novelnext Chapter 248: Sparring for Training
Chapter 248: Sparring for Training
When Zhang Yao’s fists landed on Su Wangchuan’s body, each strike carried more than three hundred kilograms of force. The attack power had clearly multiplied.
This was the difference between a Martial Artist and a Quasi-Martial Artist.
Only after officially becoming a Martial Artist could one unleash the true power of martial arts. Their punches became fiercer, their force more brutal, thudding loudly against the body.
However, Su Wangchuan was a Second-Rank Martial Artist. His Agility had reached 47 points, and the defensive strength of his own bones and muscles alone had reached 9.4.
Adding the five points of defense from the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》, he could withstand attacks of up to 44 points.
As long as the attack did not exceed that threshold, it was difficult for the opponent to make him lose more health.
-1 health
-1 health
While resisting the blows, Su Wangchuan carefully monitored his health.
All the damage was forced damage.But compared with Chen Kun’s attacks earlier, nearly every strike from Zhang Yao could inflict damage.
Zhang Yao was also quite clever. Seeing that Chen Kun had been unable to move the Helm Leader and failed to satisfy him, Zhang Yao immediately resolved to give it his all. His 《Black Tiger Fist》 roared with heavy force.
Pounce, claw, hook, tear, slap, ram, elbow strike, sweeping kick, thrust, grapple, double thrust, whipping kick.
He unleashed a relentless assault across the Helm Leader’s body and limbs, holding nothing back.
BANG!
BANG!
Occasionally, fists and kicks aimed toward the head and other vital points. Each time, Su Wangchuan promptly raised his arms to block.
Although even double damage would still fall within the 44-point threshold, he still needed to be cautious.
After all, the defenses of vital areas were highly unreliable.
For example, the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth effectively had zero defense.
He certainly did not want to be seriously injured by one of his own subordinates during training.
Twenty moves later…
On the Status Panel, the experience value of the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 finally advanced from 0 to 1.
By that point…
His health had dropped from 570 to 544.
Although his body showed no real impairment, the health loss was undeniable.
Su Wangchuan’s eyes lit up with wild excitement.
It worked!
It really worked!
He did not stop the sparring and silently allowed Zhang Yao to continue attacking.
Zhang Yao also seemed to become immersed in the fight. His punches and kicks grew faster and faster.
He noticed that whenever his strikes drifted from the torso and limbs toward the Helm Leader’s head, chest, back, or throat, they were always blocked with ease.
Gradually, he stopped holding back entirely and treated the battle as if he were fighting a mortal enemy, unleashing the 《Black Tiger Fist》 at full strength again and again.
After roughly a hundred strikes…
Zhang Yao was fighting with exhilaration.
Meanwhile, Su Wangchuan reaped enormous gains.
In less than two minutes, the experience value had increased by seven points.
The speed was simply unimaginable.
In the past, he had relied on the potential energy from a barbell’s impact and then used ice compress treatment to recover. Even then, it took at least twenty minutes to gain one point of experience.
The improvement in efficiency was enormous.
“Ergou, take Chen Kun away.”
“Zhang Yao, take a break.”
“Yes!”
Su Wangchuan sat cross-legged and circulated the 《Qingcheng Heart Method》 to restore his blood and Qi.
Although the previous round of attacks had not caused real damage, his health had genuinely dropped. He needed to heal and restore it, otherwise he would soon enter the Light Injury State.
Additionally, his internal energy had decreased slightly—by twelve points.
When the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 endured attacks, it also consumed a small amount of internal energy.
However, when he circulated his cultivation method to regulate his breathing, his internal energy slowly recovered as well.
Su Wangchuan also noticed something else.
Although no visible injuries appeared on his body, the circulation of his meridians was clearly encountering slight obstruction. There were signs of meridian pressure and disordered blood and Qi.
Beneath the skin, large patches of bruising had formed—almost invisible to the naked eye—spread across his torso and limbs.
If the training continued too long, the bruises would connect together and become visible, making them harder to disperse.
As the 《Qingcheng Heart Method》 circulated cycle after cycle, the bruising gradually dissolved. His blood and Qi calmed, the compressed meridians returned to normal, and his health slowly recovered.
