Chapter 275: Into the Clouds
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Zhang Zhutong’s ground-shaking stamp stunned Qi Yunfei, Cao Lele, and the other spectators who hadn’t watched many martial arts fights before, and held Yan Zheke in suspense. Covering her mouth with one hand unconsciously while watching his subsequent killer moves as her boyfriend dodged on a razor’s edge. She dared not breathe until Lou Cheng found an opportunity to make a comeback with 24 Blizzard Strikes imitating the Wisdom King Guarding Temple. She felt relieved, listening to her own heartbeat.
He is worthy of his reputation as a capable Professional Seventh Pin fighter!
This is going to be a tough battle…
Good luck, Cheng!
Strengthened by the Dan stage explosion, Lou Cheng’s side elbow hit gave off a sharp shriek, sending a s.h.i.+ver down Zhang Zhutong’s spine and a warning.
Close at hand, Zhang Zhutong, instead of stepping back as his instinct urged, reached a decision calmly. His back sank, gathering the human body big dan at his lower stomach. His arms expanded as the strength grew. He lifted them up in front of his chest.
Recorded in many martial arts cla.s.sics, “A punch bites like a tiger and an elbow hit devours like a dragon.” The former was comprised of numerous tiny bones while the latter was one solid piece. The difference in intensity could be easily imagined. Facing Lou Cheng’s elbow hit with the Dan stage explosion, Zhang Zhutong couldn’t block it with one hand or meet force with force. His left hand pushed upwards and right hand moved sideways, together neutralizing and countering the strike. His counterattack managed to push Lou Cheng’s elbow away, saving himself from a potential series of dense body blows.
Considering Zhang Zhutong’s physique and his superior Dan stage explosion, he should have been able to get a tie in this exchange, even though he lost the pre-emptive opportunity. However, his body swayed backwards, distancing himself further from his opponent.
Lou Cheng’s 24 Blizzard Strikes was known for being steady and continuous, especially when he used Force Concentration. All the strength within him became one. Without pulling strength from his feet, the muscles of his upper body tightening was enough to launch a fatal strike, which allowed his 24 Blizzard Strikes to flow without a break, like Zhou Zhengquan’s Fly Fall Punch!
As his left elbow hit was blocked, his muscles wiggled to borrow more force, which was then fused with his qi and blood into a big dan.
Boom!
The big dan exploded like a volcanic eruption, sending Lou Cheng to the right, his waist lifted and his right arm swelled as if it was a terrifying iron whip. He threw his arm backwards at his opponent’s neck.
This Single Kick parted the air, creating a gust to each side. The skin around Zhang Zhutong’s neck pulsated and his pores shut tightly.
Biting Chill Double Explosion!
Zhang Zhutong didn’t dare to disregard this move. He performed another Force Concentration in response. Muscles on his right hand became more obvious through the blue and red martial arts suit and the back of his hand turned the color of tendons and vessels.
Bam!
Strength came from his shoulder, pulling his elbow to throw his forearm out like nunchakus to block Lou Cheng’s Single Kick.
Bam! A deafening roar pierced through the air. Lou Cheng’s body tilted forward but his qi and blood quickly circulated, pulling part of Zhang Zhutong’s strength into his Dantian.
He turned right again, leaving his side facing towards his opponent. His back sprung as he threw a powerful sidekick without any rest.
Brutal Blizzard Triple Explosion!
He understood himself and the opponent, who was no Meng Jiefeng. If he went on the defensive again, he might not get another opportunity to turn the tide. He would be defeated in the storm of the opponent’s offensive moves. To win this battle, he must continue advancing with the aggressive Mega Avalanche, giving Zhang Zhutong no chance to catch his breath. “After a delay comes a let.”
Zhang Zhutong took a step backwards and immediately lowered his center of gravity to ease the s.h.i.+vering. His legs jerked up, launching a deadly kick to confront Lou Cheng’s sidekick, creating a shadow of the wind.
Triple Explosion v.s. Triple Explosion!
Bam!
Referee Yin Huaming felt high winds blowing against his face and saw two legs frozen in the air after the collision, their shoes and the bottom part of their suits scattering away.
After a course of strength borrowing, Lou Cheng’s power was finally a match for Zhang Zhutong’s.
Lou Cheng lowered his center of gravity as if sitting on a throne and withdrew his right leg in a nearly impossible way, while borrowing some strength to help him stand firm. Sweat came out of his pores but didn’t drip down.
