Chapter 180: The Destructive Iron Hammer, Omnidirectional Shrinking Earth Technique, No Fixed Form

Back at the baseline, Jiecheng Wu assumed a return‑serve stance, lifted his gaze to stare at the figure opposite radiating a chilling aura, and said softly.

"Here's a piece of advice: use any move you have, otherwise you won't have a chance."

Mu Shou Yongsi Lang's face turned cold, and his vigilance toward Jiecheng Wu rose once again.

The previous ball he could indeed return; although the tennis ball was close and occupied the striking space, he could still instantly flip his racket and use the handle to unleash a pirate's horn for the counter.

However, even though he could return, Mu Shou Yongsi Lang was unwilling to use it, because he still needed to keep a trump card for Jia Kai for the upcoming match.

Mu Shou Yongsi Lang slightly furrowed his brows, not expecting that guy had even caught his momentary hesitation.

But even so, it was still too arrogant!

Boom!

The tennis ball flew into the sky again, Mu Shou Yongsi Lang summoned all his strength, swung his arm to strike the ball heavily, a booming crack erupted, and he continued his serve with a massive explosion.

Boom!

With his toe barely touching the ground, Jiecheng Wu pressed forward, backhanded in midair to return the big ladle, and the chaotic shifting ball shadow instantly turned into a straight beam that pierced the court.

"Ah, this point goes to Budongfeng Middle School's Jiecheng Wu, 0-40!"

Standing at the baseline, that terrifying scene lingered in Mu Shou Yongsi Lang's mind; the set had just begun, yet the power Jiecheng Wu displayed already pressed him with immense pressure.

Ping Gu Changlin's eyes were sharp; he no longer knew how many times Mu Shou had struck the ladle.

Seeing this grotesquely terrifying scene, his heart suddenly contracted.

Boom!

【7】 His arm swung in a full arc, the racket tinged with purple tracing a massive curve, the airborne tennis ball flattened, and a terrifying violet beam shrieked down from the sky.

The arm swung round, the purple-tinged racket tracing a huge arc, the tennis ball in midair flattened, a terrifying purple beam of light screeched down from the heavens.

Boom!

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School's Jiecheng Wu, 1-0!"

Boom! Clap!

Whoosh~

The net at the center of the court was brushed by the turbulence the tennis ball created, swaying uncontrollably, like a terrifying hammer of a tennis ball unstoppable, crashing straight toward Mu Shou Yongsi Lang's direction.

"Caught again."

"This!"

Mu Shou's choice was spot on; ultra‑wide defense can only be employed in the front half, since the court is vast, and only at the net could he unleash this move perfectly.

Without any hindrance, in the blink of an eye, Mu Shou Yongsi Lang's defense was shattered by that move, yet the tennis ball kept rolling.

"Sure enough, it won't work; the ball hasn't even hit the ground before the Shrinking Earth Technique catches up!" Shenwei Ming once again felt the intractability of the Shrinking Earth Technique.

He slightly opened his mouth, and the referee finally recovered from the previous rally, immediately announcing the score.

Jiecheng Wu whispered to himself, then his waist tightened sharply, pulling his whole body to spin once in midair; aided by centrifugal and gravitational forces, his racket became a massive iron hammer that struck the tennis ball with unstoppable force.

"Move! It's a drop shot!"

Another explosive retreat, Mu Shou Yongsi Lang reacted extremely fast, as if he already knew Jiecheng Wu's intention; he gripped the racket with both hands, eyes fixed on the silhouette in midair, ready to meet the upcoming smash.

Bang!

A light clang rang, and a wide‑angled arc of light swept over Jiecheng Wu's head.

"Referee, it's time to award the point!"

Such a swift, fierce volley, aside from Mu Shou, none of them could withstand.

Bam bam bam.

Then came a sound like something snapping.

"What a powerful smash, its force exceeds the big explosion by far."