After about half an hour, his health returned to the full value of 570, and his internal energy was completely restored.
“Zhang Yao!”
Su Wangchuan stood up and shouted.
“Again!”
His spirit was high.
He had discovered a new shortcut for training body-protection techniques.
Let a full-fledged Martial Artist spar with him.
Zhang Yao’s eyes lit up.
“Yes!”
After saluting with cupped fists, he immediately assumed his stance.
BANG!
BANG!
Zhang Yao launched a fierce assault immediately, his strikes merciless. The vicious style of the 《Black Tiger Fist》 was displayed to the fullest.
Silently, Su Wangchuan circulated the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 to endure the blows, occasionally raising his hands to block the more insidious or lethal attacks.
Soon, another hundred strikes passed.
Experience +8
Health decreased.
Su Wangchuan stopped the sparring again and resumed his seated cultivation.
Zhang Yao waited calmly beside him, lowering his head in contemplation as if pondering something.
And so…
While Su Wangchuan trained the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》, he was also cultivating the 《Qingcheng Heart Method》.
He noticed that Zhang Yao also seemed to gain real combat experience from the sparring. From time to time, he would rehearse movements with his hands and feet, as though experiencing new insights.
After repeating this cycle more than a dozen times, the long-awaited system notification finally appeared late at night.
“Ding!”
“《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 has advanced to ‘Minor Mastery.’ Reward: +1 Stamina.”
Su Wangchuan smiled.
His Stamina had reached 50 points.
Finally, one of his attributes had surpassed fifty.
He summoned the Status Panel and examined the updated details of the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》.
《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》: Minor Mastery
Current Realm: +9 Defense. Dragon-Elephant Protection. When this body-protection technique is activated, there is a small probability of avoiding attacks aimed at vital areas and reducing damage to vital areas by 30%.
Next Realm: Practice Makes Perfect
Next Realm Effect: +15 Defense. Dragon-Elephant Guard. When this body-protection technique is activated, there is a certain probability of avoiding attacks aimed at vital areas and reducing damage to vital areas by 40%.
Su Wangchuan pondered the information for a moment, then told Zhang Yao to attack again so he could observe what differences appeared after the advancement.
The moment Zhang Yao assumed his stance, Su Wangchuan’s skin reacted instinctively.
He sensed that Zhang Yao was about to strike his Tanzhong acupoint.
Sure enough!
A tiger pounce!
A long punch shot directly toward the opening.
Straight at the Tanzhong acupoint.
The improvement in the realm of the 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 actually allowed him to predict the opponent’s attack location.
No wonder the description said there was a probability of avoiding attacks on vital areas.
Su Wangchuan was overjoyed.
With this ability, he could anticipate attacks in advance and think of countermeasures earlier.
As expected of a Third-Rank body-protection technique.
After another round of training, he finally dismissed Zhang Yao.
“Zhang Yao.”
“You have worked hard. That will be all for today. Go rest.”
“Helm Leader, I am not tired.”
Zhang Yao looked more energized the more he fought.
Su Wangchuan paused in surprise.
Could this fellow be using him as real combat practice and be on the verge of reaching Entry-Level Mastery?
Zhang Yao’s attacks were indeed smoother than before. His punches and kicks carried noticeably more practiced ferocity.
If he truly was about to break through…
Su Wangchuan did not mind helping him along.
“Very well.”
“Then we continue.”
Su Wangchuan was accustomed to staying up late anyway. He sat down to cultivate the 《Qingcheng Heart Method》, restored his health to full, and then allowed Zhang Yao to attack again.
This time…
He was the sparring partner.
Sure enough.
Around two in the morning…
Zhang Yao’s punches and kicks suddenly became much heavier.
His attacks, previously around seventeen or eighteen points, abruptly rose to a higher level. His strikes tore through the air with greater speed and flowed more smoothly.
“Thank you, Helm Leader, for helping me achieve this!”
“My fist technique has broken through.”
After completing a full sequence of strikes, Zhang Yao stopped, clasped his fists, and dropped to one knee.
“Your subordinate… has reached First Rank.”