31: Chapter 31 Sparring

On the Training Ground, Lin Tian finished his stance and stood still, while the person opposite him was already panting like an ox.

"I'm not fighting anymore, I'm not fighting anymore." Liu Yunfeng waved his hands and retreated. "Fighting you is too demoralizing."

Lin Tian didn't speak, merely shaking his head.

It had been half a month. Ever since Master Huang had bragged about him at that banquet, he had become famous among the newcomers. But this fame didn't bring him opponents; it brought him disappointment.

Too slow.

In his eyes, these people's movement techniques were full of flaws and loopholes at every step. If he got even slightly serious, his opponent couldn't keep up with the rhythm. If he exerted his full strength, he feared he could knock someone down in a single move.

"Say," Liu Yunfeng said, catching his breath as he leaned in, "why don't you spar with the senior students?"

Lin Tian glanced at him.

"Don't look at me like that." Liu Yunfeng spread his hands. "I know you feel you haven't been here long and don't want to be too flashy. But Master Huang has already boasted about you; who doesn't know you're a Genius now? Hiding it is pointless. It's better to openly spar with others and get some practice."

Lin Tian thought for a moment and nodded. "That's true."

At the banquet half a month ago, Master Huang had indeed put him in a position where he couldn't hide. Since he couldn't hide it, he wouldn't.

In this world, strength is the only truth.

"But I'm not familiar with the senior students," Lin Tian said.

"I am," Liu Yunfeng said, patting his chest. "I might not be good at anything else, but I know plenty of people. Wait here, I'll introduce you to one."

Liu Yunfeng was efficient. The next morning, he brought someone over.

"This is Senior Brother Wang Yu, who joined last year," Liu Yunfeng introduced. "Senior Brother Wang, this is Lin Tian, the one I told you about."

Wang Yu looked Lin Tian up and down and smiled. "Junior Brother Lin, I heard you want to spar?"

Lin Tian nodded.

"Then let's go." Wang Yu turned and walked toward the edge of the Training Ground.

There stood a field of wooden stakes, uneven in height and spacing, used for practicing movement techniques. Wang Yu jumped onto a stake, steadied himself, and looked back. "We both stand on the stakes; whoever falls off first loses. The rules are simple: we just compare movement techniques. Does that work for you?"

Lin Tian looked at the stakes, then at Wang Yu, and nodded. "That works."

He also jumped up.

The two stood three zhang apart, each stepping on a wooden stake as thick as a bowl.

"Shall we start?"

"Start."

The moment the words fell, Lin Tian moved.

Wang Yu hadn't actually planned on being serious. He had heard the other party had only been training for half a month; no matter how talented he was, how good could he be? He thought he would just move around casually, give away a few moves, and let the other party see the skills of a senior student.

But as soon as Lin Tian approached, he was stunned.

That step was too steady.

The stakes were only as thick as a bowl; ordinary newcomers would wobble a bit when stepping on them. But Lin Tian stood on the stake as steadily as if he were on the ground.

Moreover, the route he took and the landing spots he chose were all in the trickiest positions.

Wang Yu subconsciously became more serious, sidestepping to let him pass, intending to use his shoulder to push Lin Tian off.

But just as his shoulder moved, Lin Tian's feet had already switched to another stake, his body turning and sliding past his side.

Wang Yu only felt a force pushing from the side—it wasn't large, but it hit exactly at the moment his center of gravity shifted.

His foot slipped.

By the time he realized what happened, he was already standing on the ground.

Wang Yu: "..."

Liu Yunfeng: "..."

Lin Tian stood on the stake, looking down at him without saying a word.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Liu Yunfeng coughed. "Uh... Senior Brother Wang, did you hold back?"

Wang Yu opened his mouth, wanting to nod, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He had held back. At first, he definitely had. But just now, he had clearly been serious—even more than serious—and what was the result?

He looked up at Lin Tian on the stake and took a breath.

"You..." He paused. "Have you mastered the basics of movement techniques?"

Saying this, even he felt it was absurd. Mastered the basics? Mastering it in half a month? Did he think he was a three-year-old?

But that move just now was clearly something only possible with mastered movement techniques. Center of gravity, timing, force—everything was perfectly timed. It wasn't luck; he really knew it.

Lin Tian jumped down from the stake and smiled. "Luck."

Luck?

Wang Yu didn't believe it.

He suddenly remembered the words Master Huang had said at the banquet. At the time, he thought Master Huang was exaggerating to make the newcomer look good. But looking at it now—

What Master Huang said was actually true?

This guy's talent was truly eerie.

"Again." Wang Yu jumped onto the wooden stake. "I'm serious this time."

Lin Tian also jumped up.

This time, Wang Yu didn't hold back. He had joined last year and practiced movement techniques for a year; although he hadn't touched the edge of mastery, he was solid. He stepped rapidly, leaping back and forth between the stakes, trying to force Lin Tian down.

But Lin Tian seemed stuck to the stake.

He advanced, Lin Tian retreated. He retreated, Lin Tian advanced. He tried to sidestep and squeeze him, but Lin Tian slid away and then closed in from another direction. The two shuttled back and forth between the wooden stakes, footsteps crossing and bodies shifting, making the stakes creak.

Wang Yu grew more and more alarmed as they fought.

He had originally thought that if he got serious, he could suppress the other party. But as they fought, he discovered that the other party wasn't being suppressed at all. Instead, in this back-and-forth sparring, the other party's movement technique was becoming smoother and more natural.

It was as if...

It was as if he was feeding moves to the other party.

When this thought popped up, Wang Yu was startled.

But the facts were right before his eyes. He was serious, yet the other party could keep up. He used his full strength, yet the other party could still handle it. He even had the illusion that the other party hadn't used their full strength yet.

This thought flashed by, and Wang Yu didn't have time to dwell on it because Lin Tian's foot arrived again.

This time, Lin Tian stepped half a foot in front of where Wang Yu was about to land. Just as Wang Yu lifted his foot, he found that spot occupied. He had to switch stakes last minute, but this switch caused his center of gravity to shift.

Lin Tian's shoulder gently brushed against him.

The force wasn't great, but it was enough.

Wang Yu's feet went empty, and he fell down again.

He stood on the ground, looking up at Lin Tian on the stake, speechless for a long time.

Lin Tian jumped down and cupped his hands. "Senior Brother Wang's movement techniques are solid; I have learned much."

Wang Yu's mouth twitched.

Learned much? Who learned from whom?

He took a deep breath, looking at Lin Tian with complex eyes.

"How long have you been training?" he asked.

"Half a month," Lin Tian said.

Wang Yu was silent.

After a while, he said, "You call this luck?"

Lin Tian smiled and said nothing.

Liu Yunfeng stood by, eyes wide with shock. He looked at Wang Yu, then at Lin Tian, suddenly feeling that his previous loss wasn't unjust at all.

Wang Yu patted the dust off his body and sighed. "Fine, I've certainly had my eyes opened today. Junior Brother Lin, let's spar again when there's a chance."

"Sure."

Wang Yu took a few steps, then turned back. "By the way, did you not use your full strength just now?"

Lin Tian paused, not answering.

Seeing his reaction, Wang Yu understood everything.

He took another breath and turned to leave.

This time, he believed it.

Some people are truly just a Genius.