The Creation of the Heavens and All Realms

Chapter 15: The Secrets of the Martial Way

“Whoa…” The once-quiet training ground erupted in an uproar. From Cao Ming, Dong Qicheng, and Zheng Kaiyuan down to the rank-and-file soldiers, no one had ever imagined that Lu Yuan would be defeated so easily—and so miserably at that. Before the battle began, most people still believed Lu Yuan would win; many thought it would be a fierce, evenly matched contest. But the result was unexpected—compared to Zhou Tianci, Lu Yuan was as different as an infant is from an adult! “The Commander truly has a keen eye for talent. I never expected Zhou Shi, a relative unknown, to defeat Lu Yuan so easily,” Dong Qicheng couldn’t help but remark. “His strength is truly beyond belief!” Even Cao Ming, whose expression was usually unchanging, showed a hint of emotion: “Zhou Shi has truly taken me by surprise. I heard he broke through after the original Blood Battle Legion was wiped out. Judging by this, his strength is practically unmatched among those who’ve reached the Posthuman Realm. It seems falling into that ambush was a huge stimulus for him, allowing him to achieve consecutive breakthroughs in such a short time.” “To complete the Marrow Refinement and reach the peak of the Post-Heaven realm in just half a month—this clearly shows Zhou Shi’s extraordinary talent. Commander, now that the outcome is decided, should we call off this duel?” Dong Qicheng suggested. Zheng Kaiyuan recovered from his shock and, upon hearing Dong Qicheng’s words, immediately replied, “Captain Dong, once a duel on the Blood Battle Platform begins, it will not stop unless both parties agree to cease fighting. That is military protocol—surely you’re aware of that?” “You…” Dong Qicheng seethed with hatred at Zheng Kaiyuan’s attempt to rub salt in his wounds. “Enough,” Cao Ming interjected, putting an end to their argument. “Let’s follow the rules. Let’s see how Zhou Tianci handles this.” Zhou Tianci watched as Lu Yuan struggled a few times but failed to get back to his feet; there was no pity in his eyes. Everyone must pay the price for their own actions. No matter what Lu Yuan’s reasons were for provoking him, he had brought this upon himself. However, Zhou Tianci wouldn’t kill Lu Yuan on the Blood Battle Platform—after all, there were more than 5,000 pairs of eyes watching from below. “Captain Lu, are you still able to fight?” Zhou Tianci took a few steps forward and asked in a loud voice. Zhou Tianci’s contemptuous gaze stung Lu Yuan, but as he watched Zhou Tianci draw closer step by step, fear began to well up in Lu Yuan’s heart. On this Blood Battle Platform, even if Zhou Tianci were to actually kill him, it would not violate military regulations. “What… exactly do you want?” Lu Yuan managed to say, forcing himself to stay on his feet. Zhou Tianci replied in surprise, “Wasn’t it Captain Lu who came to give me advice?” Lu Yuan was so furious he nearly spat blood; the young man standing before him was utterly despicable. “I admit defeat,” Lu Yuan said, his face turning pale as he felt the severe internal injuries. Zhou Tianci shook his head. “I don’t understand what you mean. What do you mean by ‘I admit defeat’?” Lu Yuan knew full well that Zhou Tianci was forcing him to bow his head in front of the entire corps, but he was powerless to do anything about it. Seeing the cold glint in Zhou Tianci’s eyes, Lu Yuan had no doubt that if he tried to hold out, even if Zhou didn’t kill him, he would take half his life away. “Commander Zhou, your cultivation is extraordinary—far beyond my reach. I, Lu Yuan, concede defeat. I beg you, Commander Zhou, to spare me!” Lu Yuan said, clasping his hands in a trembling gesture. His voice was much louder than before, echoing across the entire drill ground so that everyone could clearly hear him. Zhou Tianci was very pleased with Lu Yuan’s decision. He had initiated this contest precisely to establish his authority within the military. Ever since the Blood Battle Legion was reorganized, countless people had questioned Captain Zhou Tianci’s qualifications—even his own subordinates had refused to acknowledge his authority. Originally, Zhou Tianci hadn’t paid it much mind and