Chapter 67: A Life Lost in an Exhibition Match

"Hah!"

Mao Lang let out a piercing cry, his figure transforming into a black shadow as he whistled toward his opponent.

Although his fist style carried traces of the Vajra, his execution was imbued with a distinct personal flair.

Fast as a gale, he kept his center of gravity very low, arms hanging near the ground, moving on all fours like a wild beast.

Having spent his childhood among wild beasts, he had developed a habit, and his attack posture resembled the hunting style of a predator.

This fighting style had great advantages: high speed, a stable center of gravity, and a reduced target area for attacks.

He circled Wu Yanyi, throwing punches that looked exactly like a beast biting and clawing; every move was a lethal strike.

"Proficient Jinli."

Zhou You heard the Inner Court Disciples whispering their assessment.

He was currently at the entry level of Jinli, still a long way from the level of proficiency.

The technique Lu Qiang had demonstrated to him earlier—compressing Jinli into a silk thread to pass through the eye of a needle without damaging the steel—was the realm of proficient Jinli, and also the hallmark of a master in the Jinli Level.

Although Mao Lang's movements were beast-like, he possessed the talent to hone his Jinli to a proficient level through his own insights.

In every gesture, whether it was his teeth, nails, or even his shoulders and elbows, every part used for attacking was infused with Jinli.

Zhou You realized the gap between himself and his opponent.

As a Martial Master, Mao Laoliu held a status equal to Wang Jianxiong; a youth who could make him break his rules to accept a disciple was certainly no ordinary genius.

No wonder he was willing to pay a huge price to have the Jian Xiong Martial Arts Hall build fame and momentum for Mao Lang.

"Cough, cough!"

As a Blood-Qi martial artist, Wu Yanyi far surpassed a Jinli martial artist in both technique and strength.

Facing Mao Lang's frantic assault, he responded with stillness, executing the Meng Hu Quan with flawless defense.

He used various moves with ease, his fists dancing to create a dense layer of defense, neutralizing the Jinli from Mao Lang's attacks one by one.

From this, one could see that although Wu Yanyi was the weakest of the Blood-Qi martial artists, he was not someone a mere Jinli level could challenge.

Mao Lang's seemingly ferocious attacks didn't even touch a single hair on him.

"It seems today's match will likely be a draw."

Zhou You heard Shen Sijing whisper his inner guess to his companion.

However, watching the match in the arena, Zhou You shook his head—not necessarily!

Meng Hu Quan prioritizes momentum; it requires the overbearing aura of a tiger descending the mountain, treating all beasts as prey to be hunted at will.

Zhou You had taken two lives himself, so he had a deeper understanding of the essence of this fist technique.

This fist technique only reaches its maximum power when one harbors the intent to kill.

Wu Yanyi was intentionally holding back, turning the Meng Hu Quan into a defensive style; it was like throwing away a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed.

What does a gap in realms matter? Without that aura, how could he not be defeated?

Looking again, Mao Lang was frustrated at every turn, yet his attacks became increasingly fierce.

He was gifted, and his stamina was terrifyingly strong; under the high-intensity assault, there were no signs of his physical strength declining.

Suddenly, he whipped his head and lunged, his Jinli erupting, only to be blasted away by Wu Yanyi's punch.

Using the recoil, Mao Lang retreated a few steps, an aura rising from the soles of his feet.

"Could it be..."

Zhou You was familiar with this aura; it was the characteristic buildup before a major move.

Could he also be about to unleash a Triple-Layer Technique?

The Jiba Martial Arts Hall was as famous as the Jian Xiong Martial Arts Hall, so Mao Laoliu must have taught him a trump card technique.

With Mao Lang's level of Jinli proficiency, wouldn't mastering a Triple-Layer Technique be easy?

"Rock-Breaking, Sand-Crushing."

Mao Lang's footsteps suddenly became heavy; *thump, thump, thump*, he left a footprint with every step, pressing the rammed earth floor into soft depressions.

He clasped his fists together, bringing them down like a heavy iron hammer.

Immediately after, his Jinli, wrapped in a gale, turned into a surging, torrential current that rushed forward, stinging the skin of his face.

