44: Chapter 44 Sparring Boxing Techniques

At the end of the month, the training ground was filled with a murderous atmosphere.

The grounds, paved with blue flagstones, were divided into several areas where new and old Disciples mingled, each finding a spot to warm up and adjust, an invisible pressure of competition permeating the air.

This was not only a test for the newcomers; the veteran students also needed to demonstrate their progress under the gaze of all, which concerned the amount of their monthly resources and, even more so, their reputation.

Wang Yu arrived neither too early nor too late, finding a quiet corner to loosen his limbs.

Du Fei entered the venue surrounded by a group of followers, his gaze sweeping across the crowd until it quickly locked onto Wang Yu, his eyes instantly turning gloomy.

Last time, he had been indirectly slapped in the face by Wang Yu in front of Senior Sister Chen Yu because of Lin Tian, and later became a laughingstock for losing money on a bet; he had been holding onto this grudge ever since.

He gave a wink and whispered a few words to a short-haired, sharp-eyed youth beside him.

That youth was named Zhang Yang, who had been initiated for three years and possessed strength at the Late Stage of the First Grade. He cultivated the "Fire Element Fist," which was the most aggressive among the Five Elements Fist, and his personality was just like his fist technique: irritable and ruthless.

Zhang Yang understood, grinned, pushed through the crowd, and walked straight toward Wang Yu.

"Junior Brother Wang, it's been a while. How is your Cultivation going?" Zhang Yang stood still a few steps away, arms folded, his tone seemingly casual. "Just practicing behind closed doors won't do; it's easy to get rigid. Why don't we take this opportunity to spar and compare notes? Sparring between fellow Disciples is safe as long as we stop at the right point, and it can also increase practical combat experience. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

Seeing Zhang Yang, Wang Yu's heart tightened. The other party's strength was not weaker than his, and he had a reputation for often not knowing how to hold back when striking.

However, since the other party had already said this much, under the eyes of everyone, if he were to shrink back out of fear, he would have no place to stand in the Hall in the future.

He hesitated slightly, thinking that he had indeed gained some insights into the Water Element Fist recently and perhaps could use this real combat to test them, so he nodded: "Very well, then please enlighten me, Senior Brother Zhang."

The two came to an empty spot. Seeing this, the surrounding Disciples made space, watching with keen interest. Sparring between veteran Disciples was often more worth watching than that of the newcomers.

"Junior Brother Wang, be careful!" Zhang Yang gave a low shout, dispensed with the pleasantries, stamped his foot, and lunged out like a cheetah. His right hand formed a fist, the tip of which faintly glowed with a crimson light, carrying a scorching wind as he struck straight at Wang Yu.

It was the opening Move of the Fire Element Fist, "Fire Invading the Starry Wilderness," powerful and heavy, seizing the initiative.

Wang Yu dared not take it head-on. The Water Element Fist emphasized overcoming hardness with softness. He shifted his body slightly, his left palm arcing like flowing water to stick to Zhang Yang's wrist, intending to use soft force to divert his power.

At the same time, his right fist gathered momentum, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

The two exchanged punches and palms, fighting together. Wang Yu's Water Element Fist had reached Minor Achievement; his defense was dense, his force flowing like water, neutralizing and deflecting Zhang Yang's fierce fist energy time and again.

Zhang Yang's Fire Element Fist was violent and overbearing, attacking with every Move, with crimson fist shadows flying, attempting to crush Wang Yu's defense with absolute power and speed.

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen Moves had passed. Although Wang Yu was on the defensive, he did not show any obvious signs of defeat. Instead, relying on the characteristics of the Water Element Fist, he gradually stabilized his footing and could occasionally force Zhang Yang to retreat and defend with exquisite counterattacks.

Unable to win after a long attack, a trace of impatience and malice flashed in Zhang Yang's eyes.

He caught a glimpse of Wang Yu's Move "Water Curtain Heaven Splendor" becoming overextended; the old force was gone and the new force had not yet been generated, leaving his chest slightly exposed. Malice suddenly arose in his heart, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes!

"Go down!" Zhang Yang let out a sudden, violent shout. His initially standard fist technique suddenly changed, turning from a fist into a claw. His five fingers curled like hooks, the fingertips glowing crimson like a branding iron. He ignored Wang Yu's blocking arm and instead struck at a more tricky and ruthless angle, aiming straight for the vital point of Wang Yu's left rib!

If this strike landed, the energy would penetrate the body; broken ribs would be the least of it, and his internal organs would inevitably suffer severe damage!

"You—!" Wang Yu's face turned deathly pale instantly. He never expected that during a sparring session between fellow Disciples, the other party would dare to launch such a vicious attack under the eyes of everyone!

He wanted to change his Move to block, but the other party's sudden change was too abrupt and ruthless, and the speed was pushed to the limit. His own Move was overextended, his body sluggish, and it was too late to dodge!

He could only watch as the crimson claw rapidly magnified before his eyes, the cold breath of death instantly gripping his heart!

Just at this critical moment!

"Whoosh—!"

