Chapter 462: Brotherhood
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yan Liqiang looked around the arena hall to find that there weren’t many people inside there. Aside from the people practicing their martial moves on two arena stages, there was another small crowd gathered around one of the arena stages at the eastern part of the hall. Yan Liqiang could almost immediately spot s.h.i.+ Dafeng who was laughing his head off.
s.h.i.+ Dafeng stood half-naked on the stage with his back facing the arena hall’s entrance, showing off his muscular body. He was insolently pointing his finger at those who were below the stage.
Shen Teng was also spectating the battle below the stage. Although he was facing the entrance, he didn’t notice Yan Liqiang enter the arena hall. s.h.i.+ Dafeng was pointing to about seven or eight people below the stage. They were about one or two years older than s.h.i.+ Dafeng and Shen Teng. Yan Liqiang had never met them before, but they were probably seniors who had joined the martial arts academy before Yan Liqiang. Among those seven to eight seniors, one of them was rubbing his shoulder with a pained expression. It was possible that he was the one s.h.i.+ Dafeng defeated just now.
Yan Liqiang slowly made his way toward the stage. s.h.i.+ Dafeng and Shen Teng did not take notice of Yan Liqiang who was slowly approaching.
“Don’t get mad, I’ll spar with you…” Among the seniors, one of them who wore blue warrior attire pressed his hand gently on the stage and lifted himself onto the arena stage after hearing s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s words. He shot s.h.i.+ Dafeng a cold stare, “Today I’ll show you that there’s always someone who is better than you. The Pingxi Martial Arts Academy is not a place for you two to act insolently. I bet you didn’t even know what a Full Arm Boxing technique was when I was practicing it!”
Shen Teng’s expression changed slightly as he watched that person step up to the stage. He also jumped onto the stage, then spoke to s.h.i.+ Dafeng, “You just had a match. Get down, I’ll take this…”
“Don’t worry, the match just now was just a warm-up session. I am just getting into it. Aren’t we working toward progressing into Martial Warriors? What is there to be afraid of? I’m itching to fight him!” s.h.i.+ Dafeng spoke dismissively and waved at Shen Teng. He whispered, “Besides, I am thick-skinned, I don’t care if I lose. I heard that his Full Arm Boxing technique is very powerful. Let me see what he’s got while you watch from below. You can take on the stage after I lose and be the finale for today’s gamble of ten taels of silver…”
“Are you done with your discussion? Who is up for it?” The person on the stage asked impatiently.
“We’re done discussing, I’ll be up for this round…” s.h.i.+ Dafeng replied with a smile.
“Be careful then!” Shen Teng gave a pat on s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry!”
Shen Teng then got off the stage. The two people on the arena stage were about five meters away from each other. They both cupped one fist in the other hand, signaling their readiness.
“Please proceed!”
“Yes, please proceed!”
The gesture was an indication that the battle had officially commenced. s.h.i.+ Dafeng let out a roar and was the first to pounce on his opponent. His opponent showed no intention of giving in. When he saw s.h.i.+ Dafengcharging toward him, he took a step and charged forward too. Dharmic projections rose from both of them immediately.
s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s Dharmic projection was still a black long-armed gibbon, indicating that he was performing the Full Arm Boxing technique. Likewise, the Dharmic projection of his opponent was also a black long-armed gibbon. Both of them were fighting each other with Full Arm Boxing techniques. They collided head on with each other in just the blink of an eye.
Full Arm Boxing was all about offensive power. A battle between Full Arm Boxing techniques was direct and efficient. There weren’t that many gimmicks as most of the moves were were powerful, quick, and intense.
Of course, a battle between two martial arts academy students who had yet to progress into Martial Warriors was no longer intense to Yan Liqiang now. At most, it could barely be considered as interesting.
s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s Full Arm Boxing technique had improved very rapidly. Yan Liqiang recalled that when he first joined the martial arts academy, s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s Full Arm Boxing technique had only attained the third layer. In just less than two years, s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s Full Arm Boxing technique had reached the fifth layer and it was stronger than before. The powerful force of his fists could be heard as they sliced through the air noisily in between his movements.
