One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Chapter 60 The Semifinals Begin

The following morning, the Longhu Mountain martial arts arena was already bustling with activity, far surpassing the previous day's noise. The first match of the semi-finals pitted the shameless Zhang Chulan against the renowned Longhu Mountain martial arts master Zhang Lingyu, instantly igniting everyone's enthusiasm and curiosity. One was a controversial figure burdened with the mystery of the "Qi Body Source Flow," who unexpectedly entered the final four; the other was a master of unparalleled skill, a recognized top-tier young martial artist, and the face of the Celestial Master's Mansion. This duel was arguably the most talked-about event since the start of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony.

The stands were packed an hour before the match started, shoulder to shoulder, completely overflowing. Vendors selling sunflower seeds, peanuts, and drinks weaved through the crowd, their business booming. Some even started scalping, reselling "good seats" near the front, even though these seats were theoretically free to watch.

"Excuse me! Excuse me, everyone! Thank you so much!"

Zhang Chulan squeezed out of the contestant entrance, bowing and scraping all the way, a harmless smile on his face. Today he was wearing a clean and neat dark blue tracksuit, and his hair was also neatly styled. At first glance, he looked more like an ordinary young student who had accidentally wandered into this place. However, upon closer inspection, one could see a more refined and sharp light deep in his eyes than usual, like a short sword that had been repeatedly honed and was about to be drawn.

Nie Lingfeng leaned against the railing at the edge of the contestants' area, arms crossed, calmly watching Zhang Chulan walk onto the central arena that everyone was watching, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

"After so much intensive training, you've sweated a lot and taken a lot of beatings... it's time to see the results."

On the other side of the arena, Zhang Lingyu stood quietly waiting. He was still dressed in a plain white Taoist robe, spotless, his long hair tied back with a simple peach wood hairpin, his face handsome and his temperament aloof and otherworldly. Just standing there, he was a sight to behold, eliciting suppressed screams and cheers from the audience, especially the young female spectators.

"Master Lingyu! Look this way!"

"Junior Uncle! Victory is certain!"

"Ahhh, that aura, that looks... I'm dead!"

"Stop swooning, she's a nun..."

The referee walked to the center of the ring, looked around, suppressed the clamor, and routinely announced the rules in a loud voice. Finally, he raised his right hand high and swung it down sharply:

"The first match of the semifinals, Zhang Chulan versus Zhang Lingyu! The match begins!"

Before the sound of the word "beginning" had even faded, Zhang Lingyu's figure had already disappeared from the spot!

Without any probing or holding back, this master from Longhu Mountain unleashed a thunderous attack! His figure transformed into a blurry white shadow, instantly traversing a distance of ten zhang, as if shrinking the distance to an inch! On his right hand, dazzling golden light suddenly shone, condensing into a tangible form, transforming into a palm covered in golden armor, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the air, striking directly at Zhang Chulan's vital acupoint at the center of his chest!

Golden Light Mantra - Condensed Light Armor - Palm!

Before the palm strike even arrived, a sharp and oppressive feeling was already overwhelming! This palm strike contained the majestic and fierce power of the Longhu Mountain's orthodox teachings, enough to shatter stone tablets and split rocks!

A gasp immediately erupted from the audience:

"A deadly move right from the start?!"

"Junior Uncle is trying to finish this quickly!"

"It's over. Zhang Chulan's little tricks are completely useless against absolute power!"

"I doubt he could even withstand a single move..."

However, faced with this attack that would make most of his peers turn pale, Zhang Chulan did not dodge or back down as everyone expected.

He took a deep breath, his eyes suddenly became incredibly focused, his feet were neither too far to the side, his center of gravity was slightly lowered, his hands drew a mysterious arc in front of his chest, his waist and hips exerted power, his back was like a dragon, and instead of retreating, he advanced, meeting the golden palm with a thunderous punch!

Ten Directions Fist and Footwork - Double Kill Breaks the Formation!

"Bang--!!!"

Fists and palms collided solidly, unleashing a dull, thunderous roar like the pounding of a heavy drum! A violent shockwave exploded outwards from the two of them, kicking up dust everywhere! Their robes and hair were whipped wildly by the wind!

