The lot-drawing results had a significant impact on the outcome of the sparring matches. Since they were competing in groups of three, there would be three matches in total. Naturally, everyone hoped the other two would fight each other first. Fists and feet were blind; if someone got injured, the remaining person could just sit back and reap the spoils. Even if they emerged unscathed, a fight would consume mental and physical energy that a fifteen-minute rest simply couldn’t replenish. The last person to enter the ring would hold a massive advantage.
Chen Yuan waited for Gu Ye to announce the results.
Holding up the bamboo slips, Gu Ye stated plainly, "Group One, first match: Cao Yan versus Chen Yuan. Second match: Gao Mingchang versus Chen Yuan. Third match: Gao Mingchang versus Cao Yan. There will be a fifteen-minute rest between matches."
The results sparked different thoughts among the three. Cao Yan’s eyes darted around. Although she was up first, the second match was between Chen Yuan and Gao Mingchang. If she could secure a quick victory in her first bout, preserving both her and Chen Yuan’s stamina, she could let him wear down Gao Mingchang in the second match. That way, she would have a definite edge when she faced Gao Mingchang in the third match. This was an acceptable outcome.
A faint smile crept onto Gao Mingchang’s face. By skipping the first match, the advantage was entirely his. It would be ideal if the other two fought to mutual exhaustion, but even if they didn’t, it wouldn’t be a problem. He was already confident in his own strength; as long as his opponents’ condition dropped even slightly, they would stand no chance against him. It seemed today was his lucky day.
So, who would be the unlucky one?
Chen Yuan remained expressionless. To him, the draw didn’t matter. If he couldn’t get an easy advantage, he would simply make up for it with raw skill. Kicking both of them out of the ring back-to-back just meant he could finish work early.
As for Sun Chengjie’s group of three, their draw resulted in Xue Anping against He Qing for the first match, Sun Chengjie against He Qing for the second, and Xue Anping against Sun Chengjie for the third. Clearly, He Qing had pulled the exact same short straw as Chen Yuan, though his expression was currently quite grim.
Soon, the first sparring match commenced. The combatants were Cao Yan and Chen Yuan.
The two stood several yards apart in the courtyard, facing each other as they regulated their breathing and focused their minds.
"A spar between fellow disciples stops at the point of contact!" Gu Ye announced loudly. "Maliciously injuring your opponent is strictly forbidden, and violators will be severely punished! Begin!"
"Xin Yi Liu He Fist, Chen Yuan. Please advise."
"White Crane Fist, Cao Yan. Please advise."
The moment their voices faded, the two sprang into action simultaneously!
Cao Yan struck first. White Crane Fist emphasized "inch-force and joint power, lightness, agility, and speed." Since women were naturally at a disadvantage in raw physical strength compared to men, she compensated with speed and precision. Pushing off the tips of her toes, her figure skimmed forward like a white crane gliding over water. Closing the distance in a flash, she brought her right fingers together into a crane’s beak, thrusting straight at Chen Yuan’s throat with a piercing gust of wind!
This move was called "White Crane Foraging"—fast, accurate, and ruthless. Her fingertips tore through the air, producing a sharp SWISH.
Chen Yuan’s gaze sharpened. Instead of retreating, he advanced. In Xin Yi Liu He Fist, one stepped into the center line to seize the dominant position. Taking a half-step forward with his left foot, he slightly angled his body and swept his left hand out from his chest. This was the Cross Fist. Belonging to the earth element in the Five Phases, it gave birth to all things and specialized in neutralizing direct, forceful attacks.
CRACK!
A crisp sound echoed as his forearm intercepted Cao Yan’s wrist. Cao Yan felt as if her beak strike had hit a tightly coiled steel cable. Her momentum was deflected diagonally, and her entire arm slid outward uncontrollably.
She marveled at his cohesive force but did not panic. Spinning with the deflected momentum, her left arm swept out like a crane spreading its wings the instant her right arm was neutralized. Keeping her five fingers tightly pressed together into a Palm Blade, she slashed diagonally upward toward Chen Yuan’s ear.
This seamless transition was the White Crane Fist’s "Crane Wing Fanning the Wind." Before her palm even arrived, a fierce gust whipped at his face.
Yet, Chen Yuan did not block. Pushing off his back foot, the power surged from his heel up through a twist of his spine. His whole body snapped forward like a taut bowstring—the Half-Step Shattering Fist!
WHOOSH.
The punch tore through the air with a short, muffled groan. Launching later but arriving first, the strike went straight for the opening between Cao Yan’s chest and abdomen. Even though her Palm Blade was still three inches from his ear, his knuckles had already reached her heart.
