“Alright. Anything will do as long as you don’t go back on your words.” Zhang Xuan chuckled and agreed.
“Zhang laoshi…”
Hearing him make such a decision, Zhao Ya and the others panicked.
Are you pulling our legs?
They had improved significantly in the last few days, but defeating a teacher in a duel is… impossible!
Agreeing so readily, isn’t it akin to admitting defeat?
“Since you’re so confident, let’s do it then. Are they going to take on me all at once or go one by one?”
Zhou Tian said with a grin.
Zhang Xuan only had five students in total. Even if he were to suppress his cultivation, they would still not be a match for him.
“Taking turns? You’re thinking too much. Given your strength, any one of my students would be able to easily defeat you!” Zhang Xuan shook his head.
“You…”
Seeing that the other party was looking down on him like that, Zhou Tian’s face darkened.
Lazy to bother with the fellow, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to Zhao Ya and the others.
Meeting his gaze, his students felt extremely anxious.
They weren’t even able to win in the Student Dueling Platform, and now they had to challenge the teacher…
“The few of you hadn’t fought previously. If I let you challenge Zhou laoshi, it truly is… bullying the weak. Zheng Yang, you will face him!” Zhang Xuan looked around and then casually pointed at Zheng Yang.
Hearing those words, the surrounding crowd almost fainted.
Brother, is it alright for you to be putting on such a big show?
Even if you really wanted to boast, it should be realistic, right?
Putting aside Zheng Yang’s abilities, he had just fought several opponents and is running low on stamina. Didn’t you witness that he could not even move his spear anymore? He might not be able to kill even a chicken now, yet you want to pit him against Zhou Tian?
Furthermore… Bullying the other party?
Bullying the heck!
Looking at the fellow’s condition, even if Zhou Tian didn’t make a move, he probably would fall by himself in no time…
Not only did the others put on confused expressions, even Zheng Yang’s mouth was twitching.
“Teacher, I…”
He was about to go insane.
Zhang laoshi, can you stop pulling such pranks?
He knows how much he is worth, and he wouldn’t even be able to fight any student who comes his way this moment, needless to say, Zhou Tian laoshi… Even if he were to suppress his cultivation to that of a Fighter 1-dan… It is still impossible for him to emerge victoriously!
Just as he was about to inform Zhang laoshi of his physical condition, before he could speak, the other person’s calm voice sounded once more, “Don’t feel happy yet, it isn’t too late to celebrate after defeating this Zhou laoshi!”
Happy?
Happy my foot!
I am on the verge of tears, can’t you tell?
Zheng Yang’s body staggered and he looked as though he would faint at any moment now.
“Courting death…”
Catching sight of this scene, Zhou Tian thought that Zhang Xuan was doing this intentionally to shame him. His mouth twitched in rage and anger gleamed in his eyes.
“Before the fight, I will teach him a new spear art. Surely Zhou laoshi will be fine with it?”
Ignoring the strange looks the others shot him, Zhang Xuan asked Zhou Tian.
“It’s a little too late for that!” Zhou Tian harrumphed.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is late or not. It would suffice as long as it is enough to defeat you!” Zhang Xuan smiled. He walked to Zheng Yang and said, “Here, teacher will teach you a spear art. Look carefully and learn!”
After which, he took the spear from the other party’s hands, and with a slight tremble of his palm, stabbed forward in a crooked trajectory.
The move appeared to have no depth to it, looking like a random movement. It didn’t bear the slightest resemblance to a spear art. It seemed like a casual, playful stab.
“This fellow… Is he joking?”
“You call that spear art? The spear art of “an aroused boar meeting a sow” would even be better than that!”
“I’ve seen people who swindle their own parents, but this is my first time seeing a teacher swindle his own student. Zheng Yang is probably done for!”
“To have met such a teacher, he is doomed matter how talented he is…”
Zhang Xuan taught Zheng Yang before everyone’s eyes, and everyone saw the move clearly. For a moment, their minds were unable to keep up with the situation.
