noffsinger Chapter 76 Turning Sword into Palm: An Eye for an Eye
Chapter 76 Turning Sword into Palm: An Eye for an Eye
Qin Zhiyuan paused for a moment, then slowly said:
"Ah Zhou, I'm starting to think you're being a bit too arrogant."
Fan Zhou chuckled and said, "I want to be modest, but they want to embarrass me, so there's nothing I can do."
Lou Zhenqing pondered for a moment and said, "Since you are confident, then go ahead. Winning or losing doesn't matter, just don't hurt yourself."
"Don't worry, Master."
Fan Zhou bowed.
He returned to Chen Chan, only to find that the other party had suddenly put on a deadpan expression, staring at him with gloomy eyes, completely lacking the previous warmth and friendliness.
"Hey, why do you look so pale?" Fan Zhou asked curiously.
"Stop talking nonsense and come get yourself killed!"
Chen Chan snapped impatiently, showing no manners whatsoever.
He heard everything Fan Zhou said.
He then realized that this guy had agreed to a martial arts contest not because of any consideration for the relationship between the two families, but to have one win and one loss so that both sides could have a good time.
He actually wanted to surpass himself in martial arts!
This bastard has clearly never practiced any external martial arts, yet he dares to boast that he will beat me into submission.
What a disgrace!
Chen Chan gritted his teeth, determined to go all out and beat Fan Zhou until he begged for mercy.
Although Fan Zhou was puzzled by his sudden change of attitude, he didn't care much.
He drew his calamus sword, circled Chen Chan, and drew a small circle on the ground with a diameter of six feet, just big enough for the two of them to face each other and fight.
"He drew the circle so small to restrict my movement, so that I could only face him head-on."
Chen Chan glanced at it and had already anticipated Fan Zhou's thoughts.
"He hasn't practiced any body movement techniques, so standing still is definitely more advantageous for him."
"But that leaves him with no way to dodge, forcing him to confront me head-on."
Chen Chan frowned slightly. Although he had absolute confidence in his own strength, he would not underestimate Fan Zhou.
"What methods does he have to win in a head-on confrontation with me?"
You must know that he is at the seventh level of the embryonic breathing cultivation, and has already refined the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his qi meridians. His internal energy has undergone a qualitative change, giving him extraordinary abilities. Every punch and palm strike has immense power.
Even someone with Chen Zhan's sixth-level Nascent Soul cultivation would absolutely not be able to withstand three of his punches.
Besides, Fan Zhou was only at the fourth level of the embryonic breathing stage.
"No matter what methods he uses, I will defeat him with my own strength."
Chen Chan clenched his fists, his dark eyes flashing with a sharp light.
"alright."
Fan Zhou sheathed his sword and stood in front of Chen Chan, his expression turning serious.
"Brother Fan, please."
Chen Chan snorted coldly, clapping his fists together in front of his chest, producing a clanging sound like metal striking metal. Bright golden light flowed over his entire body like water, as if he were wearing a layer of golden armor.
This is a secret technique of the direct lineage of the Gumi people, called the Golden Scale Body Protection Technique. It is activated by the bloodline of the Golden Feathered Serpent within the body. The stronger the bloodline, the greater the power.
As a direct descendant, Chen Chan's magic was naturally quite powerful, enough to withstand a certain degree of sword and axe blows, and it was one of his proudest spells.
Chen Hao, who was watching from the sidelines, had a solemn expression.
"Brother Chan actually used Golden Scales to protect himself right from the start. It seems he is taking this fight very seriously."
"Hmph, Brother Chan has mastered the Wind and Thunder Fist. Dealing with that kid Fan will be a piece of cake."
Lying on the ground, Chen Zhan snorted coldly, his eyes fixed on the situation in the arena, desperately hoping that Chen Chan could help him avenge his humiliation.
Fan Zhou took a deep breath, cupped his hands, one in front of the other, and made a questioning gesture.
Chen Chan couldn't figure out what kind of technique he was using, so he simply ignored it and directly unleashed the Wind and Thunder Fist Technique.
"ha!"
With a low roar like a thunderclap, Chen Zhan took a half step forward with his right foot, causing the ground to crack instantly. His right fist struck Fan Zhou's face, while his left fist hit his lower abdomen.
This move was incredibly swift, as fast as lightning. Before the fist even arrived, a strong gust of wind had already made Fan Zhou's clothes flutter loudly, truly worthy of the power of wind and thunder.
Faced with such a fierce attack, Fan Zhou remained calm and met it head-on with both hands.
How dare he accept?
As Chen Chan's thoughts shifted slightly, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his fist.
not good!
The moment the crisis surged into his heart, Chen Chan reacted instinctively, twisting his arms as if boneless to dodge Fan Zhou's palm.
