Free Web NovelChapter 45: Chapter 45: Registered Disciple vs. Personal Disciple
A youth with a striking figure—long arms and a narrow waist—walked to the center of the field. His expression was stern as he clasped his hands in a salute to Xie Yuan.
Xie Yuan noticed the youth’s long arms nearly reached his knees. His muscles were firm, his palms were large, and his expression was slightly serious.
’My own knowledge of the Martial Dao isn’t extensive, but my intuition tells me this youth’s build is perfect for martial arts. It seems especially suited for the Divine Weapon Hall’s Grapple Skill and Spear Skill.’
Liu the Monk’s brow slowly furrowed. He spoke to Fang Wei,
"Elder Fang, what is the meaning of this?"
His attitude toward Fang Wei was not as casual as it had been toward Wang Heihu.
Fang Wei said coolly,
"What is it?"
Liu the Monk’s brow tightened.
"The rules Wang Heihu just stated were that Direct Disciples would not participate, and the competition would be limited to Core Disciples.
"Sending your Closed-door Disciple up here is a clear violation of the rules."
The disciples at the edge of the field all looked at the youth named Ah Jin, whispering among themselves.
Two years ago, the Sect Leader of the Divine Weapon Hall had taken on a Closed-door Disciple. He was said to possess extraordinary talent, a once-in-a-generation martial arts prodigy.
The acceptance ceremony had been magnificent. The Divine Weapon Hall was already the strongest and had the longest lineage, and with Fang Wei’s high seniority, the event was naturally a grand affair. As a result, there were few in Panlong Town who didn’t know about it.
Everyone wondered what kind of genius could have prompted Fang Wei, who had long since stopped taking disciples, to accept a Closed-door Disciple. However, after joining the sect, this disciple had kept a very low profile, training diligently and rarely being seen by others.
Seeing him today, they realized he truly had an extraordinary appearance, unlike that of an ordinary person.
Fang Wei said indifferently,
"Didn’t you also send up a nominal disciple? You were the first to break the rules.
"Ah Jin has not yet become a Martial Artist. Their strength is in the same realm."
???
’I send up a nominal disciple, you send up a Direct Disciple, and you’re telling me it’s the same?’
’A nominal disciple is already inferior to a Core Disciple, and you didn’t object when I sent him up just now!’
Liu the Monk’s face flushed red, and he said, exasperated,
"Elder Fang, you’re being completely unreasonable!"
Fang Wei looked coldly at Liu the Monk and snorted.
"When you were setting the rules earlier, I never nodded in agreement. In that case, let’s set a new rule now: anyone below the peak of Skin Training can participate. How about it?"
"I agree."
Wang Heihu chuckled.
Fang Wei nodded.
"Two against one. It’s settled. Liu the Monk, do you have any other objections?"
Fang Wei’s age and authority were not built on high morals.
He ran a martial arts hall. The Divine Weapon Hall hadn’t survived in Panlong Town for so many years by being reasonable.
Liu the Monk’s face turned the color of pig’s liver, but he was rendered speechless.
He flicked his sleeve, plopped back into his chair, and fumed silently.
It was the same old story: circumstances are stronger than people. Since he didn’t have the power to make the rules, he could only endure it.
Liu the Monk looked at Xie Yuan with worry in his eyes, thinking to himself,
’Xiaoxiao, I wonder if you can give me another surprise... sigh...’
As a master himself, he knew that a Direct Disciple and a Core Disciple were two entirely different concepts.
In terms of the effort, heart’s blood, resources, and Cultivation Techniques invested in their training, a Core Disciple couldn’t even compare to a Direct Disciple. Even at the same realm, it would be no problem for a Direct Disciple to take on two Core Disciples.
What’s more, this was Old Ghost Fang’s Closed-door Disciple—the most favored of all Direct Disciples.
Watching this scene unfold, the disciples of the Iron Tunic Sect felt their hearts pound with anxiety.
Even though Xie Yuan had just defeated two opponents like a Celestial God descending to the mortal realm, his chances of winning against this Closed-door Disciple were probably slim.
After all, to put it bluntly, no matter how talented Xie Yuan was, he hadn’t learned much from the Sect Leader and didn’t have a reliable Cultivation Technique to his name. How could he possibly defeat a Closed-door Disciple who had been showered with every advantage?
Yu Jin stood in the center of the field and said to Xie Yuan in a low voice,
"Brother, do you need to rest?"
Xie Yuan assessed himself. The previous two matches hadn’t consumed much stamina, his inner breath was flowing smoothly, and he was in peak condition. He shook his head.
"No need."
His opponent was showing courtesy, so he saw no reason to be sarcastic.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Yu Jin’s face. He seemed to feel that Xie Yuan was looking down on him and let out a cold snort.
"Brother, let us begin then."
Xie Yuan sensed the shift in his attitude and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He simply clasped his hands again.
"Please."
The two assumed their stances simultaneously, met each other’s gaze, and then struck.
From the conversation between the Sect Leaders, Xie Yuan knew this opponent was no ordinary fighter.
Facing such a strong opponent, he was slightly more cautious than before. He threw a probing punch, quick to strike and quick to retreat, not daring to rashly expose his arm to his opponent’s attack.
However, the moment he threw his punch, Yu Jin’s ape-like arms shot out like lightning. His longer-than-average arms moved, one high and one low, and directly clamped down on Xie Yuan’s right elbow!
’Damn it! Such a fast move!’
Xie Yuan’s expression turned grim. In an instant, he felt an immense shearing force on his right elbow. He quickly placed his left hand on Yu Jin’s right hand to stop him from applying more force.
