Chapter 119: A Truly Fierce Battle
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Jiang Guosheng had a strong physique. As he straightened his back and strolled over, he not only displayed his calmness, but also exhibited the manly spirit of a fighter to its maximum. The way he controlled his pace made every step he took in rhythm, like a drummer who was beating his drum, and with every drum beat and every blast, brought his vibe to a greater height.
“Fire-like Invasion Move”, projecting his strong vibe was his priority!
Facing with the constantly increasing pressure he was exerting, the people in Songcheng University Martial Arts Club was feeling easy. There was nothing for them to worry, and nothing for them to be anxious about, as to them, the fact that Lou Cheng had rapidly finished Fang Tong meant that he had already accomplished his responsibility as a vanguard. Next, he would just need to trigger Jiang Guosheng to erupt a series of fierce attacks to deplete his energy. As long as Jiang Guosheng’s energy became weary, Lou Cheng had already won the battle.
As for whether Lou Cheng could succeed in depleting Jiang Guosheng’s energy via erupting a series of fierce attacks?
That was needless to ask!
Based on his performance just now, his current high energy level, and the fact that he had obtained a Professional Ninth Pin standard within half a year, the answer was obvious.
At this arena, only Yan Zheke, who was used to Lou Cheng creating multiple miracles in battles, was still looking forward to the next battle. On the other hand, people who were not familiar with Lou Cheng, such as Wu Qian and Zhao Qiang, were still cheering on, eagering for the second victory.
Following Jiang Guosheng’s appearance, Hongluo Martial Arts School’s external trainees and supporting disciples got rid of their disappointments as they resumed their peace. They were confident that their Senior Jiang would defeat his opponent.
They had only lost one round, what was there to be afraid of?
In the recent years, as Wang Hui had reached old age, he had self-trained lesser disciples and trainees. On the other hand, Jiang Guosheng had gradually replaced his master’s role and had started accepting disciples, as well as personally guiding them in martial arts. Thus, he had now become the real moderator at Hongluo Martial Arts School and held a high status in everyone’s heart. All of them were also impressed by his martial arts standard and were confident in him.
The only thing that required their worries and prayers was: How many times must he erupt to defeat Lou Cheng?
If he needed to erupt for seven to eight times, most likely both sides would be injured. Then how could they deal with the opponent leading player, Lin Que, in the following round?
Even with five to six times of eruption, he would also deplete lots of energy and this would affect his performance for the following rounds, which worried many.
They could only pray hard that Senior Jiang could defeat Lou Cheng with his five eruptions, so their school’s reputation would shine again and let the mass audience recognize Hongluo from a different light!
A smile crossed Lou Cheng’s face as he transformed the sweetness with Yan Zheke a moment ago into a burning passion and his determination to win. This made him crave for the victory.
A fighter should always challenge himself, and must not admit defeat lightly!
He shut his eyes as he imagined him freezing the water to ice, where he suppressed all his wants and waiting for the golden opportunity to erupt. He ignored the unseen pressure that Jiang Guosheng was accumulating and exerting, as he finally recalled a series of counterattacks for his upcoming battle:
To pretend to be wandering around the arena using mercurial balance while accumulating his strength. As soon as Jiang Guosheng drew near, he would launch a counterattack to disrupt his momentum for eruptive attacks. Lastly, he would use 24 Blizzard Strikes to suppress the opponent!
The strategy was simple. Yet on an arena where the situation would vary from minute to minute, the more straightforward the strategy, the more useful it was!
At this moment, Jiang Guosheng had arrived on the other side of the referee. His vigor had already reached its peak, looking as if it could set the prairie ablaze. He stared sharply at his opponent that stood opposite him, who still retained much of a schoolboy look in him.
As though telepathic, the second his opponent stared over, Lou Cheng gradually peeled open his eyes. His eyes were as deep as the sea, and as cool as the ice, looking as if they could put out all the fires.
