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Chapter 65: First Match
Chapter 65: First Match
Chapter 65: First Match
The man opposite Li Pin clearly recognized him. "Li Pin?"
The man caught on quick, and he frowned, slightly annoyed. "So, it's already started?"
He sneered. "But that's no big deal. As long as I'm strong enough, these tricks are worthless!"
At this moment, some people noticed that there was something unusual about the two competitors on the stage.
"That's... Li Pin from Zanglong City!?"
"I know him. He's quite famous in Zanglong City. It's said that he has killed two Core Formation experts before. He is a Core Formation expert himself, but he has yet to take the associate senior examination."
"His opponent is Hall Master Chang Yueming from Longchuan City. Hall Master Chang is the top expert in the intermediate category of his city. He earned his associate senior title ten years ago!"
"A Core Formation showdown?! The competition is getting this intense right off the bat? Are they trying to give us an early taste of the finals?"
Murmurs of discussions arose from the surrounding crowd, with shouts of support from Chang Yueming's followers mixed in it.
Looking at Li Pin's opponent, Fang Lingjue recalled certain rumors and felt a mix of emotions. "With over a thousand participants in the intermediate category this time, it will take six to seven rounds to determine the top ten. To encounter a Core Formation expert in his first match... those people must hold Li Pin in high regard."
A Core Formation expert from the martial society responsible for officiating went up the stage amidst the crowd's discussions.
When the official saw Li Pin and the man, his face became tinged with surprise. Nevertheless, he quickly proceeded with the protocol. "This is a martial arts exchange. Attack with restraint and don't go overboard. Sportsmanship comes first, and the competition comes second. I hope both of you will uphold martial virtue and refrain from lethal intent."
After delivering the official statement, the official quickly retreated to the sidelines. He seemed more tense than the two competitors who were about to have a showdown.
This was only nature. While he was a Core Formation expert as well, he didn't have any practical combat experience under his belt despite his many years in the martial society.
Li Pin bowed slightly in respect. "It's an honor."
Chang Yueming sneered, "Honor? There's no need for that. Li Pin, I know who you are. I must say, achieving Core Formation at the age of twenty-two is impressive. You certainly have a promising future ahead of you. But unfortunately, you've crossed paths with me, Chang Yueming, and I—"
Before Chang Yueming could finish his monologue, Li Pin dashed forward eagerly.
The moment Li Pin sprang into motion, his dormant qi and blood surged like boiling magma within his body, fierce and intense. With the swiftness of a shooting star, he propelled himself forward. In a single, powerful leap, Li Pin cleared the ten meters separating him from his opponent. At the same time, he elevated his own aura to its peak.
In Chang Yueming's eyes, Li Pin was like an ascending, colossal sun, casting an endless radiance that accompanied the eruption of fiery qi and blood across his body. The awe-inspiring aura was so intense that even a Core Formation martial arts expert like Chang Yueming, who had formed his Core ten years ago, felt a chill run down his spine as his qi and blood surged within him.
Chang Yueming's pupils dilated immediately. He had never looked down on Li Pin in the slightest; his arrogance had been nothing more than a fa?ade.
Is this truly the Vitality, Qi, and Spirit that a twenty-two-year-old martial artist should have?!
Despite the thought flashing through his mind, Chang Yueming showed no hesitation in his movements. He swiftly regulated his surging qi and blood to confront Li Pin's fist, which was imbued with fierce qi and blood from the Great Sun Astral God Meditation Art. Chang Yueming thrust his right hand forward in a sudden cross, connecting with Li Pin's hand at a peculiar, twisted angle.
Before Li Pin could unleash the force from his fist, Chang Yueming deftly redirected it with a powerful swing of his own, sending Li Pin's punch off course. At the same time, his left hand lashed out like a massive cobra, aiming directly for Li Pin's waist. If this strike connected, it would shatter Li Pin's spine.
Snake Fist!
Chang Yueming didn't show a shred of hesitation. He unleashed the sinister killer move Double-Headed Cobra Devour of the Snake Fist right from the start.
Just from this, it was evident that beneath his seemingly arrogant demeanor, Chang Yueming held a profound respect for Li Pin.
Boom!
Just as the strike was about to hit Li Pin, Li Pin effortlessly blocked Chang Yueming's attack by transforming his left hand into a palm strike.
