I achieved mastery of martial arts during the Republic of China era.

Chapter 33 Martial Arts Prodigy

The disciples looked at Zhou Tong, who remained calm, with disbelief in their eyes.

After a brief silence, hushed inquiries arose from the crowd as several familiar disciples confirmed with each other the time it had been since Zhou Tong broke through from the Wood Muscle stage.

"Really...three months?" someone murmured.

"No mistake, he mastered his stance training in early November before the Lunar New Year, and now it's February 2nd, which is exactly three months ago," another person affirmed.

This confirmed result, like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly triggered a wider commotion and discussion.

"Three months! His physical talent is incredible!"

"Compared to those two prodigies, Senior Sister Liu and Senior Brother Zheng, he's a month behind, but even within our martial arts school... no, even among the four major martial arts schools, this is definitely progress that of a genius!"

"Exceptional comprehension, and a strong physique... Considering all these factors, aside from Liu and Zheng, Junior Brother Zhou's talent is probably the best among the younger generation of our martial arts school, right?"

All eyes turned back to Zhou Tong, a mixture of envy, jealousy, and self-consciousness.

Ji Chang was slightly taken aback, then grinned, making no attempt to hide his delight: "Good lad! You're really good at keeping your cool! You broke through to the Stone Muscle Realm without uttering a sound!"

His interests were intertwined with those of the Zhou family, so he naturally hoped that Zhou Tong would become as strong as possible.

Upon hearing this news, Liu Qing and Zheng Hao's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and a clear look of surprise flashed in their eyes.

However, the surprise quickly subsided.

While three months of hardened skin is indeed rare, it still falls short of what they achieved and is not enough to shake their resolve.

The third senior brother also lingered his gaze on Zhou Tong for a moment longer and nodded slightly.

The squadron leaders beside him reacted even more enthusiastically, all smiling and bowing to their third senior brother.

"Boss, congratulations! Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School has gained another talented member!"

"This trip was definitely worthwhile. As expected of the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Academy, it truly is a place where talents gather!"

"That's right, don't you even know whose junior brother he is?"

"..."

Faced with the compliments from everyone, the third senior brother simply waved his hand casually, his expression indifferent.

Zhou Tong's talent was certainly impressive, but it was far from enough to move him.

Just then, Senior Brother Chen Zong raised his hand and gently pressed down.

As if an invisible force had swept over, the clamor and discussion in the courtyard came to an abrupt halt, and everyone's attention was refocused on him.

Chen Zong's gaze remained calm as he looked at Zhou Tong: "Zhou Tong."

Zhou Tong's heart tightened, and he immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, "Present."

Chen Zong nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to a burly young man among the Iron Muscle Realm disciples: "Li Jin."

The disciple named Li Jin was taken aback at first, then quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Please give your instructions, Senior Brother."

Chen Zong pointed to the rammed earth ground in the center of the courtyard, which had already been cleared out, and said in a calm tone: "You two, go ahead and test your skills."

A look of obvious surprise flashed across Li Jin's face, and he subconsciously asked, "Senior Brother, what is this...?"

He understood that his senior brother had included Zhou Tong on the list because of his outstanding talent, but why would he, a mere Iron Muscle Realm cultivator, have to "spar" with Zhou Tong, a Stone Muscle Realm cultivator? The difference in skill was obvious, so what was the point?

But he quickly realized what he was doing, swallowed his question, and nodded in response, "Yes."

The senior brother's unexpected arrangement caused the discussions that had just subsided on the sidelines to buzz up again.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what their senior brother was up to, but their curiosity and anticipation had been piqued, and they all began to gather around the area.

Zhou Tong and Li Jin each took a standard blackwood sword from the weapon rack beside them and stood about seven steps apart.

The spring sun slanted down, casting the two people's shadows on the compacted earth.

Li Jin gripped the knife with both hands, the tips pointing diagonally to the ground, and gave Zhou Tong a slight fist salute, his voice booming: "Junior Brother Zhou, be careful."

There was no disdain in his tone, but it also carried the composure and confidence that someone in the Iron Skin Realm should have when facing someone in the Stone Skin Realm.