Even so, two wounds had already appeared on his fist, and his proud Golden Scale Body Protection Technique had not been able to withstand it in the slightest, with drops of blood dripping onto the ground.
Chen Chan's pupils shrank sharply, and a chill ran down his spine. His finger was just a hair's breadth away from being severed.
"How could this happen?"
Chen Hao was shocked. He hadn't expected that Chen Chan would be at a disadvantage as soon as they exchanged blows, and that she would even be injured.
Chen Zhan found it even harder to accept, and forced himself to sit up, shouting:
"Fan Zhou cheated; he used a weapon!"
But the onlookers remained silent, and no one came out to stop it.
Chen Chan's face was extremely gloomy, his eyes fixed on Fan Zhou's hands.
Two dazzling blue lights stretched and contracted between his fingers, moving like serpents.
"Condensing Qi into a blade?" Chen Chan gritted his teeth and asked.
Fan Zhou calmly replied, "In the Yue Kingdom, this is called sword gleam."
"Is this your chance of winning?"
Fan Zhou smiled slightly but did not answer.
Chen Chan's face was grim. Condensing qi into a blade was something even a cultivator at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm would find difficult to do, yet Fan Zhou was only at the fourth level of the Nascent Soul realm, and he was able to master such a technique, which truly surprised him.
I underestimated him after all.
Chen Chan circulated his inner energy to seal the wound on his finger and once again assumed the stance of the Wind and Thunder Fist, but this time he was much more cautious.
Fan Zhou, as always, struck a pose of asking a question.
Although Chen Chan's finger was injured, he understood Fan Zhou's methods, which calmed him down considerably.
He had mastered the Wind and Thunder Fist and Golden Snake Fist, and was now at the highest level, enough to catch a blade barehanded. As long as he was careful, he would not be injured by the sword's edge.
"Fan Zhou, your ability to condense your qi into a blade is indeed remarkable, but you haven't mastered any fist techniques, so how can you expect to defeat me!"
Chen Chan grunted, and in an instant, his fist flew out like the wind, creating a series of afterimages that dazzled onlookers, making it impossible to discern where the attack was coming from.
But to everyone's surprise, Fan Zhou didn't even look at it and launched thirty-six palm strikes, all aimed at Chen Chan's vital points.
Chen Chan was startled. Fan Zhou's sword was imbued with a powerful aura, making it incredibly easy to cut through metal. If Chen Chan were hit, he would be severely injured and difficult to heal.
"He's going to hurt both sides!"
Chen Chan, confident of his overwhelming advantage, was unwilling to let Fan Zhou have his way. He immediately withdrew his fists, grabbed and twisted the handle, intending to use his bare-handed technique to stop Fan Zhou's attack.
Fan Zhou's arms were extremely flexible, and his palm techniques were ever-changing. He could push, press, entangle, or entangle, and no matter how Chen Chan changed his attacks, he could block them with his sword light.
Although Chen Chan had golden scales protecting her body, she was still just a flesh and blood body. She dared not fight head-on against the sword light in Fan Zhou's hand. She only thought about capturing Fan Zhou's arms, at which point she would naturally be in an invincible position.
The two exchanged blows, constantly changing their moves within a few feet of each other, fighting faster and fiercer with each exchange.
Chen Chan was increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed, because Fan Zhou's moves were all well-structured and unpredictable, showing that he had a profound mastery of palm techniques, and was not someone who had never practiced.
What exactly is going on?
off the field.
Lou Zhenqing stared at the palm technique Fan Zhou was using, his expression one of surprise.
Qin Zhiyuan also saw the key point and exclaimed in shock:
"He's transforming swordsmanship into palm techniques!"
Indeed, the palm technique Fan Zhou was using at this moment was the Two Elements Four Elements Palm, which evolved from the Two Elements Four Elements Sword.
When Chen Chan proposed a martial arts contest, Fan Zhou initially intended to refuse, but then a sudden inspiration struck him: could he transform the Yin-Yang Four Phases Sword into fist and palm techniques?
As soon as he thought about it, inspiration surged in his mind, and he immediately became engrossed in it, ignoring Chen Chan's attempts to speak.
Weaponry skills are inherently related to fist and foot skills, but to truly master the application of both requires extensive practice and deep thought; it cannot be understood overnight.
But Fan Zhou is different.
His understanding of the Yin-Yang Four Phases Sword is perfect, and his use of swordsmanship is so deeply ingrained that he has reached a level of complete mastery.
So, in the short time that Chen Chan and the others were talking, he actually came up with a set of Yin-Yang Four Phases Palm Techniques.
He was certain that if this palm technique were combined with the sword light, its power, though not as great as that of Changpu, would still be enough to put up a fight.
