Chapter 13: Beyond Life and Death Techniques
Chapter 13: Beyond Life and Death Techniques
Chen Chuan observed his opponent, knowing this wasn't their usual training session. To avoid injury and secure victory, he decided to employ his "Second Self".
Due to his recent progress, the duration of his fusion had increased, now reaching approximately fifty-five seconds.
This time wasn't fixed, as any strike endured would reduce the fusion time as the Second Self redirected the damage and pain.
Thus, he aimed to end the fight swiftly.
The longer it dragged, the lower his chances of victory.
A strategy formed in his mind.
Ding Shuo stared at Chen Chuan for a moment, sensing from his breath that Chen Chuan had also mastered the Breath Regulation Technique. Excited, he punched the air lightly.
Finally, an opponent worth watching! He could show off a bit in front of Mr. Qi.
After exchanging bows, Ding Shuo took the initiative, stepping forward and throwing a punch towards Chen Chuan's face.
Chen Chuan didn't dodge; instead, he countered with a High Whip Kick!
Recalling how he had knocked down Solon during the entrance exam with this kick, he had practiced it diligently. As his foot made contact, the Second Self instantly fused with him, causing the grass stems beneath to flutter.
The kick was lightning-fast, reaching its target before Ding Shuo could react. Fortunately, Ding Shuo remembered to protect his head during his attack, and his arm muscles contracted just in time. A loud slap echoed as the powerful kick sent him stumbling a few steps back, his hand involuntarily waving in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Chuan immediately pressed forward after landing the kick. Ding Shuo, disliking defense, attempted to counter-attack, but Chen Chuan kicked up a powerful gust of wind, forcing Ding Shuo to halt his actions once more. In his hasty block, he was kicked off-balance, looking somewhat disheveled.
The spectators felt a sense of familiarity; wasn't this a replay of Ding Shuo's earlier fight with Lu Ke, with only the protagonist changed?
Mr. Qi, surprised, turned to the middle-aged burly man beside him and said, "This young man is formidable."
The burly man replied, "His footwork and power are impressive, but still a bit rough. His muscle coordination is lacking, suggesting he hasn't trained for long. However, he possesses great strength, speed, and reflexes, and even knows the basic Breath Regulation Technique. As long as his stamina holds, it will be difficult for Ding Shuo to win."
Mr. Qi smiled and said, "Oh? He's a talented young man." His tone suggested he wasn't worried about Ding Shuo losing this fight.
Ding Shuo disliked being on the defensive and attempted to counterattack several times, but without success. Once, he accidentally left an opening, and Chen Chuan kicked him in the side ribs, causing him to grimace in pain. Realizing he couldn't match Chen Chuan head-on, Ding Shuo decided to focus on defense, waiting for Chen Chuan to expose a weakness or tire out before counterattacking.
After a series of kicks, Chen Chuan noticed Ding Shuo's attention was mostly on guarding against his footwork. Sensing the right moment, Chen Chuan lifted his knee as if preparing to kick again, and Ding Shuo instinctively raised his hand. But Chen Chuan suddenly lowered his body, extending his arms forward in a diving motion.
Ding Shuo's heart skipped a beat, realizing the danger. Chen Chuan's previous continuous kicks had likely been a ploy to create a sense of inertia, and his true intention was to win with a throw. Ding Shuo was too late to lower his center of gravity, but he soon noticed with delight that Chen Chuan's rhythm seemed to slow down during the move.
An opportunity!
Sometimes, the body reacts faster than the mind. Instead of retreating to lower his center of gravity, Ding Shuo chose to knee-strike Chen Chuan's head.
Chen Chuan, however, surged forward, meeting the knee strike with his forehead. The powerful blow would have ended the fight for most, but under the Second Self's damage redirection, Chen Chuan's body didn't even wobble. His well-timed rear hand followed with a solid punch to Ding Shuo's face!
Ding Shuo grunted, his vision darkening, and his nose stung with pain. If not for his well-developed neck muscles and the resilience from the Breath Regulation Technique, he might have been knocked out by that punch.
After landing the punch, Chen Chuan didn't pause. He stomped his foot, attempting to wrap his arms around Ding Shuo's neck while raising his knee for a neck clamp.
Ding Shuo's vision blurred, unable to see clearly. Relying on his experience, he sensed the impending danger, his body covered in goosebumps. With a 'hey' sound, he exhaled a short, powerful breath from his chest, and his hands simultaneously pushed outward, as if an air current had exploded.
Before Chen Chuan could complete his move, he felt a powerful force pushing his hands apart. Yu Gang, witnessing this, thought, "Hmm, 'Cloth Burst Force'..."
With his hands forced apart, Chen Chuan lost his forward support, and his knee strike lacked power. His actions halted momentarily.
After executing that move, Ding Shuo seemed unable to launch an immediate attack. He appeared cautious, quickly retreating to create distance from Chen Chuan.
