Zhao Chengxiang's hard-won psychological defense was instantly shattered by Yan Shouyi's "Zhao Tiedan."
His Dao heart was thrown into chaos, and his formidable Tai Chi intent became a jumbled mess.
Even the few remaining leaves swirling around him no longer drew perfect circles but danced erratically.
The Wudang Mountain elders below the stage slapped their thighs in anger.
Tai Chi, above all else, valued mental composure. If the mind was disturbed, one's movements would falter, making the principle of using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds incredibly difficult to execute.
A misstep wouldn't just fail to redirect the opponent's force; it could even lead to self-injury!
The onlooker sees clearly what the participant cannot. However, though the Wudang elder had identified the problem, he couldn't offer any vocal guidance. Longhu Mountain had issued numerous warnings. If he were to disregard the rules and speak up again, Zhao Chengxiang might be disqualified outright!
Thus, the Wudang elder could only slap his thighs in helpless frustration.
"Yan Shouyi!!"
Zhao Chengxiang lunged towards Yan Shouyi, his Tai Chi ready to unleash. Yan Shouyi, with a calm expression, met him with ease.
Yan Shouyi's fists moved with blinding speed, creating an invisible barrier before him. Each time Zhao Chengxiang struck, Yan Shouyi's fists and palms deflected him aside, leaving Yan Shouyi unharmed.
The spectators below gasped. It was the first time they had seen Yan Shouyi in action!
From his very first move, Yan Shouyi had proven his strength, earning everyone's admiration.
Their previous mockery now turned into self-deprecation!
This Yan Shouyi, hailing from a folk sect, possessed extraordinary talent, immense power, and—a state of mind that was utterly beyond reach!
Han San sighed from the sidelines, "Yan Shouyi is indeed formidable, but I still refuse to concede. While I may not be worthy of Lin Zitong, I cannot let this brat succeed!"
Yuan Jianxin's eyes burned with ambition. It seemed, aside from Zhang Wuma, he had found another worthy opponent.
After a few exchanges, Zhao Chengxiang regained his senses. He practiced Tai Chi, so how was it that Yan Shouyi was now using his own techniques against him, employing the principle of four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds?
The essence of Tai Chi was defense as offense. After luring the enemy to attack, one would resolve the opponent's moves with minimal effort, even using their force to counterattack.
However, the enraged Zhao Chengxiang was now attacking blindly, allowing Yan Shouyi to exploit his rashness.
Zhao Chengxiang knew in his heart that when it came to Tai Chi, Yan Shouyi's mastery likely surpassed his own.
If he continued with Tai Chi, Yan Shouyi might tire him out before Zhao Chengxiang could even land a blow.
Therefore, Zhao Chengxiang's eyes shifted, and he suddenly changed his tactic!
He transformed his fists into palms, striking with broad surfaces rather than points, leaving Yan Shouyi's Tai Chi with no leverage to utilize!
Yan Shouyi did indeed suffer a minor setback due to this unexpected change.
Zhao Chengxiang's palm landed squarely on Yan Shouyi's chest, forcing him to stumble back several steps.
"Brother Shouyi!" Long Feicheng exclaimed, his voice laced with tension.
After retreating several paces and steadying himself, Yan Shouyi regarded Zhao Chengxiang with a hint of surprise.
Zhao Chengxiang abandoned his Tai Chi stance and began to move his palms. A faint glow emanated from his feet, outlining the shape of a Bagua formation.
"Wudang Bagua Palm, I await your guidance!" Zhao Chengxiang declared with a cold smile.
Tai Chi and Bagua Palm were the two ultimate skills of Wudang Mountain.
The Luban Scripture recorded Tai Chi, but not Bagua Palm. Coupled with Zhao Chengxiang's previous unfamiliarity with Bagua Palm, Yan Shouyi had been caught completely off guard.
The Wudang elder muttered from below, "This kid shouldn't know Bagua Palm, right?"
The spectators were now suffering from a kind of trauma, fearing that Yan Shouyi might reveal Bagua Palm in the next second, and even perform it better than Zhao Chengxiang.
It had been like this when dealing with the Yan family, and now, facing Wudang Mountain, it was the same. No one could be certain how many more trump cards Yan Shouyi held, or how much more skill he had concealed.
Fortunately, Yan Shouyi did not adopt a Bagua Palm stance, bringing a sigh of relief to the Wudang elder.
Yan Shouyi asked with apparent interest, "So, your Bagua Palm is precisely the counter to Tai Chi."
"Our own skills must naturally differ," Zhao Chengxiang boasted.
Having just repelled Yan Shouyi with Bagua Palm, although it was a minor advantage, it gave Zhao Chengxiang a glimpse of victory, immediately inflating his ego.
"To be honest, I don't know Bagua Palm. Let me experience it today!"
Yan Shouyi resumed his Tai Chi stance, ready to continue the bout.
Zhao Chengxiang sneered inwardly, thinking Yan Shouyi foolish.
Since he knew Bagua Palm countered Tai Chi, why was he still using Tai Chi to block?
Wasn't that idiotic?
However, he wouldn't offer any reminders; he wished he could use Bagua Palm to knock Yan Shouyi off the stage!
Thus, Zhao Chengxiang brandished his Bagua Palm and re-engaged Yan Shouyi.
"What is Shouyi doing? Doesn't he know Bagua Palm counters Tai Chi? Why is he still using Tai Chi to respond?" Abbess Guanyun asked, her brow furrowed.
Zhang Shantong chuckled, "This brat is hiding his strength again."
"Hiding his strength?"
"While this is merely my guess, I'm likely not far off."
Zhang Shantong whispered a few words into Abbess Guanyun's ear. Her eyes widened in shock, and she immediately declared it impossible.