Aside from being strong and ferocious, s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s body was also very agile. Yan Liqiang was able to tell from a glance that the agility was a result from experiencing many real life battles. It seemed that s.h.i.+ Dafeng had not been fighting any less after Yan Liqiang left the academy.
Although s.h.i.+ Dafeng had made significant improvement, his opponent was still slightly stronger than him. s.h.i.+ Dafeng’s Full Arm Boxing technique had attained the fifth layer, but his opponent had trained it to the sixth layer and his fist technique was also overpowering s.h.i.+ Dafeng. Not only that, but his opponent also seemed to have his fair share of experience on arena stages.
In the eyes of others, the two of them were fighting intensely as the Dharmic projections of their two black long-armed gibbons were flying around and colliding against each other on the stage. The spectators would occasionally cry out in surprise. However, to Yan Liqiang, it had been a long while since he last saw such a ‘pure’ battle. Both of them were solely competing with the strength of their fist techniques. They were pulling their punches as they weren’t aiming to take each other’s lives. The two Dharmic projections might look majestic and impressive to the rest, but they just appeared to be rather innocent and adorable in Yan Liqiang’s eyes. Such a battle could only be seen in the martial arts academy.
Among the battles that Yan Liqiang fought after he left the martial arts academy, he saw less Dharmic projections as he encountered stronger opponents. However, that did not mean Yan Liqiang’s opponents were no longer able to produce Dharmic projections. It was because a person would be able to control the appearance of Dharmic projections after one progressed into a Martial Warrior. The battles in the adult world were full of dirty tricks and schemes. Dharmic projections would not enhance a person’s cultivation or the technique’s power but instead expose the user’s cultivation realm to his opponents. Hence, his opponent would be able to a.s.sess his cultivation realm and remain vigilant. This was why Dharmic projections were rarely seen in fights between the experts. Even if one really appeared, the opponent would think that it was a trick or a trap.
They were indeed at an innocent age for their Dharmic projections to be still visible in fights. It was a pity that they didn’t shout the name of their techniques! Yan Liqiang sighed in his heart as it had been a very long time since he unleashed his Dharmic projection during a battle.
s.h.i.+ Dafeng didn’t want to admit defeat. Although he was being overpowered, he clenched his teeth to endure three punches from his opponent at the end. Right before s.h.i.+ Dafeng was going to be pushed off the stage, he managed to land a blow on his opponent’s right shoulder, causing his opponent to stagger back two steps.
s.h.i.+ Dafeng flipped himself back upright from the ground after falling off the stage. He touched the trace of blood at the corner of his lips while he spoke to Shen Teng, “I punched his right shoulder — it will definitely affect the speed of his fist later. You can make use of your speed and focus on attacking his right side. We still have a chance to win…”
As Shen Teng was about to go on stage, a voice came from behind him, “There’s no need to continue the fight. Shen Teng, beware of getting hit with a b.l.o.o.d.y nose and a swollen face if you go up. You won’t look handsome, and furthermore it’s not your usual style and principle to have your hair messed up…”
s.h.i.+ Dafeng and Shen Teng immediately froze after they heard the voice. They quickly turned their heads to find Yan Liqiang walking toward them with a smile. s.h.i.+ Dafeng and Shen Teng were unable to hide their surprise; they looked at each other and without even thinking, they left the stage and ran toward Yan Liqiang. As they rushed toward Yan Liqiang, one of them swung a fist while the other swung his palm at Yan Liqiang’s chest…
“Hey, is this how you welcome your good brother at first sight…?!” Yan Liqiang shouted as he gently took a step back to dodge their attack.
“Haha, we wanted to see if you have improved after returning from the outside world…” s.h.i.+ Dafeng laughed, “Hmm, it would seem like your footwork has improved a lot. Let us give it another try…”
Shen Teng and s.h.i.+ Dafeng exchanged glances with each other before they both pounced on Yan Liqiang with another technique. Yan Liqiang did not dodge this time, but he straightened up his body and leaned forward instead, ready to receive their attacks with his chest. When they saw Yan Liqiang’s reaction, the forces of their fist and palm suddenly weakened before they finally landed on Yan Liqiang’s shoulder with an average force.
Yan Liqiang also punched both of them on their shoulders. The three of them looked at each other and laughed loudly together.