Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Suddenly, several fan groups turned quiet, looking at the participant they were supporting with worry. Who the champion would be had become even more confusing with the sudden appearance of another seven-star martial artist who had the strength to win the championship.
Xue Tian, sitting down next to Qin Fen and placing the katana on his lap, crossed his arms around his chest and enjoyed the surprise of everyone.
Next, a new set of names quickly flashed on the huge projection screen, Du Peng vs Mark.
The stands that had just sunk into silence turned noisier than before in the blink of an eye.
Those who had watched the previous matches still remembered the time when Du Peng and Mark Zeus had won. Both of them had knocked their opponents unconscious with just a single move. Obviously, they were hiding a major part of their strength.
Next, a small commotion also broke out among the groups of recruits from various continents. This was one of the highlighted matches of today’s martial arts tournament. Who would have thought that it would be their turn to fight in just the second match!
Many people turned their curious gaze to the American recruit camp and saw Zeus’ eyes, that had been slightly closed since he was seated suddenly open. Blue sparks lightly pulsated in his eyes as his robust figure slowly left his seat.
Zeus raised his head and looked at the dazzling sun, revealing that fierce bear-like face as well as his shiny bald head.
He took off his military uniform, baring his upper body and revealing his strong as iron muscles. From the side, his body looked like a solid wall. For a moment, no one was able to tell whether that blue lightning bolt tattoo was flickering due to the electric power from the Azure Electric Drive or if the tattoo artist’s skill was just superb to the point that it gave off some kind of illusion.
“Oh! Mark Zeus stood up!” The commentator shouted excitedly for the first time. “The recruit tournament had always been ruled by America. But in this tournament, they have repeatedly suffered defeat. Rumor has it that even their mobile armor squad and aerial combat team had already withdrawn from the competition. It seems that they have been hit hard. I heard that he is determined to win the title of Recruit King of the Martial Combat.”
“I have also heard some rumors. It seems that the withdrawal of the American mobile armor squad and aerial combat team is somewhat related to the East Asian recruit team. If that’s the case, then, isn’t this the case of enemies who are likely to meet each other? But I am afraid that this East Asian Recruit is going to lose this time.”
“Oh! The East Asian recruit also stood up!”
Du Peng, with his both hands resting on the armrest, stood up slowly. His ribs slightly expanded as the calm look in his eyes turned sharp in the blink of an eye.
Over these two days, he hadn’t spoken a single word. He had always been meditating in his room, maintaining his aura and body at peak state in order to fight Mark Zeus, one of the three strongest recruits of America.
“Du Peng.”
Hearing a soft call, Du Peng turned around, looking at the standing Xing Wuyi, the guy with whom he seldom had a conversation with these days, the guy who used to be vicious and trampled on his dignity as he wished.
As their gazes meet, their complicated gazes entangled with each other. The past resentment and hatred were melted by the affectionate gaze at this moment.
Du Peng felt a burning feeling gush out from his chest. Looking at the tall and handsome Xing Wuyi, he suddenly had an illusion that the man standing before his eyes wasn’t Xing Wuyi but… but… Du Zhanpeng!
Xing Wuyi took a long, deep breath as he squeezed out a smile on his lips. It was Du Zhanpeng’s signature smile. At this moment, Xing Wuyi’s voice also turned slightly deep and concerned. “Give your best.”
Du Peng’s eyes turned slightly feverish as he nodded and said, “I know, brother.”
As Du Peng addressed Xing Wuyi as ‘brother’, both turned silent.
Xing Wuyi nodded slowly and sat back down on his seat. Looking at the back of Du Peng as he made his way to the arena, Xing Wuyi murmured to himself, “The little kid grew up! The back that used to be so tender is now filled with manliness.”
“Mark!”
Hearing a loud and clear shout, Mark turned his head, looking at the source of the sound. Little Dragon King, Yang Lie pointed at the corner of the huge projection screen and said, “Do you see that chart? Although I don’t like you, I hope that the name of semi-finalist with me is yours and not someone else’s!”
“Ha!” The grave look on Mark’s face turned into a big smile as he answered in a gruff voice, “Little Dragon King, I too don’t like you, but I would still like to thank you.”
All the American participants stood up at the same time as they walked up to Mark’s side and stretched their hands out, putting their hands over each other’s.
