Chapter 169

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Zhang Xiaohua immediately raised his hand to retort: “Group Leader Chang, this is martial arts discrimination! I oppose it!”

“Martial arts discrimination?” Group Leader Chang was puzzled.

Zhang Xiaohua continued: “Just because I can’t perform Qinggong doesn’t mean I can’t participate in the martial arts competition. I practice other martial arts too! Just because my Qinggong isn’t good doesn’t mean my other skills aren’t. And I believe that those who train in external martial arts might not necessarily excel in Qinggong. Could it be that your sect’s Shi Niu is also good at Qinggong?”

“Shi Niu?” Group Leader Chang chuckled. “So you know Shi Niu? Well, let me tell you, although Shi Niu’s Qinggong isn’t very good, he was able to jump onto this platform himself when he was young. At least he knows a bit of Qinggong!”

“Oh, really?” Zhang Xiaohua had no reply.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua fall silent, Group Leader Chang asked: “By the way, do you also practice external martial arts? You don’t seem like it.”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “I don’t just practice external martial arts, I also train in internal martial arts.”

“Oh.” Group Leader Chang nodded and said: “Come here, I’ll help you up.”

Confused, Zhang Xiaohua walked over and asked: “You’ll send me up to the ring? How will you do that?”

As Zhang Xiaohua approached, Group Leader Chang squinted his eyes and smiled. With a sudden burst of strength, he moved in front of Zhang Xiaohua, and before Zhang Xiaohua could react, Group Leader Chang grabbed him by the neck. Then, with a powerful shove to his back, he sent Zhang Xiaohua soaring toward the platform.

Group Leader Chang’s laughter echoed: “Haha, this is how I send you up to the platform!”

Zhang Xiaohua flew through the air like a cloud toward the platform, and Group Leader Chang was quite pleased with the effect. He always had confidence in his martial arts; such a small trick was nothing to him.

But suddenly, he noticed something was off. Zhang Xiaohua’s body didn’t stop on the platform. Instead, he flew past the center of the ring and continued toward the other side. It seemed like Zhang Xiaohua wouldn’t land on the platform at all!

At that moment, Zhang Xiaohua was already flying over the platform and was about to crash down on the other side. What was going on?

Group Leader Chang was also dumbfounded. When did his internal strength increase so much?

In mid-air, Zhang Xiaohua protested loudly: “Group Leader Chang, what are you doing? Are you trying to sabotage me?!”

Group Leader Chang was speechless. Where to even begin explaining? He quickly ran to the other side of the platform, eager to see how badly Zhang Xiaohua would land.

As Zhang Xiaohua’s body was suspended in mid-air, he sensed something was wrong as he crossed the center of the arena. However, he couldn’t control himself and felt like a flying man as he soared over the stage, falling towards the ground on the other side. Panic surged within him, and he couldn’t help but shout out.

After shouting, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him, recalling the technique of floating from the Piaomiao Steps. Forgetting He Tianshu’s warning, he decided to treat the situation as if he were reviving a dead horse with the hope of it becoming alive. He immediately followed the teachings of the manual and attempted to execute the technique. However, just as he thought he could manage it, his body was already descending, and there was no time to react. By the time he began to circulate his True Qi to stabilize himself, his feet had already touched the ground.

Fortunately, he stood there steadily, far less disheveled than he had been in front of the Piaomiao Sect’s archway.

At that moment, Group Leader Chang rushed over and asked: “Number 250, what just happened?”

Zhang Xiaohua turned around and countered: “Group Leader Chang, I wanted to ask you the same thing. Just now, you discriminated against martial arts, and now you’re discriminating against factions. What did our Huanxi Villa do to offend you that you threw me from there to here?”

Upon hearing the mention of the villa, Group Leader Chang immediately put on a smile and said: “Number 250, I’m sorry. I was just trying to help you onto the arena. Who knew I applied too much force all at once?”

Zhang Xiaohua frowned and replied: “If you were helping me, you could have said something… You startled me. Otherwise, I could have prepared myself mentally.”

Group Leader Chang apologized with a smile: “Alright, I’ll help you back up now. How does that sound?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “Fine, I’ll forgive you this time. Let’s get started.”

This time, Group Leader Chang was much more cautious. He supported Zhang Xiaohua under his armpit, using just a bit of strength. It felt quite light, almost like lifting a ten-year-old child. He suddenly realized that he had underestimated Zhang Xiaohua’s weight when he had used too much force earlier, how could he know that Zhang Xiaohua was so light? No wonder he had flown out so easily.

