Free Web NovelChapter 184: Chapter 174: A Breakthrough Punch
In the six-plus months Zhao Lin had trained at the Xingyun Sect, he had encountered countless exceptionally talented disciples at the Wuxiang Institute.
Any one of them, if put in Qinghe County, would be considered a once-in-a-generation genius.
He had also witnessed a variety of martial arts, so his horizons had broadened considerably. Hou Gui’s meager strength was nothing in his eyes.
Winning would be as easy as flipping his hand.
However, Zhao Lin had no intention of doing so. After the last two bouts, the Liuhe Sect’s reputation had suffered greatly. It had to be restored!
Besides, Hou Gui had brutally humiliated Yuan Cheng, a favor that had to be "repaid."
When he had first joined the Liuhe Sect, it was Yuan Cheng who had guided his training. He was so conscientious and dedicated that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him half a master. And yet, he’d been beaten like a roly-poly toy...
At this thought, Zhao Lin stood his ground and suddenly raised a fist to meet the force of his opponent’s palm.
SMACK! Fist and palm collided.
Hou Gui instantly felt an immense pressure.
As the saying goes, it only takes one move for an expert to know another’s skill.
Zhao Lin’s punch had seemed unremarkable, but the timing was perfect. A moment sooner, and Hou Gui could have changed his attack. A moment later, and he would have lost the initiative. Moreover, the fist contained immense power.
Hou Gui immediately discarded his contemptuous attitude, striking out repeatedly with the Three Rivers Palm and steadily increasing the force behind his blows.
But Zhao Lin was like a great mountain. No matter how Hou Gui channeled his energy, he remained completely unshaken. fгeewebnovёl.com
Zhao Lin didn’t use his yin-cold energy. He deliberately wanted everyone present to see that the Liuhe Sect’s Fist Skill and Cultivation Technique could suppress his opponent in every way.
Fists and palms flew, their bodies weaving around each other.
Bit by bit, Zhao Lin converted his advantage into a decisive upper hand, leaving his opponent no room to struggle.
Hou Gui was already gasping for breath. He could only watch as he was slowly pushed into an abyss, utterly powerless to stop it.
After just over thirty exchanges, Zhao Lin decided the time was right. He stopped wasting time and launched a series of powerful attacks, throwing Hou Gui into a panic and leaving him completely unable to defend.
A final Downward Punch struck Hou Gui’s abdomen.
Hou Gui’s breath hitched, his face contorting in pain as he scrambled to retreat.
Zhao Lin shadowed him, hooking a punch upward and smashing it into his opponent’s chin.
Struck by two consecutive punches, Hou Gui was instantly dizzy and disoriented, unable to act.
Zhao Lin gave him no chance to recover. With a swing of his long arm, his fist struck Hou Gui’s left shoulder.
Hou Gui’s body lurched, spinning him halfway around.
Zhao Lin took a diagonal step, appearing on Hou Gui’s right side, and landed another punch on his right shoulder.
Hou Gui spun around uncontrollably.
Zhao Lin’s fists were a blur, striking from both left and right.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Zhao Lin stood in place, landing punch after punch, while Hou Gui spun continuously, faster and faster.
A moment ago, Hou Gui had treated Yuan Cheng like a roly-poly toy. Now, Zhao Lin had turned him into a human spinning top.
HISS...
GASP...
The spectators were all dumbfounded. No one had ever seen such a wild, imaginative fighting style.
One young disciple couldn’t help but cheer, immediately drawing icy glares from the Lingshan Sect’s table.
Zheng Yuanzhuo’s face was ashen; he nearly crushed the wine cup in his hand. Though Hou Gui had won two matches in a row, this one spectacle had utterly erased all the face he had previously gained.
Just as he was about to call a halt, he saw Zhao Lin step back two paces and cup his fist. "Brother Hou, I accept your concession."
"I’ll kill—"
Hou Gui was incandescent with rage. His face was a mottled mess of red and blue—whether from the blows or his fury, it was hard to tell. He managed to choke out two words before his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.
He tried to get back up, only to fall again.
A disciple from the Lingshan Sect rushed out and helped him back to his seat.
Hou Gui sat in his chair, foaming at the mouth. But since he wasn’t seriously injured, Zheng Yuanzhuo had no excuse to make a scene.
