Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 245 - Wind Elephant Fourfold

Everyone, except Justin, was surprised as they focused on the newcomer. The members of Soul-Breaking Sword Dao and Star Ring Fist started whispering among themselves.

"The Wind Elephant Sect's Cassius? He isn’t from Evil Eye Fist?"

"Is there a Wind Elephant Sect in Wenxia County? If they could train such a young combat artist, the Wind Elephant Sect must not be insignificant..."

On the other hand, most of the elders and sect masters from various Covert Martial Arts sects in Wenxia County felt a sense of relief.

"It seems we were mistaken earlier. This newly risen combat artist isn't from Evil Eye Fist; he's here to challenge them."

"It's better this way. If the Evil Eye Fist truly had three combat artists, we would have no choice but to join the Eastern Alliance."

As they relaxed, their eyes were drawn to the distorted Qi field surrounding Cassius, along with the faint red vortex above his head. They couldn’t help but feel a mix of shock and fear. They could sense the killing intent and pressure contained within the Qi field just by looking at it.

However, the most shocked among them was Luen, the sect master of the Red Falcon Fist. His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat as he stared at the faint silhouette of a giant red falcon above Cassius's head.

"Isn't that the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, my father's unique martial art?"

Feng Liusi rarely allowed others to watch him while he practiced his fist techniques. The killing intent of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist was too intense, and exposure to the active Qi field would affect the emotions of those nearby. As a result, only a few people were allowed near Feng Liusi during his training, let alone witness him performing the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist.

However, Luen was Feng Liusi's son. He had occasionally seen his father train the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist and its Qi field, and it had left a deep impression on him. The Qi field and the blood-red mist emanating from this blond youth were exactly the same as Feng Liusi's.

"This..."

Luen opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. The core technique practiced by the Red Falcon Fist sect was the Red Falcon Covert Martial Arts, which was vastly different from the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist Feng Liusi had mastered. Feng Liusi had once told Luen that the reason he hadn't passed the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist to the disciples of the Red Falcon Fist was that the threshold for entry was too high, and the killing intent was too strong.

A single misstep while beginning to train could lead to a deranged mind and death. The practitioner could easily be consumed by killing intent and turn into a madman.

If the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist were to be taught as broadly as ordinary Covert Martial Arts techniques, the most likely outcome would be the destruction of the sect, since most people would either go mad or live lives worse than death. Thus, the best approach was to select a few geniuses who Feng Liusi could test for potential by teaching them a simplified version of the fist techniques.

Unfortunately, not a single disciple in twenty years had passed the basic test. This included Luen himself. Feng Liusi had infused a trace of the Death's Fang's Force into Luen's body, but when Luen activated the simplified technique, he couldn't last even ten minutes before he started to grow deranged.

At that moment, Luen realized his father was right; the threshold for the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist was indeed extremely high. It required a firm will, a solid foundation in Covert Martial Arts, a robust physique, and extensive combat experience to successfully practice it.

Such individuals were exceedingly rare in the world of Covert Martial Arts.

Yet this blond youth was not only displaying the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist but doing so with considerable skill. Could he be a long-hidden disciple of Luen's father? Or perhaps an illegitimate child...?

Although the latter possibility was slim, it still flashed through Luen's mind. After all, Covert Martial Arts practitioners were not like ordinary people; they could father children even in their seventies or eighties.

Luen's thoughts raced, and as he started to examine Cassius, his eyes burning with curiosity.

In the arena, Justin remained silent as he faced Cassius.

He could sense that the aura of this youthful combat artist was formidable. It probably was not easy to deal with. His opponent had also openly declared his intention to challenge Evil Eye Fist. It seemed like he planned to challenge Justin first and then the Great Elder. It was obvious that he intended to use the Evil Eye Fist as a stepping stone.

Justin felt anger rising within him, but the other's confidence also made him slightly anxious. However, since Cassius had issued his challenge in front of such a large audience, Evil Eye Fist had no choice but to accept in order to avoid losing face. Justin glanced at the various Covert Martial Arts sects from Wenxia County behind him, realizing that if he were to lose to Cassius in front of them, the Eastern Alliance's plans would likely encounter significant obstacles.

