Chapter 477: Twists and turns
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
“He’s got good mentality,” laughed Ann Chaoyang, turning towards Peng Leyun and Ren Li. He held his phone up, fidgeted with it for a few seconds, then snapped a shot of his teammate’s silhouette—a figure that was neither lofty nor hefty, but determined and full of fighting spirit!
He studied the picture contentedly, secretly complimenting himself— please address me as Reliable Ann!
The thought flashed in his mind as he uploaded the picture, along with the text he came up with—”He disembarks on another journey,
fearless in the face of a mighty enemy”.
Right after posting it, he refreshed the page. To his surprise, a number of new replies had already popped up. This sub-forum is insanely popular to have so many people trying to leave early comments, he realized.
“Good shot!”—A terse compliment from “Unparalleled Dragon King”.
Next in line to reply was the young girl, “Wonton Seller”.
“Hahahaha, I didn’t know there was this poetic side to you, Little Tiger. Come, let me teach you how to cook!”
Eh... Ann Chaoyang’s brows furrowed. His droopy eyes had narrowed into a slit. He hit refresh once more.
“This photo... is taken up close, @Schrodinger’s Tiger, don’t tell me you are at the grandstand, right next to them? [nibbling on thumb]” replied “Brahman”.
Ann Chaoyang gulped, before uneasily replying “Yes.”
At the same time, Lou Cheng approached the arena. Since his opponent was a powerful Mighty One, he could not be as relaxed and at ease like when he fought Baco. Shuddering slightly, the secreted hormones made him more focused and more excited.
He knew that the unfathomable state he entered during the previous fight was something that came by chance, not something he can obtain intentionally. Without feeling upset, he retracted his thoughts and visualized— a mirror of ice, lake water caving in. His emotions were like ice. In an unmoving state, his insurmountable fighting spirit and piercing bloodlust were clearly reflected. A layer of aura was naturally spread out, giving shape to a terrifying blizzard, and his flesh was the holy mountain towering amid the natural disaster.
The wind whistled as the air grew thin. Lou Cheng went up the stone stairs, a step at a time, until he stepped into the arena and saw Mouko Yamashita, almost simultaneously, appearing across him.
The Inhuman samurai was taller and bigger than him. He had a rough look, with bushy eyebrows and terrifyingly well-defined muscles. The juxtaposition made it look as if it was a fight between an adult and a middle school student.
Mouko Yamashita had a crazed expression, and an equally impressive aura. A faint white glow emanated from him, stiffening the mood of those around him— the audience was too scared to make a sound.
Hooo!
Wherever he marched, the wind seemed to be swirling.
At that moment, when Lou Cheng and Mouko Yamashita met eyes, the center of the arena seemed to brighten up.
The showdown between auras ends with a draw!
The referee, an experienced Inhuman mighty one, glanced left and right, before quietly raising his right hand as a signal for preparation.
Lou Cheng and Mouko Yamashita did not need to prepare. On their way there, they had already fine-tuned themselves to peak performance.
The referee took a step back and swung his arm down.
“Begin!” he boomed.
As the words hit the ground, Mouko Yamashita pivoted his foot, lowered his body and swung his right fist out on the spot.
Bam!
He thrusted his arm, pulled his fist back and glided forward in the whistling wind, like a train travelling at top speed, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared before Lou Cheng.
In that time, the white light around him suddenly grew strong, like a torch popped alight, leaving the afterimage of a dragon and tiger amidst the terrifying clangour.
“Extreme Hadou Sect”—”Roaring Dragon, Howling Tiger Punch!”
Compared to Ichiei Sakata, Mouko Yamashita used the move at a higher mastery, perfectly combining with his tackle.
This was the level of someone at the Inhuman stage!
Come! Lou Cheng felt joy rather than fear, his fighting spirit rising. He rapidly withdrew his Qi, blood, force and spirit, compressing them to one— the ice and flames balanced, playing out a swirling miniature of the “starry sky”.