But at the moment of impact, Chang Yueming converted his force into a push, forcefully redirecting Li Pin's block toward his waist. Then, with a surge of power, Chang Yueming's momentum showed no signs of diminishing.
Li Pin was awestruck by the sheer speed and unpredictability of the force.
He was noticeably inferior to Chang Yueming in the intricacies of close combat and force manipulation.
"Excellent technique!" Li Pin exclaimed sincerely.
Li Pin pivoted on the balls of his feet, channeling force from his thighs into his waist, forcibly twisting his torso. As Chang Yueming's palm strike approached his waist, Li Pin leveraged the momentum to execute a swift 360-degree turn.
During the twist, Li Pin's left hand followed through, driving forward in a rotating motion. Though it wasn't Core Force, the rotational momentum transmitted formidable power through his elbow, striking Chang Yueming squarely on the skull.
At this moment, the two fighters were in extremely close proximity. The elbow strike was mere inches away. Despite Chang Yueming's advantage in close combat and the full deployment of his fist technique, he was forced to lean back and retreat hastily.
As he moved aside, Li Pin's completed twist brought his right hand strike down once more, harnessing the momentum of its rotation.
Chang Yueming's Core Force erupted, transforming his intense qi and blood into fist force that churned the air, creating a deafening roar that resonated in the arena.
The drastic changes in air pressure caused an ear-buzz.
Chang Yueming let out a low roar, "Fang Strike!"
His Blood Core trembled violently, and his qi and blood surged like a raging tsunami, meeting Li Pin's swift attack head-on.
Boom!
The two fist forces collided fiercely in midair.
At the moment of impact, a bone-penetrating force pierced through Li Pin's fist force, sending shockwaves through his forearm and cracking his bones.
That's... double-layered Force?! There's another force hidden within Chang Yueming's Core Force!?
Just like a snake's strike, the sharp teeth weren't the main threat; the real danger lay in the venom concealed within them!
Chang Yueming's Fang Strike might have wounded Li Pin's arms, but when he faced the powerful strike imbued with the force of the Great Sun head-on, Chang Yueming found himself trembling violently, and he couldn't resist staggering back three steps.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Pin abandoned the use of his hands and, with a powerful step forward with his right leg, propelled himself like a ferocious beast, ruthlessly crashing into Chang Yueming's chest.
"This is bad!" yelled Chang Yueming, caught off guard.
As the unstoppable force of the impact approached him, he swiftly extended his arms in front of him.
Despite Chang Yueming's physical prowess being slightly superior to Li Pin's, even after swiftly extending his arms to block, he was still overwhelmed by the ferocious force of the impact. His feet were lifted off the ground as he was propelled into the air, losing all balance.
Meanwhile, Li Pin took another massive stride forward. He stomped fiercely with his right foot, using the earth for leverage. Drawing strength from his spine, his entire body became taut like a drawn bow. His fist acted as the arrow, channeling the force throughout his body. Taking aim at Chang Yueming, who was knocked airborne and struggling to regain stability, Li Pin unleashed his attack with resounding force.
Li Pin unleashed his Core Force. "Chilong!"
A resounding explosion reverberated through the air, echoing throughout the entire arena.
Despite Chang Yueming's desperate efforts to regain his balance, the punch came too swiftly, leaving him no room to catch his breath. He could only watch as Li Pin's fist thundered toward him. The terror of imminent death overwhelmed him, prompting an involuntary scream of fear.
"Ah!"
Woosh!
Just as Chang Yueming thought he was about to meet his end with this punch, a powerful gust of wind swept across his face, stinging his skin. As the wind subsided, the Core Formation expert from Longchuan City realized he wasn't feeling the agony of a shattered skull. Instead, he saw that Li Pin's fiery and relentless fist, which was capable of slicing through the air, had halted less than three centimeters from his forehead.
He could even feel that searing and ferocious heat contained within this fist through his forehead.
What he felt was the qi and blood force boiling at its peak.
At this moment, the referee responsible for officiating and preventing serious injury reacted with a sharp shout, "Stop!"
"As expected of the top fighter in Longchuan City's intermediate category. Your skillful martial arts have actually injured me," Li Pin praised from the bottom of his heart, retracting his fist. "I look forward to our next battle."