Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

The thunderous roar of the crowd pulled him out of this world. In a fleeting moment, he suddenly realized that the figures and postures of the spectators before him overlapped with those of the audience below the ring in his memory. He had returned to those carefree days when he spent every day boxing in the ring.

Driven by curiosity, he didn't immediately start causing chaos. Instead, he used his physical advantage to force his way through the crowd. He received countless curses starting with "F," but Zhang Renfeng ignored them and finally made his way to the very front of the densely packed circle. Even with his formidable skills, he was drenched in sweat, feeling like he was being shoveled into a can of sardines.

"With everyone so crowded, how can the people at the back even see anything..." Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but complain. Judging from the number of people who squeezed through earlier, there were already a couple hundred people just watching. Each match required payment to watch, and it wasn't a small sum.

The two fists in this round stood in the open space in the center of the circle, their hands held by the host, who introduced them in a loud, roaring voice.

"This one comes from the streets of San Quintak, and he dominates the Doujiao Alley area. He is both agile and ruthless, and is the famous 'Lone Wolf' under the Italian's command!"

A man with a rare buzz cut and slanted triangular eyes raised his fist and swept his fierce gaze across the audience as a greeting.

"And this one is the 'Chief,' a brave and fearless Red Barbarian warrior who roams the grasslands!"

Red?

Zhang Renfeng himself was often called "Yellow Barbarian," and upon hearing this discriminatory term, he immediately took note: it was an Indian. Before this, he had only ever seen one Indian, the Peregrine Falcon, and compared to him, the chief before him was much taller. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and his legs looked particularly strong; he stood there, imposing and unyielding.

I heard that when the previous dynasty selected the Imperial Guards, they looked for someone with "tiger arms, wasp waist, and mantis legs," and the chief basically fit all three criteria. Around his thick, buffalo-like neck hung a necklace made of animal teeth. Apart from that, he didn't really look like a Native American. He wore an ordinary short shirt, which accentuated his domineering muscles.

The only thing that didn't fit was his age; he looked weathered and was already in his forties or fifties.

His hair was tied into several braids, and he responded to people's contemptuous or disgusted gazes with a smile.

"Hey, you! I'm talking to you, you yellow-haired bastard!" A short man with a wooden box hanging around his neck squeezed through the crowd, grabbed Zhang Renfeng's wrist, and said irritably, "Did you place a bet before you jumped in? You have to buy one."

“I bet on the chief to win.” Zhang Renfeng took out five dollars from his bag.

"Chief...right?" A hint of surprise flashed in the man's eyes, as if he was wondering why this foreigner was being so generous, but soon, the corners of his mouth lifted, revealing a disdainful smile, "Good eye, just wait and see."

Zhang Renfeng sensed something was wrong, but before he could ask for details, the competition had already begun!

"Alright, gentlemen, you all know the rules. No kicking that thing, no screaming, no whining like women. After the shot is fired, you have to fight like real men, hand-to-hand until one of you begs for mercy, falls to the ground, or dies!"

"boom!"

He fired a shot into the air, and the sound of the gunshot and the cheers of the crowd formed a tangible wave!

"Come on, old red-haired man!" Lone Wolf stuck out his tongue and rushed forward impatiently, taunting, "I'm going to skin you alive!"

The battle begins.

After glancing at him for a few moments, Zhang Renfeng frowned, because the scene was even more lukewarm than he had imagined. Judging from his fighting style, Lone Wolf was indeed the type to fight in the street, yelling and shouting wildly, punching and kicking as if he wanted to use his teeth, his steps were unsteady, and his movements were completely disorganized.

But it was precisely this kind of guy that the chief found very difficult to deal with.

He kept retreating while they exchanged wild punches, landing blow after blow on each other's bodies, creating quite a spectacle.

"Good! Well done, Lone Wolf! Take him down!"

"How come your punches have no power at all? What's the point of being so big?!"

"Damn it! Redhead, I bet $10 on you! Win this!!!"

“Bite his ear off!”

……

As the impact of each punch grew stronger, some gasped in surprise, while others cursed angrily, pushing the suspense to its limit.

Among the crowd, Zhang Renfeng, with a puzzled expression, stood out from the crowd.

He wasn't looking at the dazzling punches, but at the kicks: Lone Wolf's steps were scattered and unsteady, leaping around his opponent like a restless monkey. The chieftain's steps, on the other hand, were steady, like an old tree rooted to the ground. His movements were small, but enough to dodge punches and kicks that could cause real damage, using his well-developed muscles to withstand the blows.

Experts see the details, while laymen just watch the spectacle. Zhang Renfeng immediately realized that the chieftain was deliberately holding back. When he threw punches, he was clearly holding back, but he acted very well. When he was hit, he would also sway his upper body slightly to create the illusion of being hit. The onlookers, unaware of the situation, thought that the two were evenly matched.

"what--!!"

The lone wolf roared with great passion. For him, this should be a "slightly challenging" battle. He put all his last strength into this punch.

"boom!!"