Now, Group Leader Chang exerted only a small amount of effort, allowing Zhang Xiaohua to leap onto the stage effortlessly. Once Zhang Xiaohua steadied himself on the platform, Team Leader Chang suddenly realized that he had just helped Zhang Xiaohua get onto the stage out of good intentions. Zhang Xiaohua’s words earlier seemed to imply that he was asking for help to go up, which made no sense at all. If he couldn’t go up, he could just forfeit; why was he worrying so much?

On the stage, a child no older than seven or eight was becoming impatient, after all, he was still young. He watched in confusion as Zhang Xiaohua flew across the arena, landed on the other side, and then came up from there. Now, seeing Zhang Xiaohua finally land on the stage and steady himself, he immediately cupped his fists and bowed, saying_ “I am Mu Tangchun. Please, senior brother, show mercy.”

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua understood it was the customary etiquette before a contest among disciples of the Piaomiao Sect, which he had witnessed in the previous four matches. He quickly returned the gesture, saying: “I am Zhang Xiaohua. Junior brother, please.”

As Mu Tangchun saw Zhang Xiaohua was ready, he stopped speaking and took a deep breath. With both hands spread wide, he assumed a starting stance. Then, he exerted force with his feet and struck a palm towards Zhang Xiaohua’s chest. Seeing this, he didn’t hesitate and met the attack with a punch. In their first exchange, both were testing each other’s strengths. The two fists and palms collided, and Zhang Xiaohua, confident in his strength, seeing that his opponent was just a child, didn’t dare to go all out and only used half of his power. He thought that his half-strength of two to three hundred jin was enough to withstand the blow. However, he was taken aback when a significant force came from that tiny palm upon impact. Zhang Xiaohua was shocked and immediately realized, this is inner strength! How careless of him to forget! His opponent was a rare prodigy. Although young, how can one underestimate the importance of cultivating inner strength over many years?

As the force from the palm struck him, Zhang Xiaohua added a bit more strength, barely managing to hold his ground. With this in mind, he decided that his second punch would not directly collide with his opponent’s palm. Mu Tangchun seemed to sense Zhang Xiaohua’s considerable strength as well, opting not to engage head-on. Thus, the two began to exchange punches and palm strikes, taking turns in their assault.

At first, the two were locked in a heated battle, with Zhang Xiaohua responding to every attack with clever moves. However, as time passed, the spectators began to notice something unusual. Why?

Zhang Xiaohua’s 108-moves fist technique soon had its foundation stripped away completely, as repetitive moves emerged time and again. In contrast, although Mu Tangchun was young, he possessed a wealth of knowledge and had been fighting Zhang Xiaohua for nearly half a stick of incense without repeating any techniques. From his initial palm strikes to punches, and now to leg techniques, he dazzled the audience with his variety. Zhang Xiaohua, caught up in the fight, couldn’t help but reflect on the saying, ‘Heroes emerge from youth’.

Though Zhang Xiaohua’s moves were becoming predictable, their power still remained. The moves Zhang Xiaohua had altered in practice were surprisingly effective in combat. His offensive and defensive maneuvers were flawless. Despite Mu Tangchun’s continuous change in tactics, probing for a weakness in Zhang Xiaohua, he made no progress.

As Mu Tangchun glanced at the half-burned incense stick, he tensed his legs and leaped high into the air. His left leg moved swiftly to kick at Zhang Xiaohua, executing a secret leg technique of the Piaomiao Sect. Zhang Xiaohua, inexperienced in matches, had some understanding of palm and fist techniques, but when he saw this leg strike, he instinctively wanted to dodge. He exerted force with his left foot, sliding his right foot to the side, and his figure seemed to float to the side, his Piaomiao Steps moving freely to evade the attack.

At the same moment that Zhang Xiaohua executed the Piaomiao Steps, Group Leader Ma couldn’t help but exclaim, “Eh!” He quickly turned to look at Group Leader Li, who was also gazing back at him. Their eyes met, and they exchanged surprised glances, clearly not hiding the astonishment on their faces; it seemed they had recognized the Piaomiao Steps.

The disciples of the Young Eagle Hall differed from other disciples; their mission was to teach martial arts to the common disciples. Therefore, they were naturally well-versed in their sect techniques. Although the Piaomiao Step was the sect’s ultimate technique, and they could not receive its teachings, that did not mean they had never seen it before. In fact, they had encountered both the Piaomiao Seven Swords and the Piaomiao Divine Technique.

