Chapter 101: The Stunning Shot

Seeing that Bai Naizhao intended to have a contest with Chu Feng, the male and female disciples obediently stepped back about fifteen feet, clearing the space for the two to face each other.

“Senior Brother Wang, in your opinion, between Chief Bai and Chu Feng, who is stronger?” a disciple whispered.

“That’s obvious. Of course Chief Bai is stronger! He’s at the seventh level of Body Refinement, while Chu Feng is only at the sixth. Who’s stronger or weaker isn’t even worth debating,” Senior Brother Wang said, though as he spoke, he slightly shook his head, clearly revealing a contradiction between his words and his true thoughts.

“Heh, I think the same!”
“Let’s wait and see!”

About twenty disciples gathered, their eyes fixed on Chu Feng and Bai Naizhao, evidently very invested in the upcoming duel.

“Chu Feng, since your martial strength is one level below mine, I’ll let you make the first move. But if you don’t strike, don’t blame me for taking the initiative!” Bai Naizhao said, his two palms suddenly swelling to the size of fans. A layer of internal energy enveloped his palms, causing them to shimmer as though partially intangible.

“Enough talk! You said I could have three moves, so take them. Start!” Chu Feng remained calm, arms folded behind his back, standing there as if Bai Naizhao was beneath his notice.

“Chu Feng, you’re really pushing me too far! Today I’ll make you realize that there are always people stronger than you in this world,” Bai Naizhao declared. With a loud shout, his palms crossed before his chest, as if cradling a dense fog, then he surged forward, closing the distance to Chu Feng in an instant.

“Great Mountain Push Palm!”
With that roar, a massive palm imprint the size of a door panel shot from Bai Naizhao’s palms, rushing toward Chu Feng.

But with a step forward on his left foot, Chu Feng shifted his position before the giant palm could reach him. The speed of his movement was so swift it seemed as if he had never moved at all, as though he had been standing there from the start.

Startled, Bai Naizhao immediately thrust out another palm.

This strike was fierce and overwhelming, the palm’s force as mighty as a mountain, pushing away the surrounding air currents. He was clearly unleashing his full power.

Whoosh!

Yet, at the last moment, Chu Feng stepped with his right foot, his figure ghost-like, narrowly evading Bai Naizhao’s attack.

“This is serious! Chief Bai’s Great Mountain Push Palm is so domineering, the force hitting me still feels incredibly strong!” one disciple exclaimed in shock, feeling the gust of the palm strike.

“Chu Feng’s footwork is truly mastered to perfection. Though Chief Bai’s palm strength is fierce, it seems wasted on Chu Feng. There’s no way he can land a blow!” another whispered.

“Exactly! Chu Feng has only been defending so far, not counterattacking. With his unpredictable skill, if he strikes back suddenly, Chief Bai won’t be able to defend!”

“Let’s wait and see.”

Amid the murmurs, Bai Naizhao grew impatient after two failed palm strikes. After carefully noting Chu Feng’s position, he unleashed a third attack—this time, both palms thrust forward together!

Swoosh!

Two door-sized palm imprints, like twin mountains, sped toward Chu Feng. The force was so overwhelming that the air around them was violently displaced like a rushing current, and the solid stone ground beneath was crushed into fragments.

“Three moves are done; now it’s my turn!” Chu Feng declared. As he spoke, he took the third step of his swift wind technique. With a turn of his body, a funnel-shaped column of wind, also the size of a door panel, roared fiercely toward the two giant palm imprints.

Boom!

The wind column collided with the twin palm prints like a scythe cutting through straw. The palm centers were blasted open, creating large holes. Five energy fingers dissolved into the void, but the wind’s momentum remained strong, surging to strike Bai Naizhao behind the palm defenses.

Recognizing the danger, Bai Naizhao swiftly dodged the rushing wind column, narrowly escaping its assault.

Boom!

The powerful wind storm surged into the courtyard wall. Over a foot thick, the wall shattered like paper, leaving a perfectly neat hole—so precise it looked as if carved by master craftsmen.

“What a terrifying wind column! Where does this wind power come from? How can it be so devastating?” Bai Naizhao thought in alarm. Just then, a sudden numbness prickled his chest, and he inwardly cursed.

There, about three feet away, stood Chu Feng, arm fully extended, holding the Thunderstorm Wind Spear. Its spearhead, crackling with faint lightning, pressed firmly against Bai Naizhao’s chest.

Seeing the spear tip more than a foot long, Bai Naizhao’s complexion shifted from pale to red, then white again, his expression complex, emotions swirling.

Three consecutive palm strikes missed, only for the opponent’s spear to appear pressed to his chest—this was a feeling Bai Naizhao had never experienced.

He had initiated this contest to assert dominance and show Chu Feng his true strength, but unexpectedly, he was the one who first saw Chu Feng’s true colors.

“Chief Bai has lost! Just one move—one move! Chu Feng’s single strike was enough to win. Chief Bai couldn’t even withstand a single attack? Unbelievable! Chu Feng’s spear technique is simply stunning!”

“Seeing is believing. Chu Feng’s strength is overwhelming; no wonder he’s so confident! By the way, his footwork just now was so profound, so mysterious—it doesn’t resemble the Wind Sect’s style at all. And that terrifying wind column—how did he conjure that?”

“There are always people stronger than you. Chief Bai has improved rapidly these years and is the fastest rising warrior under twenty in the Nine Profound Sect. Yet it seems Chu Feng’s skills surpass even him.”

“Chief Bai was so confident, but he was utterly humiliated before our eyes. I wonder if he’ll take his anger out on us later?”

For a time, the disciples whispered and debated the duel, their expressions a mixture of awe and sympathy.

Chu Feng fixed his gaze on Bai Naizhao and said in a deep voice, “Chief Bai, you have lost.”

Bai Naizhao drew a deep breath to steady his emotions, gritting his teeth. “Yes! I, Bai Naizhao, am not someone who can’t accept defeat. I admit I lost. But this does not mean you will always beat me!”

“Then it’s up to you,” Chu Feng replied evenly, slowly withdrawing the Thunderstorm Wind Spear. “We’ve never met before, and I’ve just arrived at the Nine Profound Sect. I don’t believe I’ve offended you in any way. Why did you provoke me first?”

Chu Feng was genuinely puzzled by this question.

Though Bai Naizhao appeared outside the courtyard to oversee the young disciples, Chu Feng sensed that he was not really targeting these youths, but rather himself. This was clear from his sharp gaze and cutting words the moment they first met.

“Hmph!” Bai Naizhao snorted coldly, ignored Chu Feng’s question, and turned away without another word.

Seeing Bai Naizhao leave, Chu Feng refrained from forcing the issue with violence. After all, this was the Nine Profound Sect, and some conflicts were better kept under control.

With Bai Naizhao’s figure vanishing into the night, the young disciples all breathed out deeply, their tension easing.

“Master Chu, your duel with Chief Bai was brief, but every moment was captivating! Especially your footwork—truly transcendent, exquisite to the peak—watching you was like a dream, like savoring the finest nectar. I was completely entranced!” a young male disciple approached Chu Feng full of admiration.

“Heh, you flatter me! My footwork pleases your eyes, and your words delight my heart. We each have our strengths; both are remarkable heroes!” Chu Feng chuckled, taking a box of ointment from his storage pouch. He walked over to Yao Xiaoxi and said, “Junior Sister Yao, this is a fine medicine for facial wounds. Apply some quickly.”

“Ah? Master Chu, you actually brought the medicine yourself? How can I possibly accept this?” Yao Xiaoxi was dumbfounded, words stumbling from her lips. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her gaze filled with overwhelming emotion.