Chapter 27: Breaking Limits and Wave Power
Chapter 27: Breaking Limits and Wave Power
Chen Chuan noticed that Coach Gu had maintained his breathing technique without any change in his breath since he stepped onto the stage. This indicated that he could sustain the technique for an extended period, and as a coach, it was highly likely that he possessed 'Power Technique'. Chen Chuan knew he had to be cautious.
Coach Gu bowed in a respectful greeting.
Chen Chuan returned the gesture with a quick fist salute.
After lowering his hand, Coach Gu warned, "Be careful, young man."
As he spoke, he extended his hand forward as if parting the grass, then swiftly lowered his head and lunged forward. His movements were clearly visible, but surprisingly, he appeared right next to Chen Chuan in an instant. This move didn't seem to follow the style of the 'Show General Fist', and it was completely unexpected.
Chen Chuan observed that Coach Gu's hands were alternating between real and feigned attacks, and his body shifted from left to right, making it impossible to predict his target. Chen Chuan had no choice but to maintain his stance, ready to adapt to any situation.
Coach Gu's hands switched between real and feigned attacks, and suddenly, he took a bow step and threw a punch straight down the center line. Chen Chuan sank his center of gravity and used the 'Piercing Shield Hand' from 'Great Free Fighting' to defend and counterattack simultaneously.
However, to his surprise, the moment their hands made contact, Chen Chuan felt an incredibly explosive force surge from Coach Gu's fist, causing his feet to lift off the ground.
Chen Chuan knew he was in trouble, but Coach Gu didn't stop. Taking advantage of Chen Chuan's unstable footing, he executed a spinning back kick in mid-air!
Chen Chuan crossed his arms and tightened his abdomen, blocking the kick, but the force of the kick sent him flying sideways, and he collided with the restraining rope behind him.
After landing, Coach Gu maintained the side-kicking posture for a moment before slowly lowering his foot. The audience erupted in cheers and applause.
To be honest, it had been a long time since they had seen Coach Gu fight with such seriousness. Usually, the sparring partners were knocked down by the senior fighter's punches and kicks within a few moves, and Coach Gu rarely had to intervene.
Chen Chuan straightened up by leaning against the restraining rope. Although he had been kicked back at the start, his spirits rose because he felt something—it was the 'Power Technique'!
He had found the right opponent!
But...
He glanced at his 'Second Self', which had turned into a large patch of blurriness. He hadn't expected to endure so much damage from just one kick, and now the recombination time was barely over a minute. Based on past experience, he estimated that he could only maintain this state for another forty to fifty seconds at most.
If he took a few more hits, the fight would be over, and there was a chance of injury. It seemed that to defeat this opponent, he would have to end the fight in an even shorter time.
Coach Gu saw that Chen Chuan had easily straightened up, but his expression remained calm, belying the unease he felt inside.
He had started the fight by using the secret 'Wave Power' of the 'Show General Fist'. Usually, those who didn't know this technique would become numb all over and their muscles would loosen upon contact. As for the subsequent kick, it seemed to merely push the opponent away, but its true purpose was to create a double impact with the 'Power Technique'.
Coach Gu had expected Chen Chuan to be rendered helpless after the first hit, but to his surprise, Chen Chuan seemed to have withstood the attack purely with his physical strength, rather than using the 'Power Technique' to defend.
This was a tricky situation.
Coach Gu didn't like facing opponents with exceptional physical qualities because the 'Power Technique' was not only a weapon but also a tool for martial arts training. While it was powerful, using it excessively could strain the body.
What's more, Chen Chuan now knew about his 'Power Technique', so he would be prepared. It would be much harder to land a hit, and if he couldn't strike effectively, he would only be wasting his energy.
Coach Gu took a deep breath and exhaled, his body rising and falling slightly. He tapped the ground with his front foot and assumed a stance, and in that instant, the ring floor seemed to sink slightly.
Chen Chuan didn't wait; he took a step forward, guided by his breathing technique, and quickly closed the distance.
Coach Gu watched as Chen Chuan advanced with quick steps, and he lifted his knee as if to strike Chen Chuan's face. Chen Chuan was prepared and slightly raised his hand, ready to change direction at any moment. But at that moment, Coach Gu forcefully stomped his foot down, and the ring floor rippled with waves.
Chen Chuan felt his footing become unstable, and his body seemed to float.
The problem with his footing was evident to Yan Senior Brother, and Coach Gu noticed it too. This time, Coach Gu had transmitted the force of the 'Wave Power' directly into the ground.
As Chen Chuan lunged forward, Coach Gu seized the opportunity, grabbing Chen Chuan's right elbow with one hand and spinning on his foot, his back almost touching Chen Chuan's chest. All he needed to do now was bend down and execute a solid shoulder throw!
Chen Chuan realized the danger and quickly pushed against Coach Gu's waist with his left hand, trying to free his captured right arm. But at that moment, Coach Gu shifted his weight and used Chen Chuan's pulling force to fall backward.
If Chen Chuan were pressed to the ground, Coach Gu could easily roll over him, and the pressure could potentially cause broken bones or dislocated joints. Sensing this, Chen Chuan tightened his grip on Coach's arm, twisting his waist to try and throw Coach Gu to the ground first.
However, Coach Gu was quick to react. He followed the direction of Chen Chuan's force and quickly stepped back, breaking contact with Chen Chuan.
In the final moment, Coach Gu used Chen Chuan's force to push him back, returning them to their previous standoff.
