Chapter 29
Combat
Lin Yan only heaved a long sigh of relief when he returned to Dragon Gate Pavilion.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands. He did not expect that he would kill two more people in just a month.
But this time, there was no strong reaction from last time.
Thinking back to the battle just now, on one hand, he had taken the initiative. On the other hand, his physical fitness had increased. Compared to the two of them, he had the advantage in raw strength.
Especially speed.
The deer form and the tiger form made his movements extremely agile. Only then could he seize the moment when the other party’s gaze shifted and knock that person over with a single strike to avoid a one-on-two disadvantageous situation.
If it was him from more than a month ago, he would probably have been kicked over before he hit his enemy.
However, his strength was slightly insufficient. Otherwise, when the tiger claw grabbed the second person, the guy’s throat would have been broken long ago, and he would not have been at the risk of being captured in close combat.
“The effect of the Five Forms Fusion has just been displayed. If I had another half a month, I would be able to crush these two people.”
The Black Tiger Gang was a low-level gang. They would definitely not be able to recruit any martial artists in their underworld business. Most of the gang members were ordinary people like Hu Biao and the two burly men today.
Lin Yan let out a long breath. Unknowingly, he had already gained a certain level of self-protection.
He reached into his pocket and took out the spoils of war he had just found.
The two of them only had less than one tael of silver in total. A hooligan like Hu Biao, who carried five taels of silver with him, was something that could only be chanced upon by luck.
But it was not completely fruitless.
Lin Yan took out a porcelain bottle with words written on it. It was the Emerald Wind Powder.
“There must be some channel in the Black Tiger Gang that can get the Emerald Wind Powder. It solves my urgent problem.”
However, his need for blood energy had greatly increased. He did not know how many days a bottle of Emerald Wind Powder could last.
Lin Yan focused and thought carefully before opening the Golden Bodhi Scripture.
Skills: Devour (100%), Five Animal Hands (95%)
During the intense battle just now, the proficiency of the Five Animal Hands Technique was eagerly bouncing several times.
“I’m right. If I want to break through the 95% threshold of the Five Animal Hands Technique, I have to have more actual combat.”
Wu Yard did not teach actual combat, but disciples would occasionally engage in actual combat.
Because after mastering martial arts, one would want to spar with others.
However, Lin Yan had never participated. Previously, he had been worried that his realm in the Five Animal Hands Technique would be seen through.
“Now that my five forms have merged into one, my movements are at my will and I can control them freely. With just a little concealment, I can make my movements simple and unadorned, only revealing the true meaning of the deer form. It’s time to find someone else to fight.”
After having lunch with Xiaozhi, Lin Yan and Xiaozhi played for a while before getting up and going out to the martial arts arena.
“Senior Brother Lin!”
“Senior Brother Lin.”
“Senior Brother Lin…”
Currently, he could be considered one of the first batch of disciples in the Wu Yard. Coupled with the Monthly First Evaluation, which added to his mysteriousness, he was respectfully addressed as Senior Brother by the other disciples.
Lin Yan swept his gaze over. There were many new disciples who had entered the sect. Lin Yan no longer recognized this group of people.
It was not easy for him to meet someone he had seen before. His surname seemed to be Lou. He had entered the sect in the same month as Lin Yan. At that time, he had even taken the lead to provoke him in front of Tang Shi.
He walked straight to him.
“Junior Brother Lou.”
Lou Xing’s face turned slightly pale. “Senior… Senior Brother Lin.”
“I need your help with something.”
Lou Xing’s body trembled as he said ingratiatingly, “Senior Brother Lin, just tell me. I’ll do my best!”
“Come, follow me!”
“Aye, aye!”
Lin Yan brought him to an empty place at the side. The surrounding disciples of Wu Yard were paying attention to Lin Yan. Seeing that he had specially called someone over, they stopped what they were doing and looked over.
Lou Xing was rather uncomfortable and said with trepidation, “Senior Brother Lin, what do you want me to do?”
He also remembered taking the lead to provoke Lin Yan back then. At this moment, he wished he could transmigrate back and slap himself ten times in a row.