Zhang Xiaohua, participating in the martial arts competition under the banner of Huanxi Villa, was already a rare sight. Having just claimed to have trained in martial arts for a little over a year, Group Leader Ma naturally dismissed him with skepticism. Coupled with the earlier incident on the ring, Zhang Xiaohua’s image in Group Leader Ma’s mind had already plummeted.

However, Zhang Xiaohua’s performance in the arena was refreshing to Group Leader Ma. What kind of techniques was this guy using? That one seemed like Arhat Fist, while that one appeared to be Six Harmonies Fist, and the other looked somewhat like Southern Fist, or perhaps Jie Fist. In short, after fighting for a considerable time, Group Leader Ma had not seen a single move he was familiar with. Yet these seemingly disorganized moves were executed by Zhang Xiaohua with great vigor and precision, creating a solid balance of offense and defense that left his opponent struggling to find a suitable opportunity to counterattack

Moreover, what kind of discerning eye did Group Leader Ma have? He had already realized that Zhang Xiaohua did not possess any internal power techniques. From their first exchange, he could see how Mu Tangchun’s inner strength operated. The fact that Zhang Xiaohua didn’t suffer any disadvantages in their exchanges made him aware of Zhang Xiaohua’s extraordinary physical strength.

However, none of this made him reconsider his assessment. Just based on this, it was not enough to pose a threat to Mu Tangchun. As long as Mu Tangchun maintained a continuous offensive and was unafraid to exhaust his inner strength, he could certainly force Zhang Xiaohua off the stage.

However, the execution of Zhang Xiaohua’s Piaomiao Steps cast a huge stone into Group Leader Ma’s heart, creating massive waves. What kind of technique was the Piaomiao Steps? It was the signature skill of the Piaomiao Sect! Even a disciple of the Young Eagle Hall like himself had never practiced it, yet it was now appearing in the hands of a disciple from Huanxi Villa. A thought immediately formed in Team Leader Ma’s mind: “There must be some trickery behind this!”

While Team Leader Ma was lost in thought, Zhang Xiaohua was already using the Piaomiao Steps to evade multiple attacks from his opponent. Seeing that his leg techniques were ineffective, Mu Tangchun decided to change tactics and attacked Zhang Xiaohua with a series of punches. When Zhang Xiaohua saw the fists coming toward him, he felt a surge of joy and charged forward, employing the old Big Dipper Divine Fist once more.

After some more fighting, Mu Tangchun stole a glance at the incense stick. Realizing that the time was almost up, he felt a sense of urgency. This Number 250 is infuriating! Despite using the same set of moves over and over again, I can’t find a clear opening. I’ve tried several different palm and fist techniques, but none have been effective. I finally figured out that he can’t deal with leg techniques, and yet he’s executed a set of profound movement technique moves. My attacks haven’t even touched the hem of his clothes!

Seeing the time dwindling, how could he bear the thought of facing off evenly against this unexpected opponent?

Feeling a twinge of defiance, Mu Tangchun gritted his teeth and quietly activated his internal energy. A faint golden hue flickered across his face before disappearing. With a clenched fist, he leaped into the air and shouted as he struck fiercely at Zhang Xiaohua’s face.

“Golden Sandalwood Fist!” Group Leader Ma couldn’t help but praise Mu Tangchun internally. However, he didn’t hold out much hope for Mu Tangchun’s attack, knowing that as long as Zhang Xiaohua could employ the Piaomiao Steps, he would be virtually invincible.

But the scene before him seemed to defy his expectations. Zhang Xiaohua, seeing Mu Tangchun’s fist grow larger as it approached, also shouted loudly. Instead of using any special technique, he spread his legs apart, rooted himself in a horse stance, and met the incoming fist with a punch of his own.

With a loud “bang,” their fists collided. Zhang Xiaohua staggered back a step while Mu Tangchun was sent flying into the air. Despite being knocked away, Mu Tangchun was composed; he performed a somersault in the air and quickly steadied himself. Using his foot to push off a pillar at the edge of the arena, he executed his Qinggong and hurled another punch at Zhang Xiaohua. Zhang Xiaohua laughed heartily and said: “Good. Then take a punch from me.”

