Physical immortality begins with Bajiquan

The sun was high in the sky at the drill ground west of the city.

The second round of the martial arts competition is still underway. In the next four matches, Qin Heng won each time by a half-move advantage.

"There's no need to risk your life anymore."

Qin Heng pondered to himself.

Throughout the competition, he didn't encounter any formidable opponents, and he always held back 30% of his strength, never revealing his full power.

Having won five consecutive matches, his position in the top ten of the second-tier rankings is now secure, and his status as a martial arts scholar is already firmly established.

If one still wishes to climb into the top tier, one must confront the top experts from the direct lineages of various powerful families, inevitably leading to a life-or-death struggle.

But if you really face a powerful scion of a prestigious family, you'll have to go all out. Fists and kicks have no eyes, and if you accidentally cripple your opponent, the consequences are something you simply can't afford to bear.

Not long ago, the tragic scene of his third senior brother Xu Feng being crippled was still fresh in his mind. If any of the five major families were to come after him, he would likely face great difficulties and be suppressed at every turn in the Heyang region.

Moreover, the only difference between the A list and the B list is their ranking, reputation, and the amount of funding they receive.

It's unnecessary to risk your life and make enemies for this empty reputation.

Let's play one more match. We won't try to climb any higher, win or lose. If we win, we'll get a bottom spot on the A-list; if we lose, we'll settle for a B-list and stop there.

Before long, the official's loud announcement rang out: "Round of 16, second match: Qin Heng vs. Ming Lou!"

The two jumped onto the ring at the same time.

"Ming family, Ming Lou of Baguazhang!"

Ming Lou, dressed in a black martial arts outfit, stood tall and straight with a square face, showing no trace of the arrogance of a scion of a noble family. He first bowed to Qin Heng with his hands clasped, speaking in a humble tone: "Brother Qin, your Bajiquan skills are quite impressive. I watched your first two matches."

Upon hearing this, Qin Heng nodded slightly in return: "Songxuan Martial Arts School, Qin Heng of Bajiquan, Young Master Ming, you flatter me."

"clang--"

When the time came, the gong suddenly sounded.

"please!"

Ming Lou did not launch a preemptive attack, but instead stood sideways with his palm raised, calmly watching Qin Heng.

"Excuse me!"

Qin Heng knew that Baguazhang was best at using its neutralizing force to wear down the opponent, so he dared not delay for a moment. Before he finished speaking, he lowered his waist and hips and stomped hard on the stage.

"Thump!"

The wooden planks beneath his feet creaked heavily as he lunged forward like a cannonball, unleashing a powerful double punch with both fists. The force of his punches was as heavy and fierce as thunder, carrying a whooshing sound as they struck straight at Minglou's chest.

Ming Lou's eyes narrowed slightly. He stepped out with the Bagua Mud-Walking Step, barely dodging the two fists. At the same time, his right hand, "White Snake Spitting Venom," stabbed diagonally towards Qin Heng's Zhangmen acupoint under his ribs. The force of his palm was fierce, causing a stinging pain to Qin Heng's ribs.

Qin Heng pulled his left arm back to block, while his right hand suddenly turned into a claw, his fingertips gripping tightly like iron pincers, and fiercely gripped Ming Lou's wrist pulse point.

Minglou's wrist twisted rapidly, slipping nimbly through Qin Heng's fingers like an eel. At the same time, he slid half a foot further with a muddy step, turning his body to the side and delivering a backhand Bagua palm strike, the palm carrying hidden force as it swept towards Qin Heng's shoulder and neck.

Qin Heng hurriedly ducked to avoid the attack, but his shoulder was still grazed by the palm wind. A dull pain spread from his shoulder to his back. He paused, then advanced instead of retreating. He pressed his left palm firmly against Ming Lou's forearm, while gathering strength in his right palm. He unleashed a fierce "Tiger Climbing the Mountain" strike, the palm wind carrying unparalleled force, aimed directly at Ming Lou's crown.

"Snapped!"

Minglou didn't fight him head-on. Instead, he used his left palm to lightly touch Qin Heng's fist and wrist, gently guiding and deflecting the powerful punch to the side. The palm strike hit empty air, causing the wooden planks of the arena to creak and sending large pieces of wood flying three feet high.

Just as Qin Heng was about to exhaust his strength, Ming Lou's right palm was already pressed against his left arm, and his hidden force quietly penetrated in.

Qin Heng felt a sudden tingling and numbness in his left arm, and his strength instantly dissipated. He involuntarily took two steps back, his feet sliding several feet across the wooden board.