They exchanged glances. On one end was a Ninth Pin fighter for years and had accumulated many years of arena battle experience. On the other end was a brand new fighter with experience in a life and death battle, whose eyes did not show any signs of hesitation and retreat. It was a fair battle.
The referee waited no further as he raised his right hand and swung it down with a large force before announcing.
“Second round. Fight!”
The moment he said his words, Jiang Guosheng’s temple swelled and his thighs’ muscles expanded, stretching his pants tightly. Next, he moved his body as he dashed towards Lou Cheng like a rapidly spreading fire.
Lou Cheng maintained his mercurial balance state. He bent his back and adjusted his center of gravity, which enabled him to escape from the opponent’s attack. His move was out of expectation, fierce and rapid, that within a few seconds, he was already a few meters apart.
Jiang Guosheng had expected such a move and was prepared for it. He wiggled his back like an earthworm, in a curl and a stretch, he switched his body direction. He was way faster than Lou Cheng and much fiercer than him. He was like a wolf or a tiger chasing after another so closely and had no fear for the opponent’s strange variations.
And this was a Professional Ninth Pin fighter, someone who could adjust his own situation based on the current circumstance, similar to Lin Que. He would only need to break through the last threshold to achieve Dan stage!
However, it seemed like Lou Cheng was only waiting for such situation to happen. He steadied his center of gravity as images of heavy lightning and collapsing snow mountains appeared in his mind. Using the force of the hot currents that rushed down and flooded the large plains, he aimed towards the opponent’s thigh, where the force stretched all the way to the sole of the opponent’s foot.
He stomped both his feet and bounced up with violent force. With such force, he turned his body and pulled back his arms. Like a launching cannon, he flew with a blast and was instantly pulled towards Jiang Guosheng. His counterattack was ferocious, rapid and violent, which not only torn apart the sound of the wind, but was also accompanied with a buzzing noise. The surrounding spectators from their home ground grew concerned over the situation and several gasping sounds could be heard!
Jiang Guosheng did not appear anxious. He tightened his hips and coccyx as he erupted with “Flaming Body” to counter his opponent’s attack.
He neither hid nor escaped after the attack. Instead, he made use of the energy which he had reserved just now to expand the muscles all over his body, till his body looked bloated by an inch. He then sprung his back and guided “all of his blaze” towards his right hand. Finally, he deflected and parried the opponent’s moves before giving Lou Cheng a hammerblow.
One pound for two punches!
Bam!
This was the first time both of them collided. The impact was so loud that it echoed throughout the arena, causing people to feel depressed and offended. With the help of his listening skill, Lou Cheng retreated his double punches from the rebound and immediately adjusted his muscles. He shifted his center of gravity, tightened his thigh muscles, and used the force to launch his attack once more.
Bam! A whip kick, which was more ferocious than the double punches just now, hit Jiang Guosheng’s shin violently. He had used the shortest way and the fastest speed to disrupt his opponent’s momentum.
Continuous strong gales and major storms hit. It was the 24 Blizzard Strikes!
Jiang Guosheng had actually intended to adjust his body, to prepare for his second eruption based on his opponent’s counterattack and his corresponding visualization. However, just when an image of a spreading fire had appeared in his mind and before he could expand his muscles to the next attack, Lou Cheng’s whip kick had already hit him. He had no choice but to hastily spread the half-accumulated strength to his right leg, as he tightened the tip of his toe and low-kicked his opponent.
Bam! The moment both of them started attacking each other, Lou Cheng went with the flow and retreated his leg. He took advantage of the borrowed strength to lean his body slightly backward, and like a catapult, he instantly threw a blast punch towards the opponent’s chest!
Just then, he noticed that Jiang Guosheng suddenly took a deep breath. His right hand was no longer facing out for an attack. Instead, he retreated it and placed it in front of his chest. Then he realized that his opponent’s mental spirit, vibe, blood, and breath had disappeared, or no, they had been reserved.
A thought struck Lou Cheng’s mind like pieces of Hongluo Martial Arts School video images and his pre-battle discussion with Yan Zheke had suddenly appeared in his mind.
