Chapter 33: Pretending to Be an Expert
Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Pretending to Be an Expert
The venue fell dead silent for a split second! Then, it erupted into uproarious laughter and wild jeers ten times more intense than before!
"Hahaha! This kid’s got guts!"
"Taking on a disciple? Taking Iron Hand as a disciple? I’m dying of laughter!"
"Arrogant enough! I like it! No matter how high the odds are, I’m throwing a hundred bucks on you just for fun!"
Various debris and even more cash began to rain down into the steel cage, with quite a bit landing on Fang Chen’s side this time. Although it was mostly small bills thrown in for the fun of it, the atmosphere was completely ignited.
Iron Hand’s expression instantly darkened. The contemptuous smile vanished from his face, replaced by a cold fury at being provoked. He cracked his neck, his black palms slowly clenching into fists and emitting loud CRACKS.
"Sharp-tongued brat..." He stared at Fang Chen as if looking at a dead man. "In a moment, I’m going to knock every single tooth out of your mouth!"
The referee intervened at the right moment, signaling both sides to approach and get ready to start.
Fang Chen walked calmly to the center of the ring, standing face-to-face with the murderous Iron Hand. The tension in the air instantly thickened to the extreme. The referee’s raised arm swung down sharply, his voice echoing through the arena via the megaphone: "Begin!"
As his voice faded, neither of the two men in the steel cage made a move.
Iron Hand was accustomed to striking after his opponent, often turning the tide with a single punch. Right now, he was holding steady to counter any shifts, his aura deep and condensed. Fang Chen, on the other hand, had fully unleashed his Perception, capturing Iron Hand’s icy killing intent and biding his time.
The two of them stood there in a quiet standoff. However, the audience quickly grew impatient. Whistles, urging shouts, and curses melded together:
"Fight! What are you spacing out for?!"
"Hurry up! Iron Hand, knock his teeth out!"
"Damn it, are we just watching a staring contest?!"
Ultimately, it was Iron Hand who lost his patience first. He took steady strides, moving like a giant bear as he pressed forward step by step, attempting to close the distance.
Fang Chen still did not retreat, his calm gaze sweeping over his opponent. Iron Hand’s upper body was exceptionally robust—especially those unnaturally tough iron palms—but his lower body was relatively ordinary. However, his stance was low and his center of gravity stable. He was clearly well-versed in maximizing his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses, refusing to easily expose any flaws in his Lower Body.
"Maximizing strengths and minimizing weaknesses..." Fang Chen thought to himself. "This is indeed the conventional mindset for most Martial Artists. But it differs from my philosophy. In a duel between Martial Artists, the fatal factor isn’t usually about who has the greater advantage, but who has fewer shortcomings and is less likely to be exploited. Just like the Ghost Shadow that appeared in the school earlier—if you don’t have mental or elemental abilities, then no matter how strong your physical body is, you can only be slaughtered."
Iron Hand had closed in to a distance of less than two meters. For him, this was already the lethal striking zone.
The crowd’s roars grew even more fanatical: "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Iron Hand moved!
The very instant his shoulder muscles tensed slightly, Fang Chen’s Perception clearly captured the fierce intent locking onto his head. Sure enough, a no-frills straight punch blasted toward his face like a cannonball fired from a chamber!
The Fist Wind rushed at his face, blowing the hair on Fang Chen’s forehead. Yet, his upper body simply leaned backward lightly like a willow catkin. The angle was precise to the millimeter, allowing the fist’s edge to scrape right past the tip of his nose while his feet didn’t even shift a fraction of an inch.
His punch missing its mark, a hint of astonishment flashed in Iron Hand’s eyes, quickly turning into rage. "Damn it, acting tough, are we?"
Fang Chen’s tone was flat, as if merely stating a fact. "Your intentions are too obvious."
"Fuck you! Let’s see if you can keep dodging!"
Iron Hand roared, unleashing a barrage of combination punches that followed one after another like a raging storm! Hooks, uppercuts, and Jabs—the shadows of his fists crisscrossed, enveloping multiple vital spots on Fang Chen’s upper body.
However, within Fang Chen’s Perception, the distinct "lock-on sensation" before every punch was thrown acted like a beacon in the dark of night. Displaying the Perfection-level Gale Step Technique, his figure shifted and flickered within the narrowest of spaces. He was always able to evade the fist’s edge in the nick of time with the smallest possible movements, looking completely at ease.
"Kid, your moves aren’t half bad," Iron Hand said as he slightly slowed his offensive and caught his breath, a mocking look on his face. "I can see right through you. You’re a typical turtle-style fighter! You want to stall for time and drag this out to a draw, right? Heh!"
"Booo!"
The venue immediately erupted in a massive chorus of boos. Clearly, "turtle-style" fighting was one of the styles the audience here despised the most.
"Spineless trash!"
"Iron Hand, smash him to pieces!"
"I’m increasing my bet on Iron Hand for a KO!"
Some excited spectators even threw more money at the steel cage to show their support, with most of it landing on Iron Hand’s side. Fang Chen turned a deaf ear to the arena full of boos and ridicule. His gaze remained tranquil as he simply stared quietly at Iron Hand, his eyes seeming to scrutinize an object.
This gaze thoroughly infuriated Iron Hand.
"Damn it, there’s a limit to pretending to be an expert! I’ve had enough!" He bellowed as his True Qi surged throughout his body, a dark gleam seeming to flow over his murky-colored iron palms.
BOOM!
The Fist Wind abruptly turned shrill, its howling sound piercing to the ear. It was as if this Fist Wind alone was enough to lacerate a person’s skin!
"Let’s see how you dodge this!"
It was another Mountain-Shattering Heavy Fist packed with power, driving straight at Fang Chen’s chest!
Fang Chen executed his Body Technique again, his upper body bending backward as if he had no bones.
"Putting on a circus act, huh..."
Iron Hand had come prepared. His previous punch had actually been a feint! The real Killing Technique was the subsequent continuous flurry of punches raining down like a squall, sealing off all avenues of escape!
However, in that exact instant when his old force was spent and his new force had yet to be born—when his body leaned slightly forward due to punching with all his might—Fang Chen moved!
Spring Kick.
The Perfection-level Spring Kick skill made his kicking motion so fast it left only a blur! A single kick darted out like a viper striking from its burrow, landing with flawless precision directly in Iron Hand’s armpit on the side he was using to deliver his full-power punch!
"Argh!"
Iron Hand only felt an incredibly sharp, numbing pain shoot instantly from his armpit through his entire arm, reaching all the way to his shoulder blade like a jolt of electricity! His amassed strength was instantly dispersed by the kick. His entire right arm went limp as if it were crippled, and the intense agony made him let out a bizarre cry of pain. "Yow, yow, yow..."
His offensive came to a screeching halt. Iron Hand staggered backward, clutching his right armpit with his left hand. For the first time, an expression weaving horror and pain appeared on his face.
Fang Chen slowly retracted his leg and remained standing quietly in place, as if he had never moved.
With an ashen face, Iron Hand endured the piercing numbness radiating from his right armpit. He forcefully swung his arm a few times, trying to use brute strength to forcibly smooth out the stagnant Qi and Blood and correct the sensation of a dislocated joint. However, the sheer pain caused cold sweat to instantly bead on his forehead. His entire right arm remained limp and powerless.
Following a brief silence, the arena erupted into even more thunderous waves of sound!
"Ohhhh!"
"This Feng Yuxiu actually has some skills!"
"Damn it, it’s a pity the betting pools are closed! Otherwise, betting on him now would be a guaranteed win!"
"Who called him a turtle just now? I’d say he actually has the demeanor of a master!"