High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Martial Art He Is Best At

As the two combatants, it was only right that they knew each other’s Life Energy Levels. They couldn’t be expected to guess mid-fight.

Guo Yu was by no means weak. His Life Energy Level alone was enough to overwhelm the average examinee, and he was firmly ranked among the top fighters in the province.

However, when his gaze landed on his opponent across the ring, the fighting spirit on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a grimace.

He walked to the center of the arena to stand opposite Xu Wuyi. Forcing a smile, he gave a fist-and-palm salute. ”Mr. Xu, I’ve heard so much about you. I didn’t expect to run into you in the very first match... Please go easy on me.”

He was being completely sincere.

The number one S-class, the powerhouse who had even surpassed Chu Shanhe—anyone would be terrified to face him in the first round.

He knew he wasn’t weak. With a Life Energy Level of 14.3, he ranked in the top fifteen at Lijiang First High School. He’d had hopes of making a run for the provincial top twenty, or even the top ten, but his luck was just plain rotten.

Xu Wuyi regarded him with a calm expression, returning the salute. ”Mr. Guo, I await your guidance.”

There was no arrogance, no disdain—only the respect due an opponent.

Guo Yu relaxed slightly at the sight. At least his opponent wasn’t putting on an arrogant front. He took a deep breath, his gaze turning focused. ”I’ll give it my all. Mr. Xu, watch yourself!”

”Enough with the pleasantries! Prepare to begin!” Li Liangcai’s booming voice cut them off, ringing with indisputable authority.

The two immediately focused their minds and fell into their respective stances.

Guo Yu was using the C-level Fist Technique, Wave-Breaking Fist, which was quite popular at Lijiang First High School. Its Starting Form resembled a surging undercurrent, and as his Qi and Blood circulated, it carried a sense of unending momentum.

His Life Energy Level was a high 14.3, and his Qi and Blood were abundant. As he channeled his power with all his might, the very air around him seemed to ripple.

In contrast, Xu Wuyi’s stance was simple and unadorned. It was none other than the Starting Form of the Basic Body Refining Technique—Holding the Essence and Guarding the One.

Shoulders dropped, elbows lowered, breath sinking—an aura as steady as a mountain naturally emanated from him, a stark contrast to Guo Yu’s explosive presence.

”Begin!” Chen Mingyuan commanded.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Guo Yu let out a low cry and shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

The Wave-Breaking Fist was all about building momentum, with each wave of attack stronger than the last. Seizing the initiative was paramount.

He threw a straight right. With his Qi and Blood surging, the punch cut through the air with an audible whistle, aimed directly at Xu Wuyi’s centerline.

He had decided to go on an all-out offensive from the very beginning, hoping to disrupt Xu Wuyi’s rhythm and perhaps find a sliver of an opportunity.

Faced with this powerful punch, Xu Wuyi’s eyes remained serene. With a slight shift of his feet, his body swayed just enough to evade the brunt of the attack, as stable as a great boulder.

At the same time, he raised his left arm, using the outside of his forearm to precisely parry Guo Yu’s wrist.

THUD!

A muffled sound echoed.

Guo Yu felt as if his fist had struck a sheet of incredibly tough leather; most of its Power was easily dissipated.

He tensed, but his movements didn’t falter. His left fist followed like a second wave, lashing up toward Xu Wuyi’s jaw.

Xu Wuyi remained unhurried. Powering the move from his waist, he turned slightly and brought his right hand down in a knife-hand strike, hitting the precise point on Guo Yu’s left wrist where the force was being generated.

Guo Yu felt his wrist go numb, and the power behind his attack instantly scattered.

”Such precise parries!” Liu Hui, one of the onlookers, couldn’t help but murmur in admiration. ”He strikes at the exact moment when the old force is spent and the new has yet to be generated. That level of perception and judgment...”

Li Liangcai also nodded slightly. ”He looks like he’s on the defensive, but he’s actually in complete control of the fight’s rhythm. Still, to use the Basic Body Refining Technique... He’s looking down on his opponent, isn’t he?”

