Chapter 104 - 62: Revealing Strength

The two had just clashed.

The rebounding force from the punch made the web of his hand go slightly numb.

’I thought that punch would at least make Yang Jing stumble back. After all, how long has it been since he broke through to the Dark Energy realm? How strong could his Inner Strength possibly be?’

But to his surprise, the other man only took half a step back, his arm as steady as a rock.

What shocked him even more was that while the Dark Energy coming from Yang Jing’s fist seemed a bit unrefined, it was by no means weak. That immense power... how could it belong to a newcomer who had just reached the Dark Energy realm?

The disdain in his eyes vanished, replaced by profound astonishment. ’This kid... he’s been hiding his true strength!’

When Shen Lie had seen Qian Feng fail to gain the upper hand in a direct clash with Yang Jing, he had been puzzled. He had assumed Qian Feng’s reputation was undeserved and that he was all bark and no bite. Now, it seemed he had wronged Qian Feng and underestimated Yang Jing.

A vicious glint flashed through Shen Lie’s eyes.

’Even so, Yang Jing is still no match for me!’

’So what if he was hiding something before?’

’His Inner Strength is weaker than mine in both quality and quantity.’

’It just means he’ll last a few more moves against me, that’s all!’

On the training grounds, the sounds of clashing weapons and colliding fists and feet erupted from all eight arenas at almost the same time.

But on Arena Seven, the sound of one head-on fist collision after another was especially muffled, yet it struck the heart of every spectator like a heavy hammer.

The force of their fists was like a furious tide crashing against the shore, stirring up waves of air across the arena.

Shen Lie’s Mountain-Breaking Fist grew heavier and more ferocious. His fists created dull sonic booms as they tore through the air, each strike carrying the immense pressure of the Peak of Dark Energy, forcing Yang Jing to constantly move and evade.

Yang Jing’s footwork suddenly quickened as he silently activated the Mingjin of his Raging Wave Legs.

This leg technique was already known for its speed, and after breaking through to the Mingjin Realm, it had improved by a huge margin.

His body moved like wind skimming the ground, weaving through the gaps in the afterimages of Shen Lie’s fists. His toes touched the floor as lightly as a feather, and he spun and shifted as fast as a streak of light. Every step landed in the brief interval when the Mountain-Breaking Fist’s power was about to wane but had not yet fully dissipated, allowing him to perfectly avoid the brunt of the attack.

Shen Lie’s fists grazed Yang Jing’s clothes several times, making the surrounding air hum, but he couldn’t even touch his opponent’s skin.

The more he fought, the more alarmed he became. The speed Yang Jing was displaying now... it was more than just a notch faster than when he fought Qian Feng!

’He’s clearly cultivated that Body Technique martial art to the Mingjin Realm; otherwise, there’s no way he could be this agile.’

At this thought, a storm of shock raged in Shen Lie’s heart.

He had previously scoffed at Yang Jing for practicing a second martial art. It was because reaching a high level in a second art was incredibly difficult and didn’t add much to one’s overall power, making it a waste of time and energy. It was far better to focus all one’s efforts on mastering a single martial art while young.

But things were different now. Yang Jing had actually cultivated his second martial art to the Mingjin Realm.

A simple Mingjin Realm technique would mean nothing to Shen Lie.

But Yang Jing was already a Dark Energy master. Adding a Mingjin Realm technique on top of that was a massive boost to his power.

Most importantly, the second martial art Yang Jing practiced was a speed-based Body Technique, which complemented his primary Mountain-Shattering Fist perfectly.

This art’s main feature was its speed—a speed advantage that was an absolute headache to deal with!

As for its attack power, it was almost negligible. But Yang Jing’s primary attacks still came from his Mountain-Shattering Fist!

Shen Lie’s expression grew uglier, and his heart grew heavier.

Yang Jing wasn’t in a hurry to counterattack. He was simply relying on the speed of his Raging Wave Legs to wear Shen Lie down.

His Mountain-Shattering Fist was still fierce, but he no longer met the Mountain-Breaking Fist head-on. Instead, he would often evade a punch and, in the same motion, throw a fist of his own from a tricky angle, though it lacked top-tier power.

The Mingjin of the Raging Wave Legs manifested more in speed; the leg technique’s own killing power wasn’t enough to threaten a Peak of Dark Energy expert like Shen Lie. What he had to do now was use his speed to exhaust his opponent.

Although Shen Lie’s Inner Strength was profound, it couldn’t withstand such high-intensity consumption.

After several dozen moves, sweat appeared on his forehead, his breathing grew heavier, and the rhythm of his Mountain-Breaking Fist had clearly slowed.

Meanwhile, Yang Jing’s breathing was still steady, his figure elusive. He would occasionally throw out a sweeping kick with his Raging Wave Legs, not to injure his opponent, but simply to disrupt Shen Lie’s fist-work, forcing him to pull his arm back to defend.

BANG!

Using the momentum from a spin, Yang Jing’s right fist grazed Shen Lie’s left shoulder.

