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Chapter 17: 17. Kicking the Gym for No Reason
Chapter 17: 17. Kicking the Gym for No Reason
Chapter 17: 17. Kicking the Gym for No Reason
Lu Yao had long since put people like Han Fang out of his mind; he had been painstakingly training these past few days, striving to enter a constant meditative state soon.
Early this morning, just as he entered the beginning of meditation, his ears twitched a few times quickly, hearing the approaching footsteps of a dozen or so people!
~~~~~~~
A group of more than ten people, all wearing uniform dark short tunics, advanced at a steady pace.
The leader was a short and stocky middle-aged man, nearly twice as burly as the average person, with an extremely sharp aura.
But what was most eye-catching was his skin--it reflected a cold light in the sun, like a polished metallic surface. This man must have practiced some kind of powerful protective external Kung Fu!
Han Fang was among them, glaring hatefully at the three people, including Lu Yao, who were already waiting there.
He had suffered a humiliating insult, but fortunately, heaven was on his side, and he easily found an opportunity for revenge.
The man by his side, Master Zhu, had been famous for many years. His Golden Tiger Forging Body Technique was impenetrable to blades and spears, and he was unmatched in ferocity! He was far more formidable than Liao Ya, who had just begun her Organ Refining—such a lowlife!
Today was the day he would publicly defeat her in martial combat, fiercely undermining the reputation of the Liao Family Fist!
Martial arts school competitions were as common as eating or drinking, with doors wide open for onlookers. Those who lost not only suffered embarrassment but also affected their business!
Those learning martial arts or seeking protective affiliations naturally gravitated toward the stronger establishment.
~~~~~~~~
With an expressionless face, Liao Ya stood at the entrance and asked coldly, "What brings the people from the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School here?"
The imposing short and stocky middle-aged man stepped forward and bellowed, "I am Zhu Jiaxiu from the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School! My disciple Han Fang was once humiliated by your lot, and today we come to challenge your school in return!"
His loud shout was heard all along the street, and it even caused Han Fang's head to buzz nearby.
He stood there shocked, like a petrified tree, "Wasn't it supposed to be a friendly match? How did it turn into a school challenge!?"
The intensity of a friendly match was not high; the combatants would not intentionally seek to take each other's lives, stopping as soon as a winner was determined.
But a school challenge was different! A defeated martial arts school would have its signboard smashed to pieces, its reputation ruined, an outcome only second to annihilation. It was a fight to the death or survival!
The Liao Family's boxing school and the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School were very close, overlapping in customer base. Although competitors were natural enemies, things had not escalated to a life-or-death struggle, making this situation highly suspicious.
Han Fang suddenly had a bad premonition.
~~~~~~~
At this moment, numerous curious onlookers gathered around, attracting friends to come and watch the excitement.
Seeing the crowd packed three layers deep, the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School's proprietor—Zhu Jiaxiu—casually removed his brocaded robe, while his attending disciples hurried to catch it.
Glancing at the Standing Stake at the door of the boxing school, this was his greatest confidence in challenging the place: "It's merely three feet and two inches, but I can drive a stake five feet with a single punch!"
Zhu Jiaxiu's bones cracked loudly as his Five Organs resonated~he snorted through his nostrils and, glancing at Liao Ya's tender fist, he disdainfully said,
"That hand of yours feels too soft even for massaging, I advise you to concede early, to avoid losing your life."
Liao Ya's demeanor remained calm as she assumed the stance of Liao Family Fist—shoulders sunk, elbows dropped, one palm and one fist sealing off the direct front; chest concaved, back arched, knees slightly bent as if squatting. Her entire body was like a drawn bow.
Lifting her hand in an inviting gesture, she said, "Master Zhu, please!"
Zhu Jiaxiu, seeing that verbal provocation was useless, immediately commanded, "Disciples, heed my order! Once I claim victory, smash the Liao Family Fist's signboard!"
"Yes!!!"
~~~~~~~~
What followed was an unceremonious clash as both individuals burst from the ground and collided fiercely!
Amidst loud bangs and explosive sounds, cannonball-like fists exchanged blows with no fancy tricks, opting for a head-on bombardment.
The force of their blows kicked up dust and stirred up a windstorm. The crowd hastily covered their faces and stepped back, yet their enthusiasm was undiminished, craning their necks like ducks to watch.
The combatants' arms were moving so fast they disappeared from the retinas of the onlookers, leaving only a sky full of fist shadows accompanied by bursts of explosive sound in fierce combat!
