Chapter 113: Dragon Battles the Eight Desolations

A special forces soldier attacked my abdomen with his elbow. If that hit landed, it would have been disastrous!  

Even though my physique surpassed that of ordinary people, taking a hit like that while restrained would still be unbearable—especially since he wasn’t an average person either.  

The situation was dire, and I had no choice but to use some True Qi.  

“Let go!” I gritted my teeth, channeling True Qi into my limbs. With a sudden burst, I sent the four soldiers flying to the side. I turned swiftly to evade the incoming elbow strike.  

Seizing the opportunity before the soldier could regain his footing, I landed a counterstrike on his back, slamming him to the ground.  

My heart was still racing—there were two down, but four remained!  

The last time I fought these special forces, I managed to take down five of them. With only four left, this should be much easier.  

However, these soldiers were quite sly. Earlier, they restrained me, leaving me no room to counterattack. Without True Qi, I might not have passed this assessment.  

“Forget it; I’m done!” One of the remaining soldiers shook his head and sat down on the ground.  

The other three exchanged glances, and the shorter one said, “Congratulations, you’ve passed the assessment!”  

“Phew…” I exhaled in relief. It was finally over.  

Although I had used True Qi, future enemies wouldn’t show any mercy. My overall strength must already be at the late or peak stages of the Profound Rank, right?  

“Not bad! Not bad at all!” Long Qingyang rarely showed a smile.  

“Well, of course! Look whose disciple I am!” I replied with a cheeky grin.  

Just then, one of the soldiers who had restrained me earlier approached and asked, “Brother Xia Tian, how did you shake me off just now? I still don’t get it!”  

“Yeah, it just felt like a shockwave. My whole body went numb, and I had to let go!” another soldier chimed in.  

“Well…” Their questions stumped me. I froze, unsure of how to respond.  

Long Qingyang took a puff from his pipe and said, “It’s likely the Qi of an ancient martial arts practitioner…”  

“Qi?” The soldiers looked puzzled.  

Long Qingyang thought for a moment and explained with a smile, “It’s similar to the internal energy you read about in martial arts novels.”  

Hearing this explanation, the soldiers nodded in understanding. Long Qingyang turned to me and said, “At such a young age, you’ve already cultivated Qi. I can’t imagine how Qin Shousheng found someone like you. In a few years, you’re bound to achieve great things!”  

I had thought Long Qingyang would bombard me with questions, but instead, he merely sighed in admiration.  

“Hehe! It’s all thanks to my master’s excellent teachings!” I said, attempting to flatter him while hoping to steer the conversation away from this topic.  

“No matter what, you’ve passed the assessment this time!” Long Qingyang said with a smile.  

The other soldiers echoed, “Brother Xia Tian, congratulations!”  

I scratched my head sheepishly. Damn, I actually felt embarrassed. What was wrong with me?  

“Xia Tian, come with me…” Long Qingyang suddenly said before walking outside.  

I hesitated for a moment, then bid farewell to the soldiers and followed him.  

Long Qingyang led me into a room, turned his back to me, and said nothing.  

My nerves tightened. Was he about to ask about my True Qi? Why didn’t he bring it up earlier in front of the soldiers?  

I mulled it over. Considering all the help the old man had given me and his good intentions, revealing my True Qi wouldn’t hurt—so long as I didn’t mention Mei’er.  

“Master, are you going to ask about the True Qi in my body…?” Before I could finish, Long Qingyang interrupted, “Everyone has their secrets. I didn’t bring you here to ask about your Qi.”  

“Then why did you call me here?” Hearing that it wasn’t about my True Qi, I felt a wave of relief. At least Mei’er wouldn’t get dragged into this.  

“From the moment I first saw you, I knew you were a prodigy in martial arts…” Long Qingyang sighed. I remained silent, quietly listening.  

He continued, “That’s why I’ve been especially strict with you—I wanted to polish you into a fine gem.”  

“Your foundation is solid now, but you lack martial techniques. Today, I’ve decided to teach you a technique for self-defense to enhance your strength.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but feel a little emotional and excited. Although ancient martial arts and cultivation were different, both relied on Qi or True Qi. With this martial technique, my strength would undoubtedly see a significant boost!  

“Watch closely!” Long Qingyang barked as he began demonstrating in the room.  

Fist winds whistled through the air, and his white hair danced wildly. Despite his age, Long Qingyang’s punches were crisp and precise, without the slightest hint of sluggishness.  

I watched in awe. Yet, thanks to my powerful spiritual energy, I memorized every move he made.  

Initially, the technique seemed ordinary. But as it progressed, it became more intense, producing piercing sounds with each punch, each strike more powerful than the last.  

Without realizing it, I started mimicking him.  

This set of punches was peculiar. Almost every strike left no room for evasion, and its speed was astonishing—one punch following another in rapid succession.  

“This move is my own creation. I combined elements from various martial arts manuals, taking their strengths and compensating for their weaknesses,” Long Qingyang said as he suddenly turned and struck me with his elbow.  

I hurriedly dodged, but his strike seemed to cling to me, making it impossible to evade.  

“Cough! Cough!” After taking a hit to the chest, I coughed twice, gritted my teeth, and charged at him again.  

“This technique grows stronger when facing strength—the stronger the opponent, the stronger you become!” Our fists clashed, forcing both of us back a few steps.  

However, he only took one step back, while I retreated three. I had lost to him in strength. How could his small frame possess such immense power? And he hadn’t even used any Qi!  

“Again!” I shouted, charging at him once more.  

This time, Long Qingyang slowed down suddenly. Forming a sword gesture with his hand, he gently deflected my punch, saying, “When strength is insurmountable, use softness to counter hardness—redirecting force with precision, as if moving a thousand pounds with four ounces.” He then landed another punch on my chest.  

“No more, no more!” I clutched my chest, admitting defeat. If we kept going, I’d end up crippled.  

“Did you memorize the technique I demonstrated?” Long Qingyang stood with his hands behind his back, looking at me.  

I caught my breath and replied earnestly, “Yes, I’ve memorized it.”  

“Indeed, you’re exceptionally talented. Unfortunately, I no longer have the time to refine you further,” Long Qingyang said, suddenly seeming much older as he turned to leave.  

I grabbed his sleeve. “Master, are you leaving?”  

“Yes… It’s time for me to go,” he said with a sigh, shaking his head as he continued walking.  

I rushed forward and grabbed him again.  

Long Qingyang looked back at me and said, “All gatherings must eventually part. A man should know when to let go. We’ll meet again someday…”  

“Master, you’ve misunderstood! I just wanted to ask—what’s the name of that technique?” I asked with a grin.  

Long Qingyang paused, then said firmly, “Dragon Battles the Eight Desolations!” 

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