Unsheathed

After entering True Martial Mountain, Ma Kuxuan had promised himself that he would never lose against opponents at the same cultivation level as him, regardless of whether they were Qi refiners or pure martial artists. This was the case at the Lower Five Tiers, and this would remain the case when he advanced to the Middle Five Tiers and Upper Five Tiers!

Because of this, Chen Ping’an was a small knot in his heart. This kind of small knot was nothing for Miltarian cultivators, but it was still very repulsive! Ma Kuxuan was naturally unhappy about this. He was undefeated in True Martial Mountain where many immortals resided, yet he had actually lost to this hillbilly who only knew some bastard fist techniques back then?

“Since we’ve come across each other again, are we going to have another fight?” Chen Ping’an asked.

Ma Kuxuan rubbed his hands together and chuckled, “Don’t worry, I won’t bully you, and we can have a battle at the third tier. Seeing that we share a hometown, I’ll also do my best to avoid killing you by accident. Even if you’re wounded or crippled tonight, you’ll still be able to feel proud about your victory against me in the immortal tomb when I advance to the Upper Five Tiers in the future. However, let me warn you first. You can feel smug about this in private, but if you dare to tell others about it, then I won’t go easy on you anymore.”

Ma Kuxuan peered down at the calm and unfazed Chen Ping’an, and a hint of displeasure appeared in his mind. Oh, you’ve even learned how to feign composure now. By the looks of it, you have indeed learned some things after walking all the way to Colorful Garment Nation.

The amused smile remained on Ma Kuxuan’s face, and he told himself that this little brat would understand the immensity of heaven and earth after he defeated him with a few punches in a while.

Ma Kuxuan was just about to jump down from the courtyard wall, yet Chen Ping’an had already said, “We’ll fight outside.”

Ma Kuxuan had been squatting on the courtyard wall the entire time, and after leaning backward, he vanished without a trace. It was as if he had fallen onto the street outside the residence.

Chen Ping’an looked around before tapping a foot and leaping onto the courtyard wall. Ma Kuxuan was slowly walking along a deserted street, and he bent a finger and beckoned Chen Ping’an over.

After Chen Ping’an landed on the street, Ma Kuxuan held one hand behind his back and used his other hand to scratch his head. Then, he took a glance at Chen Ping’an’s sword case and smiled widely. “You can use whatever weapon you want. I won’t consider this as you taking advantage.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t say anything, and he slowly walked forward after assuming the six-step walking meditation stance of the Mountain Shaking Fist.

Deep water naturally made no sound.

The same principle could be applied to the fist intent of martial artists. By internalizing and concealing one’s aura, and by returning to a state of natural simplicity, one’s fist intent could thus become absolute reason.

Even though Ma Kuxuan continued to denigrate Chen Ping’an, and continued to treat him as a pitiful fool, his aura immediately changed when he calmed his mind down and prepared to fight his opponent. He clenched one hand into a fist and held it against his abdomen, and he kept his other hand open and held it behind his back. When he formed a fist, he habitually had his fingers lightly dig into his palm.

There was a gap of a dozen or so meters between them.

“Having fist intent alone isn’t enough; you’re far too slow!”

Ma Kuxuan suddenly strode forward, causing the ground to shudder slightly when his foot made contact with it. The force of his stomp traveled deep into the earth, yet it showed no signs of dissipating into the surroundings. The young boy in black arrived before Chen Ping’an in a flash, and he immediately used his right hand to throw a punch at his opponent’s head.

Chen Ping’an raised both hands at once, and he tilted his head slightly as he used his left hand to swat away Ma Kuxuan’s punch. At the same time, he used his other hand to grab Ma Kuxuan’s sneaky cross hook. He leaned forward slightly, and he used his left elbow to strike Ma Kuxuan’s face.

However, Ma Kuxuan unexpectedly raised his knee and furiously launched a front kick to block Chen Ping’an’s advance. He leaned back, retreated one step, and successfully increased the distance between them, dodging Chen Ping’an’s elbow strike.

He was just about to unleash another explosive attack. After all, his front kick was powerful enough to completely shatter the target’s internal organs. While traveling around and challenging grandmasters from all over, even fifth tier martial artists had seldom been able to avoid vomiting a few ounces of blood after being struck by Ma Kuxuan’s punches or kicks. Even though Ma Kuxuan was a Militarian cultivator, his physique was surprisingly better tempered than that of most pure martial artists.

However, Ma Kuxuan failed to strike Chen Ping’an, and he discovered that his opponent had grabbed onto his leg and thrown him sideways.

