Chapter 127: Who Wins, Who Loses?
"Miss Bai, ladies, right this way, please."
Qian Dong and Qian Sanduo led their three guests through a section of the Royal Palace.
"So this is the courtyard where Tang Wen is in seclusion?"
Bai You Ruo asked, her eyes scanning the neat little courtyard before her.
"This one is empty. Since you’re curious, Miss Bai, feel free to take a look around."
The group walked inside.
The courtyard was simply furnished, with a rugged and imposing atmosphere.
The observant Bai You Ruo noticed that everything in and around the courtyard shared a single trait: it was all built to be tough and durable.
The walls of the underground training chamber were even reinforced with molten metal.
They could withstand the violent abuse of Martial Artists.
After a few bland words of praise, they moved on.
The Royal Palace wasn’t particularly large.
Soon, they arrived outside the courtyard where Tang Wen was training in seclusion.
THUD!
A tremor ran through the ground.
Everyone stopped in their tracks.
"What was that?" A flicker of astonishment crossed Qian Dong’s face.
Bai You Ruo and her companions looked equally surprised.
They weren’t certain what it was. A second later... THUD!
The ground trembled slightly once more.
Qian Dong could clearly see a cloud of dust puff up from the ground some distance away from the small courtyard.
"Shocking Fist!" Bai You Ruo said the two words, her tone full of admiration.
"And it’s a Chain Shocking Fist, no less!" Bai Xue added.
The Shocking Fist wasn’t unique to the Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist of Flame Camp.
White Stone City’s Ice Soul Technique, the Thunder Department’s techniques, and even the Fire and Water Division techniques from other powers all contained a similar method for generating force!
This was partly due to them all borrowing from one another.
More importantly, however, the founding masters of every school and sect all believed from the bottom of their hearts that the Shocking Fist was practical and possessed immense destructive power.
That was why they had all, by coincidence or design, incorporated this force-generating technique into their arts.
"I can’t believe Tang Wen has already mastered Shocking Fist at such a young age!"
Qian Sanduo looked at Bai You Ruo and said, "Indeed. I’m almost ashamed to admit I didn’t master this Fist Technique until after I turned thirty. The difference between Tang Wen and me is like night and day."
Bai Ying said, "We of the Bai Family also practice the Shocking Fist."
As she spoke, she tilted her head up ever so slightly with pride.
The implication was clear: all three of them had mastered the Shocking Fist.
The two Commanders exchanged a glance. ’As expected of those from Sanlian City.’
For the Martial Artists of Flame Camp, the Shocking Fist was an infamous challenge.
Take Qian Dong, for example. In any of the powers in the Northwest, his age and talent would absolutely place him among the upper echelon.
Unfortunately, ever since becoming a Martial Artist, his grasp of the Shocking Fist could be described as... nonexistent. He was utterly clueless.
As a member of the Forbidden Guard, he had received personal instruction from both Elder General Xia and the Queen on multiple occasions.
Alas, he was still completely baffled.
「In the underground chamber.」
Tang Wen was still trying to figure out how to stack the impacts of his Shocking Fist.
Unfortunately, aside from his Fist Technique experience increasing rapidly, he had yet to grasp how to stack the Vibrating Force.
This was, however, within his expectations.
He knew his own limitations.
’Even with the knowledge from my past life, I know I’m no genius on the path of Martial Arts.’
’To think I could master the final move of the Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist in just a few days...’
’My aptitude alone is far from enough for that.’
’Slow is fast. I won’t force it. I’ll just take it one step at a time.’
After drinking half a bamboo flask of fresh water, Tang Wen rose and walked over to the metal training dummy.
The dummy was a wreck, dented in one place and bulging in another, battered beyond recognition.
BOOM!
He unleashed a Shocking Fist.
The metal dummy wasn’t instantly slammed against the wall as usual.
Instead, its entire frame shuddered violently, as if electrocuted, as it flew backward.
Shocking Fist!
It could shatter an opponent’s stance and defenses.
"He’s started again. Commander Tang Wen has already thrown three Shocking Fists. He trains so diligently!"
Bai You Ruo remarked with a sigh, and the other two women nodded in agreement.
Qian Sanduo also gave a slight nod.
Only Qian Dong lowered his head, hiding the peculiar look in his eyes.
’Only three punches? That’s nothing. We’re just getting started.’
He suddenly spoke up. "Why don’t you three guess how many Shocking Fists Tang Wen can throw in the next quarter of an hour?"
"And what do I get if I guess correctly?" Bai You Ruo’s eyes flashed. ’Here’s my chance!’
She shifted her body slightly, revealing the gleaming silver revolver at Bai Xue’s waist.
Qian Dong’s gaze fell right on it. "The benefit? If I lose, I’ll owe you a favor, Miss Bai."
