Chapter 78 : Chapter 78
Chapter 78. Crushing Defeat
Back on this side, Xu Yuan remained as calm and unhurried as ever. He exerted a slight force beneath his feet, and his whole body moved like a fish entering water, circling and weaving around Xu Tianlong with effortless ease.
He dragged him back and forth as though walking a dog or teasing a cat.
“You…” Xu Tianlong could not even touch the corner of his opponent’s clothes. For a moment, he was both shocked and furious. “When did you learn such a movement technique?”
One had to know that just half a month ago, although Xu Yuan’s footwork had been fast, it was nowhere near as swift and untouchable as it was now.
Moreover, among martial techniques, movement arts were the hardest to cultivate. To master one in such a short time—what kind of aptitude was that?
“That’s all thanks to the battle merits Qin Lie gave me.”
After saying that, Xu Yuan gave him no time to think. His figure suddenly closed in, and his fist techniques poured forth like a violent storm!
“Bastard!”
Xu Tianlong roared and barely managed to defend himself, only to become more alarmed the longer they fought.
Every one of Xu Yuan’s punches was heavy, vicious, and tricky. Even more terrifying was that strange movement technique, which made it impossible for him to track the other man’s trajectory at all.
This is bad. I’m afraid I’m really going to lose this time!
Xu Tianlong inwardly sensed disaster. He had thought that with treasure armor on his body this time, he would be able to firmly suppress Xu Yuan. He had never expected the other party to have learned a movement technique.
No matter how much the treasure armor could weaken force, once that effect accumulated over time, it would still injure his internal organs.
Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, Xu Yuan found an opening and lashed out with two consecutive kicks, striking Xu Tianlong’s shin with perfect precision. Just as his body staggered, Xu Yuan followed up with a heavy punch straight into his chest.
“Pff!”
Xu Tianlong was sent flying backward on the spot, crashing heavily to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
“Street Guard!”
The martial artists of Fu’an Street cried out in alarm and hurried forward to help him up.
The field fell into dead silence in an instant.
Everyone saw it clearly.
Xu Tianlong had lost.
Not because his strength was lacking, nor because his cultivation was insufficient, but because the other side’s superior movement technique and sharper eye had seized upon that fleeting opening and decided the match in one blow!
Xu Tianlong struggled to his feet, his face deathly pale as he stared at Xu Yuan. “Good… very good! Xu Yuan, I’ll remember this grudge!”
After saying that, he limped away in utter embarrassment with the support of his subordinates.
Xu Yuan watched his retreating back coldly. He had intended to pursue the advantage, but from the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of several vague figures appearing within Fu’an Street.
In the end, it’s still too close to the Bai family’s territory. They really do stick together tightly, Xu Yuan thought regretfully.
Of course, he knew that behind him, some Street Guards were likewise watching the excitement. Neither side would sit by and watch one of their major fighters be lost in a clash like this.
Only after Xu Tianlong disappeared at the street corner did an uproar that could no longer be suppressed break out around them.
“How long has it even been? From the time he reached the Fourth Meridian until now, at most it’s only been a little over a month, right? And he actually managed to master a movement technique…”
“No wonder he dared challenge Xu Tianlong. So he’d hidden this move all along!”
“Heh, Xu Tianlong really lost all face this time.”
The Street Guards discussed animatedly among themselves, and the way they looked at Xu Yuan completely changed.
If some people had previously held light contempt or jealousy toward this young Street Guard, then after this battle, everyone had no choice but to reevaluate both his strength and his potential.
Lin Yue’e smiled like a blooming flower and nudged the still-stunned Zhao Tieshan with her elbow. “Old Zhao, your eye really is sharp!”
Zhao Tieshan gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “I didn’t expect that he had actually managed to master Youlong Step.”
“What? It was actually Youlong Step?” Hearing that, the expressions of the others shifted slightly.
There were not all that many martial techniques in the Transmission Hall, so naturally they had all given them a rough look before.
Among them, Youlong Step counted as one of the highest-quality types.
