Chapter 311: You Lost, A Weed in the Mud! (Part 1)

【Sima Pan did not assume a stance.】

【"Young Master Guan, I assume you have never sparred with anyone before."】

【"In that case, let us start with some feeding of punches. Young Master Guan, execute the Six Forms of the Fist, and then follow with a single 'Mountain-Shattering Hand'."】

【After all, given the young master's cultivation and age, this act was indeed a bit like bullying the young, he mused to himself.】

【Seeing your hesitation, Sima Pan laughed aloud:】

【"I shall only use the strength of the Third Realm of Martial Arts. If Young Master's Mountain-Shattering Hand can force me back even half a step, then I have lost."】

【You looked toward him and saw his Qi and blood surging like a tide, his arm muscles knotted, his mouth split into a grin showing snow-white teeth.】

【A bright light also appeared in your eyes.】

【These two months of martial cultivation, day after day without fail, had not seen the slightest slackening.】

【You were confident you would not be inferior to anyone.】

【You executed the Six Forms of the Great Ancestor Holy Ape Stakes one by one, while Sima Pan merely parried, never faltering.】

【"Ape Strikes the Mountain!"】

【"Long Ape Covers the Sea!"】

【"Giant Ape Lifts the Mountain!"】

【Sima Pan blocked with his hands, his eyes flashing with brilliance as he blurted out: "What a fine fist technique!"】

【The youth in green robes fluttered, his movements whistling through the air, black hair flying with the wind, his eyes full of spirit.】

【His posture was agile, power stored in his fists.】

【The scholarly air from before had vanished completely.】

【Sima Pan had initially worried that this Young Master Guan might only know "dead fists," or that his strikes would be "feeble" and constrained by scholarly habits.】

【However!】

【When he easily blocked the youth's fierce punch with his hand, a brighter smile curled at the corner of his mouth.】

【There was power in it!】

【"Young Master Guan, the power of a punch originates from the waist, and the foundation of waist power lies in the hips. The standing stakes of the Holy Ape Stakes are the essence of the Six Forms; as the saying goes, 'discard the spear to become a fist'."】

【Sima Pan intended to guide you, saying in a deep voice: "When attacking, always reserve three parts of your strength; this is the way of Yin-Yang balance. Movement is the peak of Yang, and weakness is Yin; an attack is a flaw. Only when movement and stillness are balanced can one remain invincible."】

【You understood instantly, and your fist technique no longer sought pure speed, instead becoming fast and slow, gaining much more variation.】

【"Three parts fist power, seven parts footwork. Pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing; think of the walking stakes in the Holy Ape Stakes."】

【The youth heard this, exhaled slowly, his steps became unpredictable, and his waist and back exerted force.】

【After forty moves, both sides were cycling through the Holy Ape Six Forms, parrying and attacking without hesitation.】

【Sima Pan's initial appreciation gradually turned into astonishment.】

【You must know!】

【Fist techniques are divided into practice methods and combat methods. Some progress rapidly during practice but feel fear and panic when facing an equal opponent, proving useless.】

【Others can challenge those of higher levels in combat.】

【Fast practice and strong combat—such people are martial geniuses.】

【Just as Sima Pan was momentarily distracted, the youth opposite him seemed to capture this rare opening.】

【The fist style in his hands changed quietly; the Six Forms had merged into one.】

【His hands seemed to be lifting a heavy stone tablet, leaping lightly, borrowing his own weight to slam fiercely toward his chest.】

【Seeing this, Sima Pan raised a brow and laughed: "Mountain-Shattering Hand!"】

【At this moment!】

【It was already too late for him to dodge. If he were to dodge, he would inevitably have to use the Qi of the Middle Three Realms, which clearly violated the rules he had set for himself.】

【The youth had seized this opportunity perfectly!】

【Sima Pan bent his knees slightly, lowered his chest, and prepared to take the move head-on.】

【Your hands slammed into Sima Pan's chest, feeling as if you had struck a block of cast iron, the rebounding force making your hands ache.】

【This was the strength of the Middle Three Realms!】

【Their bodies had long since transcended the scope of ordinary people; they could wrestle with wild beasts and kill tigers with a single punch.】