had intended to leave as soon as possible, but now he’d changed his mind. He didn’t want to be seen slinking away; instead, he wanted to silence all those who doubted him. Lu Yuan graciously conceded defeat, so Zhou Tianci stopped in his tracks. In Zhou Tianci’s mind, this man was simply unworthy of being his opponent and would never pose a threat to him in the future; letting him off the hook was no big deal. At Zhou Tianci’s signal, two soldiers from the Second Battalion carried Lu Yuan off the battle platform. At that moment, the soldiers all looked at Zhou Tianci with a mix of awe and respect. Even Zheng Kaiyuan—usually the most arrogant of the Five Commanders—now regarded Zhou Tianci with far greater caution. Such was the advantage of overwhelming power! “This Zhou Shi is indeed a capable man,” Cao Ming remarked. Zheng Kaiyuan said, “Congratulations, Captain Dong. However, Lu Yuan’s injuries appear quite severe; I’m afraid he won’t be able to fulfill the duties of Second Battalion Commander…” “That’s none of your concern. I’ll naturally handle matters within the First Army,” Dong Qicheng interrupted. Zheng Kaiyuan seethed inwardly, but seeing that Cao Ming said nothing, he had no choice but to hold his tongue. “I wonder which of Commanders Zhang or Qin will step forward to offer further instruction?” On the Blood Battle Platform, Zhou Tianci called out loudly to the crowd below. Upon hearing this, Zhang Fang and Qin Huwu exchanged glances, seeing the fear in each other’s eyes. They knew their cultivation levels were on par with Lu Yuan’s; now that Lu Yuan had suffered such a crushing defeat, they feared that if they stepped up, they would likely meet the same fate. “You two have been hesitating to step onto the stage—could it be that you’re afraid?” Zhou Tianci taunted. With that remark, the looks directed at Zhang Fang and Qin Huwu by the others took on a more meaningful tone. Faced with the stares of their superiors, colleagues, and subordinates, even if Zhang Fang and Qin Huwu had absolutely no confidence in victory, they had to steel themselves and step onto the stage. Otherwise, how could they possibly keep their faces up as squadron commanders? “If the two of you don’t dare to fight individually, teaming up is fine too.” Just as the two were about to step onto the stage, Zhou Tianci’s voice rang out again. “Team up? One against two?” Zhou Tianci’s words sparked a flurry of murmurs among the crowd. However, after his match against Lu Yuan, Zhou Tianci had established such a formidable reputation that no one dared call him arrogant. Surprisingly, Zhang and Qin accepted Zhou Tianci’s insulting suggestion without hesitation. Zhang Fang and Qin Huwu leaped onto the stage simultaneously. Zhang Fang said, “Captain Zhou possesses extraordinary talent; in just half a month, he completed the Marrow Refinement and effortlessly defeated Brother Lu. We know our own limits—in a one-on-one match, we’re no match for you.” “If this were the battlefield, even knowing we were outmatched, we would fight Captain Zhou to the death. But this is not the battlefield; we are not enemies, and this is not a life-or-death struggle—it is a friendly sparring match,” Qin Huwu continued. “Today, we will take the liberty of joining forces to face Captain Zhou. After all, we’re comrades in the same corps. There’s no need to fight to the death. Let’s set victory and defeat aside and have a proper match!” Qin Huwu’s words drew cheers from many soldiers, but Zhou Tianci, Cao Ming, and the others looked on with disdain. “Enough talk. Let’s get started,” Zhou Tianci said dismissively. “Then we won’t hold back—bring it on.” Zhang Fang and Qin Huwu attacked in unison from the left and right, launching lethal strikes from the very start with no intention of holding back. “No wonder they’re veteran squad leaders—they’ve both mastered the secrets of the martial arts.” Zhou Tianci sensed something different in their auras; their movements differed from Lu Yuan’s, yet each possessed a unique presence. Lu Yuan’s fist technique was the *Tiger Demon Fist*; when he lunged forward, his entire body resembled a demonic tiger, radiating intense ferocity. Zhang Fang’s attacks, while seemingly less