A grey figure, like a gust of wind born from thin air, cut into the space between the two from the edge of the watching crowd at a speed almost impossible to capture with the naked eye! The speed was so fast that it left a faint afterimage in its wake!

The figure precisely cut into the hair-thin gap between Zhang Yang's claw and Wang Yu's ribs. A palm, like an iron pincer, clamped onto Wang Yu's shoulder and gave a light pull—

"Swish!"

Wang Yu only felt a gentle yet irresistible force come over him, and he involuntarily drifted back two steps to the side, just grazing past that lethal crimson claw!

The sharp claw wind made his clothes flap loudly and stung his skin, but it had ultimately missed.

"Who?!" Zhang Yang's sure-kill strike had missed. Shocked and angry, he shouted sternly.

Wang Yu was still shaken, his heart pounding wildly. He turned his head in a daze, looking at the owner of the hand that had clamped onto his shoulder and saved him from the brink of life and death.

When he saw that young face, calm with a hint of coldness, he instantly froze and exclaimed in shock: "Lin... Junior Brother Lin?!"

"Whoa—!" The surrounding Disciples watching the battle were in an uproar; everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

No one expected that a seemingly ordinary sparring session would turn into a life-or-death struggle, and even less did they expect that someone could save a person from Zhang Yang's ruthless strike in the blink of an eye!

"What fast footwork!"

"It's Lin Tian! When did he come over?"

"That just now... it was like a ghost!"

Zhang Yang was also stunned. He hadn't seen how Lin Tian came over at all; he only felt a blur before his eyes, and Wang Yu had already been taken away.

When he saw it was Lin Tian, a trace of panic first flashed in his eyes; after all, he had been caught red-handed delivering a heavy blow.

But soon, he calmed down. Anyway, he hadn't actually hurt anyone, and there were no Hall Masters or Elders present to pass immediate judgment, so he could easily make excuses.

Lin Tian released his hand from Wang Yu's shoulder and looked at Wang Yu first: "Senior Brother Wang, are you alright?"

Wang Yu finally came to his senses completely, shook his head, his face still a bit pale, but anger surged in his eyes.

Lin Tian then turned to Zhang Yang, his voice calm but carrying an invisible pressure: "Sparring between fellow Disciples should stop at the right point. Senior Brother Zhang, that claw just now seems to have more than just 'sparring' force, doesn't it?"

"Zhang Yang! What do you mean?!" Wang Yu realized it now too, shocked and angry, and shouted while pointing at Zhang Yang, "We agreed to spar and compare notes, yet you actually wanted to cripple me?!"

Facing the questioning, Zhang Yang rolled his eyes, squeezed a fake smile onto his face, and spread his hands: "Oh, Junior Brother Wang, Junior Brother Lin, it's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding! I got carried away in the heat of the moment just now and couldn't hold back my force, almost making a mistake. It's my fault, I apologize to Junior Brother Wang."

His tone was relaxed, as if it were truly an unintentional mistake. "Sparring, you know, it's inevitable to have moments where you can't hold back. Fortunately, Junior Brother Wang is fine, and everyone has seen it too. I didn't actually hurt you, right?"

As he spoke, he actually wanted to turn and leave, trying to brush the matter off.

"Stop! You are not allowed to leave!" How could Wang Yu let it go? He stepped out, blocking Zhang Yang's path, furious. "You want to brush it off with one sentence about not being able to hold back your force? If it weren't for Junior Brother Lin's intervention, I would be lying on the ground right now! There must be an explanation for this!"

Zhang Yang's face darkened: "Wang Yu, don't be ungrateful! I said it was a mistake; what else do you want?"

Seeing that the two were about to clash again, the surrounding Disciples whispered among themselves, but no one dared to step forward to dissuade them.

"What is the commotion about?" Just then, a cold, melodious, yet indisputably authoritative female voice rang out.

The crowd automatically parted, and a tall figure in goose-yellow walked in; it was none other than Senior Sister Chen Yu.

She had obviously been attracted by the commotion here. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed as her gaze swept over the three people confronting each other in the arena.

"Senior Sister Chen Yu!" The Disciples bowed one after another.

After hearing the brief account from the Disciples nearby, Senior Sister Chen Yu's gaze swept over Zhang Yang, Wang Yu, and Lin Tian, who was standing beside Wang Yu with a calm expression, and her brows furrowed even tighter.

She could tell that Zhang Yang's Move just now was by no means as simple as a "mistake."

But after all, Wang Yu was not injured, and this was a critical time for the end-of-month assessment. If she made a big deal out of it, it would affect the reputation of the Martial Arts Hall and the progress of the assessment.

"Enough." Senior Sister Chen Yu raised her hand to stop Wang Yu's argument, her tone cold. "Since there was no injury and Zhang Yang has already apologized, this matter ends here. During the end-of-month assessment, private fighting is strictly prohibited. If there is any further unprovoked provocation or heavy-handedness, it will be severely punished. Everyone disperse and prepare for the assessment."

She was decisive and directly settled the nature of the matter.