The punch wasn’t heavy, but it was enough to make Shen Lie, whose blood and Qi were already churning, stagger half a step.

He steadied himself, his gaze on Yang Jing a mixture of shock and fury.

’This kid’s leg technique... how can it be so fast!’

He knew his opponent’s fists and legs weren’t overwhelmingly powerful, yet he couldn’t catch him, couldn’t stop him. He could only watch as the other man moved effortlessly through the afterimages of his punches. This feeling of helplessness was even more frustrating than being defeated in a direct clash of strength.

Confidence began to build in Yang Jing’s heart.

’Shen Lie’s raw power is indeed greater than mine, but the speed advantage of my Raging Wave Legs is starting to show.’

If he had used only his Mountain-Shattering Fist or only his Raging Wave Legs, he would have surely been defeated by Shen Lie already.

But by combining the two, even when Shen Lie was about to catch him, he could use his Mountain-Shattering Fist to block for a moment, then use the opportunity to pull back and continue his hit-and-run tactics.

’As long as I maintain this rhythm and drag this out until his Inner Strength fails, the winner will be decided.’

His footwork changed again as he executed the "Wave-Chaser" stance of his Raging Wave Legs. His figure advanced like successive waves, appearing chaotic but taking into account all of Shen Lie’s possible attack routes.

Even if he made a mistake, he could still use his Mountain-Shattering Fist to block head-on. Although he couldn’t block it completely due to his lower realm, it was enough.

Outside the railings, in the spectators’ area, a figure sat in a front-row seat.

Liu Maolin was staring intently at the fierce battle on Arena Seven when his pupils suddenly constricted. He leaned forward instinctively, nearly sliding off his chair.

He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes wide and his knuckles white from the force. "That... that speed..." he muttered.

On the arena stage, Yang Jing’s figure was so fast it was almost a blur. The breeze stirred by his toes touching the ground even rustled the hair at Shen Lie’s temples.

That footwork was so agile and swift, every change in direction was incredibly smooth and precise. This—this was clearly a Body Technique that had been cultivated to the Mingjin Realm!

Liu Maolin’s heart skipped a beat.

He trained at the same Martial Arts Hall as Yang Jing and they sparred often, yet he had never noticed that his junior brother was secretly practicing another art, let alone that he had silently broken through to the Mingjin Realm with it.

’No wonder he could beat Qian Feng. No wonder he dared to face Shen Lie without a hint of fear.’

’This kid, he’s been hiding his skills way too well!’

He gazed at the upright figure weaving through the flurry of fists on the stage, his eyes filled with shock and an indescribable sense of joy.

Not far away, Qian Feng was being supported by a fellow disciple at the edge of the crowd, the wound on his chest still throbbing with pain.

When he saw Yang Jing’s ridiculously fast Body Technique, his eyes went wide. He instinctively tried to move closer but grunted in pain as his injury flared up.

"How is this possible..."

Qian Feng’s voice was hoarse, thick with disbelief.

He recalled his own fight with Yang Jing. His opponent had been agile then, but nowhere near this level. At that time, his footwork seemed like he was just scratching the surface. How could it compare to the complete control and lightning speed he was showing now?

’So that’s how it is...’

Qian Feng’s heart sank as a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.

He finally understood that his loss was not unjust.

When Yang Jing fought him, he hadn’t used his full strength at all. That so-called "Body Technique advantage" was merely the tip of the iceberg that his opponent had intentionally revealed.

’If Yang Jing had used this Mingjin Realm footwork back then, I probably wouldn’t have lasted thirty moves.’

"That kid... he was hiding his strength the whole time,"

Qian Feng muttered to himself, his face burning as if he had been slapped hard.

His earlier dejection and unwillingness to accept defeat were now shattered by this sudden shock, leaving only a new understanding of Yang Jing’s true power.

This seemingly ordinary young Martial Artist was far more terrifying than he had ever imagined.

The buzz from the crowd grew louder. In the stands, many of the dignitaries and influential figures of Yuhe County were stunned by Yang Jing’s sudden burst of speed:

"My heavens! He’s so fast! Shen Lie’s fists can’t even touch him!"

"That Body Technique must have reached the Mingjin Realm, right? As far as I know, because Body Techniques have weak attack power and don’t offer much of an edge against others in the same realm, few major families or Martial Arts Halls teach them. I can’t believe this Yang Jing secretly practiced one and even brought it to the Mingjin level, all without a single rumor getting out!"

"Qian Feng from the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall really can’t complain about his loss. The guy wasn’t even trying..."

"Just a moment ago, I heard disciples from the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall shouting that their Senior Brother Qian Feng was careless and that his loss was unjust. What’s unjust about it? The other guy clearly didn’t even see him as a serious threat and was still holding back."

Hearing these comments, Qian Feng’s face went from pale to red, then from red to ashen. In the end, he could only close his eyes in dejection.

Meanwhile, Liu Maolin stared intently at the arena, the shock in his eyes gradually turning into anticipation.

’Perhaps... the outcome of this championship match will be more surprising than anyone could have imagined.’