The racket pointed at a hole in the wire net, and Jiecheng Wu whispered a reminder.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Jiecheng Wu slowly walked back to the backcourt; the faintest footstep sound now resonated clearly in everyone's hearts.

Seeing this, Mu Shou Yongsi Lang brandished both rackets and struck at the tennis ball.

"Then, the next move."

Squeak squeak squeak.

The still‑rapid tennis ball slammed into the wire net behind him, instantly producing a grating, teeth‑aching squeal.

"Sure enough, it's a lure."

"We must make this guy move!"

Jiecheng Wu lifted his head, then his body swiftly shifted beyond the backcourt.

Swish.

The tennis ball just bounced, and Jiecheng Wu brushed the racket diagonally down; even with such extreme position and awkward angle, he still gently sliced the ball, delivering a drop shot.

"Very clever, I really wanted to spar with you longer, but I promised the coach."

Swish!

Mu Shou Yongsi Lang took a single step, and in the next instant he was at the net, his racket simultaneously intercepting beneath the ball.

A thud of ball meeting racket, followed by the racket's landing thump.

"Oh? Finally noticed?"

The rhythm on the court shifted instantly, and the spectators outside sensed that Jiecheng Wu seemed about to act, but what use is a drop shot?

Bang!

The tennis ball rose high, and at the same time a figure leapt upward.

Mu Shou Yongsi Lang hurriedly turned to look, and a huge dent appeared on the wire net, with a tennis‑ball‑sized hole at its center.

Seeing Jiecheng Wu's composed presence lingering in the front half, Mu Shou Yongsi Lang's eyes flashed a cold light; he spread his feet, and swung his arm from down to up in a long flick.

No matter how the ball trajectory changes, as long as the tennis ball reaches a certain area in front of the opponent, the opponent can immediately counter, as if no thought is needed at all.

Tap tap tap.

"From now on, we must not give him any chance to smash a spike."

He squeezed the racket hard, silently warning himself.

Sss!

Suddenly, a terrifying blue bolt of electricity flashed across the court.

"Budongfeng Middle School's Jiecheng Wu scores, 15-0!"

"Don't get careless, I'm planning to win this set with four aces~"

A light chuckle from the opposite side reminded him, making Mushou Yongsilang's temple throb slightly, veins in his forehead exploding.

"So arrogant!"

He clenched his back molars, determined to return the next ball!

Pat pat

He gently pressed the tennis ball twice; the red ring floated in Jiecheng Wu's eyes, his crimson‑glass half‑lit pupils swept over Mushou Yongsilang's position, then the ball rose.

Sss!

In the corner of the return‑serve area, lightning burst, the tennis ball flashed a spark of electricity, but Mushou Yongsilang's body froze, unable to move a foot.

"30-0!"

"It's not that the speed is too fast to react, it's that his serve timing and angle caught the instant change in my breath."

Mushou Yongsilang felt unusually heavy in his heart; he hadn't expected the opponent's eyesight to be so sharp.

Boom!

Boom!

Two bolts of lightning flashed across the court in succession, the dazzling arcs held everyone's gaze.

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School's Jiecheng Wu, 2-0."

Watching Jiecheng Wu mercilessly take the service game, the atmosphere among the Biji Middle School crowd sank to the extreme.

"Mushou, he actually has no power to fight back."

Zhi Nian's wide eyes trembled; having defeated strong opponents across Kyushu, Mushou Yongsilang, known as the Assassin, could not even return the opponent's serve.

Is there any hope of victory now?

"Don't speak of giving up lightly; remember, Mushou is the only one we can use the Omnidirectional Shrink‑Earth Technique with!"

With Mushou absent, Deputy Minister Kai Yujiro had to step up to steady morale, yet despite saying so, the slight tremor in his eyes under the brim held no convincing power.

"We can't let him stay at the net, can't give him a chance to smash, and must protect our own service game."

In just two games, Mushou had already accumulated many restrictions, but to win the match, these are the things he must avoid.

Boom!

