Three o'clock in the afternoon. December 21st.
On the center of the ring, the referee announced loudly,
"Competition between Shanbei University Martial Arts Club and Songcheng University Martial Arts Club, round one."
"Fang Zhirong versus Lin Que!"
As his voice resounded, Lin Que and Fang Zhirong rose to their feet at the same time as if they had been waiting for a long time.
Maybe out of habit or under the influence of the environment for a long time, Lin Que didn't head directly toward the ring, but fist-bumped his teammates from left to right, with the crowd cheering.
When he came to the Coach, Geezer Shi coughed and spoke only one word, not as excited as young people.
"Easy."
Easy... Lin Que repeated the word silently, a bit of a glint in his deep dark eyes.
He turned and left the seats, stepped up the stony stairs along the road of the defending champion. Horns blaring out incessant and deafening sound, welcoming Fang Zhirong to the ring.
Fang Zhirong was a shy little boy of an average height and fine, delicate features, his eyes wild as if a proud and sharp soul was hidden deep in his body.
Standing by the right side of the referee, he looked sharply at Lin Que, eyes burning with eagerness for the fight.
Not giving any impression of weakness, Lin Que stared back at him, eyes burning.
To be able to defeat a professional opponent was what every fighter expects and dreams!
Seeing such scene on the ring, the presenters couldn't help but said,
Last September, they were both highly expected talent fighter, but they never played each other. One is was overshadowed by Peng Leyun while the other was overtaken by Lou Cheng and a miracle gave a dull gray tinge to his everything. Both have some loss and frustrations. Today, this fight must have a winner and a loser. Well, a tie cannot be ruled out. All in all, the winner will regain his glory while the loser will fell depressed and suffer greater frustrations and pressures. Elder Zhang, who do you favor?"
"It's hard to say." Zhang He shook his head, not giving a certain judgment. "It has been only a few months since they have entered the Dan stage. Both are making astonishing progress now. How many moves of Fighting Sect Lin Que acquired? Is there any significant breakthrough in his "Meteor force"? What Fang Zhirong has learned from the damaged Dark Sect, Plague Sect and Magnetism Sect remain unknown to the outside. That's to say, they know little about each other. This game is full of changes."
When the presenter was chatting with guests, the referee glanced left and right then stretched out one's hand, announcing,
"The talk time starts."
Fang Zhirong smiled shyly, eyes burning with aggression, and said,
"When I was still a freshman in university, I often hear your name and people always compare me with you. It's somewhat inevitable that I'm thinking about playing you. But the club manager awoke the supernatural ability of 'Corvine Mouth', so I lose the chance. But now, I can play you finally!"
At this point, showing no modesty or courtesy, he said without any doubt,
"We'll see who is stronger, who is more in name than in reality!"
"We'll see who is the favored fighter of the age!"
Since the August, I was waiting for today, waiting for this fight to prove myself!"
Hearing his proactive and irritating words, Lin Que not even blinked his eyes, standing there silently with a poker-face, preparing and calculating.
Knowing Linque's usual behaviors, Fang Zhirong didn't care much about it. After speaking his mind, he felt much relieved, adjusted his body slightly, shifted the local magnetic field, lifting his spirit toward a climax.
As the talk time was about to end, he saw Lin Que opened his mouth, replied him in a cold voice,
"Unfortunately, you're not Peng Leyun."
Unfortunately, you're not Peng Leyun... You mean I'm not qualified? Am I still a long way from Peng Leyun? The last thing he wanted to talk about in his heart was hurt by others. So he raged with the sense of inferiority hidden deep in his heart just like a wildcat whose tail was stepped on with pupil constricted and hackles rising, about to come to the opponent and rip him up.
Sooner or later, I'll defeat Peng Leyun. Sooner or later, I'll exceed him!
And it begins with you!
Before Fang Zhirong came to his mind and suppressed his emotion, the referee raised his right hand and sliced the air with a snap, saying,
"Begin now!"
Lin Que was incredibly incisive when it came to grasping the psychology of the opponent and using the time, proving himself a top student of the School of Psychology.
However, when it came to the psychology, A doctor can't cure himself, and also has resistance to other's treatment.
With a pang of rage, Fang Zhirong arched his back, winded his way near the ground and came to the opponent. So fast and so strange of his footwork that no one could predict where he would place his feet.
Although Lou Cheng mixed Snake Steps with the mercurial balance, he was thrown into the shade compared to his footwork!
Despite the fury, Fang Zhirong was still a battle-hardened fighter. Seeing the last couple of games of Lin Que, he was impressed by his Blitzkrieg by the explosion of the Dan Stage, so he didn't even give him a chance to use it.
Rather unruffled and controlled, Lin Que didn't started aggressively but moved his muscles and fascia, walked in Yu Step, and came to Fang Zhirong, change from the passivity into the initiative.
