Chapter 0011: The Duel (Part 2)

"Senior Brother, catch!" 

Seeing Chen Zheng gesture to provoke him, Liu Zhezhong was furious. With a shout, he lunged at Chen Zheng, his left hand outstretched, and his right hand forming a claw near his right ear. 

Chen Zheng shook his head slightly. Liu Zhezhong's basics were weak, and even after a year in the sect, his stance and footwork were sloppy—clearly, he hadn't been training his fundamentals well. 

"That's the Blue Dragon Spreads Its Claws!" Several of the younger disciples whispered, recognizing the move. It was a technique that Liu Zhensheng had taught them before. 

As Liu Zhezhong closed in, he retracted his left hand and extended his right hand, fingers slightly splayed. His next move was to grab Chen Zheng while using his left fist to strike at his opponent's abdomen, hoping to knock Chen Zheng down with a single blow. 

Chen Zheng furrowed his brow. Though he didn't recognize the move, his instincts told him it was time to act. As Liu Zhezhong came closer, Chen Zheng seized the opportunity and threw a punch. 

It was a basic straight punch, but Chen Zheng didn't hold back. The two fists collided, and while Chen Zheng stood firm, Liu Zhezhong was sent staggering backward. He stumbled several steps before falling to the ground with a loud thud. 

As he fell, Liu Zhezhong instinctively reached behind him with his right hand to brace himself, but a sharp pain shot through his arm. 

"Hiss..." 

"Brother Liu, are you okay?" someone called out from the crowd. 

"Ah, it's nothing! Nothing at all!" Liu Zhezhong quickly waved his right hand, forcing a smile. "Senior Brother, you're amazing! I'm no match for you. The next round is for Second Senior Brother!" 

"Dammit! How could he be so strong? My arm hurts like hell!" Liu Zhezhong muttered, clutching his right arm behind his back, rubbing it in discomfort. 

The other disciples, save for a few, had turned their attention to Chen Zheng and Liu Zhensheng. They had underestimated Chen Zheng, but now they were curious to see who would come out on top between the two.

"Senior Brother, your move!" Liu Zhensheng said, adopting a fighting stance. 

"Please," Chen Zheng replied calmly. 

Chen Zheng stood in place, with his hands positioned in front of his chest, one forward and one back. While the posture looked impressive, it was clear to him that he hadn't yet learned any actual techniques—he had only been practicing basic stances and blocking drills. 

Still, he knew that Liu Zhensheng had solid martial skills, and even though Chen Zheng wasn't certain of Liu Zhensheng's exact level, he could tell that Liu had definitely learned a variety of techniques. This put Chen Zheng at a disadvantage. 

"I'm coming!" Seeing that Chen Zheng wasn't moving, Liu Zhensheng couldn't wait any longer. He rushed forward, executing the same "Blue Dragon Spreads Its Claws" technique, but this time with far more precision and skill than Liu Zhezhong had shown. 

Chen Zheng recognized the difference immediately—Liu Zhensheng's martial foundation was far superior, and each step was steady and well-placed. Chen Zheng didn't dare underestimate him. 

Since he didn't know any counters, Chen Zheng decided to treat Liu Zhensheng like a wooden dummy, focusing solely on defense. He widened his stance and braced himself, bringing his right hand down in an attempt to deflect Liu Zhensheng's attack. 

However, Liu Zhensheng's left fist quickly followed, landing a clean blow to Chen Zheng's left chest. Chen Zheng was momentarily stunned, but instinctively retaliated with a left hook and a straight punch. 

"Bang!" The two collided again, but this time, both men were pushed back. Liu Zhensheng staggered back three steps, while Chen Zheng was only forced to retreat half a step, thanks to his solid stance. From the outside, it looked like the fight was even. 

"Such solid fundamentals!" Liu Zhensheng thought to himself. He was an experienced martial artist and immediately recognized that Chen Zheng's true strength lay in his basics—his stable horse stance and textbook-perfect punch. 

Knowing this, Liu Zhensheng decided to change his approach. He began using his agility to his advantage. Though his skills in lightness kung fu were not as refined as others, his speed and flexibility far outstripped Chen Zheng's. 

With this new strategy, Liu Zhensheng began to give Chen Zheng trouble. He moved like a slippery eel, dodging Chen Zheng's punches and using his evasive footwork to stay just out of reach. Even when Chen Zheng did manage to land a hit, Liu Zhensheng would use his unique footwork to absorb the force and deflect it, while landing several strikes of his own. Chen Zheng could feel the sting of Liu Zhensheng's attacks, and he realized that they were using a technique that involved "soft power," or *ming jin*. 

"Second Senior Brother, go!" The others cheered as Liu Zhensheng landed several solid hits on Chen Zheng. 

"I need to find a way to turn this around," Chen Zheng thought urgently, but he kept his composure. His defense was becoming more solid with each passing moment, and he began to get a better sense of Liu Zhensheng's rhythm. 

In the heat of the battle, he remembered the first time he had seen Huo Yuanjia fight in a ring. Though the circumstances were different, there were similarities in that both fighters were difficult to hit, and the best approach was to control the fight and capitalize on mistakes. 

Chen Zheng's thoughts quickly analyzed the situation. As Liu Zhensheng pressed forward with another attack, Chen Zheng glanced around, seeking an opportunity. 

"I've got it!" 

Just then, Liu Zhensheng struck again. This time, Chen Zheng was forced to retreat two steps, but he noticed something unusual: Liu Zhensheng seemed to be enjoying the momentum. His confidence was high, and he was about to launch a decisive attack. 

Liu Zhensheng lunged again, aiming for a right-side opening that he had spotted in Chen Zheng's defense. But as he took the step forward, he accidentally stepped on a small piece of wood—one of the pieces of firewood Chen Zheng had cut earlier and left behind. 

Though Liu Zhensheng didn't fall, the brief hesitation was enough. Chen Zheng saw the opening and reacted instantly. He extended his right hand, grabbing Liu Zhensheng's shoulder, then swiftly used his left hand to unleash a series of rapid punches to Liu Zhensheng's chest, finishing with a final punch directly to his face. 

The rapid barrage left Liu Zhensheng momentarily dazed, his defenses faltering. The last punch stopped just inches from his face. 

"Enough!" 

Just as Chen Zheng was about to follow up, a voice called out, and both fighters instantly stopped. 

"You two, what are you doing?" 

It was Huo Yuanjia. 

"Ah, Master!" Everyone was startled, quickly stepping back. Chen Zheng and Liu Zhensheng both froze, realizing their sparring had gone too far. 

"What are you two doing? Not training and fighting here instead?" 

"Yes, Master, we'll go right away." 

"Then hurry up!" 

"Yes, Master!" 

The group rushed out, leaving Liu Zhensheng with a bitter look on his face as he shot one last glare at Chen Zheng before turning to leave. 

"Master, I..." Chen Zheng started, but Huo Yuanjia interrupted. 

"I know everything. You did well," Huo Yuanjia said, looking at him for a moment before turning to leave. 

"Master!" Chen Zheng stood there, confused. What did he mean by "I know everything"? Was there something wrong? The more he thought about it, the more unsure he became, but one thing was clear: there was more to this than he understood.