I underestimated this kid after all.
Liu Changfeng took a deep breath. His body instinctively moved to circulate his Qi and Blood and activate his Cross-Training, but he forcefully suppressed the urge.
He had already given his word. Was he the kind of man to break a promise?
So what if he lost the initiative because he underestimated his opponent for a moment? It was nothing.
After all, Liu Changfeng was an experienced master. In a flash, he adjusted his mindset, shedding his condescending, testing attitude and beginning to treat Zhao Xuanqi as a true opponent.
The whoosh of the blade cutting through the air, its cold gleam, the sharp prickling on his skin...
His mind focused, his attitude shifted, and in an instant, everything changed. His five senses sharpened dramatically. Even with his side and back turned to Zhao Xuanqi, he instantly perceived his opponent's line of attack.
Sidestepping and circling, Liu Changfeng once again dodged the dagger's slash by a hair's breadth. He tried to turn, attempting to regain the initiative from his defensive position.
However, having seized the initiative, Zhao Xuanqi was relentless. When one strike missed, he immediately pressed his pursuit, sticking to Liu Changfeng like a shadow.
Furious Tiger Piercing the Forest!
Fierce Tiger Seizing Prey!
Fierce Tiger Exiting its Cave!
Black Tiger Heart Stealing!
Four consecutive forms, the blade a blur of light. The Force Release and target of each attack were cunning and vicious, every move aimed at a vital point, enough to send a cold chill down one's spine.
'This kid definitely held back during the combat test. Otherwise, even Sun Mao Hall at Nine Sounds wouldn't have been his opponent. If this guy had a blade, Sun Mao Hall might not have even lasted five moves!'
'Training Methods and combat application can never be considered the same. It's nothing new for a combat specialist to defeat a stronger opponent who's only a Training Method master!'
'Besides, going from Four Sounds to Seven Sounds in just one month... that rate of progress is praiseworthy enough on its own!'
'This Zhao Qi... just how did he develop such a ruthless and incisive fighting style? Could he really be that gifted?'
'Still, Seven Sounds must be his limit!'
HUFF!!
Just as he thought, amidst the flurry of movements, he heard a faint gasp. The dagger still hissed through the air, but the unique explosive pop of Sound Force was gone.
Zhao Qi had reached his stamina limit!
'A regular attack poses no threat to me.'
A sharp glint flashed in Liu Changfeng's eyes. His tall frame spun around, and he used his bare arm to block Zhao Xuanqi's incoming dagger!
The gleaming silver dagger scraped across his skin but failed to break it, leaving only a white line. It was batted aside by Liu Changfeng's terrifying strength, and the immense force of the parry instantly threw Zhao Xuanqi off balance.
It was as if he hadn't stabbed a man, but a great mountain peak!
Such was the might of peak Cross-Training. Without the various restrictions in place, even Zhao Xuanqi would have struggled to last ten moves against Liu Changfeng in a direct confrontation.
Brute force trumps all skill!
A single mistake, and the tables were turned in an instant!
Having parried Zhao Xuanqi's thrust with one arm, Liu Changfeng used the momentum to whip his waist around, face his opponent, and unleash a palm strike.
Black Tiger's Return!!
CRACK!!
Infused with terrifying Force, the air compressed by his Palm Force cracked audibly. Though he had used a controlled Force that wouldn't be fatal, if this palm landed on Zhao Xuanqi, it would take him at least half a day to recover.
'You're skilled, kid, but still a ways off from beating me.'
'The match is decided!'
From the corner of his eye, Liu Changfeng caught a flicker of panic in the eyes of the off-balance Zhao Qi. To minimize the damage, his opponent seemed to instinctively hunch his back and tense his stomach, clamping his arms to his ribs and curling into a ball with his side and back turned toward him.
'He's given up all resistance.'
The palm fell with sudden force!!
Victory was clearly within his grasp, yet for some reason, Liu Changfeng felt a prickle of foreboding.
But the arrow was already on the string. There was no turning back.
SMACK!!
