Chapter 72
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Chapter 72: Bloody Battle
Lian Tianji was in a hurry to end the fight. He knew Zhang Yu’s superior technique had closed much of the gap in their physical strength, but he remained confident in his victory.
He would have preferred to spend more time battling Zhang Yu, absorbing his powerful techniques through actual combat. For Lian Tianji, learning and growing stronger through real-world combat was just as important as winning the Martial Arts Competition.
However, since the sponsor had requested a quick victory to showcase the potion’s effects, he could not afford to delay any longer. While both learning through combat and earning money through advertising could make him stronger, the power of money ultimately held greater significance.
“I’m sorry, Zhang Yu,” Lian Tianji said. “Though I’d love to spar with you longer, I can’t ignore the sponsor’s request.”
With that, he activated his rented Combat Spirit Root. As the spiritual energy in the air stirred, it began to converge in his hands.
His Combat Spirit Root was Surge.
Spiritual energy surged continuously into his body, actively participating in his magic power circulation during combat to amplify his martial arts techniques.
When combined with his Explosive Wave Fist, the effect was even more remarkable.
Lian Tianji threw another punch at Zhang Yu, a torrent of Qi rushing forward.
This strike detonated the spiritual energy surrounding his fist, creating a shockwave that slammed into Zhang Yu.
This not only amplified the power of the Explosive Wave Fist but also expanded its attack range severalfold.
This meant Lian Tianji’s fist did not need to touch Zhang Yu or the Formless Cloud Gang Qi in Zhang Yu’s hands. The shockwave from the explosion could strike Zhang Yu from a distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
One punch followed another. Lian Tianji had transformed into a human cannon, relentlessly pounding Zhang Yu with a barrage of blows.
A surging wave of energy engulfed Zhang Yu’s figure in an instant.
Just when Lian Tianji thought this relentless assault would be enough to defeat Zhang Yu, he was stunned.
To his astonishment, the bloodied Zhang Yu suddenly shattered the shockwave. With his hands wreathed in layers of white mist, Zhang Yu charged forward and unleashed a devastating counterattack.
Even after taking such severe injuries, he’s still fighting? Isn’t he afraid of bankruptcy?
Though puzzled by Zhang Yu’s choice, Lian Tianji was brimming with fighting spirit, fueled by the sponsorship deal. He would not hold back in front of the cameras.
The two sides then collided head-on without flinching.
Fist winds and palm shadows devoured each other.
Amidst the thunderous explosions, Lian Tianji felt his fists repeatedly slam into Zhang Yu’s body, while Zhang Yu’s hands, charged with Formless Cloud Gang Qi, slammed into him again and again.
This left Lian Tianji even more baffled.
Has he lost the energy even to maintain his technique? Is he actually choosing to trade blows with me, blow for blow?
smack! smack!
Watching Zhang Yu’s body skin and flesh split under his Explosive Wave Fist, blood constantly welling up, Lian Tianji predicted his opponent would not last much longer.
But after 10 seconds… Zhang Yu was still trading blows with him.
20 seconds later… Zhang Yu still showed no sign of stopping.
How is this possible!
Lian Tianji stared at Zhang Yu, who was covered in blood yet still as vigorous as a dragon and tiger. Meanwhile, Lian Tianji himself was taking more and more hits, and his injuries were gradually distorting his fist technique.
At that moment, Lian Tianji could only feel disbelief.
What kind of drug did he take?
At the same time, Zhang Yu’s body surged with Gang Qi, flowing through him like a mighty river.
After reaching Level 10 in Limitless Cloud Hands, Zhang Yu could now unleash Formless Cloud Gang Qi from any part of his body. This meant he could circulate the Formless Cloud Gang Qi throughout his entire frame without causing any harm.
So after deciding to conceal his Level 10 Limitless Cloud Hands, he devised a new tactic he called Subdermal Gang Qi Armor.
He channelled Formless Gang Qi to every part of his body but kept it hidden beneath his skin, never letting it erupt.
At this moment, the Formless Gang Qi acted like an invisible armor worn beneath his skin, absorbing all the damage that pierced his flesh.
This was why, despite appearing to be drenched in blood, Zhang Yu had only suffered superficial wounds. His muscles and bones were unharmed.
In contrast, whenever Lian Tianji clashed with Zhang Yu, he was repeatedly staggered by the recoil from the Formless Cloud Gang Qi as his own power rebounded against him.
The more frantic, forceful, and ferocious he became, the more violent and overwhelming the power that returned from Zhang Yu’s body grew.
Only the painkiller kept these sensations at bay, allowing him to continue fighting at full strength.
But after the injuries continuously accumulated…
Urk!
Lian Tianji violently spat out a large mouthful of blood, feeling his body tremble slightly.
My strength, speed, and stamina… they’re all clearly superior to his.
How can I be losing to him in close-quarters combat?
Looking at Zhang Yu, who was covered in blood and clearly more severely injured than he was, Lian Tianji could not understand why his opponent had not fallen yet.
“What’s the point of winning like this? Can you even afford the medical bills?”
Just then, a student from Purple Cloud shouted from below the stage, “Lord Lian Tianji, the advertisers are extremely dissatisfied. If you cannot defeat Zhang Yu within the remaining 30 seconds, they will pull their advertisements and cancel all future collaborations!”
Pull advertisements? Cancel the collaborations?
Hearing this, Lian Tianji’s eyes blazed with renewed fighting spirit. Like a startled beast, his entire body immediately surged with a fresh wave of power.
I must! Immediately! Right now! Finish! Zhang! Yu!
Explosive Wave Fist, Self-Destruct Mode!
This fist technique was propelled by the explosion of spiritual energy and magic power.
