NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1123: Tai Chi Diagram
Competitors' seats.
The few from the Tang Sect looked at the ring, feeling the protective Gang Qi released by the two on stage even from afar.
Tang Yue, who was defeated by Li Feng, had an ugly expression. He originally thought that if he encountered Li Feng on the ring today, he would avenge the humiliation and show Li Feng the power of the Tang Sect.
But when Wudang's Liao Qingyang stepped on stage, he was a bit frustrated. This Liao Qingyang was a renowned master of Wudang, the first of Wudang ten years ago.
As a prestigious sect, Wudang's reputation naturally implies they are not weak.
In the eyes of the Tang Sect disciples who valued their sect lineage, meeting Liao Qingyang was an incredibly unlucky turn for Li Feng, making victory impossible.
But reality gave them a face full of slaps.
Li Feng not only wasn't defeated, but instead slapped Liao Qingyang twice.
"Liao Qingyang isn't weak."
Tang Chuan furrowed his brows, initially thinking that Liao Qingyang hadn't fully recovered from a serious injury ten years ago, which made it easy for Li Feng to put him in such a difficult situation.
Despite Liao Qingyang being Wudang's first, that was a title from ten years ago. In ten years, the world sees new talents emerge, and staying stagnant means being eliminated.
However, the aura from the two on the ring could be felt even from thirty meters away, resembling the formidable presence he'd sensed only from his clan leader and a few elders in isolation.
That protective Gang Qi was a trait only held by Grandmaster-level mastery.
At this moment, not only the contestants but also the world in the audience, anyone with any sense knew this battle was no simple affair.
"It's been a long time since I've fought so seriously, you truly surprise me, I hadn't planned to be serious this quickly."
"But if I'm eliminated just like this, then the ten years were a wait in vain."
After Liao Qingyang spoke, he directly performed a Tai Chi opening move. At that moment, with his movement, the Gang Qi surrounding him began to move.
Tai Chi represents Yin and Yang.
Yin and Yang embody rigidity and softness perfectly combined.
Liao Qingyang's actions were very slow, like an old man practicing Tai Chi in the square, each move as slow as an old ox grinding, but the slower it was, the more the surrounding people watched with apprehension.
"Gulp."
"Is this National Martial Arts?"
"The protective Gang Qi is one thing, but to actually shape-shift it, what a Tai Chi Diagram."
As Liao Qingyang's hands formed a circle, a spinning Qi sphere was held in his embrace.
"This move looks a bit like Turtle Style Qi Gong!"
"Can this really work?"
Many expressed doubts. Although releasing Inner Strength externally is profound, it isn't impossible to master, but typically Inner Strength is attached as Dark Strength to objects.
For example, weapons, hidden weapons, or leaves, and so forth.
But with Liao Qingyang directly shaping Gang Qi, not only is the consumption huge, but it might not shoot out, as Gang Qi separated from the body fades quickly.
"Wudang Tai Chi is both offensive and defensive, and this move by Liao Qingyang is huge, how will Li Feng counter it?"
"Indeed, Tai Chi excels at borrowing force and controlling force, no matter how powerful you are, you cannot budge Liao Qingyang an inch, making it easy to expose a flaw for him to exploit, but if you don't move?"
Someone beside furrowed their brows.
To respond to changes with constancy is a method; Tai Chi itself is a method to respond to changes with constancy. But looking at Li Feng's sharp aura, he doesn't seem the type who can remain calm.
"By not moving, he'd also fall into disadvantage, Liao Qingyang became renowned ten years ago, and Wudang is known for its long-lasting Inner Qi, not something easily consumed in a battle."
"Difficult!"
Wudang is a prestigious sect in the world, standing for hundreds of years, naturally possessing few secrets. Tai Chi is world-famous, and Wudang's lightweight body technique and Qi refining mantra are also top-notch.
Though not as exaggerated as in novels or TV dramas, their reputation is certainly not unwarranted.
"Look, Li Feng has moved."
An observant person noted Li Feng's movement, but before they finished speaking, Li Feng had already charged forward, instantaneously arriving in front of Liao Qingyang.
Yet, amidst them, it was as if an insurmountable chasm existed. Liao Qingyang looked calmly at the advancing Li Feng, managing a light chuckle.
Next second.
Liao Qingyang gathered power with his hands, and the spinning Qi sphere before him resembled a black hole, growing several times stronger than before.
Previously, Liao Qingyang used this move, Tai Chi Diagram, to send Li Feng flying backward, but this time he didn't push Li Feng away.
On the contrary, Liao Qingyang didn't retreat, but advanced.
Close combat.
Tai Chi fears no one.
Liao Qingyang's Tai Chi was not at the level of street elder seniors; his body had long melded with Tai Chi, mind and body were in harmony.
The Tai Chi Diagram's pull led Li Feng's body aside, while Liao Qingyang charged forward, transforming every part of his body into a weapon.
"How foolish is this Li Feng, actually crashing directly into Liao Qingyang's Tai Chi Diagram?"
"Tai Chi's defense isn't unparalleled but extremely tough to breach, unparalleled in control power's finesse."
In all martial arts, the key lies in finesse.
Martial arts, after all, were created not for fitness but for killing, valued for simplicity, directness, efficiency, and speed.
"Yes, whoever makes the first move loses, Tai Chi naturally holds the advantage in a duel. Such recklessness, if the opponent's skill were inadequate, he might break through, but with Liao Qingyang's prowess...!"
Tai Chi is not a soft, pliable martial art.
When erupting, it compares not one bit lesser to the mighty Eight Diagrams Sect.
Moreover, Li Feng had already exposed a flaw on his half-side, the outcome seemed set.
Alas.
Some were already sighing. Li Feng did provide a slight surprise but against a prestigious, large sect like Wudang, he was bound to fall short, not by just a little.
His awareness was far lacking.
Moreover, too impulsive, lacking in Qi Cultivation.
Liao Qingyang, dormant for ten years, indeed showed his extraordinary prowess at first strike.
No sooner said than done.
Just as Liao Qingyang aimed at Li Feng's exposed half-side, planning to deal a heavy blow—battles at such level, even the slightest disparity meant the difference between life and death.
What's more, Li Feng's entire being was enveloped in Liao Qingyang's Tai Chi Diagram, in his domain aura, dodging was impossible.
At this moment.
As Li Feng saw the impending strike to his side, Li Feng twisted suddenly, his bones emitting cracking sounds as his body spun in midair.
Liao Qingyang's Cloud Capturing Hand hadn't yet exerted force before being knocked aside by Li Feng's spinning body, as if thrusting a pen against the rapidly spinning grindstone.
The result could only be to fling it off.
In midair, Li Feng's body was like a spinning top, head pointing downward, one leg lashed diagonally at Liao Qingyang.
"Hiss."
"This Li Feng...!"
On the audience seats, high-level sect members drew a sharp breath, utterly surprised that Li Feng would break through in such a manner.
It's simply astounding.
But upon further reflection, they sighed at Li Feng's ingenuity, that he could conceive such a method.