The two boys took their stances on opposite sides of the stage.
Clap!
The air boomed as,
They dashed forward at the same instant, colliding at the centre of the ring.
The impact detonated in a violent burst of Qi, the shockwave forcing the surrounding disciples to stagger back lightly.
Bang! Bang! Swoosh!
Wang Fu attacked in rapid succession, palms and fists interweaving as strikes flew toward Lian from multiple angles.
Yet none of them landed.
Lian moved at the same rhythm, intercepting each blow in perfect timing. Open palms met fists, redirecting the force downward with only the faintest release of Qi. His movements were smooth, effortless, almost lazy.
"Is this all you are capable of Lian sneered." His gaze did not shift from Wang Fu.
Flowing along Wang Fu's arm, Lian rolled over his back and drove an elbow toward his spine.
Wang Fu barely twisted aside, the strike grazing past him. At the same time, he countered.
The punch moved straight—yet the impact came from the side.
The blow skimmed across Lian's face.
Lian slid back, gaining distance.
"Whoa…" Lian muttered, eyes wide. "That attack was aimed at my stomach… so how did I hit my face?"
"Now I will show you what I'm capable of."
"Ying Yang resolution," Wang Fu muttered, taking another stance, and his Qi deepened.
"Hmph." Lian wiped the corner of his mouth, unfazed. "You were lucky I misjudged it. You won't get the same chance again."
"Oh… so he's using it now."
The half-asleep disciple narrowed his eyes.
"The Ma Clan's secret martial technique. It doesn't follow logic—it's like space bends around the strike. Combined with the Qi boost from that pill… if you're on the receiving end, it feels like the attacks come from nowhere."
He glanced at Lian.
"I wonder how the new kid will deal with it."
Wang Fu dashed forward, his speed increasing once more.
"I knew it—what happened earlier was just a fluke! There's no way that kid is faster than Wang Fu. Looking at his movements, Wang has mastered the Flash Step, as well him being beaten last time was because he was caught off guard."
"Yeah, that must be it. He was caught off guard."
The disciples murmured among themselves.
But to the trained eye, one could deduce that, that conclusion was wrong.
Although Wang Fu looked as though he had mastered the Flash Step, the truth was different. The meridians' scorching pill he had swallowed was forcibly refining his Qi, making it circulate at an abnormally high speed. That temporary boost pushed him close to the Soul Manifestation stage.
And with his Qi surging, speed naturally followed.
Woosh!
Wang Fu struck, his fist snapping toward Lian's face.
Lian raised his guard, eyes tracking every movement with cold focus.
Then—just like before—the impact came from the left.
Lian skidded backwards, boots scraping against the stone as he regained his stance.
"Puuh."
He spat blood to the side.
"…Troublesome," Lian thought. "That punch felt like two people striking in succession."
"And the was the attack pops up randomly, there is no logic to it."
Then—
"Mmmphht, Hehehe, this is fun…"
A soft chuckle escaped his lips.
Wang Fu's expression twisted. "What? Did my hit knock you stupid or something?"
"No," Lian replied calmly, dusting himself off. "I was just deciding how to deal with this."
He lifted his gaze, eyes sharp.
"…Let's try learning it. It seems useful."
Lian charged forward.
Blows exploded across the arena. Fists, palms, and distorted strikes tore through the air. Lian was forced on the defensive—but slowly, unmistakably, his rhythm changed.
For every four attacks that landed, the fifth was blocked.
For every three attacks that landed, two were blocked.
For every two that landed, three were blocked.
For every one that landed, four were blocked.
Until…
"I understand it now."
A faint smile spread across Lian's face.
Wang Fu attacked again—but this time, every strike missed.
Lian's body flowed between the blows as though he had already seen them. He stepped inside Wang Fu's guard and drew his fist back, aiming straight for his face.
Wang Fu's eyes widened. He raised both arms to defend.
Bang!
Lian's fist didn't hit Wang Fu's face.
It struck his stomach.
"Wow… that's just plain unfair," the half-sleeping boy muttered, stretching lazily.
"He analysed Wang Fu's attacks in only those few exchanges… what a monster."
Wang Fu staggered back, coughing violently.
"Tsk—what did you do?!" he roared. "Where did you learn that?!" he knew the truth, but he just didn't want to admit it.
"You showed me," Lian replied calmly. "At first, your technique seemed to break all logic. But the more you struck, the clearer the pattern became."
He raised his hand, fingers tracing an invisible curve in the air.
"You're using the principle of Yin and Yang. Each strike carries a pulling force from the opposite direction—like stretching rubber. The rebound amplifies the impact."
Lian's eyes gleamed.
"When you punch with the left, the right follows—striking from a different point entirely."
Instructor Lin stared, his face drained of colour.
"This boy…" he thought in horror.
"He dismantled Wang Fu's technique just by being hit…?"
Lian rolled his shoulders, settling back into his stance.
"I've grasped the principle—but I haven't perfected it yet."
A sharp grin crossed his face.
"So come on. Let's continue."
"Let's see how far I can refine it."
"F*ck… I've never been this humiliated in my entire life."
Wang Fu's breathing grew ragged.
"He didn't just see through my technique—he saw through me, he evaded every move I threw at him."
Cold sweat ran down his back.
The feedback from the Meridian Scorching Pill was already surfacing. His Qi burned violently through his channels, tearing instead of flowing.
If this fight dragged on any longer, the backlash would serve.
"The next few more exchanges," he thought grimly.
"If I don't finish this now, I'm done."
His eyes hardened.
"The next exchanges decide everything."
"He, who do you think will win?" one of the Disciples asked.
"Wang Fu obviously," another responded, though the voice sounded unsure.