In a flash, the two were locked in a stalemate, a contest of raw strength! freёwebnovel.com
The surrounding crowd held their breath, not expecting the match to become so intense right from the start!
In this situation, if Xie Yuan’s strength was even slightly less, his right arm would be snapped in two!
Feeling the immense force coming from his opponent’s large palms, Xie Yuan pursed his lips slightly.
’If I hold back now, I probably won’t be able to break free.’
He made his decision in the blink of an eye. The inner breath within his meridians suddenly accelerated.
Before this, he had actually been holding back. But now, for the first time, he used his full strength!
Yu Jin only felt his right hand suddenly gripped tight and then wrenched away by Xie Yuan’s left hand. At the same time, Xie Yuan’s right arm shook, freeing itself, and he threw an uppercut at Yu Jin’s chin. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Yu Jin pivoted, instantly retreating with an agile Body Technique to dodge the punch.
He looked back, only to find that Xie Yuan was just as fast, another punch already heading for his face. He had no choice but to retreat again!
The tables had suddenly turned! Using his full strength, Xie Yuan moved like the wind, his punches coming faster and faster, relentlessly pressuring Yu Jin with a furious assault that dazzled the onlookers!
Wang Heihu’s eyes widened.
"He broke free even after being grappled? Just how strong is this kid?"
A slight frown also appeared on Fang Wei’s cold, old face. He hadn’t expected his own prized disciple to be so thoroughly suppressed.
’Could that kid really have Innate Divine Power? Otherwise, how could he keep up and overpower him?’
The two Sect Leaders came to a similar conclusion: Xie Yuan probably possessed natural-born strength.
They would never have considered Inner Power; they couldn’t detect it even if they tried.
Neither of them had ever even seen a nurturing-type technique, so there was no way Liu the Monk had one. For his nominal disciple to know Inner Power? The idea was laughable.
Liu the Monk’s eyes were wide as he whispered,
"Eldest disciple, how long have you been teaching him the Iron Tunic Long Fist?"
Hodar said, stunned,
"Less than a month."
"Less than a month..."
Liu the Monk repeated quietly and sighed.
"What a monster."
It hadn’t been clear before, but looking now, Xie Yuan’s Iron Tunic Long Fist had actually reached the level of great accomplishment!
He shot a glare at Hodar.
’A kid this talented, and you didn’t tell me sooner?’
’I’ll deal with you later.’
Liu the Monk turned his gaze back to the field, watching intently. After a moment, he let out another sigh, but this time it was a sigh of relief as he smiled.
"He’s already won."
On the field, Yu Jin was almost breathless, facing Xie Yuan’s tempestuous assault.
’Doesn’t he get tired?’
Yu Jin gritted his teeth. Grapples were useless against him, and he didn’t even have a chance to counterattack. At this rate, he was just going to lose.
’I have to go all out!’
His eyes turned fierce as he prepared to risk it all. Just as he was about to unleash his own fists and feet, his chest was left wide open for a split second. Though it was only for an instant, Xie Yuan’s fist was unbelievably fast. His long fist shot forward, pressing right against Yu Jin’s chest.
Yu Jin froze, slowly looking down at Xie Yuan’s fist, which was held back, its power contained.
Xie Yuan gave him a gentle push, then withdrew his stance and clasped his hands.
"I was fortunate."
The disciples of the Iron Tunic Sect erupted in a massive cheer, while the other two sects looked ashen-faced and remained silent.
The Divine Weapon Hall’s Closed-door Disciple... had actually lost to this person, this nominal disciple...
’Where in the world did he come from?’
Yu Jin’s expression was dazed. As he stood there in a stupor, a cold and weathered voice boomed across the entire field:
"Ah Jin, you lack experience. You were too hasty. If you hadn’t given him that opening, he wouldn’t have been able to maintain that kind of assault for much longer."
Liu the Monk chuckled, not bothering to argue. As the victor, he could afford to be magnanimous.
Fang Wei beckoned to someone behind him. A disciple handed him a short spear, which he then tossed to Yu Jin.
Yu Jin caught it instinctively and looked at his master in confusion, only to hear him say indifferently,
"Your true skill lies with weapons. You were fighting with your weakness against his strength, so there’s no need to be discouraged by the loss.
"The match isn’t over. Now, pick up your spear and go defeat him."
Hearing this, Liu the Monk’s eyes bulged and his jaw dropped. He was stunned speechless for a good while.
After a moment, he pointed a fat, stubby, trembling finger.
"A winner has already been decided! How can you be such a sore loser?"
"A Martial Artist does not admit defeat until they have fallen,"
Fang Wei said coldly.
Liu the Monk leaped to his feet, casting all pretense aside and started cursing.
"You damn Old Ghost Fang! My disciple let you off easy, and you fucking take a mile when given an inch! This is a spar, a spar! And you’re fucking bringing out weapons?! Do you have any shame?! Any shame at all!"
Fang Wei said icily,
"My Divine Weapon Hall is founded on Spear Skill. Our combat effectiveness is crippled without it. Are you suggesting we should fight with our weakness against his strength?
"If you wish to use a weapon, feel free."
’What an old scoundrel!’
Their weapons were their own two fists and their hardened skin. It was common knowledge. What other weapons did they have?
The members of the Iron Tunic Sect were furious, and the disciples began to curse aloud.
Their opponents today had been aggressive, unreasonable, and changed the rules at will. They were treating the Iron Tunic Sect like meat on a chopping block.
Liu the Monk was so angry he could barely speak. Just as he was trying to think of what to do, he suddenly froze.
He blinked and saw Xie Yuan standing calmly in the center of the field, holding an axe he had pulled from who-knows-where, dangling it from his hand.