The huge, fan-like palm slapped squarely against Zhao Xuanqi's side and back. The collision of flesh produced a sound like an exploding firecracker that made one's scalp tingle. The immense force sent Zhao Xuanqi tumbling head over heels, rolling seven or eight meters before coming to a stop. He then splayed out on the ground, spread-eagled.
One side of his body blazed with searing pain, and it felt as if his bones had been shaken apart. His muscles were numb, utterly devoid of strength, making it difficult to even twitch. Yet, a smile touched the corners of his mouth as he spoke. "I had to resort to a trick, Senior Brother."
In contrast, it was Liu Changfeng, the one who had just felled his opponent with a single palm, who stood stunned in place. After a long moment, he slowly raised his hand. Blood welled up from his palm, where a small but distinct wound was clearly visible.
He was injured.
'When? How did he do it? Why was I the one who got hurt after landing a palm strike on him?'
His gaze shifted to Zhao Xuanqi. He could see a trace of blood on one of the daggers. And on Zhao Xuanqi's Martial Arts Uniform, under his left armpit, was the clear gash of a blade.
'This is...'
He suddenly understood. At the last moment, when Zhao Xuanqi had lost his balance, he had curled up, pinning his elbows to his sides and turning his back to him. It looked like a simple defensive posture, but in reality, he had secretly wedged his other dagger under his armpit, concealing it. The moment Liu Changfeng's palm was about to land, he had suddenly jutted out the tip of the hidden blade!
What had injured him wasn't Zhao Xuanqi's attack, but the force of his very own strike.
'This kid...'
Liu Changfeng was momentarily stunned. In a million years, he would never have imagined Zhao Xuanqi would use such a method to wound him.
Looking at the young man lying motionless on the ground, he felt an unexpected sense of admiration welling up inside him.
"Were all your previous attacks just preparation for this final strike? You looked like you were on the verge of defeat, but you were actually hiding your trump card?"
Liu Changfeng mulled over the battle, growing more impressed the more he thought about it. It was a textbook example of the weak overcoming the strong.
"Hardly. I was just improvising and had to use a little trick."
Zhao Xuanqi repeatedly demurred, but inwardly he was thinking, 'If I could have used the Hundred Beasts Fist, why would I have resorted to such a desperate measure? That slap nearly rattled my teeth out. The guy really hit hard.'
"You won this match. I won't go back on my word. The two portions of Secret Medicine from the assessment, plus the five for this match—I'll get them all for you in a moment."
"But I have to ask, where did you learn these skills? Are you sure you don't have a Secret Transmission?"
Liu Changfeng asked with a hint of confusion.
"I don't. I'm not sure how I can do it either. It's like, whenever I touch a weapon, it just feels familiar, like I know what to do. It's these skills that allowed my sister and me to reach Yuehai safely."
Zhao Xuanqi spun a tale.
'Talent, then?'
Liu Changfeng nodded and didn't press the issue. In the Martial History of the Divine Land, there were countless recorded cases of talents far more bizarre and unbelievable than this.
"What are your thoughts on your post assignment for tomorrow?"
Liu Changfeng asked.
"Senior Brother, I eat a lot, and I need money."
A smile appeared on the face of Zhao Xuanqi, who was still lying on the ground.
"In a regular post, even at the Xiaolin Escort Agency, a newcomer needs connections and seniority to get ahead. If you want to make money quickly, you'll have to do the dirty and difficult jobs. With your skills, I take it you don't mind?"
Liu Changfeng said nonchalantly.
"That depends on just how dirty we're talking."
At these words, Zhao Xuanqi's brow furrowed slightly. The smile vanished from his face as he replied coolly.
"Don't worry. They're all people who deserve to die. Back in the day, our master fought alongside Governor Xu Qingyuan in the Smoke-Extinguishing War. Of the three great Martial Arts Halls in Celestial Sea Prefecture, I doubt any has a more righteous standing than our Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall."
Liu Changfeng said.
"Then you're mistaken, Senior Brother," Zhao Xuanqi said with a light laugh. "Killing people who deserve to die—how can you call that 'dirty'?"