He felt a chill run down his spine. Ming Lou was indeed a master who had won the highest rank. His internal strength was far more refined and profound than his own, and he must have already reached the pinnacle of internal strength.

Baguazhang is adept at using neutralizing force, which is quite effective against Bajiquan. Now that Minglou's palm technique is perfected and his internal force is so refined, if nothing unexpected happens, he may even be able to compete for the top spot in this martial arts competition. Continuing to fight head-on will only make him more and more passive.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he subconsciously wanted to use the Shadowless Step to dodge and launch a surprise attack, but he forced his foot down as soon as he raised it. This footwork was of dubious origin, and he didn't know where Ma Hanshan had obtained it from. Once he used it, the consequences would be unpredictable. If he happened to run into his victim and was recognized, it would surely bring trouble upon himself.

"Then we can't fight anymore. Let's have one more move, and this round will be his!"

Qin Heng made up his mind instantly and decided not to force a fight.

Seeing that Qin Heng's breathing was slightly sluggish, Ming Lou did not take advantage of the situation to pursue him relentlessly. Instead, he maintained the harmonious posture of Bagua Palm, slowly bringing his palms together and gradually gathering internal energy around his body before unleashing a Bagua Pushing Mountain Palm.

"Buzz!"

A heavy, dense force swept over us, making our chests feel tight the moment it hit us.

Upon seeing this, Qin Heng neither dodged nor avoided, but instead raised his arms and crossed them in front of him to block.

"Bang!"

The palm struck his arm, and a gentle yet domineering force surged forth. Qin Heng used the momentum to deflect the force, slipped, and pretended to lose his balance, leaning backward and flying out of the ring, landing steadily below the stage.

"Ming Lou wins the second match in the round of 16!" the examiner announced loudly.

The crowd below the arena erupted in uproar.

Many martial arts performers looked regretful and whispered among themselves.

"How did Qin Heng suddenly lose? They were evenly matched just a moment ago!"

"That's quite impressive. He's from a humble background, yet he fought for so long against the eldest son of the Ming family, the head of the five great families, before finally being defeated. It's a glorious defeat indeed."

"What a pity, I haven't seen enough yet! In the end, Qin Heng was just unlucky. He ran into Ming Lou, the toughest opponent, right from the start. With his strength, he could have had a chance to push forward."

Qin Heng remained calm, completely unconcerned about the surrounding discussions, and turned to squeeze out of the crowd to leave.

But just as he lifted his foot, a calm and gentle voice came from behind him.

"Brother Qin, please wait."

Qin Heng paused, turned around, and saw Ming Lou had already stepped down from the arena, his demeanor gentle and open, slowly walking towards him.

Minglou walked up to Qin Heng, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke with genuine appreciation.

"When we fought in the ring just now, I knew my limits. Your Bajiquan foundation is solid, and your moves are powerful and skillful. Your strength is probably more than what you showed. I was able to win this match only because I had a slight advantage in the Dark Force realm."

He paused for a moment, then frankly admitted that he was considering recruiting him.

"Our Ming family has always valued talent and martial prowess. The situation in Heyang is currently turbulent, a time of great upheaval, and a time when we need capable men. If Brother Qin is willing to come, the Ming family will treat you with the respect due to a guest elder, providing you with 150 taels of silver per month, and you will also have access to some of our family's martial arts manuals. With Brother Qin's martial arts talent, you will surely be able to display your skills in our Ming family. I wonder if Brother Qin would be willing to accept?"

After a moment's thought, Qin Heng cupped his hands slightly and said, "Thank you for your appreciation, Young Master Ming. However, my master previously advised that in this situation, it would be best for us humble students not to get involved!"

Upon hearing this, Minglou showed no displeasure whatsoever. Instead, he smiled calmly and generously, saying, "It's alright. Everyone has their own ambitions, and I will never force anyone."

He paused, then slowly said:

"Heyang is currently in turmoil, with various forces entangled and in disarray. Your refusal to attach yourself to powerful families and your adherence to your principles in pursuing the martial arts are qualities that I admire."

"Very well, since we cannot work together today, I will not insist. Once the turmoil in Heyang subsides and things return to normal, I will definitely find an opportunity to visit you and discuss martial arts with you, and sincerely consider you my friend!"

Qin Heng was deeply moved upon hearing this. This man, despite being from a prominent family, was broad-minded and sincere. Qin Heng felt a sense of respect for him.

"If that day ever comes, Qin Heng will certainly welcome you with open arms."

Minglou nodded slightly, said no more, and calmly turned and left.