Chapter Twenty-Six: Dual Entry into Subtlety!
A string of runes flickered before Chen Fan's eyes.
[You used the movement technique "Three Thousand Thunderclaps" during the sparring match. In battle, you comprehended the essence of the movement technique. "Three Thousand Thunderclaps" has entered the Subtle Mastery Realm.]
"Three Thousand Thunderclaps" had actually reached the Subtle Mastery Realm!
After entering this realm, "Three Thousand Thunderclaps" once again displayed a progress bar, just like when he had previously been training automatically; this time, the progress began at 10%.
"After entering Subtle Mastery, martial skills can continue to improve through auto-training!"
Chen Fan's face was alight with excitement, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction. However, at that moment, all four of his skills were already being trained simultaneously, leaving no room for a new auto-training slot, so he did not immediately begin auto-training for his Subtle Mastery skill.
The tiger, of course, could not detect the change that had taken place in Chen Fan. It continued to roar in fury and charged toward him.
Chen Fan's feet flashed like lightning; in a sudden shift, he circled around the tiger, easily dodging its attack.
A gleam shone in Chen Fan's eyes. "My movement technique is now beyond what this tiger can track!"
Roaring once more, the tiger beast, frustrated by its missed strike, leapt high and pounced fiercely at Chen Fan.
"A good opportunity!"
Chen Fan's body twisted abruptly, pausing at an angle surpassing the logic of ordinary thinking. His upper body rose as he slid beneath the tiger like a lightning-fast glide.
His steps shifted sideways, brushing past the tiger's underside at breakneck speed.
He passed right beneath the tiger's belly, so close as to nearly touch, yet not even grazing the beast!
This was the might of Subtle Mastery!
At the same time, Chen Fan clenched his fist and drove a powerful punch straight into the tiger’s belly.
This move, “Tiger’s Claw Wash,” was a finishing technique gained after mastering the Nine Yang Overlord Tiger Fist, and was considered Chen Fan’s strongest method at present.
He channeled the form, spirit, and energy into his punch!
Bang!
His heavy fist struck the tiger’s belly. The beast, mid-leap, howled in pain, its body trembling as it crashed forward.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan, relying on his Subtle Mastery movement technique, darted past the tiger in a flash, like thunder splitting the sky, the two figures crossing by each other.
He turned with excitement, watching as the tiger slammed into the arena’s edge, and burst into laughter.
After reaching Subtle Mastery, his footwork had reached a level of exquisite finesse.
In this instant, Chen Fan felt an overwhelming sense of invincibility within these few paces.
Of course, this was merely the confidence brought on by the marvels of Subtle Mastery movement technique, an illusion of invincibility. The tiger’s wide, powerful movements and large size made it less agile, thus easier for him to evade, which only heightened this sense.
His steps moved with intricate precision as he charged toward the tiger once more.
Bang!
His fists rained down, footwork weaving with subtlety, each punch landing upon the tiger, yet he was never caught by a single swipe!
Those who had worried for Chen Fan moments ago now stood baffled, unable to understand how, after discarding his sword, he had become even more formidable.
Some, however, caught on.
“Subtle Mastery! His movement technique has reached Subtle Mastery!”
Fan Zhong stared wide-eyed, full of admiration for his young junior. “To use the threat of death as pressure, honing one's skills and martial arts—truly, truly… a madman!” Though the Monster Slaying Tournament was designed for this purpose, he had never before seen someone deliberately cast aside their weapon.
He did not realize how strong Chen Fan’s vitality and life force truly were, so such actions seemed even more reckless.
“Junior Chen Fan’s movement technique… has he really entered Subtle Mastery?” Chi Liuguang was equally astonished, watching Chen Fan’s intricate steps as he narrowly dodged the tiger’s attacks again and again.
Chi himself had mastered movement to Subtle Mastery, so he understood all too well.
“Amazing, simply amazing!”
All around, the Martial Dao Third Layer disciples were awestruck, wholly convinced by Chen Fan’s performance.
Chai Yong’s expression was complicated. “No wonder he defeated Brother Yan. To possess such ferocity, a fifteen-year-old at Martial Dao Third Layer challenging a higher-tier beast and using it to break through to Subtle Mastery movement—there truly exists such a person in this world…”
Even one as calm as he could not help but feel a trace of admiration.