The wind blowing on the ring, both walked around and past each other, seeking and waiting for the right time to attack. However, such moment was always covered by the opponent when it occurred. Therefore, they didn't have any touch with each other in about ten seconds as if they were performing dancing.
As the old saying goes, "the insider knows the ropes, while the outsider just comes along for the ride." When the audience was a little upset because they saw no hand-to-hand combat, Lou Cheng watched attentively.
There was a clear divide in the footwork between Brother-in-law and Fang Zhirong. One had smart turns and moved like shooting stars, attempting to win by speed and adroitness; the other turned and twisted, unpredictable and tricky like a ghost in the night.
Of course, both of them didn't get somewhere in this aspect and not so strong as Qiu Lin they have played before. This girl has gotten herself to a "Lotus Step, Thundercloud Movement" realm by practicing her family moves.
Brother-in-law has brought his Yu Step to the level of "To Tread Dubhe and Alkaid". Among every step, He was escorted by the "Dubhe Wind" and rapid crackle——that would be roughly comparable.
As they wheeled around for a while and got closer, Lin Que and Fang Zhirong grasped the chance almost at the same time. Before they could use their force and exploded "Danqi". One moved the shoulder, swung the forearms rapidly, and threw lightning-fast punches; the other pumped up his back, slid forward, and punched as quick as illusions in the night.
Bang!
Both were intercepted by each other. The two punches collided in the air, making the first thudding noise since the beginning of the game.
Seeing the two punches stop in the air, Fang Zhirong moved his elbow joint magically as if it was dislocated, raised his forearm just like a poisonous snake which climbed up Lin Que's arm with his five fingers spreading and snatched at his arm, strong, fast and accurate.
At this moment, Fang Zhirong' fingers with slight black overtones looked like poison fang, about to inject the deathly substance into Lin Que's body.
Dark Sect, "Dark Poison Force"!
This force, also called "Plague Poison Force" initially came from the Plague Sect and was acquired by the founder of "Dark Infinite Sutra". He integrated it into what he has learned, making it one of the core forces in the Dark Sect. Compared to the original one, it was less toxic but more tricky. As long as Lin Que was hit by this force, he would get poisoned unless stopped by his explosion of force.
Considering Fang Zhirong's current ability, his "Dark Poison Force" wouldn't be a fatal blow to Lin Que, but at least it would make him suffer all kinds of effects such as dizziness and difficulty breathing and weakened him considerably. "Poison" could be accumulated by time so Lin Que would fail to endure.
Just like sharp teeth, the fingers were about to bite, too fast to avoid.
Immediately, Lin Que's muscle of his arm tightened suddenly and contracted inward, so close to the bone that Fang Zhirong threw out "Poison teeth" earlier and missed the target but hit the air.
This tightness and contraction were not usual, but performed through Lin Que's "Force Concentration"!
Almost immediately, he didn't attempted to snatch at his opponent's wrist, but erupted the Dan, pressed his left foot hard against the ground. A press followed a plow!
The 16th move of the Fighting Sect, Earth Cracking!
Bang!
The sound burst out from the ring. The ground under Fang Zhirong cracked suddenly and a force rushed up like a volcanic eruption.
Lin Que has made a lot progresses in this move than before!
With an acute pain in his feet, he couldn't help but withdrew his leg and lost his balance, the body also jolted.
During this process, he put his right hand up and his spreading fingers let go Lin Que's arm, failing to grasp him again or inject the poison.
Eyes flaring, Lin Que seized the chance and started serial moves!
At this scene, Fang Zhirong neither dodged or avoided with footwork as his body shook nor used Force Concentration or made his qi and blood flow back to steady himself and resist the attack. As he staggered, he shifted his weight, moved his shoulder and threw his right hand, aiming at Lin Que's arm with the back of his hand before Lin Que could withdraw it back.
As he visualized in his mind, the black tone around his fingers took off quickly and took on a bluish color around his hand.
Bam!
Lin Que had no time to avoid when he was about to attack and the back of Fang Zhirong's hand grazed his forearm. he felt unbelievably sharp pain and everything went black as if he was fractured and hit squarely on the chin by the opponent.
Just a graze has such strong pain!
Plague Sect, Move 27, Scorpion Tail Needle!
Fang Zhirong's effort in these several months has paid off. He acquired not only Force but also two unique moves!
This blow didn't use the poison of the "Dark Poison Force" to its full power, but it could generate unusually irritating and painful feeling and affected the opponent considerably!
With the killing pain, Lin Que didn't get actual hurt in his right hand but it hurts everytime he attempted a force as if his hand was broken.
At this moment, Fang Zhirong staggered and retreated a few steps.
Lin Que knew that this thrill could be soothed by contracting qi and blood, Force and Spirit. But it meant a waste of a chance of Dan stage explosion. So he gritted his teeth and bore the pain, with restiveness in her eyes.
His face turned pale, cold sweat on his forehead.