The onlookers were momentarily stunned, then erupted into laughter: "Who is this foreigner they've brought in?" Someone immediately bellowed towards Wan Zhenyuan, "Sect Master Wan, why did you let these Japanese inside?" Wan Zhenyuan had not expected these few Japanese men to be so eager for action. He frowned, stepped forward, and said to Master Cinnian, "Master Cinnian, haven't we agreed on something?

Why are you breaking your promise?" Cinnian smiled faintly and replied, "Sect Master Wan, my disciple Shen Xiu is eager to test his skills against a worthy opponent—surely that doesn't constitute breaking an agreement? Besides, I don't recall promising anything definitive in the first place." Saying this, he called out loudly to Zhang Cunyi in the arena, "My friend, I have a novice disciple here who wishes to consult you on the art of spiritual combat.

Would you be willing to grant him this instruction?" Zhang Cunyi observed the Japanese man, whose bearing was extraordinary; he stood there with the chilling intensity of a wild beast, exuding an aura of piercing coldness and murderous intent—clearly a master. Yet, with the Three Sovereigns Sword in hand, Zhang Cunyi felt no need to regard this Japanese man highly.

He laughed heartily, "Fine, let him come. It will give you all an eye-opener!" Wan Zhenyuan felt a surge of hidden anger, but since Zhang Cunyi had agreed, he had no grounds to object, so he forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes and said, "If that is the case, then I have nothing further to say." Shen Xiu was clad in a sharp, tailored suit, complete with a tie and shoes polished to a mirror sheen.

He looked less like a cultivator engaging in spiritual battle and more like the handsome young professional often seen in Japanese dramas. Shen Xiu entered the center of the ring, bowed deeply to Zhang Cunyi, and asked, "Venerable Zhang, what shall we contest in our duel of skills?" Zhang Cunyi chuckled, quite full of pride, "Pick anything you like.

Whether it’s a clash of magical artifacts, a contest of spells, close-quarters grappling, or even a battle of literary wits—I excel in all of them. Anything will do!" Shen Xiu smiled softly, a hint of cunning and disdain deep within his gaze, though his expression remained one of utmost humility and deference.

"Then, Venerable Zhang, if we engage in a true martial contest, this building might not withstand the impact. I suggest we perhaps test our skill with bare hands.

What do you think?" Zhang Cunyi gestured, recalling the Three Sovereigns Sword from the air and re-securing it close to his back. He stood proudly, hands behind his back, and stated, "Excellent.

Hand-to-hand combat it is!" Shen Xiu smiled again, "Then, Venerable Zhang, I ask that you show mercy." Zhang Cunyi laughed uproariously, "Rest assured, I won't hit too hard!" The crowd also laughed along, "Venerable Zhang, don't make him cry!" Li Yundong, watching from the sidelines, sensed impending doom as he saw everyone’s complacency. He muttered softly, "This is bad; Zhang Cunyi is far too dismissive!

I’ve met this Japanese man before; his qi is formidable, yet chillingly cold—a truly troublesome opponent. Even without underestimating him, Zhang Cunyi might not be his match, let alone now, while he is so arrogant!" Zhou Qin, standing nearby, sneered, "Then we'll just watch him become a laughingstock.

Who told him to be so overbearing?" Li Yundong immediately glared at Zhou Qin and hissed, "Nonsense! Zhang Cunyi and I have personal grievances, but his fight against the Japanese is a matter of national honor!

If he loses, it's not just his face on the line; it’s the face of our entire Chinese cultivation world! How dare you mix personal grudges with public duty and gloat?!" Zhou Qin was momentarily stunned; Li Yundong had never scolded her so harshly.

Her face instantly flushed crimson, and she mumbled, "I apologize, Master; I was wrong." Li Yundong ignored her, stood up abruptly, and called out loudly, "Venerable Zhang, be careful! That fellow is extremely difficult to deal with!" Zhang Cunyi glanced at Li Yundong, completely unimpressed, and sneered, "Venerable Li, why don't you step in yourself?

Oh, wait, I just remembered—you can't step in anymore! Hahaha!

So, you should just sit quietly on the side!" These words ignited fury among Ziyuan, Ruan Hongling, and the entire Fox Zen Sect disciples. Su Chan tugged at Li Yundong’s sleeve and whispered, "Sect Master, some people mistake good intentions for ill will—a dog biting Lü Dongbin.

Perhaps you should stop speaking." Ruan Hongling exclaimed in anger, "Zhang Cunyi, how can you repay kindness with such ingratitude?" Zhang Cunyi looked at her and sneered coldly, "Venerable Li, I suggest you focus on controlling your own followers first!" Ruan Hongling shrieked in rage, instinctively starting to rise to unleash a torrent of abuse at Zhang Cunyi, but Ziyuan immediately grabbed her, hissing quietly, "What are you doing? Do you want to embarrass us?

Sit down! If Zhang Cunyi refuses to appreciate his warning, let him face his own fate.

We don't need to pick a fight with ourselves." Ruan Hongling snorted heavily, "I have never met such a narrow-minded man! Despicable!" Li Yundong shook his head, slowly sat back down, and sighed, "Alas...

Zhang Cunyi is so careless; I fear the outcome will be grim." Ruan Hongling retorted hotly, "Then let him make a fool of himself! Is there no one left in the Chinese cultivation world if he loses?" Li Yundong sighed, "These Japanese already look down on our Chinese cultivation world.

If he loses, they won't just stop fighting; they’ll go back and loudly proclaim how they defeated a master from our world. What then?" Ruan Hongling was momentarily speechless, stuttering, "They wouldn't be that shameless, would they?" Ziyuan commented, "That is highly possible.

