Unprecedented

"Alright then, here I come. Did you think I, Yang, would be afraid of you?" 

Yang Fan rose from his seat, set down his chopsticks, and strode purposefully towards the door. 

"But you haven't even finished your meal..." his mother, Lady Yang, chided with a hint of worry in her voice. 

"Brother... be careful," his sister, Yang Huixin, spoke softly, her clear eyes flickering with concern. "You've lost your powers now. I fear you may not be a match for that brute, Iron Bull. He's trained under a renowned master and is no longer the same man you once knew." 

"Don't worry. That oaf won't be able to hurt me," Yang Fan reassured her with a smile, moving calmly outside. As he stepped through the threshold, he saw Iron Bull waiting there, brazenly flaunting his strength. 

Iron Bull held two iron hammers, each weighing a hundred pounds, and with a mighty swing, slammed them into the ground. 

*Boom!* 

The earth trembled lightly, and when he lifted the hammers, two deep, half-inch dents were left in the dirt. 

Witnessing the scene, Yang Fan was momentarily taken aback. This guy was far stronger than he had anticipated—his brute strength was almost monstrous. 

"Brother, I think it's better not to go. Iron Bull is terrifying..." Huixin tugged at his sleeve, her delicate hand betraying her anxiety. 

"Haha! Fan, you've finally come out! What are you standing there for? Come and fight me!" Iron Bull roared with delight at Yang Fan's appearance. He swung his massive hammers in a flourish, the air whistling ominously as they sliced through the wind, emanating a palpable sense of threat. 

Yang Huixin turned pale, trembling in the presence of such raw power. She had always been a sheltered girl, rarely stepping outside her chambers. Such a scene was utterly foreign to her. 

"Little sister, perhaps it's best if you head home," Yang Fan suggested calmly, casting a sidelong glance at her. 

"But, brother... I'm worried. Let me stay and watch..." Huixin's stubborn resolve caught him by surprise. 

"Very well. Let's not duel here in the street," Yang Fan turned his gaze to Iron Bull. "How about we head to your place? I hear your courtyard is spacious enough for a proper match." 

"No problem!" Iron Bull agreed with his usual boisterous enthusiasm. He led the siblings to his home. After a few brief words with his family, they found themselves in the large rear courtyard. 

"Iron Bull, be gentle now. Don't go hurting Young Master Yang," Iron Bull's mother, who was blind, called out with concern. 

"Don't worry, Mother. My hammer technique is now so refined that I can control its power at will," Iron Bull replied confidently as he led Yang Fan and his sister to the practice yard. 

The courtyard was vast, resembling a training ground, complete with a full array of weapons—a collection of the eighteen martial disciplines. 

Yang Fan scanned the setup, his brow furrowing slightly in suspicion. For a family of Iron Bull's standing, they shouldn't have the resources for such an extensive arsenal. Was someone backing him?

"Pick any weapon you like, Fan. Don't come crying to me later about fairness when you lose!" Iron Bull taunted with his usual bravado. 

"Stand back, little sister," Yang Fan instructed, his calm demeanor unshaken. 

"Be careful, brother..." Huixin retreated to a safe distance, her heart heavy with worry. 

"Let's begin then," Yang Fan clasped his hands behind his back, his posture relaxed, simply watching Iron Bull approach. 

"What? You're not using a weapon?" Iron Bull asked, astonished. 

"That's right. Even though I've lost my magical powers, I'm still a cultivator. To duel with a mere mortal warrior like yourself using weapons would be beneath me. Don't you think?" Yang Fan deliberately provoked him, hoping to ignite Iron Bull's temper. 

As expected, Iron Bull's face darkened with rage. "You dare to look down on me, you arrogant whelp!" 

With a roar, Iron Bull swung his hammers, one aimed at Yang Fan's throat, the other targeting his lower body. 

"That's ruthless..." Yang Fan thought to himself as he deftly sidestepped, narrowly evading the twin hammers by mere inches. 