Jiecheng Wu wouldn't care what he thought; with a backhand flick he fiercely drove the tennis ball toward the opposite diagonal.

"Can't keep probing any longer."

Seeing the opponent easily return his serve, Mushou Yongsilang held his breath, swayed his body slightly to the left, and stepped his left foot sideways.

Whoosh!

One step forward, he was already at the left‑side baseline corner.

"Finally starting to use real skill, the Omnidirectional Shrink‑Earth Technique really is a convenient move."

Seeing Mushou move horizontally in an instant, Jiecheng Wu whispered admiration.

Because of his abnormal balance and the ability to make muscles act in different directions, the Shrink‑Earth Technique, originally only vertical, now showed a horizontal skill in Mushou's body.

"But my speed isn't slow either~"

Swoosh!

His calf muscles tightened and relaxed, and Jiecheng Wu instantly burst into swift speed, like a leopard on the hunt.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

For a moment, the court erupted into fierce exchanges; Jiecheng Wu used Qingfeng's sudden speed, returning Mushou's attacks at extreme velocity while constantly accelerating and decelerating to change ball trajectories, driving the match's tempo ever higher.

Step! Step! Step!

After unleashing the Omnidirectional Shrink‑Earth Technique, Mushou Yongsilang could move forward, backward, left or right with a single step, and reach any spot on the court in at most two steps.

So even though Jiecheng Wu's tempo had already skyrocketed, he could still tightly grip the tennis ball.

"So intense, the two give each other no breathing room; any slip will be seized and attacked mercilessly."

Although Mushou Yongsilang was constantly suppressed by Jiecheng Wu, Yiwu Shen Si did not dare underestimate him.

If I were on the court facing his Omnidirectional Shrink‑Earth Technique that can instantly move to the ball's landing point, I would hardly be able to do anything.

Even Eagle Eye can capture his position, but without a counter, it will eventually be overcome.

"The national road is still long; not only Senior Jiecheng and Senior Ju, but many others walk ahead of them."

Yiwu Shen Si took a deep breath, letting the slightly excited heart that would follow the nationals settle, and poured all his attention into the duel on the court.

"What a troublesome guy!"

One step forward, Mushou Yongsilang rushed to the net; without waiting for the ball to fall, he backhanded a flick, daring not to hit a high ball again.

Swoosh!

The tennis ball traced a sharp streak of light, slanting toward the opposite side's open gate.

"Almost done."

A murmuring, Jiecheng Wu planted both feet, surged forward at speed not much slower than the Shrink‑Earth Technique, catching the descending ball in time.

"Indeterminate strike."

The racket traced a curved arc in the air, then precisely struck the tennis ball before it hit the ground, and the indigo glow flashed and vanished.

Swish!

In the blink of an eye, the tennis ball had already reached Mu Shou Yong Si Lang's half of the court; the trajectory was simple, showing no difference.

"Pretending to be mysterious."

Swish!

Mu Shou Yong Si Lang employed his all‑direction Shrinking Earth technique again, instantly catching up with the ball's path, and swung the racket decisively.

But the next instant.

The tennis ball suddenly trembled, and directly bypassed his swung racket, flying straight out from the side.

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School Jiecheng Wu, 3-0!"

"Fan Shi Qian?"

Seeing the changed trajectory, Mu Shou Yong Si Lang's mind subconsciously flashed the name of this move, but he quickly realized the two were not the same.

The opponent's variation was not drastic, and before the swing it was almost identical to a normal pull‑hit.

"Only change the trajectory once, then I just need to wait until he changes it again before I hit the ball."

Having already lost three games, he forced his inner turbulence down, striving to find a chance to break through.

"It's not that simple."

Watching Mu Shou still not give up, Jiecheng Wu smiled faintly, noting that the unpatterned pull‑hit was not the type of technique used by Fan Shi Qian.

It resembled the Black Dragon N‑Heavy Slash that Sanada later developed in his memory.

