IWYTBW - Chapter 32

 Chapter 32

Fighting is Also a Science

[Don’t underestimate him, player.] Tai’a said, [Your opponent is indeed far from being on par with the male lead, but his strength is definitely beyond any opponent you’ve encountered before.]

“I know.” Yi Zhen said. “His stance is different.”

This was the first time he had faced an A-rank pilot in reality. Oliver didn't count; he had been caught off guard by the Peach Blossom Miasma, his mind and body completely at Yi Zhen's mercy within the illusion. But this Ringing Scorpion, Ji Qing, possessed an astonishing aura. The moment he materialized his spirit animal, Yi Zhen's mental power could no longer perceive the outside world.

This was suppression by rank. Even if he was the protagonist, he couldn't break this fundamental law.

“You’re not using a mecha?” Yi Zhen asked.

Ji Qing paused, then chuckled.

“I have a mecha, but do you really  want  me to use it?” He looked at Yi Zhen with a playful smile. “Don’t worry, I just want to see what you’re capable of. I don’t want your life.”

This subtly offended Yi Zhen, who responded with a smile of his own. He took off his Griffin Bow and raised a hand. “Examiner, is there an examiner present?”

“Coming!” A figure leaped lightly onto the platform. “Contestant, do you have a request? Just to be clear, refusing a challenge isn’t allowed. The defender must accept every challenger’s duel request. But if you don’t want to fight anymore, surrendering this match is perfectly fine.”

Yi Zhen turned. The examiner who came up wore round-framed glasses and had a gentle, refined appearance. He seemed quite amiable.

“Who said I wanted to surrender, Mister Glasses Examiner?” He handed over the bow. “Since he’s not using a mecha, I’ll also forgo my main weapon. Could you please hold onto this for me? Thanks.”

“Hey, who are you calling Glasses Examiner? I have a name!” The bespectacled examiner took the bow with a rueful look, yet still said, “I didn’t expect you to have such backbone. If you find yourself in trouble, remember to call for help. Don’t jeopardize your chances in the initial rounds.”

Yi Zhen’s previous performance had been truly outstanding, giving the examiner confidence that even if he lost this match, passing the preliminaries was practically guaranteed.

The examiner jumped off the platform with the Griffin Bow, disappearing into the crowd. Yi Zhen inhaled, stretching out his shoulders before facing Ji Qing.

Ji Qing smiled. “Your name is Yi Zhen, right? You’re not afraid of me?”

Although he didn’t know what was so special about that antique bow that had been taken away, if Yi Zhen wanted even a sliver of a chance against him, he had better fight with all his might.

The person before him appeared calm and composed, not at all like someone prone to rash decisions. Could he really have some unknown trump card that gave him the courage to challenge someone of a higher rank?

Ji Qing said softly, “You should be afraid of me, y’know.”

“So, you won’t use a mecha, and I won’t use my main weapon. Fair enough.” Yi Zhen ignored his remark, deciding to let his fists do the talking. “Let’s begin.”

His left palm met Ji Qing’s right fist with a crisp sound. Yi Zhen lowered his hand, then raised it again, his fingers now equipped with a set of gleamingly sharp claw extensions. His first move was a direct strike towards Ji Qing’s face.

Yi Zhen’s fighting style was very traditional. He had never received the systematic combat training of this era. Otherwise, he would have known that in an interstellar setting, all hand-to-hand combat techniques were geared towards mecha combat. Most people's opening moves would prioritize creating distance to facilitate subsequent ranged attacks.

However, the martial arts system he had learned emphasized close-quarters combat, where reach was an advantage and close proximity a danger. Close combat was inherently risky, but also incredibly powerful. The first move, a direct, centered attack, was not only a display of integrity but also a way to test the waters, to see how the opponent would react and gauge their skill level.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Ji Qing’s eyes. He didn’t dodge or flinch, raising his arm to block. Yi Zhen’s claws felt like they were striking solid metal, his fingers tingling with the impact. He had only managed to leave four shallow white marks on Ji Qing’s arm, barely scratching the surface.

Yi Zhen mentally cursed the mechanic who made the claw extensions, along with his entire family, consigning them to a lifetime of working in a pig slaughterhouse.

Damn it, so much for "easily slicing through B-rank mechas" and "you won't regret buying this, buddy!" Now he couldn’t even break someone's skin. What was the point of close combat? Wouldn’t surrendering be faster?

