Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)

Chapter 31 : Nape

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“Then all the more for you to strip.” Xiao Chiye took off his arm guards and set them on the wooden ledge under the eaves together with his cloak and outer garment. The soldiers in the inner hall of the military drill grounds wanted to come over to pay their obeisances, but he raised a hand to stop them. He turned around to look calmly at Shen Zechuan and said, “That’d be just perfect for me to see and experience for myself the difference between a body trained by the Ji Clan’s mental cultivation techniques and mine.”

“Since we are from the same school of martial arts.” Shen Zechuan set Langli Blade at the side. “Then the stances and moves are naturally the same.”

“Not necessarily so.” Xiao Chiye said, “My shifu incorporated an external boxing style into it, so it was already quite different from the Ji Clan Boxing Style by the time it was imparted to me. If they were identical, you wouldn’t have been totally oblivious of the fact that night.”

“If you want to exchange pointers, then just say so.” Shen Zechuan slid a leg out in an arc. “Why speak of stripping? You sound just like a beast.”

In that very instant, Xiao Chiye felt as though Shen Zechuan had suddenly turned into another person. Rainwater and mountain fog overlapped, washing out Shen Zechuan’s facial features. In contrast, his slender body became all the more striking.

“My wish is to be a beast in human clothing.” Xiao Chiye strode down the stairs and stepped into the curtain of rain. “I gave you a kick five years ago. Do you hate me for it?”

Shen Zechuan said, “If I say yes, wouldn’t that mean I have been tossing and turning having sleepless nights thinking of you? So nope. I don’t hate you at all.”

Xiao Chiye struck up a starting stance and said, “What a pity. If you hate me, then you can get your revenge today.”

Amid the biting cold wind, Xiao Chiye slowly added on, “—That is, if you can.”

Raindrops came pitter-pattering down, bouncing for a few steps before spreading their wings on the veranda. At this moment, Xiao Chiye sprang up in the rain to make his move first.

He threw out a punch, only to strike at empty air. But the vigor and strength of his blow sent the water droplets flying and splashing onto Shen Zechuan’s cheeks.

Having missed his target with that strike, Xiao Chiye swept his arm to the left. Shen Zechuan blocked his blow with a lightning move of his hand. When both men’s arms collided, Shen Zechuan frowned from the pain and retreated a few steps back.

Ji Clan’s Boxing Style!

Shen Zechuan pursed his lips into a tight line, but laughed out loud instead.

Shifu’s boxing style was steady and robust. Xiao’Er obviously lacked the steadiness but was far more ferocious. His strength was too astonishing. Just a collision like this, and the impact had already numbed Shen Zechuan’s arm.

The Ji Clan’s Boxing Style was meant to be imparted to this kind of man, because his internal and external constitution all made it particularly suitable for him to train in it. Xiao Chiye’s physique granted him the qualification to hold the various heroes in contempt. But was receiving an unfair advantage from Heaven the crux to determining victory?

What Shen Zechuan did not believe the most was the fate Heaven decided for them!  
Shen Zechuan raised a leg up, and raindrops suddenly went splashing towards Xiao Chiye. His leg sweep was quick and brutal. Any other ordinary person would home in on the advantageous and avoid the dangerous; thus, they would first evade an incoming attack.
But Xiao Chiye just had to meet difficulties head-on. He lifted his arm to block and fend off Shen Zechuan’s leg with a “thud”, then strode a steady step forward.