RPAGF Chapter 64 Ascending the High Platform, Battling a Flock of Heroes
Chapter 64 Ascending the High Platform, Battling a Flock of Heroes
"What kind of palm force is this?!" Many martial artists present had this question in their minds, and quite a few blurted it out.
The martial arts master in charge of the demonstration was trembling like a leaf, his emotions in turmoil, and he was incoherent.
The young servant of the Golden Pavilion did not know martial arts. He thought it was common for martial artists to display their great power and do strange things. Holding a torch, he approached the iron stake, looked around the side wall, and saw no palm print. So he ran to the famous martial arts master and whispered his report, asking for a decision.
"No handprint? If there isn't one, then there isn't. Masters who can unleash such incredible techniques wouldn't need to rely on striking iron to leave a mark as proof of their skills, like us!" The martial arts master was furious upon hearing this and angrily rebuked the servant for being blind. Why even ask such a question!
After Lin Zhuo delivered the blow, he was led to write a note. After that, the martial arts practitioners around him, who were originally strangers, suddenly became enthusiastic, came over, clasped their hands in greeting, and said things like they had long admired his name and had known him for a long time.
Surrounded by people, he walked out of the Strange Stone Garden and followed the crowd to the next competition venue.
The servants left behind in the garden to clean up the mess were still marveling at what they had seen that night. Several strong men worked together to pull out the stakes driven into the ground one by one. When they knocked down the last and heaviest iron stake, the servant who had said there were no handprints on the stake suddenly cried out "Ah!" in the light of the torches and lanterns.
"What kind of plague are you spreading? You scared us grandpas half to death." His fellow servant teased him with a laugh.
"Yes! There was one! I just didn't see it!" The servant pointed to the top of the fallen iron stake, where a clear handprint with distinct knuckles was clearly visible on the top surface of the cylinder.
Everyone was shocked and astonished. Only now did they realize why the Thunderous Blood Hand had knocked the iron stake upside down with one palm, turning the bottom of the stake into the top. It was precisely to show the mark he had left at the bottom of the stake.
They considered this a strange story and would tell everyone they met over tea or after meals. The iron stake remained in the Strange Stone Garden ever since, and curious people would often come to visit it.
The fourth round of the martial arts competition was a contest of drinking capacity. Of course, this was just a pretext. No one drinks by guzzling down jars of alcohol. The real contest was about a martial artist's innate foundation and internal cultivation, seeing who could digest the most alcohol.
Therefore, those who claim to be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk may not necessarily be the last one standing in this competition. The seemingly refined scholar may actually be the one with the greatest capacity for alcohol.
When the group arrived at Yunxianju, the top restaurant in Anzhou City, the long tables in the lobby on the first floor were already filled with wine jars. Even though the jars were sealed with mud, the aroma of wine permeated the room and even spilled out onto the street. Ordinary passersby would stagger with drunkenness just from smelling it.
A tall, burly martial arts master, who had been waiting for a long time, couldn't help but burst into laughter when he saw the guests of Jinlou who had come to compete.
He said that once he opened the first jar of wine, the competition would begin. He would drink one jar, and everyone else would have to drink one as well. Those heroes who could still sit steadily in their chairs after he put down the wine jar would be considered to have passed.
At a command, the mud seal broke, and the aroma of wine suddenly burst forth.
People on the streets and in restaurants were stirring up trouble and helping to catch cheaters, such as those who secretly poured alcohol on the ground, secretly fed alcohol to their collars, or poured alcohol into their sleeves.
Lin Zhuo found the competition meaningless. Having tasted the spirit wine gifted by Zhu Baixuan, he had lost interest in other ordinary wines because they contained very little nutrition. As for alcohol, it was poisonous to drink and would be rejected by the "Marrow Refining and Blood Transformation Longevity Method".
So when the martial arts master who was in charge of the trial put down the wine jar, he didn't drink anymore.
Looking around, I saw that quite a few people were already drunk under the table. Those who were still sitting were either supporting themselves on the table or practicing internal energy with their eyes closed.
A hazy white mist surrounded Lin Zhuo, the crisp, pure yet pungent smell of alcohol was quite overpowering, but his eyes were clear and bright, clearly showing no signs of drunkenness. He had absorbed all the nutrients from the five jars of liquor he had drunk, while the useless toxins were expelled through his sweat.
After the match, many of the patrons of the Golden Pavilion had to rest for a while, and went to the literary arena to listen to the poets playing music and sober up.
Lin Zhuo participated in many literary and martial arts competitions, but he wasn't the kind of ruthless person who would fight the whole game. For areas he was unfamiliar with, such as playing the zither, calligraphy, and painting, he would simply stand aside and watch.
These refined pursuits must not involve cheating using internal energy.
Otherwise, if someone were to play a zither piece using profound inner energy, not only would the audience be completely captivated, but the spectacle might even attract a hundred birds to pay homage to the phoenix – a truly auspicious event in the ancient legends of the world of "Cangcheng". Therefore, it would be extremely unfair to those who lack martial arts skills in the competition.
Lin Zhuo didn't know much about this, but Shu Yuliu in the team channel was like a know-it-all. He analyzed the merits of the music, the quality of the font, and the quality of the picture in great detail. His comments were more insightful and experienced than those of the scholars and literati around him, which broadened Lin Zhuo's horizons.
[The Hero Loves Noodles]: Since Junior Sister is familiar with calligraphy, perhaps she could focus more on that aspect.
[Mingxiao Drum]: What advice do you have for me, Senior Brother?