A clear look of astonishment flashed in Zhang Lingyu's eyes. Although he hadn't used all his strength in this palm strike, it still contained more than 70% of the power of the Golden Light Mantra. His original intention was to test and put pressure on Zhang Chulan, but he never expected that Zhang Chulan would receive it so directly and so steadily!

Moreover, the opponent's fist, while powerful, also carried a peculiar flexibility and penetrating force. It not only firmly resisted his palm strike, but also subtly transmitted the recoil, causing his arm to feel slightly sore and numb!

Using the momentum, Zhang Lingyu took a half-step back and stood firm again. For the first time, a hint of scrutiny and seriousness appeared in his usually cold eyes: "Your foundation in martial arts... is far more solid than rumored."

"Of course." Zhang Chulan shook his slightly numb fist, grinned, and revealed his signature, somewhat lazy smile. "This is the result of my brother Feng's personal 'special training,' how could it be bad?"

"Brother Feng?" Zhang Lingyu glanced subconsciously at Nie Lingfeng, who was calm and composed below the stage, and suddenly realized, "I see. Brother Nie's martial arts skills are indeed extraordinary."

"Hehe, it's not just fists and kicks." Zhang Chulan twisted his neck and loosened his shoulder joints, a sly glint in his eyes. "Junior Uncle, warm-up's over, shall we... get serious? Watch out!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Chulan had already started moving!

Wind God Leg Technique 1: Catching the Wind and Shadows!

His speed suddenly increased. Although he was not as ghostly and beyond the limits of vision as Nie Lingfeng, he was still incredibly fast. He left a faint afterimage in the spot, and his real body circled around to Zhang Lingyu's left side like a gust of wind. A sharp whip kick with the sound of wind breaking swept fiercely towards Zhang Lingyu's waist and ribs!

Zhang Lingyu reacted extremely quickly, slightly raising his left arm, and the protective golden light instantly condensed on the outside of his arm, like a shield to meet the attack.

"clang!"

Another crisp sound, like metal clashing, rang out! The golden light on Zhang Lingyu's arm rippled slightly, yet remained as steady as ever.

"The speed is acceptable," Zhang Lingyu commented calmly, his arm jerking as a force of recoil was released, "but the power is still lacking."

"Not enough heat? Then add more firewood!" Zhang Chulan used the momentum to perform a light backflip and landed, his toes touching the ground, and his body shot out like a cannonball again!

This time, his attack was no longer one-dimensional! Fists, palms, fingers, and legs came at his fingertips, combined with the elusive and agile footwork of the Wind God Leg, pouring down on Zhang Lingyu like a storm! It was clearly the essence of the "Ten Directions Fist and Footwork" taught by Nie Lingfeng!

"Ten Directions Fist and Footwork, Eight Directions Defense!" - With both fists drawing circles, as if sealing off and closing, Zhang Lingyu's probing golden finger force was completely blocked and deflected!

"Ten Directions Fist and Footwork - Double Kill to Break the Formation!" - Before the defense was exhausted, the killing move had already arrived! The fist shadows were like two dragons emerging from the sea, striking straight at the center, forcing Zhang Lingyu to turn his palm back to defend!

"Ten Directions Fist and Footwork - Cross-Shattering Kill!" - As their bodies intertwined, fists and feet struck out simultaneously, drawing a sharp cross-shaped gust of wind, ruthless and cunning!

Zhang Chulan fought with increasing ease, fully utilizing the techniques, power generation skills, and combat rhythm he had honed through repeated training. Although there was still a significant gap between him and Zhang Lingyu in terms of the depth of their "Qi," his exquisite and well-rounded fist techniques, combined with his agile and swift movements, allowed him to fight Zhang Lingyu to a standstill, making it difficult to determine a winner for the time being!

In the audience, countless people stared in disbelief, their jaws practically dropping to the floor.

"This...this really is Zhang Chulan, the one who advanced by using underhanded tactics?!"

"Am I seeing things? He's actually fighting on par with Master Lingyu?!"

"This boxing technique... is truly exquisite! It perfectly combines strength and flexibility, and is incredibly versatile!"