【Ordinary blades could not pierce their skin, and even their fingernails had become as hard as blades.】

【Sima Pan felt the palm force on his chest, which had the strength of two oxen, and marveled inwardly: "Truly the 'Mountain-Shattering Hand' of the merged Six Forms, and executed so skillfully that it can be used at will."】

【With this move!】

【Ordinary Third Realm martial artists would likely struggle to survive a few moves under this Young Master Guan.】

【However!】

【Sima Pan's cultivation realm was profound. Although he only used the strength of the Third Realm, his years of cultivation meant his bones and tendons were far from ordinary.】

【That mere strength of two oxen was insignificant to him, unable to shake him in the slightest.】

【He stood as steady as a rock, as if rooted to the ground, not moving an inch.】

【His chest rose and fell slightly, skillfully channeling the impact into the ground and neutralizing it.】

【Sima Pan did not intend to strike back; he already understood that the Holy Ape Six Forms had been fully displayed, and he had gauged the young master's realm and strength.】

【Just as he was about to speak, a soft and lingering palm force suddenly came from his chest.】

【"Internal Strength!"】

【Sima Pan was startled. Having just retracted his force, his body—tempered by years of "hundreds of battles"—instinctively made the best reaction, retreating half a step to dissipate the palm force.】

【Sima Pan was momentarily stunned, recalling the broken stone slab from earlier, which looked fine on the surface but was shattered into several pieces at the bottom.】

【The youth had already retracted his stance, his eyes shining with water-like brilliance, a faint smile hanging on his lips.】

【"Sima brother, you lost!"】

【Sima Pan looked at the footprints he had left when retreating half a step and frankly admitted: "I lost."】

【As a martial artist who had stepped into the Sixth Realm and was only one step away from the Upper Three Realms, losing to a youth who had only studied fist techniques for two months...】

【Even though there was an element of trickery, it was enough to shock anyone.】

【He looked at the Young Master Guan again; the youth had already returned to his quiet, scholarly appearance.】

【The dilapidated courtyard was patched up, and the snow on the ground had not yet been fully swept away.】

【In the courtyards of other young masters and misses, the servants would have long since swept the snow clean.】

【Sima Pan suddenly understood why his own master, Sima Ting—a high-ranking official holding great power—would so eagerly befriend this illegitimate son of another family, a private son with no support.】

【The youth was definitely no creature of the pond!】

【This kind of weed growing in the mud, once it receives a ray of heavenly light, will grow wildly and eventually become a towering tree.】

【Sima Pan did not linger, bowed to wish you an early New Year, and prepared to leave.】

【You took out some sliced spiced beef and large chunks of venison from the room—which you had asked Sister Wu Tong to prepare—each with a blessing written on it, and gave them to Sima Pan as a return gift.】

【"Sima brother, the gift is light but the sentiment is heavy."】

【Sima Pan laughed in response: "Young Master Guan, if there is any news in the future, just find me on Feisong Street."】

【As for wishing Sima Ting a Happy New Year, you decided to visit him personally near the end of the year or early next spring.】

【There was still the Flower Banquet the day before New Year's Eve, so there was no rush.】

【Sima Pan left, walking through the snow out of the West Garden. Not until his figure disappeared from sight did you return to the courtyard.】

【You looked at the Middle Three Volumes of the "Great Ancestor Holy Ape Stakes" in your hands, a smile appearing on your face.】

【The cultivation method for the Middle Three Realms of Martial Arts had finally been resolved.】

【You looked at the broken stone slab at the courtyard gate, which Xie Yuan had "gritted his teeth" to move to that spot.】

【You raised your middle and index fingers, forming a sword gesture, and visualized the "Slaying Demon Sword" in your heart.】

【You made a light stroke across your chest and pointed at the stone block.】

【You smiled lightly and walked slowly back into the room.】

【It was noon, the sun was shining, the snow had melted somewhat, and the water from the melting snow on the roof dripped with a rhythmic sound.】

【After you left, the large stone slab slowly split into four pieces, revealing the smooth cut surfaces inside.】

(End of Chapter)