With energy blasts stirring up dust and rock, the average person could no longer see clearly.
In his state of deep meditation, Lu Yao saw everything crystal clear—Liao Ya's attacks were getting faster, while Zhu Jiaxiu's movements were becoming slower, revealing a growing sense of defeat.
The next second, the girl's fist struck her opponent's face, ringing out with the sound of metal clashing!
Her opponent's external cultivation wasn't severely damaged, but his guard was broken, revealing a huge opening.
Liao Ya certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity!
She took a deep breath, pulled her fist back to her chest to gather strength, and then, with a fierce cry, she unleashed it!
In the midst of the whip-like crackling of air, a white wave of qi exploded. Her dainty fist broke through her opponent's guard, hitting him squarely in the chest!
At the same time, Lu Yao smiled at the tense-faced Liao Qe and said, "Your sister has won."
"What?" Liao Qe was about to ask for details when she immediately heard a loud boom, as if a big firecracker had exploded. That was followed by the grating sound of bones breaking.
After the dust settled, Liao Ya stood tall and elegant, exuding the demeanor of a grandmaster.
Her opponent, on the other hand, lay on the ground, with a clear depression in his chest, coughing up blood continuously.
The battle, which lasted only 10 seconds, had already determined life and death!
Zhu Jiaxiu struggled to raise his hand, pointing at Liao Ya, seemingly wanting to say something, but he just choked on blood, unable to utter a word.
He hadn't expected—Liao Ya had also entered the realm of Five Organs Resonance!
That was one thing, but he could chalk it up to bad luck, having encountered her breakthrough.
But why was Liao Ya's qi and blood so strong!? It was 30% stronger than his own, almost catching up to a Great Martial Master in the "Marrow Cleansing" stage—this was the deadly factor!
If their realms were the same, and the opponent's physical strength and recovery speed were 30% better, and he foolishly clashed head-on, there's no way he could avoid defeat!
Zhu Jiaxiu couldn't have imagined—that Liao Ya was someone who took so many supplements on a daily basis that she burped them up.
~~~~~~~
Cheers rose from all around.
The people from Golden Tiger Martial Arts School were terrified, their faces ashen. Because following the rules, Liao Ya could finish off her opponent—it was a life-or-death challenge, after all.
But she wasn't a brutal person. She simply waved at the frightened crowd and said indifferently, "Take him away."
Zhu Jiaxiu's shattered ribcage had splintered into his lungs; even if he survived, he was as good as crippled. If he hadn't practiced external techniques to protect his body, that punch would have killed him by now.
The disciples hurried to carry their master away, and at the same time, they paid their respects to Liao Ya to thank her for sparing his life.
At this, Han Fang also wanted to slip away quietly, but Liao Ya caught him with a flash, and said coldly:
"You deliberately provoked a fight to the death between the two martial arts schools, and logically, we can't just let it go like this. I'll just take back the kung fu I taught you."
After speaking, she exerted force on her hand, crushing the begging Han Fang's shoulder. He immediately fell to the ground, wailing in pain.
The disciples of Golden Tiger Martial Arts School looked at each other, and then, begrudgingly, two of them also carried Han Fang away.
~~~~~~~~
Having witnessed an incredible fight, the onlookers were content with the spectacle.
This was a life-or-death battle between Organ Refining Martial Artists. Though they couldn't see every detail, it was enough to boast about for a long time.
It was an excellent opportunity to gain renown, so Liao Ya posed at the entrance for a while, waiting for the crowd to disperse before heading back inside.
Liao Qe excitedly circled around her sister, "You defeated Golden Tiger Martial Arts School in public, our Liao Family Fist's fame has soared! In the Martial Faction's ranking, we can also move up now!"
Liao Ya rubbed her sister's head, her face beaming with a smile, "The opponent didn't expect my qi and blood to be so vigorous, I caught him by surprise! Thanks to the supplements our junior brother provided."
Lu Yao's face was devoid of joy as he spoke, "Does Han Fang really have such ability? To be able to employ a martial master for a fight to the death."
Given his demonstrated intelligence, it seemed impossible.
Liao Ya frowned delicately, "Indeed, there's a problem! Zhu Jiaxiu has been famous for many years, and we have no deep hatred between us that would warrant a fight to the death."
Having seen the darker side of human nature, Lu Yao was naturally more cautious:
"Senior sister, we might have been manipulated..."
Just as the words left his mouth, waves of noise approached from afar, and then someone shouted over the wall, "Patrol Bureau's Wang Dezhi is here, is Master Liao present?"