With his dantian full of energy, Lou Cheng tightened his back muscles, his clothes at the edge of bursting. His thick left arm suddenly launched a punch upward at the opponent’s stomach!
It happened too fast, right after his last strike, like a nonstop storm that couldn’t be avoided.
Great Snowslide Quadruple Explosion!
Four strikes with increasing power ignited Lou Cheng’s supporters’ pa.s.sion. They cheered and screamed disorderly.
After taking his leg back, Zhang Zhutong stepped back again as if he was waiting for something. However, Lou Cheng’s punch arrived instantly, forcing him to gather his energy in his dantian and meet Lou Cheng’s Quadruple Explosion with his. His left hand threw out a Seabed Burst Punch.
Bang! The sound of a bomb exploding… Waves of wind spread in all directions, causing those broken pieces of the green tile to roll across the floor.
Such a collision and such a fight had gone beyond normal human limits.
Lou Cheng borrowed strength again from the collision and formed another human body big dan to expand the aggressive Great Snowslide.
Zhang Zhutong swung his body backwards and then pushed his back to pull himself away from the downside.
Since Lou Cheng had launched his 24 Blizzard Strikes by imitating the Wisdom King Guarding Temple technique, Zhang Zhutong, with plenty combat experience and knowledge about the opponent’s style, knew he must prevent himself from falling into an extreme pa.s.sive position under the Brutal Blizzard’s attack.
With less than one arm’s distance, ducking or stepping back blindly would be a suicidal move. He quickly made up his mind to meet force with force and managed to block four blows in a row, taking one small step back each time to gradually distance himself from Lou Cheng.
By now he had gained enough s.p.a.ce to complete many moves!
Seeing Zhang Zhutong about to retreat, Lou Cheng detonated his danqi and threw himself at his opponent, filling the gap between them at once.
Lou Cheng threw a powerful punch at Zhang Zhutong while the latter combined the Wind Fire Step and the Wind Swaying Clouds technique and slid to the side swiftly on his bare toes like a willow branch. Zhang Zhutong successfully avoided the strike and got himself out of the pressing 24 Blizzard Strikes.
Yan Zheke heaved a sigh of pity.
Her expectation had gradually built up. She could almost see the light of victory.
However, this was a Professional Seventh Pin fighter in the Dan stage. This was the No. 1 seed in this tournament. “He’s lived up to his great reputation!”
Lou Cheng lost the chance to launch his Quintuple Explosion and held back his desire to continue the offense.
It would be great if I could suppress Zhang Zhutong till the end with the Brutal Blizzard. However, I shouldn’t bet everything on it or I would set myself up. Strategies must be adjusted to the current events in actual battles.
“It’s not easy… ” As the thought flashed through his mind, Zhang Zhutong moved close to his side, his eyes wearing a thin layer of red and his right arm swinging back to launch a Forward Punch.
To ensure his moves could flow smoothly, Lou Cheng didn’t fuse the Thunder Roar Zen into his 24 Blizzard Strikes. Finally, he had time to visualize Thunder Clouds. He tightened his arms into hammers, preparing to throw a punch.
No matter what move he makes, I’ll give him a s.h.i.+vering Zen!
His muscles and fascia were tightened a lot more than before. As the strength exploded, a terrifying blow was created.
Bam! Zhang Zhutong’s body s.h.i.+vered and his arm shrank back. Bearing the rolling qi and blood, he managed to move slightly. Lou Cheng suffered an intense burning sensation in his forearm’s tendon and vessel.
The Smelter Force!
Zhang Zhutong moved to Lou Cheng’s side, with a pair of red eyes, and threw another punch at his spine.
With no fear, Lou Cheng turned sideways and tightened the muscles on his right arm to engage his opponent with a single whip.
Come on! Let’s see whether you can take more Thunder Roar Zen or I can bear more Smelter Force!
Bam! Bam! Bam! Zhang Zhutong resumed his usual style, moving about and throwing the Smelter Force at Lou Cheng over and over again. Whenever Lou Cheng attempted to concentrate his force, he would notice it and withdraw to dodge with the Wind Swaying Clouds technique.
With no other options, Lou Cheng mixed the Thunder Roar Zen and the Frost Force to confront his opponent. The burning sensation and discomfort became sharper and sharper.
Yan Zheke’s heart was in suspense again. “Zhang Zhutong is playing in his field. Once he ignites the acc.u.mulating Smelter Force in Lou Cheng’s body, he will win!”
