"Heh heh, this guy is really unlucky..."
Lin Shan looked at Lin Dong on the stone platform and couldn't help but gloat. That Lin Yan, in terms of skill, was not much inferior to Lin Hong. If he had received the same treatment as Lin Hong, it was unknown whether his future achievements would be even greater. Today, Lin Dong met Lin Yan in this round; it seemed his progress could only stop here.
"What a pity! I wanted to personally teach him a lesson, but now it seems that won't be necessary!" Lin Hong smiled faintly, saying with a somewhat lazy air of self-satisfaction.
"It's Lin Yan, of course!!"
Lin Xiao frowned upon hearing the name of Lin Dong's opponent this time; he was clearly not unfamiliar with it.
Beside Lin Xiao, Qing Tan's fair hands clenched, her small face filled with worry.
"No need to worry too much. Even if he can't beat Lin Yan, he'll still be considered to have passed. After all, his cultivation time is still relatively short," Lin Xiao said. After his injuries recovered, his strict demands for Lin Dong's cultivation had obviously become much lighter.
Hearing this, Qing Tan said nothing, her eyes fixed on the young figure on the stone platform. For some reason, an unusual anticipation stirred within her heart...
"Brother Lin Dong won't lose easily...!"
ooOoo
After Lin Keng announced the names of the combatants, a grey-robed youth quietly walked out from the crowd, then slowly ascended the stone platform.
The youth was a bit thin, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's; one could tell at a glance that he was a person of resolute mind.
Having personally witnessed his parents' tragic deaths at the hands of bandits, this youth appeared a bit more mature than his peers.
"Lin Yan," the grey-robed youth said slowly, standing opposite Lin Dong.
"Lin Dong," Lin Dong replied without delay, solemnly cupping his fist in a salute, his voice steady. Although he had no prior acquaintance with Lin Yan, he actually held some admiration for this person.
"I won't hold back!" Lin Yan said, looking at Lin Dong.
"Thank you," Lin Dong smiled!
Hearing this, Lin Yan was momentarily stunned. He gazed deeply at Lin Dong, then slowly exhaled, his palms glowing with flickering light—a sign of his Yuan Power being activated.
"If both sides are ready, then the match... begin!" Lin Keng looked at Lin Dong with a hint of worry, then, without further ado, he waved his hand and shouted.
"Bang!"
As soon as Lin Keng's words fell, Lin Yan's eyes grew even sharper. His foot stomped on the ground, and his body shot towards Lin Dong, his five fingers clenching into a fist. Without any fancy moves, he directly struck towards Lin Dong's chest.
Facing Lin Yan's powerful fist, Lin Dong did not retreat. Instead, to everyone's surprise, he directly stepped forward, his right palm swiftly opening to block Lin Yan's fist. With a sudden slap of his palm, he sent Lin Yan's attack flying away.
Just as the punch was unleashed, Lin Yan's body suddenly shifted, using the momentum to dodge Lin Dong's incoming palm strike. Clenching both fists, he abruptly charged towards Lin Dong. The heavy, chaotic fist shadows seemed intent on smashing everything, creating a momentum that truly made people dare not meet it head-on.
"Falling Stone Fist?"
Such a familiar fist technique made Lin Dong's brows furrow. He had once seen Lin Shan perform this set of fist techniques, but compared to Lin Yan's execution, Lin Shan's technique revealed far too many flaws.
"Hoo... hey." A breath escaped his throat. Lin Dong understood in his heart that this Falling Stone Fist became smoother the more it was used, and the longer it went on, the greater its power became, making it harder to deal with. Therefore, facing this kind of fist technique, retreating was not an option.
If he couldn't retreat, then he could only meet it head-on!
"Bang bang bang thwack..." Lin Dong's expression turned serious. He clenched both palms into fists. In an instant, crisp "thwack" sounds suddenly rang out on the stone platform – eight resounding thwacks!
Eight-Thwack Connecting Back Fist!
The eyes of many people widened in astonishment at this moment. They clearly had never expected that Lin Dong, at such a young age, could cultivate the Connecting Back Fist to this level.
"This brat, he... he's made progress again...?" Lin Xiao was also slightly surprised by Lin Dong's performance, a joyful expression spreading across his face as he spoke.
"Oh! Not bad..."
At the VIP table, Lin Zhentian stroked his beard and slowly nodded. To be able to cultivate the Connecting Back Fist to the eight-thwack level at such an age was already quite impressive.
"However, Lin Yan's Falling Stone Fist is also quite refined, and he has the assistance of Origin Energy. Although the Eight-Thwack Connecting Back Fist is not weak in power, winning might still be a bit difficult!"
Astonished as he was, Lin Zhentian's gaze remained sharp, clearly seeing the situation, and he immediately muttered.
"Bang!" However, this time, just as Lin Zhentian's words faded, another crisp sound echoed from the arena. Immediately, the entire Training Hall fell silent, no one even daring to blink.
The ninth thwack!
That's the limit of Connecting Back Fist!
Bang... Thwack! Everyone's gaze instantly converged on Lin Dong's body. Moreover, this time they could even see a faint glow flickering on the young man's fist.
Origin Energy! Body Tempering Sixth Layer!
"Crack!" The teacup in Lin Xiao's hand directly shattered into fragments. His eyes stared dumbfounded at the young man on the stone platform. Connecting Back Fist, nine thwacks? Body Tempering Sixth Layer?
Lin Dong... When did he become so strong?
"Good!!!" At the VIP table, after a moment of silence, Lin Zhentian slowly uttered a single word. Everyone understood, given his temperament, that Lin Dong's displayed strength had made him extremely satisfied.
Meanwhile, Lin Mang, who was nearby, had a slightly sinking expression. He kept his mouth tightly shut, not uttering a single word. Lin Hong, standing behind him, also slightly furrowed his brows.
"This brat, he actually has some skill...!!"
"Thud!" Under countless scrutinizing and astonished gazes, Lin Dong's punch directly met Lin Yan's palms like a heavy rock. A formidable force erupted at this moment, sending Lin Yan's body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, finally landing on the ground outside the stone platform.
"Uproar...!!"
Seeing Lin Dong send Lin Van flying with a single punch, a sudden gasp rippled through the onlookers. Those who had known Lin Dong in the past gaped even wider, clearly unable to believe their eyes. Had he really become this powerful in just half a year, after such a short time apart?
Lin Khen was also shaken by the strength Lin Dong displayed. A moment later, he quickly announced.
“Lin Dong wins!”
As soon as Lin Khen’s voice faded, the Training Hall erupted in thunderous applause and exclamations of praise. Only now did they understand that Lin Dong’s effortless progression to this round wasn’t due to luck, but his true strength!
Standing on the stone platform, Lin Dong smiled faintly as he saw the Training Hall’s fervent reaction. He jumped down from the platform, extended a hand towards Lin Van, and asked, “Are you alright?”
“Nine Echoing Backfist, Sixth Layer Body Tempering. I lost fair and square,” Lin Van said, a smile still on his face as he looked at Lin Dong. “When I get the chance, I’ll seek your guidance again.”
With that, Lin Van seemed unwilling to linger, turning and leaving directly.
Watching Lin Van’s retreating back, Lin Dong also smiled. He felt a considerable liking for this person; if there was a chance in the future, perhaps they should interact more.
However, for now, he had to deal with that Lin Hong first, to prevent him from ever bothering Qing Tan again…
Lin Dong turned his head, casting his gaze towards Lin Hong’s position. He saw that Lin Hong was also looking at him, a hint of casual disdain still lingering at the corner of his mouth.