Chapter 86 - 54: First Battle

Generally, if a participant was a disciple from a Martial Arts Hall or a family, the Official would announce their background directly.

This wasn’t a strict requirement, just a personal habit. The middle-aged Official likely read it that way because that’s how it was written on the register.

However, Yang Jing noticed a detail: when it came to Independent Martial Artists, the middle-aged Official simply stated their names.

Everything Yang Jing had learned beforehand, as well as what he’d seen since the field trials began, pointed to one thing.

Generally, among the Martial Artists participating in the field trials, the disciples from Martial Arts Halls and major families were considered the most formidable. Independent Martial Artists, lacking resources and formal training, were typically a tier weaker.

But Yang Jing also knew this wasn’t an absolute rule.

After all, some Independent Martial Artists might have had a fortuitous encounter, or perhaps they had endured great hardships, giving them a wealth of life-or-death experience that made them powerful in actual combat.

Pushing aside his stray thoughts, Yang Jing walked onto the arena platform.

His opponent, Li Yumang, was already waiting for him.

Li Yumang was not tall, but he was solidly built. His hands were covered in calluses, and he stood like an unyielding boulder, his eyes carrying a fierce, death-defying intensity.

Yang Jing covertly sized him up. ’His aura is steady, and the knuckles on his hands are prominent. He’s clearly practiced hard-style martial arts for years. If I’m not mistaken, he must also be a Mingjin Martial Artist.’

The two faced each other and bowed with cupped fists. The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

At that moment, in a corner below the stage, Shen Lie stood with his arms crossed. His hawk-like gaze was locked onto Yang Jing, a glint of coldness rippling through his otherwise calm eyes.

"So this is the brat who’s been pestering Zhao Yuman?"

The corners of Shen Lie’s mouth curved into a smile, but it held no warmth. He was clearly paying closer attention to this match, his gaze filled with scrutiny.

At the edge of the ring, the middle-aged Official shouted, "Ready—begin!"

With that said, the middle-aged Official immediately stepped off the platform.

At the same time, Li Yumang had already made the first move. He stomped his foot and shot forward like a cannonball, his right fist clenched, whistling through the air as it aimed straight for Yang Jing’s chest. It was the direct, hard-hitting style of the Iron Wire Fist.

Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed. Instead of retreating, he advanced, raising his left arm to block while clenching his right fist, ready to strike.

Li Yumang’s Iron Wire Fist came crashing down with the force of a thousand-pound weight. The wind from the punch was fierce and powerful, a clear sign that he had trained the rigid hardness of the style to its peak.

Thoughts raced through Yang Jing’s mind.

’The field trials have just begun. Raging Wave Kick is my ace in the hole, and I can’t reveal it unless it’s absolutely necessary. For now, simply using Mountain-Shattering Fist will be enough.’

He didn’t dodge or evade. Raising his left arm before his chest like an iron gate, he clenched his right fist and discreetly circulated his Dark Energy, but only used thirty to forty percent of his strength.

The gap between Dark Energy and Mingjin was immense to begin with.

When Qian Feng had fought his opponent earlier, he certainly hadn’t used his full power either. Yang Jing guessed he had probably used sixty to seventy percent of his strength to win so easily.

However, Yang Jing was different from an ordinary Dark Energy Martial Artist. While mastering one martial art, he had also trained in a second. More importantly, he had already cultivated that second art, Raging Wave Kick, to the Mingjin Realm.

With the Dark Energy of his Mountain-Shattering Fist stacked on top of the Mingjin of his Raging Wave Kick, the quantity and quality of the Inner Strength within his body far surpassed that of other Martial Artists at the same level.

Therefore, even when he used only thirty percent of his power, it was comparable to an ordinary Dark Energy Martial Artist using fifty to sixty percent of theirs.

BAM!

A muffled bang echoed as their fists met.

Li Yumang felt a powerful surge of energy travel up his arm, making the web of his thumb go numb as if it were about to split open. The momentum of his punch instantly died, and he stumbled back three or four steps with a THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.

The difference between Dark Energy and Mingjin was clear at a glance.

Even with Yang Jing using only thirty to forty percent of his power, a mere Mingjin Martial Artist like Li Yumang was no match for him.

Li Yumang’s heart sank. He knew he’d gotten unlucky this time, running into a Dark Energy master. His chances of winning were slim to none.

But to admit defeat after just one exchange? That would be far too pathetic. He would be mocked for nothing. More importantly, a major reason he had joined the field trials was to catch the eye of the great families or large businesses of Yuhe County.

Otherwise, as a mere Independent Martial Artist, his journey on the Martial Dao was destined to end here if he couldn’t secure more resources.

If he surrendered after a single move, who among the influential figures of Yuhe County would ever acknowledge him? Who would be willing to sponsor him?

’I’ll risk it all!’ Li Yumang gritted his teeth, pushed his Inner Strength again, and followed up with his left fist, aiming straight for Yang Jing’s face.

Yang Jing took a small sidestep to evade the blow, simultaneously thrusting out his right fist.

The punch seemed slow, but it carried the unique, heavy falling sensation of the Mountain-Shattering Fist. Before the fist even arrived, an invisible pressure enveloped Li Yumang.

Li Yumang wanted to retreat, but he found his body seemingly locked in place by the force of the punch. He could only bite the bullet and raise his arm to block.

CRACK!

A soft snap was heard.

The wind from the punch grazed Li Yumang’s arm, and a sharp pain shot through it, instantly numbing the entire limb.

Before he could react, Yang Jing’s second punch followed like a shadow and landed on his chest.

This punch didn’t seem heavy, but it carried the penetrating power of Dark Energy.

Li Yumang felt as if his internal organs had been churned, and with a muffled grunt, he staggered back several steps.

With a THUD, he collapsed onto the platform, unable to get back up.

"I surrender!" Li Yumang shouted hastily.

Yang Jing retracted his fist and stood tall, his breathing even, as if he had merely brushed some dust off his clothes.