Moreover, top sects from the Eastern Nine Sects like Soul-Breaking Sword Dao and Star Ring Fist were also present. If he lost, it would be a huge humiliation. Justin couldn't help but curse Cassius for picking the most inconvenient moment for his challenge.

Even though he was a veteran combat artist, Justin felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders. He glanced behind him, where several core disciples, whom he had brought to witness the battle between two of the Eastern Three Stars, were standing by the railing.

With a heavy heart, he said, "Lucas, go to the back mountain of Star Eye Manor and bring the Great Elder here..."

Lucas, the fourth core disciple of Evil Eye Fist, immediately nodded in response and walked out of the combat arena.

Justin turned back to Cassius. "You probably aren't from Wenxia County, right? As far as I know, there isn't a Wind Elephant Sect in Wenxia County or any of the nearby counties."

Cassius silently held his gaze.

"I don't know why you came to Wenxia County to challenge my Evil Eye Fist, but it might be better to clarify your intentions to avoid any misunderstandings." When Cassius remained silent, Justin continued, "Judging by your youthful appearance, you probably haven't been a combat artist for long. My Evil Eye Fist isn't a small power in the world of the Eastern Covert Martial Arts, and our sect has two combat artists..."

Whoosh!

A half-meter-long blood-red arc swiftly streaked through the air.

Justin jerked his head to the side, but a lock of his hair was still sliced off as the arc whizzed by and shattered a white marble pillar with a loud crack. Blood-colored ripples carved grooves into the pillar, leaving ugly scars on the finely crafted reliefs.

"You..." Justin whipped around but was met by a pair of faintly glowing red eyes. Cassius’s hands were enveloped in red and white energy spheres, as if he were wearing gloves that shimmered and shifted.

"Just a few days ago, the Sect Master of Extreme Judo mentioned to me that Evil Eye Fist had a profound heritage. Not only is the Great Elder a veteran combat artist, but the Evil Eye Fist Sect Master, Justin, is also a formidable expert. But I must say, seeing you hesitating, filled with fear, had disappointed me."

A look of regret crossed Cassius's face as he shook his head. "A battle between combat artists is not just about physique and technique; it’s also about the intangible, like confidence, and even will. Justin, fear has already taken root in your heart. Once a person hesitates or feels fear at any moment, they are bound to lose the fight!"

Cassius spread his hands, mimicking the menacing posture of a raptor spreading its wings. He shot forward like a meteor.

"You!" Justin’s inner fear had just been laid bare, and he had been about to retort, but he had to swallow his words and face Cassius’ charge.

"Such aggression." Justin sighed as his eyes suddenly flashed. "Evil Eye Fist!"

Justin's shoulders drew back, his muscles seemingly folding in on themselves. Then, his arms snapped back into place like a door on springs, activating his previously relaxed muscles with the motion. Powerful, well-defined cords of muscle bulged as green and black veins writhed beneath his skin.

His right arm swung sharply as his fist met a red and white fist shadow. The high-pitched screech of the collision sounded like fabric being torn apart.

Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!

Sharp impacts rang out as the two exchanged dozens of moves in three seconds. The combat area remained confined to a one-meter circle, but their arms and legs blurred as they fought.

Snap!

"Whip Strike!"

Half of Cassius’ muscles quivered as the tendons in his arm contracted like a spring. His right hand whipped out like a dark green snake at Justin. The force of the punch drew a 180-degree arc in the air. His arm trembled multiple times, but each shudder accelerated his fist further as if he employed a unique technique to amplify his strength. The whip strike slammed into Justin’s defensive stance like a falling star.

BOOM!

Justin's expression changed as he felt an overwhelming force crash down on him. He was flung into the air like a sack of flour, spinning twice in the air before landing with a thud. He staggered back five or six steps, only to find himself standing in the exact center of the combat arena.

