Chapter 257 - Extraordinary
The moment the referee gave the signal, Zhang Luowei took action and immediately charged at Shi Feng.
However, Zhang Luowei did not rush forth like a normal person would, as attacking in a straight line would be too plain and predictable. Instead, he zigzagged as he moved, his footwork constantly changing as he swiftly weaved his way towards Shi Feng.
If it were any ordinary person faced with Zhang Luowei’s footwork, they definitely would not know how to react to it properly. They would be enthralled by Zhang Luowei’s erratic footwork and allow him to close in on them.
Aside from placing emphasis on footwork, Luohan Quan practitioners also stressed fast, accurate, and fierce punches. If one failed to block a punch from a Luohan Quan practitioner and received a hit to the chest, the battle would end right there and then.
Meanwhile, as a person of this modern era, and also as a professional fighter, Zhang Luowei had an arm strength of over 100 kilograms. Receiving a punch from him would be no different from being smashed in the chest with a hammer. Humans were also not made out of metal. Even if they were, after receiving tens of smashes from a hammer, they would still turn into scrap metal, needless to say what would happen to a body made of flesh. With Zhang Luowei’s physique, it would be no surprise if he broke most of Shi Feng’s ribs with a single punch, sending him flying back one to two meters away even.
However, Shi Feng was no ordinary person. Instead of retreating, he chose to advance and face Zhang Luowei head-on. Shi Feng utilized the Swimming Dragon Steps as he strode forward, his feet moving as if the ground was completely frictionless. Shi Feng immediately slid towards Zhang Luowei, catching the latter off guard. Zhang Luowei never thought Shi Feng would actually know such nimble and irregular footwork. Right now, he could not find any way to land a good punch on Shi Feng.
Shi Feng had over a decade of campaigning in God’s Domain. The combat experience he possessed far exceeded the imagination of an ordinary person. After all, there had been no dearth of martial arts masters and powerful Boss monsters to serve as his opponents in the past. On the other hand, Zhang Luowei did not even possess a thousandth of Shi Feng’s combat experience. Although Shi Feng’s current physique was no match for Zhang Luowei’s, Shi Feng made up for it by using the agility and fast reaction speed he gained from his years of battle. When fighting Bosses in God’s Domain, even the slightest mistake could cause players to lose their lives. Among the countless Boss battles Shi Feng experienced, there was many a time when he had to rely on his body’s instinctive reactions instead of his eyes to make decisions.
Such instinctive reactions were done under an unconscious state. If one wished to train themselves to this level, they needed to experience plenty of battles, regularly treading the line between life and death. However, one would rarely encounter such conditions for training in real life, even as a professional fighter. After all, when faced with a life-or-death situation in the real world, there was a high chance of losing one’s life, and once dead, there was no second chance available.
On the other hand, players could experience these life-or-death battles countless times without any risk of actual death. They could simply try again once they died in the game. This was also the reason why many professional fighters were obsessed with God’s Domain in the past.
Only when one was placed in a life-or-death situation would one be able to display one’s full potential. As long as they survived the battle, the insight they received from the battle could greatly increase their strength.
Why did so many experts in the real world train at precipices?
It was to experience the feeling of having their life hanging by a thread; they wanted to use the threat of death to stimulate their innate potential. However, taking such a course was extremely dangerous. Normally, only experts dared to do such a thing. If ordinary people tried it, ten out of ten, they would lose their lives.
Meanwhile, when a player died in battle in God’s Domain, they could just revive with an intact body.
An expert in a hundred battles. After experiencing a hundred battles, even an ordinary person could become a combat expert. Meanwhile, in regard to the countless battles Shi Feng had experienced in the past, even an idiot could become a demon. Not to mention, Shi Feng had learned plenty of martial arts in the past. He had been a top-tier Sword King in the past as well, and he had only been a thread away from being promoted to a Tier 4 Sword Emperor.
The reason he could not become a Sword Emperor, however, was not because his techniques had been lacking. After all, Shi Feng’s combat techniques had already achieved perfection at that time, and he could easily adopt many techniques to his battles, not limiting himself to just a single style of combat.
Although Zhang Luowei’s footwork was nimble, Shi Feng was clearly a cut above him. Be it a punch, a chop, or a hammer strike, Zhang Luowei sent fist after fist at Shi Feng. Zhang Luowei’s hammer strikes were especially deadly. If a bull received this strike, it would immediately fall to the ground and would not be able to recover within a short period of time. Unfortunately, every strike Zhang Luowei sent at Shi Feng would always rub past the edge of his clothes.
Meanwhile, Shi Feng was constantly drifting around Zhang Luowei’s side, revolving around him like a true dragon. No matter how Zhang Luowei tried to move, he could not escape from Shi Feng’s shadow.