Zhou Tong smiled and returned the greeting with clasped hands: "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Li."

Before he finished speaking, Li Jin had already made his move!

He stomped his feet hard on the ground, his body like a bull released from its saddle, charging straight at the enemy with a powerful and heavy momentum. His wooden sword made a simple straight slash, but it was powerful and heavy, and the sound of the wind breaking suddenly shrieked!

This strike was swift and fierce, aimed at overwhelming the opponent with absolute power and speed, and ending this contest, which seemed to have no suspense in everyone's eyes, as quickly as possible.

Zhou Tong's eyes were calm. In the instant Li Jin moved, his body weight subtly shifted half a point to the left and rear.

Seeing the blade about to strike, his foot suddenly slipped as if he were stepping on ice, and his body drifted backward to the side by a hair's breadth. At the same time, he did not block the blow head-on with his wooden knife, but instead gently guided the blade outward along the spine of Li Jin's downward slash.

"call--!"

Li Jin's seemingly inevitable strike grazed Zhou Tong's clothes and landed on the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

His forward momentum had not yet subsided, and he involuntarily staggered forward half a step.

"Um?"

A look of surprise flashed in Li Jin's eyes. Although he hadn't used his full strength in that strike, its speed and power were enough to make an ordinary Stone Muscle Realm cultivator scramble for cover. Yet Zhou Tong had dodged it so easily? A coincidence?

Thinking this, he moved his hands extremely fast, suddenly twisting his waist and turning around, using the momentum to sweep the wooden knife horizontally, slashing at Zhou Tong's waist!

This move changes extremely quickly, with a chilling wind emanating from the blade.

Zhou Tong was extremely agile. The moment Li Jin twisted his waist, he had already lowered his body and taken a short step. The tip of his wooden sword touched the ground, and he slid under the sweeping blade like a fish, dodging it once again.

In a flash, Li Jin let out a low shout, and his sword technique changed again, from sweeping to slashing, diagonally slashing at Zhou Tong's chest and abdomen from below!

This was a swift, ruthless, and cunning move.

Zhou Tong seemed to have anticipated the point where Li Jin's attack would connect. The tip of his knife, which was touching the ground, suddenly exerted force, and he lightly leaped backward. At the same time, he swiftly pointed his wooden knife downward, hitting the middle of Li Jin's upward slash.

"despair!"

With a soft sound, Li Jin's upward thrust was slightly deflected by this point, and Zhou Tong used the force to flip backward and land steadily.

All three moves were either dodged or deflected!

The disciples who had been somewhat indifferent on the sidelines now widened their eyes slightly.

If the first move was a coincidence, then the success of these three moves in a row cannot be explained by luck alone.

The composure on Li Jin's face vanished completely.

He stared at Zhou Tong, no longer rushing to attack, but slowly adjusted his breathing, tightening his grip on the knife.

The next moment, he pounced again, this time faster and with a heavier strike, no longer holding back. The wooden sword sliced ​​through the air with a muffled whistling sound, aiming straight for Zhou Tong's central palace!

This time, Zhou Tong did not completely dodge.

He twisted his body and stepped forward, his wooden sword pointing diagonally forward, a defensive stance reminiscent of "Tiger Crouching on a Hill".

"Bang!"

The two wooden swords collided for the first time with a solid sound, producing a dull thud.

Li Jin felt a solid shockwave from the blade. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he lowered his stance, his blood surging, his arm muscles bulging. He shouted, "Release!"

He then relied on the powerful strength and muscular build of the Iron Muscle Realm to forcefully knock the wooden knife out of Zhou Tong's hand.

However, just as he exerted his strength, he felt a strange "slippery" force coming from Zhou Tong's seemingly parrying blade.

It wasn't a direct confrontation, but rather a slight turn or a gentle movement in the direction of his force, like water flowing around a reef.

Nearly a third of Li Jin's immense strength was redirected into empty space by this ingenious turn and deflection!

Zhou Tong's wrist, gripping the knife, was as steady as a rock. He only slipped back a small half step before regaining his footing.

