Two Strikes Shatter the Dream of the Martial World

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a handsome young man stepped forward. Although it was Qin Hao’s first time seeing him, he quickly recognized him because several girls nearby were shouting excitedly:

“My husband! This is my husband! He Xi! I love you!”

“My hubby! My hubby!”

Qin Hao and Zhang Jianqiu were both bewildered. Anyone could just come in, even little fairy-like girls.

He Xi, seeing no one else stepping onto the stage, sat cross-legged quietly, placing his staff before him and closing his eyes to rest. Soon, the first challenger approached, but before even getting close, He Xi’s aura force flung him out of the arena. Qin Hao keenly noticed a few senior students nodding in approval.

“Won’t you two try it?” Feng Lan cast a sly glance at the two who hadn’t moved.

“If we can’t win, no need to embarrass ourselves,” Qin Hao decided to keep a low profile on his first day at the academy. High profile meant trouble, and he had his own plans that didn’t involve attracting attention. But seeing Chen Jianqiu cracking his knuckles beside him, Qin Hao knew the latter was ready to step up.

“There is one rest opportunity in the middle—you can request a thirty-breath break from the supervisor to adjust your state. Of course, this rest is only allowed against opponents of the same rank.”

Thus, Chen Jianqiu faced the first battle of his life! Previously protected by elders, now it was time to prove himself. Chen Jianqiu ‘flew’ forward to stand about ten paces from He Xi. He Xi opened his eyes, stood, picked up his staff, and was about to launch a powerful attack when the supervisor spoke up: “Stepping out means loss, surrender means loss, and serious injury after one incense stick’s time also means loss.”

As the words fell, He Xi and Chen Jianqiu moved simultaneously. Their weapons clashed and quickly separated in a dazzling display. At this moment, a freshman boy approached Qin Hao.

“Brother, can you clearly see their moves? Can you explain them to me?” Qin Hao glanced at the freshman with a hint of annoyance. “I can’t see clearly.”

The freshman looked disappointed and was about to leave, but as he turned, a girl coquettishly asked Qin Hao:

“Sir, can you see their moves clearly? I can’t see them at all.” Qin Hao adopted a look of deep insight.

“Of course I can. Although their fight looks fierce, they’re actually testing each other, holding back their true skills! You’re not tall; want me to carry you so you can see better?” The freshman bristled: “I can’t see either! How about you carry me then?”

“Don’t you have any self-awareness? Don’t bother me.”

Just as Qin Hao was about to tease the girl, a delicate hand pinched his waist. He looked over to see Feng Lan standing nearby.

“Junior Qin, I can’t see clearly either. How about you carry me?” The girl quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile. “Thank you for your kindness, sir, but I’ll just stand and watch.” Feng Lan leaned close to Qin Hao’s ear and whispered sweetly:

“The dean has decreed that those who toy with the opposite sex under the pretense of affection will be expelled.”

“Fairy Tianhua is joking. I have no such feelings now.”

“Just call me Tianhua. Adding ‘fairy’ makes it too formal.”

“Alright, Fairy Tianhua.”

Soon, the two entangled fighters on stage separated—the probing phase was over, and the real fight began!

He Xi took a stance, wielding the Five Elements Eight Trigrams Staff!

Chen Jianqiu showed no fear, employing the Six Veins Broken Love Sword Technique!

The aura around them grew fierce. He Xi feinted with a staff strike aimed at Chen Jianqiu’s face. Chen Jianqiu parried with his sword and then thrust toward He Xi’s left shoulder. He Xi twisted his waist to evade and countered with a staff strike. Chen Jianqiu leapt off the ground, dodging the blow, then executed a highly difficult two-and-a-half-turn spin in midair before retreating with his sword.

Then—

“Request from He Yiting outside the arena: match paused. Both sides resume after thirty breaths,” announced the supervisor’s voice suddenly.

Chen Jianqiu approached Qin Hao.

“Brother Ruoyuan, any advice?” Qin Hao’s courtesy name was Ruoyuan.

“Brother Zuo Qiao lacks experience in combat. He Xi is obviously a veteran. Next, don’t engage him in close-quarters fighting. Fight his aura instead: when he advances, you retreat; when he retreats, you advance,” advised Chen Jianqiu, whose courtesy name was Zuo Qiao.

“Understood.”

On He Xi’s side, a woman spoke to him:

“Muyuan, he’s clearly a newcomer—strong but lacking real combat experience. Just stick to close combat. With your practical skills, you can quickly finish him!” He Xi’s courtesy name was Muyuan.

“Thanks, Qingmin,” he replied. The woman speaking was one of the three great fairies, Fairy Qingmin, whose given name was Peng Yi.

After thirty breaths, the two returned to the stage, and the crowd witnessed a comical scene. He Xi chased Chen Jianqiu, who seemed to deliberately keep his distance. He Xi followed the attacks, running and running, until suddenly Chen Jianqiu turned and unleashed the Six Veins Broken Love Sword Technique!

Six rapid sword strikes carved six enormous azure crescent-shaped sword auras toward He Xi. He Xi quickly spun his staff before him, forming a massive protective shield to block the sword auras. The collision of their energy created thick smoke. At the moment He Xi lost focus, Chen Jianqiu burst through the smoke, aiming straight for a decisive strike!

He Xi reacted swiftly with the Five Elements Eight Trigrams Staff!

The sixtieth and sixty-third moves of the staff technique—Adaptive Counter and Escape from Death—shattered Chen Jianqiu’s martial dreams and sent him flying out of the arena.

The Five Elements Eight Trigrams Staff technique derives from the principles of the Eight Trigrams. There are sixty-four core moves in its manual, including grips, sizes, star moves, and the Qilin Step, used for dodging, advancing, retreating, blocking, and deceiving opponents. These sixty-four moves form the fundamental structure of the style, embodying Yin and Yang, flat mountain, lifts and blocks, star moves, dragon marks, grips, duality, four symbols, large and small Tai Chi, left and right Tai Chi, celestial ruler, side grip blocks, inverted grips, horse-mounted coins, horse-mounted spear, large and small star moves, straight spear, hooked spear, left and right offsets, quick strikes, curved bow, arrow docking, boat support, ground stabbing, disarming, Qilin step, heavenly pillar kick, cross body, pointed body, lying body, golden dragon tail spin, hungry tiger catching sheep, sheep charging hungry tiger, advancing big take, retreating step to lift the yin, lotus dew dripping, green willow hanging silk, golden rooster standing alone, half-moon rushing to the sky, sheltering wind, striking rain, green snake attacking face, venomous python stealth, hanging willow lifting foot, lifting the tray to eyebrow level, coiling dragon, crouching tiger, linked spear, dragon-tiger meeting, rising hand pick, horizontal rush, straight take, adaptive counter, escape from death, horse-mounted lift block, and more, totaling sixty-four points. The technique strikes the four cardinal points first, then the four corners—eight directions in total, with eight moves per direction, making sixty-four moves altogether.