northernbook Chapter 66 One sword slays a god, suppressing the world.
Chapter 66 One sword slays a god, suppressing the world.
Guo Fan's success acted like a shot in the arm, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire venue.
It turns out that this black iron statue can indeed be moved!
It turns out that Master Ma's test was not so far away after all!
"I'll do it!"
"Make way, I'm next!"
After a brief moment of shock, the crowd erupted in excitement. Those martial arts elites who were truly confident in themselves could no longer contain themselves and stepped forward to challenge the masters.
For a time, muffled thuds echoed continuously at the foot of Mount Qingcheng.
However, the reality is cruel.
Hundreds of challengers stepped forward, but in the end, only a handful managed to make the black iron statue tremble.
The vast majority of people, like the first challenger "Iron Mountain" Zhao Long, found that when they punched the Iron Man, he didn't budge, but they were shaken so badly that their blood and qi surged, and some even suffered fractures on the spot.
Only then did they truly understand how difficult it was to achieve the "penetrating power" that Ma Cong spoke of.
It's not just about strength, but also a skill of highly concentrating and controlling one's own power. It requires twisting all the strength of the body into a single rope and precisely transmitting it to the target's interior at the moment of contact.
This is precisely the essence of the internal martial arts' principle of "striking people like hanging a painting."
Ultimately, after a whole morning of selection, only ninety-nine out of thousands of challengers successfully passed the first round.
These ninety-nine people were all elites from various martial arts sects or top-notch fighters selected from thousands in the military.
For example, there was Xiao Ya, a female soldier who had been trained by Ma Cong. She used the Bajiquan stance taught by Ma Cong. Although she was still very naive, she managed to integrate all her strength with her indomitable spirit and delivered a barely passable "Chuangbu Chongchui" (a powerful punch), which made the black iron statue sway slightly.
When she saw her success, her pretty face was instantly covered with sweat and tears of joy.
There was also Cheng Hao, a descendant of the Cheng family of Baguazhang. Instead of confronting him head-on, he turned around and circled to the side of the black iron statue. With an extremely tricky "piercing palm", he struck the statue's waist and rib joints, cleverly shifting the statue's center of gravity by using the spiraling and winding force.
……
Looking at the ninety-nine successful participants, countless keyboard warriors who had previously clamored that "Chinese martial arts are no good" fell silent in front of the live broadcast screen.
For the first time, they witnessed firsthand that true masters of Chinese martial arts do exist. They realized that the "hidden strength" and "penetrating strength" they had only heard about in novels could actually be used by real people.
Meanwhile, some renowned figures from the domestic and international martial arts circles, who had been specially invited to the observation seats, were deeply moved by what they saw.
"Chinese martial arts are truly blessed with a wealth of talent!" An old master from the overseas Hongmen, stroking his beard, sighed with emotion. "Any one of these people could open a school and take on students anywhere else. I never imagined that today, they would be here, just vying for the qualification to enter the sect."
"That Guo Fan's mastery of Xingyi Quan is already on par with his grandfather's. And that Cheng Hao's mastery of Bagua Zhang has deeply grasped the essence of Grandmaster Dong Haichuan."
"The most terrifying one is Master Ma. With just this black iron statue, he so clearly and directly laid out the threshold of 'strength' before everyone. Only those who can pass through it are qualified to talk about the next step. Those who can't, can't even enter the door. This move is truly brilliant!"
At this moment, Ma Cong stood up in the center of the field.
He looked at the ninety-nine panting young men in front of him, whose eyes were incredibly bright, and nodded.
"Congratulations, you've passed the first test. Your physical attributes are all up to standard."
"Next is the second test, which will assess your 'comprehension'."
Everyone held their breath and watched him nervously.
The test of innate talent is so difficult. What, then, will the test of comprehension be? Will it be testing one's understanding of martial arts principles or reciting scriptures?
Ma Cong walked unhurriedly to the center of the field.
