Chapter 6: A Triumphant First Battle, Stunned Silence Across the Arena

Chapter 6: A Triumphant First Battle Shocks the Entire Arena

Among all the martial heroes present, no one truly knew the extent of Zhang Fang’s real combat strength. Even the You brothers, the ones most familiar with him, only regarded him as the same mediocre You Tanzhi they had always known—neither literate nor skilled in martial arts.

Therefore, the five bouts proposed by Doctor Xue were certain to become a thoroughly satisfying process of proving Zhang Fang’s worth.

Shortly after, a man named Bai Er retrieved You Tanzhi’s shield. It was a thick steel shield, featuring a chain attached at the grip. Mastering this shield technique to a high level allowed one to throw the shield to strike an enemy and control its return with the chain—an unpredictable and formidable defense.

You Tanzhi’s martial arts were naturally taught by the You brothers. However, unlike their shields with sharpened edges capable of both defense and offense—where a sweeping strike could be fiercer than a steel blade—You Tanzhi’s shield had smooth and rounded edges. The brothers feared he might injure himself, so his shield was kept blunt.

With this shield in hand, Zhang Fang felt an immediate surge of confidence.

At this moment, a circle was drawn in the center of the arena for Zhang Fang and his opponent to fight within. The rules were straightforward: any participant who conceded or stepped even half a step outside the circle would be deemed the loser.

When Zhang Fang entered the arena holding his round shield, his opponent was already waiting—a man dressed in an ornate long robe, wielding a familiar bronze staff. It was none other than Wang Liu, the same man who had dined alongside him earlier.

This was hardly a coincidence.

Doctor Xue’s implied intent was clear to everyone: to eliminate You Tanzhi through the hands of others. By stepping forward now, Wang Liu naturally gained Doctor Xue’s favor. If he performed well, he might even earn the goodwill of the You brothers.

Therefore, before the fight began, Wang Liu had already resolved to give You Tanzhi enough face, then defeat him by a narrow margin.

This way, Doctor Xue's goals would be achieved, and the You brothers would see his courtesy—it was a perfect plan.

Yet, holding such a mindset, Wang Liu was to face a Zhang Fang whose strength had greatly increased. Before the fight even started, tragedy was all but sealed.

At the start of the encounter, Zhang Fang did not rush for victory. Instead, following his habit from playing action games before his transmigration, he focused on observing You Tanzhi’s moves, using his steel shield defensively to understand his opponent’s attack patterns.

After watching over ten moves and roughly grasping the opponent’s attack routes, when Wang Liu swung his staff fiercely again, Zhang Fang stepped forward instead of retreating. Channeling his Eternal Life Sacred Energy into his left arm, he swung the steel shield sharply, meeting Wang Liu’s bronze staff head-on.

“Clang!”

The clash of staff and shield thundered through the arena. Wang Liu, clearly unprepared for such a maneuver, was caught off guard. His weapon was knocked away by the rebound, leaving his chest wide open.

Zhang Fang wasted no time. His right hand traced a circle before him, then pushed forward with a surge of palm force accompanied by a dragon’s roar. Though his skill was still nascent and the roar faint, the power was undeniable.

Seeing Zhang Fang’s palm thrust toward him while his chest was exposed, Wang Liu hastily pulled back his staff to block. Though he barely managed to intercept the strike, his improvised defense was no match for the legendary Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

“Boom!”

With a muffled thud, Wang Liu was blasted backward, staff and all, landing awkwardly and then collapsing to the ground. When he looked toward Zhang Fang again, the latter was already bowing with a fist salute, saying, “You’ve conceded.”

Only then did Wang Liu realize he had been knocked outside the circle. His closest foot was nearly two meters beyond the boundary.

[You have defeated your first opponent, Wang Liu, in the hidden quest “Quota Battle,” earning 200 points.]

Ding! Critical bonus activated! The task rewards you receive are doubled by 100%!

Reward received: 400 points!

Heh, just one fight and he earned 400 points. At this rate, winning two more opponents could level up either “Regret of the Soaring Dragon” or the “Thirty-Six Heavenly Shield Techniques,” further enhancing his strength.

And he’d still have 200 points left—simply perfect!

Zhang Fang stretched his limbs, then eagerly turned to look toward the You brothers and Doctor Xue, awaiting his second opponent.

Zhang Fang’s stunning first victory was undeniably a major upset.

The You brothers and Doctor Xue exchanged glances, both visibly shocked.

However, Doctor Xue’s shock was tinged with relief and satisfaction—he was glad to see a promising new talent emerge in the Central Plains martial world.

The You brothers, on the other hand, wore expressions of utter bewilderment.

As You Tanzhi’s elders, they knew full well their nephew’s abilities. Despite years of training in the family’s “Thirty-Six Heavenly Shield Techniques,” he was still barely competent—like using water as a diaper, to put it crudely. Not to mention any hidden trump cards they might have.

Against someone like Wang Liu, a seasoned martial guest, surviving three to five moves without defeat was already a blessing.

Before the fight, their only hope was that Wang Liu would handle things tactfully, sparing their nephew some dignity and prolonging the match.

Yet, to their astonishment, this kid won!

Moreover, the finishing palm strike Zhang Fang used was clearly not taught by them.

Where on earth had this boy learned such a strange palm technique, which appeared quite powerful?

Eventually, the more composed You Ji broke the silence, whispering, “That kid just caught him off guard. The next opponents will be prepared and won’t fall so easily.”

The others nodded slightly, having no better explanation.

Meanwhile, monks Xuan Nan and Xuan Ji, still seated calmly in the main hall, exchanged glances. After a moment’s hesitation, Xuan Ji lowered his voice to ask, “Brother, do you think the palm technique You Tanzhi just used looks like…”

Xuan Nan shook his head slightly, noncommittal. “Let’s watch a bit longer.”

The battles continued. This time, a swordsman stepped into the arena. Upon arrival, he lavishly praised Zhang Fang as a young hero with remarkable skill, then generously asked if he needed a moment’s rest to adjust his state.

Zhang Fang decisively declined.

In truth, the previous fight had drained him considerably, especially the final “Regret of the Soaring Dragon” strike. The “Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms” were fierce but extremely taxing on inner energy; that single palm had consumed nearly a third of his Eternal Life Sacred Energy.

However, the “Longevity Technique” he practiced regenerated energy quickly. The first scroll he cultivated focused on recovery, even faster than the sixth and seventh scrolls mastered by the twin dragons.

After Zhang Fang defeated Wang Liu, the You brothers and Doctor Xue exchanged several glances and whispered among themselves. Then, after the swordsman entered, they dawdled for nearly five minutes.

During that time, Zhang Fang’s inner energy quietly and steadily replenished to full.

(End of chapter)