Chapter 320 - 51: Exchange (2)
Chapter 320 - 51: Exchange (2)
The young man who had spoken first now shared a piece of news. "I hear he has a record of defeating a Third Limit Fighter."
Liu Yin stood off to the side. At nineteen, he was the most outstanding disciple of his generation. He had been quiet the whole time because he disliked belittling opponents. In his view, using words to create a psychological advantage was a sign of weakness and a lack of confidence.
However, upon hearing this, he couldn’t help but take notice.
He knew perfectly well what the Third Limit entailed. Some of the elders in his family had reached that level. To put it bluntly, he believed that no matter how hard he trained, someone at that level could take him down in a single move. The gap was simply immense.
’This student really has a record like that?’
’How did he do it?’
He was extremely skeptical.
Someone immediately voiced the doubt in his heart, exclaiming in shock, "Is that true? It’s got to be a rumor, right?" Everyone else present also looked incredulous.
"Of course it’s true," the young man said with a small laugh. "But don’t you worry. I heard he was using drugs at the time. Yeah, apparently his body is perfect for maximizing their effects. Plus...
Well, the person he fought was an Implant Fighter, and most of his Implants had been wrecked by someone else right before their match. So he just got lucky."
"Oh, so that’s how it was."
A wave of understanding passed through the crowd. That made a lot more sense.
It was just that their elders had warned them many times not to use drugs that promised a huge surge in power during their training, as doing so would prematurely burn through their own potential.
So someone asked, "Isn’t he afraid of ruining his foundation?"
"Sigh, what choice do they have? Students from the outer cities don’t have the same opportunities. To get into Central City, what else can they risk but their own bodies?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yin suddenly lost interest in his opponent for the day. ’This guy might look strong on the surface, but underneath, he’s probably a wreck. What’s the point of defeating someone like that?’
"Look, he’s here."
Just then, a red sports car pulled up to the entrance of the training hall. The passenger-side door opened, and Chen Chuan stepped out. Since he was here for an exchange as a Wuyi Student, he was wearing his Wuyi uniform. Naturally, he had the Snow Monarch Blade at his side.
"Huh, he’s actually pretty good-looking."
"He looks sharp."
"Sigh, what a shame."
The young people had initially thought Chen Chuan was nothing special, but upon seeing him, they felt a sense of pity. Some even looked at him with sympathy, wondering if they should go easy on him later. After all, the guy’s situation was already pathetic enough.
Liu Yin sized up Chen Chuan. Judging by the rhythm of his gait, he certainly wasn’t a weakling, but he didn’t seem truly exceptional either.
After parking the car and getting out, Ni Qianqian pushed her goggles up onto her head and led Chen Chuan into the training hall. She addressed the crowd of young people, "This is Brother Chen. You should all know his story by now. He only has one day, so let’s cut the chit-chat. Who’s first?"
"I’ll go first."
A young man around Chen Chuan’s age stepped forward and gave him a cupped-fist salute. "Han Kuang. Chen, I await your guidance."
Seeing that his opponent was unarmed, Chen Chuan walked to the side and leaned his Snow Monarch Blade against the weapons rack. He then returned to the center and returned the salute. "Chen Chuan. Han, after you."
The crowd immediately spread out.
Han Kuang and Chen Chuan locked eyes for a moment. Then, with a sharp SWISH, Han Kuang kicked off the ground, his body taking a great stride forward. He closed the distance in an instant, his movement stirring up a gust of wind.
The spectators nodded in silent approval. The Strength Posture was for training one’s Force, but it also stressed footwork. Good footwork meant a stable center of gravity, swift movement, and the ability to advance and retreat at will. Han Kuang’s advance was both fast and steady, a sign of a very solid foundation.
Chen Chuan was intentionally keeping a low profile. He wouldn’t display an overwhelming advantage when he made his move, as this allowed him to use his opponent to simultaneously hone his own skills.
Han Kuang seized the initiative, his opening attack at the peak of its momentum. The textbook response would be to evade and wait for the brief opening as he reset his posture, but Chen Chuan did the opposite. He actually charged forward to meet the attack head-on.
Of course, Han Kuang wasn’t intimidated by this. He had sparred countless times and was familiar with most opponent reactions. He immediately saw Chen Chuan’s intent: to strike second to gain control. Chen was trying to anticipate his attack, halt his offensive, and seize the initiative.
But having dared to take the offensive, he wasn’t about to let Chen Chuan counter so easily. His torso remained steady, but he tucked his lower leg slightly inward beneath his raised knee. This caused his charging body to land half a step sooner than expected.
This tiny change in distance completely altered the outcome. Chen Chuan’s intended counter was now useless. In fact, it was as if he had delivered himself right into Han Kuang’s hands. Now, Han Kuang just had to wait for Chen Chuan to either commit to his original move or attempt a clumsy change, and an opening would be his for the taking.
Witnessing this exchange, the young spectators cheered inwardly. Chen Chuan’s counter wasn’t bad, but his intent was too obvious. It might have caught an average person off guard, but Han Kuang, who appeared reckless, had actually laid a trap. With this sudden change, he had turned the tables and now had his opponent right where he wanted him.
Yet, in the face of this counter, Chen Chuan showed no signs of changing his move. He simply reached out, one hand grabbing for Han Kuang’s shoulder and the other for his opposite elbow.
Han Kuang, however, was not the least bit flustered. He saw this as Chen Chuan’s final, desperate struggle. By the time Chen Chuan’s hands reached him, his own attack would have already landed. He twisted his torso slightly and threw a punch, striking Chen Chuan square in the chest as he unleashed his Power.
’Got him!’
Although the punch was thrown from a tight angle, it used the Small Returning Force Technique, which specialized in generating power from subtle, close-range movements. With this technique, even the flick of a finger could unleash one’s full-body strength. It was almost impossible to defend against. A direct hit to the chest—the outcome was all but certain.
However, what happened next left him completely stunned. Chen Chuan took the full force of the punch, yet his body didn’t so much as sway. It was as if he had completely absorbed the Power.
By now, Chen Chuan’s hands had locked onto his shoulder and elbow. Then, with a sudden burst of force, he lifted Han Kuang clean off the ground and slammed him sideways onto the floor!
BANG! The wooden floor shuddered violently, the impact like a heavy blow to the hearts of the onlookers. Han Kuang was sprawled on the ground, his body even bouncing once from the impact. The force of landing on his back had knocked the wind out of him. His face went pale, and he could only stare blankly at the ceiling, unable to speak.
The spectators were stunned. "Wrestling Takedown Force? Isn’t he supposed to use a blade?"
Liu Yin was also surprised. He had seen it clearly: Chen Chuan had used his own Power to absorb the attack the instant Han Kuang struck, simultaneously grabbing and throwing his opponent. It was a textbook Wrestling Takedown technique, executed with perfect Wrestling Takedown Strength. But Chen Chuan didn’t have the build of a wrestler. No wonder Han Kuang had miscalculated.
Chen Chuan straightened his uniform top and even had the leisure to adjust his cuffs. This time, he hadn’t used his Second Self to transfer the damage. Instead, he had used his Circulation Technique to simulate Wrestling Takedown Strength. The effect was excellent.
Ni Qianqian asked, "Chen, do you want to continue? According to the rules of the exchange, you can take a full rest after each match."
Chen Chuan replied casually, "No need. That didn’t take much out of me. Let’s continue."
...
...
6kv