Jiang Liu pulled Bai Xianyong up from the ground, tapped and patted the injured area with his palm to dissolve the bruises, and then treated the injured boxers one by one.
Wang Chao waited there, standing with his head bowed, neither leaving nor speaking, as if he were waiting for something, his spirit and energy restrained, waiting for a moment of explosive release.
Only he knew that Jiang Liu was staring at him like a tiger, making the hairs on his skin stand on end.
Two or three minutes passed, but to Wang Chao it felt like an eternity, before Jiang Liu finally spoke, "Oh! How about we lend a hand?"
Wang Chao raised his eyelids, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and said, "Your boxing skills have reached an unimaginable level. You can be said to be my strongest opponent in history. Please enlighten me."
"To do something when there's no other way! Wang Chao, truly worthy of being called Wang Chao!"
In the blink of an eye, Wang Chao pounced forward, as still as a virgin and as swift as a rabbit. In a single leap, he transformed into several different fist techniques: the tiger's attack, the horse's gallop, and the monkey's agility. He was like an eagle soaring into the sky and a monkey leaping and attacking, with a powerful gust of wind and a whirlwind sweeping away the clouds. In an instant, he was in front of Jiang Liu.
Wang Chao knew he was facing an unprecedented enemy, so he immediately launched a killing move, Flying Horse Trampling Swallow!
This move, Flying Horse Trampling Swallow, is extremely dangerous. Once it is executed, it's either you or me who dies; there is absolutely no other way out.
However, Wang Chao changed his force the instant he took off. Jiang Liu felt as if a horse, riding a swallow, suddenly transformed into a fierce and majestic blue dragon, crashing down violently.
The horse gallops like a flying swallow, transforming into a dragon in mid-air. The dragon battles in the wild, its blood and energy surging. The true killing blow is his signature "Dragon and Snake Combination Strike".
In that instant, both the form and meaning of the dragon were elevated to their ultimate form.
The heavens unleashed their killing intent, and dragons and snakes rose from the land! This series of deadly moves was perfectly executed. Wang Chao's eyes narrowed to slits, and his arm trembled, spinning like a top. Veins bulged, like large, green earthworms crawling and coiling around his skin, a truly terrifying sight.
His two arms were like dragon claws, suddenly thrusting out to kill.
Jiang Liu felt his hair stand on end. Wang Chao's fighting style was beyond his imagination. This was a talent for martial arts, a fighting instinct that could not be cultivated no matter how much training one did.
The tortoise and snake coiled up, the dragon seated on its hips, Jiang Liu remained unmoved amidst the ever-changing tides, his hand forming an empty fist, and suddenly swung it towards Wang Chao. The drums pounded, making one's blood surge. A thunderclap resounded, sending chills down one's spine.
The power of Tai Chi, with its round and solid form, can shatter an opponent's entire body no matter where it strikes. Li Yuanba's attacks were always delivered with a single hammer blow; no matter where the blow landed, the opponent would die.
Jiang Liu was now like Li Yuanba, his fist like a sledgehammer. With a single swing, he shook Wang Chao so much that his blood and qi surged, his internal organs shifted, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
The dragon claws landed on Jiang Liu's arms, but were tangled by his spiraling silk-wrapping force. Coupled with his serious injuries, the force dissipated, leaving them with no power whatsoever!
"I've lost!" Wang Chao's face was ashen.
Jiang Liu stopped and looked at Wang Chao, saying, "I'll wait until you've mastered your martial arts!"
"Fine, you spare my life today, and I'll spare yours another day!" Wang Chao said, gritting his teeth as he turned and left, head held high and chest puffed out, showing no sign of defeat. On the contrary, it seemed as if he, not Jiang Liu, had won today.
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Martial Arts That Destroy a Nation
To destroy someone's martial arts, all you need to do is destroy their body and their soul, making them disappear completely from the real world.
To destroy the martial arts of a group of people, one must completely shatter their belief in martial arts, crush and pulverize the martial arts they possess, and then mold them into the shape one desires.
Destroying the martial arts of a nation is extremely difficult... so difficult that it's almost impossible!
During his three-day visit to Japan, Jiang Liu's hands were stained with blood. Despite this, he remained calm and followed his heart. He felt that what he was doing was in accordance with his conscience, so he did it.
What he did was to hone his own martial arts by borrowing the martial arts of another people, and to forge his own beliefs with the beliefs of a martial nation.
