"To be honest, we can be friends, but only after this battle," Xiang Mo said with a smile.
"Is it because you want to avenge Xiang Ba?" Chen Yang said.
"I don't deny that's part of the reason, but my personal victory is more important than that. Only by defeating you can I challenge those two," Xiang Mo said calmly.
This time, he came with ambition.
Xiang Mo knew very well that his martial arts talent was still a level below those two prodigies, but he was better at observation. If there was a chance, he might be able to challenge their rankings.
The gong sounded, and the two stopped wasting words and immediately prepared for battle.
Xiang Mo did not intend to take the initiative to attack. Xiang Ba had said that Chen Yang was very strong, especially after preparing for him to use his fist techniques to unleash power.
Xiang Mo was not afraid of Chen Yang's strength, but he was afraid of being hit by Chen Yang without being prepared, so he adopted a defensive stance.
Offense is the best defense, and conversely, defense can be the best offense. Xiang Mo is particularly adept at counter-attacking.
However, just as he got into a defensive stance, he felt a gust of wind blow past him and a fist came crashing down on him.
"So fast!" Xiang Mo was shocked. His body reacted before his brain could, raising his hands to block in front of him, stepping back, and preparing his muscles.
That's right, not only his brain and body, but also his muscles were prepared to receive this punch.
After Chen Yang threw that punch, his eyes lit up.
His guess was right. The essence of Iron Shirt is physical control. It should also have unique body-forging methods, but physical control is the true core.
The claim that he is invulnerable to swords and spears is definitely not true. Chen Yang's peak physique is already terrifying, but he is still not invulnerable to swords and spears. He can block iron rods without any problem, but if a spear were to stab him, he would be turned into a human stick.
Chen Yang didn't hesitate for a second time and immediately threw a second punch, aiming directly at the opening in Xiang Mo's abdomen.
Xiang Mo contracted his abdomen, simultaneously controlling his abdominal muscles to block Chen Yang.
Chen Yang's speed and reaction were too fast; he couldn't dodge it and could only try to deflect the force and then use his body to withstand it.
After being punched by Chen Yang, he felt a strong pain in his abdomen, which surprised him greatly. He had already released the force and prepared himself, yet it still hurt him so much.
Chen Yang was even more surprised that his 30% of his strength struck Xiang Mo's abdomen without causing Xiang Mo internal injuries.
This made Chen Yang even happier; this was the kind of opponent he was interested in.
Next, Chen Yang launched a fierce and relentless attack, often throwing another punch before the previous one was even finished, with no gaps between them.
His speed was too fast, so fast that Xiang Mo had no time to think and could only defend himself with his physical instincts and the martial artist's awareness honed through long-term training.
This description makes it seem as if Chen Yang has the upper hand, but in reality, things are quite different, especially in the eyes of others, the opposite is true.
Because Xiang Mo actually managed to defend against almost all of Chen Yang's attacks, and the few punches he landed were just glancing at the edge and causing no serious harm.
From this perspective, it appears as if Xiang Mo easily defended against Chen Yang's attack.
The two were moving too fast. Chen Yang's punches were so fast that others could hardly keep up with them. Moreover, every punch was extremely precise. This required not only an understanding of boxing techniques but also a wild intuition and exceptional eyesight.
Xiang Mo appeared relaxed, but he was actually sweating profusely; he didn't even have time to be nervous.
Only the person involved understands that in such situations, the defender has it much easier than the attacker. He doesn't need to make judgments; he only needs to follow his body's instructions. A martial artist's consciousness gives him the ability to cope.
But Chen Yang had to make a judgment about the next punch with each punch he threw, and also predict Xiang Mo's defense.
Under these circumstances, Chen Yang's ability to launch such efficient and high-speed attacks is actually quite terrifying upon closer examination.
But Xiang Mo, the only one who could truly grasp this terror, had no time to think. If he were to think for even a second, he would be defeated.
Gradually, Xiang Mo entered a wonderful state.
He is a person who is used to planning ahead and always likes to have everything in his own plan. He has a very strong desire for control.
This was his strength, and he consistently adhered to it, yet he failed to realize that it was precisely this desire for control that limited him.
Xiang Mo is very diligent and talented; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to master the Iron Shirt martial art to such a high level.
He was also very smart, so he didn't realize that it was this very intelligence that limited him.
Now, Chen Yangchao's high-speed attacks, each strike aimed directly at vital points, left him no time to think. He could only fight back instinctively, but his years of diligent study and training had given him the means to do so, opening the door to a new world for him.
Xingyiquan itself is a highly versatile style of boxing. Chen Yang's movements are sometimes as light and fast as a bird, sometimes as powerful and domineering as a tiger, sometimes as heavy as an old tortoise, and sometimes as unpredictable and dangerous as a snake.
Being able to perform Xingyi Quan to such an extreme degree made Chen Yang feel extremely happy.
If I lost a fight against Grandpa Yun, it would be because my moves were read and dismantled; if I won, it would be entirely due to my physical constitution. But the fight against Xiang Mo was different.
Even without relying on his physical strength, his opponent couldn't break through his attacks, but could block them, allowing him to unleash his full potential and enjoy himself immensely.
"This sparring partner is absolutely perfect," Chen Yang thought during a break in his attack.
He made the most of his wolfish bloodline and eagle eyes, and Xingyi Quan seemed to come alive in his body. Every movement of his was perfectly connected, and he was no longer limited to the twelve forms of Xingyi Quan. You could see the shadows of almost every animal in him.
Grandpa Yun sat in the stands, watching Chen Yang with shining eyes. He no longer cared whether Chen Yang's Xingyi Quan was in the process of breaking through; he saw a new path, a path to help him break through his shackles.
Yunhua was a martial artist throughout his life, and he remained so even in his old age. However, as he grew older, not only did his body decline, but his mind also passed its prime.
After entering the Micro Realm, Grandpa Yun came into contact with the purest natural things and had vaguely sensed that the bottleneck that had trapped him for many years was beginning to crack. Only now, seeing Chen Yang, did he realize his true path.
"So that's how it is. Form and meaning are the actions of all things. The twelve forms are just representatives, not the whole. All things are actions, all things are meanings. So that's how it is."
Grandpa Yun muttered to himself for a moment, then left the stands impatiently.
"No need to follow me, I need an undisturbed environment right now."
He spoke to the bewildered Yun family members.
The old man left in a hurry, heading to a nearby bamboo grove to share his thoughts.
But Taiqiang has also changed at this moment.
Xiang Mo actually had a real epiphany at this moment.
Martial arts, once you have an epiphany, won't lead to a huge increase in strength or an ascension to immortality. However, it certainly has an impact on a person.
At this moment, Xiang Mo changed the situation because of this one influence.
Chen Yang's attacks no longer rely entirely on instinctive defense; he can occasionally launch counterattacks based on his physical instincts.
From the perspective of the audience, this meant that Xiang Mo was no longer willing to fight Chen Yang and had begun to make his move.
There were many experts in the audience, but few of them, not being involved, could see through the trickery.
"Sigh, Xiang Mo is indeed stronger." Someone sighed.
A smile appeared on Xiang Mo's lips; he was confident of victory.
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