The battle could take its time; Lian Tianji wasn’t in a hurry.
Although Zhang Yu’s exceptional skills had bridged much of the gap in physical strength between them, Lian Tianji remained confident in his victory.
He was more than willing to spend extra time fighting Zhang Yu, learning from his opponent’s formidable techniques in the heat of combat.
After all, martial arts competitions weren’t true life-and-death battles, and Lian Tianji believed that absorbing lessons during a fight to grow stronger was equally important.
However, since the advertiser had demanded a quick resolution to showcase the effects of the combat potion, he could no longer delay.
While learning through combat and earning money through advertisements both contributed to becoming stronger, in the end, the power of money was undeniably more crucial.
“Sorry, Zhang Yu,” Lian Tianji muttered. “I’d like to exchange a few more moves with you, but the advertiser’s demands can’t be ignored.”
With that, Lian Tianji activated his rented combat spirit root.
The spiritual energy in the air began to stir, converging toward his hands.
Combat Spirit Root — Surging.
The spiritual energy continuously poured into his body, actively participating in the circulation of his internal energy during combat, amplifying the power of his martial techniques.
When combined with his Explosive Wave Fist, the effect was even more extraordinary.
In the next moment, Lian Tianji threw another punch toward Zhang Yu.
A surge of energy erupted from his fist, detonating the spiritual energy around it and creating a shockwave that slammed into Zhang Yu.
This not only increased the power of his Explosive Wave Fist but also expanded its range several times over.
This meant Lian Tianji’s fists didn’t need to make direct contact with Zhang Yu or his Formless Cloud Aura; the explosive shockwaves alone could strike Zhang Yu from a distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Punch after punch, Lian Tianji transformed into a human cannon, relentlessly bombarding Zhang Yu with his fists.
The overwhelming energy waves engulfed Zhang Yu’s figure.
But just as Lian Tianji thought this barrage of attacks would finally defeat Zhang Yu, something unexpected happened.
Through the haze of explosions, Zhang Yu, now covered in blood, suddenly shattered the shockwaves with his body.
His hands, shrouded in layers of white mist, lunged toward Lian Tianji with ferocious intent.
“You’re already this badly injured, and you’re still fighting? Aren’t you afraid of going bankrupt?” Lian Tianji muttered, puzzled by Zhang Yu’s determination.
However, with the advertiser’s demands weighing on him, Lian Tianji’s fighting spirit soared, and he held nothing back in front of the cameras.
The two fighters collided head-on.
Fist winds and palm shadows clashed, devouring each other in a series of deafening explosions.
Lian Tianji felt his fists repeatedly striking Zhang Yu’s body, while Zhang Yu’s hands, wielding the Formless Cloud Aura, struck back with equal ferocity.
This only deepened Lian Tianji’s confusion. “Has he lost the focus to maintain his techniques? Is he really choosing to trade injuries with me in close combat?”
Crack! Crack!
As Lian Tianji watched Zhang Yu’s body being torn apart by his Explosive Wave Fist, blood gushing from countless wounds, he was certain Zhang Yu wouldn’t last much longer.
But ten seconds passed… and Zhang Yu was still standing.
Twenty seconds later… there was still no sign of him stopping.
“How is this possible?!” Lian Tianji exclaimed, staring at Zhang Yu, who, despite being drenched in blood, remained as fierce as a dragon and as vigorous as a tiger.
Meanwhile, Lian Tianji himself was accumulating more and more injuries, his movements beginning to falter.
At this moment, Lian Tianji couldn’t help but wonder, “What kind of drug did he take?”
Unbeknownst to him, Zhang Yu’s internal energy was surging like a raging river, flowing through every part of his body.
After reaching level 10 in the Formless Cloud Hand technique, Zhang Yu had gained the ability to channel the Formless Cloud Aura to any part of his body without causing harm.
This allowed him to hide the aura beneath his skin, creating a protective layer that absorbed the damage from Lian Tianji’s attacks.
Though Zhang Yu appeared to be covered in blood, his injuries were superficial, limited to his skin and flesh.
His bones and vital organs remained unharmed.
In contrast, every time Lian Tianji struck Zhang Yu, the Formless Cloud Aura rebounded the force back at him.
The more Lian Tianji pushed, the stronger the counterforce became.
However, painkillers masked these sensations, allowing Lian Tianji to continue fighting at full strength.
But as his injuries piled up…
Cough!
Lian Tianji suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood, his body trembling slightly. “My strength, speed, and stamina are all superior to his. How is it that I’m losing in close combat?”
Looking at Zhang Yu, who was clearly more bloodied and injured than himself, Lian Tianji couldn’t understand why his opponent hadn’t fallen yet. “What’s the point of winning like this? Can you even afford the medical bills?”
At that moment, a voice from below the stage called out, “Lian Tianji, the advertiser is very dissatisfied. If you don’t defeat Zhang Yu within the next 30 seconds, they’ll pull the ad and cancel all future collaborations…”
Pull the ad? Cancel collaborations?
Hearing this, Lian Tianji’s fighting spirit exploded like a cornered beast.
A surge of new power coursed through his body. “I must! End this! Now!”