[The Great Swordsman Loves Noodles]: The secrets of calligraphy, the layout of each stroke, and the overall spirit are all subtly connected to martial arts. If you delve deeply into this path, it might help you elevate your Qi Control Technique to a higher level, making you comparable to your second junior brother.
[Mingxiao Drum]: Received! (Salutes)
[Knock on the gong]: Panda boss, could you also give Cat some pointers? Cat's Qi control technique also needs improvement.
[Hero Loves Noodles]: Uh, I haven't found a suitable path for you yet.
[Mingxiao Drum]: Hahaha, how can this ignorant little cat compare to this genius?
The tabby cat on Lin Zhuo's shoulder began to hiss, and another fierce text-based argument broke out in the team chat.
The fifth match of the martial arts competition is a wrestling match. This doesn't mean that the patrons who have spent a lot of money are shirtless and slicked with oil like sumo wrestlers. Although the audience will be very excited to watch, it is still indecent.
The actual wrestling match is more exciting than a bare-chested fight, and even life-threatening. The people of Jinlou solemnly warn all their patrons to think twice before acting.
Upon arriving at the venue, everyone was taken aback.
On the Chengshui River, wooden piers protruded from the water, and a row of bronze tripods of various sizes were laid out on the riverbank, so that people could carry the tripods and walk step by step to the other side of the river.
If someone accidentally falls into the water and a heavy object falls on their head, it is indeed life-threatening.
The main test in this competition is actually on the body protection techniques. Most body protection techniques can make the Qigong master's stance more stable and their steps more steady.
Those renowned martial arts skills in the martial arts world can even achieve the effect of taking root on the ground, allowing one to walk steadily even on a wet and slippery oiled iron plate.
Lin Zhuo once again felt that his martial arts had a weakness. The Jade Belt Entangling Mountain Technique was only of gray quality and belonged to the category of agile and delicate protective martial arts. Its purpose was to facilitate mobility, so it had no effect on stabilizing stances.
He also relied on solid and reliable basic stats to get through this level.
It was precisely this somewhat strained performance that made the other martial artists on the Hidden Dragon Ranking secretly delighted.
"This person's protective techniques are weak. If we encounter him in the arena later, we can take advantage of his unpreparedness!"
They thought they had discovered Lin Zhuo's weakness, and such crucial information could surely be put to good use in the next battle.
As midnight approached, the bustling atmosphere in Anzhou City that evening grew sluggish. The common people, wealthy merchants, powerful families, and even many wandering swordsmen were all yawning.
The children were so sleepy they could barely keep their eyes open, leaning against the adults' shoulders, half-asleep. They probably only remembered that it was a wonderful night. If they were talented, they might be able to write a wonderful article like "The Village Opera" when they recalled this experience.
But it's not time to fall asleep yet. The most exciting event of tonight's championship banquet is about to begin at the Jianghu Arena in the center of Anzhou City.
Every city has martial arts arenas built for martial arts practitioners. They settle disputes, spar, and fight to the death here. Any arena that has been around for a long time is filthy. Countless drops of blood seep into the cracks between the bricks and between the gravel, and countless broken teeth and fragments of broken bone are hidden there.
It is precisely in such places that an unknown person is most suitable to soar to great heights and become famous throughout the world.
The martial arts world, in essence, is just a place for fighting. What's the point of learning martial arts if you can't determine who's superior and who's weaker?
At this moment and in this place, the crowd of onlookers numbered well over ten or twenty thousand. Everywhere, there were spectators holding lanterns and candles, their glittering lights flowing like a stream through the streets and alleys.
On the suspended wooden arena, ten zhang high, eighty-one torches burned brightly, their flames shining brightly, but they could not penetrate the deep darkness of the night. From a distance, the young martial artists standing on the arena looked like two black beans covered in flames.
Their dark silhouettes lingered on the full, silvery moon at midnight, and the spectators below looked up at them as if they were two tall bamboo and pine trees beside the moon palace.
One of them was Lin Zhuo.
He described the prelude to the championship banquet as an interesting appetizer; the intense competitive atmosphere made him feel slightly pleased and also made him very hungry.
Now it's time for the main course, and Lin Zhuo is the first to leap onto the platform.
Following closely behind was Wan Taoxian. As expected, he was a straightforward swordsman who never intended to hide anything. He had never made any special effort to befriend Lin Zhuopan before, and this was the first time they had met face to face.
"My name is Wan Taoxian. The family heirloom sword I carry is called 'Yingshuang'. It weighs nine catties and seven taels, is four feet and one inch long, and is forged from ten thousand-fold refined steel. It can cut hair with a breath and cut iron like mud."
"Someone named Lin Zhuo."
"Aren't you going to say anything more?" Wan Tao drew his sword first, the bright, cold metal reflecting light lightly on his cheek.
"What should I say?"
"Introduce your weapon."
"My one hand. You've seen it."
"Introduce your martial arts skills."
"You've seen one of my palm techniques before."
"There's more to say. You should say a few polite words, don't be so lifeless. Like me, I should say: Life and death are predestined. If my blade is too fast and I can't stop it, your life will be in God's hands. Don't hold a grudge against me when you get to the underworld."
"I don't believe in God, and I don't believe in an afterlife."
"Then what do you believe in?"
"You wouldn't understand, and I'm not very good at explaining it. If you really want to know, try to survive me, and then try to feel my heart and mind."
Wan Tao's expression changed drastically, his anger rising. But what made his hair stand on end even more was the subtly distorted atmosphere surrounding the person in front of him. The torchlight of the arena illuminated a hazy, enormous spherical outline, as if a thousand dragons were flying and swirling within it.