Qin Fen stared, unsure whether to laugh or cry, at the man who moments ago exuded scholarly grace but now reeked of lecherous cunning, a self-proclaimed master of the Great School of Perversion.
The Federation boasted numerous masters as well. Among the renowned fighters, there were those known for soft fluidity, brute strength, or nimble agility, but never one who openly embraced being 'perverted'!
Qin Fen could sense that if Zeng Yicheng’s actual strength were placed in the real world, he would undoubtedly rank among the elite. Yet, his methods in combat were so utterly debased, and he took such pride in it.
“Kid, martial arts is combat! Winning is what matters! So what if it’s perverted? Winning is the point!” Zeng Yicheng stood up, grinning, “Wasn’t your ‘Sitting Mountain Stance’ just now also rather vile?”
Qin Fen was momentarily speechless. The fact was, the maneuver he used to claw his way back from a disadvantage had indeed been somewhat dishonorable.
“Young man, being perverse doesn't make you invincible, but it is remarkably effective,” Zeng Yicheng’s lecherous expression dissolved into one of pure righteousness, though Qin Fen was past trusting any look he gave.
“Your path is righteous, and that’s commendable,” Zeng Yicheng nodded in candid approval. “But, if someone studies you extensively, knowing your penchant for straightforward power, and then you suddenly shift your style—what do you think your opponent will do?”
Qin Fen could only nod; he had misjudged his opponent's combat style, which is why he fell behind initially.
“What if you use three perverse moves, followed by two straightforward ones, then four straightforward followed by one perverse? How will your opponent adapt then?” Zeng Yicheng chuckled smugly. “The highest echelon of perversion isn’t perpetual perversion. The style best suited to maximizing the potential of the perverse is actually your own righteous way of fighting.”
Qin Fen began to understand why Turbulent Monarch had repeatedly warned him not to adopt Zeng Yicheng’s methods wholesale. A fighting style so steeped in depravity must surely make one an outlier among the very top masters, perhaps even earning disdain from peers?
“Young man, perversion is a state of being,” Zeng Yicheng showed no signs of stopping, constantly explaining, “Even that lunatic Zaks admits I’m the toughest to deal with among the Seven Black Hole-level masters.”
“Black Hole-level? Zaks?” Qin Fen had to ask, “How do you categorize these levels? In our Federation's martial arts path, the strongest recognized rank is Galaxy-level.”
“Galaxy-level? Not bad!” Zeng Yicheng displayed the condescending praise of an elder toward a junior. “Your Federation is just recycling old rankings. Above Galaxy-level comes Black Hole-level. What? Has someone reached Galaxy-level now?”
“That…” Qin Fen shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything about that.”
Zeng Yicheng didn’t dwell on the subject, instead saying, “Kid, whether you want to learn my Perverse Martial Arts or not is irrelevant. I’ve been bored stiff for years. Come on! Let’s spar again!”
Before Qin Fen could object, Zeng Yicheng lunged again, his face radiating that familiar, cunning aura. Even the fierce, explosive style of the ‘Fierce Tiger Strikes’ was warped by him into something utterly ignoble.
In that moment, Qin Fen truly grasped the depth of Zeng Yicheng’s perversion. Their first exchange was merely an introduction to the rudimentary form; now, every move he employed was twisted into something base—that was the true Perverse Martial Way.
Martial arts integrated with one's character is the strongest martial art! This was a statement once uttered by Song Wendong, the current pinnacle of Federation martial arts. Today, Qin Fen finally grasped the essence of that truth through Zeng Yicheng.
In combat, Qin Fen rarely suffered losses or found himself at a disadvantage. Today was the first time he felt a strength that was formidable yet unusable in the face of such strategy. Zeng Yicheng’s fighting wasn't purely perverse; it shifted between fierce strength, fluid agility, and vile cunning, revealing the ultimate nature of the King of Perversion.
Such intense fighting is impossible to sustain for long, even for Three-Star masters; it’s akin to running a ten-thousand-meter race using the pace of a hundred-meter sprint. No one can maintain that tempo indefinitely.
An hour later, Qin Fen sat suspended in mid-air, panting heavily. Zeng Yicheng stood nearby, smiling gently, waiting for him to regain his breath, while secretly admiring the young man’s remarkable stamina.
Qin Fen had spent the entire night locked in this fierce battle while everyone else slept. He was fortunate that Zeng Yicheng had finally allowed him time to use the Life Restoration Art to recover; otherwise, he doubted he could have even crawled out of bed when the reveille sounded.
Upon reassembling, after the same morning run, Qin Fen found his stamina noticeably worse than the previous day, having fought Zeng Yicheng all night. Du Peng noticed this unusual state and harbored suspicion.
After both crossed the finish line, Sergeant Yan issued each of them a sack of rice, citing that their speed today was slower than yesterday’s.
As the day’s military training concluded, Du Peng, though puzzled by Qin Fen’s condition, didn’t press the issue, heading toward the gravity room instead.
With the benefit of yesterday’s experience, Qin Fen followed Squad Leader Hao to the same large training hall. Today’s instructor was Gerile, the camouflage expert. The Captain of the Air Combat Deadweights and the Gun King were absent, though the Butcher was present, seemingly enjoying the spectacle.
“Teacher Butcher, before I start learning with the other instructors today, could I spar with you one more time?”
Having been defeated so unjustly yesterday, Qin Fen’s blood immediately began to surge upon seeing Butcher, his fighting spirit instantly ignited.
This proactive challenge surprised the assembled instructors; this student was truly fierce, challenging again right after being disciplined yesterday.
Butcher threw off his uniform jacket, revealing his muscular torso, and casually adopted a stance from the military boxing manual. “Alright! Let’s go, kid!”
Bang!
The floor cracked beneath Qin Fen’s feet. Mimicking Butcher’s move from last time—an unexpected opening attack—he rushed forward, employing his trademark powerful Shaolin Arhat Fist.
A flicker of annoyance crossed Butcher’s eyes. While his fighting spirit was high, his killing intent was weak. As an instructor teaching the art of murder, he considered his student’s lack of murderous intent a failure on his part.
I’ll teach you a lesson again today! Butcher sneered, moving like a high-speed tank to meet the charge.
Qin Fen’s fighting style was simple and effective; Butcher’s killing technique was also simple and effective. The two efficiency-seekers collided, and the room instantly filled with sparks of combat.
Qin Fen possessed sharp sensory perception, but Butcher knew methods to conceal his own. Thousands of kills accumulated over the years gradually gave him the upper hand.
“Defeated!”
Butcher shouted the word with supreme confidence, but Qin Fen’s figure suddenly blurred. He unleashed the ‘Dragon Shrouding Body’ again, but this time imbued with a strange subtlety, allowing him to narrowly evade Butcher’s ‘Axe Kick.’ Simultaneously, he struck with a move that stunned everyone—the ‘Monkey Steals the Peach.’
ps: There will be another update at midnight tonight. Friends who are still awake, remember to show your support! Don’t miss clicking ‘recommend,’ not even one! Hehe. I’ll handle the highlights and updates.