Such incidents frequently occur in the martial arts world, and they haven't been unheard of in the cultivation world either!" It was only then that the crowd let go of their prejudices and looked toward the ring with deepening concern. Zhang Cunyi now clasped his hands in a formal gesture toward Shen Xiu and asked loudly, "May I ask this friend's esteemed name?" Shen Xiu bowed and replied, "I am Shen Xiu, the forty-fifth generation disciple of Koyasan in the Shingon Esoteric School.

I look forward to your guidance!" Hearing this, the crowd began to tease, laughing, "Shen Xiu? Hey, why did you take the name of our Chinese Northern Chan Sect's founder, Master Shen Xiu?" Shen Xiu paid them no mind, his slight smile fixed, his gaze locked steadily on his opponent.

Zhang Cunyi smiled faintly, "I am Zhang Cunyi, the fifty-sixth generation successor of the Qingyang Palace in Sichuan. I seek your guidance!" With that, he took a half-step forward, balanced lightly on his toes, lowered his stance toward the ground, and adopted the posture of the Wandering Dragon Baguazhang.

The onlookers noted the solidity of Zhang Cunyi’s foundation, as firm as the roots of an old tree, and how his robes moved in the breeze like gentle valley winds—clear evidence of mastering the essence of Baguazhang. Li Yundong observed this and nodded slightly, "Not bad.

Zhang Cunyi’s foundational skills are excellent; worthy of a descendant of a famous lineage." Ziyuan agreed, "Indeed, quite good. I wonder what art this Shen Xiu employs." As they spoke, Shen Xiu assumed an arrow stance: his right arm extended forward, four fingers pressed together with the thumb tucked in, resembling a steel blade held high.

His left arm remained bent close to his body, clenched into a fist, like a cannon ready to fire instantly. Zhang Cunyi recognized the posture as the "Blade Arm" technique from Japanese Karate.

He smiled faintly and remarked, "Ah, Karate. This style possesses ample rigidity but lacks inherent flexibility—a fundamental flaw.

Today, I shall show you the perfect blend of hardness and softness found in Baguazhang!" He then beckoned to Shen Xiu and laughed, "As the guest, please take the first move." Shen Xiu offered no politeness. With a sudden, sharp shout, he moved forward in rapid steps, the right hand near his waist swinging out in a powerful punch aimed at Zhang Cunyi's torso.

The punch carried immense force, moving with the speed of thunder and the swiftness of lightning. Zhang Cunyi felt a blur before his eyes, and Shen Xiu's fist was already upon him.

Zhang Cunyi was momentarily startled, thinking: This devil’s strength is enormous, and his punch is this fast? Despite his surprise, his lifelong martial arts training anchored him.

Instinctively, his body seemed to detach itself, spinning like smoke behind Shen Xiu. His left hand flipped over, aiming a palm strike directly into Shen Xiu's abdomen.

The crowd, witnessing Zhang Cunyi's movement—a truly elegant flash of changing positions—could not help but cheer loudly. Li Yundong relaxed slightly and nodded, "Good.

As the saying goes, 'Fierce Baji, Slippery Bagua, Tricky Taiji, Poisonous Xingyi.' Zhang Cunyi’s gliding step truly captures the essence of Baguazhang's deceptive fluidity." Baguazhang emphasizes footwork; over half its practice is spent on the feet. With this circumvention, Zhang Cunyi instantly gained the superior position—'When the enemy is in front, I move to the rear.' He felt a surge of joy, believing victory was assured.

Just as his hand was about to make contact, a distorted face abruptly appeared on the back of Shen Xiu's head. This face was savage, like a malevolent ghost, its eyes bloodshot, exuding a terrifying killing intent.

The face glared at Zhang Cunyi. In that instant, Zhang Cunyi felt his entire body seize up, as if an intensely cold and bone-chilling force was penetrating directly to his marrow, freezing his blood almost solid!

A cultivator's true energy and strength derive from their blood circulation. With Zhang Cunyi’s qi and blood flow suddenly obstructed, both the power and speed of his strike slowed considerably.

Immediately following this, a visible black mist rapidly spread from behind Shen Xiu, coiling around Zhang Cunyi’s attacking hand like a ravenously growing vine. Zhang Cunyi’s expression turned to utter shock, and he attempted to quickly pivot away from Shen Xiu’s side.

But Shen Xiu spun around abruptly, executing a "Returning Blade Hand" strike aimed at Zhang Cunyi's neck. With his circulation frozen and his speed drastically reduced, Zhang Cunyi desperately wanted to flee, but his feet felt as if weighted with lead.

Out of options, he could only duck his head to evade the strike. But the moment he ducked, the Three Sovereigns Sword strapped to his back was exposed.

As Shen Xiu’s hand swept over his head, he smoothly rotated his wrist and instantly snatched the Three Sovereigns Sword. A chill ran down Zhang Cunyi’s spine.

His heart plummeted with shock, anger, urgency, and panic. He recklessly surged forward, roaring, "Give me back the Three Sovereigns Sword!" But this charge played perfectly into Shen Xiu's trap.

Shen Xiu delivered a heavy, thunderous punch straight at Zhang Cunyi. Zhang Cunyi was now utterly disorganized, his internal qi stagnant and unresponsive.

There was no way he could evade this lightning-fast strike. He let out a scream, vomiting a mouthful of blood as his body was sent flying sideways.

The crowd's cheering had not yet faded when the situation on the field was abruptly decided. Everyone was stunned into silence, except for Shen Xiu, who stood holding the captured Three Sovereigns Sword, laughing wildly, "What phony master is this?

Can't even take three moves and dares call himself a master? Master was right—there are no true masters in the Chinese cultivation world!

Hahahaha!"