Chapter 36, Sparring

Translator: StarReader

 

Su Chen watched as Ah Chou finished every bit of the medicinal snake soup in the clay pot, including the snake meat and dregs, before finally appearing satisfied.

 

Over the past half year at the Heaven Falcon Group, Ah Chou had accumulated a considerable amount of internal injuries. After consuming this blood ginseng tonic, he would recover seventy to eighty percent of his injuries. With another month of rest and recuperation, he would be fully healed. From then on, when cultivating the Lower Dantian, he would definitely be a breeze.

 

Su Chen took out the remaining half of the blood ginseng from his chest and handed it to Ah Chou, saying, “Keep this well-hidden and don’t lose it. Slice off a piece every seven days to boil in soup and drink. It will help temper and stimulate your blood and vitality. In roughly two or three months, you should be able to break through and reach the third-rate realm.”

 

“Brother Chen, I’ve just drunk this blood ginseng tonic. You’ve already spent too much money on me. This blood ginseng is far too valuable; you should keep it for your own body tempering instead of giving it to me!”

 

Ah Chou hurriedly declined.

 

Su Chen forcibly placed the uneaten blood ginseng into Ah Chou’s hand and spoke earnestly, “When I came to Gusu County City last year, if it weren’t for your hospitality, I might have frozen to death on the streets. I no longer lack herbs; this blood ginseng means little to me. However, it would be extremely beneficial for your cultivating of the Lower Dantian.

 

“Didn’t we agree to venture out together in the martial world and become great martial artists? I’m already a third-rate practitioner and have truly entered the martial realm. If you don’t seize this chance, in a few years you might not even be able to keep up with me. If you don’t become a martial powerhouse, how can we go out and venture together? I don’t want someone holding me back!

 

“Are you just going to let those outer disciples and Young Master Wang push you around all your life? I won’t step in to help you beat them—I want you to learn some skills yourself. Cultivate until you become a third-rate practitioner, and use your strength to take them down, making sure they never touch you again.”

 

“I’ll definitely work hard at cultivating!”

 

Ah Chou, with tears streaming down his face, accepted the remaining half of blood ginseng and nodded resolutely.

 

There was something he kept to himself—he silently vowed to push himself in cultivation. He swore he’d train relentlessly, and once he made a name for himself as a martial artist admired by all, he’d repay Su Chen in full.

 

After finishing the snake stew with blood ginseng, a powerful tonic that would need to be activated and spread throughout his body, clearing out the blockages from his veins and maximizing its effects.

 

Su Chen told Ah Chou to go practice outside the City God Temple.

 

Ah Chou went through his skills in the open field outside the temple.

 

The martial arts techniques Ah Chou was employing were all learned from the shadows in the Heaven Falcon Group, and as such, lacked any coherent structure. His performance was a chaotic mix of punches and kicks, appearing completely disorganized.

 

However, each move he executed was carried out with precision, indicating that he had put considerable effort into mastering these techniques.

 

Su Chen observed him from the sidelines, nodding approvingly. Ah Chou’s technique, though somewhat erratic, remained remarkably consistent—evidence of his diligent efforts. The sole issue currently was his lack of foundation; his vital energy was weak. With the aid of tempering herbs, which would bolster his constitution and invigorate his body, his muscles and bones would strengthen. Consequently, his cultivating would progress quicker.

 

After half an hour of practicing, Ah Chou was drenched in sweat, thoroughly exhausted yet exhilarated. The herbs’ effects permeated his entire body, inducing a sensation of unparalleled comfort, as if his frame had grown lighter. Areas where he previously felt discomfort or pain were healed.

 

He was filled with astonishment and delight. The pot of snake soup infused with blood ginseng proved to be an incredibly restorative dish, nearly eliminating the stagnant blood in his system and curing him of his bone ailments while simultaneously invigorating his vital energy.

 

Feeling far from satisfied, Ah Chou practiced a series of punches and footwork moves on his own.

 

He thought back to when Su Chen had fought with a group of beggars earlier. Su Chen had moved gracefully among them, embodying the style of a young masterful fighter, which made him itch with envy.

 

Though he had stolen a few techniques, he had never engaged in actual combat. Every time Young Master Wang brought a group to ‘spar’ with him, he would cower, holding his head as they beat him up. He never retaliated for fear of being beaten even more savagely.