Do you call that spear art?
Even the technique a cleaner use to sweep the floor is several times more profound than that move of yours…
“Have you grasped it yet?”
Ignoring the discussions in the crowd, Zhang Xuan looked at Zheng Yang.
“Yes…”
Zheng Yang wanted to cry.
Does such a move even need to be learned?
He first came into contact with the spear when he was six… Any random move in the books is far superior to the one his teacher just taught…
“Alright, since you have grasped it already, go and defeat Zhou laoshi!”
Zhang Xuan nodded his head, gently dusting Zheng Yang’s body.
Hearing his teacher’s instructions, Zheng Yang was about to cry when he felt Zhang laoshi’s palm on his shoulder. A surge of zhenqi flowed through his meridians.
The zhenqi was extremely dense and pure. All clots in its path fell apart immediately and he felt the shackles on his body being removed. As though having eaten a nutritious tonic, all fatigue vanished and he felt refreshed.
Fatigue is just like an illness, and it is often caused by the blockages in one’s meridians. Under Zhang Xuan’s pure zhenqi, it wasn’t difficult to clear those blockages.
“Don’t resist me. Follow the movement of my zhenqi and adjust your breathing along with it!”
He was still feeling surprised at Zhang laoshi’s actions when he heard his voice sound beside his ears.
Knowing that his teacher would never do him in, Zheng Yang focused his attention hurriedly and adjusted his breathing.
Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!
The zhenqi that gushed into his body flowed through his meridians in a unique path. In an instant, Zheng Yang felt as though he had become a spear that could pierce through the heavens.
“This is… the inner breathing method of the spear art?”
No matter how foolish Zheng Yang was, he immediately understood what was going on.
Regardless of whether it was a spear art or other battle techniques, on top of the moves, one had to know the corresponding inner breathing method.
Only when one’s inner breathing is aligned with the technique can one unleash the greatest might possible. Otherwise, it would look flashy at best when in fact there is little might behind the attack.
Even though Zheng Yang had never come across any exceptionally powerful spear art, he had been living with the spear by his side since young. The spear had already become a part of him and the moment he felt the inner breathing within his body, he understood that the technique is much more profound than any other spear arts he had learned before.
The move looked so simple that even a fool would be able to learn it. However, when paired up with this inner breathing method, it was clear that it was a drastically simplified move that was packed with profound spear theories, a truly fine piece of art!
“To think that there would be such a powerful move in the world…”
In that instant, he appeared to be in a daze. He could hardly believe what was happening.
Profound is no longer sufficient to describe the move, it is completely inconceivable that such a move could exist.
Zheng Yang was still bathing in agitation when Zhang laoshi’s voice echoed in his ear once more.
“Don’t let your thoughts wander now. Try to get accustomed to this inner breathing method and align it properly with that spear art!”
“Yes!”
Knowing that Zhang laoshi was imparting him an incredibly profound move, Zheng Yang focused his attention and tried to comprehend the inner breathing within him.
Every single battle technique has an inner breathing method unique it. To learn a battle technique, one has to slowly open up all of the clogged meridians required for it. It is an incredibly tiring and long process, requiring long hours of effort.
Using Zheng Yang as an example, he is only at Fighter 1-dan Juxi realm and there is only inner breath in his body. He hadn’t even formed zhenqi yet. It would have taken a minimum of two years’ effort for him to open up the path required for the move.
However, Zhang Xuan’s presence made all the difference.
Zhang laoshi’s zhenqi was extremely pure and wherever it flowed through, the clots would immediately be undone, thus opening up the meridians. In less than two breaths, he had already opened up a smooth passageway for Zheng Yang’s inner breathing of the technique.
“Just like that, I have… mastered it?”
Upon sensing the smooth passageway through the inner breathing, Zheng Yang instantly understood this fact. In this short moment, he had completely mastered the move, as though he had been practicing it for multiple years.