I don’t know if Cheng’s killer move will work…
Zhang Zhutong thought it was time! He dissolved the s.h.i.+ver with his Internal Training Methods and waited for an opportunity to launch his final Smelter Force to light up the acc.u.mulated force inside Lou Cheng.
At this very moment, Lou Cheng visualized the red sun falling down, cras.h.i.+ng into an ice-bound river.
He was not performing Severe Warning. He was going to make his supernatural abilities of fire and ice collide to stir up a storm and drive off the remaining enemy force within his body, just like in the last fight.
Boom!
A cold current hit a fire wave, a storm swept through his meridians, moving towards his hands.
The acc.u.mulated smelt force was digested, becoming part of the storm.
Bam! Two fists collided head-on. Zhang Zhutong was astonished by the cold and hot streams coming in through his hand. He could feel the familiar smelter force blended in the streams.
His eyes narrowed as he realized his opponent had not ignited at all!
Lou Cheng dissolved my Smelter Force?
He can still perform the 24 Blizzard Strikes and concentrate his force to suppress me?
And his physical strength hasn’t run low!
How can I win this battle?
As Zhang Zhutong’s mind was terribly disturbed, Lou Cheng felt pretty awful himself. There was a terrible pain knifing his tendons and vessels and weariness striking his head. However, he pretended to be perfectly fine and full of energy. His body straightened as he roared,
“Again!”
“I’m not done yet. Again!”
His imposing aggressiveness shook Zhang Zhutong’s Heart Lake and interrupted his thinking. Once again, Lou Cheng gathered his energy at his dantian and lifted his right hand like the thunder G.o.d. His arm cut down with the sound of wind.
With no room to duck, Zhang Zhutong concentrated his force and expanded his arm which raised up to meet the incoming attack.
Bam!
Zhang Zhutong’s body wobbled as if hit in the head by a bomb. Lou Cheng absorbed strength from his opponent to refill his body, while squatting into a pose like he was sitting on a throne. He launched the Mega Avalanche Double Explosion.
His body leaned forward and his left hand formed an iron hammer, smas.h.i.+ng down fiercely.
Zhang Zhutong was forced into a double explosion to meet the iron fist with a powerful punch.
Triple explosion and quadruple explosion! Lou Cheng gritted his teeth and put up with the mental weariness and physical pain, leading a frenzied attack like a Brutal Blizzard.
Pushed by Lou Cheng, Zhang Zhutong relied on his combat experience to resist with a Quadruple Explosion.
At this moment, the pair were both fading away. However, Zhang Zhutong didn’t know Lou Cheng’s condition since he appeared imposing and vigorous.
No longer confident in winning this match, he took this opportunity to step back, but Lou Cheng strode forward, grinding his teeth together.
They continued to engage, circling around the ring, perturbing and brutal. Spectators, including Yan Zheke, forgot to breathe.
Two minutes later, a blast of emptiness flashed inside Zhang Zhutong, slowing him down, which gave Lou Cheng an opportunity to shorten the distance between them.
Extremely exhausted mentally, Lou Cheng still had plenty of physical strength left thanks to the restorative Jindan. He glared into Zhang Zhutong’s face like an invincible warrior, his imposing manner stunning the latter.
Lou Cheng sent strength to his feet, scooping up a broken rock and shooting it at Zhang Zhutong’s face. He gritted his teeth, wiggled his muscles, fascia, and organs, and visualized a scene of the red sun breaking the locked ice.
Zhang Zhutong blocked the rock with his hand by instinct and then noticed the fatal punch.
I have to block it. I have to fence it!
Severe Warning!
Bam! A brief rattling noise sent Zhang Zhutong back to the low-temperature therapy room from last night. His train of thought was frozen. Lou Cheng’s head was also in a chaotic state but he b.u.mped sideways, into his enemy, instinctively. Zhang Zhutong flew out of the ring!
Bang! Zhang Zhutong fell outside of the ring. Yin Huaming’s face changed and raised his right hand without hesitation. He shouted out loud,
“Lou Cheng won!”
Zhang Zhutong, the No. 1 seed in this youth tournament, lost!
Near the point of collapse, Lou Cheng straightened his body and shouted, with the last stream of qi in his body, upon hearing the referee’s announcement,
“I won!”
After the shout, he bent over, steadying himself with his hands on his knees and breathing heavily. The audience finally saw his weariness. The Superman also had his limit.
This was a difficult match.