Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 313 continues with the second match!
Luo Feng was slightly cautious: "Don't be too careless. There are probably no simple characters in Coach Lin's circle. We need to develop some basic strategies."

After discussing for a while, the four decided to respond flexibly to the opponent's situation, while trying to make the most of the newly learned "four-phase resonance" technique.

After lunch, they took a hovercar to the Star Martial Arts Pavilion. When they arrived, they found that the martial arts hall was different from usual—the main training ground had been specially cleared out and expanded, with spectator seats set up around it, and quite a few people were already seated. It seemed that the sparring match had been publicized and attracted a considerable number of spectators.

"You've arrived," Lin Qi greeted them, now dressed in formal martial arts attire. "My friends are already waiting in the preparation room. This sparring match has attracted considerable attention; many martial arts enthusiasts from the capital have come to watch. I hope you don't mind."

Rowan glanced around and smiled slightly: "No, it's a good opportunity for more people to witness the prowess of Earth's martial artists."

Lynch led the four to the contestants' waiting area and explained the rules of today's sparring match: "There will be four one-on-one individual matches, using an elimination system. The match ends when one side concedes or is unable to continue fighting. For safety reasons, the use of techniques that could cause fatal injury is prohibited. There is an energy barrier around the arena to protect the spectators from the effects."

The four nodded in understanding. At that moment, four figures emerged from the passage on the other side. Even from a distance, the four could sense the powerful aura emanating from them.

The first was a burly, lion-faced man with a head resembling a lion, golden mane framing his sharply defined face, and eyes as sharp as knives. He was nearly two and a half meters tall, with bulging muscles, and simply standing there exuded a mountain-like aura of oppression.

The second is a nimble, blue-skinned woman covered in pale blue scales, moving with the grace of flowing water. Her eyes are a deep-sea blue, and her fingers are long and slender, making her seem unlike a character skilled in strength-based combat.

The third was an older human male, who appeared to be around sixty years old. He had white hair, but a tall and straight posture, and calm, deep eyes. He wore a simple gray robe and held a seemingly ordinary wooden staff in his hand.

The last one was a cyborg, whose body had been mostly replaced by metal and mechanical parts, with only a small part of his face retaining biological features. His movements were precise and efficient, each step calculated meticulously.

“Let me introduce them,” Lynch said, gesturing to the four visitors, “Hulk, Bella, Old Mo, and the Mechanic. They are all my old comrades from my time serving in the Imperial Army. They have all retired now, but their strength should not be underestimated.”

The four visitors nodded to Rowan and his companions in a friendly manner, but their eyes flashed with the urge to fight.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, warriors of Earth," Hulk's voice was deep and powerful, like thunder. "I've always been interested in the combat techniques of less advanced civilizations. I hope you won't disappoint me."

Rowan and the others returned the greeting with martial arts etiquette. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lin Qi announced that the first sparring match was about to begin.

"First match, Hulk versus Hong!" Lynch's voice echoed across the training ground.

Hulk and Hong walked to the center of the arena. Hulk was significantly taller and larger than Hong, and judging from appearances alone, the duel seemed extremely unfair. But those who knew Hong knew that his strength should never be judged by his looks.

“Go easy on him,” Hulk grinned, revealing his sharp canines. “I don’t want to send my opponent to the medic’s pod in the very first round.”

Hong smiled slightly, maintaining a relaxed demeanor: "Likewise."

The two stood in the center of the field, and with a command from Lin Qi, the match began!
Hulk launched his attack almost instantly at the start of the match. His speed was unbelievable; his massive body left a trail of afterimages in the air as his right fist hurtled straight for Hun's face. The average spectator didn't even have time to see his movement; all they heard was a loud bang and a cloud of dust.

When their vision cleared again, everyone was surprised to find that Hulk had somehow dodged the attack, and Hulk's fist had slammed into the ground, leaving a deep dent.

"Good reaction," Hulk approvingly said, quickly adjusting his stance and launching another attack.

