Infinite Fighting

On the martial arts stage, Zhang Ji faced the female disciple from the Xian Mountain Sect and assumed a fighting stance.

"Five Elements Sect, Zhang Ji."

"Xian Mountain Sect, Qin Yi."

Zhang Ji didn’t know the Xian Mountain Sect’s martial arts style, but from what he’d gathered, they were a major sect on par with the Five Elements Sect.

So he had no intention of underestimating her.

The exchange of courtesies ended, and the two immediately launched into an attack.

Qin Yi threw a palm strike, and Zhang Ji faintly felt a wave of heat wash over his face.

’A fighter from the [Primordial Qi Sect]?’

Although Zhang Ji also practiced the *Dragon Form Fist*, he hadn’t even reached the entry level. It was naturally impossible for him to project his Primordial Qi to form an effective attack.

His opponent, however, was clearly quite skilled.

But Zhang Ji had no intention of dodging. He gathered his strength and met her strike with a Dragon Form palm of his own.

"THWACK!"

His palm felt a surge of resistance, as if he had struck a viscous gas or plunged his hand into scalding water. His opponent’s Primordial Qi was pervasive, seeming to want to burrow into his body and wreak havoc.

"VMMM—!"

His Qi and Blood surged. Zhang Ji forced Qin Yi’s palm away, a distinct burning sensation spreading from his own palm.

However, his sixty-two-percent-mastered *Iron Shirt Skill* was no pushover. As he circulated his Breathing Skill, a rush of Qi and Blood washed away the burning sensation completely.

Zhang Ji had already assessed his opponent’s strength.

’Her palm strength isn’t bad, but it’s a notch below mine. Her technique for using Primordial Qi is quite insidious, but she couldn’t break my defense.’

’Overall, I have the absolute advantage.’

’In that case...’

"BOOM!"

The moment Qin Yi retreated, Zhang Ji pressed the attack. His posture was fierce and powerful; the pressure from his fist arrived before the blow itself.

Faced with this strike, Qin Yi didn’t meet it head-on. She raised her hand, intending to use technique to deflect the force of the punch.

She succeeded. As her body turned, a light push from her left arm deflected Zhang Ji’s fist. She even used the opening to land a palm strike of her own.

The palm struck Zhang Ji on his right side.

However, it didn’t have the expected effect.

Her palm felt as if it had struck a sheet of iron packed with rubber. The force was completely absorbed. Although her Primordial Qi entered his body, she felt it have no effect. The next instant, as Zhang Ji breathed, his abdomen contracted and expanded, and an even stronger force rebounded into her palm.

"VMMM—!"

Qin Yi’s palm throbbed with pain, and she quickly pulled it back.

But Zhang Ji’s next attack was already on its way.

This time, it was Qin Yi’s turn to experience the same agony Huai Wen’an had felt during the Inner Sect’s monthly tournament.

If she attacked, her opponent was like an iron hedgehog; she might end up getting hurt worse. If she didn’t attack, he would attack her!

"BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Fists and palms clashed as Zhang Ji pressed his assault, making almost no attempt to defend.

Although Kratos had repeatedly told him that having the *Iron Shirt Skill* didn’t mean he should forgo all defense, Kratos’s meager Horizontal Training Power was obviously no match for Zhang Ji’s.

The combat system Zhang Ji had developed was to use his absolute defense to trade injuries with his opponents.

For others, this style would be full of openings, but for Zhang Ji, it was a method that gave him an absolute advantage.

As long as his opponent wasn’t vastly stronger than him, he could always win.

The spectators could now clearly see who had the upper hand. Xiong Mingxu of the Xian Mountain Sect frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.

He couldn’t understand why a disciple of the Five Elements Sect had mastered such a high level of Horizontal Training Power.

Still, he was secretly scheming.

