Chapter 572 - 192: Fame Spreads in Jintai Prefecture, Miss Jinlian’s Thoughts

Bai Ziyu was secretly alarmed. ’Yang Jing must have also cultivated a True Skill for a Body Technique, and he might even be on the cusp of the Qi Eating Realm,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this fast.’

Just as his Profound Yin Claw was about to touch Yang Jing’s shoulder, Yang Jing’s fist, wreathed in a golden light, shot up to meet it.

"CLANG!"

The fist and claw collided, producing a piercing shriek of metal on metal. A shockwave of force erupted, kicking up the dust on the ring.

Bai Ziyu’s expression changed abruptly. He felt an astonishing and irresistible force surge from Yang Jing’s fist, making his wrist go numb. He almost lost his grip on the claw gauntlet.

What shocked him even more was the incredibly domineering Inner Strength that accompanied the immense force.

This Inner Strength was like fine needles, penetrating his meridians through the point of contact.

Wherever it passed, the Inner Strength circulating in his body was swiftly disrupted, scattered, and ultimately crushed.

Bai Ziyu felt a stifling pressure in his chest.

At that moment, he finally understood what Lu Shaohua must have felt when facing Yang Jing the day before.

’The helplessness of being crushed by absolute power, the agony of having one’s Inner Strength brutally ravaged... it’s simply unbearable.’

Bai Ziyu stumbled back five or six steps, scoring shallow marks into the stone slabs beneath his feet before he barely managed to regain his footing.

Yang Jing, however, only paused for a moment before charging fiercely toward Bai Ziyu again, enveloped in a formidable aura.

A flurry of fists rained down, each carrying the power to shatter stone. Yang Jing’s assault was like a tidal wave, with each punch landing faster than the last.

Without revealing his breakthrough in *River-Crossing Step*, Yang Jing pushed his speed to its absolute limit. Although he was still not as fast as Bai Ziyu, he could now barely keep up.

Moreover, Yang Jing’s own Inner Qi was stronger and his power greater. As long as he seized an opportunity, he could steadily inflict more and more damage on Bai Ziyu. Sooner or later, defeat would be Bai Ziyu’s only option.

Bai Ziyu gritted his teeth, enduring the stinging pain in his meridians. He channeled the Inner Qi from his Dantian and executed the exquisite moves of the Profound Yin Claw, unleashing a flurry of claw strikes in an attempt to block Yang Jing’s fists.

But while his claw technique was vicious, he was completely suppressed by Yang Jing’s fists. With every collision, his qi and blood roiled, and his advantage in speed was slowly chipped away.

This was a ring, not the wilderness. If he had encountered an opponent like Yang Jing outside the ring, Bai Ziyu would have long since fled or kited him from a distance.

But on the ring, Yang Jing was also incredibly fast. Even with his superior speed, it was difficult for Bai Ziyu to fully utilize his advantage.

The two exchanged over a dozen moves on the ring. Fierce winds howled and waves of qi churned across the stage.

Yang Jing pressed his attack, every punch aimed at Bai Ziyu’s vital spots. He completely suppressed Bai Ziyu, not even giving him a chance to catch his breath.

Bai Ziyu could only defend passively, constantly retreating and steadily losing ground. His red martial arts uniform had already been torn in several places by the force of the punches. It was clear that Yang Jing had the absolute advantage.

After another dozen moves, a trickle of blood escaped the corner of Bai Ziyu’s mouth. His face was flushed crimson, and he had to repeatedly force down the sweet, metallic taste of blood rising in his throat.

He knew he had already suffered internal injuries. If this continued, his defeat was only a matter of time.

Fortunately, his Wind-Chasing Step was perfected to a sublime degree. His Body Technique was as agile as a phantom, always allowing him to narrowly avoid Yang Jing’s heavy, powerful fists at the last possible second.

Had it been anyone else even a fraction slower, they would likely be more severely injured by now and would have been defeated much faster.

...

On the high platform, the eyes of Cao Zhen, the Sect Leader of Xuanzhen Sect, and the seven Peak Masters were all fixed on Yang Jing in the ring, their gazes filled with a mixture of scrutiny and amazement.

Peak Master Yunxi, Zhou Yunyi, watched Yang Jing’s extraordinary martial bearing on the ring, observing how his fists were unstoppable. Her thoughts were unreadable, but her red lips parted slightly as she let out a soft sigh, a complex emotion flashing in the depths of her eyes.

’Back then, this boy had a chance to join Yunxi Peak... What a pity...’

It wasn’t just the upper echelons of the Xuanzhen Sect. At that moment, across the entirety of Fushan Square, everyone’s eyes were locked on the two figures battling in the ring—from the disciples of the Xuanzhen Sect’s various branches to the scions of the great families from Jintai Prefecture City.

The square was silent. Everyone watched the fight intently, afraid of missing a single detail.

...

In the area where the Celestial Derivation Peak disciples were gathered, Chu Yunhai stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression solemn as he watched the match in the ring.

His gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, carefully observing Yang Jing’s every move—from the circulation of his Inner Qi and the shifting momentum of his fists to the movement of his feet. He took it all in.

At this point, even he didn’t dare to underestimate Yang Jing in the slightest.

The power and defense Yang Jing had displayed were both top-tier, enough to rival his own.

Chu Yunhai observed for a long time before his brow slowly unfurrowed. A sense of confidence began to build within him.

’Yang Jing’s strength is indeed no less than my own, and his defense is astonishingly formidable.’

’But a fight in the ring isn’t just a contest of pure strength; it’s a test of overall ability.’

Chu Yunhai’s eyes flickered as he silently analyzed the situation.

’Yang Jing’s power is immense and his defense is strong, but he has one arguable weakness: his speed.’

’For a Martial Artist, speed has a huge impact on overall strength. After all, speed means agility, and agility means controlling the initiative in a fight.’

Chu Yunhai watched Yang Jing’s wide, sweeping punches on the stage, and his footwork, which, while fast, was somewhat deliberate.

’Actually, Yang Jing’s speed isn’t slow. He’s even much faster than the vast majority of disciples. But it all depends on who you compare him to.’

’Compared to an ordinary Martial Artist at the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm, they would naturally be no match for Yang Jing. As long as someone doesn’t specialize in speed-based Body Techniques, they would most likely be slower than him too.’

’But compared to me, compared to a true prodigy of the Martial Dao, Yang Jing’s speed is definitely a notch slower.’

The corner of Chu Yunhai’s mouth curled into a faint smile. ’Don’t underestimate that one small difference. In a duel between top experts, that tiny gap is enough to decide victory and defeat.’

After figuring this out, Chu Yunhai’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and his heart immediately settled.

His gaze toward the stage also became much more relaxed. It was no longer as heavy as before, now tinged with a newfound confidence.