Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint-Chapter 46 - 44: Acting

Before the fist arrived, the sheer force of its wind was enough to make Lin Sheng’s breath catch in his throat and his cheeks sting with pain.

"Young Master Mo..."

Lin Sheng was scared witless. He only managed to cry out half a plea before the gale swallowed his words.

He didn’t dare hesitate for a second longer, hastily making a move to counter.

"Hyaa!"

Lin Sheng let out a strange cry as he threw his body backward. He simultaneously crossed his arms in front of him in a defensive block, attempting to redirect the force and retreat.

But it was too late. Mo Ziyu’s fist was upon him.

BANG—!!!

A dull thud, loud enough to make one’s heart stop, exploded across the ring.

Before Mo Ziyu’s Fist Force, Lin Sheng’s seemingly sturdy cross-block was as fragile as rotted wood.

The moment they connected, an indescribable, colossal force slammed into his arms.

CRACK! CRACK!

Two sharp, grating cracks of bone breaking echoed almost simultaneously.

"Argh—!"

Lin Sheng let out a bloodcurdling scream.

The bones in his arms snapped on impact, twisting at grotesque angles. His feet left the ground, and he was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string.

PTUI!

In midair, Lin Sheng couldn’t help but spit out a large mouthful of blood.

BOOM!

His body slammed heavily onto the edge of the ring, rolling twice more before coming to a stop.

His arms hung limply, the excruciating pain causing his entire body to convulse. His face was deathly pale, and a cold sweat instantly drenched his clothes.

"Young Master Mo, it’s really a misunderstanding..."

Mo Ziyu paid him no mind, striding forward to close the distance.

He was even faster this time, closing the distance to Lin Sheng in an instant.

Lin Sheng’s pupils shrank. Ignoring the agonizing pain in his arms, he used only his core strength to roll sharply to the side.

At the same time, he channeled his remaining Power into his good right leg, kicking viciously at Mo Ziyu’s groin like a scorpion’s stinger.

Scorpion Tail Needle!

This was his last, desperate counterattack.

"Hmph! A parlor trick!"

A trace of contempt flashed in Mo Ziyu’s eyes. He took a small sidestep, dodging the vicious Yin Leg, and brought the fingers of his right hand together, his knuckles protruding like iron.

TSS!

A soft yet scalp-tingling sound of displaced air!

Mo Ziyu’s hand was lightning-fast, striking with pinpoint accuracy at the vital point on Lin Sheng’s lower back, which was exposed as he rolled.

PFFT!

His fingertips, like a red-hot poker, easily pierced flesh and blood, stabbing deep into the vital spot on his lower back.

At the same time, a vicious Dark Force invaded his body like a maggot burrowing into bone.

"Urk...!"

Lin Sheng’s body went rigid, like a snake with its spine torn out. All of his strength dissipated in an instant.

He convulsed violently a few times before going completely limp, capable of nothing more than weak, pained moans.

At his lower back, a ghastly, bloody hole gushed blood, quickly staining a large patch of the ground red.

The onlookers were shocked by Mo Ziyu’s viciousness, but they also shook their heads in secret. ’This Lin Sheng is truly ignorant. How dare he be so arrogant with no strength to back it up?’

"Useless! Absolutely useless!"

In the distance, Xu Xiuhua’s face turned livid when she saw this.

’Lin Sheng getting beaten is a minor issue. What’s important is that he’s lost face for the Huang Family and soured our relations with the Blood River Gang. That’s the real problem.’

Following the Junior Official’s announcement, members of the Huang Family rushed to carry Lin Sheng away.

In his condition, he could forget about passing the Martial Arts Examination. He’d be lucky to survive at all.

A cold smirk touched Chen Qing’s lips as he watched.

’I’ve always been a cautious person. Lin Sheng’s repeated questions had already put me on guard.’

Soon, it was Chen Qing’s turn to enter the ring.

"Han Rou of the Han Family!"

His opponent was a young woman in well-fitted training clothes that hinted at a supple and resilient physique. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyebrows were long and slender, and she possessed a natural, gallant air. Her eyes were clear and bright.

"Chen Qing of Long Arm Fist!"

Chen Qing returned the greeting with a cupped fist salute.

"Let’s begin!"

With a low cry, Chen Qing struck first, his right arm snapping out in a Whip Mountain Technique.

The air crackled from his punch, his sleeve whipping about as a fierce gust of wind bore down on Han Rou’s face.

Han Rou executed the Body Swapping Technique, her footwork allowing her to glide past the gust. Her left hand formed a Cyan Dragon’s Claw, reaching for Chen Qing’s right wrist as she covertly released her Silk Binding Force.

Chen Qing snapped his right arm back with a shake. His left arm shot up diagonally like a venomous dragon, his five fingers forming a blade that chopped viciously at Han Rou’s ribs.