Wang Yu was unconvinced and wanted to say something, but Lin Tian beside him gently pulled him, shook his head slightly, and whispered: "Senior Brother Wang, since Senior Sister Chen Yu has spoken, let it be for now. There will be plenty of time in the future."

Wang Yu looked at Lin Tian, then at Senior Sister Chen Yu, who was expressionless but whose gaze was unquestionable. He knew that arguing further would be useless, so he had to grit his teeth and endure it. He glared fiercely at Zhang Yang and said no more.

Senior Sister Chen Yu's gaze lingered on Lin Tian for a moment longer. Seeing him dissuade Wang Yu, his expression calm, and having no intention to cause trouble or show off, her impression of him improved slightly: "This kid's character and Heart-Nature are quite upright. He knows how to prioritize the big picture."

But that was all. In her eyes, Lin Tian's talent might be good, but he was still far from the "Prodigy" in her mind.

At this time, Du Fei also walked out at the right moment, with a warm smile on his face, and said to Senior Sister Chen Yu: "Senior Sister Chen Yu, your handling of this is correct. Between fellow Disciples, small bumps and scrapes are inevitable; it's good once it's talked out."

He then said to Wang Yu and Zhang Yang, "You two Junior Brothers should also not damage the harmony; the assessment is important." He put on a show of mediating and prioritizing the big picture.

Senior Sister Chen Yu, however, only glanced at Du Fei indifferently, too lazy to even reply, and directly ignored him, turning to walk toward the main seat for the assessment.

How clever she was; although she hadn't seen Zhang Yang strike with her own eyes just now, from the reactions of the few and the discussions of the surrounding Disciples, she had already guessed that this matter was most likely related to Du Fei, and she despised such behavior of instigating behind the scenes while acting like a good person on the surface even more.

The smile on Du Fei's face froze instantly, his extended hand awkwardly stopping in mid-air, and a trace of undisguisable shame, anger, and gloom flashed in his eyes.

He, Du Fei, was considered a leader among the younger generation in Heishan City; when had he ever been so coldly ignored and disregarded in public? Especially in front of the woman he admired!

He had a pent-up evil fire in his chest with nowhere to vent, and it just happened to be his turn for the assessment.

The one sparring with him was a veteran Disciple with good strength at the Middle Stage of the First Grade.

"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Du!" The Disciple cupped his fists, quite solemnly.

"Enlighten you?" Du Fei's eyes were icy, and a grim smile twisted the corners of his mouth. "Fine, I will 'thoroughly' enlighten you!"

Before the words fell, his figure had already shot out, more than thirty percent faster than usual!

His fists and feet were like a violent storm, every Move ruthless, striking straight at the opponent's vital points; it didn't look like an assessment sparring session at all, but rather a life-or-death struggle!

The Disciple was greatly alarmed and tried his best to resist, but the gap in strength was already obvious, and Du Fei was attacking with anger, showing no mercy.

It was not even ten Moves!

"Bang! Crack!" With a muffled sound accompanied by the clear sound of bone cracking, the Disciple screamed and flew backward, falling heavily to the ground, his face pale, sweat pouring down like rain.

The whole scene was silent.

Immediately, bursts of exclamations erupted: "Ten Moves! Only ten Moves!"

"Senior Brother Du is so strong!"

"This strength... I'm afraid it's really only a thin line away from the Second Grade, right?"

"It seems that within half a year, Senior Brother Du will surely become a Second Grade! That Imperial Guard spot will be his for sure!"

Listening to the exclamations and flattery around him, Du Fei slowly withdrew his stance, and the pent-up anger in his chest finally calmed down a little.

He coldly glanced at the injured Disciple being helped away, his gaze then inadvertently swept over Lin Tian and Wang Yu in the crowd, and finally landed on the cold, goose-yellow figure on the main seat in the distance, his eyes filled with a mixture of burning heat and unwillingness.

He wanted everyone to know who the true number one of the younger generation of the Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall was!

That Imperial Guard spot, he was determined to get it!

Senior Sister Chen Yu would sooner or later look at him with admiration too!

In the crowd, Lin Tian had taken in Du Fei's ruthless and neat ten Moves just now, his expression calm and waveless.

The other party's strength was indeed powerful, his Foundation solid, his strikes decisive, and especially that ruthlessness, far exceeding that of ordinary Disciples.

"Peak of the First Grade, the timing is sufficient, a Breakthrough to the Second Grade... is indeed possible." Lin Tian calmly evaluated in his heart.

But, so what?

Feeling the undisguised hostility and provocation when Du Fei's gaze swept over, Lin Tian's eyes narrowed slightly, and deep in his eyes, a ray of light as sharp as a sword flashed quietly.

The Imperial Guard spot? Have you asked me about it?

He clenched his fist slightly, feeling the surging Qi and blood in his body, which was far more vigorous and solid than it had been two months ago, as well as the Five Elements Stance and Wind-Chasing Footwork that were about to break through their Bottlenecks.

He would fight for this spot. And, he must obtain it.