Lin Zhao stood on his flying sword, Hong Ye, his body unmoving in the wind. The punch that had surged with the force of the river, while seemingly immense, carried little killing intent. Otherwise, Lin Zhao would have been unable to block it, and would likely have been instantly killed. Thus, he unleashed his Broken Sword Style. A circular void of sword intent materialized behind him, and in the next second, "chi chi chi" sword qi streams flew out from the void, clashing with the river-infused fist intent. The nearby waters churned and surged, and columns of water, pulled by the fist intent, hung suspended between heaven and earth like dragons sipping water.
"Good!"
From afar, a man's voice echoed. Lin Zhao looked up to see a gray figure striding across the Qingfu River. It was a young martial artist, clad in a gray short shirt, with a strikingly resolute face. One hand rested behind his back, and his entire being was suffused with an incredibly potent fist intent, exuding the aura of a grandmaster of fist techniques. The moment he appeared, Lin Zhao understood. This person was of the twelfth realm. The blazing martial artist's aura was almost comparable to Chen Wanli's from back then! Da Feng Novel Network
Clearly, this was a man standing at the pinnacle of human martial arts.
The newcomer stood upon the river's surface, his body unwavering. He smiled slightly at Lin Zhao and said, "Young friend, would you be interested in exchanging a few blows with me? No more, just three punches?"
Lin Zhao frowned. He couldn't discern the man's name or realm, clearly a deliberate concealment on the man's part. He said gravely, "We are strangers. What is the point of exchanging blows? Moreover, I am a sword cultivator. How can I respond to your 'wen quan'?"
"It matters not."
The other man chuckled. "Just three punches, stopping at a touch. As for the meaning of this exchange, it is that I wish to seek an answer. Just like you, young hero, are you not heading south to Furong Prefecture also to seek an answer?"
Lin Zhao's heart settled. He smiled and nodded, "Very well, three punches it is! Senior, please proceed."
"Watch closely!"
The young martial artist let out a low roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky. His fist intent instantly reached its apex. With a single step, he surged forward, bringing with him a fifty-foot-wide torrent. A heavy punch descended from the heavens, aimed directly at Lin Zhao's head.
Lin Zhao frowned. This descending punch, like Mount Tai crushing down, left him no time to consider other responses. Was there any other technique more suitable than the Rising Dragon Slash against such a punch? For a moment, Lin Zhao's body sank, and a powerful, surging sword intent enveloped him. Just as the opponent's punch landed, he raised his sword, unleashing a dragon-shaped sword intent that fiercely collided with the opponent's fist intent.
"Boom!"
Amidst the deafening sound, the Qingfu River vibrated. Lin Zhao, though clearly at a disadvantage, managed to shatter the descending fist intent with a single Rising Dragon Slash. His body then floated lightly back onto his flying sword, Hong Ye.
"Again!"
The young martial artist laughed heartily, twisting his body and delivering a heavy punch. Immediately, a fist intent cleaved through the water's surface, splitting the waves. The fist aura blazed, heading straight for Lin Zhao's face.
This direct, straightforward attack naturally called for a head-on confrontation.
Lin Zhao also twisted his body, his aura descending. Just as the opponent's fist aura arrived, he unleashed a sword strike, "Qi Chong Dou Niu," with a spirit of charging through the heavens. For a moment, a fierce red ox apparition materialized behind him, and sword light poured forth, colliding heavily with the opponent's punch!
"Boom!"
A vortex tens of meters deep erupted on the river's surface, water spraying everywhere. Lin Zhao was shaken back repeatedly, while the young martial artist remained standing serenely on the water, his posture indescribably graceful and uninhibited. He still kept his left hand free to punch, his right behind his back. Against Lin Zhao, he hadn't even used his full strength; otherwise, Lin Zhao probably wouldn't have been able to withstand any single punch.
"Third punch!"
The young martial artist smiled slightly and threw another punch. This time, the river surged, and intricate, dense fist auras swept across the water's surface, creating a magnificent spectacle!