Ma Kuxuan rapidly adjusted his posture in mid-air, and he eventually thrust his feet into the wall. His body was surprisingly parallel with the ground, and he maintained this strange posture as he walked forward as if he were walking on flat ground.

Chen Ping’an walked beside him, and he threw a punch after the other at Ma Kuxuan’s head.

He didn’t use the fist techniques that Cui Chan’s grandfather had taught him in the bamboo building.

This was a probing exchange, as both sides were unaware of their opponent’s true strength. Thus, they held back and continued to accumulate power, and this first exchange was merely an act of observing their opponent’s ability. They didn’t use their full strength, and they didn’t engage in furious exchanges straight away.

It wasn’t strange for Chen Ping’an to be so cautious, but it was very interesting that Ma Kuxuan — someone who had seen many things in True Martial Mountain and fought against many grandmasters in the cultivation world — was also so careful. It was clear that in the depths of Ma Kuxuan’s heart, he still felt a sense of indescribable apprehension toward Chen Ping’an, the only person who had defeated him before.

He’s attacking!

Two small craters appeared on the wall.

Like a vicious arrow, Ma Kuxuan shot toward his opponent. Chen Ping’an suppressed his True Qi into his core abode; he stomped the ground and nimbly slid back. He suddenly unleashed his power, and with a boom, the tiles under his straw sandals cracked and sent clouds of dust into the air.

Ma Kuxuan continued to throw punches, and his attacks rained down on Chen Ping’an like a torrential downpour. Chen Ping’an retreated as he fought, but he continued to face his opponent head-on and used punches to deal with punches. Ma Kuxuan’s attacks were forceful and relentless, and he unleashed attack after attack as if he had no idea what fatigue even meant. Even though he was in mid-air and his feet had no contact with any surface, Ma Kuxuan was still able to unleash tremendously powerful strikes.

Thuds and cracks echoed from between them.

It was as if someone were furiously beating a war drum.

Ma Kuxuan’s relentless attacks forced Chen Ping’an to retreat a dozen steps. Right now, Chen Ping’an’s back was almost against the wall.

However, possessing an advantage in the sense that his feet were on solid ground, Chen Ping’an was able to make use of this to borrow power or dissipate power. As they exchanged blows, he was able to gain a slight advantage thanks to this.

A moment later, Chen Ping’an stomped on the ground with both feet and forcefully blocked Ma Kuxuan’s punch. He then returned the favor with interest, throwing a ferocious punch and striking Ma Kuxuan’s face. The young boy in black was sent flying backward.

However, just as Chen Ping’an was about to take a deep breath and replenish his Qi, Ma Kuxuan threw a sweeping kick as he flew backward, striking Chen Ping’an’s neck.

Ma Kuxuan had been sent flying back by Chen Ping’an’s punch, and he twisted in mid-air so that he could land on his feet. Even so, the momentum pushed him back a few more paces.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping’an was sent spinning around by Ma Kuxuan’s kick, and he bent his knees slightly to stabilize hmself. Then, he immediately retreated, seemingly trying to stabilize his breath.

Ma Kuxuan cracked a grin, revealing his menacing white teeth. He was roughly aware of the power, speed, and flow of True Qi of Chen Ping’an’s fist technique now. He dashed forward, and his movements were so quick that it was as if he were using a Daoist divine movement talisman.

Chen Ping’an was forced to assume a seemingly defensive fist stance. Ma Kuxuan’s pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately spun around just as he was about to collide with Chen Ping’an. His feet moved quickly, and he looked much like a spinning top as he pirouetted around Chen Ping’an. He was tilted backward in an odd stance, but he didn’t fall back no matter how precarious his position looked. At the same time, he made sure to maintain a distance of one arm’s length between himself and Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an didn’t recklessly try to punch Ma Kuxuan.

After spinning around in a couple full circles, Ma Kuxuan finally managed to arrest his momentum and stand up straight. He nimbly darted from place to place around Chen Ping’an again, and he asked in a curious voice, “This punch is very dangerous. Does it have a name?”

Chen Ping’an naturally wouldn’t answer his question. He lightly shifted his feet, and he made sure that he was always facing Ma Kuxuan. All the while, he remained in his usual fist stance with fist intent coursing through his entire body. Meanwhile, the burst of True Qi that was like a fiery dragon also continued to swim around his body.

