Is the video online going viral? Are they charging money for it?”
“Yes, they are. Ten cents for each time that you watch.”
Fang Ping came to a realization, cursing in his heart. ‘What the f*ck, did you pay the copyright fee?’
He must look into this matter himself!
Ten cents was really expensive. Right now, everyone was curious about martial artists. Out of over a billion people, if one hundred million people were watching, then that would be ten million. At least eight million or he would never let the matter die!
He had made a mental note about this. Fang Ping was also not in a hurry. After all, he was a Peak Rank-3 martial artist who was about to achieve Rank-4.
When their videos became even more viral and earned much more money, he would then go bottom fishing.
If they did not want to pay up, he would invite a bunch of martial artists to block their door!
After chatting with Fang Yuan and reassuring her for a while, the little brat did not say anything else.
At least she had only watched Fang Ping bashing other people up. For the time being, she had not watched Fang Ping beaten up by others.
Her brother wanted to be the first, so she should be rooting for him. It was a pity that her brother did not mention anything earlier, otherwise, she would have brought hundreds of cheerleaders to cheer for him!