"what?"

Li Jin frowned, his uneasy feeling growing stronger.

He refused to believe in evil, unleashing a series of powerful strikes, slashing, hacking, and stabbing, each aimed at Zhou Tong's vital points.

Zhou Tong moved with agility, his wooden sword sometimes gliding like willow catkins in the wind, defusing force; at other times, it was as steady as a rock against waves, parrying with composure.

Although he was clearly at a disadvantage in terms of strength, he was forced back with each collision, and his posture was somewhat strained.

But the wooden knife seemed to be stuck to his hand. No matter how hard Li Jin attacked, he could always deflect the fiercest impact at the most crucial point with subtle angles and force, and it never slipped out of his grasp.

"What's going on? Is Senior Brother Li letting Junior Brother Zhou win?" a disciple couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

"It doesn't look like it. Li Jin's strength, the whistling wind from his blade, doesn't seem like he's holding back."

"But Zhou Tong is just a stone-skinned guy, how can he withstand so many attacks? Look, he retreats every time he parries an attack, but his blade just won't fall..."

Gradually, some noises began to rise from the sidelines.

Someone raised their voice, "Senior Brother Li, this is no fun! It's a ring battle; if you want to give your junior brother pointers, do it privately later!"

"That's right, Senior Brother Li, this is a competition, be serious!"

Even Liu Qing and Zheng Hao frowned slightly as they watched the scene unfold.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of doubt in each other's eyes.

With their keen eyesight, they could naturally see that Li Jin hadn't deliberately held back; the strength he used couldn't be faked.

However, Zhou Tong's performance did indeed exceed their expectations of what a disciple of the Stone Skin Realm should be like.

Could it be... that Li Jin deliberately controlled the pace of the game because he saw that Zhou Tong was favored by his senior brother, and wanted to make Zhou Tong lose more gracefully?

Only the third senior brother, who had always maintained a calm expression, suddenly focused his gaze, and the lazy and casual look on his face vanished.

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes like lightning, intently watching Zhou Tong's every subtle movement, especially the moment when the wooden knife collided, turned, and deflected the force of Li Jin's blade.

In the arena, Li Jin was unable to break through after a long attack, and he could hear the shouts of his fellow disciples. A surge of anger rose in his heart.

He launched a fierce attack, forcing Zhou Tong back, and then leaped back two steps to create distance. His chest heaved slightly as he glared at the disciples on the sidelines who were shouting the loudest, muttering angrily:

"Bullshit! I've got a damn trick up my sleeve! This kid's got some weird tendencies! If you don't believe me, come down and try it yourselves!"

His angry outburst silenced the sidelines.

The disciples looked at Li Jin's face, which was slightly red from the rush of blood and a bit of frustration, and then at Zhou Tong, who, although breathing was a little rapid, still held his knife with composure. Their suspicion deepened.

Li Jin took a deep breath, suppressing the agitation in his heart, and his eyes became sharper than ever before.

He no longer regarded Zhou Tong merely as a junior brother in the Stone Muscle Realm who needed "guidance," but as an opponent who needed to be dealt with with all his might!

"Junior Brother Zhou, watch out!"

Li Jin let out a low roar, his blood and qi surged through his body, and his skin faintly gleamed with an iron-like luster.

He pushed off with his feet, causing the ground to tremble slightly, and pounced again like a tiger released from its cage!

This time, the speed, power, and even the decisive killing intent contained in the swordsmanship are all much stronger than before!

He unleashed his Iron Skin Realm cultivation and the combat experience he had accumulated over the years, both from honing his skills at the martial arts school and from his experiences outside the martial arts world, without reservation!

In an instant, the wind howled through the air, and figures flew about.

Li Jin's swordsmanship was expansive and unrestrained, interspersed with cunning and swift changes of technique, his attacks flowing like mercury, relentless and continuous.

Zhou Tong suddenly felt a surge of pressure.

He was highly focused, pushing the moves and movements of the perfect version of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade to their limits. He dodged and weaved, parried and deflected force, fully demonstrating his understanding of the blade and his control over his body.

