Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 66: Companion

A smile touched Zhou Yuanjue’s lips as he heard He Runlin’s words.

When He Runlin accepted the invitation, Zhou Yuanjue had a feeling this would be a worthy opponent.

The truth was, He Runlin’s awareness as a Martial Artist far exceeded his expectations.

Donghua Country had a total of thirty-six prefectures. Anyone who could rise above the tens of millions—or even a hundred million—people in a single prefecture to become a "seed" was undoubtedly a cut above the rest. Every one of them held the potential for Saint Awakening.

The will and awareness they possessed were far beyond anything an ordinary person could comprehend.

’Not for victory or defeat, only for self-transcendence.’

In that moment, Zhou Yuanjue’s heart was perfectly serene, as flawless and bright as the moon in the night sky.

He was grateful. At his age, a young man in his twenties, he didn’t have to slave away for work and a living like ordinary people. He didn’t have to grovel for so-called opportunities or live up to the expectations of others and society. He was free to do as he pleased, to follow his heart, without fear of being criticized for "not knowing how to act" or "not doing things the right way" by those who had lived ten or twenty years longer yet did little more than occupy a post.

The sordid scramble, the endless dust of the mortal world.

And he alone stood above it all.

What made him even more grateful was that, in this world, he was not alone.

On this path, amidst the frantic, bustling crowds, there were others like him—people who had also broken free from the sordid scramble of the mortal world, faced their own bodies and minds, transcended the shackles of desire, and now walked their own path with unwavering resolve.

My Dao is not a lonely one.

They were not enemies, but precious companions.

The Martial Dao was not just about grudges, vendettas, love, and hate; it was also about the mutual respect of kindred spirits.

The noise of the crowd, the murmurs of discussion, the countless gazes fixed upon him, and even the endless clamor of the mortal world—all of it faded away.

His Spirit sank into a state of profound silence and tranquility. Spurred on by his opponent, his focus sharpened as never before, and the Lamp Burning Technique began to circulate of its own accord.

In this moment, his opponent was his lamp.

They resonated with each other, illuminating the path forward.

Within his ignited Heart Fire, a sliver of gold unknowingly appeared.

The Heart Fire refines a hundredfold, and true gold reveals itself.

’Transcend! Transcend!’

As a faint golden halo materialized behind Zhou Yuanjue’s head, a sound seemed to echo in He Runlin’s mind.

He was visibly startled. He hadn’t expected his opponent to achieve a breakthrough right at the start of the fight.

But then a smile returned to his face. ’This is what makes it interesting...’

His massive frame slowly settled into a fist stance. Unlike the previous stance where his hands formed a circle, this time, one palm faced upward, raised to eyebrow height, while the other faced downward, pressed to his hip.

’Heaven as Yang, Earth as Yin. Yin and Yang in harmony, a primordial whole.’

’And he would sunder them both.’

What the two were using was no longer limited to the arts of their own schools. As champions of their respective prefectures, as "seeds," they had both obtained powerful Secret Techniques from outside their own sects, steering their Martial Dao in directions filled with unknown possibilities.

Their gazes locked, their wills intertwined, and their auras churned. Something seemed to reverberate throughout the arena, piercing the very soul.

Lightning from an empty room!

In the control room, the stoic eldest disciple of the Seven Spirits Sect narrowed his eyes, a sincere smile gracing his lips. "On the long road through this mortal world, to encounter a fellow traveler... my heart rejoices."

The others in the control room, their attention completely captivated by the two men in the arena, did not hear what the Seven Spirits Sect’s eldest disciple had said.

Even if they had, they might not have understood.

For their hearts were still bound to the mortal world.

Just then, the auras of the two men in the arena clashed, reaching a peak. They began to move.

Zhou Yuanjue was the first to act.

He vanished in an instant.

When he reappeared, his arms had swelled far beyond their normal proportions, and his palms had turned blood-red.

SCREEE!!

A piercing shriek echoed as Zhou Yuanjue’s Cunning Hand sliced through the air, pecking toward He Runlin’s throat. The strike contained an explosive force, and a thin Qi Blade could be seen shimmering faintly around his palm—issuing from his will, moving with his thoughts, without a single hint of warning.

Profound Heart Fist Power Release—Cloud Blade Hand!

However, facing an attack that could easily slice through the toughened skin of an expert, He Runlin seemed completely unconcerned, meeting it head-on with a palm of his own.

BANG!

He Runlin had actually caught the exceptionally sharp, blade-like Cloud Blade Hand barehanded. This feat was no less difficult than snatching a drawn blade out of the air.

Zhou Yuanjue’s eyes narrowed. He changed his method of power release and swung out with a continuous series of Cunning Hand strikes.

SCREEE! SCREEE! SCREEE! SCREEE! SCREEE!

Hundred Falcons’ Cry!

A frenzied torrent of air swept over everything as sharp, violent sonic booms reverberated endlessly throughout the arena.

Countless afterimages of the strikes completely enveloped He Runlin’s body. This time, He Runlin didn’t even attempt to parry. He simply raised his arms in front of himself, guarding the vital points of his head.

THUD! THUD! THUD!!

A barrage of strikes, each capable of piercing stone monuments and tearing through steel plates, rained down on his body, producing a series of dull thuds.

Yet Zhou Yuanjue felt as if his attacks were landing on gelatin.

In his state of extreme focus, he could see that He Runlin’s muscles, skin, and fascia, which seemed to have been forged into a single unit, were undulating with small, wave-like ripples.

Furthermore, his skin had clearly been subjected to special training and nourished with secret elixirs. Though it appeared fair and soft, in reality, it was tougher than ox-hide.

Of the countless falcon-cry strikes that shattered the air and landed on his body, most of the impact force was neutralized by the synergistic ripples of his muscles and fascia. The point of impact itself was blocked by his incredibly tough skin; while a slight bruise might appear, no substantial damage was inflicted.

Zhou Yuanjue understood. This was the true meaning behind the two words "Water Avoidance" in the Primordial Water Avoidance Palm.

His skin and muscles had been trained into a single, integrated unit, granting him a level of bodily control far beyond that of any ordinary person. He could make the muscles and fascia of his entire body ripple like waves, controlling every single inch of his skin.

Legend had it that a master who had cultivated this Palm Technique to the pinnacle of Great Success could be submerged in water and emerge with their body completely dry, not a single drop of water remaining.

This was because every inch of the body’s muscles and fascia was constantly engaged in Power Release. The moment water touched the skin, it was repelled and scattered by the ceaseless, rhythmic vibrations. Thus, one could enter water, yet remain untouched by a single drop.

This was the so-called "Water Avoidance."

Like a lotus leaf, emerging from the mud yet remaining unstained.

When this technique reached Great Success, the body’s Force Discharge, defense, perception, control, and many other abilities would become terrifyingly powerful. When facing an enemy, one could even stand perfectly still and neutralize attacks, either absorbing them directly or redirecting them.

That was why Wu Tianhe’s ferocious Hammer Technique had been unable to faze He Runlin in the slightest.

If there were counters in the world of Fist Techniques, then the Primordial Water Avoidance Palm was the ultimate nemesis of all Hammer Techniques and Shock Forces.

However, the power of He Runlin’s Fist Technique did not lie in defense alone.

As Zhou Yuanjue unleashed the Hundred Falcons’ Cry, he vaguely saw He Runlin, buried beneath the countless afterimages of the strikes. Through the gap between his blocking arms, He Runlin’s eyes were narrowed into slits, and they seemed to hold a hint of a smile.