C37 The Black Iron Plate Showed Its Power

“Boom...”

A massive explosion echoed across the martial practicing platform, and the crowd witnessed an unbelievable scene: Woo Zhengyang and Liu Tianli both took two steps back simultaneously!

The first clash between the lowest-ranked disciple and the seventh-ranked outer disciple resulted in such an evenly matched confrontation. Even though everyone knew Woo Zhengyang was no ordinary talent, seeing this balance was still hard to believe.

What was even more astonishing was that Woo Zhengyang had just withdrawn one hand, meaning he blocked Liu Tianli's double-fisted attack with a single palm. That was beyond extraordinary!

“What... what are you hiding in your hand?” Liu Tianli demanded, glaring at Woo Zhengyang's palm after regaining his stance.

“Just my badge. Don’t you have one?” Woo Zhengyang replied, shaking the badge in his hand before putting it away.

“You...” Liu Tianli started to say something but stopped himself, not wanting to be accused of making excuses.

In life-and-death duels on the martial practicing platform, anything goes as long as there are no dirty tricks or hidden weapons. Using the Profound Heaven Sect's badge was perfectly acceptable. After all, these badges were traditionally forged into offensive treasures, albeit low-grade ones. If used correctly, they could indeed block a punch like the one he just threw.

What puzzled Liu Tianli was how Woo Zhengyang, whose status on the Dragon Staircase clearly indicated he was just a one-star Martial Disciple with supposedly weak energy, could wield the badge with such power.

Woo Zhengyang never imagined that the badge in Zhengyang's hand was not the same low-grade treasure badge as his own, but rather the unparalleled Xuan Iron Number One badge.

"Hmph... child's play!" Liu Tianli scoffed, raising his fist to strike again.

Woo Zhengyang didn't hold back either, continuing to unleash the Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm with full force. This was a rare opportunity to hone his skills, and even if he couldn't perfect his technique, he was gaining significant benefits from sparring with Liu Tianli.

While Woo Zhengyang saw Liu Tianli as a sparring partner, Liu Tianli viewed Woo Zhengyang as a mortal enemy. Fueled by anger, each of his punches carried a fierce wind.

However, it wasn't long before Liu Tianli was at a loss.

Though he wasn't specialized in hand-to-hand combat, with the aid of his inner energy, he was far from weak. Yet, in the battle against Woo Zhengyang, he couldn't gain any advantage. Whenever Woo Zhengyang seemed to falter, he would bring out that badge to block the attacks. What frustrated Liu Tianli the most was that the badge was incredibly mysterious; no matter how much energy he channeled into his punches, they were always deflected by that badge.

"Could it be that the Number 9999 badge has some special properties?" Liu Tianli began to suspect that there was something unique about the badge, as even in his own hands, an ordinary badge wouldn't wield such power.

The idea seemed ridiculous, and if he voiced it, Dao Wuming and the others would surely look down on him. Yet, Liu Tianli found himself increasingly convinced of his suspicions.

The spectators, unaware of the subtle intricacies, watched in stunned silence. If Liu Tianli hadn't already made a name for himself as a formidable fighter, they might have doubted his reputation as the seventh-ranked disciple.

Feeling frustrated and unable to express it, Liu Tianli was particularly vexed by the fact that Woo Zhengyang was only using his badge to fend him off, without even drawing the Green Steel Sword on his back. This made Liu hesitant to draw his own weapon, as it would be embarrassing to be the first to do so against the lowest-ranked disciple.

The battle continued, and after what felt like an eternity, Liu Tianli was on the verge of losing his mind. Woo Zhengyang was like a relentless fighting machine, his rapid attacks leaving Liu struggling to keep up. His punches were no longer as swift as they had been at the start.

Looking at his opponent, who showed no signs of fatigue and whose strikes were even faster and more refined than before, Liu noticed that Woo's technique had improved significantly. Occasionally, the number of palm shadows surpassed eighteen, reaching over twenty.

If this went on, Liu Tianli couldn't help but wonder if Woo Zhengyang might actually master the Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm right before his eyes.

Liu Tianli suddenly stepped back, his voice cold as he said, "Since we can't settle this with fists, let's decide it with swords!"

After saying this, Liu Tianli waited for Woo Zhengyang to draw his sword, hoping the other would make the first move to save him some face. However, Woo Zhengyang remained completely unmoved.

"Why aren't you drawing your sword?" Liu Tianli asked impatiently.

"If you want to draw your sword, go ahead. Mine won't be drawn so easily. When you're worthy enough for me to draw my sword, I will," Woo Zhengyang replied, though he was inwardly frustrated, as he didn't actually know how to use a sword.

Liu Tianli's anger was about to burst out of his throat. Shouldn't their conversation be the other way around? How did it end up with him having to draw his sword while Woo Zhengyang showed no intention of doing so?

What infuriated Liu Tianli the most was Woo Zhengyang's calm tone, which carried an air of arrogance, as if Liu wasn't even worth his sword.

"Let's see how long you can keep up this act!" Liu Tianli thought furiously, but he had no choice but to draw his Green Steel Sword, silently vowing to crush Woo Zhengyang completely.

With his pride already gone, Liu Tianli didn't hold back. He charged at Woo Zhengyang, sword in hand. His energy surged, and the sword gleamed brightly.

Though it was the most ordinary Green Steel Sword from the Profound Heaven Sect, in Liu Tianli's hands, it seemed almost like a magical weapon, its ringing sound echoing powerfully.

The top-tier martial skill, "Thunderbolt Sword Technique," was Liu Tianli's most powerful move. He unleashed it right away, making everyone watching feel his frustration. Anyone would be unsettled if pushed to this point by the lowest-ranked newcomer.

The sword moved like a thunderbolt, the defining trait of the "Thunderbolt Sword Technique." The Green Steel Sword, wrapped in a storm of lightning and thunder, stirred the air wildly as it swept toward Woo Zhengyang.

Zhengyang knew the danger and quickly dodged, channeling his limited sword-shaped genuine energy into the Profound Iron Number One Token, positioning it to block the incoming Green Steel Sword.

The infusion of sword-shaped genuine energy sharpened the entire token, making Zhengyang's grip tingle with pain and numbness. Fortunately, his hands were toughened through rigorous training; otherwise, this ordeal would have been torturous and distracting in battle.

A sharp "clang" rang out as the tip of the Green Steel Sword collided with the token, producing a metallic clash. Zhengyang felt a jolt run through his arm, as if struck by lightning. Thankfully, the Profound Iron Number One Token absorbed most of the sword's power, preventing injury.

Woo Zhengyang managed to block the attack, but the residual force of the Thunder Sword still put him at a disadvantage, forcing him to step back several paces before he could steady himself. Liu Tianli's move clearly had the upper hand, pushing Woo Zhengyang back with a single strike. However, Liu Tianli couldn't find any satisfaction in it. It was like a strong man punching a three-year-old child; even though the child was knocked back a few steps, they weren't hurt at all. What was there for the strong man to be proud of?