Chapter 16: Great Dark Tribulation Fist

The referee couldn't control the unpredictable contestant before him and had no choice but to wave his hand, declaring, "The match begins!"

Liu Zhen immediately charged at the referee with his fists raised, startling Xu Xiaoshou.

Xu Xiaoshou quickly released the referee's leg. The match had started, and holding onto the referee would be considered a foul.

He steadied himself and faced his Shi Jing opponent with caution. After all, this wasn't like the group stage.

Liu Zhen wasn't an easy opponent; a Shi Jing, also known as Ban Bu Xian Tian, was not to be taken lightly and required complete focus.

Instantly, black fist shadows filled the space. Xu Xiaoshou scrambled to defend himself, but his punches missed, turning him into a human punching bag once more.

Bang, bang...

The familiar sounds echoed, and the audience couldn't remain seated.

"It's here—the Xu Sandbag!"

"This guy must be crazy, always engaging in close combat, and each time, he ends up getting hit in the face."

"Xu Xiaoshou doesn't seem to know any proper fist techniques. Liu Zhen is clearly the superior fighter!"

Xu Xiaoshou realized things were not going well. Liu Zhen had dropped his facade, and with each punch, Xu Xiaoshou felt his body nearing its limit.

What kind of fist technique is this?

It was actually causing such pain to his Xian Tian physique?

Xu Xiaoshou could only cover his groin and stumble backward under Liu Zhen's relentless assault.

"Under attack, Passive Value +2."

"Under attack, Passive Value +2."

"Under attack, Passive Value +2."

What's happening?

Every punch added two points to his Passive Value—this didn't make sense!

The more Xu Xiaoshou fought, the more alarmed he became. The system couldn't be wrong, so Liu Zhen's technique must involve continuous strikes with a double layer of force.

He carefully examined his body and discovered that each of Liu Zhen's punches had subtly left a barely noticeable trace of black energy inside him.

What a deceitful fist technique!

He had no idea what that energy would do, but leaving it hidden in his body was undoubtedly part of some scheme.

Seeing himself on the verge of being knocked off the platform, Xu Xiaoshou panicked.

He had overestimated himself this time!

He should have drawn his sword immediately—perhaps then he would have had a chance. But with the constant barrage of fist shadows, he couldn't even reach for the ring on his finger.

"Liu Zhen, give me a break!" Xu Xiaoshou pleaded sincerely.

But Liu Zhen remained silent, his punches growing even fiercer. He knew Xu Xiaoshou had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, having witnessed his victory in the group stage. There was no way he would let up.

"Don't push me!" Xu Xiaoshou growled through gritted teeth.

Just a few more steps, and he would be off the platform!

Liu Zhen ignored him, his fists cutting through the air with a sharp whoosh.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't take it anymore. Amidst the fist shadows, he painfully extended one hand, gathering Ling Li and thrusting it upward.

Sharp!

I'll stab you to death!

Even if I can't hit you, you can hit me—as long as my finger is there, you will bleed.

"Ah!"

Sure enough, Liu Zhen cried out in pain the next second and pulled back.

In the flurry of fists, one had struck Xu Xiaoshou's finger blade. Caught off guard, the impact nearly split his fist open.

Fortunately, Liu Zhen had trained his body well. Although not at the Xian Tian level, it was still several times stronger than an ordinary person's, or that blow might have broken his finger.

"How is that possible?"

Liu Zhen was stunned. He knew Xu Xiaoshou didn't use fist techniques, so how could he draw a blade from such rapid punches and injure him?

A second later, he saw the blood dripping from Xu Xiaoshou's twisted right finger.

His Da An Jie Quan dealt double hidden strikes, so Xu Xiaoshou shouldn't be bleeding—that meant the blood was his own.

So, this guy broke my Da An Jie Quan with his finger?

Impossible!

"What kind of technique is that?" Liu Zhen demanded, his curiosity overcoming his urge to attack.

Xu Xiaoshou, knocked back to the platform's edge with his finger nearly broken, forced it back into place with a grimace and replied through the pain, "Sharp."

"Under suspicion, Passive Value +1."

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

What's the point of asking if you won't believe the answer?

Might as well not ask at all!

The audience rose in unison, all in disbelief.

"How did he turn things around? I don't get it—why did Liu Zhen suddenly stop?"

"Look at Xu Xiaoshou's hand—it's bleeding, and that might be Liu Zhen's blood."

"Are you kidding? Don't you see Liu Zhen's Ling Ji? That's a Xian Tian-level Da An Jie Quan! How could Xu Xiaoshou's finger break it?"

"What? A Xian Tian Ling Ji?"

Those in the know spoke up, and everyone was shocked.

A Xian Tian Ling Ji was incredibly rare, something you couldn't seek out. How did an outer court disciple like Liu Zhen get his hands on one? And how had he mastered it?

Xu Xiaoshou had pretty much figured out that Liu Zhen's fist technique was high-level; otherwise, it couldn't have hurt him this badly.