What Jiang Liu is doing now is imprinting his martial arts beliefs on his fist techniques, that is, forging the intent of his fist.
Without the intention to strike, no matter how exquisite one's fighting style is, it is difficult to break through the realm of "great mastery" and reach the level of "grandmaster" in boxing.
"Jiang Liu, we've already killed several Japanese boxers. It seems a real master is about to emerge. It's settled then, I'll handle this, don't try to take it from me!"
Jiang Liu sat cross-legged on the floor of the Songtao Martial Arts Hall. In front of him, a burly man whose age was impossible to discern paced back and forth, his movements powerful and imposing. Not far away, an elderly man with gray hair stood pale as a sheet, clearly having just suffered a defeat.
Shotokan is a major school of karate, originating from Tang Shou. It emphasizes practical combat. The old man with gray hair is the headmaster of Shotokan, Funakoshi Mikuzo, a grandmaster of Japanese karate.
Jiang Liu sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, in the posture of a tortoise and snake coiled, constantly holding his dantian and calming his mind and blood. He didn't speak, but a voice seemed to emanate from his abdomen: "Old Ba, what's the rush? This is a martial people. Their Bushido spirit is strong and difficult to subdue, but it's perfect for honing martial arts. Don't you think shattering the spirit of a nation is more effective in honing our martial arts than defeating an individual? At our level, our boxing techniques have reached their peak; the real competition is about belief. If we can't break through the void and see the indestructible spirit, victory or defeat will be determined by the strength of our belief!"
“Belief! My fist was honed through struggle sessions and armed conflicts. I am the King of Martial Arts, and my belief is that I dare to take anyone's life… But thirty years have passed. Although my fist technique has reached this level, I know where my limit is. This path is blocked. The belief that era instilled in me has crumbled, and it can no longer give me the invincible spirit of my fist…” Ba Liming plopped down next to Jiang Liu and said to Bai Xianyong, Jiang Hai, Yan Qing, and their group behind him, “Go, get me a bottle of liquor. Forget about Japanese sake, I want strong liquor, the stronger the better! A bowl of strong liquor is enough to comfort our predecessors and martyrs!”
Jiang Liu said, "And this will be the beginning of your rebuilding of your beliefs... Breaking through the void to see the indestructible gods is just the beginning. It's a long march, and we've only just taken the first step!"
Kodokan master Kanoji Gouda was the first martial artist to die at the hands of Eryu. He was not merely a boxer, but the spiritual symbol of all Japanese judo.
A century ago, Judo wasn't called Judo; it was called Jujutsu! It's a martial art primarily based on grappling and ground techniques. Japan is known as the "Land of Judo," highlighting Judo's importance there. The surname "Kano Jigoro" is a renowned Judo family in the Japanese martial arts world. A century ago, this family produced a Jujutsu master—Kano Jigoro. It was this man who combined all aspects of Japanese Jujutsu to create Judo, and simultaneously promoted the sport worldwide. It was also this man who elevated Judo to the Olympic Games, making it a long-lasting and popular sport.
Kanoji Gouda, a grandmaster of judo, head of the Kodokan, and a symbol of Japanese judo, possessed the mastery of neutralizing force. He was struck by Jiang Liu's powerful and round strike, which shattered his internal organs, causing him to vomit three liters of blood and die. Even the two great masters of the Kodokan, Saigo Hachinosuke and Ogawa Gonryu, who joined forces, were no match for him and perished.
Everyone at the Kodokan was grieving, everyone in the judo world was devastated, and the whole of Japan was shaken.
Ryota Miyagi, the head of the Goju-ryu Karate Dojo and the third-best fighter in Japan, was utterly crushed by the "Rapid Arrow Strike" of the old-style Bakko style of Barimyo. His bones were completely shattered, and when he was carried off the stage, he looked like a sack filled with minced meat.
As for the masters of the Wado-ryu and Shito-ryu schools, they were no match for them at all.
A person who tramples on the spirit of a nation, no matter who he is, is worthy of admiration by anyone, but is also a nightmare for that nation.
Jiang Liu and Ba Liming, who crossed the sea together, have become a nightmare for the Japanese martial arts world.
The two sat cross-legged in the Shotokan for an hour, yet no one dared to accept the challenge. About a hundred karate practitioners from the Shotokan katsu knelt in the courtyard outside, some looking utterly dejected, others burning with fighting spirit, and still others with faces ashen. If it weren't for Funakoshi Mikuzo's earnest persuasion, these practitioners, imbued with the spirit of Bushido, would surely have launched a suicidal challenge against Jiang Liu and his companion.