“If only my own movement technique could break past that final barrier to Subtle Mastery, then I’d have confidence for this year’s Martial Academy entrance exam…”
He looked at the Four-Layer Tiger Beast before Chen Fan, his fighting spirit surging.
…
Chen Fan’s fists were domineering.
His strength was astonishing.
Though he could not tear through the tiger’s hide as he could with a steel sword,
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each punch was like a massive hammer, pounding the beast again and again!
The tiger beast was pitiful indeed. What it had believed would be an easy meal had turned into a nightmare—it could no longer even touch Chen Fan, becoming a mere moving sandbag, enduring endless blows.
The more Chen Fan fought, the more exhilarated he became.
Until another flash of runes appeared before him, and his fist technique finally broke through the last barrier!
His fist technique, too, had reached Subtle Mastery!
A surge of pent-up energy burst within his chest; his body moved like lightning, effortlessly dodging the tiger’s attacks.
Feeling the unique power of Subtle Mastery-level fist technique, he unleashed another punch!
Bang!
With that blow, the tiger let out a pained wail, as if struck by a mortal wound, its reaction intense.
Now, even his casual punches surpassed the might of his previous secret techniques!
Looking into the tiger’s eyes, he saw a flash of distinctly human-like fear…
The beast’s intelligence far exceeded that of ordinary animals; it sensed Chen Fan’s might!
Chen Fan sprinted after it, his footwork electric, weaving back and forth. His powerful fists rained down like a violent storm.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After breaking through to Subtle Mastery, every punch from Chen Fan carried several times its former power. Though it looked little different from before, the force was now utterly terrifying!
Each punch struck the beast like a sledgehammer, eliciting continuous howls of pain.
A dull hum rang out.
Before long, blood seeped from the tiger’s mouth, nose, and ears…
At last, Chen Fan unleashed another secret technique: “Tiger’s Claw Wash.”
Bang!
The massive beast finally crashed heavily to the ground!
It was beaten to death by Chen Fan’s bare fists.
At that moment, Chen Fan, gasping and exhausted, turned to retrieve his sword, not forgetting to deliver the final blow.
A keen sword light flashed, piercing deeper and deeper; after considerable effort, he finally drove the blade clean through the tiger’s throat!
A crimson stream once more spread across the arena floor!
Unfortunately, slaying the tiger beast with the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique did not bring another breakthrough. It seemed that defeating enemies was not a universal hidden condition for martial skill advancement.
…
Meanwhile, on the distant high platform, Dong Guzhi finally let out a long breath, relaxing back into his chair.
His eyes, however, grew ever brighter, unable to conceal the delight on his face.
He had been watching the arena intently, several times nearly rushing down to halt the match.
Beside him, the middle-aged man in ornate robes stroked his beard, equally amazed. “Director Dong, you truly have taken in a remarkable disciple.”
Dong Guzhi smiled faintly, but said gruffly, “That Chen Fan boy has no regard for his own life, making his master worry. What kind of good disciple is that!”
Though he kept his eyes fixed on Chen Fan, his heart was far from as calm as he appeared.
He knew better than anyone when Chen Fan had begun cultivating true skills; it had only been a few months.
Yet not only had his cultivation broken through to the Third Layer, his martial skills had also entered Subtle Mastery, surpassing all five of Dong’s other disciples, nearly rivaling his own junior, Li Linliu.
In truth, while breaking through to the Martial Dao Third Layer was impressive, it did not astonish Dong Guzhi too much. Low-level martial cultivation had many shortcuts, and certain rare elixirs could greatly accelerate the tempering of true energy.
What truly concerned Dong Guzhi was that Chen Fan had managed to comprehend the Subtle Mastery realm.
In just a few months, Chen Fan’s movement technique had already reached Subtle Mastery.
What he did not realize was that not only Chen Fan’s movement technique, but his fist technique had also broken through—only the former was more visibly displayed.
“A fifteen-year-old with Subtle Mastery movement technique… only fifteen…”
A fifteen-year-old at the Martial Dao Third Layer was rare, but the world was not without prodigies with formidable vitality and foundations. Even ordinary people could find quick paths to success.
But a fifteen-year-old at the Subtle Mastery realm—this was truly extraordinary.
It was not something that could be achieved by talent alone.
At that moment, Dong Guzhi’s heart pounded, a thought flashing through his mind that he had never dared entertain before:
“With Chen Fan’s comprehension and talent, could there be a chance for him to return to the sect?”
Once this thought arose, he could no longer suppress it.