Zhang Shantong smiled, "Just watch. Even if the method the kid has planned doesn't work, he's already in an unassailable position in this round. Zhao Chengxiang is destined to lose."
Abbess Guanyun verbally dismissed it but felt a surge of anticipation, her gaze fixed intently on the Wanfa Sect Altar.
Initially, Zhao Chengxiang held the advantage, pressing his attack against Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi fought defensively, retreating rather than engaging, seeming more like he was testing the waters.
After a hundred exchanges, the dynamic shifted dramatically. Yan Shouyi began to attack actively, and the situation became a stalemate.
Zhao Chengxiang couldn't comprehend it. Bagua Palm was clearly designed to counter Tai Chi; how could Yan Shouyi fight him to a draw?
This defied logic!
At this moment, the Wudang elder suddenly perceived something. His pupils contracted, and he gritted his teeth in frustration below the stage.
The other disciples, not understanding their elder's expression, inquired, but he merely shook his head and refused to speak, his look of urgency intensifying.
Later, the Heavenly Master smiled, "This kid… he truly won't rest until he's astonished us! Every round brings a new surprise!"
Zhang Sishui observed Yan Shouyi for a while before finally grasping the Heavenly Master's meaning. His face darkened, and he remained silent.
He finally understood Yan Shouyi's terrifying prowess.
Initially, like Yu Lumen, Zhang Sishui had not taken Yan Shouyi seriously.
He believed that once Yu Lumen was dealt with, the position of Heavenly Master would undoubtedly belong to his disciple.
But now, having witnessed Yan Shouyi's skills, he finally realized that Yu Lumen was not the enemy. The true adversary was this unknown Yan Shouyi.
He was the biggest dark horse of this Luotian Grand Ceremony.
He could only hope… that this kid hadn't obtained the Dragon Tiger Secret Script.
"Damn it! How is Yan Shouyi getting stronger… Tai Chi shouldn't be like this! My Bagua Palm is losing its power… Where is the problem!"
Zhao Chengxiang grew anxious.
From an initial commanding lead to Yan Shouyi now controlling the situation, Zhao Chengxiang disliked this feeling of being manipulated at will.
What pained him even more was his inability to change it, as if he had been led by the nose by Yan Shouyi from the very beginning.
He couldn't understand.
Why had it come to this?
"I don't understand!!"
Zhao Chengxiang roared and struck out with his palm!
Yan Shouyi, with effortless grace, met the palm with his fist.
As palm and fist collided, Zhao Chengxiang's body trembled, feeling a force surge through him from his palm.
Before he could recover, Yan Shouyi suddenly released his fist, grasped Zhao Chengxiang's wrist, and forcefully pulled him in front of him.
The next instant, Yan Shouyi's left fist transformed into a palm, striking Zhao Chengxiang's chest with force!
"Pfft!"
Zhao Chengxiang, struck a heavy blow, immediately knelt before Yan Shouyi, spitting blood onto the ground!
"What's happening… What in the world is going on…"
Zhao Chengxiang stared at the ground, his mind a complete mess.
The spectators below grew even more bewildered:
"Are there any masters who can explain what's happening?"
"Right, Bagua Palm clearly counters Tai Chi, so why is Zhao Chengxiang getting beaten?"
"Is Zhao Chengxiang too weak, or is Yan Shouyi too strong?!"
At this moment, Yan Shouyi provided the answer.
He stepped back half a pace, his hands forming palms, drawing a circle before him, finally adopting a familiar stance.
And beneath his feet, golden light flowed, slowly transitioning from the previous Tai Chi Yin-Yang formation into a Bagua formation!
"This, this is…!"
Everyone was stunned, their realization dawning belatedly.
The Wudang elder could no longer contain himself, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Zhao Chengxiang, you idiot, haven't you realized it all along? This Yan Shouyi has been using you to comprehend Bagua Palm!!!"
"He used Tai Chi at the start, yes, but later, he had already learned Bagua Palm, and all his moves were Bagua Palm, not Tai Chi!"
"The only difference was replacing palms with fists!"
"You utter fool, you couldn't even see this one detail! All these years of Tai Chi and Bagua Palm, you've trained them to be fed to dogs!!"
The Wudang elder cursed hysterically, casting all pretense of dignity aside, as Zhao Chengxiang had already disgraced them thoroughly!
After the elder's outburst, the entire venue erupted!
"Are Wudang's Bagua Palm techniques so easily deciphered? Yan Shouyi only sparred with Zhao Chengxiang for less than two hundred moves!"
"If it were truly that easy to learn, Wudang Mountain would have collapsed long ago. Frankly, this Yan Shouyi is just too skilled!"
"Folk sects… are terrifying to this extent!"
The audience never imagined that Yan Shouyi could learn on the fly, stealing the Bagua Palm simply by sparring with Zhao Chengxiang!
The ancestral spirits of Wudang Mountain must be stirring in their graves!
Abbess Guanyun exhaled, saying incredulously, "He actually did it…"
The ultimate techniques of each sect were honed over millennia. Logically, even with direct instruction, an outsider might not be able to learn them.
Let alone Yan Shouyi learning while fighting; it defied all reason.
Even if he had succeeded, Abbess Guanyun felt it was too surreal. She preferred to believe Yan Shouyi was playing the pig to devour the tiger, that he had actually known Bagua Palm all along.
Yes, perhaps he had known Bagua Palm for a long time, and feigning ignorance was merely to crush his opponent's spirit!
Understanding it this way made it seem much more plausible and consistent with Yan Shouyi's character.
However, Abbess Guanyun still had one lingering doubt.
If he already knew Bagua Palm, why had he used Tai Chi to face him earlier?