No matter how strong his palm technique is, if Chen Chan uses footwork to dodge or creates distance to cast spells, he will find it difficult to win.
So he suggested drawing a circle to restrict Chen Chan's movement.
Chen Chan was confident that he could defeat Fan Zhou head-on with his strength, so he agreed without hesitation.
He was trapped inside the circle, and Fan Zhou could reach him with a simple stretch of his hands, so he only needed to focus on using his palm techniques.
Chen Chan had no way to avoid it and could only use all his fist techniques to fight back.
His inner energy was powerful, and each punch was accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, causing sand and stones to fly around. Even though the fist did not touch Fan Zhou's body, the fierce wind from the punch alone made his muscles ache.
Fan Zhou frowned slightly, his feet sinking slightly as he unleashed the Hidden Sword technique. Vigorous sword energy filled his muscles and bones, instantly blocking Chen Chan's fist attack.
Chen Chan noticed that he was using his internal energy to defend himself, and suddenly thought of a way.
"I may not be able to hurt him, but if I focus solely on defense, how could he possibly hurt me?"
"His cultivation level is far inferior to mine, and his internal energy is limited. If I can just stall him for a while, and wait until he runs out of internal energy, I will naturally win."
Thinking of this, Chen Chan immediately changed his attack, his fists tightly guarding his front, his rolling energy swirling like a gale, blocking all of Fan Zhou's palms.
Knowing what he was thinking, Fan Zhou suddenly became fierce in his palm strikes. The four-inch sword light flashed with cold light, and the attacks came one after another, but he still could not hurt Chen Chan.
"Hehe, this is exactly what I call an eye for an eye!"
Chen Chan was secretly pleased with himself, preparing a thunderous strike, just waiting for Fan Zhou to run out of internal energy.
Fan Zhou's expression darkened; this was precisely what he was worried about.
With his sword aura and his superb swordsmanship at the Great Perfection realm, plus his body tempering level far exceeding that of others at the same level, dealing with a cultivator at the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage would not be difficult.
However, Chen Chan had already broken through to the late stage of the Fetal Breathing Realm, and his internal energy cultivation was extremely profound. It would be difficult to suppress his abilities, and if the battle dragged on, he would undoubtedly be defeated.
Seeing Chen Chan defending with all his might, his body surrounded by internal energy, playing like a turtle, Fan Zhou found it both funny and infuriating.
"This guy actually learned the method I used to deal with Chen Zhan."
"If he wins, he'll inevitably say something like 'an eye for an eye.'"
A sudden inspiration flashed through Fan Zhou's mind.
Yes, I'll give him a taste of his own medicine!
Fan Zhou thought of Chen Zhan's technique of controlling swords with qi and felt that he could also learn from it.
He once obtained a spellbook called "Crimson Flame Flying Knife," which recorded a method for refining qi into a knife.
"Although I don't possess blade energy, I do have sword energy, which can be used in the same way."
Fan Zhou remembered the cultivation method of the Crimson Flame Flying Knife very clearly. At this moment, several thoughts flashed through his mind, and he had already put forward a general plan.
Logically speaking, he shouldn't have had the time to condense sword energy and forge a flying sword while he was engaged in combat.
However, he practiced the Hidden Sword technique from the Nine Absolute Swords, which is a method of internally refining sword energy that he can use when facing enemies.
At this moment, Fan Zhou's mind stirred, and the sword energy in his dantian immediately gathered towards his mouth, gradually condensing into a three-inch sword beam, ready to be unleashed.
As he channeled his internal energy, the sword light in his hand naturally weakened.
Chen Chan was overjoyed, thinking that he was running out of internal energy.
"You just put Chen Zhan in such a terrible state, I can't let you off easily."
Chen Chan unleashed all his fist techniques, determined to exhaust Chen Zhan's inner energy just like Chen Zhan had.
Seeing that Chen Chan was launching another attack, Fan Zhou knew that he had been tricked. He immediately attacked with all his might with both palms, looking like a cornered beast fighting desperately.
"Great, Brother Chan is here to avenge me!"
Chen Zhan was overjoyed and tried to stand up, straining his body.
Chen Hao had no choice but to support him and advised, "You have internal injuries, it's more important to circulate your internal energy quickly."
"Healing is not as important as revenge." Chen Zhan glared at him.
"That young Fan was ashen-faced and his attack was rushed. He had clearly exhausted his inner energy and was about to be defeated. How could I not watch with my own eyes?"
On the other side, Qin Zhiyuan watched as Fan Zhou's aura continued to decline and couldn't help but ask Lou Zhenqing:
"Peak Master, can Fan Zhou win?"