However, the absolute difference in strength and speed gradually became apparent as the opponent exerted all their strength.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of wooden swords clashing was as dense as a sudden rainstorm.

Zhou Tong kept retreating, his steps becoming slightly disordered, his blocking posture becoming increasingly strained, and sweat was already beading on his forehead.

Finally, after seventeen or eighteen moves, Li Jin spotted an opening and skillfully twisted and flicked the blade!

"Snapped!"

The wooden knife in Zhou Tong's hand was finally knocked away, spinning and falling to the ground to the side.

Zhou Tong took a few steps back to steady himself, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath. He then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Jin, his expression calm: "Senior Brother Li is amazing. Thank you for showing mercy."

Li Jin, however, showed no joy at his victory. Instead, he stared at Zhou Tong, his face full of frustration. Upon hearing this, he waved his hands repeatedly and said in a muffled voice, "Me, better? Better my ass! You, junior brother, are much better!"

He scratched his head, looking completely puzzled.

"We all learned the same Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade. I'm considered a good fighter in the Iron Muscle Realm. In a head-on battle, no Stone Muscle Realm fighter has ever lasted more than ten moves against me!"

"This is really weird today! You kid... how did you learn your swordsmanship? How is it so... so slippery? So resilient?"

These words caused another stir among the crowd.

This time, even Liu Qing, Zheng Hao, and the senior brothers in the Bone Forging Realm who had been sitting calmly on the sidelines all had a slight change in expression.

Their gazes toward Zhou Tong were filled with surprise and curiosity.

Could it be that the senior brother secretly taught Zhou Tong some unique method of channeling energy? Otherwise, how can we explain this performance that far surpasses others in the same realm?

Many disciples had this thought in their minds, and whispers began to rise, creating a somewhat subtle atmosphere in the room.

Just then, Chen Zong, the eldest disciple who had been observing with his hands behind his back, revealed a barely perceptible smile. He turned to look at his third disciple, who was staring intently at him, and asked, "Junior brother, what do you think?"

The third senior brother had now fully recovered and his face still showed signs of shock. He remained silent for a moment after hearing this, then suddenly burst into laughter!

"Hahaha...Good! Well done, Junior Brother Zhou!"

The laughter was hearty and cheerful, echoing through the suddenly quiet courtyard.

After laughing, he scanned his fellow disciples, whose expressions varied, with piercing eyes, and said loudly:

"I see that you junior brothers are quite puzzled. Very well, today I will take the liberty of answering your questions on behalf of your senior brother!"

He paused, and seeing that everyone was looking at him with bated breath, he continued:

"The same sword technique, practiced by different people, will always have subtle differences due to differences in body shape, musculoskeletal structure, and power generation habits, forming a personal style. I believe all of you junior brothers are aware of this, right?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Style may be style, but the power of the moves should be roughly the same, right?" The disciple who had been puzzled earlier couldn't help but speak up again.

The third senior brother raised his hand in a gesture of pressing down, interrupting him. Then, he pointed to Zhou Tong, who had just picked up his wooden sword and was walking back to the ranks, and said clearly in a suddenly raised voice:

"That's because you don't know that there's a rare martial arts prodigy in this world!"

His gaze was intense, and his tone carried undisguised amazement:

"Such a prodigy, when practicing martial arts, is able to grasp its form and comprehend its spirit."

Based on one's unique musculoskeletal characteristics, blood circulation, and even mental responses, one makes extremely subtle yet crucial adjustments to the way one generates power, the angle, and even the rhythm of breathing in one's movements!

This allows the same martial art to unleash power in his hands that surpasses the standard version!

The third senior brother looked at Zhou Tong and clapped his hands in praise:

"Such a person is one in a million! I have only heard my elders mention him, and I have never seen him in person."

I never imagined that I would witness one of them today at my own Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School!

Zhou Tong quickly clasped his hands in greeting and said humbly, "Third Senior Brother, you flatter me. I am just a junior brother who has practiced more skillfully and has made some progress. I am not worthy of the title of 'prodigy'."