Han Rou’s waist bent with incredible flexibility, allowing her to narrowly dodge. She then drew a circle with her palms and pushed forward with Pushing the Window and Gazing at the Moon. A tide of Soft Force drove Chen Qing back.

Chen Qing deliberately let a flicker of ’frustration’ show in his eyes. With a low roar, he swung both his arms.

This was the Double Whip Shakes the Mountain. His arms whirled toward Han Rou like a pair of whistling steel whips, their momentum fearsome.

’This kid is still too green!’

A thought flashed through Han Rou’s mind. ’Here’s my chance!’

Her steps quickened as she executed the Nine Palace Step to its fullest. She moved like a fish darting through the storm of whip-like attacks, constantly deflecting and redirecting his Power as she deliberately closed in on his center.

Just as Han Rou spun to try and press her advantage, she spread her arms wide, leaving the area under her arms exposed.

Chen Qing was about to change his attack when an overpowering odor—a mix of sour sweat and some indescribable, pungent musk—assaulted him, so tangible it seemed to rush straight into his nostrils.

"Ugh!"

Chen Qing took the opportunity to let his movements falter.

Han Rou didn’t notice his odd reaction, assuming her exquisite footwork had created an opening.

Seizing this ’opening’, she ducked low and closed the distance like an agile cat. She formed a sword-finger with her right hand, aiming her Wandering Dragon Finger—and its sharp, sinister Finger Wind—straight at Chen Qing’s chest.

She still only used seventy percent of her strength in the attack, intending merely to force him to retreat.

’Now’s my chance!’

Chen Qing thought to himself. He sucked in his chest to protect his vitals and raised his right arm in a seemingly hasty block to meet Han Rou’s finger. His movements were stiff, his Power weak and unfocused.

Seeing Chen Qing’s block, Han Rou instinctively changed her jab to a sweep, sending a wave of Soft Force toward his wrist.

She only used thirty percent of her strength for this sweep; it was as light as a willow catkin.

However, just at the moment their arms were about to touch—

"PAK!"

A soft slapping sound, so faint it was nearly lost in the wind.

Chen Qing reacted as if he’d been struck by an invisible and irresistible force.

He let out an agonized grunt, "Urgh—!"

His face instantly turned pale as a sheet. As if struck by a battering ram, he stumbled frantically backward.

Once he regained his footing, he clutched his ’uninjured’ right arm, his body trembling violently. Large beads of sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

"This...?"

Han Rou was completely baffled.

’My sweep wouldn’t have knocked a leaf from a tree! His reaction... it’s too fake.’

It was so over-the-top that it felt absurd. Suddenly, a thought struck her. Her gaze unintentionally flickered to her own underarm, and her nostrils flared subconsciously.

Han Rou froze as if struck by lightning. A searing wave of shame shot from the soles of her feet to the very top of her skull.

She understood.

She understood completely!

’He wasn’t driven back by my Power at all!’

’He was... he was overwhelmed by the smell from my armpit!’

Chen Qing ’struggled’ to steady himself, his voice trembling as if with lingering fear. "Miss Han, your skills are truly impressive. I have learned my lesson, and I concede!"

Clutching his ’injured arm’, he quickly ’staggered’ off the ring.

’The main thing is to get out of that ’lethal range’ as fast as possible.’

The match was decided!

The Junior Official announced the result: Chen Qing had received a score of "Upper Second".

An uproar instantly swept through the crowd, followed by a burst of heated discussion!

"What powerful Soft Force from her Eight Trigrams Palm! How can a seemingly gentle sweep have such power?!" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I know! Look at Chen Qing’s reaction! Face as white as a sheet, sweating buckets, arm shaking like a leaf... That’s definitely a sign that Dark Force has entered his body and damaged his meridians!"

"A sinister softness that pierces right to the bone! That’s the essence of Eight Trigrams Palm! This Han Rou has been hiding her true strength!"

"Chen Qing got too careless! Once Han Rou closed in, that insidious Palm Force is the perfect counter to a hard-and-fast style like Long Arm Fist. It’s impossible to defend against!"

"The Han Family’s Eight Trigrams Palm truly lives up to its name!"

...

The discussions washed over the arena like a tidal wave.

Everyone believed that Han Rou had used her exquisite Body Technique and her sinister, overwhelming Eight Trigrams Palm to grievously injure Chen Qing in the instant she closed the distance.

Only Han Rou herself felt like she was being roasted over an open flame.

Her cheeks were so hot they felt like they were about to burst into flames.

Han Rou stood frozen in place, biting her lower lip so hard she nearly drew blood.

Listening to the praise from all around, she watched Chen Qing’s back as he ’fled in panic’ with his Oscar-worthy performance. An indescribable mix of anger and humiliation churned in her chest.

She had won, but it was a disgraceful victory.

...