At that moment, Zhang Xiaohua seemed to have forgotten that the opponent was just a seven or eight-year-old child. He lunged forward, his arms tensed, and his fist rose from below to meet Mu Tangchun’s punch. As their fists collided, they struck each other three times in quick succession. The audience heard three loud “bangs”, and Mu Tangchun was sent flying backward by Zhang Xiaohua’s punches, executing several flips in mid-air before finally stabilizing himself. He landed lightly at the edge of the arena, while Zhang Xiaohua also stepped back with a series of “deng deng deng” sounds until he reached the edge of the platform, barely managing to stop himself.

At that moment, Group Leader Ma shouted from below the stage: “Time’s up, it’s a draw.”

By now, Mu Tangchun had long abandoned his dismissive attitude, his eyes wide with astonishment. The two walked to the center of the arena, bowed to each other, and then jumped down. Luckily, the platform wasn’t too high, and Zhang Xiaohua hesitated only slightly as he landed.

As soon as Mu Tangchun jumped down, he was surrounded by the other eight people, who eagerly questioned him. Naturally, they wanted to know Zhang Xiaohua’s true strength. Everyone had seen the match, but the genuine experience could only be relayed through the words of those involved.

Zhang Xiaohua, upon landing, silently moved to the side. Group Leader Ma glanced at him with a complex expression, wanting to say something, but he hesitated, thinking that Zhang Xiaohua was disappointed about the draw and not getting the full three points. Thus, he refrained from comforting him.

In fact, at that moment, Zhang Xiaohua was not contemplating what had happened on the platform. Instead, he was reflecting on the feeling he had when Group Leader Ma had thrown him over his head, particularly when he had executed the floating technique.

Hadn’t He Tianshu said that the floating technique was just a verbal formula and that he could never truly perform it? Yet just now, in his moment of urgency, he had clearly succeeded in using it. Although he hadn’t floated, there had been a hint of it, which was a fundamental difference. What exactly was going on?

If he could indeed perform the floating technique, then he would have mastered his own Qinggong. He could have jumped onto the platform by himself instead of being tossed up by someone else. Thinking this, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but stare with burning eyes at the platform and at Group Leader Ma below.

After a short break, Zhang Xiaohua’s group continued with their matches. The next two rounds were not much different from the first; however, the variety of fist, palm, and leg techniques broadened Zhang Xiaohua’s horizons. Even the Qinggongs he was most eager to see were all different among the competitors. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but shake his head, thinking that the foundation of the Piaomiao Sect was indeed too profound.

As for Zhang Xiaohua’s matches, the other children had already realized that he possessed tremendous strength and thus avoided provoking him. They used their Qinggong to evade some of his powerful moves and also recognized his lack of familiarity with leg techniques. In the beginning, several of them tried to counter Zhang Xiaohua with leg techniques, forcing him to rely on the Piaomiao Step to cope. However, after two matches, Zhang Xiaohua adapted to their leg techniques. No longer merely dodging, he began to counterattack with the Big Dipper Divine Fist, surprisingly managing to fend off their leg techniques with his fists. It was truly miraculous.

Thus, in this manner, when Zhang Xiaohua launched a powerful attack, his opponents would evade using their Qinggong. Conversely, when faced with martial arts that he couldn’t counter, Zhang Xiaohua would evade using the Piaomiao Step. The outcome was clear; everyone was satisfied, and each competitor earned a point from the other.

Consequently, in Zhang Xiaohua’s nine matches, regardless of the strengths or weaknesses of his opponents’ martial arts, the intricacies of their punches, or the depth of their internal energy, he fought for a full incense stick’s duration with each opponent, ultimately shaking hands in reconciliation.

Watching from below, Group Leader Ma felt increasingly frustrated. He wished he could grab Zhang Xiaohua by the ear and tell him: “When you use the Piaomiao Step, just follow it up with a punch, and you can hit your opponent. With your strength, one punch is enough to win!” But little did he know that once Zhang Xiaohua used the Piaomiao Step, he couldn’t execute the Big Dipper Divine Fist; he hadn’t yet managed to properly integrate the two techniques together.

Group Leader Ma felt that the Piaomiao Step was a gem poorly hidden in Zhang Xiaohua’s hands. He was frustrated by his inability to cultivate Zhang Xiaohua’s potential, to the point where he lost the desire to throw him onto the stage and nearly ended up throwing Zhang Xiaohua out of the arena.

By the time Zhang Xiaohua had his third draw, night had already fallen. He jumped off the stage and immediately asked: “Group Leader Ma, where are we going to eat?”

The crowd below all collapsed to the ground in shock!

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