Lin Yan stood up straight. “Let’s spar. Come, hit me!”
“…Huh?”
“Punch me!”
“This… Senior Brother, you must be joking. How would I dare to hit you?”
“Practicing martial arts means hitting people. If you don’t dare to hit people, why are you practicing martial arts?”
“I—”
“Do it!”
“Aye, aye.”
Lou Xing looked troubled. He raised his fist and jogged over step by step, swinging it at Lin Yan’s chest.
Lin Yan frowned and grabbed Lou Xing’s fist, pushing him to the ground.
This kid did not dare to attack at all. If this continued, it would be a waste of time.
Lin Yan recalled the scene where his Eldest Senior Brother usually taught people a lesson. He imitated his Eldest Senior Brother and pulled a long face.
“Haven’t you eaten? Use more strength!”
“You don’t even know how to beat people up, so why are you still practicing martial arts!”
“If you continue to be so wishy-washy, don’t blame me for hitting you!”
After a series of mockery and stimulation, coupled with the fact that he had thrown Lou Xing to the ground consecutively, Lou Xing was finally angry. His eyes were spitting fire as he shouted, “You’re going too far!”
He threw a punch at Lin Yan.
However, Lin Yan blocked his hands with his deer form and kicked him to the ground.
“Again!”
Lou Xing was also a young man. He got up and kicked Lin Yan. Lin Yan grabbed his ankle with a tiger claw and flipped him to the ground.
“Again!”
“Again!”
“Again!”
After 10 to 20 consecutive attacks, no matter how Lou Xing attacked, he couldn’t break through Lin Yan’s defense and was thrown to the ground.
In the end, Lou Xing’s entire body was sore and weak from the collapses. He could barely stand up, and his snot and tears kept flowing. “Senior Brother Lin, I was wrong! I was really wrong! Please let me go! Please let me go!”
The surrounding disciples were filled with fear as they looked at Lin Yan.
What grudges? Even if he had offended you before, it was fine if you beat him up. How could you play with him like a monkey!
This Senior Brother Lin’s heart was definitely smaller than a needle!
However, Lin Yan’s frown deepened.
Lou Xing’s attack didn’t even make his proficiency bounce, let alone increase it.
This was because his strength and reaction were weaker than Lin Yan’s. They were not evenly matched.
Lin Yan thought for a moment and turned to look at the surrounding disciples.
The disciples shuddered and could not help but take a step back.
Lin Yan pointed repeatedly. “Junior Brother Lou, what are the names of these three junior brothers?”
These were all disciples who had entered the sect in the same month as him. At that time, they had surrounded Tang Shi and fawned over him. At first, they were gloating over Lou Xing’s misfortune, but now, their expressions changed drastically.
Lou Xing’s eyes lit up as if he had come to life. He quickly got up and introduced them one by one. “Senior Brother Lin, they’re Ma Ziming, Xu Hongchang, and that’s Yuan Jing.”
“By the way, there’s another person. Don’t forget that person. Yes, that person who was hiding behind to watch the show. His name is Ji Biao. He was also at the Fu Building that day!
“These four people are all core disciples of the Wu Yard. They are like brothers to me. We advance and retreat together. Senior Brother Lin, please let us share your blessings!”
The four people whose names were called trembled and couldn’t help but take a big step back.
“Junior Brother Ma, Junior Brother Xu, Junior Brother Yuan, Junior Brother Ji, don’t leave! I have a small favor to ask of you.”
Xu Hongchang pointed at Lin Yan with a trembling finger and said angrily, “You, don’t go too far!”
Ma Ziming, who was hiding in the back, screamed, “That’s right! How are we supposed to practice martial arts when you’re teasing us like this!”
Lin Yan pretended not to hear them. “If you don’t help me, I can only personally come to you for help.”
“You!”
The four of them were furious, but when they thought about how Lin Yan seemed to be valued by the Pavilion Master, they could only swallow their anger and walk up to him humbly.
“Junior Brother Lou, go and rest first.”
“Thank you, thank you, Senior Brother Lin!”