After exchanging over a dozen moves, Zhang Luowei’s heart grew panicked. Never had he imagined Shi Feng to be a martial arts expert as well. When Shi Feng executed the Swimming Dragon Steps, he was like a true dragon traversing the nine heavens, advancing and retreating with ease. However, Zhang Luowei also knew that Shi Feng did not dare take him head-on. Yet, if Zhang Luowei continued his successive attacks, he would sooner or later exhaust himself completely and definitely be defeated.
“Scram!”
Zhang Luowei decided to use his finishing move, Fierce Tiger Pouncing on its Prey[1], springing at Shi Feng like a hungry tiger. Shi Feng immediately moved his feet, effortlessly dodging Zhang Luowei’s attack. Zhang Luowei took this chance to twist his body around, planting one of his feet forward as he swung his fists around, executing Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds at Shi Feng’s side.
The moment Zhang Luowei’s fists struck out, those close to the fighting ring could clearly hear the sound of wind whistling. If Shi Feng was struck by this move, he would be either dead or crippled.
Contrary to expectations, Shi Feng reacted calmly and unhurriedly. He simply smiled in reply to Zhang Luowei’s vicious attack. Putting strength into his toes, Shi Feng immediately did a flip in mid-air. He then executed the move Swimming Dragon’s Stable Strike, using his body’s momentum to redirect Zhang Luowei’s fists away, letting them strike nothing but air. Immediately afterwards, Shi Feng’s fists opened up, and utilizing the centripetal force of his body’s rotation, he struck the major artery on Zhang Luowei’s neck with his palm.
Before Zhang Luowei could properly react, he suddenly felt a chill at his neck, his breathing becoming difficult. Due to his brain receiving a shortage of blood, Zhang Luowei’s limbs started to stiffen. However, Zhang Luowei was no ordinary person. He instantly knew he had received an attack from Shi Feng, causing the response of his four limbs to lag. As a last resort, Zhang Luowei rammed his head at Shi Feng, who was currently full of openings as he hung in mid-air. Zhang Luowei was fully intent on ending the battle in mutual destruction. If Shi Feng wished to attack him in this situation, Shi Feng would have to receive the ramming attack from him.
“Good!” Shi Feng first felt surprise, then joy.
Contrary to expectations, Shi Feng did not choose to retreat and give Zhang Luowei a chance to catch his breath. Instead, Shi Feng executed the move Dragon’s Palm, taking advantage of the situation to send another palm strike at Zhang Luowei’s neck. With this strike, Shi Feng immediately redirected Zhang Luowei’s all-out charge, completely neutralizing the latter’s attack. In addition, Shi Feng’s attack was further fueled by the force of his body’s rotation. As a result, Zhang Luowei’s body spun uncontrollably in mid-air after receiving the strike, just like a rotating arrow that was let loose. Right after that, Shi Feng planted his palm on Zhang Luowei’s chest and abruptly struck down. Zhang Luowei’s body landed heavily, a web of cracks appearing on the marble floor beneath him.
At this time, Zhang Luowei fell flat on his back, blood spewing out of his mouth. Shi Feng’s attack had fractured many of his ribs, and at this moment, he did not possess even the strength to speak. Zhang Luowei’s eyes were filled with disbelief as he lost consciousness soon after.
Although this series of complex actions sounded slow when described, in reality, everything had happened within an instant.
The audience was stunned into silence. Every one of them looked at the fighting ring with dumbfounded expressions.
The two in the ring were clearly locked in battle before.
Before anyone could react, Zhang Luowei’s body was already falling to the floor, his body not even twitching as he landed.
“He actually defeated Zhang Luowei? My eyes aren’t playing tricks on me, right?” Zhao Jianhua rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was hallucinating. However, the fact that Zhang Luowei lay on the floor, unmoving, proved that he was not imagining things.
A plain and ordinary person that did not possess the presence of an expert had actually defeated a combat genius. Who could believe such a thing?
“Second Uncle, how are Shi Feng’s skills?” Zhao Ruoxi proudly asked Zhao Jianhua, who was sitting beside her, her tone making it sound as if Shi Feng’s victory was her own victory.
“Strong, very strong. However, I still feel strange when I look at him. Even though I myself am a martial arts practitioner as well, I couldn’t tell what kind of technique he used to defeat Zhang Luowei,” Zhao Jianhua said, his heart filled with questions. He then asked, “Master Chen Wu, do you know what kind of technique he used?”
TL Notes:
[1] Fierce Tiger Pouncing on its Prey: one of the moves in Luohan Quan (or Arhat fist)
No. 17
http://matrialartchinese001.blogspot.my/2013/05/shaolin-arhat-eighteen-hands.html