This time, he didn't choose a simple power attack, but instead used a peculiar fighting technique. His fists traced complex trajectories in the air, each strike carrying force in a different direction, forming an almost undefendable network of attacks.

Hong stopped dodging and chose to confront the attack head-on. His hands moved with the agility of butterflies, precisely intercepting and neutralizing each attack. Their fists and feet clashed in the air, producing a series of crisp collision sounds, and shockwaves spread outwards, stirring up clouds of dust.

"That's... the Imperial Army's 'Lion King Fist'?" Someone in the audience recognized Hulk's technique. "It's said that only elite warriors of the Lion Clan can master this technique, and each strike contains the power equivalent to a small energy cannon."

Hong's responses were equally remarkable. His movements appeared simple, even unassuming, yet each time he precisely deflected the most dangerous attacks while maintaining the optimal position for a counterattack.

"Earth's martial arts!" another spectator exclaimed. "Look at that defensive stance, isn't that Earth's Tai Chi? I never thought that techniques from a low-level civilization could be effective in a fight of this level."

The battle on the field grew increasingly intense. Hulk seemed enraged; his attacks became even more ferocious, unleashing energy to amplify their effects. Pale golden energy fields surrounded his fists, each strike accompanied by a deafening explosion.

Hong no longer played purely on the defensive and began to incorporate his own offensive rhythm. His counterattacks appeared gentle, but each strike precisely hit Hulk's joints and muscle connections, disrupting his power and balance.

“I see,” Luo Feng whispered to Luo Wen from the sidelines, “Hong is using the technique Coach Lin taught him to disrupt his opponent’s energy flow with minimal effort; it’s an application of ‘three-point imbalance.’”

Rowan nodded: "Not only that, he's also guiding Hulk to attack at a specific rhythm, depleting his stamina and energy. This is a 'luring the enemy in deep' strategy."

The battle had been going on for nearly ten minutes. Although Hulk's attacks were still fierce, they were starting to become somewhat chaotic. Several times, he even made obvious mistakes, which Hulk seized to launch precise counterattacks.

"Impossible!" Hulk roared, his body suddenly swelling, his muscles becoming even more exaggerated, and his skin gleaming with a metallic sheen. "I won't be defeated so easily!"

He activated a special combat stance, his energy level instantly surging. Then, he clasped his fists together, before abruptly separating them, unleashing a golden energy shockwave towards Hong. "This is... the Lion Clan's secret technique, 'Lion King's Roar'!" A murmur rippled through the audience. "This technique is usually reserved for life-or-death battles; its energy output is equivalent to the main cannon of a small warship!"

Faced with such an attack, Hong did not choose to dodge, but instead met it head-on. His body began to glow with a faint blue light, and a special energy field surrounded his entire body. Just as the golden shockwave was about to hit him, he pushed his hands forward, making a seemingly simple "palm push" motion.

A miraculous scene unfolded—the powerful energy shockwave seemed to encounter an invisible barrier, being diverted, redirected, and ultimately dissolved into nothingness. Moreover, a reverse force rebounded along the trajectory of the energy wave, striking Hulk squarely in the chest.

Hulk hadn't expected his secret technique to be neutralized in this way. He had no time to defend himself and was struck by the reverse force. His massive body was flipped to the ground and slid several meters across the field before coming to a stop.

The training ground fell silent as all the spectators watched in astonishment. A martial artist from a low-level civilization had actually used seemingly simple techniques to deflect a powerful attack from an elite Imperial soldier and even deflect the force back—this completely overturned their understanding of the world.

Hulk struggled to his feet, a patch of hair on his chest singed, but his eyes held no anger, only excitement: "This is so interesting! Is this the essence of Earth's martial arts? Using softness to overcome hardness, borrowing someone's force to strike back?"

Hong Qian nodded modestly: "This is just a basic application of Tai Chi, combined with some energy control techniques. Your attack was very powerful; I simply found the point of energy flow and slightly guided its direction."