"Baka!" A burly man stood up, his eyes blazing with hatred.
"Hokushin-an, sit down!" Funakoshi Mikuzo was already over sixty years old. If it weren't for his age, Barim would have killed him on the spot. However, he was not far from death at this moment.
"Master Funakoshi, they are trampling on our dignity, destroying our martial arts... Even if I die, I will die for the martial arts! The spirit of Bushido cannot be desecrated!" The burly man gritted his teeth, seemingly wanting to devour Jiang Liu and Ba Liming alive, then said, word by word, "I hope my death... can inspire those who come after me..."
“Wait…” Funagoshi Mikuzo uttered a single word, reaching out to grab the burly man. He then coughed violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Wiping away the blood, he looked at the remaining disciples of the dojo and said, “They are too strong; we are no match for them. After tonight, a true master will come to challenge us. We will not engage in pointless battles… cough cough… leave our bodies for use… The martial arts of my Shotokan school still need you to inherit and carry it forward. The martial arts of the Yamato people still need you to forge it, until one day, our descendants can challenge and defeat their martial arts just like them…”
The crowd's heads instantly rose, the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere vanished in an instant, and an indomitable will began to rise in everyone's hearts.
"Old Ba, do you see? This is a resilient and indomitable people, and what we need to do is to completely crush their will and beliefs... This is the martial path I have chosen. When I have completely crushed their beliefs, that will be the day I achieve mastery of martial arts."
It is better to defeat someone with wisdom than with force, and better to defeat someone with momentum than with wisdom. Momentum, spirit. Unstoppable, awe-inspiring, like an unstoppable tidal wave.
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Mighty Fist Intent of Heaven
Jiang Liu looked up and saw bloodstains scattered on the ground of the dojo.
In today's battle at Songtao Hall, Ooyama Eigen, the master of Kyokushin Karate, had his throat pierced by Jiang Liu's sword finger strike; Iga Hideo, the younger brother of Iga Gen, the Japanese High Priest and the number one martial artist, had his heart shattered by a Gangen Kick; Asamoto Nara, the leader of the Japanese Shingon Cult, died at the hands of Barimyo; Deguchi Unro, the leader of the Shingon Cult, who cultivated his spirit directly without practicing martial arts, possessed physical strength at the Shingon level, had brief predictive abilities, and was at the quasi-god level in terms of mind, also died at the hands of Barimyo.
Including Funakoshi Mikuzo and the karate master of Shotokan-ryu, five great boxers have been killed today!
As the sun set over the hillside, a young man in his thirties walked in. He was not particularly handsome, but his demeanor was sharp as a knife, and his gaze felt like a knife piercing the skin.
"You are Iga Gen, the number one Japanese figure?"
Ba Liming poured the last drop of wine from the bottle into his mouth, then exhaled a breath of alcohol and said.
Iga Gen's face was expressionless, his gaze constantly shifting between Jiang Liu and Ba Liming, revealing a strong fighting spirit mixed with deep sorrow.
Jiang Liu slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Iga Gen, and then closed them again, saying, "Old Ba, this person has immense potential, but his current strength is still insufficient. He is no match for you!"
"It seems that even the number one Japanese fighter is nothing special! His fist intent is not refined enough, and he hasn't achieved the 'emergence of inner strength'..." Ba Liming's fist intent was that of the fervor and madness of the 1960s and 70s. This unique imprint allowed him to achieve unity of fist and spirit, and unity of mind and intention.
No madness, no life! His boxing style can be said to be a microcosm of an era, a force of the times. One who has not experienced an era and been deeply imprinted upon it cannot push their mind and spirit to an unparalleled peak.
Jiang Liu's fist intent has only just begun! As a "Qi cultivator," he has his pride; as a transmigrator with the "Escape One" ability, he believes that one day he will stand at the pinnacle of the world; he is familiar with the development of this world and knows the ultimate level of strength in this world. If given time, he can become a god in this world, a true god!
Therefore, his fist intent is as vast and boundless as an abyss or a prison, as boundless as the sky or the sea, as majestic and domineering as the True Martial Demon-Subduing, and as glorious as the thunderous awe-inspiring power of heaven.