It pursued the absolute pinnacle of power by sacrificing severe arm injury.
In that instant, Lian Tianji unleashed his ultimate strength.
His right arm swelled dramatically as spiritual energy and magic power surged into it.
Bang!
As Lian Tianji stomped his foot, the entire arena shook violently.
The next instant, his right arm, enveloped in a bloody mist, hurtled toward Zhang Yu with a force that transcended all limits.
Facing this ferocious punch, Zhang Yu dared not be careless in the slightest. The gang qi inside him surged as he simultaneously activated his Limitless Cloud Hands and Indestructible Seal Art.
His blood-stained Formless Cloud Gang Qi surged forward to meet Lian Tianji’s attack head-on.
In the next moment, their fists and palms collided. A deafening explosion erupted from the stage and echoed across the entire stadium like a string of muffled thunderclaps, drawing the attention of countless spectators.
Zhang Yu’s entire body was once again blasted red with blood.
The force of the impact shoved him toward the edge of the Arena like a tidal wave.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
But after taking four steps back, he stood firm under Lian Tianji’s disappointed gaze.
“You actually neutralized my punch? Your martial technique…”
Zhang Yu smiled faintly and said, “Thank you for the pressure you put on me during this fight. It finally pushed my Limitless Cloud Hands to break through their limits and reach Level 4.”
Hearing that Zhang Yu had achieved a breakthrough mid-battle, Lian Tianji could only force a bitter laugh before collapsing to the ground.
At this moment, Lian Tianji’s right arm was severely injured, and the wounds all over his body had finally erupted, leaving him completely unable to fight any longer.
“It’s probably not just the Limitless Cloud Hands, is it?” Lian Tianji said. “You couldn’t have held me off for this long with just that martial art.”
Zhang Yu nodded and recited the explanation he had long since prepared. “I’ve also practiced the Indestructible Seal Technique, which draws on magic power, and a hard qigong martial art.”
[Note: 横练武功 is brutal training Martial Art so i went with Hard Qigong Martial Art which sounds similar to it where Hard shows its brutal and Qigong is kinda internal energy cultivation]
Zhang Yu planned to pretend he had trained in a hard qigong martial art to conceal the effects of his Subdermal Gang Qi.
Lian Tianji nodded knowingly, his gaze toward Zhang Yu filled with complex emotions.
“Given the resources of Songyang High School… you managed to master these three martial arts in just half a year of your first year… even allowing you to close the gap in physical strength between us… Your talent in the Martial Dao makes me envious.”
The emergency medical team below rushed onto the stage and lifted Lian Tianji onto a stretcher, carrying him away for treatment.
Zhang Yu, also covered in blood, was similarly carried over, but as a medic approached, he quickly raised his hand to stop them and shouted, “Wait! First, how much will it cost to treat my injuries? And how much will my insurance cover?”
Zhang Yu was genuinely afraid that he would win the match only to go bankrupt from the medical bills afterward and have to withdraw from the competition.
The emergency doctor frowned. “With injuries like these, you still have time to worry about money?”
In the doctor’s eyes, Zhang Yu, covered in blood, wasn’t just bleeding. He was money flowing away.
These injuries are so severe, the doctor thought. If I don’t charge at least a million or so for this, how can I justify my medical license?
As he examined Zhang Yu, the doctor said, “With injuries this severe, if we don’t treat them immediately…”
He suddenly stopped short. “Huh? Actually… there are no major injuries?”
Protected by Subdermal Gang Qi and operating at the peak of his Full Concentration State, Zhang Yu had constantly dodged blows to vital areas and prevented repeated strikes to the same spots. As a result, his injuries were far less severe than they appeared.
“Just superficial wounds?” the doctor exclaimed in surprise. “5,000 for the examination, 15,000 for treatment, and 10,000 for medication. They’re all standard procedures covered by insurance. Shall we begin?”
Zhang Yu was stunned by the price. “That expensive?”
The doctor impatiently replied, “How can you compete in the next match if you don’t get properly treated? It’s all covered by insurance anyway. What are you worried about?”
“Alright, alright, let’s get it done.”
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. Sigh… my insurance premiums are definitely going up now.
***
Bailong High School Rest Area
“That Lian Tianji has some real skill.”
“His Physical Strength must be around 2.3, right?”
“That fist technique is incredible. Combined with his Combat Spirit Root, his overall combat effectiveness at Purple Cloud High School should be second only to Le Mulan’s.”
“That student from Songyang High School is completely overwhelmed. He’s about to lose…”
But just moments later, to the astonishment of the Bailong High School students, Lian Tianji was the one lying on the arena floor while Zhang Yu stood victorious, completely defying their expectations.
“Lian Tianji actually lost?”
“That Zhang Yu managed to overcome such a huge gap with his Martial Technique…”
“And medicine! He must have taken a powerful combat drug to last that long.”
“Well, in that case, it’s not so surprising that Old Chu lost to this Zhang Yu.”
On the stretcher, Chu Qiuhe, who had been feigning unconsciousness, felt his eyelids twitch slightly as he heard the crowd’s gasps. He silently cheered, Hang in there, Zhang Yu!
In that moment, Chu Qiuhe desperately wanted Zhang Yu to keep winning. Though he knew it was impossible, he couldn’t help but hope that Zhang Yu would just blast even Song Hailong off the arena and take the championship.
He felt he was probably the person in the entire venue who most wanted Zhang Yu to win. After all, his campus reputation and status at Bailong High School for the next two and a half years depended on it.
Losing to a Songyang student? That would make him a complete joke.
But losing to the champion of the Martial Arts Competition? Well, that opponent was simply too strong so defeat was inevitable.