Hulk burst into laughter, his voice booming like thunder: "For the first time in centuries, I've encountered an opponent who can reflect my 'Lion's Roar' back! I concede this match!"

He walked towards Hong and extended his large hand. Hong also extended his hand and shook it. Their hands were clasped tightly together, and their eyes were filled with respect for the strong.

The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers. This thrilling duel far exceeded everyone's expectations, especially Hong's astonishing skill in the final moments, which left a deep impression on everyone.

"A fantastic match!" Lynch announced loudly as he stepped onto the field. "Hong wins the first match!"

Hong and Hulk left the arena together and returned to their respective rest areas. Although Hulk looked a bit disheveled, he was in high spirits and even took the initiative to ask Hong for the secret of the "pushing palm" technique.

“That rebound technique was truly amazing,” Hulk exclaimed excitedly. “I’ve never seen such a sophisticated way of channeling energy.”

Hong smiled and explained, "This is the 'four ounces deflect a thousand pounds' concept from Earth Tai Chi. The core is understanding the flow path of the opponent's energy and then using minimal force to change its direction. Of course, to achieve this requires extremely precise judgment and control."

Hulk listened attentively, nodding occasionally. "Earth's martial arts truly contain profound wisdom. No wonder you've gone so far in the challenge."

Luo Wen, Luo Feng, and Lei Shen gathered around and congratulated Hong on his performance.

"Did you only learn that rebound technique in the last two weeks?" Luo Feng asked curiously.

Hong shook his head: "I understood the basic principles long ago, but the precision to deflect energy attacks at that level was truly achieved under Coach Lin's guidance. The key lies in the microscopic control of energy flow, which is precisely what we practiced repeatedly in training."

Lynch walked over, a pleased smile on his face. "Well done, Hong. You perfectly demonstrated the results of our training. Hulk is an extremely powerful warrior; defeating him proves that your strength has reached a new level."

Then he turned to the other three: “Ready? The next battle will be even more difficult. Bella, Old Mo, and the Mechanic each have their strengths and are not easy opponents.”

Luo Wen, Luo Feng, and Lei Shen exchanged a smile, their eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. The victory in the first round gave them immense confidence and also ignited their fighting will.

“We’re ready,” Rowan said firmly. “Let’s start the next round.”

Lynch nodded and returned to the center of the arena. By this time, even more spectators had gathered outside the arena; clearly, news of the first exciting match had spread through various channels, attracting more interested people to come and watch.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lynch's voice echoed through the arena, "thank you all for your enthusiastic participation. The first match has already showcased the unique charm of Earth martial arts. Now, let's move on to the second duel!"

Enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the audience. In this city accustomed to high-energy, high-tech battles, Hong's fighting style, relying on superb skills and profound understanding, brought a sense of novelty and shock.

The showdown between Hulk and Hong was undoubtedly a perfect start, filling everyone with anticipation for the upcoming matches.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the stands, an ordinary-looking, unassuming middle-aged man was intently observing everything on and off the field. His sharp, deep gaze contrasted sharply with the enthusiastic crowd around him.

"Earth warriors. Interesting," he muttered to himself, his eyes never leaving Rowan and his companions. "It seems this challenge will be more interesting than I expected."

Back in the fighters' rest area, Hulk extended his right hand to Hong: "Today's match was one of the most enjoyable I've had in recent years. Your skill and understanding were impressive. If you don't mind, I'd love to discuss the mysteries of Earth martial arts with you further."

Hong grasped Hulk's hand, feeling the Lion Warrior's sincerity: "I am honored to exchange ideas with such a powerful being as you. While Earth's martial arts may not be as adept at utilizing energy as the combat systems of advanced civilizations, they certainly have their unique strengths in human mechanics and energy guidance."

Hulk nodded, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge: "It's this unique way of thinking that attracted me. Most combat systems in the universe rely too much on pure energy output, neglecting the more subtle and precise application of power. Your performance today showed me a whole new possibility."

(End of this chapter)