Snap!
With the image of “God Statue” in his mind, he pushed his feet and drew them together, then blasted a powerful punch forward with his swelling right arm.
Bam! A layer of searing white flame ignited around his fist, continuously condensing and fortifying.
The imperfect “Emperor Yan Force”!
Boom!
The sound of fists clashing was swallowed by the loud bang from the explosion. The tumbling waves of flames and dispersing white light hid their ripped muscles and bulging veins. Mouko Yamashita staggered, but quickly found his balance again. Scorch marks appeared on his shirt. Lou Cheng took a step back, into the ground, his muscles sore and numb from the “Hadou”.
After exchanging a hit at maximum power, he only had it worse off by a little!
At the grandstand, Peng Leyun’s expressions changed slightly.
“He already started morphing?” he blurted in awe.
To be able to infuse another force after “Force Concentration” was one of the main labels of stepping into the Inhuman stage!
Lou Cheng’s punch made it clear that he had been morphing, and not just for a day or two!
Ann Chaoyang, witnessing the changes on the arena, heard Peng Leyun’s words. “What speed!” he sighed.
How many days had it been, since the start of the competition between the four nations?
He’s practically rushing towards the morphing stage at a steady pace!
Sigh, there’s no way I could do that...
Ren Li opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but bit her words back as her pearlescent teeth gently sunk into her soft lips.
“He’s Inhuman!”— a forum reply by “Unparalleled Dragon King” that contained a word that was unbelievable to many.
Once someone began morphing, unless they suffer an unfortunate death or become crippled from heavy wound, it was certain that they would reach the Inhuman stage.
“My eyes must be playing tricks on me...[thunderstruck expression]” replied “Pig-Riding Knight”.
“In such a short time! [angry laughter]” replied “Road to the Arena”.
It hasn’t even been four months from the end of Nationals!
“Hahahaha!” Yan Xiaoling sent a voice message instead of typing, her voice not much different from an elementary school kid.
“All-knowing Man in Ganghood”, who was working on a long Weibo post while watching live stream— hoping to get more people to his public account— went still. His face turned pale, in the colour of ashes.
Didn’t he need two more months to make the breakthrough?
It has only been two minutes!
Two minutes from when I knew this!
What a beast...
...
On the arena, Lou Cheng stepped back to unload his force, retracted his Qi and force, then launched a counter attack using the techniques from “24 Blizzard Strikes” and his limited experience with the “Yin-yang Twist”.
Bam!
His left leg swelled, heels tensed, then he pulled it back from the crack in the ground and whipped towards his opponent’s knees.
Realizing that his enemy grew stronger yet again, Mouko Yamashita, in his battle form, converted all his shock and surprise into a flame in his heart, a flame that ignited his will and inspired him.
With a bend and release of his knees, he leapt into the air, avoiding Lou Cheng’s crackling kick. At the same time, he stretched out his right hand and formed a palm knife. Riding on the downward momentum, he delivered it towards his opponent’s neck in the blinding glow.
“Fierce Tiger Shock Cutter”!
Lou Cheng put weight to his spine, his waist bending backwards in a sudden, not only avoiding Mouko Yamashita’s attack, but also forcefully changing the trajectory of his left leg. His kick swept upwards, towards the enemy’s descending body. A white radiance formed around his legs, turning everything to one as his kick shot out together with his “burning” Martial Art shoes.
After he began morphing, he could now imbue “Ice burning” in his kicks!
His Martial Art shoe turned solid like a rock, together with the pellucid liquid flames, it went towards the part between Mouko’s chest and abdomen.
In that instant, Mouko Yamashita swiftly raised his left palm, put it against his right palm that just missed, and chopped downwards, delivering a solid, dazzling white “Hadou” amidst the dragon’s roaring.
Pom!
