Chapter 471 - 256: Number One (2)
Chapter 471: Chapter 256: Number One (2)
Lin Jingyu, however, was somewhat reserved. He thought Xu Yang would take the initiative as Qi Xuancheng had, and was waiting to counter his moves. He never expected Xu Yang wouldn’t attack at all.
"Watch out!" Lin Jingyu roared, the Gang Qi inside him erupting into motion.
His robes billowed as crimson Gang Qi surged from his pores, making the air hum and vibrate.
With his Gang Qi flowing like a tidal wave, Lin Jingyu tapped his toes on the stage and took a large stride forward. A tyrannical aura swept out like a tidal wave.
"BOOM!"
The surging Gang Qi roared as it rapidly converged at his fist. The massive, crimson fist tore through the air with a piercing shriek, carrying an indomitable momentum.
White Tiger Shattering Gold Fist!
The overwhelmingly domineering pressure of the fist rushed straight toward Xu Yang, carrying the force of collapsing mountains and a shattering earth. If not for Yang Yuanzhou protecting the stage, it would have been torn to pieces. Even Xu Yang felt a pressure weighing down on him, his body sinking slightly.
"What a fine Fist Technique!" Xu Yang praised.
’If a fierce and powerful Fist Technique like this were in my hands, its might would be even more astonishing. A pity it’s a Secret Skill of Yellow Maple Valley; there’s no way for me to learn it.’
Ripples visible to the naked eye swept out, and a sound like rolling thunder filled the air.
Xu Yang’s gaze gradually sharpened. Holding back the vast majority of his power, he gave a sudden jolt, shattering the fist pressure weighing down on him. As if breaking free from shackles, his joints cracked and his vital energy and blood surged.
Golden Gang Qi surged over his body, explosively infusing his fist. Xu Yang moved.
He took a large stride and his body suddenly vanished from its spot. A golden fist tore through the air, striking out like a bolt of lightning.
"BOOM!"
Like a clap of muffled thunder, gales of energy erupted. The two fist pressures had already clashed, and an invisible aura swept out.
"A good exchange!" Lin Jingyu let out a long cry.
He thought Xu Yang wouldn’t dare to meet his fist head-on. He never expected Xu Yang also favored this kind of hard-hitting, ferocious style, meeting his move like a needle to an awn—a perfect match.
He couldn’t help but feel the thrill of meeting a worthy opponent, and the force behind his fist increased by another notch.
"So conceited!" Qi Xuancheng snorted coldly.
The moment he saw Xu Yang’s stance, he knew he intended to trade blows with Lin Jingyu. He had clearly warned Xu Yang to be wary of Lin Jingyu’s fists, but Xu Yang hadn’t listened in the slightest, choosing to clash head-on from the very first move.
’Did he think I was joking, or that I was exaggerating and he could just look down on Lin Jingyu?’
"How could he be so reckless!" Zhang Hanzhou was also frowning.
’Even with a Half-Spirit Weapon in hand, I couldn’t break the White Tiger Shattering Gold Fist. For Xu Yang to think he can do it with his bare flesh and blood is just a fool’s dream.’
If the White Tiger Shattering Gold Fist were so easy to break, he and Qi Xuancheng wouldn’t have been so thoroughly defeated.
"To dare trade fists with Junior Brother Lin Jingyu... he’s simply courting death," Huang Xiao sneered.
’The fists of Yellow Maple Valley are no joke. Our fists are harder and sharper than Half-Spirit Weapons. Anyone who dares to face them head-on with bare hands will almost certainly end up with broken bones and torn sinews.’
’Even though Xu Yang has also reached Minor Body Refining in his physical cultivation, there’s no way he can block Lin Jingyu’s fist.’
It wasn’t just them; many people were shaking their heads, sighing inwardly at Xu Yang’s recklessness. He was treating Lin Jingyu like he was Li Chuyang.
If he had just tangled with Lin Jingyu for a few moves before conceding, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Now, it would be difficult for him to walk off the stage unscathed. His injuries might even be worse than Qi Xuancheng’s.
Amidst everyone’s disappointed expressions, the two fists, like a pair of meteors, crashed into each other.
"BANG!"
The two fists collided like a pair of great mountains. A shockwave visible to the naked eye swept out violently in all directions.
Below the stage, numerous disciples raised their Protective Gang Qi, anticipating the scene of Xu Yang’s fist shattering and him being sent flying back with a scream.
Xu Yang’s eyelids twitched slightly. He calmly observed the genius from Yellow Maple Valley. The young man had a youthful face; he couldn’t be more than twenty, likely a Dragon Ascending Disciple from the same class as Xu Qing.
’Of course, he still looked a bit older than me.’
’I’m forever eighteen!’
Vigorous Energy surged and churned like a tidal wave, engulfing the entire stage and obscuring the two figures within, but it dissipated just as quickly.