“Alright, keep this surge of zhenqi in your body. Continue feigning weak and powerless, and when the duel with Zhou Tian begins, you must strike him in full one blow!”
Zhang Xuan voice continued to sound.
Comprehending the meaning behind his words, Zheng Yang nodded his head secretly. At the same time, he was perplexed… Why is Zhang laoshi’s zhenqi able to remain in his body without creating conflicts in his body?
The attributes of one’s zhenqi would change according to the cultivation technique a fighter pursued. As such, when one’s zhenqi flows into another person’s body, putting aside the question of whether the former is able to help the latter to achieve a breakthrough, it is likely that a conflict would occur, and this would cause the receiver’s cultivation to go berserk.
Yet, Zheng Yang did not feel any discord or discomfort within when Zhang laoshi’s zhenqi entered his body. He found it inconceivable.
However, he also knew that this wasn’t the time to be thinking about such things. After ‘struggling’ to clasp his hand, he exclaimed, “Zhou laoshi, come!”
After which, he staggered up the ring.
Zheng Yang appeared as though he would fall if a strong gust were to blow at this moment. Witnessing his condition, the crowd stared at one another, flabbergasted.
The heck, are you serious?
To fight a teacher using a spear art that even pigs can execute and a body that will cave in at any moment, how do you intend to win…
Zhou Tian’s face twitched as well. A thought suddenly popped into his mind.
I fell for his trap.
This fellow had probably intended to sacrifice this student from the very start to make a fool out of him.
Imparting a move that can’t even kill a chicken to deal with him… Isn’t he implying that he couldn’t even match up to a chicken?
“Zhang Xuan, you sure are despicable!”
Thinking that the other party was intentionally humiliating him, Zhou Tian gritted his teeth and stepped into the ring as well.
“Zhou laoshi, please go easy on me…”
Portraying an extremely weak image, Zheng Yang struggled to lift his spear.
Seeing how even such a simple movement could send sweat trickling down his forehead from fatigue, everyone was speechless.
It had been long since someone challenged the Teacher Dueling Platform. One wouldn’t have imagined that the first one in years would be so eccentric.
If word were to spread out, it would surely cause an uproar.
“Teacher… Why don’t I substitute Zheng Yang!”
Zhao Ya spoke, unable to endure it anymore.
“Just watch!” Zhang Xuan didn’t explain the situation to her.
Seeing how confident her teacher was, even though Zhao Ya was perplexed, she did not dare to question any further. Instead, she turned her attention to the stage.
“Go easy on you? Blame your beloved Zhang laoshi for your plight!”
Deducing Zhang Xuan’s intentions, Zhou Tian was infuriated.
“Then… I will apologize for my discourtesy beforehand!”
Knowing that the other party would not make the first move in consideration of the disparity between their identities, he didn’t dawdle further and shot his spear straight at the other party.
The tip of the spear was shaky, as though there wasn’t any strength behind it.
It was the trash move that Zhang Xuan had just taught him.
“Hmph!”
Seeing that the other fellow had actually dared to use such a move against him, Zhou Tian felt even more furious. He suppressed his cultivation to the level of a Fighter 1-dan Juxi realm, and without using any weapon, faced Zheng Yang’s attack bare-handed.
Facing a spear bare-handed!
Even so, no one thought well of Zheng Yang. They all thought that the fellow would be in for a beating.
“Now…”
Noticing that the other party was underestimating him, facing him with bare hands, Zheng Yang’s eyes lit up. He immediately triggered the surge of zhenqi which Zhang Xuan left in his body earlier on and in an instant, his disposition changed. If he were a tame lamb a moment ago, he would be a ferocious tiger at this moment.
Boom!
The spear shot straight toward Zhou Tian’s chest.
“What?”
Zhou Tian’s eyes narrowed. He felt an overwhelming sense of danger from that attack.