The two glows of light scattered without a sound. Borrowing strength from the recoil, Mouko Yamashita landed backwards, composed in his movements. Lou Cheng straightened back up and stood firm.
Bam!
Mouko Yamashita slid forward again, swinging his fist. In the dense white light, amidst the roars of the dragon, Lou Cheng fought bravely without taking a single step back, withdrawing and releasing his Qi and blood to deliver blasts of force.
Bam, bam, bam! Mouko Yamashita delivered killer moves one after the other, going on a frenzied offense. White light shone like a torch, at times it brightened or dimmed, and at times it waved and shaked. His skills were worlds apart from Ichiei Sakata, who had to pause in between such moves.
Bang, bang, bang! Lou Cheng unleashed bursts of strength in the form of exploding flame waves and freezing ice mists, fiercely retaliating against his opponent. Even though he was at a disadvantage due to being slightly weaker, there were no signs of defeat.
Bam, bam, bam, bang, bang, bang! The sound of fists and feet colliding reverberated, mixed with occasional loud bangs. White light and flames spread out in layers, at times the ground splintered and cracked as flames splashed against it and snowflakes landed on it. It was truly a fight that defined Inhumans.
Mouko Yamashita controlled the fight at his pace— whenever Lou Cheng tried to charge up using the “24 Blizzard Strikes” version of “Force Concentration”, he disrupted him with his whirlwind kick and Hadouken, forcing him to start from scratch again. In the meantime, he was charging up his own emotions, in preparation of a burst of killer moves.
As time passed, after a flurry of attacks, a mirror of ice formed in Lou Cheng’s heart. He knew that he cannot let things go on the way they were going, and he searched to find a way out.
Bang!
When the left fist with concentrated energy imbued with imperfect Ice Spirit Force collided with the enemy’s fist, enshrouded in dense white light, “Hadou” turned into gorgeous snowflakes. Mouko Yamashita felt his arm go numb, and at the same time Lou Cheng glided backwards on the uneven ground, borrowing the strength from the rebound, at a speed not much different from going forward!
A crystallic layer of ice had unknowingly formed on the soles of his bare feet, reducing the friction to a minimum!
Without hesitating, Mouko Yamashita took a huge step and chased after him, growling and swinging out his fist before he even got close, with dense white light burning around his body again. While retreating, Lou Cheng had already visualized the “Ice Spirit Holy Light”— dark, cold, magical, and beautiful. Against the incoming enemy, he stepped hard into the ground, pouncing up while jerking out his right arm to deliver a “Severe Warning”.
Seeing that their fists were about to collide, the white light in Mouko Yamashita’s eyes suddenly intensified. The white glow around him condensed into one spot, turning into a glove that shielded his fist as it shot out.
Knowing your trick of freezing the opponent’s thoughts, how could I have not prepared for it in advance?
Pom!
Lou Cheng’s fist landed with a boom, causing the white glow to rapidly fade, turning into a snowball that cracked into fragments.
Bang! Penetrating through the Hadou, the two fists met, each covered in black involucre and tendon.
Thumping back two steps, Lou Cheng’s movements were disordered from not being able to freeze his enemy and realizing the difference between their strength. But he did not panic. Instinctively, he found his balance. Bringing his hands up, he formed a seal, visualizing the taunting Army character.
Mouko Yamashita saw a chance. His brows shot up, and in an instant he released all of his gathered emotions. A shade of scarlet filled his pupils, the white light enveloping him turning to the color of blood. Thick and viscous blood.
Ultimate move from “Extreme Hadou Sect”—”Seven Sins Hadouken”! An assault on both one’s spirit and body!
Unlike Ichiei Sakata who had to go all out to use it, Mouko Yamashita could activate it once he accumulated enough emotions.
“Army!”
The low hum of the ancient character reverberated, sending out ripples that glowed blood red. Mouko Yamashita’s movements lagged for a moment, but nothing else happened, as if a rock was thrown into an ocean.
