Yang Guo: I defied death and reached the heavens in The Return of the Condor Heroes

Yang Guo took off his outer robe, casually draped it over the railing by the corridor, and slowly stepped into the courtyard to stand still.

He did not adopt any martial arts stance, but simply stood relaxed and still.

With his hands hanging naturally at his sides, he looked relaxed, as if he were idly standing in the courtyard basking in the sun.

Only he himself knew that at this moment, his body was already surging with Qi.

The Reverse Life Technique circulated silently, and Qi flowed slowly through all the muscles and tendons of the body.

Like an underground river, its surface is calm, but deep within it lies a surging power.

A faint white aura gradually appeared around his skin.

Its skin and flesh suddenly became exceptionally tough, with a resistance far beyond that of ordinary people.

Ordinary punches and kicks landed on it as if striking an old vine soaked in cowhide, barely causing any damage.

This is precisely the state of near perfection of the first level of the Reverse Life Technique:

His entire body can be covered in white qi, and his strength, agility, perception, and protective abilities far surpass those of his peers.

He silently observed the power gathering within him.

At this moment, his mind was focused and clear, and every movement he made possessed the powerful strength of a dragon and a tiger.

With his current cultivation level, if he were to fight with all his might, defeating Zhao Zhijing within ten moves would not be difficult.

Zhao Zhijing's skills were indeed solid.

However, in Yang Guo's perception, his internal energy was scattered and impure, and his skill in condensing it was far inferior to his own.

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Zhijing's eyes. He had thought that Yang Guo would find an excuse to refuse, but he did not expect that this kid would dare to accept the challenge so readily.

A cold, sharp smile tugged at the corner of his mouth:

"I will not take advantage of my strength to bully the weak; I will only use the first three moves of the Quanzhen Palm Technique."

"If you can withstand three moves without showing any signs of defeat, then you will have passed this test."

These words were well said, showing both magnanimity and leaving ample room for maneuver.

For him, subduing a novice who had only recently joined the school in three moves was a piece of cake.

Yang Guo didn't say much, but simply nodded slightly, his gaze falling lightly on Zhao Zhijing's shoulders.

His aura was long and steady, not intended for attack, but for focused defense.

He needed to withstand three of his opponent's attacks while simultaneously concealing his true cultivation level without revealing a single detail.

"Look carefully."

As soon as Zhao Zhijing finished speaking, he suddenly darted out.

He moved swiftly, closing the distance between them in just three steps.

With a powerful and concentrated force, his right palm struck Yang Guo's left shoulder.

The speed and force of this palm strike were all precisely controlled within the limits of the sect's "testing" criteria.

Although it may not injure anyone, it is enough to leave ordinary beginners at a loss and struggling to defend themselves.

Yang Guo clearly saw the force of the incoming palm strike.

In his eyes, Zhao Zhijing's starting move, the application of force, and the landing point were all perfectly clear to him.

Several possible solutions flashed through his mind in an instant:

He sidestepped the palm strike and then attacked the opponent's ribs.

He crouched low, took a spinning step, and swept his leg to disrupt the opponent's lower body balance.

Alternatively, one can neither dodge nor flinch, but instead rely on the qi-transformed flesh to withstand the attack, and then subdue the opponent while they are still in shock.

Any method can give him the upper hand.

But he cannot win easily.

Not only must you lose, but you must lose in a perfectly timed way.

They had to save face for Zhao Zhijing, but they also couldn't afford to lose face themselves.

This was a performance that had to be meticulously executed, with hundreds of eyes in the courtyard fixed on the audience.

This small courtyard serves as the stage.

Fine, let's just go along with it and put on a show.

Yang Guo spun slightly, shifting his body three-tenths of an inch to narrowly avoid the palm strike.

At the same time, his right hand gently lifted Zhao Zhijing's wrist, dissipating all the remaining force, and then quietly withdrew.

This block was so swift and agile that, if an observer did not look closely, they would think that Zhao Zhijing's palm strike had simply missed its target.