’This new disciple of mine may only have the strength of a quasi-first-rate martial artist, but she’s learned the Sect’s *Three Yin Ding Fire Palm*. Its Primordial Qi is extremely insidious and poisonous. Once it enters the body, it damages the tendons and corrodes the meridians, and it’s difficult to expel. Most who fight her end up with permanent injuries.’

’Compared to that, the outcome of this match is unimportant.’

On the stage, Zhang Ji had gained the absolute upper hand, forcing Qin Yi all the way to the edge of the platform.

He could clearly see her movements becoming distorted.

Strength, stamina—women were naturally at a disadvantage in these two areas. Moreover, she was a [Primordial Qi Sect] practitioner, not from the body-tempering [Solid Body Sect]. To have lasted this long under Zhang Ji’s fierce assault, her talent was quite impressive.

Just then, he found an opening. Qin Yi’s chest was wide open. With this flaw, he could knock her off the stage in one move and win.

But he had other ideas.

Zhang Ji suddenly twisted and threw a punch, which morphed into a claw mid-strike.

"You dare!" Xiong Mingxu roared.

But it was too late. Zhang Ji felt a slight resistance at his fingertips, then broke through the layer of Primordial Qi protection. He tore through her clothes and flesh, shattered her bones, and pierced her heart.

"SQUELCH!"

Her heart was instantly destroyed. Zhang Ji followed up with a kick, sending Qin Yi flying off the stage.

Qin Yi’s blood sprayed across the ground. Her body twitched twice, then fell still.

"You brat, you’re courting death!!!"

Enraged, Xiong Mingxu shot to his feet, ready to strike Zhang Ji.

Li Long stepped forward and grabbed Xiong Mingxu’s arm. "Sect Leader Xiong," he said, "my disciple’s skill is still lacking. It’s inevitable that he can’t hold back during a spar. My condolences."

"BOOM!"

The air between Li Long and Xiong Mingxu exploded. The collision of their Primordial Qi was faintly visible, and the ground where they stood began to crack.

"Sect Leader Xiong, as I said, fists and feet have no eyes. Alas, this is also the Five Elements Sect’s fault. We are truly sorry," Yan Ruifeng said, also rising and walking to Xiong Mingxu’s side. He unleashed his Primordial Qi, forcing his way between them.

A vicious glint appeared in Xiong Mingxu’s eyes, but he ultimately reined himself in. "Hmph. My Direct Disciple is dead. The Five Elements Sect had better give me an explanation."

"Of course. We will punish him severely." Li Long turned and berated Zhang Ji on the stage. "Zhang Ji, it was just a spar! How could you be so careless? I’m confining you for one month. You are not to leave your quarters. Reflect on your actions!"

"This disciple accepts his punishment."

Zhang Ji performed a salute and then withdrew.

"Some ’severe punishment.’ Some ’Five Elements Sect’!" Xiong Mingxu sneered, then said to the people he had brought with him, "We’re leaving."

Xiong Mingxu had come to cause trouble, but in the end, not only did he fail to vex the Five Elements Sect, he lost a newly acquired bed-warming disciple. He was truly a little angry.

However, he wasn’t particularly heartbroken.

The Xian Mountain Sect was different from the Five Elements Sect. They didn’t hide their top-tier Grandmaster-level martial arts. Anyone with a bit of talent could become a True Disciple and have resources poured into them. They had over a hundred True Disciples, who were completely expendable. The death of one or two was no big deal.

On the contrary, probing Li Long’s actual strength had put him somewhat at ease.

Li Long’s growth was too fast. For someone his age to have such strength, anyone would be shocked.

Especially since Pang Yanyang, whom he had sent to Shanli Island, was killed by Li Long. This made him even more uncertain.

He was worried that Li Long might have already mastered the Five Elements Sect’s strongest secret art, "Five Forms Union."

Hundreds of years ago, that was a technique of a terrestrial immortal.

Even in this day and age, the emergence of such a figure could not be underestimated.