 

It was precisely because he lacked combat experience that Ah Chou felt unsure about himself. Earlier, when he saw the group of beggars at the City God Temple, he had been struck with fear.

 

“Brother Chen,” Ah Chou said, his spirits lifted, “let’s spar! I’ve learned martial arts by sneaking into the Heaven Falcon Group, but I’ve never faced anyone in combat. I don’t know how strong I am. Today is a good opportunity to test myself against you.”

 

“Alright,” Su Chen grinned. “If you can land a punch on me, you win.”

 

He had been watching Ah Chou’s martial arts with growing interest, often pondering a spar. Su Chen took a defensive stance, reflecting his readiness. His combat experience was limited, confined mostly to sparring sessions with Zhang Tieniu and Yang Caizhi.

 

The inner disciples, Wang Fugui and Li Jiao, were known for their advanced cultivation and mastery of higher-level martial arts. Wang Fugui once subdued the formidable Zhang Tieniu with a single move, underscoring his immense strength.

 

Feeling inferior, Su Chen avoided challenging them, deeming his basic skills inadequate. However, after achieving mastery of Upper Dantian’s perception, he gained confidence in his abilities. Tragically, Su Chen was assigned to guard the herb garden at Medicine King Estate’s back mountain, isolated and unable to train with others. Thus, he remained uncertain about his true combat capabilities, content to believe he was adequate.

 

Among third-rate practitioners, he believed to be above average.

 

When Su Chen arrived at the City God Temple, he wasn’t intimidated by the unarmed beggars. He charged in like a tiger among sheep, scattering them in all directions.

 

Noticing that Ah Chou didn’t seem to have much combat experience, Su Chen figured that sparring together would be more effective for improving his experience than just sitting alone and fumbling in the dark.

 

“Watch this! Eagle Claw!”

 

Ah Chou broke into a sprint, charging at Su Chen with all his might. Leaping into the air, he unleashed a claw from mid-air, diving down like a falcon to deliver a powerful strike, enhancing the force of his strike by leveraging gravity.

 

“Great! Eagle Claw is bold and aggressive, opening wide and leaving no room for retreat—it’s a frontal assault meant for direct confrontation… But it’s best not to use it against someone stronger than you. Otherwise, when you clash head-on, you will be the one to lose.”

 

As Su Chen spoke, his eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

 

Despite being an uninitiated practitioner, Ah Chou’s punch carried the force and style of a nearly third-rate practitioner. The momentum from his diving leap added significant power to the strike, delivering a blow that could easily pack forty kilograms of sheer strength.

 

Su Chen avoided charging straight ahead and instead retreated with a simple step, slipping sideways by an inch. Ah Chou leaped down from mid-air with a ferocious punch, but the force of his strike narrowly missed Su Chen, hitting nothing but air. Ah Chou was shocked, unable to release his pent-up strength, making him extremely uncomfortable. After landing, he pressed forward again, continuing his relentless assault.

 

Su Chen’s defense was straightforward—he sidestepped with a fluid movement while keeping a close watch on Ah Chou’s techniques. Ah Chou’s moves shifted rapidly: first the Tiger Pounce Fist, then the Diamond Palm, followed by the Mantis Kick. His attacks were chaotic and lacked any coherent system; it seemed he just unleashed each move as it came to him. Yet, Su Chen noticed that all these techniques shared a common trait—extraordinary force and ferocity.

 

It appeared Ah Chou had spent his time learning only the most powerful moves. The weaker techniques were completely ignored. Su Chen pondered this while staying calm and composed, moving with ease and grace as he dodged each strike effortlessly.

 

Given his skills, even ten Ah Chous couldn’t stand a chance against him.

 

Before Ah Chou could fully execute his move—whether it was a quick hand gesture or a swift kick—Su Chen already knew the force behind his strikes, the direction of his attacks, and all the possible follow-up moves he might make next.

 

The outcome of this sparring session was a foregone conclusion.

 

Ah Chou felt a deep sense of dismay as Su Chen dodged effortlessly, avoiding his attacks with precision that left no room for error. No matter how hard Ah Chou pushed himself, trying to land even the slightest touch on Su Chen’s clothing, there was always that one-inch gap he couldn’t bridge.

 

After dozens of moves, Ah Chou understood the helplessness and fear that Eight Zhu and his group of beggars experienced when they surrounded Su Chen. It felt like he was trying to fight his own shadow—a frustrating and terrifying experience.