Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 249 Clearly, it was meant to establish authority.
Gu Ruzhang, sitting below the stage, looked solemn: "As expected, Alliance Leader Chen has also reached this point. Heroes emerge from among the young, and he is extraordinary. Whenever the Divine Continent faces calamity, divine soldiers descend from the heavens to bless China."

Wan Laisheng held a different position in the National Government and knew more about the situation. He nodded and said, "I had heard about it before and thought it was a bit exaggerated. I didn't expect him to go so far."

Chen Zhan was speechless. Gao Zhendong had been easily defeated by him, without even getting injured, yet he looked as if the sky had fallen and he was filled with despair.
This is a bit confusing.

I didn't know before, but now I know he was a grandmaster who embraced the elixir and sat on his hips.

Being easily defeated, without getting hurt or losing face, what's there to despair about?
Shouldn't you win?

Chen Zhan showed no emotion, and said calmly, "It's normal that you lost to me, isn't it? What's there to be discouraged about? You would feel the same way if you lost to Uncle-Master Sun."

Gao Zhendong's expression changed, and he suddenly realized that Chen Zhan was right.
If Chen Zhan were just a show-off, how could he possibly lose? Chen Zhan's performance completely exceeded his expectations.

This is a grandmaster!
Losing to a Grandmaster doesn't seem shameful at all; it's perfectly reasonable.

"At your age, have you really already achieved the 'Buddha's Elixir'?"

Gao Zhendong still couldn't believe it. Gu Ruzhang was almost forty years old when he achieved the first stage of immortality, which was already unbelievable, but Chen Zhan was only twenty-nine!
The Grandmaster at the age of twenty-nine.

How can we convince people?
When he saw Sun Lutang again, he really wanted to ask him in person, "Is it really possible for someone to reach the pinnacle of martial arts in their twenties?"

Chen Zhan nodded, not denying his own martial arts level, and said, "I can understand why Senior Brother Gao was unconvinced before. Anyone in their twenties who takes charge of Xingyi Sect will be questioned. As for the matter of the sect leader, I will go to Hangzhou in a few days to see Uncle Sun and resolve it internally."

"As for the conflict between the Shaolin and Wudang sects, let's forget about it. Mr. Wang's strength is no less than mine. You can't handle this matter, so leave it to me."

"how?"

Upon hearing Chen Zhan's words, Gao Zhendong's gaze involuntarily drifted towards Wang Ziping, but Wang Ziping was not looking at the stage.

"Sigh, this is the only way, and it's for the best. I'm not as skilled as others, so there's nothing to say. The Alliance Leader didn't hurt me out of respect for Senior Uncle Sun; he's already shown mercy."

Gao Zhendong, feeling dejected and defeated, returned to his seat at Wudang Gate, but did not leave immediately.

Since Chen Zhan didn't hurt him, he naturally had to give him face.

Gao Zhendong's defeat did not dampen the enthusiasm of the others.

Below the ring, cheers and conversations continued.

Chen Zhan laughed and said, "Everyone, there's no need to be so formal. What just happened was merely an internal matter of my Xingyi Sect. It doesn't affect the competition for the position of martial arts alliance leader. What I said before always stands. If you defeat me today, the position of alliance leader will naturally change hands."

"Yes, knocking someone off the stage counts too."

The people below, observing Chen Zhan's demeanor, indeed felt he possessed the air of a grandmaster. Appearances can be deceiving, and youth doesn't mean anything.

Wan Laisheng is also very young, looking to be the same age as Chen Zhan, and has already taken charge of the Guangdong and Guangxi Martial Arts Academy.

They felt a bit more favorably toward Chen Zhan, the temporary leader of the martial arts alliance.

Among the men Gao Zhendong brought, Liu Yinhu had already fought with Gu Ruzhang and was easily defeated. Among the remaining men, Chu Guiting defeated a master of Hung Kuen, but suffered minor injuries.

Only Jiang Rongqiao has not made a move.

At this moment, Gao Zhendong stepped down, but he walked up without saying a word.

He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Chen Zhan and said with a smile, "Alliance Leader seems to be proficient in the three major internal martial arts. It just so happens that I am as well, having some knowledge of Xingyi, Bagua, and Taiji. I would be so bold as to ask Alliance Leader for a few pointers."

Jiang Rongqiao spoke sincerely, but Gao Zhendong's expression turned sour. Jiang Rongqiao went on stage without consulting him.

As the acting sect leader, he indeed couldn't fully control the Wudang Sect. However, even with Sun Lutang present, the relationship between the sect leader and the instructors wasn't one of superiority or inferiority; it was merely a working relationship.

"Alright, let's spar a bit."

Chen Zhan knew that Jiang Rongqiao and Zhang Zhankui had studied Xingyi Quan and were considered his disciples, so he was very polite to them.

Jiang Rongqiao clasped his hands in a fist and instead of retreating, he advanced, stepping forward with his left foot into a three-body stance. His right fist suddenly straightened, unleashing a powerful punch that aimed straight for Chen Zhan's heart.

This punch, though seemingly simple, actually conceals a sharp edge, incorporating the twisting force of Baguazhang. The fist surface subtly rotates, aiming to catch Chen Zhan off guard by using "force hidden within force".

Chen Zhan stood still, his right hand with the five fingers slightly spread, and gently pressed down when the Bengquan (a type of fist) was three inches away from his chest.

It was pressed against the heel of his fist, only an inch from the wrist artery, which was very dangerous. Jiang Rongqiao felt a heavy force surge up his fist and arm, as if it were filled with lead, and the force instantly became stagnant.