Ma Kuxuan received no response, but this didn’t stop him from leisurely dancing around Chen Ping’an. He suddenly chuckled to himself and said, “Oh, how stupid of me. I don’t blame you. I came across many so-called grandmasters and gallant cultivators when I traveled around the cultivation world this time, and when they fought with each other and exchanged blows, there would always be countless idiots on the sidelines clapping and shouting in excitement. The fights between these people truly looked like little chicks pecking at rice.

“This might sound funny, but before they unleashed their strikes, they would always like to shout ‘eat my attack’ and other such. Sometimes, they would stupidly reveal the name of their technique as if they were afraid of their opponent not understanding the essence of their sword strike or whatever.”

Ma Kuxuan smiled with squinted eyes, and his expression appeared especially relaxed and lazy.

Even though he said that he only wanted to determine a victor and that he would hold back, his killing intent at this moment was in no way different from his killing intent during their previous battle at the immortal tomb.

He stood still and suggested, “It’s pointless for the two of us to face each other like this. Now that I suppressed my power to your level, you can actually force a draw. Chen Ping’an, do you want to make things a little more interesting?”

Chen Ping’an pursed his lips and said, “You can use your fifth tier cultivation. I won’t consider this as you taking advantage.”

The usually taciturn Chen Ping’an was directly throwing Ma Kuxuan’s words back at him.

To the proud and haughty young boy from True Martial Mountain, even if Chen Ping’an slapped him in the face, it wouldn’t have been as insulting.

He simply replied with a chuckle.

There was a dazzling smile on his face, but he was actually seething with anger on the inside. He continued to clench and loosen his fist, and arcs of snow-white lightning crackled between his fingers.

As it turned out, when suppressing himself to the third tier and fighting against Chen Ping’an, he had also refrained from using his Militarian techniques. Thus, their fight had appeared especially worldly and unrefined.

Chen Ping’an was unfazed, however, and his fist intent soared rapidly like a roaring river.

This time, however, he changed his ancient Deity Drumming Technique stance into the intense and unrestrained Heavy Cavalry Formation Shattering Technique stance.

In the end, Chen Ping’an said something that steeled Ma Kuxuan’s resolve to kill him, as if the latter hadn’t been resolved enough already.

“Ma Kuxuan, I’m begging you, just fight me if you want to. But can you stop spewing so much nonsense?”

Ma Kuxuan took a deep breath and wiped away his expression of laziness. His eyes were emotionless, and there was neither haughtiness nor joy or anger.

His expression was calm, and he extended a finger and asked, “Do you dare to fight inside the second circle that I drew with my movements just then? The person who steps out of the circle first loses.”

Chen Ping’an nodded in acknowledgment.

Ma Kuxuan strode forward and entered the circle without hesitation.

Chen Ping’an from Clay Vase Alley.

Ma Kuxuan from Apricot Blossom Alley.

Both of them were well aware of their situation.

Ma Kuxuan wanted to decide more than just victory and defeat. He wanted to decide life and death as well.

Chen Ping’an, on his part, was unwilling to retreat. More precisely, any thoughts of retreat would mean death. Moreover, Chen Ping’an wouldn’t feel guilty about killing someone like Ma Kuxuan, a bastard who would kill more people the more powerful he became.

Their encounter in this foreign country was a coincidence.

Ever since their encounter in the small town, however, the formless battle between their Great Dao was destined.

Moreover, there was also the conflict between their fathers that Ma Kuxuan was aware of but Chen Ping’an was still oblivious to.

In Colorful Garment Nation that resided in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, and on the quiet street that resided in the prefectural city of Blusher Prefecture…

Chen Ping’an made the first move using the Heavy Cavalry Formation Shattering Technique. The inch movement talisman in his sleeve was already prepared and ready to use, and he could unleash his true killing technique, the Deity Drumming Technique, at any moment. He could use this to drive home his advantage.

Profound lightning from True Martial Mountain appeared in the hands of Ma Kuxuan. He was truly a fifth tier Militarian cultivator.

They stood within a few feet of each other, within the small area marked by Ma Kuxuan’s circle.

However, this small area was filled with the fist intent and astonishing lightning of the two young boys.

This was a deadly fight at close quarters.

Taking into account their cultivation base alone, the battle between a martial artist at the peak stage of the third tier and a Militarian Qi refiner at the peak stage of the fifth tier could, in fact, be viewed as little chicks pecking at rice in the words of Ma Kuxuan.

Taking into account Chen Ping’an’s martial arts fist intent and Ma Kuxuan’s Militarian soul that he had nurtured long ago, however, this would be a stunning sight even from the point of view of immortal clans and forces in the mountains, to say nothing of the cultivation world outside the mountains.