Zhang Renfeng's pupils widened instantly, revealing a rare look of astonishment.

The chieftain leaped into the air the instant his fist struck, creating the impression that he was about to retaliate but had missed the mark. But the most ingenious part was that he simultaneously twisted his entire face, jaw and all, to the right, in sync with the direction of the incoming fist! Shoulders, neck, head, even chin… every available muscle was instantly mobilized, accomplishing what this first-year martial arts champion considered a truly astonishing feat.

He almost completely neutralized the power of that punch!

"Boom!"

The chief fell to the ground, shook his head twice, and struggled to stand up, but finally collapsed.

A chorus of curses erupted, but frankly, it wasn't too exaggerated. His defeat seemed somewhat expected; those who bet on him simply felt unlucky. The chief was dragged off the field by two men, greeted and cheered by the winner. The next round was about to begin, and people would be busy clapping, cheering, and placing new bets.

……

“It’s energy dissipation…” Zhang Renfeng exclaimed inwardly, “And it’s at an extremely high level!”

Chapter 229: 1879, the first time fighting freestyle combat abroad...

"Master, the Formless Skill is the Formless Skill, why add a 'small' before it?" Zhang Renfeng sat cross-legged on the futon, looking puzzled. "Is there a Great Formless Skill?"

"Feng, be more humble in your conduct and actions. Pride goes before a fall, humility brings benefit. Only then can a light boat turn around easily. If you speak too confidently, you'll never have the chance to change later." Master shook his head, as he always did, with an alarmingly large shake.

His thin neck cracked and popped, making one worry that he might shake his head off.

"Oh, I see..." Zhang Renfeng scratched his head. He was at the age where he could easily lose track of profound truths, and his thinking was naturally quite unconventional. "But I already have Qi Hard Skill. Isn't it the rule of our sect that one person can only pass on one skill? I heard from my senior sister that mixing two skills together can lead to qi deviation, broken meridians, and death! I'm afraid I'm not fortunate enough to be able to enjoy this Lesser Formless Skill. Master, please pass it on to your junior brothers and sisters."

"You idiot." The master rolled his eyes, showing no mercy, and scolded directly, "What kind of qi deviation is this? You actually believe in this stuff from supernatural novels? I only teach you one method, so that you can have a balance of power among yourselves."

"What if some wicked person learns my skills and goes out to cause trouble, no matter where they go? You can still help me clean up their mess. But if they learn all the techniques, wouldn't I have to personally come out of seclusion? That would be too much trouble!"

The way the master cursed and swore was just like a lazy man who didn't want to work in the fields.

What a realistic reason… Zhang Renfeng couldn’t help but think.

"The few skills I've taught you are just for self-defense and to build a foundation. I've led you in, but the rest of the journey is up to you. As for the method of this Lesser Formless Skill, I can only tell you two words."

The master paused, unusually setting aside his playful nature, and earnestly and without reservation passed on to his disciple what he had studied for most of his life.

"Energy dissipation".

"Dissipate force?" Zhang Renfeng asked suspiciously. "Nullify force?"

"It's similar, but different. The so-called dissipation is a state of perfect harmony and understanding, like water. Any attack that hits water will become soft and powerless... Utilize everything available—posture, body shape, movement, skin, muscles, ground, even a gust of wind—to dissipate the force that hits you into nothingness."

"Amazing..." Zhang Renfeng's eyes lit up, as if a man had seen a stunning beauty, and he swallowed hard. "Then how do I practice?"

“Practicing energy elimination doesn’t require any equipment,” the master said leisurely. “You can try energy elimination anytime, anywhere—standing, sitting, lying down, eating, or sleeping.”

"When you can feel the weight of the bowl and chopsticks like Lao Tzu did, that's when you'll have succeeded."

"Is it that abstract?" Zhang Renfeng asked in astonishment. "Master, could you be more specific, like when practicing Qigong? How long do I have to stand, sit, and lie down, and how many bowls of rice do I have to eat to reach the level you're talking about?"

"Hahaha..." Master laughed unconsciously. "Silly boy, in the end, energy dissipation is just a state, representing that you can 'completely' control your body and do whatever you want to do. In the end, energy dissipation will even become part of your instincts."

"I'm not you, how could I possibly control your body?"

----

"Name?" The administrator didn't even lift his eyelids.

“Esmond,” the chieftain said with a smile, stretching his arms which had just been beaten up. “I bet on the Lone Wolf vs. the Chieftain match.”

"Hmm... okay, you bet $15, right?" The manager glanced at him. "You won $75, minus the $2 venue management fee, that's $73 in total. Here you go."

The venue management fee has also been reduced, set at a slightly uncomfortable but not infuriating amount. Most of the people who won money are probably in high spirits, so they'll just pay the $2. There was a hint of helplessness in the chief's eyes, but he finally nodded, paid the money, packed his bags, wrapped himself in his coat, and prepared to leave.

……

"You made me lose badly."

A voice came from behind him, making him stop in his tracks.

