Chapter 129: Whetstone, Mountain-Shattering Palm
Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu beside him and gestured with his hand. “Let’s get ready to start as well.”
“But before we begin our combat training, I have a request to make.”
“First, during our training, we will not use any magic power. We will fight using only martial arts powered by our pure physical strength.”
It was precisely because he had witnessed Zhang Yu’s control over his physical body during the athletics meet that Yu Xinghan had invited him to be a sparring partner.
Learning and absorbing his opponent’s various techniques for physical control was, in truth, his primary objective for this training.
It was for this reason that he had proposed they fight without magic power, relying solely on pure physical strength.
Yu Xinghan continued, “Second, in our combat training, whoever injures the other must pay for the other’s medical fees.”
Zhang Yu shot him a suspicious look. “You’re not trying to scam me, are you?”
It was no wonder Zhang Yu thought this; his impression of Yu Xinghan was that of… a very stingy rich person.
Yu Xinghan explained, “Don’t think I’m trying to swindle you. This is training for how to defeat an opponent without injuring them.”
“You must understand that in Kunxu, a true expert can control every last shred of their power. The ability to defeat an opponent without having to pay a single coin—that should be the true purpose of combat training.”
“I’ve seen the recordings of your martial arts competition. Blood and flesh flying everywhere. It’s too crude, too inefficient.”
Yu Xinghan shook his head. “That is a lack of training in control.”
Zhang Yu thought it made a lot of sense and couldn’t help but ask, “Did the esteemed Starfire teach you this as well?”
Seeing Yu Xinghan nod, Zhang Yu thought to himself, Did that old codger Starfire have to pay a lot for fighting in the past? Is that why he values this so much when training his disciple? He’s even turned his disciple into a cheapskate.
Meanwhile, Chu Qiuhe had, at some point, arrived outside the training room door and was observing the situation through the wide-open entrance.
As he watched the fierce battle between Song Hailong and Bai Zhenzhen, he sighed internally. That woman, Bai Zhenzhen… as expected, it’s not just her physical strength that has progressed by leaps and bounds; her combat ability has risen just as dramatically.
If I were to fight her, I probably wouldn’t last ten moves.
Such terrifying progress in just two short months.
But rumor has it that both Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu received an investment from the third-year senior, Zhang Pianpian. They became her dogs and even underwent the demonic muscle modification…
At this thought, a flicker of longing appeared in Chu Qiuhe’s heart.
Damn it, I want to be Senior Zhang’s dog too, to be whipped by her into improving my scores!
But Chu Qiuhe only dared to entertain the thought, for he knew that if he ever voiced such an extravagant wish, word would quickly spread to the third-years, and he would be dragged into a corner and taught a harsh lesson by the seniors.
After all, when it came to Zhang Pianpian, who dominated the academic rankings and was worth hundreds of millions, at least eighty percent of the students at White Dragon High School wanted to be her dog.
It was a prize even the third-years couldn’t secure, so how could a mere first-year like Chu Qiuhe even dream of it?
An opportunity I couldn’t even get in line for was snatched up by those two?
At that moment, as Chu Qiuhe looked at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, his eyes could not help but reveal a trace of jealousy.
Just then, the battle between Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan officially began, once again capturing Chu Qiuhe’s full attention.
Yu Xinghan and Zhang Yu walked toward each other, closing the distance step by step.
The next moment, with a resounding bang, their arms collided fiercely.
And that sound of impact was like a signal.
As fists, palms, arms, and elbows crashed against one another, a continuous series of thunderous booms erupted, like a chain of lightning strikes detonating within the training room.
In the blink of an eye, the arms of the two fighters became a blur of afterimages, locked in a ferocious exchange.
Outside the training room.
Chu Qiuhe watched the battle between Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan with rapt attention.
Suddenly, he sensed two figures beside him; it was the bear-man, number 35, and the werewolf, number 36.
Meeting Chu Qiuhe’s gaze, the two ventured bravely, “We also want to watch Brother Xinghan and Big Brother Zhang Yu’s match.”
Chu Qiuhe snorted, but since he had already punished them, he did not prevent them from satisfying their scholarly curiosity.
Meanwhile, in the center of the room, Yu Xinghan’s attacks grew increasingly ferocious, especially as his figure began to move at high speed around Zhang Yu, bombarding him from all directions like a tempest.
In contrast, Zhang Yu stood his ground, steady and unmoving, like a small boat in a raging sea storm, appearing on the verge of being overwhelmed by the violent tide.
The bear-man exclaimed in awe, “Brother Xinghan is so strong! Just his physical power alone, the speed and force he’s unleashing would completely crush us. Big Brother Zhang Yu can’t hold on for much longer, can he?”
“You blind fool,” Chu Qiuhe scoffed. “Zhang Yu won the athletics meet because of his understanding of power and his mastery of force-channeling techniques. His ability to borrow and redirect force can be considered the pinnacle among first-years.”
In Chu Qiuhe’s eyes, Zhang Yu was no small boat; he was a fortress forged from countless tons of steel and concrete, standing as firm as a mountain, no matter how fierce the bombardment.
Just then, a long cry of excitement came from the rapidly moving Yu Xinghan.