Lin Zhao frowned, not daring to be careless, but he had no particularly good countermeasure. He could only brace himself. His protective sword aura instantly expanded, and then his flying sword, Hao Ran, transformed into a radiant gleam, safeguarding his body with the Bright Nature divine ability, greatly enhancing his resistances and survivability. However, the opponent's fist auras were simply too numerous and too powerful. They exploded continuously around him, and in a flash, Lin Zhao's health bar had less than 20% remaining!
On the verge of life and death, he didn't hesitate. With a thought, his flying sword, Hao Ran, activated its divine ability, Fang Cun, instantly withdrawing his body from the world before him and appearing within his own small domain. The remaining fist auras from the young martial artist continued to explode on the river, but they didn't harm Lin Zhao in the slightest. Only when the fist intent of this punch had been fully exhausted did Lin Zhao dissipate the Hao Ran flying sword's divine ability and reappear above the river.
...
"Hmm?"
The young martial artist frowned and said, "Third punch, Feng Qiang Zhen Ma, you don't know it?"
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao knitted his brows. In fact, from the beginning of their exchange, he had felt a sense of familiarity with this person's fist intent, fist principles, and techniques. Now, with his words, Lin Zhao's heart suddenly understood what was happening. Although the other man hadn't revealed specific moves, this set of fist techniques was definitely from the same lineage as the Farmer's Three Punches. Now that Feng Qiang Zhen Ma had been mentioned, it further confirmed this.
"Not yet."
Lin Zhao's expression was solemn. He cupped his fist slightly towards the other man and said, "After reincarnation, I have only temporarily recalled Han Di Ba Cong and Qi Chong Dou Niu. Feng Qiang Zhen Ma, I cannot recall for the moment."
"You can't recall it, huh..."
The young martial artist smiled faintly. "It's alright, it's enough."
He lightly cupped his fist, his voice incredibly gentle, and said with a smile, "Sect Master of Tie Fu Mountain in Furong Prefecture, descendant of the Xia Clan, Long Dongjun, greets Lin Baiyi of Xueyu Tianchi."
"..."
Lin Zhao knew the other man had recognized him. He frowned and said, "Sect Master Long, your fist techniques seem to be from the same origin as the Farmer's Three Punches. Is there some lineage connection?"
"Yes."
Long Dongjun smiled faintly and said, "The person who taught you fist techniques at Xueyu Tianchi, was his name Long Zaitian?"
"Yes, that's right."
"That settles it."
Long Dongjun took a deep breath and said, "Long Zaitian is my uncle. In fact, the fist techniques he learned are not called Farmer's Three Punches, but rather our Tie Fu Mountain's ultimate technique, the Nirvana Fist, which has nine forms. The Farmer's Three Punches are merely the first three forms. The Nirvana Fist has always been passed down only to disciples, not outsiders. For my uncle to have taught you the first three forms is already considered breaking the rules."
"So that's how it is..."
Lin Zhao felt a strange sense of loss. He had originally thought the Farmer's Three Punches were already quite formidable techniques in the world, only to find out they were just the first three forms of someone else's technique. However, the gloom in his heart lasted only a few seconds before he let go. What did it matter? The opportunity to learn the first three forms of the Nirvana Fist was itself a blessing.
Lin Zhao looked at the young martial artist before him and asked, "Sect Master Long, how old are you? Such a young twelfth realm expert is truly rare."
"One hundred and twenty-four years old."
Long Dongjun's smile was gentle. "If we count from our previous lives, I am actually only eight years older than you, Lin Zhao."
"Truly remarkable."
Lin Zhao said gravely, "You must be the youngest reborn martial artist in the world, right?"
"That's what others say."
Long Dongjun crossed his arms, exuding an unrestrained and free-spirited air. He chuckled, "Who knows? Perhaps there are always people better than you, mountains beyond mountains. Perhaps outside this world, there are even younger individuals with superior fist techniques. If so, that would be truly wonderful."
"..."
