chsdbacks Chapter 80 General Zhao, don't talk nonsense.
Chapter 80 General Zhao, don't talk nonsense.
Crown Prince Li Zhengxin was holding a teacup and talking to his subordinate with a smile on his face.
Steward Feng stood behind the Crown Prince, his gaze meeting Lin Yan's.
Manager Feng smiled and looked away.
Lin Yan withdrew his gaze and looked down at his hands.
The Crown Prince's meaning was clear: he wanted to see where Lin Yan's limits were.
If you can defeat someone at the Great Perfection of True Qi Realm, can you defeat someone at the Peak of True Qi Realm? If you can defeat this one, what about the next one?
Lin Yan pulled out the knife and tested the blade with his thumb.
"General, what are your plans for the next round?" Xiong Kuo asked.
"Fight as you see fit, meet force with force, and dam water with earth."
"But...but the opponent is at the peak of the True Qi Realm."
"Even at the peak of the True Qi Realm, there are differences in strength and power." Lin Yan sheathed his knife. "Old Han is at the initial stage of the Unending Realm, and I still managed to stand up and come out, didn't I? What if this Zhao Wuji is considered weak among those at the peak of the True Qi Realm? I might still have a chance."
Xiong Kuo opened his mouth, but said nothing more.
The quarterfinals were on the second day.
Lin Yan returned to the side courtyard of the East Palace and saw Qi the bodyguard sitting at the stone table smoking as soon as he entered the courtyard.
"Master Qi, what brings you here?"
"Just came to see you." Qi, the bodyguard, tapped his pipe. "I heard you fought two matches today, and won them?"
"Yes, we won them all."
"Next match: Zhao Wuji?"
"Yes."
After a moment of silence, Qi the镖师 (bodyguard/escort) took out a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the table.
"This is the style of Zhao Wuji's family's leg techniques. I asked someone to find out about it. It's not complete, but it's enough for you."
Lin Yan picked up the paper and glanced at it a few times.
Several human figures were drawn on the paper, with the angles of the legs and the methods of exertion marked.
The family's inherited leg technique is called "Shadowless Leg".
The core of this leg technique is not kicking fast, but kicking skillfully.
Each kick comes from an unexpected angle, specifically targeting the waist, ribs, and back of the knee.
"Thank you, Master Qi."
"Don't thank me." Master Qi stood up. "If you win, I'll be proud; if you lose, everything I taught you will be a disgrace."
He walked to the door, then stopped.
"Lin Yan, Zhao Wuji's leg technique has a weakness. When he kicks with his right leg, his left shoulder will drop. As soon as you see his left shoulder move, dodge to the right. Got it?"
"I've got it."
Qi the bodyguard pushed open the door and went out.
That evening, Lin Yan didn't practice his martial arts. Instead, he sat in the courtyard and looked at those few pieces of paper again.
This family-inherited leg technique is indeed tricky, but it is not without its rules.
Before each kick is delivered, there is a very subtle preparatory movement.
When you step out with your right leg, your left shoulder sinks; when you step out with your left leg, your right shoulder sinks.
This premonition might only last a moment in a high-level battle and is extremely difficult to catch, but Lin Yan has the ability to [observe Qi].
By observing the qi, one can see the trajectory of the true qi's circulation.
Zhao Wuji is at the peak of the True Qi Realm. Although he is only one step away from entering the Unending Realm, as long as he is still at the second rank, Lin Yan can see his True Qi circulation path clearly.
Lin Yan put the paper away, closed her eyes, and lay down.
The next morning, the drill ground was already full of people.
In the semi-finals, besides Lin Yan versus Zhao Wuji, the other match was between the Crown Prince's people and the Second Prince's people, but everyone's attention was focused on Lin Yan's match.
A sixth-rank general, of humble origin, who had been practicing martial arts for less than two years, defeated Liu Wu, who had reached the Great Perfection of True Qi Realm, in the previous round.