He didn't take out any props, nor did he pose any questions.
He simply and slowly performed a set of punches.
He fought very slowly, but every move was crystal clear.
That set of boxing moves looks very strange.
The starting posture is the "Lazy Tying of Clothes" in Tai Chi, which is round and harmonious.
Immediately afterwards, he lowered his body and unleashed a fierce and unparalleled "Tiger Climbing the Mountain," a deadly move from Bajiquan!
Immediately, the fist posture changed, transforming into the "Dragon-shaped Bone Search" of Xingyi Quan, with the body twisting like a divine dragon reaching out its claws.
The next moment, he stepped on the Nine Palaces again, his footwork changed, and he used the "Wandering Body Continuous Palm" of Baguazhang.
Tai Chi, Bajiquan, Xingyiquan, Bagua...
Four top-level internal martial arts styles with completely different core strengths were seamlessly linked together by him, as smoothly as flowing water.
At first, people could barely tell which school's moves these were.
But as the fight progressed, Ma Cong's boxing style had completely broken away from the established framework of moves.
Sometimes he is like a tiger descending the mountain, fierce and domineering.
Sometimes it is like a cunning snake emerging from its hole, both subtle and treacherous.
Sometimes it is as swift and fierce as an eagle hunting a rabbit.
At times, it lies dormant like an old tortoise, patiently waiting for its opportunity.
He seemed to have transformed into all things in heaven and earth. Every punch and kick carried an indescribable "Taoist charm".
Everyone present, whether in person or watching on screen, was completely stunned.
The martial artists were completely captivated, feeling that their lifelong understanding of martial arts was being overturned and reshaped.
So... you can punch like this?
It turns out that the insurmountable gap between different schools and sects could be so perfectly integrated.
Chen Beixuan and Qin Zhenshan were so excited that they trembled all over.
They realized that Ma Cong was using the same martial art that he had mentioned to them in the dormitory that night—a unique style that combined the strengths of various schools of martial arts!
Today marks the first time this astonishing martial art has revealed even a tiny fraction of its potential to the world!
A set of punches, not long, only three minutes long.
When Ma Cong slowly stopped his stance, stood still, calm and composed, as if he hadn't done anything, the entire arena remained deathly silent.
Everyone was still immersed in the boxing stance that had just been described as "the manifestation of the Dao of Heaven," unable to extricate themselves from it.
After a long while, Ma Cong's voice finally rang out.
"The second level is very simple."
"Just perform as much of the punches I just demonstrated as you understood them."
"There are no standards, no right or wrong. All you need to do is show me what you've 'realized' in your hearts, using your own boxing techniques."
Those with high comprehension will pass.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the ninety-nine young people who had passed the first test instantly changed.
How... how do we test this?
too difficult!
That set of punches was all-encompassing and unpredictable. Just watching it made them dizzy and lightheaded, as if their brains were about to explode.
Now, should we get them to express what they've "realized"?
What did you realize?
Some people grasped the concept of "fierceness," some grasped the concept of "femininity," some grasped the concept of "change," and some grasped the concept of "integration."
But these things are too mysterious, too abstract! How can you deliver them with a punch?
This is a hundred times more difficult than the Iron Statue in the first level!
The first test is on the "physical" aspect.
This second test truly tests one's "soul"!
"I...I give up." A burly man who had practiced Tongbei Quan for more than ten years was the first to lower his head, looking dejected.
He didn't understand it at all. He only felt that Master Ma's boxing was very powerful and mysterious, but he couldn't explain what it was or how he could perform it.
Once there's a first one, there's a second, and a third.
Before long, nearly half of the ninety-nine people lowered their heads in shame and chose to give up.
They knew that their level was far from sufficient.
Ma Cong looked at them without saying a word, his face expressionless.
Comprehension is something you either have or you don't; you can't force it.
The remaining forty-odd people all frowned, deep in thought, or gesturing as if trying to make a name for themselves.