Cao Yan’s pupils contracted sharply. Forced to abandon her attack, she abruptly pulled her right foot back, dropped her center of gravity, and crossed her arms downward to block the incoming Beng Fist.
THUD!
Fist met arms with a muffled boom like a war drum. Cao Yan felt a spiraling, drilling inch-force bore straight through her forearms, leaving the webbing between her thumbs and index fingers numb. She stumbled back—THUD, THUD, THUD—taking three consecutive steps before she finally dispersed the kinetic energy.
Gritting her teeth, she steadied herself. Just as she was about to widen the gap and look for another opening, Chen Yuan was already moving.
This was the true fighting style of Xingyi. Once an advantage was gained, one must press forward relentlessly, giving the opponent zero time to breathe. Surging forward with a sudden skip of his right foot, his sole ground into the earth. The power rose from the ground, unifying his knees and hips, and launched him directly in front of Cao Yan like an arrow slipping the string!
Cao Yan’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. Too fast!
Before she had even fully regained her balance, Chen Yuan’s fist was there. His right hand fired straight down the middle. Generated by the twist of his spine, the spiraling force of his knuckles tore through the air with a muffled BOOM—like the crack of thunder, like a heavy cannon firing.
Front-Facing Cannon Fist!
Before the punch even landed, its gale crashed into her. Cao Yan felt a terrifying surge of power roaring at her face like a raging tide. The clothes over her chest caved inward under the sheer atmospheric pressure of the strike.
She tried to dodge, but Chen Yuan’s martial intent had her firmly locked in place. She realized she was finished.
A bone-chilling cold shot from her tailbone to the back of her head, making her hairs stand on end as a cold sweat instantly soaked her back. She didn’t even have time to concede! She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, bracing to take the blow head-on.
Then, the fist stopped.
It halted exactly one inch from her heart. The residual gale of the punch had not dispersed, blowing the loose strands of hair on her forehead backward.
A deathly silence fell over the courtyard.
Cao Yan slowly opened her eyes and saw the fist hovering steadily before her chest, utterly motionless. Steam radiated from the surface of the knuckles from the heat of the strike, the joints tinted with a faint redness.
Her legs gave out, and she nearly dropped to her knees.
Chen Yuan retracted his fist, stepped back, and cupped his hands. "Thank you for the match."
Cao Yan hadn’t intended to deal any heavy blows and had fought cleanly, so naturally, he wasn’t going to hurt her.
Panting heavily, cold sweat rolled down Cao Yan’s temples. For a moment there, she truly believed her arm bones were going to shatter. She took several deep breaths before managing to steady her trembling voice, cupping her hands in return. "Brother Chen’s boxing skills are masterful. Thank you for showing mercy. I... I concede."
She could vividly feel that Chen Yuan’s mastery of the Xin Yi Liu He Fist was a league above her White Crane Fist. She wondered how on earth he trained!
The sidelines remained completely silent. The way Gu Ye and Huang Yan looked at Chen Yuan shifted slightly.
Just moments ago, they had been discussing and predicting the outcome of this bout. Gu Ye believed that Cao Yan, being a woman, lacked physical stamina and was inherently at a disadvantage. Furthermore, although Chen Yuan only possessed Upper-Ding grade aptitude, he possessed plenty of aggressive drive. His fight with Gao Mingchang the previous month had also showcased his high combat intelligence, so Gu Ye favored Chen Yuan to win.
Huang Yan had thought otherwise. He believed that while Cao Yan lacked physical power, judging victory or defeat based on strength alone was far too superficial. Cao Yan was more agile, and since she practiced the agility-focused White Crane Fist, she was perfectly capable of drawing out the fight, draining Chen Yuan’s stamina, and finding an opening to deliver a decisive blow.
Neither of them had expected Chen Yuan’s fighting style to be this ferocious. His defense was completely airtight, and the moment an opening appeared, he struck like a thunderbolt to secure instant victory. His application of the Xin Yi Liu He Fist stances was sheer perfection. Cao Yan, who had wanted to end the battle swiftly, ended up being swiftly dispatched herself. On top of that, he was able to pull his punch at the exact point of contact. Neither side had expended too much energy—a truly commendable feat.
Gu Ye smiled faintly. "Master Huang, it seems your eyes failed you this time."
Not embarrassed in the slightest, Huang Yan chuckled. "I really underestimated this Chen Yuan. His mastery of the Xin Yi Liu He Fist rivals even my own back in the day." A hint of admiration colored his gaze as he looked at Chen Yuan. After all, they were fellow disciples.
Some rejoice while others grieve; the smile on Gao Mingchang’s face had vanished completely.