Chapter 025: A Spectacle Beyond Compare

In the courtyard of the village school.

A sharp crack echoed.

All those watching were utterly captivated by the two boys, frozen like statues at the center of the arena.

Young Master Xu Yuan’s palm, imbued with inner force, was brimming with momentum; his entire body’s leaping power gathered into that single strike.

In just the instant they exchanged blows, Xu Xuan was forced downward, bent and folded under the pressure.

From a distance, Xu Yuan hung suspended in midair, legs tilted upward, his palm pressed fiercely against Xu Xuan.

Xu Xuan, meanwhile, had crossed his arms, bracing upward to absorb Xu Yuan’s attack. In the process, his body plunged downward, resisting the force, even holding Xu Yuan aloft above him.

In that fleeting moment, the two maintained a delicate balance.

Their figures seemed fused into one, sculpted together like an inseparable statue.

As the saying goes, “When masters exchange, there’s nothing but skill.” In just a single move, both displayed strength far beyond their peers, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.

“Xu Yuan is truly formidable—his opening move was so fierce!”

“No wonder he’s the scion of the great Xu family; just one strike and he’s already dominating.”

“Xu Xuan may be suppressed, but he’s holding his own. If that blow had landed on me…”

The crowd of village youths and villagers brimmed with excitement, their thoughts plain on their faces.

“He’s going to lose! Xu Xuan is going to lose…”

Among them, Xu Xiaohu was the most ecstatic, practically beside himself with joy.

Yet he failed to notice his father, Xu Dahuhu, whose expression was grave.

At the martial arena, the elegant female examiner, the most distinguished among them, had a glint of surprise in her eyes.

Elsewhere, in a corner, Song Heng—the martial instructor hired at great expense by the Xu family—couldn’t help but show a trace of concern.

On the surface, Xu Xuan seemed at a disadvantage after only a moment’s exchange.

But as he endured the suppression, Xu Xuan’s body displayed a flexibility and resilience surpassing human limits.

Even though the airborne strike was fierce and impressive, its greatest force erupted only in that instant of contact.

It was clear: once the most violent moment had passed, Xu Xuan’s body, terrifyingly pliant, slowed his downward momentum.

Nearly a breath’s time later—

Xu Xuan’s body was bent like a bow.

Suddenly, the downward arc halted!

This signified that Xu Yuan’s entire forceful attack had been fully absorbed by Xu Xuan.

Ordinary people would have been flattened or shaken back in that moment.

Yet, Xu Xuan’s extraordinary flexibility and the subtle techniques of the “Nine Transformations of Dragon and Snake” allowed him to cushion and absorb that explosive force to the greatest extent.

“Not good!”

Suspended in midair, Xu Yuan felt a sudden emptiness—the force he’d unleashed vanished like a stone sunk in water, prompting a startled cry.

The next instant—

A sharp, echoing sound.

Xu Xuan, bent like a bow, sprang open like a coil, all the gathered force surging into his arms.

It was as if a taut bowstring had been released.

Xu Yuan felt a jolt of pain in his arms, stifling a groan, but in that critical moment, he demonstrated his own prowess: leveraging the force, he flipped in midair, springing five or six meters away.

Thud, thud, thud—

Landing, Xu Yuan staggered backward a couple of meters, marking grooves in the dust, barely steadying himself as he swayed on the spot.

Seeing this, Song Heng let out a long breath, the corners of his eyes still tinged with anxiety.

Many villagers watching were unsettled, some with bewildered expressions.

Just moments before, Xu Yuan had held absolute advantage. In the blink of an eye, the situation reversed dramatically.

Xu Xuan, pressed to the limit, rebounded astonishingly, turning defeat into advantage—Xu Yuan seemed to have suffered a loss.

“How could this happen?”

Xu Xiaohu stammered, his face frozen in grotesque disbelief.

“Go, Brother Xuan!” Xu Gang and other friends cheered and shouted.

Xu Xuan’s father and Xu Huilan were flushed with excitement, hearts pounding wildly.

“Incredible—when Xu Xuan defeated Xu Xiaohu days ago, I had my doubts, but now he’s holding his own against the Xu family’s young master…”

The crowd murmured in awe.

