Chapter 16: Traction
Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Traction
Iron Hand in the footage lived up to his name; his attacks relied heavily on his bare hands.
In several crucial knockdowns, he had shattered his opponents’ arm bones and even their cheekbones with an overwhelming, destructive force.
His punches were incredibly heavy. Once they landed, they carried an unstoppable destructive power that often decided the outcome of the match in an instant.
According to his profile, Iron Hand’s current record was three wins and zero losses. He was riding a strong wave of momentum. With just one more win or even a draw to accumulate enough points, his appearance fee would immediately skyrocket to thirty thousand yuan.
"It seems his hands have been tempered through some special method," Fang Chen thought. "I wonder how he compares to my Perfection level Rock-Breaking Fist."
When Fang Chen returned to Li Family Village, it was already nine o’clock at night.
As soon as he reached the village entrance, he saw his younger sister, Fang Min, patrolling outside the village with a few clan members, their flashlights piercing the darkness.
"Minmin," he called out. "Are you on patrol?"
Hearing his voice, Fang Min turned around happily. "You’re back! Yes, it’s our family’s turn to patrol the village today. This is my first time doing it!"
Fang Chen frowned slightly. "Nonsense. With your amateur skills, what are you doing patrolling the village? Didn’t I say to let Dad cover for me until I got back?"
"Oh, Fang Chen, don’t be mad," Fang Min said, sticking her tongue out. "The patrol schedule is set in stone, so our family had to send someone, right? Mom’s back has been bothering her these past two days, and Dad hasn’t come back from the construction site yet. I figured I’d just cover for you for a bit. It’s still early anyway, so nothing should happen."
Fang Chen looked puzzled. "Dad isn’t back yet? He should have been home a long time ago at this hour."
"Maybe... he got held up by something?" Fang Min suggested.
Fang Chen nodded. "Maybe. Well, I’m back now, so you go home and rest. Leave this to me."
Fang Min grabbed his arm instead. "No way! Teach me a couple of moves, Fang Chen, please? I’m fifteen this year, and I want to try to reach the True Martial Realm before I turn sixteen too!"
Fang Chen reached out and gently flicked her forehead.
"Ouch!"
Fang Min protested, covering her forehead. "You always do that, Fang Chen! I’m not a kid anymore!"
Fang Chen laughed. "The Superpower Bureau stipulates that anyone who reaches the True Martial Realm before the age of eighteen can awaken a Superpower. You still have three years, so what’s the rush? Ninety-nine percent of the students in our school don’t even have a Superpower."
Fang Min snorted defiantly. "But you reached the True Martial Realm at sixteen! I want to be just like you! And don’t you dare say ’but you’re a girl’—you said yourself that men and women are equal, so you can’t look down on me!"
Amused by his sister, Fang Chen smiled. "Right, right. Our Min’Er will become a Superpower User sooner or later, and at least a Tier 3 one at that. Not like me, who’s only Tier 2. Fine, I’ll teach you a set of Swordsmanship today."
"Swordsmanship?"
Fang Min’s eyes lit up.
"Yeah, it’s called the Lingxi Swordsmanship. Watch closely."
With that, Fang Chen picked up a branch of a suitable length from the ground. Using it as a makeshift sword, he began to move. His footwork was exceptionally light, and his wrists flicked with rapid precision.
The branch seemed to gain a Spiritual Attribute in his hands. He tapped, thrust, swept, and slashed, each move flowing into the next like drifting clouds and flowing water. There was a distinct rhythm to his motions, making his form look remarkably elegant under the faint moonlight.
Fang Min stared in awe and couldn’t help but exclaim, "Wow! Fang Chen, this Swordsmanship is so beautiful! When will I be able to practice it like you do?"
Fang Chen stopped his movements, stood tall, and handed the branch to her. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take the sword and give it a try."
"Okay!"
Fang Min excitedly took the branch, recalling his movements, and began to mimic them.
However, things didn’t go as planned.
The Swordsmanship that looked so elegant when Fang Chen performed it became a chaotic mess in Fang Min’s hands. She either stumbled over her own feet or moved with utter stiffness, entirely lacking the fluidity and agility of his demonstration. She looked rather clumsy.
Watching from the sidelines, Fang Chen stepped forward to hold her shoulders and help her adjust her posture. "Your wrists need to be loose. Let your intention guide the sword; don’t fight against the branch... Keep your footing steady and generate power from your waist, don’t just wildly swing your arms... Right, just like that. That’s a little better, but why does it look like you’re planting rice seedlings in a field?"