Turning around, the chief saw that the newcomer didn't seem to be looking for an accusation, and smiled, raising his hat in greeting. "Sorry, my friend, things are unpredictable, that's just how underground boxing is. I made a mistake at the last minute, and I lost everything."

"Perhaps next time, Lady Luck will smile upon us..."

"boom!"

Before he could finish speaking, a heavy punch came flying through the air, heading straight for his face!

The chief's expression changed drastically. He instantly threw off his hat and flicked it aside. At that moment, the chief's eyes widened in shock. This man, who looked smaller than him, could throw such a powerful punch. He needed to use eighty percent of his strength, and the punch was precise, aimed straight at his nose. If he hadn't managed to flick it aside, the blow would have landed squarely on his face, and he'd probably be lying on the ground!

However, what surprised him was far from over.

"Wild horse leaps over the ravine—!!"

Jump up.

Take off.

A clean and decisive triple kick!

The chief had seen air kicks before, but in his memory, they were usually single-hit techniques; those who could land two kicks were extremely rare. Yet the person before him had effortlessly executed this difficult move, his leg extension and retraction almost blurring into afterimages, striking his own arm three times in quick succession with resounding thuds. The immense power he sensed left the chief speechless.

The speed is terrifying enough, but the strength doesn't diminish at all... Is this even human?!

Realizing that his opponent was not easy to deal with, the chief had no room to retreat. He gritted his teeth, and a fierce look appeared in his eyes.

"Thump—!!"

His back was turned away, his back arched, his muscles taut. At this moment, he didn't look like a boxer, but a standard discus thrower, making a throwing motion. With just this one movement, he concentrated all his power into one point, throwing a punch that struck Zhang Renfeng squarely in the chest.

so hard!

The chieftain frowned inwardly. If Zhang Renfeng's clothes weren't so thin, he would have even suspected that the guy was wearing armor underneath. The feeling transmitted back from his fist was like hitting a hard rock!

Even so, Zhang Renfeng was still knocked back by the punch—his feet wouldn't move, remaining firmly planted on the ground, while his entire body shifted backward several meters. The soles of his shoes scraped against the wooden planks of the dock, producing a sharp, screeching sound that was drowned out by the surging sound waves.

The boxing match continued, and no one paid attention to the conflict that was taking place in this small corner.

"really……"

The chief's pupils constricted slightly; he was utterly shocked, clearly encountering this situation for the first time.

Having taken the punch head-on, Zhang Renfeng simply dusted off his chest, revealing a satisfied smile that confirmed his suspicions.

"That's right, that's the kind of strength your frame and muscles should have."

After seeing through it, what follows is incomprehension.

"You could have won. Ten of those thugs combined wouldn't be a match for you. Why throw a fight?"

Chapter 230: We've run into Xiao Dai this time.

"...How much did you lose?" The chief opened his small satchel, which was clearly made of genuine leather. "I'll give you your money back, just stop bothering me."

"I just want to know the truth."

"For what?" The chief put the Mexican-style hat back on his head, the brim covering most of his face, making it impossible to see his expression. He said casually, "Can the various difficulties a barbarian encounters in the civilized world become topics of conversation with your family and friends at dinner?"

The chief never harbored excessive hopes for the civilized world. He was well aware of the true nature of these "civilized people" and his own place here. His different skin color meant that he could not gain a shred of respect on this land.

Even the most basic human rights cannot necessarily be guaranteed.

The civilized people here prefer to see him as an uncivilized beast.

Having chosen this place, he was determined to play the role people expected of him—a big, strong, but brainless Native American brute. Even a thug could easily defeat him after a few rounds of fighting.

The misfortunes that befell him only became reasons for people to laugh at and despise him. The chief, who was already used to this, said no more, picked up his satchel, and turned to leave.

……

"They also call me 'Yellow Barbarian'."

"To laugh at you is to laugh at myself."

A single, simple sentence was enough to stop him in his tracks.

Amidst the bustling crowd, an Asian man and an Indian man gaze at each other, as if separated from this restless and crowded world by a curtain of water.

The chief looked at him with some surprise. He had little contact with this so-called "civilized world" and had hardly ever seen someone with yellow skin like Zhang Renfeng. Naturally, he was not very clear about how the other party was treated in this society.

Fortunately, Lao Zhang is a man who doesn't engage in internal strife. He speaks his mind directly, which has a kind of beauty in its straightforwardness, and it has a certain impact on the chief's mind.

Why should we need to have known each other before to meet? We are both wanderers from the ends of the earth.

Perhaps not entirely accurate, but at that moment, the chief truly felt a sense of shared misfortune. In this xenophobic world, they were both people who had fallen on hard times and were not accepted by the mainstream.

"Oh, I see... I'm sorry, young man, I didn't know that earlier." The chieftain smiled, a complex emotion welling up in his eyes. "But it's no use telling me. The things I'm dealing with can't be solved by just sitting down and having a chat."

“Why not give it a try?” Zhang Renfeng said confidently with a smile. “Consider it as me paying $5 to hear your story.”

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