This kind of majestic and awe-inspiring fist intent can only be forged by the martial arts beliefs of a nation. Jiang Liu found Ba Liming from prison, adding a solid layer of insurance for this cross-sea journey.
Iga Gen and Bari Akira exchanged a glance, then looked at Jiang Liu, who had his eyes closed, their faces showing no expression whatsoever!
All the karate masters at the Shotokan were looking at Iga Gen with incredibly fanatical expressions on their faces.
"Yuan-kun is here. Even if these two join forces, they are no match for him!"
"My great Japan's number one practical martial artist, what are you, mere Chinese, haha..."
"Master Funakoshi, you can rest assured! Our martial arts can never be easily defeated!"
Funagoshi Mikuzo's face was ashen. He looked at Iga Gen and shook his head, as if he wanted to say something, but instead let out a long sigh and then closed his eyes and passed away.
Iga Gen, Japan's foremost martial artist in actual combat, was renowned. With his arrival, everyone stood up, awaiting a great battle.
Iga Gen's hands, hidden beneath the sleeves of his cherry blossom kimono, were bulging with veins, before he released them. Then, he quietly turned around, his wooden clogs creaking under his feet, and prepared to leave.
"Yuan-kun, you...you..."
"Yuan-kun, I request your battle!"
“Yuan-kun…”
“Our nation’s fortunes are not in our hands! Are we left with nothing but patience? Are we left with nothing but patience?” Iga Gen looked up at the sky, silently questioning the heavens, then painfully closed his eyes, also painfully rejecting everyone’s requests.
Iga Gen left, just as suddenly as he arrived.
As Iga Gen left, the Shotokan fell silent. But the silence was short-lived, and then erupted into chaos. All the martial artists stared angrily at his departing figure. No one could have imagined that this leader of the Yamato martial arts world, the number one combat martial artist, and the high priest of the royal family would flee without a fight!
"Baka yarou... Our nation's martial arts cannot be erased. Iga Gen, how could you flee without a fight? I, Oyama Eigen, though unworthy, know honor and shame..."
Hokushin-an, a master of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū school, wasn't particularly strong, only at the mid-stage of the Dark Force realm, but his swordsmanship was exquisite. He raised his arm and shouted, "We are martial artists standing on the front lines of our nation! We bear not only the honor and disgrace of our own lives, but also the heavy martial spirit of the Yamato people! If we retreat, what will the millions of young people who are passionate about martial arts, immersed in it, and see it as their life's pursuit think? They will lose confidence, lose their spirit, and in the future, they won't even be able to straighten their spines! The spirit of martial arts will collapse in their hearts! Therefore, we cannot retreat; we must fight to the death! Even if we all die, at least we can ignite the passion of all the young people who are passionate about martial arts, making them fight for our lives!"
As the group of boxers heard Bei Chen'an speak with increasing fervor, their eyes turned bloodshot, and they forgot their fear, wishing they could immediately engage Jiang Liu and his companion in a life-or-death battle.
Seeing Beichen'an's clown-like roar, Jiang Liu snorted coldly, and a rolling thunderous sound swept over, the deafening thunderclaps drowning out everyone's voices.
"Take this!" Hokushin-an strode forward, his katana poised to strike.
"A sword strike?" Jiang Liu opened his palm, a hand bigger than his head, and struck out in mid-air. Each finger was as thick as a carrot, jet black and bluish-black as if cast from steel, especially the white jade color between the five fingers. Sharp nails popped out from the flesh, leaving no doubt that they could pierce through the hardest bone in an instant.
This is almost not a human hand anymore. The marrow of a cultivator who has achieved the Great Perfection of Body Refinement and Marrow Cleansing is incredibly strong, and even their nails are a hundred times harder than those of ordinary people! They are even comparable to fine steel! The reason is very simple: if a person has osteoporosis, their nails will be fragile; if their bones are strong, their nails will be tough. It's a very simple medical fact.
A gigantic hand with sharp nails instantly enveloped Beichen'an's head.
At this moment, Jiang Liu's hand was like a large net, and Bei Chen'an's head was like a fish about to be caught in the net.
There was no way around it, because after Jiang Liu's hand was filled with blood, it was indeed larger than a person's head!
It's just like a palm-leaf fan!
Such a terrifyingly large hand grabbed his head and then exerted force to shake him, causing blood to flow from all seven orifices of Beichen'an's head, which had become a complete mess!
His sword was never drawn even as he died.
Chapter Thirty-Six: A Mysterious Blade