The Basic Body Refining Technique was, after all, just the basics. Not even using a proper Martial Arts style clearly showed he wasn’t taking his opponent seriously.

But Li Liangcai had completely misunderstood.

Xu Wuyi never underestimated an opponent. On the contrary, he was exercising the utmost caution by using the Martial Art he was best at and employing the strategy he had mastered.

The Martial Art he had mastered above all others was the Basic Body Refining Technique, and his most proficient strategy was the defensive counter-attack!

Chen Mingyuan’s gaze was deep. He said nothing, merely watching the match unfold.

The longer Guo Yu fought, the more alarmed he became.

His Wave-Breaking Fist was a tidal wave of an assault, each punch faster than the last, its Power compounding with every blow. He was confident that few fighters at the same ability level could withstand it head-on.

But the Xu Wuyi before him was like a mountain; no matter how fiercely the wind and waves of his attacks crashed against him, he remained as steady as a boulder.

Xu Wuyi’s movements never strayed from the framework of the Basic Body Refining Technique. He occasionally mixed in the Instant Shadow Step to make minor positional adjustments, weathering every part of Guo Yu’s torrential assault.

What put even more pressure on Guo Yu was that Xu Wuyi’s breathing remained perfectly steady and deep, his eyes unnervingly calm.

It was as if he wasn’t in a fierce battle at all, but simply going through a routine he had rehearsed countless times.

「Five minutes later.」

Sweat was already beading on Guo Yu’s forehead, and his breathing had grown ragged.

The high-intensity assault had taken a huge toll on his Qi and Blood and stamina, yet his opponent remained as composed as he had been at the start of the match, without even a hint of breathlessness.

’Is his Qi and Blood endless?’ A sense of helplessness washed over Guo Yu.

’If this keeps up, I’m bound to lose,’ he thought. ’My opponent hasn’t even started to counterattack, and I’m already on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.’

’I have to go for broke!’

A look of determination flashed in Guo Yu’s eyes. After a feint, he suddenly accelerated, concentrating the majority of his remaining Qi and Blood into his right fist and unleashing the Wave-Breaking Fist’s finishing move—Overlapping Waves!

The fist became a blur. A layer of Hidden Force, concealed behind two layers of Outer Force, rocketed toward Xu Wuyi’s chest, carrying all of Guo Yu’s remaining hope.

In terms of speed, power, and angle, this punch was the absolute peak of his abilities!

However, in the very instant before the punch’s momentum was fully unleashed, Xu Wuyi—who had been on the defensive the entire time—finally moved.

His mountain-steady aura transformed in an instant, like a dormant beast opening its eyes.

He took a half-step forward with his left foot, making the ground tremble slightly. His right fist shot out from his hip, twisted, and exploded forward. It was still the most basic move from the Basic Body Refining Technique: the Bow Step Punch.

But this punch was as fast as lightning, launched second but landing first!

The Qi and Blood on his fist were highly condensed. There was no dazzling light, only a terrifying sense of crushing weight and explosive force.

It was the perfect fusion of Qi and Blood Power, refined by the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace, and integrated into the Basic Fist Technique.

The instant Guo Yu’s seemingly formidable Overlapping Waves made contact with that straight punch, it was like a wave crashing against a reef—it shattered completely.

The Outer Force and Hidden Force were effortlessly crushed by a power that was far more condensed and explosive.

Guo Yu felt an irresistible force surge up from his fist into his arm. His entire right arm went numb, and a heavy impact slammed into his chest.

His Qi and Blood scattered completely. He staggered backward until he slammed into the Energy Shield at the edge of the arena, where he finally came to a stop.

According to the rules, being forced out of the ring and touching the Energy Shield constituted a loss.

He clutched his trembling right arm, his face pale as he panted heavily, his eyes filled with utter shock.

It was over.

From the moment he unleashed his finishing move to the moment he was defeated by Xu Wuyi’s single punch, the entire exchange had taken less than a second.