"His movement technique is ridiculously fast! Junior Uncle's Golden Light Spell seems to be... somewhat suppressed?"

On the high platform, the old Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei stroked his long, snow-white beard, his eyes filled with a gratified smile: "This child, Chu Lan... it seems he has worked very hard these past few days. His progress has far exceeded my expectations."

Sitting in his wheelchair, Tian Jinzhong stared intently at the ring with his cloudy old eyes. He nodded repeatedly upon hearing this: "His fist and footwork is solid and steady, with a strong ancient style. His movements are as agile as a monkey, truly embodying the essence of 'moving like a rabbit.' Moreover, his boxing style... in my opinion, bears a striking resemblance to the martial arts displayed by young friend Nie the other day."

"It was taught by that kid Nie," Lu Jin interjected, his face beaming with excitement. "Yesterday, I was strolling around and happened to stumble upon them training in the back mountains. That kid Nie simplified and dismantled his astonishing martial arts, managing to create a set of punches and kicks perfectly suited to Zhang Chulan. Although it's not as powerful as the original Eleven, it's more than enough to deal with his peers!"

On the stage, Zhang Lingyu's astonishment grew. He had originally thought that Zhang Chulan's trump cards were nothing more than a half-baked Golden Light Mantra and an unmastered Yang Five Thunders, but he never expected that his opponent would have such profound attainments in close combat! This set of fist techniques seemed simple in form, but in reality, it contained profound mysteries. When defending, it was as solid as an iron wall; when attacking, it was as fierce as a storm. Moreover, the moves were connected smoothly and naturally, without any flaws, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

What infuriated Zhang Lingyu even more was Zhang Chulan's fighting style... extremely "slippery," or rather, extremely "shameless."

He never engaged in a direct confrontation; sensing danger, he immediately used his agility to create distance, circling the arena. The moment Zhang Lingyu relaxed even slightly, he would slip back like an eel, launching a sudden and devastating attack. His mouth was also constantly firing off insults:

"Oh dear, Junior Uncle, your Golden Light Mantra is quite powerful, but why does it feel so weak when you actually use it? Didn't you eat enough this morning?"

"Hey, you can't hit me! Aren't you angry? I'm asking you, aren't you angry?"

"Is this how you use the Golden Light Mantra? Concentrating without releasing it, stiff and rigid! Want me to teach you what flexible application is? Since we're both from the Celestial Master's Mansion lineage, I'll give you a 20% discount on tuition!"

"Junior Uncle, isn't it tiring to always have such a stern face? Why don't you smile? Maybe smiling will make you more agile?"

Zhang Lingyu had cultivated Taoism since childhood, and his temperament was noble and aloof. He had never been provoked by such vulgar and rogue-like words before. Even with his firm Taoist heart, he was so angry at this combination of offense and defense and the glib tongue that his face turned pale and his chest heaved slightly. He couldn't help but increase the force of his attack, and the golden light became even more intense, but he also lost some of his original composure and precision.

"Zhang Chulan!" Zhang Lingyu finally lost her temper and shouted, her voice like the clash of metal, golden light surging around her like flames, her aura suddenly rising, "In a duel on the arena, one should maintain a proper attitude! Stop with such frivolous behavior!"

"I've always been very proper!" Zhang Chulan said with a smile, but he secretly took a half step back, his eyes instantly becoming sharp as an eagle. He knew that the distraction effect of trash talk had reached its limit, and the real battle was just beginning. With just this simplified version of the Ten Directions Fist and Wind God Leg, there was absolutely no way he could defeat Zhang Lingyu, who possessed profound skills and was proficient in thunder magic.

It's time to force out the opponent's true abilities and reveal your own trump card.

Seeing that Zhang Chulan had finally abandoned his carefree attitude and his expression had become serious, Zhang Lingyu snorted coldly in his heart. Without further hesitation, he slowly pressed down with both palms, and a cold, viscous, and extremely uncomfortable aura, completely different from the previous magnificent golden light, began to emanate from his body.

"Zhang Chulan, since you insist on forcing me, then... take my Yin Five Thunderbolts!"