Explosive Wave Fist — Self-Destruct Mode!
Using the explosive force of spiritual energy and internal energy to propel his fist, Lian Tianji sacrificed the integrity of his arm to unleash his ultimate attack.
His right arm swelled as spiritual energy and internal energy poured into it.
Boom!
With a stomp of his foot, the entire stage shook.
In the next instant, Lian Tianji’s right arm, now shrouded in a mist of blood, shot toward Zhang Yu with overwhelming force.
Facing this devastating punch, Zhang Yu didn’t dare to be careless.
His internal energy surged as he activated both the Formless Cloud Hand and the Indestructible Seal technique.
The crimson Formless Cloud Aura, stained with his blood, clashed head-on with Lian Tianji’s attack.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed across the stage, drawing the attention of everyone in the arena.
Zhang Yu’s body was once again drenched in blood, the force of the impact pushing him toward the edge of the stage.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
But after four steps, Zhang Yu steadied himself, standing firm under Lian Tianji’s disbelieving gaze.
“You actually neutralized that punch? Your martial skills…”
Zhang Yu smiled faintly. “Thank you for the pressure in this battle. It finally pushed my Formless Cloud Hand to break through its limits and reach level 4.”
Hearing that Zhang Yu had achieved a breakthrough mid-battle, Lian Tianji let out a bitter laugh before collapsing to the ground.
His right arm was severely injured, and his accumulated wounds had finally taken their toll.
He was completely unable to continue fighting.
“It’s not just the Formless Cloud Hand, is it?” Lian Tianji said weakly. “That technique alone couldn’t have held me off for so long.”
Zhang Yu nodded, ready with his prepared explanation. “I’ve also practiced the Indestructible Seal technique for channeling internal energy and a body-strengthening martial art.”
By pretending to have trained in a body-strengthening technique, Zhang Yu concealed the true nature of his subcutaneous aura.
This was all part of his plan.
Lian Tianji nodded in understanding, his gaze filled with complexity as he looked at Zhang Yu. “With the resources of Songyang High, you’ve managed to master three martial techniques in just half a year, even bridging the gap in physical strength between us… Your talent in martial arts makes me envious.”
The medical team quickly rushed onto the stage, placing Lian Tianji on a stretcher and carrying him away for treatment.
Zhang Yu, also covered in blood, was similarly taken aside.
However, as soon as the emergency doctor approached, Zhang Yu raised his hand to stop them, shouting, “Wait! First, tell me how much this treatment will cost and how much insurance will cover!”
Zhang Yu was genuinely worried that while he might have won the fight, the medical bills could bankrupt him and force him to withdraw from the competition.
The emergency doctor frowned. “You’re this badly injured, and you’re worried about the cost?”
To the doctor, Zhang Yu wasn’t bleeding; he was hemorrhaging money.
Injuries this severe? Treating him would easily cost hundreds of thousands, a price befitting the doctor’s medical license.
As the doctor began his examination, he suddenly paused. “Huh? It seems like there aren’t any major injuries?”
Thanks to the protective layer of subcutaneous aura and Zhang Yu’s precise control during the fight, he had avoided critical hits and minimized repeated damage to any single area.
His injuries were far less severe than they appeared.
“Just some superficial wounds?” the doctor said in surprise. “5,000 for the examination, 15,000 for treatment, and 10,000 for medication. All standard procedures, covered by insurance. Shall we begin?”
Hearing the price, Zhang Yu was stunned. “That expensive?”
The doctor replied impatiently, “If we don’t treat you properly, how will you compete in the next match? Don’t worry, it’s all covered by insurance.”
“Fine, fine, go ahead,” Zhang Yu relented, sighing inwardly. “My insurance premiums are going to skyrocket after this.”
In the rest area of Bailong High.
“Lian Tianji is quite skilled,” one student remarked.
“His physical strength must be around 2.3, right?”
“That fist technique is impressive. Combined with his combat spirit root, his overall combat ability should be second only to Le Mulian in Ziyun High…”
“The student from Songyang High is completely outmatched. He’s about to lose…”
But moments later, to the astonishment of the Bailong High students, it was Lian Tianji who lay defeated on the stage, while Zhang Yu stood tall.
“Lian Tianji lost?”
“Zhang Yu actually closed the gap with his martial skills…”
“And the drugs! He must have taken some powerful combat potion to last this long.”
“In that case, Old Chu losing to Zhang Yu doesn’t seem so unreasonable after all.”
On a stretcher, pretending to be unconscious, Chu Qiuhe’s eyelids twitched slightly as he listened to the murmurs.
In his heart, he cheered, “Keep going, Zhang Yu!”
At this moment, Chu Qiuhe was perhaps the person most eager for Zhang Yu to win.
Though he knew it was unlikely, he couldn’t help but hope that Zhang Yu would defeat even Song Hailong and claim the championship.
After all, this outcome would greatly affect his reputation and status at Bailong High for the next two and a half years.
Losing to someone from Songyang High? That would be humiliating.
But losing to the champion of the martial arts competition? That was simply a matter of facing an opponent who was too strong, not a reflection of his own abilities.
(End of Chapter)