When their figures were revealed, their Fist Gang had almost completely shattered and disappeared, exposing their bare fists, which remained pressed together.
Xu Yang was very satisfied with this result. He had controlled the power he displayed to be just enough to match Lin Jingyu.
"BANG!"
Bodies of flesh and blood collided, and another huge roar echoed out, like the clash of metal on metal.
A look of shocked disbelief appeared on Lin Jingyu’s face. Xu Yang’s Fist Force was actually on par with his own. He felt an equally fierce and powerful force surging from the other side, making his bones and muscles hum and his blood churn. His entire arm went numb.
"BOOM! BOOM..."
He couldn’t help but retreat, his steps making the stage thunder. His face was flushed red.
Xu Yang also feigned a retreat, forcefully controlling his surging blood and vital energy to make his own face flush red.
"What?"
"Lin Jingyu was forced back?"
"Xu Yang’s arm wasn’t shattered by one punch!"
...
Countless disciples from the Purple Sun Sect shot to their feet, utterly dumbfounded.
This was not the scene they had imagined at all. In their exchange of fists, they were evenly matched; neither had gained any advantage.
Lin Jingyu of Yellow Maple Valley’s White Tiger Shattering Gold Fist had not been as indomitable as it was during his fight with Qi Xuancheng. It had been blocked by Xu Yang’s golden fist.
"How is that possible?"
Qi Xuancheng’s eyes widened. ’Xu Yang withstood Lin Jingyu’s heavy blow. Doesn’t that mean Xu Yang’s strength is even greater than mine?’
"Damn, so he’s the true number one of the Ten Prodigies," Zhang Hanzhou said in shock.
’If it were me up there, I couldn’t have done what Xu Yang just did. So Xu Yang’s strength is a cut above mine.’
’And considering Xu Yang is a Dragon Ascending Disciple from the class after mine, the number one of the Ten Prodigies should be him.’
"So he was shaking his head because he wasn’t afraid of Lin Jingyu at all."
Ye Qiuling’s beautiful eyes flashed brilliantly. ’How ridiculous. I thought he was no match and even taught him how to concede.’
’How did that bastard do it...’ A storm raged in Lu Ren’s heart, only to be quickly replaced by a sense of loss.
’That son of a bitch. Every time you think you’ve seen through him, he does something to shock you all over again.’
’Even defeating Li Chuyang earlier wasn’t his full strength. He was insidiously holding back. If he hadn’t been forced onto the stage because of his Golden Gang Qi, he would have never revealed his true talent and power.’
Lu Ren felt a sense of despair. He had wanted to catch up to Xu Yang, but the gap between them was only growing wider.
Xiong Kun’s head throbbed. He had mocked Xu Yang several times.
"He was holding back when he fought me," Li Chuyang said, his expression grim.
"What’s there to be surprised about?"
Sun Tao and Jiang Fan, the two who knew of Xu Yang’s true talent, were not the least bit surprised. They had remained calm the entire time, completely unconcerned for Xu Yang’s safety.
The only thing they were wondering was how much more strength Xu Yang was hiding. Knowing that bastard’s personality, he was probably still holding back.
On the high platform, Song Yushao and Liu Qingyuan exchanged a glance, killing intent surging in their eyes. They knew they had to get rid of Xu Yang as soon as possible. If they waited another year or two, they would lose their chance.
"I never expected the Purple Sun Sect to have such a remarkable talent," the Huangfeng Valley Master said with a smile, a look of surprise on his face.
He also hadn’t expected that Lin Jingyu, who had defeated the second-ranked of the Ten Prodigies, Qi Xuancheng, would fight to a standstill with the fourth-ranked, Xu Yang.
A trace of surprise and satisfaction flashed in Zhang Jingyuan’s eyes. He smiled and said, "He still can’t compare to your Lin Jingyu."
Hearing this, the Huangfeng Valley Master nodded without a hint of modesty.
Even though Xu Yang and Lin Jingyu fought to a standstill, in his eyes, it was nothing special. It was somewhat surprising, but that was all.
This was because Lin Jingyu was a Dragon Ascending Disciple from the class after Xu Yang. So, although they were fighting on even terms, their talent was not on the same level.
If Lin Jingyu were a Dragon Ascending Disciple from the same class as Xu Yang, he would have already reached the Celestial Essence realm by now.
"Excellent!" Elder Huoyun couldn’t help but roar.
So this disciple wasn’t reckless; he had real strength. He had brought honor to him yet again.
Beside him, Tie Fu, Li Songhe, Elder Chang Chun, and the other elders from various peaks were filled with envy.
The number one of the Ten Prodigies—in the past, a disciple like this would have become the Sect Leader’s Disciple, or at the very least, been taken in by a Peak Master. It would never have been their turn, as simple Elders. But this time, that bastard Huoyun had gotten unbelievably lucky.