Chapter 12: Chongyang Martial Arts Festival
Chapter 12: Chongyang Martial Arts Festival
Early the next morning, all Cheng family disciples gathered for their annual Chongyang Martial Arts Festival. Outstanding performers could join the Xuanhuo Sect or Shenhuo Sect as disciples, securing limitless futures.
Family Head Cheng Feng stood on the combat platform, surveying the crowd.
“Another year’s Double Ninth Festival arrives. Our Cheng family holds one quota for the Xuanhuo Sect this time – the finest performer shall claim this glory.”
With this brief announcement, the festival commenced.
Three generations of Cheng disciples assembled, including those guarding the mining area. All Ordinary Martial Realm practitioners could participate, while True Martial Realm members only observed.
With only one quota available, this year’s focus lay on battles between Fusion Phase and Change Phase disciples. Lower-level disciples couldn’t contend for victory but demonstrated their skills for future festivals.
First came Ordinary Fourth Level – Luck Phase disciples as warm-up matches. Subsequent rounds progressed through Fifth Level Shock Phase, Sixth Level Shape Change Phase, and Seventh Level Spiral Phase, each more intense than the last.
When Cheng Lingyu’s turn arrived, only seven third-generation disciples remained: four in Fusion Phase and three in Change Phase.
Cheng Yun watched intently from the sidelines, heart racing. Half a year had passed since Ruo Xue’s death in blooming springtime – yet his son had ascended from ordinary youth to Ordinary Eighth Level Fusion Phase practitioner, an unprecedented feat.
“Begin.”
Cheng Lingyu stood casually at the arena’s center, cold eyes fixed on his cousin.
“Seventh Brother, such insolence! Prepare for humiliation!”
The cousin darted forward like smoke, Gathering Yang Technique amplifying his Liéyuè Fist. Punch winds tore through the void with thunderous cracks.
Cheng Lingyu waited until the last instant before sidestepping smoothly.
“Three moves. Yours.”
His frosty expression revealed nothing.
“Die, arrogant fool!”
The cousin’s second strike unleashed sixteenfold explosive power. Cheng Lingyu again evaded without countering.
“Twin Cyclone Slash!”
Both arms struck simultaneously with sixteenfold force, attacking from both flanks.
“Why avoid?”
Cheng Lingyu raised an eyebrow, standing motionless as the strikes connected.
Spectators gasped.
“Seventh Brother’s madness! He courts death!”
“Who says otherwise? That guy’s a loner and too arrogant. Serves him right to be taught a lesson.”
“Beat him down, teach him a lesson, show him his place!”
Mocking and hostile voices rose like tides, all wishing Cheng Lingyu would kneel and surrender.
Cheng Lingyu had long grown numb to these sounds. He lived for himself, utterly indifferent to outsiders’ opinions.
A muffled thud echoed, followed by a violent explosion. Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Cheng Lingyu stood unmoving, while his cousin was sent flying, coughing up blood with severe internal injuries upon impact.
“You… impossible… I… refuse to believe this!”
The result shocked everyone present. His cousin couldn’t accept it.
“You lose.”
Cheng Lingyu spoke coldly, ignoring the man. His gaze swept over the three remaining Fusion Phase cousins. “Attack me together.”
The three Fusion Phase disciples exchanged uneasy glances. Though furious, none could gauge Cheng Lingyu’s true strength.
“Are you truly at the Fusion Phase?”
Many voiced doubts—Cheng Lingyu’s power seemed beyond that level.
“If you fear defeat, you may withdraw now.”
Cheng Lingyu’s tone remained detached, his expression unreadable.
“Arrogant brat! Let’s strike together—he can’t withstand all three of us!”
The cousins charged simultaneously in a frenzy.
Cheng Lingyu sneered coldly, countering three opponents with ease. His Liéyuè Fist rained down like a storm, forcing the cousins back as they howled in rage.
Spectators displayed mixed reactions. Cheng Yun smiled faintly while others seethed, displeased by the unfolding scene.
Even second-generation Cheng family experts stared in disbelief at Cheng Lingyu’s display.
Holding back his true power, Cheng Lingyu maintained deliberate control yet dominated the fight.