This round's opponent is Zhao Wuji, a peak True Qi Realm expert, the commander of the Golden Guard, and one of the top figures in the capital's martial arts circle.
"It would be good if Lin Yan could last ten moves."
People in the stands were talking about it.
"Ten moves? You've never seen Zhao Wuji's leg techniques before, have you? It's said that his leg techniques are incredibly fierce. He can cripple someone in just three moves."
"I heard that Lin Yan captured a barbarian commander of ten thousand men at Zhenbei Pass. He must be quite capable."
"That was a battle at Zhenbeiguan, this is a one-on-one duel, they're two different things."
Lin Yan stood in the circle, facing Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji was in his early thirties, tall and slender, dressed in a white military uniform with a standard-issue sword hanging at his waist. However, he did not draw the sword, but instead untied it and handed it to his personal guards on the sidelines.
"I've heard you're quite skilled with a sword," Zhao Wuji said. "But today I won't use a sword; I'll use my legs."
Lin Yan also took off his knife and handed it to Xiong Kuo.
"Then I won't use a knife."
Zhao Wuji smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
Lin Yan returned the greeting with clasped hands.
"start!"
Zhao Wuji made the first move.
Instead of closing in, he spun around in place and kicked out from the side with his right leg, the toe of his foot aimed straight at Lin Yan's waist and ribs.
The kick was fast and tricky, coming in almost right next to Lin Yan's side.
Lin Yan stepped to the right.
Qi the镖师 was right; Zhao Wuji's left shoulder did indeed sink down when he kicked out with his right leg.
Lin Yan saw his left shoulder move, and instinctively dodged to the right, narrowly avoiding the kick.
Zhao Wuji's toe grazed past Lin Yan's clothes, missing the kick.
Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes.
He followed up with a second kick, his left leg sweeping upwards towards Lin Yan's chin.
Lin Yan leaned back, his leg brushing past the tip of his nose.
The third kick is a right leg sweep.
Lin Yan crouched down, his leg sweeping over Lin Yan's head.
After kicking out three times, Zhao Wuji stopped and stood still again.
He looked at Lin Yan, and his expression changed.
Zhao Wuji launched another attack, a flurry of kicks with both legs, alternating between his left and right, aimed at Lin Yan.
Lin Yan used the Swimming Step to dodge within the circle, dodging left, right, leaning back, and crouching low, each time just managing to get past.
In the arena, Zhao Wuji kicked more than twenty times, but missed every single one.
He stopped, his breathing becoming rapid.
His mind was in turmoil.
His leg techniques are known for being fast, tricky, and ruthless. Few people in his class can dodge so many kicks. Lin Yan not only dodged them, but he also dodged them perfectly each time.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Zhao Wuji asked.
Lin Yan did not answer.
He was indeed watching.
The trajectory of the true energy circulation within Zhao Wuji's body was clearly visible through the perception of [Qi Observation].
Every meridian, every node, and every degree of Qi rotation was all within his perception.
Zhao Wuji's leg techniques were indeed fast, but his internal energy circulation was not fast.
With each kick, the more ferocious the attack, the longer his true energy lingered in his dantian.
That instant was the opening.
Zhao Wuji kicked out again.
Lin Yan took a step forward and slapped Zhao Wuji's knee with his left palm.
Layered waves, triple.
Zhao Wuji's leg went astray and kicked empty air. His center of gravity shifted, and he leaned to the left.
Lin Yan didn't give him a chance to adjust, and slapped his waist with his right palm.
The waves surged, forming three distinct layers.
Zhao Wuji staggered back several steps, almost falling over.
He steadied himself, looked down at his knees, then at his waist, and an expression of disbelief crossed his face.
"How did you know the flaw in this leg technique? Are you also from the Zhao family?"
"General Zhao, please don't say such things. My surname is Lin."
Zhao Wuji remained silent for a few moments, then shook his head with a wry smile.
"Okay, okay, okay."