Chapter 0033: The Martial Way (Lower)

Chen Zheng smashed the stone-paved ground with a single slap, picked up a few stones, and threw them towards Qin Lang using the hidden weapon technique of the Tang Sect.

Qin Lang was not fated to die just yet. Chen Zheng's move didn't hit him, as Qin Lang's random swings of his large knife accidentally knocked the stones away.

Seeing this, Chen Zheng cursed under his breath, "Damn luck!" Then, he threw all the stones in his hand, executing a more advanced technique from the Tang Sect's secret manual called "Rain of Flowers."

This technique, if practiced to its peak, could throw thirteen hidden weapons at once, each striking a different target. This required immense strength, and only someone who had reached the "Internal Force" stage could achieve it. This was one of the few techniques in the Tang Sect's arsenal that demanded a certain level of mastery, though a naturally strong person might also manage it, albeit rarely.

Chen Zheng didn't have that level of strength, so he threw only four stones to maximize the power and prevent Qin Lang from dodging.

At this moment, Qin Lang, his vision blurred and his hearing intact, realized that Chen Zheng was using hidden weapons again. He quickly swung his large knife, trying to defend himself.

"Bang..." One of the stones still hit Qin Lang's hand, making him drop his knife. In that instant, Chen Zheng lunged forward and kicked the knife away with a sweep of his leg.

"Rain of Flowers... This is a secret technique of the Tang Sect. How do you know it?" Qin Lang retreated a few steps. Now that he had lost the advantage of his knife and his vision was impaired, he was hesitant to engage Chen Zheng directly.

"I know. You killed that traitor of the Tang Sect, didn't you? You even secretly learned the Tang Sect's secret skills. Hahaha, if the Tang Sect finds out about this, your Ho family is done for!"

"Say that after you leave this place!" Chen Zheng took a quick step forward. He had almost forgotten about the issue of the Tang Sect. At first, he had been worried that someone from the Tang Sect might come after him, but so far nothing had happened. Clearly, they didn't possess the unique skills described in novels. As time passed, Chen Zheng had let it go. Of course, in public, he had never used those techniques, only studying them privately, and had been forced to use them only today.

He hadn't expected Qin Lang to see through it, but that just gave him another reason to kill Qin Lang. Although the Tang Sect's influence wasn't felt here, the Ho family could no longer withstand any more turmoil.

"Hmph, want to kill me? You're still too early!" Qin Lang confronted Chen Zheng's incoming fist.

His knife skills were excellent, and his fist techniques were decent too. Chen Zheng couldn't quite recognize which style it was, but it was also a powerful and forceful one.

"Bang~ Bang~ Bang..." The two exchanged fists and kicks, but with Chen Zheng in a state of fury, he gained the upper hand, forcing Qin Lang to retreat.

Chen Zheng twisted his waist and struck again with another powerful punch—one of the Ho family's signature moves, "One Breath of Strength."

"One Breath of Strength" was a technique that, if successful, would follow through relentlessly. It was about maintaining momentum, just like ancient armies: they wouldn't stop until the enemy surrendered. The move emphasized three key elements: speed, precision, and power.

Speed meant quick strikes and fast movements, never giving the opponent a chance to recover. It was an offense that disregarded defense, believing the best defense was a powerful offense. Only when the opponent collapsed could the attack be deemed complete.

Precision meant the strikes would target the most vulnerable and hardest-to-dodge spots on the enemy's body, eliminating unnecessary, complicated moves.

Power meant the strikes must be strong, delivering the full force behind every blow, being ruthless to the enemy and to oneself.

Chen Zheng had learned this technique long ago, but hadn't used it before because, as previously mentioned, a martial artist without "Internal Force" couldn't maintain the strength required for continuous powerful attacks. Once the momentum was lost, the fighter would be in danger.

However, in his current rage, Chen Zheng unleashed this move without hesitation. In fact, his execution was even more refined than Ho Yuanjia's. The reason for this was that, in his fury, Chen Zheng had unconsciously incorporated the force-generation techniques from the Tang Sect's manual, techniques similar to Wing Chun's "inch power," which emphasized generating explosive power in short distances.

Qin Lang was immediately overwhelmed. His strikes were slow and weak compared to Chen Zheng's, who was relentless. Chen Zheng's fists came faster than Qin Lang could react, with no time to rest or dodge.

It was a maniac's style of fighting. Qin Lang understood that this kind of technique depended on maintaining an unbroken flow of energy. If that energy dissipated, he would gain the advantage, so he waited for his chance.

But the flow of energy didn't seem to end, and Qin Lang began to lose his grip. The Qin family's martial arts were focused on their blade techniques, with little attention paid to fists. Although their technique was refined, it still couldn't compare to Chen Zheng's.

Chen Zheng showed no signs of slowing down, and he didn't realize how long his energy was lasting. He struck Qin Lang in the chest. Though Qin Lang had been hit several times already, this was the first time he had been struck directly in the chest.

The chest was a crucial area; a blow here could be dangerous as it could affect all four directions of the body. Seizing the opportunity, Chen Zheng delivered a palm strike called "Dragon's Rising Head," with his fingers gathered together like a snake, aiming at Qin Lang's chin.

Qin Lang hurriedly tilted his head back, but Chen Zheng's strike missed. Yet, it wasn't over. Chen Zheng transformed his palm into a claw and performed "Two Dragons Fight for the Pearl," driving his fingers into Qin Lang's eyes.

Qin Lang's eyeballs popped out, blood gushing everywhere. Chen Zheng didn't stop. With a swift motion, he grabbed Qin Lang's body, pulled it upright, and then elbowed him in the chest.

Pulling down again, Qin Lang lowered his head, and Chen Zheng wrapped his other hand around Qin Lang's neck, locking both hands in a maneuver called "Evil Serpent Coiling."

With a sickening crack, Qin Lang's head spun one hundred and eighty degrees.

He was dead.

"Ha... ha... ha..." Chen Zheng looked at Qin Lang's lifeless body on the ground, breathing heavily. It wasn't just because the fight had exhausted him, but because he was trying to calm his inner rage.

At that moment, Chen Zheng realized something was wrong with his body. Looking at his hands, he was slightly surprised.

"I've entered Internal Force!"

Indeed, the moment Chen Zheng saw Ho Cui'er being killed, he had entered the "Internal Force" stage. Now, he finally understood his earlier confusion.

"So, the true meaning of the Ho family's martial arts is protection, not killing!" Chen Zheng muttered to himself, looking at his hands.