Chapter 72: Bloody Battle

The battle could be taken slowly, as Lian Tianji wasn't in a rush.

Although Zhang Yu compensated for the gap in physical strength with his formidable techniques, Lian Tianji still had enough confidence to overcome his opponent.

He was willing to spend a bit more time fighting him, learning from Zhang Yu's powerful techniques in actual combat.

After all, the martial arts competition wasn't true combat. Absorbing nourishment and growing stronger during the battle was equally important in Lian Tianji's eyes.

But since the sponsor had requested him to quickly defeat his opponent and showcase the effects of the combat stimulant, he couldn't delay any longer.

While both learning through battle and earning money through advertising could make him stronger...

The power of money was indeed more important.

"Apologies, Zhang Yu."

Thus, Lian Tianji directly activated his rented combat spirit root. Accompanied by the stirring of spiritual energy in the air, spiritual energy began to gather towards his hands.

Combat Spirit Root—Surge.

Spiritual energy would continuously pour into his body and actively participate in the circulation of his mana during the battle, amplifying the power of his martial arts.

This would be even more effective when combined with his Exploding Wave Fist.

At that moment, he threw another punch at Zhang Yu, and overwhelming force came crashing down.

This strike detonated the spiritual energy around his fist, bringing a shockwave that slammed heavily into Zhang Yu.

This not only enhanced the power of the Exploding Wave Fist but also expanded the attack range of the technique several times.

This meant that Lian Tianji's fist didn't need to touch Zhang Yu or the Formless Cloud Barrier in Zhang Yu's hands, as the explosive shockwave could strike Zhang Yu from a distance.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One punch after another, Lian Tianji now seemed to have transformed into a human cannon, constantly bombarding Zhang Yu with punches.

The surging waves of energy instantly swallowed Zhang Yu's figure.

But just as Lian Tianji thought that this series of attacks would be enough to defeat Zhang Yu,

In his surprised gaze, Zhang Yu, already covered in blood from the explosions, suddenly shattered the shockwave and charged towards him with layers of white mist emanating from his hands.

"You're already injured this badly, and you still want to continue fighting?"

"Aren't you afraid of going bankrupt?"

Although he didn't understand Zhang Yu's choice, Lian Tianji, emboldened by the advertisement, was full of fighting spirit and wouldn't hold back in the slightest in front of the cameras.

So, the two sides collided fiercely without hesitation.

The force of fists and shadows of palms devoured each other.

Amidst the rumbling explosions, Lian Tianji felt his fist repeatedly striking Zhang Yu's body, and Zhang Yu's hands, covered with the Formless Cloud Barrier, repeatedly striking his own body.

This made Lian Tianji feel even more confused.

"Has he already lost the focus to maintain his techniques?"

"He's actually choosing to fight me in a trade-blows melee?"

Smack! Smack!

Watching Zhang Yu, whose body was torn open and constantly bleeding under his Exploding Wave Fist, Lian Tianji already predicted that his opponent wouldn't last long.

But 10 seconds later... Zhang Yu was still exchanging blows with him.

20 seconds later... Zhang Yu still showed no signs of stopping.

"How is this possible!"

Lian Tianji looked at Zhang Yu, who was clearly covered in blood but still full of vigor, while his own body was being hit in more and more places, and his injuries were gradually deforming his fist techniques.

At this moment, Lian Tianji only felt incredulous.

"What stimulant did he take?"

At the same time, Zhang Yu's body was filled with surging qi, flowing through his entire body like the Yangtze River.

After Limitless Cloud Hand reached level 10, Zhang Yu could activate the Formless Cloud Barrier from all parts of his body.

This meant that he could circulate the Formless Cloud Barrier to all parts of his body without harming himself in the slightest.

So, after deciding to hide his level 10 Limitless Cloud Hand, he came up with a new tactic, which he called—Subdermal Qi.

He circulated the Formless Cloud Barrier to various parts of his body but hid it under his skin, without erupting it.

At this moment, the Formless Cloud Barrier was like a suit of armor worn under his skin, enduring the various injuries that penetrated his skin.

This allowed Zhang Yu to appear covered in blood, but only his skin was injured, and no bones were truly damaged.

On the contrary, Lian Tianji was repeatedly countered by the Formless Cloud Barrier during the exchange of blows with Zhang Yu, being rebounded by his own strength.

Especially the more impatient, forceful, and fierce he became, the more turbulent and surging the power returning from Zhang Yu became.

However, the painkiller suppressed these sensations, allowing him to go all out.

But after the continuous accumulation of injuries...

Lian Tianji suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood, feeling his body tremble slightly.

"My strength, speed, and physical fitness are clearly superior to his."

"How can I not be able to beat him in close combat?"

Looking at Zhang Yu, who was covered in blood and clearly more 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 afford the medical bills?"

Withdraw the advertisement? Cancel the cooperation?

Hearing these words, Lian Tianji's eyes instantly blazed with fighting spirit, like a startled beast, and new forces immediately emanated from his body.

"Must! Immediately! At once! Defeat! Zhang Yu!"

Exploding Wave Fist! Self-Destruct Mode!

Using the explosion of spiritual energy and mana to drive this fist technique.

Seeking the limit of power at the cost of severely injuring his arm.