A foreboding wind whipped through the air. The scorpion’s tail, thick as a chain, swung around and slammed down towards Yi Zhen’s head. Typically, to avoid such an attack, some would retreat, while others would dodge to the side. Very few would panic and rush forward.

Those who retreated survived. Those who dodged sideways might suffer minor injuries. But those who rushed forward, without exception, met their demise.

Because standing before them was the Ringing Scorpion’s master, Ji Qing.

Yi Zhen, of course, sensed the scorpion tail’s movement. He himself raised scorpions; how could he not understand their habits? Like leaping into an embrace, if the initial strike missed, it would immediately change tactics and lunge forward.

A look of pity appeared on Ji Qing’s face.

He opened his arms as if for a passionate embrace. If he could grab any part of Yi Zhen’s body, even a simple throw would be enough to instantly incapacitate him with his superior strength.

Ji Qing’s smile froze. In a split second, both his hands grasped at empty air. The hem of Yi Zhen’s robe slipped through his fingers like flowing water.

Not good!

Alarm bells rang in Ji Qing’s mind. He was about to turn when an incredibly powerful force pierced his throat from behind. Yi Zhen’s index finger, bent in the mantis fist stance, struck the back of his neck with blurring speed, his internal energy piercing the Renying acupoint like a needle.

The human body had over seven hundred and twenty acupoints, but only the vital points were truly familiar to Yi Zhen. The rest were unnecessary burdens to him. Now, with Ji Qing wide open, and his entire back exposed, he wouldn't dare miss such a golden opportunity!

With lightning-fast movements, Yi Zhen bent his right middle finger as well, both knuckles striking the Fengchi acupoint below Ji Qing’s occiput. His thumb then jabbed forcefully into the Yamen acupoint between the first and second vertebrae

The Shenshu acupoint on the second lumbar vertebra, the Zhishi acupoint beside it, the Mingmen and Qihaishu points below, and finally the Weilü acupoint at the tip of the coccyx. His strikes were like lightning, giving his opponent no chance to breathe, hitting all eight vital points on his back in the blink of an eye.

This wasn't the playful sparring he had with Eugene. Each of Yi Zhen's strikes was imbued with unyielding internal energy. The 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》 was a Yin-attribute cultivation method. Although not as fiercely explosive as Yang-attribute methods, the insidious, chilling aftereffects of its poison were not something ordinary people could withstand.

If someone could have peeled back Ji Qing's shirt at that moment, they would have been horrified to see deep purple bruises forming where Yi Zhen's knuckles had landed. The surrounding blue blood vessels bulged, as if severely frostbitten, forming a horrific pattern from top to bottom along his entire back.

The Ringing Scorpion shrieked, its eight legs flailing, tail thrashing like a crazed snake. At the same time, Ji Qing lunged forward. He had to escape. Yi Zhen had struck him eight times in the back, almost simultaneously. Before he could even understand his opponent's attack method, he had been severely injured.

He dashed away, the Ringing Scorpion blocking Yi Zhen's pursuit from behind. Ji Qing coughed up a mouthful of dark purple, venom-filled blood. He steadied himself on the other side of the platform, his complexion finally improving somewhat.

Yi Zhen dodged the Ringing Scorpion's attack and glanced at Ji Qing, understanding dawning on him.

Although their systems were different, the weak had their ways of survival, and the strong had theirs. People of the interstellar age had long forgotten about ancient concepts like acupoints, but ultimately, all paths led to the same destination. In the martial arts world, there were secret techniques to alter one's meridians and acupoints to avoid being harmed by such attacks. Here, those who reached A-rank could also seal their vital points, minimizing the impact on those vulnerable areas.

If Eugene had taken those eight strikes, his family would be preparing his funeral rites by now. Even in a virtual duel, his mental collapse would have been unavoidable. Yet, Ji Qing, after directly receiving those eight blows, had only coughed up some blood.

Yi Zhen couldn't help but sigh. They said the leap from B-rank to A-rank was a world of difference, and today he finally understood how terrifying that leap in level truly was.

While he was still feeling discouraged, Ji Qing’s expression shifted dramatically, his face a storm of conflicting emotions.

What kind of monster was this?!

A mere B… no, B-rank contestant, not even a pilot—Ji Qing could tell at a glance that he lacked mecha piloting experience. This ordinary person, whose strength should have placed him in the middle to lower ranks, had actually forced him to scramble across the arena in their first exchange.

