Tai Chi emphasizes stillness to overcome movement, yielding to overcome hardness, avoiding the solid to attack the void, and using the opponent's force to generate one's own.
Despite Zhao Chengxiang's punches appearing soft and yielding, with his strength, a single blow could shatter a massive rock!
At this moment, a vortex of energy swirled beneath Zhao Chengxiang's feet, kicking up fine dust from the ground and slowly forming a Tai Chi pattern.
Zhao Chengxiang stood in the center of the Tai Chi diagram, his eyes closed, a hint of a powerful aura already gracing his brow.
He was, after all, the heir of the Wudang Sect. While he might not be a monstrous talent like Yan Shouyi or Yu Luming, within the entire Xuanmen, he was certainly a prominent figure.
Sect Leader Mo of Wudang watched Zhao Chengxiang quietly, a touch of pride in his eyes.
Zhao Chengxiang was not the most exceptionally gifted disciple in Wudang, but he was the most steadfast and meticulous. Though he was not currently the strongest among his peers, with time, he would undoubtedly ascend to the pinnacle of the Xuanmen and take over the Wudang Sect.
"Huuu..."
Zhao Chengxiang exhaled a breath of turbid air, channeling his power with both hands, concentrating all his strength into his right fist, and then slowly, softly, threw a punch!
This was merely a spar, so Zhao Chengxiang's movements were slow, yet he unleashed his full might!
Bang!
The punch landed on Yan Shouyi's chest, emitting a sound like a striking bell!
The reverberation shook the Celestial Master Hall, causing the faces of some less powerful sect leaders to change drastically as they doubled over in pain, covering their ears.
Such terrifying power, if it struck a person, would it not directly cause them to explode, leaving no shred of flesh behind!?
After the initial shock, the onlookers were met with an even more astonishing scene.
Yan Shouyi remained standing in the same spot. The difference was that three layers of defense had appeared before him.
The Golden Light Mantra, the Buddhist Golden Body, and the Fine Scale Armor!
The three combined had blocked Zhao Chengxiang's full-force strike!
"My goodness..."
The sect leaders gasped in unison.
Zhao Chengxiang was already astonishing enough; his displayed strength made the sect leaders of third-rate sects feel ashamed and inferior.
But Yan Shouyi was even more terrifying. Although he had employed some technique this time, being able to withstand Zhao Chengxiang's full-force attack without so much as a scratch, remaining completely still, indicated that his strength had completely crushed Zhao Chengxiang!
Consider this: your full-force strike could be easily defended against by the opponent; how would you block the opponent's full-force strike?
At this point, any sect leader with even a modicum of intelligence was thoroughly convinced of Yan Shouyi's strength.
Even if he was not as powerful as the Old Celestial Master, he was definitely on par with the current sect leaders of first-rate sects.
However, Zhao Chengxiang was not satisfied with this outcome.
His brow furrowed, his teeth clenched, and he stared intently at Yan Shouyi.
It wasn't that he hated Yan Shouyi; it was simply that he could not accept such a vast disparity in their strength.
To prove that his strength was not far behind, Zhao Chengxiang said in a low voice, "Brother Yan, I still have one more punch, right? Allow me a moment to adjust, and let's spar again!"
"As agreed, three punches. I'll wait for you," Yan Shouyi said confidently.
Zhao Chengxiang nodded, sat down cross-legged, and adjusted his breathing.
By now, the sect leaders could no longer restrain themselves and began to murmur amongst themselves.
Liu Yiren also murmured to herself with a hint of helplessness, "Yan Shouyi is going to slap all the sect leaders in the face."
Yu Luming, seated on the Celestial Master's chair, said calmly, "The great sects have prospered for too long and have almost forgotten the meaning of being prepared in times of peace. It's good for Yan Shouyi to give them a wake-up call and make them pull back from the brink."
Accustomed to their own might, the great sects no longer paid attention to other forces. They had suffered considerable losses from folk sects before but had still not learned their lesson, still underestimating the Grand Tutor.
As the head of the Taoist lineage, Yu Luming felt it was his responsibility to alert everyone.
After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Zhao Chengxiang had recovered.
He stood up and said, "I am ready."
"Come," Yan Shouyi beckoned with a finger, ready to receive Zhao Chengxiang's punch at any moment.
Zhao Chengxiang slowly raised both his palms, then suddenly brought them down.
The floor of the Celestial Master Hall suddenly caved in, with Zhao Chengxiang forcefully pressing a Tai Chi pattern into it!
The Tai Chi diagram on the ground pulsed with strange light, seemingly absorbing the Yin and Yang energy from its surroundings, all of which converged towards Zhao Chengxiang at the center. His aura visibly surged layer by layer!
"My Celestial Master Hall floor!" Yu Luming's eyes widened, almost shattering his composure.
You're sparring, so why are you damaging my Celestial Master Hall floor!
No, no, this loss must be compensated by the Wudang Sect. If they can't afford it... then I'll demand it from Yan Shouyi!
However, at this moment, Yu Luming's attention was mostly focused on the punch Zhao Chengxiang was about to deliver.
Zhao Chengxiang was using the Tai Chi diagram to absorb Yin and Yang energy. This power was not to be underestimated; even Yu Luming had to take it seriously.
Everyone focused their attention, awaiting Zhao Chengxiang's move.
Zhao Chengxiang slowly raised his right hand. The black and white energies from the ground seemed to be drawn into his fist, his fist even turning into a black and white ink-like color!
"The Yin-Yang Tai Chi Fist is a technique Chengxiang developed himself," Sect Leader Mo of Wudang said softly. "If it weren't for Yan Shouyi and Yu Luming, I believe Chengxiang could have reached the Celestial Master rank with this technique in years to come, but now... alas, why was Yu born when Liang was there!"
Sect Leader Mo could not hide his regret.
"Yan Shouyi, take this punch!!"
In the next instant, Zhao Chengxiang suddenly threw his punch!
The terrifying force erupted, the Yin and Yang black and white energies twisted together, like a black hole devouring everything around it!
Yan Shouyi finally showed a serious expression.
He moved.
He slowly raised his hand, so slowly that everyone present could clearly see his movements, yet his hand, at the exact moment Zhao Chengxiang threw his punch, directly grasped Zhao Chengxiang's fist!
Instantly, a terrifying surge of malevolent energy erupted from Yan Shouyi's body, directly engulfing Zhao Chengxiang's Yin and Yang power!
"What?!"
Zhao Chengxiang's face changed drastically.
All the power he had accumulated over such a long time was completely incapable of resisting in front of Yan Shouyi?!
The terrifying malevolent energy consumed all the Yin and Yang power, and Zhao Chengxiang's fist once again became soft and powerless, easily held by Yan Shouyi!
Within two breaths, Yan Shouyi retracted all his malevolent energy.
The sect leaders stared blankly at the two men.
Zhao Chengxiang's punch, though it began with a thunderous roar, ultimately had less impact than his first punch.
But everyone knew that Zhao Chengxiang's punch should have been earth-shattering.
However, the malevolent energy within Yan Shouyi was even more terrifying, and it directly devoured all of Zhao Chengxiang's strength, causing Zhao Chengxiang's punch to appear so... powerless.
"I caught your third punch as well," Yan Shouyi released Zhao Chengxiang's fist, walked forward, gently patted his shoulder, and said softly, "Brother, I apologize, I used you to boost my reputation. But I believe you have also proven your strength to everyone."
Zhao Chengxiang gave a wry smile and lowered his fist.
"More importantly, everyone understands how strong you are, how terrifying the Grand Tutor is, and thus can unite as one... That was your goal, wasn't it?"