A tiger roars, a pounce!
Close the distance, intimidate the opponent with a furious roar, and raise one's own momentum and power to their peak. If the opponent is weaker or unprepared, this series of attacks is enough to force a fatal opening.
Even against a powerful opponent, it allowed one to seize the initiative. When two foes meet on a narrow path, the braver one prevails.
The defining characteristic of the Fierce Tiger Fist is a single word: fierce.
Ancient Nanmian Country was located in the Southern regions, a land of dense jungles and ferocious beasts. Since antiquity, its national strength had been meager, and it was plagued by incessant warfare. The people of Southern Myanmar frequently had to confront both wild animals and human enemies, turning the entire populace into a veritable army. For a long period, every man in Southern Myanmar learned fist techniques. In this harsh environment, the entire nation cultivated a ferocious disposition. Their Fist Techniques became equally savage and brutal. Many of their training methods were destructive to the human body, all to develop immense killing power. The Fierce Tiger Fist was the epitome of this philosophy.
Wu He Mountain had completely inherited this ferocity. He either held back completely, or he struck with nothing less than a savage and brutal killing blow.
WHOOSH!!
A great volume of air rushed past Wu He Mountain's fingers, creating a clearly audible whoosh. He aimed his clawed hand at the back of Zhou Yuanjue's neck, a move meant to prevent any dodge and allow him to instantly adapt his attack.
'So fierce!'
Yu Yajie's mouth hung open, her heart trembling in shock. 'Is this the brutal Fist Technique that can literally tear a human body apart?' Even from this distance, she felt as if she were facing a ferocious tiger. Goosebumps broke out all over her skin.
But while Yu Yajie was in shock, Wu He Mountain was feeling a flicker of surprise.
He saw that at the very instant of his surprise attack, Zhou Yuanjue didn't dodge. Instead, he simply assumed a fighting stance.
'He's not dodging?'
In that split second, he had no time to think, but instinct screamed that something was wrong.
But alas, the Fierce Tiger Fist was savage and absolute. Once the fist was thrown and the momentum gathered, there was no turning back.
Just as his steel-like claws tore through the air to land.
KREEE! KREEE! KREEE! KREEE!!
Countless fist shadows, accompanied by piercing cracks like the shrieks of birds, completely blotted out his vision.
WHOOSH!
The representative from the Heng'an Group, who had been sitting calmly on one side of the stands with an air of complete confidence, shot up from his seat. His eyes were glued to the arena, his expression turning utterly foul.
Luo Hengyou of the Luo Group's pupils contracted sharply.
Amidst the piercing, bird-like cries, in the single second after they made contact, no one could tell just how many punches Zhou Yuanjue had thrown.
The instant they met, Wu He Mountain's defense crumbled. Countless fist shadows slammed into his body.
He was thrown backward like a broken sack of rags, crashing heavily onto the ground.
His arm was bent at an unnatural angle, clearly broken. A dozen gruesome, bleeding holes pocked his powerful, well-honed body. Blood flowed unceasingly as more trickled from the corner of his mouth. He had already lost consciousness.
The terrifying Fist Force had fractured multiple bones and concussed his internal organs. If Zhou Yuanjue had not held back, Wu He Mountain would have died nine times over.
Zhou Yuanjue glanced at Wu He Mountain lying on the ground. Without lingering, he turned and walked toward the arena entrance, where the iron gate was slowly rising.
This was the first time in six months he had fought with his full strength.
Three years ago, he had joined Heiwei Yuan to hone his martial arts, gain experience in life-or-death battles, and grow stronger. He had started his career as a Junior Duel Master.
In the beginning, he found a passion in the dueling matches that transcended ordinary life. He was intoxicated by the thrill of it—the flying sweat, the solid impact of fist on flesh, the ecstasy of his soul ascending through pain and blood. He could feel himself growing stronger day by day. Nearly all of his losses were from that period.
In two years, he went from a Junior Duel Master to an Intermediate Decisive Fist Master, and then to an Advanced Decisive Fist Master.
But a year ago, as his martial arts grew more refined and both his Fist Technique and physical conditioning improved, that feeling began to fade. By six months ago, even when facing opponents at the level of an Advanced Decisive Fist Master, he could no longer experience that intoxicating clash.
However, the Cultivation of a Fist Technique requires enormous funds. For the high income of a Duel Master, he continued to participate in Decisive Fist matches. He concealed his increasingly terrifying physical prowess, focusing instead on honing his combat skills.
But a short while ago, he had perfected Hundred Falcons' Cry, bringing his Red Falcon Fist to its apex. In terms of both physical ability and technique, he had reached a plateau with no clear path forward.
Money had lost most of its meaning to him. To remain with Heiwei Yuan, to continue fighting in the arena, would be nothing more than a waste of his precious life and time.
This place no longer held anything he desired, so there was nothing worth staying for.
This single, all-out display was a farewell to his past, and perhaps a sign that he was about to embark on a new journey.
His figure gradually vanished into the darkness of the entryway, leaving the arena in silence. The only sound was the hurried footsteps of the waiting medical team as they rushed into the arena.
The audience still hadn't processed what had happened. No one had expected that a fight they believed would be a brilliant, evenly matched contest would end like this.
Yu Yajie stared blankly as his back disappeared down the tunnel, then glanced at Wu He Mountain, still bleeding profusely on the ground. Just half a minute ago, she had believed that this man, seemingly fiercer than a tiger, represented the pinnacle of human physicality.
Now, however, that pinnacle had been so easily and utterly shattered. In its place was not another mountain, but something more akin to a vast, bottomless ocean.
She couldn't help but fall into a deep contemplation, as if her entire worldview had just been broken.
'Just how strong can a human be?!'
...
...
'Just how strong can a human be?'
Zhou Yuanjue was also pondering this question. Unfortunately, he had no answer.
'Are humans strong?'
Humans are strong. A powerful Boxer can subdue a tiger or kill a brown bear. They can shatter stone tablets and kill a man as easily as a chicken. Ancient generals, clad in Battle Armor and mounted on warhorses, could fight one against a hundred.
'Are humans weak?'
Humans are weak. A sword can kill a person, a bullet can kill a person, a grenade can kill a person. A missile can even vaporize a person... The development of technology and the advent of firearms seem to have turned humanity's innate strength into a joke.
'But is this the limit of humanity? Is this the limit of a living organism?'
'Some say the times have changed.'
But Zhou Yuanjue didn't believe it. He was willing to chase a miracle that might not even exist in this mundane world, and he would have no regrets, even in death.
"I never expected you to be this strong!"
He Hong said as he entered the Boxer's lounge, giving Zhou Yuanjue a deep, meaningful look.
"Just a lucky break."
Zhou Yuanjue said calmly.
"This was no lucky break. Your opponent was Wu He Mountain..."
He Hong took a deep breath, but seeing that Zhou Yuanjue didn't seem inclined to chat, he wisely dropped the subject.
"Are you coming to the victory celebration tonight?"
He Hong asked Zhou Yuanjue after a moment of silence.
"I'll pass. You know I'm not interested in that sort of thing."
Zhou Yuanjue shook his head.
"We've worked together for quite a while now. Just consider this our farewell dinner. Surely our friendship is worth at least that much?"
He Hong said with a frown.
Hearing this, Zhou Yuanjue turned to look at He Hong. After a brief silence, he said:
"Alright."