Proving God begins with the principle that no effort is wasted.

Zhou Liang was carried away.

The disciples of Cangsong Martial Arts School stood frozen in place, their souls scattered.

The voices from the audience were faint, like the buzzing of mosquitoes.

"He's ruined. His meridians are all severed, making it impossible for him to practice martial arts anymore."

"The pine tree lost its nine most outstanding seedlings."

"They really shot themselves in the foot."

The voices were mixed, with few expressing regret and many gloating.

The martial arts school owners looked up at each other, their fingertips tracing the shape of their teacups, their lips pursed.

No one spoke, but everyone looked relaxed, yet they couldn't hide their emotions.

One less formidable enemy means one more chance of survival!

Shi Yunshan sat upright in his seat amidst the pine breeze, his face ashen.

"Good. What a fine Mountain-Crushing Fist!"

Shi Yunshan opened his mouth, the words forced out from between his teeth.

The teacup slammed heavily onto the table, its porcelain surface clanging crisply. He slowly rose, his aura suddenly becoming heavy, and the disciples of Cangsong lowered their heads in silence, not daring to breathe.

His gaze pierced through the crowd and landed on Jiang Lan.

"Luo Lie".

As the three words fell, a figure stood up from the depths of the Songfeng Seat.

He was rather short, easily blending into the crowd. His face was expressionless, his features ordinary, but the moment he opened his eyes, a sharp, hidden glint appeared, as deep and unfathomable as a cold pool.

Luo Lie.

The eldest disciple of Songfeng Martial Arts School, the first disciple of Shiyun Mountain, and the most senior member of the school.

This technique is the first to break through nine acupoints, and its power has been perfected over many years. It is Songfeng's true trump card.

"Master." Luo Lie walked up to Shi Yunshan, bowed slightly, and spoke respectfully.

Shi Yunshan ignored him, his gaze still fixed on Jiang Lan, and said in a very low voice, barely audible to the two of them: "No need to hold back."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious and grave: "This person is ruthless in his attacks, and his power circulation is extraordinary. Do not underestimate him."

Luo Lie nodded, saying nothing more. He turned and slowly stepped onto the platform.

His footsteps were unhurried, the soles of his boots treading on the bluestone slabs silently, yet instantly silencing the clamor of the entire place.

Someone recognized him, and their expression changed drastically.

"Luo Lie! Songfeng, a veteran of the Nine Acupoints, has broken through five years ago!"

"His strength is already at its peak, and he's on the verge of mastering the ultimate technique, far surpassing Zhou Liang's abilities!"

"Jiang Lan has just broken through nine acupoints; this situation is difficult!"

Seats at Guangchang Martial Arts School.

Liu Changqing's brows were furrowed, his hands gripping the armrest so tightly his knuckles turned white. Liu Yun stood behind him, her handkerchief crumpled into a ball, her palms damp with sweat. Shen Qing stood on tiptoe, peering in, her lips pressed together, her fingers clenching the hem of her clothes.

"Senior Brother Jiang...can you win?"

Her voice was barely audible, tinged with trepidation.

Sun Geng remained silent, clutching his still aching right shoulder, his expression complex. He had been defeated by Zhou Liang in ten moves, and he knew Zhou Liang's strength well, as well as Jiang Lan's ruthlessness.

Korolie represents a completely different level of skill; it's the shrewdness that comes with years of experience...

Luo Lie stepped onto the ring.

He stood three zhang away from Jiang Lan, making no feigned stance. He slightly lowered his waist, bent his knees slightly, and let his hands hang naturally at his sides.

His aura was deep and still, like a still, deep pool. He showed no sign of being sharp or aggressive, yet he made people feel inexplicably uneasy, unable to fathom his depths.

Jiang Lan looked up.

This person is completely different from Zhou Liang.

Zhou Liang is like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed, fierce yet easily broken; Luo Lie is like a stubborn rock at the bottom of a river, seemingly ordinary, but once stepped on, one knows its weight, its hardness, and its unshakeable nature.

Take a deep breath.

Jiang Lan slowly raised his hand, assuming the starting stance of the Mountain-Crushing Fist – the Tiger's Might stance.

He stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, his center of gravity lowered, his hands gripping his waist like tiger claws. Without holding back, he faced the old acupoints head-on, choosing the most forceful approach.

Eyes facing each other.

The invisible forces collided in mid-air, like two cold walls meeting. A strong wind swept silently, and the two men's clothes fluttered slightly, but neither of them retreated.

Luo Lie made the first move.

His figure moved as fast as a black shadow, arriving in an instant. One moment he was three zhang away, the next he was already in front of Jiang Lan.

He brought his right palm together, like a knife, and thrust it straight at Jiang Lan's chest. The palm wind was contained, making no sound, but Jiang Lan's skin already tightened, and a chill ran down his spine.

Jiang Lan did not retreat.

He lowered his waist and twisted his body, his right arm snapped out, and he slammed into the ground with the Tiger's Might style.