Ding Shuo took several deep breaths, then glanced at Chen Chuan, who stood nearby, unperturbed after taking a punch. A sudden warmth in his nose made him touch it, and he found blood trickling down, filling him with annoyance.
In truth, Chen Chuan was more embarrassed about losing face in front of Mr. Qi than the pain.
Chen Chuan glanced at Ding Shuo, surprised by his opponent's peculiar burst of strength. Especially that punch, which he threw with all his might, would have surely knocked Lu Ke down. Yet, this man, with only a bruise on his face, seemed unaffected and remained lively, even his nosebleed stopped within moments. Such resilience and durability were truly excessive.
Chen Chuan pondered his next move.
Although his Second Self was mostly synchronized during the attacks, it lasted for about fifteen seconds. The damage from that strike, he estimated, reduced the synchronization by another five to six seconds, losing a third of its usable time.
But with such resilience, Chen Chuan doubted that even several more successful hits would be enough to take this man down.
Fortunately, this wasn't a combat arena or a life-or-death battle. To win, he didn't necessarily have to knock out his opponent. Perhaps there was another condition he could exploit...
Chen Chuan quickly devised a strategy and took a deep breath.
Ding Shuo immediately became alert. When a practitioner of the Breath Regulation Technique experiences a change in breathing and their stamina remains abundant, it's often a prelude to a burst of power.
Chen Chuan took a sudden step forward, charging at an incredible speed. From a distance, he seemed to be far away, but in an instant, he was right in front, his fists and feet lashing like a fierce storm.
Ding Shuo hastily dodged and blocked, feeling the onslaught of punches and kicks like raindrops pounding his body. Still, he gritted his teeth and endured.
If one paid close attention, they would notice that the red marks from the strikes on his skin faded within a breath or two.
Mr. Qi watched intently, and even though he wasn't skilled in combat, he could tell that the turning point of the fight would come after Chen Chuan's current offensive.
After another ten seconds of continuous attacks, Chen Chuan landed a straight punch that seemed to lack power. However, as he withdrew his hand, he grabbed Ding Shuo's wrist and pulled him off-balance, dragging his entire body.
Those who understood recognized this as the "Hook and Grab" technique from Great Free Fighting, specifically designed to disrupt an opponent's center of gravity and pull them.
Ding Shuo tried to shake off Chen Chuan's grip and counter with his own force, but Chen Chuan's previous punches and kicks were just a setup to create this opportunity. As he pulled, Chen Chuan stepped forward, reaching out with a Palm Lift technique, slamming the base of his palm into Ding Shuo's chin. Ding Shuo reacted swiftly, pressing his four fingers down on Chen Chuan's elbow joint just before the strike, preventing him from unleashing his full power. Still, the residual force from the palm strike pushed Ding Shuo's head upward.
At that moment, Chen Chuan suddenly retreated, withdrawing his hand with his fingers closed. He lightly brushed past Ding Shuo's throat, then stepped back to a safer distance and lowered his stance. He looked towards Mr. Qi and the others.
Ding Shuo, seeing Chen Chuan's actions, was taken aback and said with dissatisfaction, "What's this? We're not done yet!"
The middle-aged man whispered something to Mr. Qi, who nodded slightly. Then, he turned to Yu Gang and said, "Mr. Yu, we lost."
Ding Shuo was stunned. He looked at the middle-aged man, suppressing his anger, and said, "It's not over yet. How did we lose?"
The middle-aged man spoke in a calm tone, "That last move by the young man was the 'Curtain Rip' from Direct Free Fighting. If he had used his full strength, your throat would have been torn. So, he won."
Ding Shuo, furious, exclaimed, "Nonsense! I had his elbow joint, how could he still have the strength to strike?"
The middle-aged man affirmed, "I'm certain he could."
Ding Shuo remained unconvinced, staring at Chen Chuan. "I don't believe it. Unless he shows me!"
The middle-aged man, expressionless, said, "If this were a life-or-death battle, you'd already be dead. So, you don't get a second chance to verify."
Ding Shuo felt like cursing inside. If it were a life-or-death battle, he wouldn't have fought like this.
Hearing this, Chen Chuan relaxed, knowing he had won the gamble.
Given Ding Shuo's durability, it would be difficult to win through brute force. But since they had agreed to just touch and not kill, there was room for maneuver.
What constitutes a touch? It's when a lethal technique makes contact with a vital area but is restrained in time.
According to this rule, whether or not he truly mastered the technique to kill his opponent, as long as he touched these vital areas under reasonable circumstances, it could be considered a "touch."
However, this also depended on whether Mr. Qi and the others took it seriously or were just paying lip service. If they were thick-skinned and refused to admit it, there was nothing Chen Chuan could do. Nonetheless, it was worth a try.
Fortunately, these people seemed to have a sense of honor.
Yu Gang, after a moment's hesitation, walked forward under everyone's gaze, stopping in front of Mr. Qi. He clasped his fists and said, "Mr. Qi, give me half a year. Once I settle some matters, if you're still willing, I'll join your gang."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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