At this moment, Lian Tianji unleashed his strongest power.

His right arm suddenly swelled with the infusion of spiritual energy and mana.

With Lian Tianji stomping his foot, the entire arena shook violently.

In the next moment, Lian Tianji's right arm, wrapped in a cloud of blood mist, slammed towards Zhang Yu with a power beyond the limit!

Faced with this fierce punch, Zhang Yu dared not be careless. His body was filled with surging qi, and Limitless Cloud Hand and Undying Imprint were activated simultaneously.

The blood-red Formless Cloud Barrier also actively collided with Lian Tianji.

In the next instant, the fists and palms of both sides collided, and a violent explosion resounded from the stage, echoing throughout the arena, like a series of muffled thunder, attracting the attention of countless people.

Zhang Yu's body was once again blasted into a blood-red mess.

The power pushed him towards the edge of the arena like a raging tide.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

But after four steps in a row, he still stood firmly in Lian Tianji's disappointed gaze.

"You actually neutralized my punch? Your martial skill..."

Zhang Yu smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for the pressure you gave me in this battle. It finally allowed my Limitless Cloud Hand to break through the limit and reach level 4."

Hearing that Zhang Yu had broken through during the battle, Lian Tianji gave a wry smile and finally sat down on the ground.

At this moment, Lian Tianji's right arm was severely injured, and all the injuries on his body had broken out, leaving him completely unable to fight anymore.

Lian Tianji said, "I'm afraid it's not just Limitless Cloud Hand, right? It's impossible to withstand me for so long with just this martial art."

Zhang Yu nodded and said the prepared excuse: "I also practiced the Undying Imprint, which draws spiritual energy, and a body-tempering martial art."

Pretending to have practiced a body-tempering martial art to cover up the effect of subdermal qi was Zhang Yu's plan.

Lian Tianji nodded knowingly, then looked at Zhang Yu with extremely complicated eyes.

"With the conditions of Songyang High School, you were able to cultivate these three martial arts in half a year since the start of high school, and even make up for the gap in physical strength between you and me... Your martial arts talent makes me feel envious."

The rescue team rushed onto the stage and carried Lian Tianji onto a stretcher, sending him aside for treatment.

Zhang Yu, covered in blood, was also carried over, but as soon as he saw the emergency doctor coming, he quickly raised his hand to stop him and shouted, "Wait! Can you check how much it costs to treat my injuries? And how much can the insurance cover?"

Zhang Yu was really afraid of winning on the stage, but then going bankrupt and having to withdraw from the competition under the stage.

The emergency doctor frowned: "You're injured like this, and you still have time to worry about this?"

At this moment, Zhang Yu, covered in blood, was not bleeding in the eyes of the emergency doctor, but rather losing money.

Injured so badly? Isn't treating him for a hundred or eight hundred thousand worthy of his medical certificate?

The emergency doctor said while checking, "With such serious injuries, if you don't seize the time to treat them..."

He suddenly froze: "Huh? It doesn't seem like there are any major injuries?"

With the protection of subdermal qi, plus the extreme control of Full Focus state, Zhang Yu constantly avoided attacking his vital points and prevented certain areas from being repeatedly hit... This made his injuries far less serious than they appeared.

"It's just skin trauma?"

The emergency doctor said unexpectedly: "5,000 for the examination fee, 15,000 for the treatment fee, and 10,000 for the medicine fee. These are all routine items, and the insurance can cover them. Shall we start?"

Hearing this quote, Zhang Yu was shocked: "So expensive?"

The emergency doctor said impatiently: "If you don't treat them well, how can you participate in the next competition? Anyway, it's all going through insurance, what are you afraid of?"

"Okay, okay, treat it, treat it."

Zhang Yu sighed in his heart: "Alas, the insurance premium is going to increase."

The White Dragon High School's rest area.

"This Lian Tianji is quite capable."

"The physical strength he showed should be around 2.3, right?"

"This fist technique is very powerful. Coupled with his combat spirit root, his comprehensive combat strength in Purple Cloud High School should be second only to Le Mulan..."

"That student from Songyang High School is completely suppressed and should be losing soon..."

But just a moment later, in the shocked eyes of the players from White Dragon High School, Lian Tianji was the one lying down on the stage, and Zhang Yu was standing, which greatly exceeded their expectations.

"Lian Tianji actually lost?"

"This Zhang Yu actually made up for so many gaps with his martial arts..."

"And the stimulant! He must have taken a very powerful combat stimulant to last until the end."

"In that case, it's not too outrageous that Old Chu lost to this Zhang Yu."

On the stretcher, Chu Qiuhe, who had been pretending to be unconscious, suddenly twitched his eyelids slightly when he heard everyone's exclamations, and thought to himself: "Go, Zhang Yu!"

At this moment, Chu Qiuhe desperately hoped that Zhang Yu could win, although he knew it was impossible, he couldn't help but hope that Zhang Yu would knock Song Hailong off the stage and win the championship directly.

He felt that he should be the person who most wanted Zhang Yu to win in the entire stadium, after all, it was related to his campus prestige and campus status in White Dragon High School for the next two and a half years.

After all, losing to someone from Songyang? Isn't that purely useless?

But losing to the champion of the martial arts competition? That's indeed because the opponent is too strong, not his fault.

(End of this chapter)