Chapter Twenty-Five: Enlightenment

Zhang Feihong’s strategy was sound. If their strengths were evenly matched, he truly could have defeated Chen Fan with this approach. Yet, he had underestimated Chen Fan’s abilities. Though Chen Fan lacked actual combat experience, his mastery of multiple disciplines had granted him formidable vitality and power, far surpassing that of Zhang Feihong.

Executing the Wind and Thunder Palm, Chen Fan’s movements were fierce and precise, each strike skillfully warding off Zhang Feihong’s every sneak attack. At first, his lack of battle experience left him somewhat flustered; he felt the pressure but gradually found his footing.

After a dozen exchanges, Chen Fan, who had been forced to retreat, suddenly stopped, surprise flashing across his face. A surge of elation flickered in his eyes, which now burned with intensity. He continued to use the Wind and Thunder Palm, practicing its yet-unperfected forms in actual combat. With each move, his technique grew more refined, more rounded, and powerful.

A sharp glint flashed in Chen Fan’s eyes; his Wind and Thunder Palm was now far more formidable, its force as swift and mighty as thunder. Three thunderous palms struck Zhang Feihong squarely, knocking him clear off the platform.

“We’ve won!” Meng Qi exclaimed with excitement.

Many in the crowd had also noticed Chen Fan’s state at the end of the battle, but few understood what had transpired, nor did many dwell on it.

Su Qingyang felt a pang of bitterness and couldn’t help but think, “The instructor said Chen Fan’s talent for practicing the White Cloud Pine Crane Palm was not as good as mine, but he already had skills before joining. Perhaps he’d obtained the Wind and Thunder Palm manual earlier and had been training beforehand, which explains his performance…”

Feng Yuancheng narrowed his eyes and shook his head, murmuring, “Interesting. It seems this junior brother has been concealing a portion of his true strength. He might indeed have a chance to keep advancing…”

To him, it was merely an amusing curiosity. For a fourteen-year-old like Chen Fan to defeat such a challenging opponent was already rare, though compared with Feng Yuancheng himself, Chen Fan still had far to go.

Chen Fan descended from the platform, clasping his fists, his face alight with joy. His Wind and Thunder Palm had already broken through two speed bottlenecks, growing stronger with each passing moment. When Zhang Feihong had fought him with every trick he knew, Chen Fan finally entered the “actual combat” state recognized by his golden finger, and his martial skills broke through once again.

He entered the state of “enlightenment” anew!

Though the experience differed from his previous enlightenment when he mastered the sixth form of the Fierce Tiger Fist, this battle confirmed that facing strong adversaries and using his skills in combat could indeed trigger his hidden conditions!

Unfortunately, he’d only performed a handful of moves before knocking Zhang Feihong out of the ring, leaving his enlightenment incomplete.

In that state, when his martial arts resonated with the will of heaven, his power doubled, each move flawless—Zhang Feihong stood no chance.

Even in victory, Chen Fan felt a hint of regret. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have entered enlightenment so soon. I should have waited until I could trigger the White Cloud Pine Crane Palm as well, then taken my time with this opponent.”

His enlightenment was peculiar: it was triggered first, then, during practice, he would automatically enter the state, which could be preserved temporarily.

Accepting the congratulations of those around him with modest words, Chen Fan used the convenient excuse of “relieving himself” to slip away from the tournament grounds, finding a quiet, deserted spot to continue practicing his forms and complete the later stages of his enlightenment.

This time, after reaching enlightenment, the second form of his Wind and Thunder Palm was perfected, and the third form reached forty percent completion!

His cultivation efficiency soared once again; within three to five days, he would be able to perfect the remaining two forms.

Originally, his progress in the Wind and Thunder Palm lagged far behind the Jade-Breaking Fist, which he had also been practicing “on auto-pilot.” Now, with three consecutive breakthroughs, the Wind and Thunder Palm would actually be mastered before the Jade-Breaking Fist—a twist of fate that Chen Fan found truly fascinating.

The second round of the elimination contest had only twenty matches, to determine the top twenty on the fifth platform; the battles concluded within half an afternoon.

Three disciples from the White Cloud Dojo had poor luck and were eliminated, while another five ranked among the top twenty on the fifth platform—a testament to their talent and strength.

Besides Chen Fan, Meng Qi, and Feng Yuancheng, the other two were disciples who had already trained in genuine martial arts—one at the first level, one at the second.

Unfortunately, their foundational techniques were of mediocre quality; their roots were not as solid as Meng Qi’s, and their strength was nothing extraordinary.

Yan Lincu, the Feihu Sect disciple, was also formidable and joined the top twenty.

The next day, it was time to decide who would advance from each platform.

Twenty remained on the fifth platform. Two rounds would determine the top five, then another round among the next five highest would pick a sixth.

In the first round, Chen Fan faced a first-level martial artist with only third-grade foundations and easily defeated him.

Su Qingyang, watching Chen Fan win yet another match, felt his bitterness deepen.

The first-level disciple from White Cloud Dojo then faced Yan Lincu—and was eliminated as well.