Only Sanada used the black aura emitted by his racket to control the tennis ball at range, whereas the unpatterned pull‑hit harnesses the gust generated by the opponent's racket during a return to alter the ball's trajectory.

Thus, merely waiting and watching, this ball will not produce a curved change, but will fly out along its original path.

Just as Qingfeng holds the ball ready to pass the opponent; once the opponent does not react, the feint becomes a real move.

Bang!

Sure enough, after Mu Shou Yong Si Lang waited for a long time, the tennis ball showed no sign of change, but when he prepared to strike, the ball had already darted away.

Bang!

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School Jiecheng Wu, 4-0!"

Bang!

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School Jiecheng Wu, 5-0!"

Bang!

Jiecheng Wu flicked the racket, producing the final blast.

Mu Shou Yong Si Lang strained to swing his racket, intending to return the ball before it changed, but the faster he swung, the quicker the ball's variation accelerated.

Swish!

In his ferocious eyes, the tennis ball bent at a huge angle, looping around before his racket, then leapt off the ground and flew out.

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School Jiecheng Wu, 6-0!"

"Match over, Budongfeng Middle School wins, 2-1!"

With the referee's voice concluding, the singles‑2 match ended, and cheers from the Budongfeng crowd rose outside, especially loud from Shenwei Ming and Shitian Tie.

"Jiecheng has become stronger."

Ju Juping clenched his fist, feeling his steps farther from Jiecheng Wu's, and realizing he must catch up.

"Coach, the mission is complete."

"Hmm."

After the report, Ji Le Taizao lightly tapped his forehead with a finger, his gaze puzzled as he watched Jiecheng Wu's back.

"It appeared again."

"Why can he develop so many abilities that are completely different from his original path?"

"Schizophrenia?"

Mu Shou Yong Si Lang didn't know how he left the court, as if dreaming, his mind dazed, legs weak, until he turned his head to look at the scoreboard.

He then realized he had actually lost the match 0-6.

"Mu Shou."

Jia Ai Yu Ci Lang hurried forward to support the other, feeling both worry and utter bewilderment.

The chief's crushing defeat brought consequences far beyond merely losing a game; it dealt an almost fatal blow to Bijiagao Middle School.

He turned back to look at the crowd; aside from Pinggu Chang Lin who could stay as calm as he, everyone else's morale fell into despondency.

In this state, how should we face the upcoming matches?!

"Zhi Nian Kuan, pull yourself together; no matter what, it's not over yet, we can still win the double‑singles match!"

Jia Ai Yu Ci Lang gave Zhi Nian Kuan a hard slap, hoping to wake him up this way.

However.

"Next, the Double‑Singles No. 1 match will begin, with Budongfeng Middle School's Ju Juping and Ji Le Jing Xing facing Bijiagao Middle School's Jia Ai Yu Ci Lang and Zhi Nian Kuan."

"Both sides, please step onto the court."

The voice from the broadcast echoed across the court, and Jia Ai Yu Ci Lang's expression froze instantly.

"Ju Juping!?"

He quickly turned his head to look.

A strikingly imposing figure already stood on the court, meeting his lion‑like eyes, and Jia Ai Yu Ci Lang's heart suddenly skipped.

Under Ju Juping's relentless barrage, even though Jia Ai Yu Ci Lang struggled desperately, it still made no impact.

It was only twenty minutes.

The lion's aura had already completely conquered the entire field.

「game，Budongfeng Middle School Ju Juping, Ji Le Jing Xing, 6-0！」

「The match ended, Budongfeng Middle School won, score 3-1。」

The referee's verdict had just been announced, and the spectators outside the field had already burst into cheers.

「Budongfeng！」

「Budongfeng Middle School successfully advanced to the semifinals, marching onto the national top four！」

「Long live Budongfeng！」

「It's over。」

「Just as expected, Budongfeng still stood in our way。」

In a corner of the stands, in a spot where no one was paying attention.

Several people wearing yellow-on-top, green-on-bottom uniforms stood there, taking in the match between Budongfeng and Bijia Middle School.