This was another killer move of Hongluo Martial Arts School. The fighter would compress all the strength and energy in his body to a certain extent before erupting the killer attack, which was uniquely violent and horrifying. Without having the gathering skill of the Dan stage, it would be tough to bring the attack to its maximum power, but once you had that skill, the attack was certainly not a move that a normal Professional Ninth Pin fighter could withstand.
Extreme compression would also mean extreme rebound.
“Spark Fall Move,” and Spreading Blaze!
Judgement and decision were made within that split second. Lou Cheng took a breath, adjusted his muscles and shifted his center of gravity. Both his arms were stretched out like a horizontal frame.
Just as Lou Cheng had gone into the stance, Jiang Guosheng was suddenly bloated, and his body appeared to be two times bigger. He seemed much more ferocious than usual as his temple was vividly puffed up. In an instant, he shifted his feet inwards, drew out his right hand from the front of his chest and hit his opponent. His actions were as quick as lightning, as they split through the air.
Bam! Unfortunately, that move had hit right on Lou Cheng’s arms and he realized that the power of that move was too strong for him to stop it. Furthermore, he felt sharp piercing pain in the area where he was hit and he knew sooner or later, his stance would be fully destroyed.
Fortunately, he was prepared. Instead of holding on to his stance, he stretched his back, twisted his body, and through strength exerting on both his legs, he broke off the stance on his own. He then leaped backward and flew like a kite with a broken string. He was in “Backward Flight”.
Normally if a fighter was beaten to this extent, one could say that he was in a dangerous state. However, for Lou Cheng, he was the one who had initiated this outcome, and was still able to maintain his balance.
In Tai Chi, there was a move where one had to step back when being caught in a continuous attack to deflect the opponent’s strength. In Lou Cheng’s case, he had taken an extreme way of applying that move. Without great control of one’s own body and the absolute confidence in balancing oneself, such move would be digging one’s own grave!
During the “Backward Flight,” Lou Cheng took the situation to his advantage as he flipped his body with his back facing Jiang Guosheng. Under the pressure of the great strength, he carefully advanced his way towards his opponent without any confusion in his footwork, looking like an agile owl. On the other hand, Jiang Guosheng, who had the upper hand, was not prepared to give in. He exerted the force on his feet as he swiftly moved towards Lou Cheng. He was ready to use the final move that Lou Cheng had used to defeat Fang Tong.
Just at this instant, Lou Cheng, who had used up most of his strength, had managed to borrow the remaining strength from the situation. He adjusted his muscles and quickly channeled all the strength towards his legs.
Dong! With his “heavy” legs, he stomped onto the ground, causing the ground to tremble slightly. He then took advantage of the situation as he twisted his body and leaped forward. His skin was stretched and his body muscles were expanded. With his legs as support, he immediately threw a Mountain Blast Punch towards his opponent. Once again, he had launched an offensive counterattack!
Jiang Guosheng, like a heavy lorry that stepped on its brake, paused immediately, but in the next second, he dashed straight towards Lou Cheng. He had channeled all his accumulated strength to his legs, and as he leaped from the ground and with the help of the strong rebound, he rapidly lashed his leg. He was determined to split open what was in front of him, even if it was a millstone!
Bam!
The blast punch had stopped the leg lash, and the impact had caused a low muffled noise. Both fighters had stopped.
This had temporarily silenced the surrounding cheering noise as the spectators at the arena and the audience in front of the broadcast were stunned by the current situation. Everyone was nervous and excited about what was going to happen next.
Crack crack crack. The martial arts shoes on both fighters were split open.
The ground was marked with their footprints and cracks were revealed.
After a short moment of absolute silence, a round of reverberating applause burst out from the spectators within the stadium. No matter which side they were supporting, everyone was joyful and excited to see the battle that was purely against body strength on the arena.
Shu Rui clenched her fists tightly as a sense of hope was revealed in her eyes. She then softly heaved a sigh of relief. With this kind of battle, her live telecast would not be an issue. This meant that she would not have to be blamed for suggesting the live telecast!
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