So far, Yan Lincu had eliminated two White Cloud Dojo disciples! This disciple was no ordinary member like Su Qingyang, but a first-level martial artist trained in a second-grade manual, someone expected to rank securely in the top thirty. Yan Lincu, brash and youthful, couldn’t pass up the chance to boast before the White Cloud Dojo disciples after his victory, stoking their silent anger.

Feng Yuancheng smiled and shook his head as he watched Yan Lincu. “You’d better hope you don’t run into me before the qualifiers are decided…”

Yan Lincu made a face, sneered, and walked off.

Chen Fan found it odd that, out of eighty contestants on one platform, Yan Lincu had faced two White Cloud Dojo disciples in just three matches. With the Feihu Sect hosting the tournament, Chen Fan wondered if there hadn’t been some manipulation behind the scenes. It wasn’t impossible, though unless Yan Lincu’s status was truly high, it seemed unnecessary.

Soon it was Feng Yuancheng’s turn. He faced a second-level martial artist from the Black Tiger Gang.

Chen Fan was looking forward to finally seeing Feng Yuancheng reveal his true strength, but was disappointed—the Black Tiger Gang fighter crumbled unexpectedly quickly, lasting no more than twenty or thirty exchanges before being knocked off the platform. Feng Yuancheng hadn’t even used all six forms of the White Cloud Pine Crane Palm!

Even though Meng Qi had told him that Feng Yuancheng’s strength rivaled an average second- or third-level martial artist, seeing him defeat a second-level fighter so easily left Chen Fan in awe.

“The Black Tiger Gang’s fighters are weak, and Feng Yuancheng is just too strong,” Chen Fan sighed, feeling an even deeper respect for Feng Yuancheng.

The Black Tiger Gang had many fighters, but most lacked solid foundations. Against ordinary fighters, they might hold their own, but against the prodigies at this tournament, they were simply outmatched. Still, the gang’s ability to produce so many young martial artists hinted at some shortcut or accelerated training method—something hard to overlook.

On the fifth platform, the top ten fighters had been decided.

Among the ten, Chen Fan and Yan Lincu stood out for their youth and their proximity to breaking into the top thirty outer disciples in Feiling County, drawing many admiring glances.

Below the platform, Su Qingyang’s heart soured further; he could no longer bear to watch the martial arts tournament. They had all started together, but while he’d once thought himself far superior to Chen Fan, the latter had continued to win, advancing this far, while he himself…

He remembered the carriage ride, thinking Chen Fan’s ambition to reach the top thirty was laughable—seeing him now, on the verge of achieving it, Su Qingyang couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

With no one seriously injured, the top ten were given a short rest before the matches to determine the final five qualifiers began.

In the first match, by coincidence, Yan Lincu was pitted against Feng Yuancheng!

Chen Fan had suspected the draw was manipulated, but this result surprised him.

Feng Yuancheng’s strength was well known. Most spectators were gathered for his bout, confident there could be no other outcome.

“No need to watch—Feng Yuancheng will win. If not, I’ll stand on my head and eat manure!”

“That’s obvious. Feng Yuancheng has nearly mastered two top-grade manuals. He’s the number one in Feiling County beneath the true inner disciples!”

He had, after all, just defeated a second-level martial artist.

His reputation preceded him; surely, a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old like Yan Lincu, with no known background, could not compare.

Yet, facing the famed Feng Yuancheng, this young man showed not the slightest trace of nervousness—his eyes brimmed with anticipation.

The two locked gazes.

Feng Yuancheng stood with hands clasped behind his back, exuding confidence. “You’re lucky to face me in this round and still have a shot at the last qualifying spot. Had you met me earlier or later, you’d have been eliminated outright!”

There was no one on the fifth platform who could make Feng Yuancheng feel pressured.

The tournament’s draws were not entirely random; the instructors had done their best to assign the most promising seeds to different platforms.

Yan Lincu sneered, “I’ll return those words to you.”

“It seems you really don’t understand…” Feng Yuancheng raised his hand, three fingers extended. “Within thirty moves, I will defeat you.”

Yan Lincu only chuckled, “I know you, Feng Yuancheng, and I have a sense of your strength. But you’ve only seen two of my matches. What makes you think you can beat me in thirty moves?”

Feng Yuancheng stood tall, hands behind his back, and replied with quiet arrogance, “I just know.”

Facing such arrogance, Yan Lincu only laughed. “Are all you noble scions so conceited? Did you really think I’ve been fighting at full strength before?”

With that, Yan Lincu lunged forward, legs pounding the ground—his speed far exceeded that of his previous matches. He truly had been holding back before!

“Foolish!” Feng Yuancheng’s brow furrowed, his gaze icy. He raised both hands high, elbows bent, and with a sudden thrust, his palm shot out in a movement reminiscent of a crane spreading its wings.

“Let me show you my true power.”

He was using none other than the White Cloud Pine Crane Palm.

Below the platform, Chen Fan’s eyes lit up, his gaze fixed intently on Feng Yuancheng’s every move.