He deliberately restrained his moves, displaying only the naiveté of a novice disciple.

It neither appears clumsy or hesitant, nor does it reveal the seasoned composure of someone with extensive martial arts experience.

Zhao Zhijing raised an eyebrow slightly.

Although he did not use his full strength in this palm strike, the direction and speed of the attack were not something that an ordinary novice disciple could easily dodge.

Yang Guo not only dodged the attack with ease, but also took the opportunity to block and neutralize it.

Although it was just a preliminary attempt, his quick reflexes and speed of action far exceeded his expectations of a novice disciple.

Zhao Zhijing snorted inwardly:

"He's got some skills; this little beast is definitely not an ordinary mediocre person."

The moment the thought crossed his mind, the second palm strike followed immediately.

This palm strike was not the same as the previous straight strike; instead, it was slashed diagonally, aiming directly at Yang Guo's right shoulder.

The attack is faster than the previous palm strike, and the direction is more cunning, with the palm wind making a whistling sound.

The surrounding disciples all looked surprised.

Zhao Zhijing's second strike had already exceeded the limits set by his sect's "test" of him.

Yang Guo remained expressionless, having already discerned the immense power of the palm strike; Zhao Zhijing was now truly unleashing his full strength.

He could have dodged to the side, but instead, he struck Zhao Zhijing's elbow with a backhand.

With just his physical cultivation, he could numb her entire arm for a long time.

But he did not do that.

Yang Guo stepped back, creating a distance of about ten feet, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and used the outside of his forearms to block Zhao Zhijing's palm strike.

Their hands and arms collided, producing a dull thud.

A surge of force came from the point of contact, only causing a slight numbness in his forearm, but that was all.

The Qi within his body automatically flowed to the point of impact the instant the fight began.

The force was dissipated and vanished without a trace, leaving not even a scratch on the skin, let alone any injury.

However, he had already controlled his expression perfectly, with his brows slightly furrowed, subtly revealing a bit of strain.

It seemed that the blow had caused his blood and qi to surge, making him feel uneasy all over.

I've already countered two moves.

The surrounding disciples all stared intently.

Everyone thought that Zhao Zhijing's attack would be a one-sided crushing defeat, but to everyone's surprise, Yang Guo actually managed to withstand both of his palm strikes.

Although he remained entirely on the defensive, he did not retaliate at all.

For a disciple who had only been a student for a little over a month, to be able to withstand two moves from Zhao Zhijing without showing any signs of weakness was already an extremely impressive feat.

Zhao Zhijing's expression gradually darkened.

He originally intended to humiliate Yang Guo within three moves.

Now that the two moves have been countered, Yang Guo, though focused solely on defense, has not shown the slightest weakness.

If the third move still fails to subdue him, what will become of my dignity?

He took a deep breath, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. This third strike would not hold back in the slightest.

I'll think about it.

Zhao Zhijing swayed, unleashing a powerful palm strike that sent a gust of wind through the air, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

This move no longer involved any probing; the attack was like a rainbow piercing the sun, aimed directly at Yang Guo's ribs.

The speed and force of the attack caused the onlookers and disciples to gasp in astonishment.

If this palm strike landed squarely, Yang Guo would surely break several of his ribs.

Yang Guo's pupils narrowed slightly as he clearly sensed the fierce force of the opponent's palm coming towards him, but he had a clear understanding of the situation.

With his current ability to transform flesh and blood into Qi, even if he were to take the blow head-on, he could dissipate most of the force and avoid serious injury.

However, if one were to parry in this way, one's true cultivation level would be revealed to the world.

A disciple who had only been a student for a little over a month was able to calmly withstand Zhao Zhijing's full-force attack.

This matter will surely alarm the entire audience, which is very inappropriate for his future plans.

With a thought racing through his mind, Yang Guo immediately made up his mind.