Snap! Mouko Yamashita stepped forward with his left foot, pumped strength into his shoulders, flexed his arm and swung out with his right. The dense, bloodthirsty blood glow transformed into a scythe, dragging him forward, slicing towards Lou Cheng like a dash of red bolt, not giving his enemy a chance to evade.
I have seen you stop Ichiei Sakata’s Seven Sins Hadouken with an original kungfu, but there’s a huge difference when I’m the one using it. Play the same card and you’ll regret it!
Though Lou Cheng’s Army Formula was less than effective, it offset the spiritual assault from the blood Hadou, saving him from losing his cool and not being able to make visualizations.
Arching his back, he glided backward once more. He tried his best to dodge, but couldn’t. In the blink of an eye, the “blood scythe” was before him.
However, he found a fleeting opportunity—created by Mouko Yamashita’s lagging movements and his backwards dodge— and visualized the dark and freezing background of a starry sky, in which contained a faint, pellucid and dreamy Ice Spirit glow.
Boom!
Innumerable specks of dust piled up , igniting an enormous, heavy fireball, crashing into the serenity. It shattered everything and caused a strong destruction!
After perfecting “Ice Spirit Force” and “Emperor Yan Force” respectively, Lou Cheng’s mutated version of “Severe Warning” correspondingly improved through fascinating changes.
How long have I waited for this moment to take the “Seven Sins Hadouken” head-on!
Lou Cheng’s eyes widened in anger, propelling himself upwards with a tap of the foot, he threw a crushing punch at the “blood scythe”.
Pom! A terrifying vortex formed at his fist, silently consuming the sanguine glow, putting an end to the terrifying and bizarre threat before it fully developed.
The two fists briefly suspended in the air when they were about to touch. Mouko Yamashita felt himself turning hollow as his strength seeped away, unable to even retract his arm.
What’s going on?
This is completely different from what Ichiei Sakata described!
It’s way stronger and scarier!
In his shock, Mouko Yamashita realized his sanguine glow was flowing backwards, before the power scattered, jerking his own soul and body.
Thump, thump, thump! Blood filled his mouth as he took three backward steps.
How can Lou Cheng let such a chance go to waste!? He preyed after him with Attainment Formula, retracted his Qi and blood for another round of explosive punches.
Bam, bam, bam! Bang, bang, bang! This time he had the upper hand. Driving the “24 Blizzard Strikes” with “Force Concentration”, he launched a flurry of attacks— a dance of “Emperor Yan” and “Ice Spirit” that grew increasingly aggressive and vicious.
Mouko Yamashita struggled to hold his ground, but the opponent’s increasing strength made it impossible. He took a step back, then another. Step after step, his situation grew more dire by the minute. The Japanese representatives fell silent in low spirits.
Is this for real? Mouko-kun is losing!
Bam, bam, bam! The fight excited Lou Cheng. He began pumping more strength into his kicks and punches, mindless of the exertion. He’s going to end it in one go!
My current stamina is slightly higher than a newly advanced Inhuman. Also, Mouko Yamashita is in a bad spot. Right now, every punch and kick he puts up in his desperate defense is going to take up more stamina than me, on the offensive from the high ground!
Let’s find out who wins in a matchup of stamina!
Bam, bam, bam!
The sound of punching and kicking filled the place, like a war drum being hammered in the audience’s heart. The surface of the arena was in ruins, pieces of rocks flew all over the place— the reason why the first few rows of audience seating had to be kept empty during a fight between Inhumans.
Mouko Yamashita was a patient samurai. Even in the dire state he was in, even as his stamina sharply decreased, he did not panic. Without a word, he accumulated more emotion.
He held out until he finally had enough emotion, and the white Hadou around him turned sanguine once more. Dark red. Flowing. Intimidating.
Though he was prepared for it and used Forwarding Formula in time, his attacks slowed down, and Mouko Yamashita leapt back with a push of his legs.