When he looked up, a red figure was already leaping over the black fence of the combat arena.

That strike contained four layers of force. Although each subsequent layer weakened, it was still incredibly hard to resist.

Justin’s face was grim. He could feel a bruise forming on his arm, and it was likely that his arm now had a few hairline fractures.

Cassius stood opposite him, his red eyes filled with disappointment.

He had mastered the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, which was a framework rather than a fixed set of moves. Originally, he had planned to perfect three techniques: the first being the Thousand Hands Hundred Palms, derived from Feng Liusi's Blood Flower killing move; the second was the Red Mist Finger Gun, which combined the Finger Gun secret technique with Azure Blood Stream; and the third, the Wind Elephant Fourfold, which extracted the essence of the four major killing moves of the Wind Elephant Fist. The aim was to unleash a punch with four simultaneous yet distinct layers of force.

Unfortunately, the execution wasn't ideal. The four layers of force had weakened when put in sequence. They had barely doubled the output. Theoretically, the Wind Elephant Fourfold should have unleashed a concussive blow that would deliver four times the intensity of a normal punch.

If he had assessed Justin's defensive ability correctly, a correctly executed Wind Elephant Fourfold should have broken both his arms and continued on to strike his chest with enough force to cause internal damage.

Regrettably, the Wind Elephant Fourfold was the least developed of his three techniques. Moreover, Cassius had only activated a few acupoints in the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, which was not enough to resonate with the killing moves. As a result, he only had a mediocre level of power. Ideally, the whip strike should have triggered a 180-degree sweep in the air, with each quarter-turn resonating with an acupoint, resulting in four successive accelerations that added another layer of energy and released it all in an explosive impact.

Whoosh...

Suddenly, a powerful Qi erupted from Justin. The Qi field of the Evil Eye Fist surged toward Cassius in waves, but as soon as it reached within three meters of him, it split around him like waves crashing against a solid rock.

Cassius's coat fluttered in the wind as he took a step forward, forcing the waves to part before him. He continued until their Qi fields collided.

Shh... Shh... Shh...

The sound of torrential rain seemed to fill the ears of everyone in the arena. The previously enclosed combat arena was now buffeted by winds that occasionally formed vague vortices and howled eerily. Those standing close to the black fence were hit by blasts of air, causing them to squint.

Aro, who had just been treated and barely regained his footing, wheezed as he staggered back.

"Surprisingly, he’s gaining the upper hand!" Aro steadied himself, a look of dissatisfaction in his eyes. "A young, newly risen combat artist has suddenly appeared in the Eastern Covert Martial Arts world..."

He clenched his fists. "When I break through to combat artist, I will find him..."

A sudden gust knocked Aro off balance before he could finish his thought, and he ended up falling on his backside.

"Ugh!" He let out a pained cry.

In the combat arena, Justin watched Cassius approach step by step. He quickly dropped into the Evil Eye Fist stance, with his left hand extended straight in front of him and his right hand bent back, fist parallel to his right ear, ready to strike like a loaded slingshot.

He lifted his head sharply. "The Evil Eye Fist focuses on striking the body's weak points. Once I get serious, it's either severe injury or death! Are you sure you want to continue fighting with the Evil Eye Fist?!"

In response, a figure shot toward Justin like a cannonball. The two clashed violently as they unleashed top-tier combat techniques, using every part of their bodies as lethal weapons to target each other's vital points.

Cassius thrust his fist forward, deflecting Justin's incoming arm, and the residual force struck Justin's left side. A breath later, Cassius spun and delivered a whip strike to Justin's right arm, which had drawn back to defend.

Justin's body swayed left and right like a rag doll, unable to regain his balance after the two consecutive strikes.

Cassius pressed him relentlessly, closing in for another strike as the blood mist in his eyes grew thicker.

"Your Evil Eye Fist targets the body's weak points. How convenient! I just happen to know a fist technique that's also incredibly lethal and focuses solely on offense. Every move is aimed at taking a life! Let's see which one prevails!"