He neither blocked nor completely dodged; instead, he made a move that no one could have predicted:

His body suddenly bent backward, barely managing to dodge the palm strike in an extremely crooked and disheveled posture.

A strong wind swept past, tearing a thin line through the fabric on the chest.

He stumbled, lost his balance, and fell to the ground, looking flustered, but his movements were fluid and natural.

Yang Guo sat down on the ground, slightly out of breath, with a perfectly measured lingering fear on his face, as if he had been intimidated by the palm strike just now.

But his inner energy remained as steady as ever, and his heart pulse showed no signs of agitation.

He was still secretly assessing the power of Zhao Zhijing's palm strike:

The power is indeed far superior to the previous two moves, but there are flaws in the way the power is applied.

If facing a top-notch opponent, this one flaw could be fatal.

"My master's palm technique is exquisite, and his internal energy is profound. I am no match for him."

Yang Guo caught his breath and stood up, his voice earnest, a hint of shame appearing on his face at just the right moment:

"This disciple's skills are rudimentary; I apologize for making a fool of myself, Uncle-Master."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Zhao Zhijing stood there, his face a mixture of pale and ashen.

On the surface, he appeared to have won, with Yang Guo already slumped to the ground, and to anyone else, it seemed that defeat was inevitable.

But he knew perfectly well that his palm strike hadn't touched Yang Guo at all.

The opponent lost his balance and fell on his own; he was not knocked down by the force of the palm strike.

The disciple, who had only been a student for a little over a month, was able to withstand more than two moves from me.

For Yang Guo, this was already a victory in disguise.

The surrounding disciples looked at each other with varying expressions, their thoughts unknown.

Those with only a superficial understanding of martial arts secretly rejoiced when they saw Yang Guo fall to the ground.

Some people felt that he was a novice and that his ability to withstand three moves was already a glorious defeat.

Another person with keen insight was secretly alarmed:

Yang Guo appeared to be defeated, but in reality, he had handled the situation with great skill.

He saved Zhao Zhijing's face without suffering any loss himself; his cunning and methods were far beyond those of ordinary people.

Zhao Zhijing stood there, caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

He originally intended to humiliate Yang Guo, but now the other party is speaking humbly and has taken the initiative to admit defeat.

If one is too critical, one will only be accused of being narrow-minded and bullying younger generations.

He gritted his teeth and let out a heavy, cold snort:

"Knowing that your skills are shallow, you must practice even harder in the future. You may step down now."

Yang Guo brushed the dust off his clothes, bowed his head, and said:

"This disciple will remember the teachings of my master."

After saying this, he turned around and walked away slowly.

He walked steadily with his back straight, showing no sign of dejection.

Zhao Zhijing stared at Yang Guo's departing figure, his face so somber it seemed to drip water.

Even though he had clearly won the argument, he hadn't expected this guy to be so slippery and cunning, maintaining impeccable manners on the surface.

Instead, it left me with nowhere to unleash my arrogance and a feeling of suffocation in my heart.

The results of the competition spread throughout the entire Chongyang Palace in an instant.

The disciples were in an uproar.

Unfortunately, Yang Guo made enemies with a villain, which led Zhao Zhijing to take action himself.

It is said that although he lost the face, he did not lose his spirit. It was already rare for him to be able to withstand three moves from Zhao Zhijing.

Some people secretly doubted, feeling that his final fall seemed too deliberate.

Yang Guo paid no attention to these idle gossips and went straight back to his secluded cottage, closing the door and sitting down on the couch.

He looked down at his arm and saw that the skin was smooth and without a trace of redness.

The self-healing power of the Reverse Life Technique has quietly improved so much.

He closed his eyes and pondered the three moves he had just used to dismantle the opponent, his mind remaining calm and undisturbed.

Zhao Zhijing's palm technique was full of flaws, and his temperament was even more impetuous, which was quite laughable.

If it were a true life-or-death struggle, I would surely render him powerless to fight within ten moves.

But he won't do that.

At least not right now.