CHAPTER 132: CHAPTER 109: TREADING ON FIRE_2

Watching Chen Ku calmly chew the Break Intestine Grass, Zhao Chuanzu and Qu Feng’s expressions also changed significantly.

Chen Ku saw their reactions and said with a faint smile, "Gentlemen, am I the only one eating?"

Qu Feng remained silent; he had already conceded that he would not participate in this round.

Zhao Chuanzu, well-prepared, slowly approached the plate holding the poison. He picked up the Break Intestine Grass, turned his head to Chen Ku, and smiled, "Brother Chen, allow me to join you."

Having said this, he did not immediately swallow it. With a serious expression, he first extended two fingers and repeatedly pressed on over a dozen major acupoints on his throat, chest, internal organs, and many other critical parts of his body.

Afterward, Zhao Chuanzu’s complexion momentarily turned a strange pale before he chewed and swallowed the Break Intestine Grass without hesitation.

"What was Zhao Chuanzu doing just now?" Sui Qingfang and the surrounding crowd were all puzzled.

Lin Xinglong’s voice came from beside her and reached the ears of others, "The Ultimate Skill ’Nine Dragons Union’ of the Ancient Elephant Sect’s Zhao Family is a superior Qigong technique. Mastered to the Perfection Realm, it allows one to emit force through the air and strike people. From a distance of three Zhang, it can send a large elephant flying. The key lies in the Acupoint Technique within this Ultimate Skill, which can lock the Blood Qi in the body and then concentrate it at one point to burst forth."

Lin Xinglong continued, "Zhao Chuanzu first used the Acupoint Technique to lock his Blood Qi and then swallowed the Break Intestine Grass. With the Blood Qi immobilized, the poison cannot spread. This Magic Skill, combined with his own Skill, allows him to endure for a day. After winning the contest, he can induce vomiting to expel the Break Intestine Grass, and he will be completely fine."

Upon hearing this, everyone was greatly shocked.

Not to mention ordinary people, even the Martial Practitioners of Baojiao County had never heard of such a miraculous Martial Art.

"This is the capability of Qiu Dragon Mansion? To think there is such a miraculous Martial Art, Acupoints Striking? Utterly mystifying!" someone exclaimed in shock.

Chai Tiangui, however, was indignant and protested, "This is unfair! This is clearly coming prepared, cheating!"

Huang Muxia looked his way and said, "Official Chai, you are not a Martial Practitioner, so it is understandable that you would say this. This is not cheating, but rather Zhao Chuanzu’s own means and skills."

After Huang Muxia spoke, Zhao Chuanzu, seeing Chen Ku was also obviously curious about his method, said with a smile, "Brother Chen, before our contest, we agreed that no external forces would be used, only our own means and skills. Our family’s ’Acupoint Technique’ is a skill I trained myself. What do you think, Brother Chen?"

Chen Ku, upon hearing this, could not hide his amazement at the ’Acupoint Technique’ and nodded, saying, "Indeed, it’s a remarkable skill. It’s not against the rules."

After Chen Ku himself acknowledged it, everyone, including Chai Tiangui who wanted to say more, found themselves at a loss for words.

Zhao Chuanzu was even more pleased. Looking at Chen Ku, he squinted and smiled, "Brother Chen, now that everything is out in the open, you’ve acknowledged the skill and ability of my Zhao Family. You know that nothing will happen to me after ingesting the poison. It will be a different case for you, however. Before long, the poison will take effect. If you don’t wish to die from the poison or suffer lasting harm to your body, concede now. Let’s end today’s contest here. What do you say, Brother Chen?"

Upon his words, all eyes turned to Chen Ku.

Huang Muxia also silently hoped Chen Ku would decide quickly.

Yet, Chen Ku’s expression remained unchanged as he slowly said, "No rush, I can still endure. Chief Huang, are the Blade Mountain and Fire Boots prepared?"

Zhao Chuanzu was astounded. He couldn’t believe that even at this point, Chen Ku was still so stubborn.

Is he choosing face over life? Zhao Chuanzu thought.