“Excellent, excellent! It’s been too long since I’ve had such a satisfying fight. You’re much more durable than little Song.”
“In that case, I’ll be using my full strength from now on.”
Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu before him as if he were looking at an exceptionally fine target.
Usually, when facing students from my own year, I worry about the medical fees being too high, so I never dare to fight with my full power. But with this Zhang Yu’s skill, even if I go all out, he won’t be so easily sent to the medical bay, right?
Thinking of this, Yu Xinghan smiled faintly. “But don’t worry. Like I said before, if I injure you, I will reimburse all your medical expenses…”
The same Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art operated in both their eyes, causing their gazes to collide as if their respective battle intents were clashing in mid-air.
And after his remark about reimbursing medical fees, the aura around Yu Xinghan changed abruptly.
The next moment, the third eye in Yu Xinghan’s mind opened completely, first granting him a 360-degree field of vision.
Then, the tendrils extending from the third eye suddenly tensed, instantly enhancing Yu Xinghan’s ability to recruit power from every single muscle, as if he had gained an additional nervous system.
Boom!
Yu Xinghan’s palms shot out, carrying the roar of a dragon and the trumpet of an elephant as they flew toward Zhang Yu.
Before the palms even arrived, the air was violently crushed and displaced, creating a suffocating pressure.
This was the Dragon-Elephant Mountain-Shattering Palm, which Yu Xinghan had now pushed to level 8!
This palm technique, which could be powered by pure physical strength, was created by a senior master with a background in civil engineering who had observed elephant demons and flood dragons moving mountains and filling seas in the wild.
The technique’s greatest characteristic was its imitation of a dragon-elephant’s power, resulting in a palm force that was incomparably fierce, like a flash flood or a tidal wave.
Its essence lay entirely in the channeling and release of force, with an emphasis on overwhelming the opponent with irresistible power, unleashing one’s full strength to pulverize any and all defenses.
Now, with the power of Yu Xinghan’s entire body highly mobilized, the might of this palm had far surpassed the standard of a first-year student.
Zhang Yu’s expression was composed as he raised a hand to block, intending to deflect the force of the incoming palm.
Bang!
With an incredibly deep thud, their palms collided violently.
And with Yu Xinghan’s third eye paired with the fully concentrated state of the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art, every one of Zhang Yu’s movements to borrow and redirect the force, every ripple of his muscles, became incredibly clear and profound.
It was through this observation that he intended to rapidly learn and mimic his opponent’s movements, to master Zhang Yu’s control and application of physical strength.
Yu Xinghan watched as his palm’s force traveled down Zhang Yu’s steel-like muscle fibers, being channeled downward…
He watched as Zhang Yu took three steps back, his feet creating heavy thuds on the ground as he redirected the force into the floor…
A brilliant light shone in Yu Xinghan’s eyes, as if he were admiring a priceless work of art.
“This control of power is… exquisite.”
“I’m going to learn everything you have!”
With that, his figure flashed forward, closing the distance once more. Another palm, roaring with the sound of a dragon and elephant, blasted toward Zhang Yu.
“Show it to me again!”
Meanwhile, also in a state of full concentration, Zhang Yu observed every one of Yu Xinghan’s slowed-down movements, studying his opponent’s every move and technique, doing his utmost to neutralize the assault.
After a few more moments of fierce exchange, Yu Xinghan sensed that his fully concentrated state was nearing its limit. Their stamina was no longer at its peak, and their movements had lost their perfection.
So, Yu Xinghan stopped and said, “Let’s rest for a while before we continue.”
“If we’re not in peak condition, the training won’t be as effective.”
Yu Xinghan sat down to the side, replaying the recent battle in his mind, recalling the various techniques Zhang Yu had displayed, striving to absorb them and turn them into fuel for his own growth.
This Zhang Yu… he thought, is truly the best whetstone I could ask for.
Once I use different attack methods to learn every technique he possesses, and combine that with my own rate of physical growth, no one in high school will be able to surpass me in terms of physical strength.
Not far from where Yu Xinghan was sitting, Zhang Yu also sat down and gazed at the Feather Book that had appeared before him.
Dragon-Elephant Mountain-Shattering Palm Level 0 (0/1, 4.96/5.0 physical strength, 4/5 level Dao heart)
Is this the palm technique Yu Xinghan was just using? Zhang Yu wondered.
He did a quick search online, and his brow furrowed. “The usage rights for this technique cost 200,000?”
Damn it… If I actually learn this palm technique, does that mean after just one training session, I’ll be 200,000 in the hole before I’ve even earned much?
But as he recalled the domineering power of Yu Xinghan’s palm, he felt a flicker of temptation.
He especially considered that this type of martial art, powered purely by physical strength, offered great scalability and could be applied in many situations, making it a high-quality foundational technique…
Maybe I could learn it secretly and not buy the usage rights for now? At worst, I can just keep it hidden and not use it in public.
Zhang Yu was momentarily undecided, but considering he had not yet met the cultivation requirements for the technique, he set the matter aside for the time being.
Just then, Yu Xinghan, who was opening his phone, asked, “That link I asked you to click last time, you still haven’t clicked it?”