He tried to change his stance, but found that Chen Zhan's fingertips seemed to be attached to his fist. No matter how he tried to change his stance, that heavy force pressed down on him firmly.

Looking up at Chen Zhan, she saw that Chen Zhan had let go of her hand.

“Xingyi says, ‘Power originates from the ground and flows through the fingertips.’ Your punches are powerful, fast, and even your thoughts and hidden next move are exquisite. But if you forget to defend and only focus on attacking, you will expose too many weaknesses. If I release my hidden power and your palm is pierced at the Daling acupoint, you will immediately be at a disadvantage.”

Chen Zhan's voice was flat, and with a gentle push of his right hand, Jiang Rongqiao staggered back two steps, his fist force completely dissipated.

His expression changed slightly, realizing he had met someone who truly understood the essence of form and meaning. "You're right!"

As he spoke, he touched the ground with his left toe and suddenly began to circle around Chen Zhan with rapid steps, using the "mud-walking step" of Baguazhang. His right hand formed a piercing palm, as if he wanted to circle around to Chen Zhan's side and launch a surprise attack.

But he had only turned halfway when Chen Zhan moved as well.

With a light stomp of his right foot, Chen Zhan, though also using the mud-walking step, was half a beat faster than Jiang Rongqiao and remained directly in front of him. No matter which direction Jiang Rongqiao moved around to, Chen Zhan's figure seemed to be nailed to his front, and his palm could never reach him.

Jiang Rongqiao walked faster and faster, increasing his pace and even incorporating Tai Chi's "cloud steps" to try and change direction. However, Chen Zhan's footwork, though seemingly slow, always stepped into the "gaps" in Jiang Rongqiao's movements, like a net trapping him in place.

"The Bagua movement is about 'using movement to strike,' not 'moving for the sake of moving.' In a life-or-death battle, your opponent will most likely not give you a chance to move and turn before striking."

Chen Zhan suddenly spoke, raising his left hand slightly to block Jiang Rongqiao's piercing palm, his palm pressed against Jiang's forearm.

Tai Chi Sticky Strength!

Jiang Rongqiao was overjoyed, thinking he could use the force of the stick to pull Chen Zhan back. He quickly lowered his waist to release the force and tried to pull, but as soon as he exerted force, he felt that Chen Zhan's palm suddenly "lost its force". His pulling force instantly lost its strength and he stumbled forward.

Before he could even regain his footing, Chen Zhan's right hand had already gently rested on his waist, his fingertips sinking slightly.

Jiang Rongqiao felt a warm energy penetrate into her dantian, and all her strength seemed to be drained away, causing her limbs to go limp instantly.

He tried to struggle, but found that he didn't even have the strength to raise his arm. He could only stand there frozen, his face drained of color. Just now, Chen Zhan not only dissipated his strength, but also struck his "Qi Hai" acupoint. Although it didn't hurt him, it made him unable to exert any force.

“You know three different styles of martial arts, but you haven’t integrated them into one. Xingyi’s ferocity, Bagua’s slipperiness, and Taiji’s stickiness are all separate and can’t be combined.”

Chen Zhan withdrew his hand and took half a step back, still dressed in flowing blue robes, his breathing perfectly steady.

Jiang Rongqiao looked at his hands, then at Chen Zhan, gave a wry smile, clasped his hands and bowed: "Alliance Leader, you are truly a master of martial arts, proficient in everything. I, Rongqiao, concede defeat."

The audience erupted in chaos.

Just now, Jiang Rongqiao used three different boxing techniques. His moves were fast and skillful, making him seem like a top expert. However, under Chen Zhan's hands, he couldn't even mount a decent counterattack. Chen Zhan didn't use any heavy blows at all, and he easily neutralized and subdued Jiang Rongqiao.

Gao Zhendong felt somewhat relieved. Chen Zhan was right. Losing to a Grandmaster was perfectly normal. There was no shame in it, nor was there any need to be discouraged.

"Alliance Leader Chen seems to be doing it without any effort at all."

“That’s right, they handled it with ease. Those two are both renowned masters from the Central Martial Arts Academy, and Gao Zhendong is even the acting head of the academy. In front of Alliance Leader Chen, they were like children playing games.”

Chen Zhan's calm and composed demeanor was indeed unexpected by the onlookers.

While the discussion continued offstage, only Chen Zhan remained on stage.

Wan Laisheng and Gu Ruzhang were also talking: "Three years ago, I was ahead of you, but I never thought that you would have successfully reached the Dan stage in three years, while I am still stuck at the last hurdle. Among the Five Tigers going down to Jiangnan, you should be the leader."

After Wan Laisheng finished speaking, Gu Ruzhang laughed and said, "I am a few years older than you, which is normal. You are two years younger than Alliance Leader Chen, so it's only a matter of time before you reach the Core Formation stage."

Wan Laisheng nodded. He was indeed quite confident about reaching the Dan realm, but he wanted to hone his foundation. According to his master, Du Xinwu, the path after reaching the Dan realm depended entirely on the depth of one's foundation.

While hastily acquiring the Elixir of Immortality may boost combat power in the short term, it is not a good thing in the long run.

Wan Laisheng looked at Gu Ruzhang again, their eyes met, and he didn't speak. Gu Ruzhang stood up, took two steps to the arena, looked at Chen Zhan, and clasped his hands in greeting:

"Mr. Chen is not trying to relinquish the position of leader of the martial arts alliance; he is clearly trying to establish his authority."

(End of this chapter)