*Whoosh! Whoosh!* 

Iron Bull, seeing Yang Fan's skill, gritted his teeth and began swinging with greater intensity, creating gusts of wind that swept through the courtyard. Even from her distant vantage, Yang Huixin's heart raced, nearly leaping into her throat with each near miss. 

Yet no matter how ferocious Iron Bull's attacks became, Yang Fan seemed to evade them with an almost lazy grace, always managing to slip out of harm's way at the last possible moment. 

The old man who had been silently watching from the sidelines, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes, finally spoke: "Use the 'Nine Rings Hammer Technique.'" 

At his master's command, Iron Bull's hammer movements transformed. His strikes became bizarre, looping in unexpected angles, a rhythm impossible to predict. 

Suddenly, Yang Fan was forced onto the defensive, narrowly escaping danger time and again. 

Then, with a swift leap, he broke out of the fight, retreating a few paces. 

"What's this? We were just getting into it," Iron Bull called out, confused. 

"The warm-up is over," Yang Fan replied, his face growing serious. He cracked his knuckles, the sharp sound echoing through the courtyard. 

Iron Bull blinked, momentarily stunned. "Alright then, let's go again!" 

Without hesitation, he lunged, swinging his hammer directly at Yang Fan. 

This time, Yang Fan stood his ground, unmoving. As the hammer came down, he raised his bare hand to meet it. 

"No!" Huixin cried out in horror, her face turning white. Was her brother out of his mind? 

Even Iron Bull was startled, too late to pull back his attack. 

*Boom!* 

A cloud of dust exploded into the air. The sound of metal meeting flesh reverberated through the yard, leaving the spectators in shock. 

When the dust settled, Yang Fan stood unharmed, his hand still raised. 

In truth, the impact had left his hand tingling, the skin split at the tiger's mouth. But almost instantly, a cool green energy surged through him, healing the wound in the blink of an eye. 

Iron Bull stood frozen, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Are you... are you naturally gifted with such strength, Fan?" 

Yang Fan smiled faintly. "Shall we continue?" 

Before Iron Bull could respond, Yang Fan moved like the wind, unleashing a flurry of blows. Iron Bull struggled to defend, his hammers feeling heavier with each passing second. 

Twenty rounds passed, and Iron Bull was already breathing heavily. 

After fifty rounds, sweat poured down his face, his movements growing sluggish. 

Eighty rounds, and Iron Bull had been struck by over a dozen blows, his face bruised and bloody, while Yang Fan remained unscathed. 

By the hundredth round, Iron Bull could take no more. 

"I yield!" he shouted, collapsing to the ground. His massive frame lay sprawled out, chest heaving. 

Yang Fan crouched down beside him, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Had enough?" 

"No more... I give up, Fan. I admit defeat." Iron Bull had no fight left in him. 

Watching from the side, the old master's eyes gleamed with something akin to wonder. "Such stamina... this boy's energy reserves are astounding..." 

Indeed, Yang Fan had won through sheer endurance. His uncanny ability to recover had allowed him to outlast Iron Bull, and once his opponent was worn down, it was child's play to overwhelm him. 

"It's only natural you couldn't keep up," Yang Fan chuckled. "Even now, I'm still half a cultivator." 

In the mortal world, those who practiced cultivation were revered as 'immortal masters.' 

"By the way, I've been studying medicine lately. Why don't I treat your injuries?" Yang Fan offered, flashing a bright smile, his tone suddenly shifting. 

Without waiting for a response, he placed his hand over Iron Bull's wounds, channeling a subtle, green energy through him. 

Iron Bull's wounds began to mend, the swelling fading as a cool sensation spread through his body. But the energy did more than just heal—it coursed back into Yang Fan, nourishing his spirit, strengthening his very core. 

This time, the sensation was far stronger than ever before. 

"Growth... real growth..." Yang Fan could hardly contain his excitement. Through this method, he had not only helped Iron Bull but had also deepened his own cultivation. This discovery was unprecedented.