pertwk Chapter 42 Martial Arts Competition
Chapter 42 Martial Arts Competition
Faced with Qiu Qianren's question, Zhao Yu was slightly taken aback at first, then laughed loudly without any attempt to hide his laughter.
He nodded frankly and replied, "That's right. Last year at the summit of Mount Hua, the six of us fought for seven days and seven nights. In the end, it was only through the combined efforts of myself and Lady Lin that we managed to defeat Master Wang and his group of four by half a move. Logically speaking, the title of the number one in the world should have been shared by Lady Lin and me."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Qianren took a deep breath, his heart filled with unease.
When Hong Qi passed by Iron Palm Peak, he told Zhao Yu about the whole story of the Mount Hua Sword Tournament, and what he said was exactly the same as what Zhao Yu was saying at this moment.
He had previously held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that perhaps Hong Qi was exaggerating, but now that Zhao Yu had personally admitted it, that composure and openness were by no means empty words.
Looking at Zhao Yu's young face, which was no more than twenty years old, Qiu Qianren couldn't help but feel a strong sense of resentment.
Number one in the world.
These four words are probably an obsession in the hearts of any martial arts master, and Qiu Qianren is no exception.
He did not keep his appointment at Mount Hua last year, partly because his mentor, Shangguan Jiannan, had recently passed away, and he needed to stay at Iron Palm Peak to stabilize the situation.
More importantly, his Iron Palm skill, which he had painstakingly practiced for many years, was not yet fully mastered, and he admitted that he was no match for Wang Chongyang, Hong Qi, and others.
But he always harbored a strong determination, believing that his talent was second to none. He thought that if he were given a few more years, he would be second to none when he mastered the Iron Palm Technique.
But now, Zhao Yu has suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Zhao Yu was so much younger than him, yet he had already surpassed top masters like Wang Chongyang and Hong Qi, who had been famous for decades, and won the title of the number one in the world.
At such a young age, his skills are already unfathomable, and there is still endless potential for improvement in the future.
If things continue like this, even if Qiu Qianren masters the Iron Palm Technique, when will he ever be able to even get close to becoming the number one in the world?
After a long silence, Qiu Qianren forced down the turmoil in his heart and silently comforted himself: "Actually, there's no need to worry too much. This prince is determined to rule the court and sit on the throne. Once he ascends the throne, he'll be busy with state affairs; where will he find the time to devote himself to martial arts?"
In the world of martial arts, one either progresses or regresses; sooner or later, the title of the best in the world will fall on one's own head.
Only after this thought came to mind did Qiu Qianren feel a little better.
However, he failed to realize that he seemed to have already tacitly accepted that Zhao Yu would one day ascend the throne.
Composing himself, Qiu Qianren bowed deeply to Zhao Yu: "Your Highness's martial arts are unparalleled, and I admire you immensely. However, I have been practicing martial arts diligently for decades and have gained some insights into palm techniques. I humbly request Your Highness to enlighten me and allow me to witness firsthand the prowess of the world's number one. I wonder if Your Highness would do me the honor?"
His words coincided with Zhao Yu's thoughts.
Although Zhao Yu had long heard of the Iron Palm Water-Walking Master's reputation, he had only heard of him but had never met him.
Moreover, he also knew that Qiu Qianren had a charlatan twin brother named Qiu Qianzhang.
There are countless cases of deception in the martial arts world, and Zhao Yu took this opportunity to test the skills of the person in front of him.
Firstly, to determine the authenticity, and secondly, to take advantage of this competition to intimidate the leader of the Iron Palm Gang.
After all, he is a villain in the original work who can go toe-to-toe with the Five Greats. If you want to use him, you must first take control of his arrogance and make him submit from the bottom of his heart so that he can be used smoothly.
Zhao Yu immediately stood up and laughed loudly, "Good! I have long heard of Chief Qiu's Iron Palm skill. On Mount Hua, Hong Qi repeatedly lamented that Chief Qiu's failure to keep the appointment was a great regret for the Mount Hua Sword Tournament. Today is the perfect opportunity for me to see the true face of the Iron Palm skill."
Without further ado, the two left the main hall one after the other and went straight to the martial arts training ground in the backyard of the Prince's Mansion.
This training ground covers a vast area, with the ground paved entirely with solid bluestone slabs. Weapon racks stand around the perimeter, which is where Zhao Yu usually practices martial arts.
Zhao Yu dismissed all the servants who were attending to him, leaving only Zhao Yu, Qiu Qianren, and Qiu Qianchi in the vast martial arts arena.
As soon as they stopped, Zhao Yu heard Qiu Qianchi tugging at Qiu Qianren's sleeve from the nearby corridor: "Second Brother, just teach him a lesson later, don't really hurt him. We're counting on him to bring wealth and prosperity to our family. If we hurt him, wouldn't it be a loss?"
Zhao Yu's ears twitched slightly; he had already heard everything clearly.
A faint smile appeared on his lips as he thought to himself: This idiot really doesn't take me seriously.
Qiu Qianren's face darkened. He turned around and glared at Qiu Qianchi, then hissed, "Stop talking nonsense! Stand aside and watch the fight. Don't make a sound unless I tell you to."
After scolding his sister away, Qiu Qianren turned around and bowed to Zhao Yu, saying, "Your Highness, I have overstepped my bounds. If I have offended you in any way, I hope Your Highness will forgive me."
Zhao Yu nodded slightly, stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the breeze, exuding an air of composure, without a trace of tension.
"Chief Qiu, there's no need to be so polite. In martial arts duels, it's best to stop when you've made your point. Feel free to make your move."
The two stood facing each other in the center of the training ground, more than three zhang apart.
A gentle breeze swept by, swirling a few fallen leaves between the two of them.
However, neither of the two people in the arena made a sound.
Qiu Qianren's gaze was fixed on Zhao Yu, his heart filled with solemnity.
He was mindful of Zhao Yu's status and thought it best to let the other party make the first move, as that would be a proper courtesy.
But after waiting intently for a while, he found that Zhao Yu stood there, seemingly full of flaws, yet as solid as a deep pool and a towering mountain, making it impossible to find any opportunity to take advantage of him.
Just as his mind began to stir, Zhao Yu suddenly smiled and waved his hand: "Chief Qiu, feel free to attack with all your might, let me see just how powerful this Iron Palm that shakes the two lakes really is."
These words instantly ignited Qiu Qianren's arrogance.
He was, after all, the renowned leader of the Iron Palm Clan, a martial arts master of his time. Zhao Yu's frivolous attitude was truly disrespectful.
It’s tolerable, it’s unbearable!
"Since Your Highness is so kind as to offer this, then I shall make a fool of myself!"
Qiu Qianren gave a low shout, and before he finished speaking, he had already moved.
With a swift movement, he shot out like an arrow, his seemingly robust body moving at an astonishing speed, gliding across the bluestone slab without making a sound.
Despite the distance being three zhang, he stepped in front of Zhao Yu in one stride, his speed befitting the name "water-skimming".
It wasn't until his palm was three inches from Zhao Yu's face that the words "making a fool of yourself" finally reached Zhao Yu's ears.
Before the palm strike even arrived, a powerful and domineering force swept over him, causing Zhao Yu's hair to fly backward.
This palm strike may seem ordinary, but it contains terrifying power capable of splitting stone tablets and shattering rocks.
"Impressive lightness skill!"
Zhao Yu let out a soft shout, but his feet didn't move an inch. He slightly turned his upper body to the side, just like a willow in the wind, and perfectly avoided this earth-shattering palm strike.
At the same time, he lightly raised his right palm to meet Qiu Qianren's palm wind head-on without dodging or avoiding it.