It really was a Triple-Layer Technique, and the signature move of the Jiba Martial Arts Hall... the Gold-Snatching Triple-Layer Technique.

Although Wu Yanyi was startled, his response was not slow; he took a deep breath.

His palms swelled, wreathed in faint patterns.

"Tiger Aura, it really is the Tiger Aura."

Wu Yanyi's Tiger Aura was thin, far inferior to Lu Qiang's; the color was not iron-gray, but a stony gray-white.

Even the weakest Blood-Qi martial artist could manifest a Tiger Aura, which was not in the same league as Jinli.

Once the Tiger Aura was released, the effect was extraordinary.

Having accumulated the power of the first two moves, Mao Lang finally unleashed the last move of the Gold-Snatching Triple-Layer Technique, "Water Recedes Gold Emerges."

His fist, wrapped in a faint golden light, tore through the air and struck toward Wu Yanyi's heart.

Wu Yanyi's palm, carrying the Tiger Aura, collided heavily with his fist, triggering a deafening explosion.

It really was a draw!

Mao Lang's body swayed a few times, but he neither retreated nor fell, standing his ground firmly.

Both the disciples of the Jian Xiong Martial Arts Hall and the Jiba Martial Arts Hall thought the match ended there.

If the Triple-Layer Technique couldn't defeat Wu Yanyi, continuing would be futile; after all, the opponent was a Blood-Qi martial artist, and the gap was obvious.

Wu Yanyi thought the same; although he was reluctant to hold back, he could not disobey the Hall Master's orders.

Just as he was about to speak, his vision blurred, and he lost track of Mao Lang.

The turn of events was too sudden!

The next moment, a sense of danger rose from the soles of his feet, causing his heart rate to accelerate sharply.

Danger, a fatal danger, poured over Wu Yanyi like a basin of cold water.

"Earth-Sprouting Golden Lotus!"

Mao Lang's voice came from beneath him, and Wu Yanyi instinctively had the thought, "The heavy killing move of the Vajra Fist, Earth-Sprouting Golden Lotus."

This move was of the same grade as the White Tiger Seven Kills of the Jiba Martial Arts Hall; both were heavy moves that only Qi-Blood martial artists could master.

But Mao Lang was a Force-Energy martial artist, so how could he have mastered this move?

Zhou You, as a bystander, witnessed the entire movement Mao Lang performed.

He used his hands and feet like a beast, burrowing under Wu Yanyi's crotch to unleash a finishing move as brilliant as a golden lotus.

His fingers and arms stretched out like petals, reflecting a faint golden light, just like a golden lotus blooming after Earth-Breaking.

This lotus was dazzling and eye-catching, yet it carried immense murderous intent.

Wu Yanyi thought something was wrong and leaped up to put some distance between them, but it was too late.

One by one, the golden "lotus petals" pierced into the flesh of his feet and legs, the Force-Energy erupting like sharp blades.

In full view of everyone, this massive golden lotus slowly rotated, directly pulling Wu Yanyi's lower body into it.

Flesh and blood flew everywhere, bones shattered, and the wind blew, carrying a thick bloody mist.

"Someone's been killed!"

Zhou You's eyelids twitched; the golden lotus's coverage reached above Wu Yanyi's waist, severely damaging his internal organs.

Wu Yanyi's legs were shredded on the spot, and his waist could not be saved either.

His entire body was like something pulled into a meat grinder, his lower half crushed to pieces; this was already a fatal injury.

"Plop!"

Wu Yanyi's severed torso flew up in the rain of blood and landed diagonally on the ground.

Looking again, Mao Lang was squatting on the ground, his whole body bathed in blood and minced meat, like a beast that had just eaten a person.

The air fell into a standstill, and the surroundings were terrifyingly silent.

Zhou You could not speak, because the spot where Wu Yanyi fell was closest to him, and the gaping abdominal cavity was in full view.

There was no saving him, truly no saving him.

The abdominal cavity was wide open, the internal organs destroyed, and black blood flowed out slowly.

Amidst the complex mixture of the smell of blood and the smell of organs, there was a faint scent of death.

Who could have imagined that a mere exhibition match would actually result in a death.