“Remember to recuperate. We’ll continue tomorrow.”
“…”
Ignoring Lou Xing, who was petrified on the spot, Lin Yan glanced at his four junior brothers. “Junior Brother Ma, you go first!”
Ma Ziming’s face turned bitter. “Yes, Senior Brother Lin.”
He immediately imitated Lou Xing and punched out to attack.
Lin Yan threw him a few times and shook his head in disappointment. He turned around and said, “Junior Brother Xu, attack together!”
“What?”
“Attack together!”
Xu Hongchang swallowed his saliva as a glint flashed across his eyes.
Two against one? There was a chance!
He immediately attacked Lin Yan with Ma Ziming.
One-on-two and one-on-one were completely different concepts. Attacks arrived from multiple directions at the same time, making it several times more difficult to defend.
After a few hits, Xu Hongchang’s excited fist hit Lin Yan’s shoulder, knocking him back.
“I hit him!”
He shouted excitedly, but then a bucket of cold water was poured over him. He panicked. Damn it, he actually hit the target!
If I hit such a petty Senior Brother Lin, would I be beaten to death by him?!
“Senior… Senior Brother Lin, I…”
Lin Yan’s eyes lit up. Although the proficiency of the Five Animal Hands did not increase, it jumped.
“It’s working… Again!”
The two of them immediately attacked again. Their fists were without any order and were purely random.
However, Lin Yan wasn’t much better. Other than having stronger stamina, his movements were also chaotic.
When the three of them fought together, there was simply no beauty in it. It was completely like rookies pecking at each other.
After hitting Lin Yan a few times in a row, Ma Ziming and Xu Hongchang became bolder and punched more places.
This was especially true for Ma Ziming. Previously, he did not dare to fight, but now, he was becoming more and more ruthless.
He seized the opportunity and smiled sinisterly. While Lin Yan was distracted by Xu Hongchang, he kicked diagonally and deliberately aimed at Lin Yan’s crotches.
“Huh?”
Lin Yan snorted and twisted his waist to dodge Ma Ziming’s diagonal kick. He exerted strength in his hand and pushed Xu Hongchang away.
Then, he jumped out and directly cut into Ma Ziming’s center line. He hit Ma Ziming’s chest with a short distance blow.
Ma Ziming suddenly felt a strong force attacking him. He felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he flew out in the air and fell to the ground. He clutched his chest and cried out in pain.
In a spar between fellow disciples, Lin Yan planned to stop when necessary. He did not plan to use ruthless moves to injure others.
But if they didn’t plan to stop when necessary, Lin Yan didn’t mind teaching them a lesson.
This vicious collision directly made Ma Ziming suffocate. He could not get up for a while, scaring Xu Hongchang and the other two people so much that they shrank their necks.
“Junior Brother Yuan, replace Junior Brother Ma. Come!”
“Aye, aye.”
Yuan Jing responded shakily and followed them to attack.
Not only did Lin Yan not have the advantage in a one-on-two battle, but he was also at a disadvantage.
Multiple attacks caused his parrying to become chaotic. He was directly hit a few times, and even his cheek was punched.
However, as he fought longer and longer, Lin Yan became more and more proficient in his actions. Every time, he only left a small area to be attacked, allowing him to block the enemy’s attacks with both hands.
Hence, the two sides started fighting again.
Lin Yan only raised his hand to stop when the three of them were panting and aching.
“That’s all for today. Let’s continue tomorrow.”
On the other side, Ma Ziming had already gotten up and ran away without a trace.
Ji Biao, who was standing at the side, heaved a sigh of relief. However, he heard Lin Yan say, “Junior Brother Ji, you will start tomorrow!”
Ji Biao’s expression turned bitter. “Yes, Senior Brother Lin.”
After the match, Lin Yan slowly left the martial arts arena, but there was no change in his expression.
The proficiency of the Five Animal Hands had indeed jumped a few times, but it had never increased. This meant that such sparring was effective, but it was not enough.
“They don’t have any fighting skills at all. They’re even worse than me. At this speed, it’s impossible for me to reach 100% proficiency before the end of the month…”