However, the exchange price of three hundred and fifty points, along with its rather high cultivation threshold, had made most people shrink away from it.
The few Street Guards who had bet on Xu Tianlong to win could only smile awkwardly and admit defeat, handing their stakes over to Lin Yue’e.
Only Sun Xiaochuan wore a gloomy face, his emotions extremely complicated.
The movement technique Xu Yuan had just displayed—graceful as a startled swan, agile as a roaming dragon—was undoubtedly Entry-level Youlong Step!
This man’s talent truly is remarkable… I really have been a bit slack lately. When I get back, I need to pick up that other martial technique again, he thought to himself.
“Street Guard Sun, your ten taels.” Lin Yue’e extended a hand with a bright smile.
Sun Xiaochuan took a deep breath and barely suppressed the bitterness and jealousy churning in his heart. He coldly tossed over a silver ingot, then flicked his sleeve and turned away, too lazy to even offer any polite words.
Lin Yue’e had earned several dozen taels of silver for nothing, and her eyes curved into crescents. She could not be bothered to care about his attitude. When she saw Xu Yuan walking over, she immediately smiled and said,
“Nicely done, Street Guard Xu. As expected, your reputation isn’t hollow at all. With one move of Youlong Step, you had Xu Tianlong running circles all over the field.”
Zhao Tieshan likewise cupped his hands toward him in greeting.
Xu Yuan had long known that they had been watching the battle, and had taken in all of their reactions. At this moment, he only smiled calmly and said,
“Street Guard Lin made quite a bit of money this time, didn’t she? Shouldn’t you at least treat me to a good drink?”
Lin Yue’e looked at him in slight surprise.
She had thought that using him as a betting stake this time might displease Xu Yuan, and had even been preparing to share some of the winnings with him. She had not expected him to be so broad-minded.
“Refreshing! I’m making you a friend, Street Guard Xu.”
The smile on Lin Yue’e’s face widened even further as she waved a hand grandly. “Order whatever you like today. I’m paying!”
Zhao Tieshan also smiled. As long as no conflict had arisen, that was for the best.
…
News that Xu Tianlong had suffered a setback at Xu Yuan’s hands quickly spread through several nearby streets.
At the same time, Xu Yuan’s name grew even louder.
Many of the Bai family’s martial artists now knew that a highly capable young man had arrived on Changning Street.
Quite a few Fourth Meridian Street Guards quietly took note of his name and began thinking about how they would handle things if they were to face him.
As for all the noise and commotion outside, Xu Yuan naturally ignored it all.
In the Street Guard courtyard, inside the quiet room,
Xu Yuan dismissed everyone around him and sat alone, regulating his breathing.
Although his victory over Xu Tianlong had looked clean and beautiful, in truth it had consumed a great deal of his mental focus.
That final strike had looked light and easy, but in reality it had been a layered test of timing, eyesight, and control over force.
A single slight error would have turned it into a mutual-destruction scenario. Fortunately, the enhancement brought by Youlong Step had exceeded expectations.
“With the weakness in my movement technique now covered, the next step is defense.”
Xu Yuan’s gaze fell upon the skill panel. Tieyi Gong was already more than halfway progressed and not far from Entry level.
He no longer delayed. After swallowing a dose of Heqi Powder, he sank his mind into circulating Tieyi Gong.
Qi and blood moved along a specific route, traveling through skin, membrane, sinew, and bone, bringing with it threads of numb itchiness and a sensation of tightening firmness.
With the support of the Promising Talent, Uncut Jade aptitude, this defensive martial technique, which focused on tempering the body, advanced with astonishing speed.
Over the following days, Xu Yuan stayed mostly behind closed doors. Apart from handling necessary official duties, he devoted almost all of his time to cultivation.
He repeatedly struck his body with wooden rods and stones wrapped in cotton cloth, using medicinal baths and cultivation methods in tandem to continuously stimulate his skin, flesh, sinews, and bones, making them tougher and tougher.
…