His internal organs ached, his body a mass of searing pain. He had coughed up blood to alleviate the violent surge of energy within him. Now, his lips and teeth were icy, as if he had munched on a mouthful of ice shards in the dead of winter. Yet, it was his own blood, and he was alive. Why would his blood be cold!?

Silence fell over the venue. No one spoke. The examiners were also stunned… The fights and commotion in the other arenas seemed miles away. Everyone was fixated on the exchange they had just witnessed, as if for a moment, their established understanding had been shattered, replaced by something entirely new.

Ji Qing’s face was grim. He stared at Yi Zhen. This time, he took the initiative, raising his fist, his body stirring a powerful gust of wind as he charged.

Yi Zhen was currently entangled with the Ringing Scorpion. Even if he couldn’t land a blow, as long as he could force Yi Zhen into the scorpion’s attack range, pulling off a pincer attack, Yi Zhen would be either dead or crippled.

His fist howled as it moved through the air, grazing Yi Zhen’s face. Yi Zhen knew he couldn’t take a direct hit. The 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》 could make his skin as tough as jade, but against Ji Qing’s fist, he was likely to just shatter!

He dodged left and right, weaving between the Ringing Scorpion and Ji Qing, his wide sleeves swirling like snow-white waves. Ji Qing wore black, the Ringing Scorpion glowed red, and Yi Zhen was like an erratic, moonlit whirlwind. Few in the venue could clearly follow their movements, only the stark contrast of colors distinguishing them.

Ji Qing had known Yi Zhen was fast, but he hadn’t known he could be this fast. Logically, a lower-ranked opponent should be utterly helpless against him. The suppression of mental power would prevent them from sensing their surroundings and reacting effectively, leading to an instant defeat.

—Logically, should have… he had used too many similar phrases today. The problem was, Yi Zhen simply didn’t fall into the realm of “should” or “logically.”

It was as if he had eyes on the back of his head… no, as if he had eyes all over his body! Whether he could materialize his mental power or not made no difference to him. Ji Qing’s attacks, the Ringing Scorpion's attacks, all grazed his skin without causing a single injury.

But he wasn't without weaknesses, Ji Qing knew.

Lack of stamina was his biggest problem. He possessed terrifying speed, but his physical limitations held him back. This flaw in his physique was an insurmountable chasm. No matter how skilled he was, he couldn't compare to the physique of an A-rank pilot.

He just had to wait, wait until Yi Zhen’s strength was exhausted.

Ji Qing’s guess was correct. Yi Zhen was gritting his teeth, burning his internal energy to maintain his speed. Maintaining the 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》on top of everything else was overdrawing his life force. Ji Qing's attacks were powerful and relentless, leaving no room for counterattacks. He could only dodge.

His internal organs felt like they were on fire. A strong metallic taste rose in his throat, and his face was pale as a sheet. But he persevered, just as he had endured the pain of cleansing his meridians and marrow, and the heavy burden of daily training and studies.

In this moment, Yi Zhen thought of Rong Hongxue.

He still remembered that day when Rong Hongxue’s mental power had pressed down on him like a vast ocean, an insurmountable mountain, an inextinguishable inferno. Ji Qing was strong, but compared to Rong Hongxue’s effortless, casual dominance, he was still lacking.

Since he could withstand the torment of that little beast, he could definitely withstand this match!

He shifted his body, feigning an opening.

He knew Ji Qing would take the bait. This entire match, the guy had been like an aimed arrow, waiting for this moment to strike. In Ji Qing’s mind, Yi Zhen’s resilience had exceeded his expectations, and now the desire to defeat him overshadowed everything else. There was no other goal in Ji Qing's mind.

Ji Qing’s eyes lit up.

In a thousandth of a second, numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.

Could this be a trap? The mistake was too obvious, and based on his previous performance, Yi Zhen wouldn't make such a blunder.

No... it could be a genuine mistake. This B-rank guy… He had been holding on for too long, dodging for too long. And didn't dodging consume energy as well? It was perfectly normal for his strength to give out.

But what if it was a trap…

So what if it was a trap! Overwhelming power could overcome any trickery. Even if it was a trap, it wouldn’t work against his absolute strength!

Ji Qing made up his mind, unleashing a devastating punch that struck Yi Zhen squarely in the abdomen!

[Player, dodge!]

Yi Zhen didn’t dodge. He took the hit head-on. His vision instantly went black, blood spraying from his mouth uncontrollably. Then, a searing pain exploded through his mind. He could feel his bones shatter, flesh splitting apart, innards churning into a mess from the force of the blow.