Fortunately, Li Long’s current performance was only that of an early-stage Grandmaster. His Primordial Qi was abundant, but all told, he could at best contend with a mid-stage Grandmaster Martial Artist. He was far from a threat to him.

...

「Within the Five Elements Sect.」

Li Long looked at Yan Ruifeng with a grave expression.

"Xiong Mingxu is stronger than I thought. If I don’t use the Five Forms Union, I’m afraid I’ll be defeated within a hundred moves at most," Li Long said with emotion.

"His talent isn’t bad either. If I, as your master, were to fight him, I wouldn’t fare much better than you," Yan Ruifeng said. "But Ah Long, you are still young. It’s normal that your power can’t compare to his. In another three to five years, once you’ve completely mastered the Five Forms Union, he won’t be able to withstand a single blow from you. Even with the Lin family’s support, the Xian Mountain Sect won’t be able to do anything to us then. Before that, we must not confront the Xian Mountain Sect head-on."

"I understand. I won’t be reckless," Li Long said.

He hadn’t revealed that he was already on the threshold of mastering the Five Forms Union this time precisely because he was wary of the Lin family backing the Xian Mountain Sect.

The Lin family was one of the most powerful and prosperous families in the Eastern Extreme Country. The current Patriarch, Lin Kang, was also a parliamentarian with immense power and influence.

They had long been eyeing the Five Elements Sect’s assets, wanting to turn the sect into a money-making tool for their family.

As for the Xian Mountain Sect, to put it bluntly, they were merely a useful blade in the Lin family’s hands.

The Xian Mountain Sect was no longer a pure martial arts sect.

Even the Five Elements Sect wasn’t, really. After all, times were changing. A completely traditional martial arts sect couldn’t survive in modern society; it would only be destroyed, just like the [Vajra Sect] back then.

The Five Elements Sect also had a backer: the newly appointed Liu Hetong.

The Five Elements Sect had expended great effort to help him rise to power.

But Liu Hetong had only recently taken office and was in no position to challenge Lin Kang.

Extracting Li Long directly from Shanli Island previously, although it was an opportune move, had already offended people. Naturally, he couldn’t make any major moves for the Five Elements Sect now.

Therefore, the Five Elements Sect could only hide its strength and bide its time, keeping as low a profile as possible.

...

...

「In Zhang Ji’s residence.」

For once, Zhang Ji had guests.

They were Gu Shuangshuang and Shen Han.

"Zhang, you really let us vent some anger today! I’ve been putting up with those Xian Mountain Sect people for who knows how long!" Shen Han said.

Compared to Li Long, Shen Han was younger, only eighteen, and appeared to be around the same age as Zhang Ji. His temperament was very much that of a young man.

"As a disciple of the Five Elements Sect, it was my duty to step forward when the Sect was insulted," Zhang Ji replied with a platitude.

"Senior Brother was right about you," Gu Shuangshuang added.

After some pleasantries, Zhang Ji had officially earned the recognition of these two True Disciples.

Just then, Gu Shuangshuang’s expression suddenly changed. She clutched her neck, her face turning pale, and then hastily excused herself and left.

Zhang Ji looked puzzled. He had always felt something was off about Gu Shuangshuang, from her weary expression to the way she looked at the Xian Mountain Sect with a gaze that seemed to want to eat their flesh and gnaw their bones. It was all a bit strange.

"Don’t overthink it. Senior Sister was schemed against by someone from the Xian Mountain Sect and poisoned with an addictive neurotoxin. Now she can only rely on special sedatives to suppress it..." Shen Han explained.

Zhang Ji nodded, showing he understood.

Neurological damage is difficult to repair. Once sustained, it was often equivalent to having one’s future cut short.

Zhang Ji had seen the people on Shanli Island who suffered from addictive drugs. Every one of them was like a walking corpse.

That was why he didn’t even touch alcohol and stayed far away from anything related to it.