The strongest cousin, capable of thirty-twofold explosive power, found himself effortlessly crushed.
Though limiting his output between sixteen to thirty-twofold, Cheng Lingyu’s rock-solid foundation—his single arm bearing ten thousand jin of divine power—made even equal multipliers lethal.
“End this.”
His calm declaration preceded a fist strike that split the void. The resulting shockwave engulfed the cousins like a tidal force.
Bodies flew. Piercing wails filled the air as three figures crashed down, defeated by a single blow.
Hands clasped behind his back, Cheng Lingyu stood victorious yet isolated, silent solitude etched on his features.
No cheers greeted his win. No applause. Only hollow triumph.
At seventeen, the Cheng family disciple’s heart ached. His clan’s rejection carved deeper wounds than any battle.
As the Change Phase matches commenced, Cheng Lingyu withdrew to observe.
The Ordinary Martial Realm’s nine tiers culminated in the Change Phase—the peak where Spiral Phase and Fusion Phase merged.
Among the three disciples at the Change Phase, Cheng Zhaojun stood as the strongest, having reached the peak of this phase and standing on the brink of entering the True Martial Realm.
Cheng Lingyu watched intently, repeatedly contemplating the essence of the Change Phase.
To advance from the Fusion Phase to the Change Phase, one needed to condense a qi vortex in the dantian, refining true energy into true essence through compression.
The Ordinary Martial Realm dealt with gaseous energy within cultivators, while the True Martial Realm involved liquid energy—a highly concentrated Conversion from gas.
Forming a qi vortex was crucial for reaching the Change Phase, borrowing principles from the Spiral Phase. Thus, the Change Phase was often described as merging aspects of both Spiral and Fusion Phases.
In the Change Phase matches, Cheng Zhaojun secured two consecutive victories, drawing roaring cheers—a stark contrast to Cheng Lingyu’s earlier subdued win.
Typically, the Change Phase champion earned entry to the Xuanhuo Sect, as it marked the peak of the Ordinary Martial Realm.
But this time, Cheng Lingyu of the Fusion Phase challenged Cheng Zhaojun for the top spot at the Chongyang Martial Arts Festival.
“Seventh Brother,” Cheng Zhaojun sneered, “don’t embarrass yourself. The gap between Fusion and Change Phases is vast.”
Cheng Lingyu met his cold glare. “I’d like to test that gap myself.”
His indifferent reaction stung Cheng Zhaojun’s pride.
“Arrogant fool! I’ve condensed three qi vortices—the peak of the Change Phase!”
“What does that matter?” Cheng Lingyu’s tone remained flat.
Cheng Zhaojun scoffed. “One vortex doubles explosive power. Two quadruple it. Three vortices multiply it eightfold. My Fusion Phase strength was thirty-two times normal—now it’s two hundred fifty-six! My Defensive Strength also octuples. You stand no chance.”
“Then why hesitate to fight?”
Cheng Lingyu’s calm suggested prior knowledge of these facts.
“Hesitate? I’m sparing you humiliation! Since you insist—” Cheng Zhaojun’s angry laughter echoed as he accepted.
Cross-rank challenges were rare. Though Cheng Lingyu had dominated his peers, none believed he could overcome Cheng Zhaojun’s 256-fold power.
Undaunted, Cheng Lingyu stepped forward. He’d promised his father victory.
“Attack first. I’ll grant you three moves,” Cheng Zhaojun taunted, echoing Cheng Lingyu’s earlier words.
“Keep your charity. I’ll have you defeated and convinced.”
Cheng Lingyu’s aura erupted—a Powerful Force awakening, radiating dominance that made Cheng Zhaojun stagger.
His right arm swung. Compressed true energy surged, shaking the void with world-shaking force.
First Move: sixty-fourfold explosive power tore through air like storm winds.
Cheng Zhaojun roared, “Pathetic!” His counterpunch unleashed 128-fold power, aiming to end the match instantly.
Fists collided.
A loud bang like heavenly thunder erupted. The wave of energy hurled dust skyward, blasting both fighters apart.
Cheng Lingyu’s figure swayed briefly before steadying.