Trying to run? Can you? Spirited, Lou Cheng concentrated his Qi and blood again, pouncing after him after leaving a trail of cracks.
Let’s see how you are going to run in your current state!
The fierce fight that lasted until then had their blood boiling and their spirits high. Thankfully, Lou Cheng’s Ice Mirror remained unaffected, reflecting his surroundings and making the right judgements.
Suddenly, when Lou Cheng had closed up to him, Mouko Yamashita lifted his hands to form a strange seal. His expression turned grave and solemn, his eyes locked on Lou Cheng.
You are strong, I’ll give that to you. You deserve to considered a formidable and worthy opponent for pushing me to this extent. But in the end, the victory belongs to me!
Reflected in Lou Cheng’s pupils was Mouko Yamashita wriggling his abdomen while opening his mouth.
“Wholeness!”he growled.
Nine Word Formula- Wholeness Formula!
To think Mouko Yamashita knew one of the Nine Word Formulas!
The Wholeness character was strange and mystical, as if it stimulated his body through drawing from the essence of heaven and earth, and Mouko Yamashita became spirited again. His exhaustion and weakness vanished in a flash, and he was at his peak state once again, fully compensated for all his exertions!
What the... Lou Cheng’s iris shrunk, the feeling of disappointment so strong that he could not suppress all of it.
After all that effort to get his powerful Inhuman enemy to a “dying” state, he got back to full health with a Wholeness Formula!
How do I win against that?
Snap! The ice mirror in his heart glinted. Suppressing his negative thoughts, he chased up to Mouko Yamashita and punched him with a bloated arm.
The sanguine glow around Mouko Yamashita flickered rapidly. Instead of forming a scythe, it raised his speed and strength, allowing to hammer down in time and parry Lou Cheng’s attack with a dull thud.
“Dynakinesis!”
Stepping forward, with the sanguine Hadou shaking, Mouko Yamashita launched a flurry of attacks around Lou Cheng, forcing him to desperately defend through Dan Force explosions. Lou Cheng’s muscles trembled, his bones rattled, and his stamina went down rapidly. It seemed like a matter of time before he lost.
Huff... The Japanese representatives’ side heaved a sigh of relief, their expressions relaxed, filled with anticipation.
“He just needed a little bit more...” sighed Guide Zhong.
In unison, Peng Leyun and Ren Li shook their heads at his words.
Eh, what’s the meaning of this? Zhong Ningtao was confused.
“So you guys think Lou Cheng still got a chance?” mused Ann Chaoyang.
“Not just a chance,” Peng Leyun replied tersely.
“The Mouko Yamashita right now is not as strong as he looks...” Ren Li added.
That’s what she said, but definitely not the case to Lou Cheng, who was on the arena. He felt the sanguine glow all around him so dense that it permeated him, evoking his fear and cowardice. Every hit from Mouko Yamashita felt so powerful, similar to his power at the start of fight.
No!
I have to fight back. Getting suppressed like this won’t get me anywhere!
Though there were changes in his emotions, Lou Cheng’s desire for victory stayed true. When Mouko Yamashita’s sanguine-glowed fists struck again, Lou Cheng actively put his arm up to defend, a thick layer of ice armor forming around them.
In a loud snap, the ice armor shattered. Lou Cheng took the chance and flicked his elbow joint, swinging his forearm forward at Mouko Yamashita’s face, poised for counterattack.
Mouko Yamashita unhurriedly lifted his other arm to block the second injection of force from Lou Cheng’s fist. He tensed up his right leg, ready to put an end to his opponent’s counterattack.
Suddenly, with the flick of his finger joints, Lou Cheng’s hand snapped open. Frozen to his nails were five sharp spikes of ice that shone like the aurora.
The third force injection!
A vicious look flashed across Mouko Yamashita’s eyes. He lurked backwards in a sudden motion, avoiding the deadly attack, then brought his right foot up in a kick, leaving a trail of light reminiscent to a “Razor”. Offense is the best defense!