"Excellent! You’re a straightforward man, Commander Qian." Hearing those words was as refreshing to Bai You Ruo as downing a frosty beer on a hot summer day.
"In that case, if I lose, this revolver is yours."
Qian Dong couldn’t hide his delight, breaking into a wide grin that showed his teeth.
Bai You Ruo jumped in. "The Shocking Fist is incredibly draining. Even throwing them one by one, instead of in a chain, an average Martial Artist couldn’t manage twenty. But I have faith in Commander Tang Wen, so I’ll guess... under thirty!"
’Thirty Shocking Fists?’
’In a quarter of an hour? Fifteen minutes?’
’This Miss Bai really wants to win, doesn’t she!’
’It’s a known fact that Tang Wen has been training in seclusion for days; his energy and stamina can’t be at their peak.’
’Even a Second-class, or perhaps a First-class Martial Artist, would have trouble throwing thirty Shocking Fists in fifteen minutes under normal conditions, right?’
Qian Sanduo took it all in but said nothing.
Qian Dong glanced at him, then said, "Then I’ll have to guess over thirty."
Bai You Ruo gave him an apologetic look, but this was no time for modesty. ’This is too good an opportunity. I have to win.’
Qian Dong was secretly amused. ’According to Qian Sanduo’s instructions, I’m supposed to let Miss Bai win.’
’But I never expected she’d bet on a number as low as thirty.’
’Seems like there aren’t that many monsters in Sanlian City after all!’
’Even though I’ve never asked, based on what I know about Tang Wen...’
’...I know he’s capable of pulling off a surprise, even with a Killing Move as draining as the Shocking Fist.’
"Miss, he just threw three more. That makes six in total," Bai Xue counted.
「Back in the sealed chamber.」
Tang Wen looked at the metal dummy embedded in the wall and shook his head helplessly.
He carefully pried it out of the wall.
He hammered it back into shape with his fists, performing some crude repairs.
Only then did he manage to set the dummy upright again.
’Good enough to use, I guess.’
Tang Wen’s eyes sharpened as he unleashed a continuous barrage of Shocking Fists.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The underground chamber shook, and the entire house above it began to sway gently.
Then the flagstones in the courtyard, the tables and chairs in the main hall, and even the tiles on the roof began to tremble in unison!
Bai Xue couldn’t pay attention to anything else, quickly counting, "Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve..."
Bai You Ruo was surprised, but she also breathed a sigh of relief, her worries completely vanishing.
’That’s the Chain Shocking Fist. Tang Wen is young, but he’s certainly proficient with the technique.’
’Even it took me two years after learning the Shocking Fist to be able to unleash them in such rapid succession.’
’And this kind of burst is the most draining. It looks like Tang Wen won’t even reach twenty punches, let alone thirty!’
Bai Xue spoke again, changing her counting method. "A six-hit combo... seven... eight... Ten Consecutive Explosions! That’s twenty-two punches in total!"
Bai You Ruo exclaimed, "Ten Consecutive Explosions in one go! Truly worthy of being the Commander Tang Wen who considers even drinking tea a waste of time! A young prodigy indeed! I’m not sure I could manage a burst like that even now!"
Qian Dong gave a self-deprecating smile but remained silent.
’After all, I can’t even perform the Shocking Fist. What right do I have to comment?’
Qian Sanduo picked up the conversation, making a few remarks.
Five full minutes passed without the sound of another Shocking Fist. Qian Sanduo smiled and took the initiative, "It seems Qian Dong has lost. Feel free to command him as you wish, Miss Bai."
Seeing that the time wasn’t up yet, Bai You Ruo replied modestly, "I was just lucky. If Commander Tang Wen hadn’t exhausted himself with that continuous burst, he might well have thrown over thirty."
"Let’s leave this place for now!"
Qian Dong was eager to leave. He was a little nervous; his whole purpose in suggesting the bet was to find out what Miss Bai was after.
Now that his goal was within reach, he couldn’t wait to lead them away.
Tang Wen was young; there was no way he could throw any more Shocking Fists.
Certain of her victory, Bai You Ruo smiled magnanimously. "We can wait a few more minutes."
"There’s no need, no need! A loss is a loss!" Qian Dong wanted to grab her and walk away—no, grab her and run!
’I know Tang Wen too well.’
「In the underground chamber, Tang Wen breathed a sigh of relief.」
He had finally managed to pull the metal dummy out of the wall.
’This metal dummy is worthless!’
’How many hits did it even take? And it’s already burrowing into the wall.’
’Is it trying to slack off?’
He lifted it with one hand and moved to a section of wall with the fewest impact marks.
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! He started punching again!
The sound carried outside the courtyard.
Miss Bai’s brilliant smile slowly froze on her face.
Bai Ying and Bai Xue stared at each other in horror.
Qian Dong slapped a hand to his forehead. ’I told you we should go, but you just wouldn’t listen...’