Chapter 16: Not Retreat!

Just as Feng Zi was silently reflecting in his heart, Li Shou quietly came before him.

Before he could open his mouth to ask, he heard the other speak first: "From a normal perspective, you should have dodged my Coiling Snake Spear."

For two Martial Masters, exactly why they lost and how they should shore up their shortcomings and strengthen their advantages needed no reminder from others—they would naturally figure it out on their own.

Therefore, the only thing troubling Li Shou's heart was this very question.

Hearing this question, Feng Zi was first stunned, then laughed from the bottom of his heart:

Since becoming a Martial Master, his exchanges with others had been full of scheming; rarely had there been such a pure exchange between Martial Artists.

Therefore, he sincerely asked back: "Why should I dodge?"

At this answer that barely counted as one, Li Shou couldn't help but be stunned: "Why not dodge? Why dodge? What does this mean?"

Feng Zi had never intended to hide anything, and said frankly: "Think about it—when you set foot on the martial path, what was it for?

"Could it be that when Brother Li Shou broke through to the Martial Master realm, what you relied on was not that heart of pressing forward without retreat in your chest?

"No matter when, once we cross hands, I will not retreat—at worst, even if I end up covered in wounds, I still won't retreat!"

This answer was a bit jumbled, but Li Shou understood Feng Zi's true meaning, and said with a cupped-fist salute after a moment's thought: "What a fine 'not retreating'… thank you!"

Having said this, his expression also eased considerably; paying no heed to his own victory or defeat, he nimbly leaped out of the arena.

At the same time, Lu Hanwen also entered the martial arena, and as the two figures crossed paths, he patted the other's shoulder.

Seeing Lu Hanwen take the field, the constable came before the two of them and handed each of them a sealed bamboo tube.

"What is this?" Looking at the bamboo tube in his hand, Feng Zi asked curiously.

Toward this young Martial Master who had fought his way into the finals, the constable was also quite impressed, and explained in detail: "This is a potion to replenish Qi and Blood, refined from many precious medicinal herbs.

"The outcome of the finals concerns the heart of every person in the county; to ensure the fairness of the match, the two of you naturally must compete in peak condition."

Although the watching Martial Artists were intensely envious, they were not particularly jealous—

They all understood that this was a resource the two finalists rightfully deserved; in the end, it was simply that their own cultivation had not reached home.

Hearing this, Lu Hanwen added to him in a low voice: "According to the court's rules, a potion should be provided for every match, but Wutai County is not wealthy, so this is all it can manage."

Mm, reasonable enough.

Feng Zi thought for a moment, then, without suspicion, drank the potion in the bamboo tube in one gulp.

He did not suspect whether someone might have poisoned the potion in the tube:

A Martial Master's physical constitution far exceeded that of ordinary people; to poison a Martial Master, the cost would simply be too high—truly a case of the loss outweighing the gain.

As the bitter medicinal liquid went down his stomach, Feng Zi's eyes lit up:

He could clearly sense that the surging energy contained within the potion was penetrating deep into his body at extreme speed.

With every heartbeat, the already Fullness Qi and Blood Power within his body grew ever more vast and mighty, and the wounds on his body were healing at extreme speed as well!

As for the energy that could no longer be absorbed, it gradually seeped into every thread of flesh and blood within his body.

"Good stuff!" Feng Zi rejoiced in his heart, naturally understanding the preciousness of this item.

Lu Hanwen also drank the potion in his hand in one gulp, casually tossed aside the bamboo tube, and settled into a stance:

At some unknown time, the other had already changed into a close-fitting training garment, and an unsharpened long saber had long been drawn.

At this moment, Lu Hanwen was no longer the mild-mannered figure of before; the Qi and Blood Power around his body surged, like a divine weapon capable of splitting mountains and cracking stone!

"Good! This Lu Hanwen is also a Martial Master of Great Accomplishment!" Sensing the other's steadily rising momentum, Feng Zi was also quite delighted in his heart.

He also opened his stance, stirring up the Qi and Blood Power around his body.

Sensing his momentum, Lu Hanwen laughed brightly: "Not bad—Brother Feng Zi is also a Martial Master of the Perfection realm; I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

Perfection? Not Great Accomplishment?

Hearing this assessment, Feng Zi subconsciously furrowed his brow slightly, greatly puzzled in his heart.

But seeing the two were already prepared, the constable announced in a loud voice:

"Martial Assembly Finals, Number Twelve Feng Zi versus Number Thirteen Lu Hanwen—the match begins!"

Since the finals had officially begun, Feng Zi could only temporarily press this doubt to the bottom of his heart, and roared: "Take this fist!"

Before the words had faded, his fist had already reached Lu Hanwen's face.

Strike first to gain the upper hand! This was the fighting style he had always displayed.

"Well struck!" Lu Hanwen's figure drifted lightly, yet he did not dodge; instead, he turned his body sideways and swept his long saber toward Feng Zi's chest!

As long as one observed carefully, it was not hard to see that Feng Zi's style was never to dodge—through trading wound for wound and using momentum to overwhelm, he forced his opponent to reveal an opening.

Facing this mad-demon-like fighting style, the way to counter it was also not difficult—

That was to likewise not retreat an inch, to trade wound for wound with Feng Zi, and see who could hang on to that last breath and endure to the end!

But though the words were thus, when Feng Zi's fist charged in brimming with might, how many could overcome the fear in their hearts?

And how many could be like Feng Zi—facing a strike heavy enough to gravely wound them, with nothing in their hearts but the fierce nature of never avoiding the edge?

Lu Hanwen could do it!

Everyone said that, because he Lu Hanwen was the County Magistrate's eldest son, reaching his current realm was only natural.

But Lu Hanwen himself understood that, although the resources the Lu Family provided were certainly important, the heart of pressing forward without retreat in his chest was the true foundation of all this!

Facing the saber slashing toward him, Feng Zi merely raised his left arm and took the blow squarely.

Even though the blade had already sunk into his left arm, Feng Zi remained as if he felt nothing, only changing his move on the spot—his right fist aimed straight at Lu Hanwen's throat.

Facing this move, a rare trace of doubt rose in Lu Hanwen's heart:

As the County Magistrate's eldest son, he was familiar with every kind of martial technique in Wutai County, but this move of Feng Zi's—he had never seen it!

Out of nowhere, a thought arose in Lu Hanwen's heart: "Could it be… that Feng Zi has already begun creating his own martial techniques?!"

But now was clearly not the time for wild thoughts; Lu Hanwen tried to swing his saber, only to find the blade had sunk into Feng Zi's left arm and could not move.

At the critical moment, the other gritted his teeth, exerted force with both hands, and snapped the saber's blade!

The shattered blade sliced open Lu Hanwen's arm, but the other acted as if he felt nothing, only smashing the saber hilt toward Feng Zi's right arm.

Feng Zi felt the pain, but only gave a cold snort and continued throwing punches forward.

Unfortunately, having taken a hit from Lu Hanwen, he lost control of his direction, and his right fist only grazed past the other's cheek.

When the strike failed, Feng Zi exerted force with his left arm, and through the writhing of his muscles, squeezed the blade lodged in his flesh out.

Paying no heed to his bleeding, pain-stricken left arm, Feng Zi took advantage of the moment when his opponent couldn't withdraw in time, bent his left arm, and slammed an elbow into Lu Hanwen's chest!