Brooks, most of whose face was hidden by the military cap and had sleepy eyes, spoke in a calm manner, “Although this is very old-fashioned, we have still decided to use it.”
Mark’s eyes immediately bloomed with gratification. His body slightly trembled and a bit of heroism appeared in his aura as he placed his large hands over everyone’s.
“Americaaaa!”
Hands placed over each other’s swayed up and down as everyone cried at the top of their voices. Their cries that were filled with battle intent soar into the sky.
“V! V-I-C! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!”
Pushing the palm down with great force, Mark turned around and walked to the arena in large strides, without turning back.
In the large arena, the two people, who should have looked smaller suddenly turned taller in the eyes of the audience. Many people even gave up on watching the screen and instead took out their binoculars to watch the most live version of the showdown.
The American and East Asian recruits had their eyes glued to the field. This match was undoubtedly today’s main event. None dared to say that he would take down his opponent with a hundred percent guarantee.
“I heard that Du Zhanpeng was very strong and had the title of top recruit of East Asia.” Taking advantage of his physique, Zeus looked at Du Peng from above. “I always wanted to have a match with him, but unfortunately, he is dead! I heard that you are his brother!?”
“Mhmm.” Du Peng’s eyes flickered with pride. The obscurity he had to face as the young brother of Du Zhanpeng had now turned into his glory.
“So, I hope you won’t let me down.” Zeus’s shoulders shook slightly as visible blue arcs suddenly burst out from the lightning bolt tattoo on his shoulder with crackling sounds.
Azure Electric Drive! If one can produce crackling sounds from electricity, then, such a realm in lightning was equivalent to the Sonic Boom Realm in the paleo martial arts!
For a moment, the commentators were staring blankly at Zeus standing on the stage. Much to their surprise, this young neo martial artist burst forth with the strength of seven-star once he made his move and had also reached such a realm in lightning at that! Theoretically, he was much stronger than the previous two seven-star martial artists! That was a realm with a new understanding of martial dao!
“Disappoint you!? You will absolutely not be disappointed!” Du Peng raised his chin slightly as he slowly clenched his hands into fists. “My brother’s blood is flowing in me, I will naturally guard his glory! Come! I will let you see the strength of the top recruit of East Asia!”
The moment he finished talking, Du Peng took the lead and made his move!
Suddenly, the strength of the seven-star level broke out from Du Peng. And owing to the microphones in the surrounding, his movement sounded even louder. From just a stamp of his foot, the debris from the surface of the reinforced concrete swished through the air like bullets fired from a gun. His footsteps sounded like thousands of troops advancing on an ancient battlefield on their horses.
Once Du Peng made his attack, his fierce aura overwhelmed Zeus’s momentum. When he spread his arms open, it was like he was holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. He gave an impression of a horse galloping and charging on a battlefield. When he flipped his palms, they gave rise to gusts of strong winds, like he was really possessed by a great general of a battlefield! No! Perhaps it should be said that he was like the Hegemon-King of Western Chu who was still laughing while beheading enemy generals and capturing their flags even when besieged by all sides.
Although the audience and the recruits weren’t personally standing on the martial arena, when Du Peng shook his shoulders and employed the Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Art, everyone felt like they were on an ancient battlefield.
A saber taking on the top-level General among the tens of thousands of soldiers!
This was the momentum of the firm and fierce side of Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Art. This move was even more overbearing than that strongest punch of Kyokushin Genichi. I will behead all my enemies, there is no one noble other than me!
The fight had just begun, yet Du Peng displayed an extraordinary strength. There was a distance of tens of meters between the two. But Du Peng, with a shake of his shoulder and a step on the ground, creating a series of sways, arrived before Zeus in the blink of an eye and chopped with one hand from behind abruptly. A hurricane from his palm strike covered the entire space between the two as his palm chopped towards Zeus.
Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary!
The moment Du Peng attacked Zeus from the front, a series of intensive thunder-like claps shook the hearts of everyone and also spread to everyone’s ears with the help of loudspeaker.
The flapping of his sleeves sounded like firecrackers in the celebration of a festival. And under the amplification from the loudspeakers, it even caused everyone’s ears to sting a bit!
Most of the participating recruits had the same feeling when they saw this attack. If it was me there, just after seeing this fierce attack, there would really be no need to fight. As long as the opposite party came before me, I would have been defeated already. I would simply be unable to block this.