However, at this moment, the courtyard had completely erupted in chaos!

"A martial arts prodigy!"

"No wonder the senior brother wanted him to play!"

A barrage of gazes fell upon Zhou Tong as if they were physical, a mixture of shock, disbelief, realization, envy, jealousy... a torrent of emotions surging within him.

All the previous doubts have now been answered.

It wasn't that he was being lenient, nor was it a secret technique; rather, it was because Zhou Tong possessed exceptional comprehension that he managed to develop a stronger version of the ordinary sword technique that was uniquely his own!

The five squad leaders from the police station reacted the fastest, immediately bowing to their third senior brother again:

"Boss! Congratulations! Congratulations! Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School has gained another talented individual!"

"Director Ni's disciples are indeed a hidden force of talent!"

"Today has been truly eye-opening! It was definitely worth the trip!"

This time, the third senior brother was not as calm as before; he had a smile on his face, clearly quite satisfied with Zhou Tong's performance.

On the other side, Liu Qing and Zheng Hao were also unable to remain calm at this moment.

The two looked at each other and saw deep astonishment in each other's eyes.

Although it took Zhou Tong a little longer than the other two to master the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade, he optimized the martial art into a stronger version. Even his third senior brother called him a martial arts prodigy. In terms of comprehension, he has undoubtedly surpassed the other two.

The two men stared at Zhou Tong with flickering eyes, seemingly considering how to deal with this outstanding junior brother.

At this moment, someone in the crowd couldn't help but ask loudly:

"Third Senior Brother! Then... then, can we learn Junior Brother Zhou's improved swordsmanship? If we could learn even a little bit, wouldn't that be..."

Upon hearing this, the third senior brother chuckled and shook his head: "You're dreaming. As I just said, this was adjusted by Zhou Tong based on his unique characteristics."

Is your strength of muscles and bones, the characteristics of your five internal organs, and the speed of your blood and qi circulation exactly the same as his?

Even if there are slight differences, simply copying his method of exertion will not only be useless, but may even cause injury, resulting in wasted effort.

At this opportune moment, the eldest disciple, Chen Zong, also spoke, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable authority:

"I have privately observed Junior Brother Zhou's method of exerting force and have tried to do the same. Not only did the power not increase, but I also felt that my breathing was sluggish and my muscles and bones were twisted. It was far less smooth and natural than doing it step by step."

Even the eldest brother had personally confirmed it, and the last bit of hope in everyone's hearts was extinguished. All that remained in their eyes when they looked at Zhou Tong was pure, fiery envy.

This is a unique destiny that belongs to him alone; no one else can learn it!

Chen Zong said no more, looked at Zhou Tong, and waved his hand: "That's enough, you can go now."

Then, he turned his gaze to the twenty-six Iron Muscle Realm disciples and called out two names: "Feng Yuan, Zhao Dahong. Now, the arena battle officially begins!"

"Yes!" The two people whose names were called perked up and strode into the field.

Zhou Tong bowed to his eldest and third senior brothers, then bowed to the fellow disciples watching the battle before slowly retreating from the center of the arena and walking towards the corner where Ji Chang was.

The gazes from all around him remained intense, but his expression remained calm and his steps steady.

"What was the senior brother's intention in specifically having me spar with Senior Brother Li Jin to highlight the unique aspects of my swordsmanship? Was it merely to demonstrate it to everyone? Or... would he consider this and exceptionally allocate one of the five spots to me?"

As Zhou Tong walked, his mind raced with thoughts.

Even with his calm and composed nature, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious about this opportunity that could affect himself and his family.

Just as his thoughts were in turmoil—

Snapped!

A broad, strong hand, brimming with undisguised excitement, slapped heavily on his shoulder, interrupting his reverie.

Zhou Tong looked up and saw Ji Chang's face, which was slightly flushed with excitement, and his eyes, which were surprisingly bright.

(My dears, please turn to the last page and give the author a chance to read on.)

It would be even better if I could leave a comment in the book review section. The book review section is so deserted, I feel so sorry for myself.

...I can do it, I can do it, I promise I'll do anything!