Zhao Lin cupped his fist toward the banquet tables, his tone calm. "This Stone Roar Fist is no ultimate technique. Every sect has its own way of practicing it. As you have all seen, my Liuhe Sect has... a little bit of experience with it."
"It doesn’t seem to be as worthless as Senior Brother Hou claimed, does it?"
His words rang out clearly, and many of the young martial artists present couldn’t help but cheer, with the loudest shouts coming from the Liuhe Sect disciples.
Yuan Cheng applauded enthusiastically. Zhao Lin had not only restored the sect’s honor but had also gotten sweet revenge for him.
Gao Yuan also breathed a sigh of relief. ’Looks like I underestimated Junior Brother Zhao’s strength.’ Any shred of confusion he’d felt about his master sending Zhao Lin to the Xingyun Sect now vanished into thin air.
"Master, let me go up and fight him!"
Hu Shao’an, a disciple of the Lingshan Sect, said with a resentful expression.
Zheng Yuanzhuo shook his head slightly. "No. You’re no match for him. Hongpeng, you go."
He had brought three disciples, originally thinking Hou Gui alone could defeat every Liuhe Sect disciple aside from Gao Yuan. He never expected Zhao Lin’s strength to be so far beyond his predictions.
Zheng Yuanzhuo had a keen eye. He knew that given Zhao Lin’s strength, only Bi Hongpeng stood a chance of winning.
Bi Hongpeng was the Lingshan Sect’s senior disciple, his status equivalent to Gao Yuan’s in the Liuhe Sect. He was at the Third Layer of the Qi Realm, and his strength was a cut above the rest.
Hearing this, Bi Hongpeng rose and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Master. I will not fail you!"
With that, he shook out his robes, took a few steps, and then leaped, landing lightly in the center of the arena.
Seeing that another match was about to begin, the crowd grew excited. This was especially true for the disciples new to the martial path; they had never witnessed a battle of this caliber and felt the trip was already worthwhile.
Over at the Kaisan Martial Arts Hall table, a busybody asked Liang Song, "Brother Liang, the Lingshan Sect’s senior disciple is making his move. How does he stack up against Zhao Lin?"
Liang Song uttered just two words: "Dead meat."
"You’ve got a big mouth."
"It’s not that I’ve got a big mouth. It’s that my brother is that good..."
Zhao Lin knew the Lingshan Sect wouldn’t let this rest, so he simply remained in the arena.
Since he had already made a move, he might as well see it through to the end and make sure no one would ever dare to have designs on the Liuhe Sect again.
Bi Hongpeng walked up to face Zhao Lin, his eyes glinting. "I never thought the Liuhe Sect could produce someone like you. It’s truly impressive."
Zhao Lin replied humbly, "You’re too kind. I’m the one who has long heard of Senior Brother Bi’s fame."
As he spoke, he channeled both his standard and yin-cold energy into his fists.
This time, he planned to end the fight quickly and make a powerful statement to everyone watching.
’What kind of energy technique is this?’
A chill ran through Bi Hongpeng, and he couldn’t help but frown. He began to circulate his Qi and Blood, gathering his own energy.
He had cultivated both Fist and Palm Skills. After a brief hesitation, he decided to lead with his fists. ’I’m at the Third Layer of the Qi Realm. I should be able to overwhelm him with pure force.’
"Enough talk. Let’s begin... Feihong Fist!"
Bi Hongpeng pushed his power to its absolute peak. Facing a formidable opponent, his body instinctively unleashed a level of potential he had never felt before.
’This must be the strongest punch I’ve ever thrown!’
As he threw the punch, a new level of enlightenment bloomed in his mind, bringing with it a trace of unexpected delight.
BANG!
The instant their fists collided, Bi Hongpeng felt an incomparably cold, sinister energy penetrate his body. It was as if his Qi and Blood had frozen solid. Then, an immense force slammed into him! freewёbnoνel.com
The feeling of boundless power from a moment ago felt like a complete illusion.
’How could this be?’
A sharp crack echoed in his ears as his entire body was sent flying back more than a hundred feet. He crashed onto a banquet table, sending both himself and the table tumbling to the ground.