fierce than Lu Yuan’s, carried a deadly, insidious cruelty, like that of a venomous snake. As for Qin Huwu, he was incredibly fast; even though he was deliberately holding back to coordinate with Zhang Fang, Zhou Tianci could still see his moves clearly. “It’s been too short a time since I advanced to the late stage of the After-Heaven Realm and became squad leader; I haven’t had time to choose my own martial arts secret technique yet. After this, I must thoroughly study the cultivation techniques within the Blood Battle Legion,” Zhou Tianci thought. Both Zhang Fang and Qin Huwu were faster than Lu Yuan, and Zhou Tianci was no slouch either. Devouring the energy of the ferocious beasts had granted him all-around enhancement; whether in strength or speed, he far surpassed an ordinary Marrow Refining Realm cultivator. Zhou Tianci took a step forward, and his entire body moved like the wind, his shadow blurring into obscurity. Using his arms as weapons, he unleashed the *Seven Styles of the Blood Blade*; even ordinary techniques took on a unique flair in his hands. In the blink of an eye, the three were locked in a fierce struggle—those whose cultivation was below the mid-Post-Heaven Realm could not even make out their movements. “To actually engage me in close combat… I practice the *Fire Python Coiling Cloud Force*. While my burst power isn’t strong and my speed isn’t fast, my instantaneous attacks and follow-through are unmatched. After all, Zhou Shi hasn’t cultivated any secret martial arts techniques; he lacks experience. I’ll use my short-range skills to counter his long-range advantage.” Zhang Fang felt a surge of secret delight. He had reached the peak of the Post-Heaven realm three years ago; though advancing to the Pre-Heaven realm was out of the question, he had mastered the “Fire Python Coiling Cloud Force” to a superlative degree, excelling at entangling enemies and seizing victory amid chaos. Zhou Tianci felt this match was far more troublesome than the previous one. Zhang and Qin refused to engage him head-on; one stayed close while the other kept his distance, coordinating with perfect synergy. However, Zhou Tianci remained composed. Seizing an opening, he landed a punch squarely on Zhang Fang. The moment his fist made contact with Zhang Fang, Zhou Tianci sensed something different. “Zhang Fang has deflected more than half the force of my punch…” “Perfect opportunity!” A gleam flashed in Zhang Fang’s eyes. Under Qin Huwu’s cover, he suddenly circled around to Zhou Tianci’s back. “My ‘Fire Python Coiling Through the Clouds Technique’ isn’t just for generating power—it can also deflect it!” Zhang Fang’s body twisted like a giant python, generating a surge of energy that seemed poised to wrap around Zhou Tianci. In the blink of an eye, he moved like a giant python striking its prey, nearly doubling the speed of his attack! “What a formidable martial art secret technique! In a battle between martial artists of the same rank, the difference between mastering such a technique and not is like night and day.” Zhou Tianci realized this instantly and prepared his defense. “Whoosh…” Zhou Tianci’s massive hand swept out like a shadow across the sky, grabbing at Qin Huwu, who hurriedly dodged, his sleeve torn off in the process. Then, using his hand as a blade, Zhou Tianci twisted his body and, drawing on the power of his waist, slashed through the air with a karate chop aimed at Zhang Fang’s “snake head.” “Boom!” Zhou Tianci’s hand blade struck Zhang Fang. Both men were fighting with all their might; the collision of tens of thousands of jin of force created a powerful shockwave that exploded outward, sending Zhang Fang tumbling off the Blood Battle Platform. “The outcome is decided!” Everyone knew it in their hearts. After knocking Zhang Fang away, Zhou Tianci shifted his stance and, using his immense explosive power, charged straight at Qin Huwu. Without Zhang Fang’s cover, Qin Huwu had no way to dodge and could only take Zhou Tianci’s blow head-on. The outcome was the same as Lu Yuan’s: he suffered severe internal injuries, collapsed to the ground, coughed up blood, and lost consciousness. “Roar! The soldiers in the training ground roared in unison!