Lin Zhao smiled. In the world of martial arts, the strong compete. True powerhouses desire to be the strongest. There are so many martial artists practicing fist techniques, but most of them don't concede to anyone, each believing their fist technique is superior and their fist harder. This was even more so for someone like Long Dongjun, who stood at the peak of martial arts.
Tie Fu Mountain, the foremost sect in human martial arts, was a pillar of strength and renowned throughout the three southern prefectures of the Great Shang Dynasty. As the Sect Master of Tie Fu Mountain, Long Dongjun's state of mind could be imagined.
"Lin Zhao."
Long Dongjun smiled and said, "When you repelled the river spirit with your sword intent on the Qingfu River, I noticed that your sword intent actually originated from fist techniques, specifically the first two forms of the Nirvana Fist. At that time, I guessed it might be you. Given your connections with my uncle and Tie Fu Mountain, since you are here, I, Long Dongjun, as the Sect Master of Tie Fu Mountain, formally invite you to travel to Tie Fu Mountain for some exploration. What do you say?"
Lin Zhao blinked and looked at Wang Yue.
Wang Yue pursed her red lips and said softly, "It's fine with me. Since we're entering Furong Prefecture, and Tie Fu Mountain has connections with Brother Lin Zhao, it would be good to take a look. What do you think, Brother Lin Zhao?"
"Alright."
Lin Zhao nodded. "In that case, please lead the way, Sect Master Long."
"Good, please follow me!"
Long Dongjun, with one hand behind his back, ascended into the air. Lin Zhao, with Wang Yue, followed on his flying sword, Hong Ye. Along the way, Long Dongjun suppressed his speed, as Lin Zhao, a Golden Core sword cultivator, would certainly not be able to keep up with the full speed of a Rebirth Realm martial artist. Before long, a magnificent mountain range appeared before their eyes. The legendary Tie Fu Mountain, shrouded in clouds and mist, was majestic and profound, exuding immense presence!
Long Dongjun landed gracefully and led Lin Zhao up the stone steps of the mountain path.
At the mountain gate, a group of Tie Fu Mountain disciples looked on in astonishment and quickly bowed respectfully with cupped fists. "Greetings, Sect Master!"
"Mm."
Long Dongjun nodded with a smile and led Lin Zhao up the mountain. Lin Zhao, meanwhile, looked around, feeling asnovel as Wang Yue. This Tie Fu Mountain was located in the northern region of Furong Prefecture, not far from the Qingfu River. The spiritual energy here had been almost entirely absorbed by the Qingfu River, so Tie Fu Mountain's spiritual energy was quite scarce. However, Tie Fu Mountain consisted entirely of martial artists, who cared little for spiritual energy. Martial artists cultivated the vital qi within their chests and tempered their physiques. Therefore, Tie Fu Mountain was a barren, impoverished place, yet it was blessed with martial prosperity, producing numerous powerful martial artists in this generation!
As they reached the mountain summit, the inexplicable and immense pressure grew heavier, almost unbearable for Lin Zhao, a Golden Core sword cultivator. Wang Yue, on the other hand, had already retreated into the shrine. The fierce winds at the summit were strong, not something a mere Yin God like her could endure.
"Lin Zhao, look."
Long Dongjun pointed into the distance. Peaks after peaks appeared in their view. As Lin Zhao looked, he felt that each peak was suffused with dense fist intent, as if a supreme master of fist techniques stood there, waiting for all beings to challenge him. What kind of existence was that?
"Those are the Twelve Peaks of Tie Fu Mountain."
Long Dongjun's eyes shone with pride. He smiled and said, "Each peak hides the supreme fist intent of ancient martial artists. If one can reach the summit, they can obtain a wisp of that fist intent. When I first entered the Heavenly Origin Realm, I reached the summit once, but I only managed to ascend ten peaks. After that, I could no longer withstand the pressure of the Heavenly Dao. A pity, a pity. If I could have reached the summits of all twelve peaks, there would have been a chance to step into the thirteenth realm, the ultimate realm of martial artists."
Lin Zhao looked at the Twelve Peaks, his eyes inevitably lighting up. This was truly extraordinary!