The fist and palm collided, producing only a dull "thud," like a heavy blow to leather.

Both of them compromised.

Luo Lie's palms turned red, while Jiang Lan's fists felt numb. The first round was evenly matched, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

A hint of surprise flashed across Luo Lie's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant, replaced by solemnity.

He moved again, striking out with both palms simultaneously. His front palm feinted while his back palm concealed its power, his hands like two dragons emerging from the sea. Compared to Zhou Liang, he was more experienced and cunning, each move targeting vital points.

Jiang Lan dodged the feint by turning to the side, and then launched a tiger-pouncing attack with his right fist from below.

The fist blasted with a loud thud, like a tiger pouncing on its prey, aimed straight at Luo Lie's jaw.

Luo Lie leaned back to dodge the punch, the force of the blow grazing his cheek and severing two strands of hair. His palm followed closely, striking Jiang Lan's left shoulder heavily.

The yin energy penetrated his body, and Jiang Lan's left shoulder instantly went numb, causing his body to sink slightly.

Jiang Lan neither dodged nor avoided.

The instant his left shoulder was struck, his right fist retracted, unleashing a tiger-swinging strike. His spine twisted like a bow, and his right arm, carrying centrifugal force, swept across Luo Lie's waist. This was a deadly move from the Mountain-Crushing Fist, its power arcing, impossible to dodge.

Luo Lie had no time to dodge and raised his arm to block.

Fist and arm collided with a dull thud, leaving a slight numbness in the joints. Luo Lie's forearm felt as if it had been struck by an iron rod, his entire arm lost its strength, and he staggered back two steps.

Jiang Lan pressed forward relentlessly, taking half a step forward and unleashing the Tiger's Might again, his right fist striking straight at the chest.

Luo Lie did not retreat.

With a swift movement of his left hand, he grabbed Jiang Lan's wrist, and a chilling force drilled into his meridians, like an ice needle piercing his bones, locking in his energy flow—the Mountain-Breaking Hand Locking Force, specifically designed to counter fist techniques.

Jiang Lan's right arm stiffened.

Luo Lie seized the opening, gathering power in his right palm and striking Jiang Lan directly in the heart. This palm strike contained all the power of a well-rounded technique; anyone who landed on it would be severely injured.

Jiang Lan had nowhere to retreat.

His left hand emerged from under his ribs, palm facing each other, and slammed heavily onto Luo Lie's palm. The two forces collided with a deafening roar, shattering the bluestone slab beneath their feet and sending stone chips flying.

boom!

The two of them stepped back at the same time.

Jiang Lan took three steps back before regaining his balance. His chest ached, and a metallic taste rose in his throat, which he forced back down.

Luo Lie also took three steps back, looked down at his right palm, where the finger marks on the edge of his palm were deep, the skin was bluish-purple, and he felt a dull pain.

You could hear a pin drop in the audience.

The martial arts masters from each school looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.

It wasn't the intensity of the battle that surprised me, but rather Jiang Lan—a newcomer who had just broken through to the ninth level of acupoints, who was able to directly confront a veteran with perfected ninth level acupoints and hold his own.

Luo Lie looked up, and the way he looked at Jiang Lan completely changed.

From calm, to serious, and then to solemn.

He underestimated it. It wasn't just about strength, but also about fighting style. Jiang Lan used the three forms of the Mountain-Crushing Fist with a perfect blend of hardness and softness, concealing skill within brute force, making each move deadly—far beyond the reach of ordinary newcomers.

Jiang Lan took a moment to calm herself, and the numbness in her left shoulder gradually subsided, but the tightness and pain in her chest had not yet disappeared.

Luo Lie's Mountain-Breaking Hand technique possesses a deep, penetrating force that specifically targets the internal organs. Had he not cultivated his internal organ strength to the second level, that palm strike would have been enough to shatter his heart meridian.

The wind swept across the command platform, causing banners to flutter and the air to be filled with the stench of blood.

All eyes were fixed on the two gray figures on the stage. Countless people's palms were sweating as they held their breath in anticipation.

Luo Lie took a deep breath, brought his fists to his sides, and his knuckles cracked repeatedly.

He cannot lose.

Behind him lay the reputation of Songfeng Martial Arts School and the expectations of Shi Yunshan. To win was his duty; to lose would be a great disgrace to the school, leaving him with no place to stand.

Jiang Lan lowered her waist again.

Mountain-Crushing Fist, Tiger-like Stance.

He didn't care about winning or losing, nor did he care about saving face.

All I want is to break the deadlock with one punch.

But both of them knew that the next move would determine life or death, and decide the winner.

Luo Lie shifted his feet slightly, and his Yin energy surged suddenly. His gray clothes fluttered without wind, and his eyes were fierce, finally revealing his killing intent.

Jiang Lan clenched his fists, blood seeping from his tiger's mouth again, his eyes burning with a desperate glint, his body surging with fierce power as he met the fatal blow!