These exchanges required both fighters to react instantaneously, countering and being countered in the blink of an eye. A slight misstep could have resulted in a throw, and the audience below cheered and applauded, thoroughly enjoying the fight.
Coach Gu was impressed. Chen Chuan's strength and reflexes were far beyond what one would expect from someone his age. He had managed to turn the tables on a disadvantageous situation.
Chen Chuan, however, knew the truth. He had relied entirely on the enhanced physical abilities of his 'Second Self'. If not for that, he would have been thrown to the ground at the start, and once on the ground, it would have been a different story. With Coach Gu's expertise in throwing techniques and the possible use of 'Power Technique', the outcome could have been much worse, even with the 'Second Self'.
Chen Chuan seemed to have an epiphany at that moment. "I realize I made a mistake," he said.
"What?" Coach Gu was perplexed.
Chen Chuan suddenly gathered his scattered thoughts and smiled. For some reason, Coach Gu felt a sense of danger.
A scraping sound came from Chen Chuan's feet, and he surged forward. Simultaneously, his second self merged with him, creating a double shadow that seemed to sweep across the ring in the eyes of the spectators.
"This..."
Coach Gu was startled by the speed. He knew he couldn't retreat at this moment; otherwise, Chen Chuan might catch up in a step or two, leaving him vulnerable due to an improper stance. Instead, he quickly pushed forward with an open palm.
Chen Chuan didn't dodge or evade; he met the attack head-on and tried to deflect the blocking hand. But upon contact, he immediately felt a force similar to the one from before, indicating that his opponent had promptly unleashed his power technique.
This time, Chen Chuan twisted his wrist, executed a hooking grasp, and firmly grabbed Coach Gu's arm, allowing the force to surge into his body without taking a step back.
Coach Gu's eyes narrowed.
In the next moment, Chen Chuan utilized his strength advantage, pulling Coach Gu's arm and taking a side step forward. He then delivered a horizontal elbow strike to Coach Gu's chest with the power of the Breaking Limit Strike, a technique from the Great Free Fighting style.
Coach Gu, sensing the danger, let out a "Hai!" from his mouth. He didn't dodge but pulled the grabbed arm backward, creating a counterforce. Using his hand as a handle and his body as a hammer, he intentionally collided his chest with the attack.
The ring emitted a muffled bang, and both men staggered simultaneously.
The audience watched intently, but neither fighter made the next move, maintaining their original positions.
"That's enough," Coach Gu said calmly, looking at Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan nodded.
Both men withdrew their attacks and stood straight, facing each other.
"Well done!"
A cheer rose from the audience, followed by enthusiastic applause.
Chen Chuan saluted Coach Gu and said sincerely, "Today's training was very fruitful. Thank you, Coach Gu."
He felt a bit disappointed that even with the Breaking Limit Strike, he couldn't defeat Coach Gu, who was genuinely formidable.
After facing such a formidable opponent, Chen Chuan now had a better understanding of the level of those who possessed power techniques. He knew he needed to further enhance his skills upon returning.
Coach Gu returned the salute and smiled, saying, "You're too kind. Show General Gym welcomes talented young people like you anytime."
Chen Chuan's eyes lit up, and he gladly replied, "Sure."
Coach Gu's lips twitched slightly at Chen Chuan's enthusiastic agreement.
As Chen Chuan stepped down from the ring, he noticed a large crowd had gathered around him, filling the entire martial arts gym. They parted to create a path for him as he left.
Someone in the crowd waved at him, "Hey, classmate!"
Chen Chuan recognized Liang Tong, the classmate from the neighboring class who had given him the flyer. He smiled and nodded at Liang Tong, then walked straight out of the gym.
After Chen Chuan left, Coach Gu said, "Alright, that's enough for today. Everyone, go and train well."
The crowd dispersed in groups of two or three, still excitedly discussing the match.
As Coach Gu was about to leave the ring, Liang Tong rushed up to him, saying, "Coach Gu, that was my classmate! He's really good."
"You guys go ahead and look around," Coach Gu said, leaving a bewildered Liang Tong behind as he returned to his rest room alone.
Once inside, he finally relaxed the stern expression on his face. He removed his shirt and noticed a large bruise on his chest.
He took out a bottle of medicinal wine from the cabinet and began to apply it, wincing in pain as he did so.
"This kid's punches are really heavy. At least two, no, three ribs are broken..."
He was well aware that if he hadn't used his power technique to counter the force at the last moment, allowing Chen Chuan to fully exert his strength, his internal organs might have suffered damage.
"But that punch... it didn't seem like a power technique. It was just pure strength with some special technique added..."
"Ouch! It's a good thing there was no power technique involved. If he had that strength and also knew power techniques, I'd be dead by now!"
He muttered to himself, "A student from Wu Yi University? I wonder how many years he's been training. These academy students are indeed formidable... Next time? I suggest you don't come back."
At that moment, Chen Chuan had already left the gym, and his second self had almost completely dissipated, leaving only a small part remaining after enduring two consecutive power techniques and his own Breaking Limit attack, which had also caused some damage. He now had less than ten seconds of overlap duration left.
Recalling the previous events, Chen Chuan thought to himself, "Coach Gu is indeed an experienced coach. His response was truly skilled. I should seek his guidance again in the future."
It was the end of a busy day, and the streets were filled with vehicles and pedestrians, all bathed in the golden-red glow of the setting sun.
Chen Chuan exhaled and walked briskly, soon disappearing into the bustling crowd.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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