This barrage of hits was far more painful than the group stage, not to mention the black energy lingering in his body.

Xu Xiaoshou was getting anxious. He couldn't expel that energy, and it would probably backfire at a critical moment. Good thing he had the system, or he might not even know how he would die.

As Liu Zhen prepared to charge again, Xu Xiaoshou quickly backed away, pulling out his wooden sword while saying, "Let's be civilized—talk it out, no need for fists. How about we switch to wooden swords?"

"Let's keep it light, no getting carried away."

This Passive Value buildup was getting too much; Xu Xiaoshou decided to back down.

The referee was stunned. Where was that line from the last match? Had Xu Xiaoshou swallowed it?

The audience burst into laughter, slapping their thighs.

"I can't handle this—Xu Xiaoshou is hilarious!"

"Did he forget what he said last time, 'A gentleman fights with hands, not swords'? Now that it's real, he's surrendering?"

"Ahhh, Xu Xiaoshou is so adorable! I can't take it!"

With a boom, a burst of Ling Li erupted from the ground, pushing Liu Zhen back as fist shadows closed in again.

"Damn, not again!"

Xu Xiaoshou instantly sheathed his wooden sword and drew "Zang Ku." He couldn't hide it anymore—if he took that hit, he would be off the platform for sure.

Good thing I have a trump card.

"White Clouds Drifting!"

He swung his sword horizontally, stirring up winds and sand as a massive force began to form. Even the audience sat up straight, eyes fixed without blinking.

"Dark Tribulation, activate!"

Liu Zhen could tell Xu Xiaoshou was unleashing a powerful move. Mid-air, he forcibly formed a seal, detonating the hidden energy from his thousands of punches.

Boom!

Blood mist sprayed from Xu Xiaoshou's body, his eyes nearly bulging, veins popping everywhere—it was clear he was enduring immense agony.

He knew Liu Zhen had a backup plan, but he never imagined it would be this devastating!

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his jaw, his mouth puffed up like a toad's, refusing to spit blood.

The audience was stunned; the tide had turned so quickly, making the fight brutally intense. This was too cruel!

"Hang in there, Xu Xiaoshou!"

Everyone silently cheered for him. Sure, the guy was unpredictable and annoying, but he was the one taking all the beating from start to finish.

A Shi Jing expert dominating a Liu Jing fighter—it was pitiful to watch!

The referee bent his knees and dashed forward; he couldn't let Xu Xiaoshou take Liu Zhen's next punch—it could be fatal.

He knew how powerful Da An Jie Quan was; with the strikes stacking up, the hidden energy could make even a Xian Tian expert explode!

Thankfully, Xu Xiaoshou had a Xian Tian physique, the referee thought.

But as he neared, he caught Xu Xiaoshou secretly signaling him while holding back the blood.

You don't need me?

The referee's heart raced. Logically, he should intervene, but for some reason, he chose to trust Xu Xiaoshou and halted.

Everyone held their breath as Liu Zhen's fist aimed straight for Xu Xiaoshou's chin.

Pfft!

At the critical moment, Xu Xiaoshou spat out the built-up blood, splattering it across Liu Zhen's face and blinding him.

But what good would that do?

The audience could see clearly—Xu Xiaoshou was immobilized by the hidden energy; he couldn't dodge.

"Get out!" Liu Zhen roared.

With a thud, his fist slammed into Xu Xiaoshou's forehead, sending him flying.

The next second, Liu Zhen felt himself lifted into the air. What was happening?

Wiping the blood from his eyes, he realized Xu Xiaoshou's legs were wrapped around his waist, and they were both soaring off the platform!

The sight of them tangled in mid-air was bizarre, time seeming to freeze.

Mutual destruction?

The audience was shocked. They saw it plain as day: as Xu Xiaoshou took the punch to his forehead, he had lunged forward in that split second of Liu Zhen's blindness, locking his legs around him.

First, blur the vision with blood, then clamp with the legs—this was a tactic thought up in an instant?

Unbelievable!

"Let go of me!"

As they plummeted, Liu Zhen tried to punch, knowing that falling from three meters headfirst would be disastrous for him.

He didn't have Xu Xiaoshou's tough body.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed wildly, twisting his body into a whirlwind that kept Liu Zhen from landing a hit.

In the high-speed spin, Xu Xiaoshou pressed his head against Liu Zhen's feet, grabbed his ankles with both hands, released his waist, and flipped him upside down, slamming him hard into the ground.

Thud!

Dust billowed as Liu Zhen hit first, dazed and disoriented.

Crash!

More dust rose as Xu Xiaoshou landed gracefully on top of him.

Coughing up blood, Xu Xiaoshou waved to the speechless audience and whispered,

"Liu Zhen, you're incredible!"

"Liu Zhen, what is that fist technique?"

"Liu Zhen, you taught me not to be careless—I'll remember that!"

Liu Zhen's three rapid questions snapped him back to reality. Breaking his usual silence, he snapped in frustration,

"Get the hell off me!"