At this moment, Xing Wuyi suddenly felt like it wasn’t Du Peng but Du Zhanpeng unleashing this fierce attack.
At the sight of this, Qin Fen’s pupils constricted. Du Peng’s Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary was even more perfect than Du Zhanpeng’s! The two diving arts had not yet perfectly integrated, but the strength and scope of this dominating attack had surpassed that of Du Zhanpeng’s.
Zeus’s eyes flickered with blue electric arcs. Facing Du Peng, who could deform a Chery QQ with one blow, there was not a shred of fear on his face. He lowered his waist and crossed his arms before sweeping them outwards like a scissor with a twisting force, scissoring them at Du Peng!
“Paleo martial arts! Dragon Claw! Dual Coiling Dragons!”
The commentator cried in shock. To his surprise, Zeus, who was the poster child of neo martial arts, was actually using Dragon Claw, a paleo martial art, instead of neo martial arts for Azure Electric Drive!
The audience gasped a breath of cold air together. Zeus’ Azur Electric Drive had a special ability of paralysis. Coupled with Dragon Claw’s ability to pierce through and discharge electricity, it could even deform the iron railings of prisons completely! If Du Zhanpeng’s palm was electrified and pierced through, how much strength could he play? Perhaps both his hands would be completely broken by Mark Zeus with just one clash.
Contrary to everyone’s expectation, when the ultimate skills of both sides clashed, Du Peng’s sleeve twisted in the blink of an eye. And under the entanglement of both sides power, that sleeve burst into pieces instantly, fluttering like snowflakes between the two!
In the blink of an eye, blue electric arcs suddenly jumped out from Zeus’ arms, creating a visible net of electricity, which could even cook the flesh on Du Peng’s arm the moment it came in contact. Immediately, the fine hairs on Du Peng’s arm, as well the hair on his head, stood erect as a sharp pain shot through his arm, as if his arm was being grounded by a huge press.
While Du Peng’s arm was twisted between Zeus’ arms, the five fingers of Du Peng’s Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary separated and quickly struck his arm like a pianist playing the most beautiful music on the keyboard.
Nihility Finger Flicks of Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder!
Zeus suddenly felt a numbness spreading down through his bones the moment they were hit! Zeus was shocked by the sudden weakening of Dual Coiling Dragons’ power . How is it possible? Generally, it was he who used the Azure Electric Drive to electrocute others, but today, he was the one being electrocuted by others!? He could not fathom this!
In the blink of an eye, Zeus’ arm muscles began to swell uncontrollably as his blood started surging like a stream.
Crack…
A crisp sound of muscles and bones clashing with each other rang as the three arms clashed with each other. Du Peng’s sleeve was torn to pieces in the blink of an eye.
Zeus quickly pulled his ten fingers from Du Peng’s arm as he fiercely raised his right knee and kneed towards Du Peng’s jaw, taking advantage of his height.
The basin-like huge kneecap swished through the air, giving rise to the howling of winds. Facing such a gale of wind, Du Peng’s uniform flapped constantly as if this gale could blow him away.
Meanwhile, Du Peng’s arm went numb from the shock as the electric current shot straight to his shoulder and rushed to his heart! When a human heart is given an electric shock, it could even make a dead heart start beating. And when a beating heart is given an electric shock, the current can paralyze the heart muscles, impairing the heart function, disrupting the blood flow, which in turn would lead to insufficient oxygen, which would make the body feel tired.
The sharp, blade-like ten fingers of Zeus immediately left ten red spots on Du Peng’s arm. With the Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary blocked and unable to advance, Du Peng’s pressed forward as he retracted his arm and elbowed downwards, ruthlessly smashing on the basin-like kneecap.
BOOM! The elbow and kneecap clashed with a muffled, thunder-like clap. Taking advantage of the recoil from the blow, Du Peng pulled a seven to eight meters gap between the two. In the next moment, he immediately charged at Zeus like a bullet again the moment his feet touched the ground. Shaking his shoulder that was used for the cleaving cavalry, he mitigated some of the damage he had taken and quickly transferred the true energy into his arm as another Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary swished through the air.
Just as Zeus’ right foot hit the ground, pieces of reinforced concrete flew everywhere; the reinforced concrete had been cracked in several places. Before Zeus had the chance to dispel the numbing feeling on his knee, he was taken aback by Du Peng’s second charge.