Ma Kuxuan shattered Chen Ping’an’s Heavy Cavalry Formation Shattering Technique before the latter could accumulate his true fist intent.

However, it wasn’t long before Ma Kuxuan was solidly struck by a full punches from the Deity Drumming Technique. A faint golden glow appeared on Ma Kuxuan’s face, and he was forced to use a secret technique from True Martial Mountain to forcefully halt the momentum of this strange fist technique.

Afterward, Ma Kuxuan launched several attacks of his own, causing Chen Ping’an to bleed from the temple. Chen Ping’an was also struck by two orbs of lightning, and it was as if spring thunder had exploded next to his ear and his face had been smashed by a sledgehammer. However, he had already experienced all kinds of pain in the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain, so he genuinely couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge this level of injury.

Ma Kuxuan became increasingly brave and ferocious as he fought, like a crazed demon.

The two young boys from Dragon Spring Prefecture exchanged relentless blows head-on. They pursued speed, and they were willing to injure themselves to strike their opponent. With their tenacity and ferocity, they were willing to risk grave injury if it meant they could gain even a sliver of an advantage over their opponent.

Thus, even when it was clearly possible for them to block their opponent’s strike, they would still choose to face the strike head-on such that they could throw a strike of their own!

Chen Ping’an’s internal organs were churning, and blood was flowing from all seven orifices on his face.

Ma Kuxuan’s aura was also chaotic, and agonizing pain gripped at his heart. There wasn’t much lightning left in his hands.

However, both of them became increasingly calm and grounded.

They were treating each other as whetstones to temper and refine their Great Dao.

The final time the two of them exchanged strikes and wounds, Chen Ping’an suddenly decided to change his attack after a thought occurred to him. Standing meditation was used to nurture his soul, but he chose to use this stance to attack at this moment. He moved his hands apart, but his Qi remained connected as he jabbed two fingers into Ma Kuxuan’s glabella and another two fingers into Ma Kuxuan’s chest.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping’an was also struck in the chest by two punches from Ma Kuxuan.

Both of them stumbled back in unison, and Ma Kuxuan swallowed a mouthful of blood when he stepped outside the circle. There was a sinister smile on his face as he announced, “Chen Ping’an, you’ve lost this time. Now we have one victory each!”

Chen Ping’an remained silent, and he shuffled his feet as he kept his eyes fixed on Ma Kuxuan. He used the back of his hand to slowly wipe the blood from his face, but he didn’t dare to cover his vision for a single instant.

Right at this moment, someone standing on the wall smiled faintly and said, “Very well.”

Ma Kuxuan sighed and turned around to leave. Turning his head back to look at Chen Ping’an, he pointed at him and said, “Next time we meet, we’ll decide victory and defeat as well as life and death.”

Ma Kuxuan’s face was twisted in pain as he slowly walked forward, but he gritted his teeth and didn’t allow himself to make a single sound.

Chen Ping’an stood still and looked up at that familiar figure.

It was the Militarian cultivator from True Martial Mountain who had brought Ma Kuxuan away from the immortal tomb.

When the fifteenth punch of the Deity Drumming Technique was interrupted, Chen Ping’an had already noticed the presence of this person. More accurately, this person had purposely made his presence known to Chen Ping’an.

Because of this, Chen Ping’an had decided against using his two bonded flying swords.

The Militarian cultivator had transmitted to Chen Ping’an that he didn’t need to worry about deciding life or death. Instead, he simply needed to fight using his full strength. Once victory and defeat was decided, the Militarian cultivator would stop the victor from attempting to kill the loser no matter who the victor was.

The man strode forward and walked next to Ma Kuxuan, whose face was filled with tears of pain. He turned to Chen Ping’an and said, “In order to express my apology and gratitude, I’ve helped you dispose of one hidden assassin. Otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult for you to gather your concentration and engage in another fight after relaxing your mind. It would have been very easy for that assassin to take advantage of your situation.”

Chen Ping’an nodded in acknowledgment.

Why the so-called gratitude?

The Militarian cultivator was well aware of the fact that Chen Ping’an’s foot hadn’t actually made contact with the ground outside the circle. Instead, the young boy’s foot had remained in mid-air. However, Ma Kuxuan had been at his limit after the final clash, so he hadn’t been able to notice this minor detail.

As for why Chen Ping’an was still so cautious?

This was because he didn’t trust the words of that Militarian cultivator from True Martial Mountain at all.

There was only one Mr. Qi, and there was only one A’Liang.