Xu Xuan’s performance left everyone shocked, incredulous.

Xu Yuan, retreating rapidly, felt his blood surging, his palm throbbing with pain.

At this moment, his heart was a storm—he’d clearly held the upper hand, yet his opponent had countered with strange, unconventional body techniques.

Just who had instructed Xu Xuan, or what remarkable opportunity had he encountered?

Xu Yuan took a deep breath, steadying himself. The anxiety in his eyes gave way to calm.

Now, he regarded Xu Xuan as a true rival, equal to Yang Xiaoqian and other top talents.

After regaining the advantage, Xu Xuan showed no sign of joy; instead, regret flickered in his eyes.

“If my timing were a little faster, a little more precise—or if I’d used inner force—I might have already won.”

Xu Xuan realized he still lacked battle experience.

The “Nine Transformations of Dragon and Snake” was a wondrous body-refining technique; to use its moves perfectly in combat required further practice.

Knowing his shortcomings, Xu Xuan suddenly stepped forward—taking the initiative!

Xu Yuan’s gaze sharpened, but he did not retreat, meeting Xu Xuan’s attack with fierce steps, alternating fists, palms, and powerful kicks.

Instantly, the two launched into a dazzling exchange at the arena.

Xu Yuan’s moves were sweeping and forceful, his attacks fierce, his footwork sometimes elegant, sometimes cunning.

Xu Xuan’s every move was strange, unlike any normal person; whenever he performed a motion beyond human limits, the audience gasped.

The sounds of fists and palms colliding grew faster and fiercer, dust rising from the arena.

Spectators watched, entranced, at times silent, at times erupting in cheers.

Even the elegant female examiner nodded repeatedly, forgetting to announce the score or result.

Such an assessment did not require a winner; it was obvious both boys had the strength to enter the town academy directly.

Beside the female examiner, Elder Dong’s cloudy eyes gleamed with surprise—he’d expected Xu Xuan to be at the third stage of body refinement, but in just days, the boy had advanced to the fourth!

Xu Xuan had gone from the first to the fourth stage in barely half a month—such speed was nothing short of astonishing.

As he pondered in amazement, the duel between the two boys shifted again.

“Ha!”

Xu Yuan shouted, striking with a palm infused with a fierce gust; his palm flushed red, trembling rapidly.

“Inner force!”

Xu Xuan’s father and others cried out, even shouting in alarm.

After his initial attack, Xu Yuan once again unleashed inner force.

At once, the crowd of youths participating in the assessment erupted. Inner force—that was the power all body-refining youths yearned for.

A sharp slap rang out.

Under everyone’s gaze, Xu Xuan took the blow head-on, staggered back a step, and swayed in place, but then sidestepped smoothly.

Having seized the advantage, Xu Yuan pressed his inner force, launching his most ferocious assault yet.

“Haha! The Xu family’s young master is truly formidable, mastering inner force—his attacks are stronger.”

“But it seems Xu Xuan isn’t suffering much,” someone murmured.

“Looks like Xu Xuan just broke through to the fourth stage and hasn’t yet learned inner force; otherwise…”

Elder Dong sighed.

Inner force was only possessed at the fourth stage of body refinement—and not all who reached that stage could wield it.

To be clear, even at the fourth stage, one needed insight or special training to master inner force.

The female examiner nodded, smiling, “It seems this exciting duel should be settled; both boys have the strength to enter the town academy directly.”

Yet, the only one still tense was Song Heng, the martial instructor.

He noted that Xu Yuan’s attack, though fierce with inner force, posed no real threat to Xu Xuan, who remained calm and unshaken.

Just as the examiner was about to announce the result, and Xu Xuan was forced to the arena’s edge—

A new twist occurred.

Xu Xuan drew a deep breath; his energy and blood compressed, surging like a river within.

At the same time, his arm slowly extended, palm trembling at high frequency, radiating a fiery red aura—

“Not good!”

Song Heng’s heart leapt; he nearly shouted aloud.

(Second update—votes are rising nicely; can you be as powerful as the protagonist and vote even more?)