But after his third force injection, instead of attacking, Lou Cheng leapt backwards with the spring of his waist.
Then, he lifted both arms, formed a seal and pointed it towards himself.
“Fighting!” he growled.
Even if I were to lose, I’m going to lose on my last bullet!
His muscles bulked and his frame enlarged. He swung out his right arm, which rested in front of his body, whipping up a blast of strong wind. Threatening.
A shade of scarlet flashed in Mouko Yamashita’s eyes, the sanguine light around him turning viscous, forming a scythe that enshrouded his outgoing fists.
Booom!
The fists colliding made a sound of explosion. Mouko Yamashita’s forward momentum was brought to an abrupt stop, he slid backwards for almost two feet, leaving two deep trails in the ground. Lou Cheng was enveloped by the sanguine light. Felt as if a bolt of lightning struck him. In the moment of weakness, he took a step back.
They recovered at the same time. The white light blanketed Mouko Yamashita once again, his expression feral. In the roaring of dragon and howling of tiger, he turned to a huge lump of white Hadou and went on the offensive.
Lou Cheng did not back down. Forming the seal again, he pointed it towards himself and shouted the ancient character that embodied indomitable fighting spirits.
“Fighting Formula!”
As the words hit the ground, he swiped upwards with the back of his fist, which was resting at his lower abdomen—bulging muscles, blood vessels showing so clearly that every vein can be traced.
Boooom!
The white light scattered. Mouko Yamashita flew back by two steps. Lou Cheng went still, almost unable to regain his senses from the paralysis and burning sensation. He clearly felt that he was reaching the limits of his spirit.
Huff! He exhaled. Mustering his remaining might, he visualized the heavy “Emperor Yan Statue”, hot like the scorching sun. He compressed all the remaining Flame Force in his body in a lump, got it under control by visualizing “Zhu Rong Flame God”, then took a step forward and swung out a right straight.
Simplified trick of Flame Sect, “Internal Explosion”!
Lou Cheng chose this move since his previous “Severe Warning” got neutralized.
With a whoosh, a faint flame kindled the surface of his fist and his arm, flying towards Mouko Yamashita who had just steadied himself.
After the last wave of attack, he wouldn’t have the ability to use simplified tricks of physical invulnerability state once more. But he had to do it, for it was not over until he said so!
White Hadou danced on the surface of Mouko Yamashita’s skin, “igniting” him as he lifted his arm to block.
Booooooom!
After the explosion, Mouko Yamashita felt his insides rumbling from the horrible concussion. He also felt an extraordinarily stinging from his blood vessels, as if it was being burned.
Lou Cheng didn’t have it easy either. His mind was going blank and his muscles were sore.
But right now, he was euphoric.
That’s because the punch had revealed the weakness in Mouko Yamashita!
Seems like Wholeness Formula was only good for recovering stamina and wasn’t capable of healing internal wounds. The wounds Mouko Yamashita suffered had remained and accumulated, and the Internal Explosion Punch had fully triggered it!
Now’s the chance!
Spirited, Lou Cheng spread out his arms and activated Zen multiple times, his fists rained down on Mouko Yamashita’s blocking hand and fist in a chorus of dull thuds. His opponent’s eyes dilated as a loud buzzing filled his ears and his insides continued rumbling.
After connecting eleven hits, Lou Cheng did a final “Force Concentration”, raises his swelled arm high up, supported it with Zen, then smashed it down viciously.
Bang!
Mouko Yamashita jerked. He was seeing stars. Dark-red blood oozed out of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. No longer able to stand, he fell on the ground of the arena like an avalanche, spitting out bile and nearly fainting.
The referee looked at Lou Cheng, who stood firm despite the tiredness in his eyes.
He raised his right hand before making the announcement.
“Lou Cheng wins!”
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