He flew backward like a kite with its string cut in a hurricane.

The bespectacled examiner was the first to react. He yelled, "No!" and started to rush towards Yi Zhen, but the examiner beside him grabbed his arm.

“Wait! He’s not out yet.”

“But…”

But he was about to be! Ji Qing’s blow had sent him flying!

Yi Zhen indeed flew backward, half his body already over the edge of the platform.

But simply being over the edge, did that count as a loss?

Gasps erupted from the crowd below. Ji Qing, who had been gloating, froze in place.

—Yi Zhen had grabbed the Ringing Scorpion's raised stinger with one hand, suspending himself from it!

Ji Qing’s expression was bizarre. “Are you crazy?!”

The bespectacled examiner was also horrified. Clutching Yi Zhen’s bow, he echoed, “He’s crazy! Crazy!”

Mental power materialization didn't just mean shaping mental power into the form of a creature. During the crucial transition from B-rank to A-rank, those advancing typically spent months or even years coexisting with the creature they chose to materialize. Only when the creature treated their mental power as one of their own, ceasing to attack it as an enemy, would the advancement be considered successful.

This meant that Ji Qing’s Ringing Scorpion could produce a real venom, mental venom. Not limited to its stinger, its entire body was lethal!

This was one of Ji Qing’s deadliest weapons. A single sting from his Ringing Scorpion was enough to cause widespread mental exhaustion and decay. He had killed no less than eight hundred space pirates with this method. Yet now, Yi Zhen had grabbed the scorpion's stinger with his bare hand.

Faced with Yi Zhen’s suicidal action, Ji Qing was about to fling him off when Yi Zhen looked at him and gave a slow smile.

Blood streamed from his nose and mouth, dripping down his chin like tiny snakes, a shockingly vivid contrast against his jade-like skin.

Yi Zhen rasped, “You should… be afraid... of me.”

Ji Qing froze. The Ringing Scorpion suddenly shrieked, twisting and thrashing violently as if its heart had been pierced. Its stinger flailed wildly, launching Yi Zhen back onto the center of the platform. He tumbled several times before coming to a stop, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?!”

“What's wrong? Why is Ji Qing frozen? His spirit animal is going berserk!”

“What the hell is going on? Did anyone see anything?”

“No! It just happened suddenly… I was recording the whole time, but I didn’t see anything!”

The Ringing Scorpion curled its legs, screeching, its tail convulsing and relaxing, thrashing frantically until it finally collapsed, dissipating on the spot.

Throughout this, Ji Qing remained motionless, head bowed. Yi Zhen clutched his abdomen, coughing up blood as he slowly pulled himself up from the ground. Meanwhile Ji Qing paid him no attention, as if he had forgotten all about the match.

The scene was too bizarre, far beyond the comprehension of the contestants below. The examiners on the first level hesitantly approached, intending to assess the situation.

Yi Zhen slowly walked behind Ji Qing and gave him a gentle push.

Ji Qing’s large body crashed to the ground like a fallen tree, unable to get back up.

“…I ...win.” Yi Zhen gasped. “Unless… you want me to… roll him off, bit by bit.”

“Is… is he dead?” a contestant in the front row asked, stunned.

Yi Zhen gave him a strange look. “He’s just unconscious, what are you thinking… I have no grudge against him. I wouldn’t kill him.”

The five examiners jumped onto the platform and surrounded Ji Qing, checking his condition.

“He’s still breathing, just unconscious.”

“He’s not dead… that’s good.”

“Let’s carry him down first and see when he wakes up. If it’s really serious, we could let him rest and participate in tomorrow’s trials instead...”

After a brief discussion, the examiners stood up. The bespectacled examiner walked over, raised Yi Zhen’s left hand, and announced loudly, “This match goes to Yi Zhen! He has qualified for the initial rounds! Contestants of Arena 052, please select another defender to continue the competition!”

Perhaps because the result was too surreal, or perhaps because everyone was still in shock, at first, there were only a few scattered claps. Then, the applause gradually grew, merging into a thunderous roar of cheers and acclamations. The crowd surged around the platform, barely containing their urge to rush up and hoist Yi Zhen onto their shoulders.

Yi Zhen clutched his side, his body slightly hunched, blood trickling from his lips and staining the ground beneath him. But despite it all, he still managed a weak smile, his lips curving upwards.

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