"Fang Chen!"
Fang Min stomped her foot in frustration, her cheeks puffing out. "Are you trying to teach me or make fun of me?!"
Fang Chen laughed aloud and ruffled her hair. "Teaching you, of course. But haste makes waste. Just practice these few basic movements today and find the right feeling. Come on, we’ll practice another day. You need to go home and rest."
"Okay, Fang Chen, I’ll head back first. Stay safe."
"I will."
After Fang Min went home, Fang Chen joined the other on-duty clan members and began the all-night village patrol.
There were dedicated guards stationed at the village entrance, so they didn’t need to worry about that area.
Their main responsibility was to patrol back and forth across the core areas of the village: the granaries, farmlands, orchards, breeding farms, and the small patch of woods on the outskirts.
Most of the time, this job was incredibly dull, yet absolutely essential.
He remembered clearly how, a few years ago during the night, several enemies had sneaked into Li Family Village. An entire family had been murdered, and the village granaries were burned down.
Fortunately, this night remained peaceful and quiet, without any unusual incidents.
When the sky faintly brightened, the night patrol came to an end.
Fang Chen dragged his slightly exhausted body back home, where his mother had already prepared a simple breakfast.
"Is Dad back?" he asked as he picked up a steamed bun.
"He’s back. He didn’t get home until three in the morning, and he’s sleeping in his room right now," his mother answered, lowering her voice.
"Oh," Fang Chen replied.
Holding the steamed bun, he walked into the inner room and gently pushed the door open. Seeing his father, Fang Lin, sound asleep on the bed and breathing with a steady snore, he finally relaxed.
At Jinchuan Three Greats, just as Fang Chen walked up to the school gates, a familiar voice rang out with a playful tone.
"Good morning, Class Rep! Love you!"
Looking at Xia Chu, who was deliberately blocking his way at the gates, Fang Chen gave her a helpless eye roll. "Act normal."
Xia Chu immediately dropped her goofy expression and put on an obedient facade. She took small steps toward him. "Yes, yes, yes. Whatever you say, Mr. Class Rep."
She linked arms with him, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Chen, I followed the new method you taught me yesterday to condense my True Qi, and it felt so much better! Even though I only slept for five hours, I feel super energized right now, like my whole body is brimming with strength!"
She widened her eyes and leaned her face closer to his, as if inviting him to inspect her thoroughly.
Seeing that she was indeed radiating much more Essence, Qi, and Spirit than usual, Fang Chen nodded in approval. "Full of energy and spirit. It seems your Energy Introduction stage is progressing smoothly, and you’re beginning to nourish your mind. That’s a good sign."
"Mhm!" Xia Chu nodded vigorously.
"Don’t move," Fang Chen said, his gaze suddenly sharpening.
"What’s wrong?" Xia Chu froze immediately.
SNAP!
Moving as fast as lightning, Fang Chen pinched the fabric of Xia Chu’s school uniform right at her shoulder. His index finger and thumb precisely trapped a brightly colored little butterfly.
"Huh? Was there actually a bug?" Xia Chu breathed a sigh of relief, though she was still a bit puzzled. "But I showered last night. I don’t have any sweet floral scents on me..."
"Strange." Fang Chen furrowed his brows. Still holding the butterfly, which had stopped struggling, he shifted his gaze to the side.
"What is it?" Xia Chu followed his line of sight.
Fang Chen motioned for her to look at a girl wearing a hoodie who had just walked past them. "Look at her."
Taking a look, Xia Chu immediately lowered her voice, a gossipy smile playing on her lips. "Hehe, that’s Zou Shuyao, the new transfer student in our class. She’s pretty, right? Want me to introduce you two?"
"What are you thinking about?" Fang Chen interrupted her daydreaming, keeping his voice low. "Look at her shoulder."
Looking closely, Xia Chu finally noticed that there was a bee resting on the dark fabric of the girl’s shoulder.
"Huh? There really is... Maybe she used a shampoo or skincare product with a special scent that attracted them? What’s the big deal, Chen? It’s just a bee, totally normal. Alright, alright, I admit I misunderstood you yesterday. I apologize, hehe."
Fang Chen slowly shook his head.
"It’s not a matter of scent. I just feel like the flight paths of these little creatures are... very unnatural. It’s almost as if they’re being drawn in by something invisible."