Lou Zhenqing remained calm and composed, and said:
"They were both at the very end; victory or defeat hinged on their last breath."
The atmosphere was even more somber on the Gumi tribe's side.
Chen Zhan and Chen Hao were both of low cultivation levels and could not see that Fan Zhou was gathering his strength for a final attack.
The elders and ministers of the Kegumi tribe all understood clearly that this final sword strike was no small matter, and that it was probably a matter of life and death.
If Chen Chan is defeated, the Gumi tribe will lose all face.
General Che's expression was gloomy, and he kept tapping the outside of his thigh with his index finger, intending to use a secret sound transmission technique to remind Chen Chan.
"We've already lost."
Princess Chenxing suddenly spoke up.
"A direct descendant of the Gumi clan at the seventh level of the Nascent Soul stage actually managed to fight on equal terms with a disciple at the fourth level of the Nascent Soul stage. It's truly shameful."
Elder Chen Qing sighed, "I never expected this disciple of the Sword Furnace to possess such talent. Is it truly a matter of destiny?"
The elders and ministers remained silent.
General Che remained silent for a moment, then gave up on transmitting his voice.
"So be it, victory or defeat, we mustn't lose this last bit of backbone."
The crowd outside the arena watched the duel between the two teenagers in silence, each with their own thoughts.
Meanwhile, Fan Zhou looked ashen-faced, his clothes torn in several places by the gale, and he appeared quite disheveled.
Suddenly his pupils contracted, his body trembled, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.
He can't hold on any longer!
Chen Chan's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Suddenly, he shouted loudly, like a thunderclap, and his right hand shot out, grabbing Fan Zhou's left arm, preventing him from escaping.
At the same time, golden light shone brightly from his left fist, and his powerful internal energy transformed into a visible gust of wind that spun and blasted towards Fan Zhou's chest. Its power was enough to shatter rhinoceroses and mammoths.
Fan Zhou's clothes were instantly torn to shreds by the force of the punch, turning into countless butterflies that scattered. However, his eyes remained calm until the wind slashed his chest, causing blood to splatter out. Only then did he open his mouth and exhale a three-inch, emerald-green sword light to meet Chen Chan's incoming left fist.
Chen Chan's pupils contracted sharply, but he knew that at this critical moment, he could not back down. His left arm joints cracked and popped, and suddenly swelled up again, slamming into the sword light.
There was not a sound.
The emerald sword light pierced through Chen Chan's right arm in an instant, splitting it in two along with the tendons and bones, and shooting blood upwards from his fist.
Chen Chan was terrified and instinctively stepped back, using his arm to avoid the sword's edge.
laugh!
The sword's edge struck the ground, creating a dark hole.
"Ah—! My arm—!"
Chen Chan knelt on the ground, clutching his forked arm and roaring in pain.
Elder Chen Qing suddenly appeared beside him, used magic to lift his left arm, took out a pill and applied it to his wound to heal him.
"Brother Chan... he... actually... lost."
Chen Zhan couldn't believe what he was seeing. He coughed up another mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground.
Fan Zhou wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, turned his gaze to Chen Hao beside him, and asked with a smile:
"What do you want to compete with me in?"
Chen Hao stood there, pale-faced and at a loss.
"There's no need to continue. It's best two out of three; you've already won."
Princess Chenxing suddenly spoke and stepped over.
She walked up to Fan Zhou and exclaimed in admiration:
"Your swordsmanship is so exquisite and your talent so high that it has truly opened our eyes. We are completely convinced of our defeat in this duel."
Fan Zhou smiled shyly and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Your Highness is too kind."
"I don't think that's enough to praise you."
The golden light in Chenxing's eyes shimmered as he asked:
"You've won this fight. Is there anything you want? I can give it to you."
Fan Zhou blinked and smiled slyly:
"Then I wish for the eternal friendship between Gumi and Jianlu, and for Your Highness to frequently come to us to purchase swords."
Chen Xing looked at him with surprise, never expecting him to make such a request, but then said seriously:
"Okay, I promise."
She took the golden crown off her head and placed it on Fan Zhou's head.
Fan Zhou looked at her in surprise, not understanding what she meant.
Lou Zhenqing was shocked, his heart filled with mixed feelings of joy and surprise.
Chen Xing raised Fan Zhou's hand and addressed the surrounding Gumi tribesmen in a loud voice:
"I swear by the name of the Golden Feathered Serpent, from this moment on, Fan Zhou is my friend, and Jian Lu is Gu Mie's friend. We will always be friends, helping and supporting each other, until the day even gold decays!"
The surrounding Gumi warriors knelt down in a clatter, and the Gumi elders and ministers bowed, shouting in unison:
"We obey the divine decree!"