So fast!? Zeus shook his ankle as he ran the Azure Electric Drive to his kneecap! While at it, he displayed the Dual Coiling Dragon, once more!
BOOM!
After another lightning-fast exchange, both sides separated again. Owing to the clash, everything went black before Zeus’ eyes. Discovering that Du Peng used another Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary after retreating, he was shocked over and over again. Is this guy unafraid of electricity? Does he not feel the slightest bit numb? Why does my arm feel so numb? Why does it feel like my body isn’t listening to my command?
BOOM!
As the third Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary clashed with the Dual Coiling Dragon, the surprise in Zeus’ eyes diminished. The power of this Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Cleaving Calvary is much lower than the previous two!
Zeus didn’t entangle his arms with the cleaving cavalry like before. He took half a step with his left leg and promptly twisted his waist. His body was like a high-speed tank. His step made a rumbling noise, splattering countless pieces of reinforced concrete everywhere, crashing into Du Peng’s chest.
Paleo martial arts! Eight Extreme Fists, Iron Mountain Thrust!
Xing Wuyi’s eyes bloomed with a sharp gleam! Chance! Phaseless Water Bird Art – Water Bird Twisting the Neck! Even if he can’t chop Zeus’ head, cutting his carotid artery will not be a problem!
Well!? Xing Wuyi was stupified. Contrary to his expectation, Du Peng didn’t use the Phaseless Water Bird Art. Instead, he tapped his right foot on the ground, sidestepping to the left side and avoiding the oncoming blow before he thrust his two fingers of his left hand straight towards the back of Zeus’ ear like a long spear on an ancient battlefield!
Finger Thrust of Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder!
Ears were the most difficult part of a human body to temper. And it was also the key location where several acupoints intersected. Listening to the swishing sound, Zeus dropped his left elbow and twisted it counter-clockwise, turning it into a spear with a thick end and smashing it at Du Peng’s fingers.
Why did he use the Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder Art again? Xing Wuyi’s eyebrows twitched. He gave up such a perfect opportunity to use the Water Bird Twisting the Neck. Du Peng is too stubborn!
Under the lightning-fast exchange, as those weak-looking fingers of Du Peng ruthlessly clashed with Zeus’ iron-like elbow, both of them staggered forward. For a moment, they were back-to-back against each other.
Whether Zeus wanted it or not, he had no choice but to kick back like a donkey towards the back of Du Peng’s heart. His thick and strong leg was like the legendary hammer of Thor, his trousers flapped against the winds, making muffled thunder-like claps.
BOOM!
The same time Zeus kicked, Du Peng did the same. Owing to the explosive force of both sides, both of them were sent flying like two shells, opening a distance of thirty to forty meters in the blink of an eye.
As their feet touched the ground, their bodies could not mitigate the inertia completely. Only after having stepped three times could they completely stabilize themselves.
The audience was completely shaken by this thunderstorm-like lightning-fast exchange. This is is just the round of thirty-two! Why is their level much higher than the finals of any of the previous recruit tournaments? Are they really new recruits?
While everyone was still reeling from the shock, Zeus’ robust body suddenly shook, followed by his back, chest, his thick arms, and legs. In the blink of an eye, a dozen pinky finger-sized wounds broke open as blood gushed out from the wounds like a bloody mist, as if his blood was under some tremendous pressure.
What’s this?! Tens of thousands of the audience members were surprised at the same time. Du Peng did not hit Zeus on those places, why did he suffer such injuries?
In an instant, Zeus’ robust figure turned completely bloody. It seemed like he had been badly injured. At the sight of this, a majority of American recruits clenched their fists in worry. Their eyes were glued to that slowly grinning face of Zeus.
Watching Zeus happily smiling on the screen, the audience knit their brows, one after another, puzzled. This guy has suffered such injuries and yet he is smiling!? Like he has won!?
What a close call… Zeus wiped the sweat off his forehead. What a scary paleo martial art! Clearly, I have been hit in this place, yet the power exploded from another acupoint! Had I not pushed this power out in time, I am afraid it would have burst in my body in a hundred different places a thousandth of a second later. Then, I really would have been seriously injured.
Puff…
Du Peng opened his mouth and spewed a mouthful of blood. Blood kept dripping down from his two fingers, again and again. Even the other eight fingers were slightly twitching as blue arcs of electricity jumped between them..