Listening to Chen Ku speak, and with others now heckling and watching the spectacle, Huang Muxia knew he could not just stand by. He drew a deep breath and declared loudly, "Bring out the Fire Boots and the Blade Ladders!"

As his words fell, people from the Twin Rivers Guild were seen bringing out three long Blade Ladders and three pairs of fiery red Iron Boots, glowing like branding irons.

"Gentlemen, the Blade Mountain and sea of fire... Who dares to continue?" Huang Muxia glanced at the Blade Ladders and then focused on the Fire Boots, saying, "I advise you three, life is precious. It is no disgrace to concede for a moment to save your life."

He knew that Firewood Iron Shop possessed the ’Vitality Iron Shirt,’ which made one Impervious to Swords and Spears and could allow someone to ignore bladed weapons for a time with Hard Qigong. But those Fire Boots... Even he, a Fourth Realm Meridian-Opening Martial Practitioner, dared not wear them.

Zhao Chuanzu looked at Qu Feng.

They had made a plan. The two of them—one using the Acupoint Technique for poison ingestion, the other using the Hard Qigong Iron Cloth Shirt to climb the Blade Ladder—would each triumph in one event, no matter what. As for those Fire Boots, there was simply no need to go that far. Just the poison ingestion and climbing the Blade Mountain—these two trials alone—would be enough to make Chen Ku cover his head and beg for mercy.

"I’ll do it!"

Qu Feng directly approached the hundred-meter Blade Ladder, which extended onto the long street and was set upon the archway of the Twin Rivers Guild. He took off his shirt, took a deep breath, and his abdomen puffed up into a sphere, which then seemed to swell and spread instantly throughout his body.

This genius Disciple from Firewood Iron Shop, in an instant, his entire skin turned purplish-red, engorged with blood and violet. He took off his boots, revealed his bare feet, and step by step, walked towards the Blade Ladder.

The blades on the ladder glistened with a cold light. Yet, as Qu Feng walked barefoot across, he remained completely unharmed.

He cautiously navigated the hundred-meter Blade Ladder, taking half a tea’s time. Finally, he reached the top of the Twin Rivers Guild’s archway, lifting his feet to show the crowd he was unscathed.

"Good!"

"Firewood Iron Shop is truly fearsome!"

"Young Master Qu is Impervious to Swords and Spears!"

"Those are all fine steel blades, and he truly walked on them as if on flat ground!"

"Firewood Iron Shop’s ’Vitality Iron Shirt’ focuses on the ’Circulation of Qi Throughout the Body,’ channeling Inner Qi throughout the entire physique. It’s a skill honed over many years," Sui Qingfang said, frowning. "To reach the stage where blades cause no harm, even someone with superior Talent would need twenty years of arduous training. Qu Feng appears to be only about twenty. If he hadn’t had some fortuitous encounter, it would be impossible for him to possess such Iron Cloth Shirt prowess unless he started cultivating from the womb."

Chen Ku also watched the soles of Qu Feng’s feet with great interest.

The Nine Dragons Union Acupoints Striking and Qi-sealing, the Hard Qigong Iron Cloth Shirt... Unexpectedly, Martial Arts from families other than Medicine King Hall were also so uniquely profound.

At this moment, Qu Feng jumped down from the archway and gave Chen Ku a cupped fist salute, saying, "Brother Chen, how was that?"

Sui Qingfang withdrew her gaze from Qu Feng, turned, and looked to the side, "Chen Ku is..."

At that moment, a great wave of shocked voices arose from the crowd.

They saw that, faced with Qu Feng’s barefoot crossing of the Blade Mountain, the young man in the robe also took off his boots.

But he wasn’t going to climb the Blade Ladder like Qu Feng.

Instead, under the watchful eyes of all, he walked towards the pair of red-hot Iron Boots that had just been pulled from the furnace. He extended his feet, and both slid into them.

Then, in a deathly hush, wearing the glowing red Iron Boots, he took a step forward in front of everyone.

Everyone instinctively held their breath, watching Chen Ku step forward in the fiery hot Iron Boots. They forgot everything else.

They only knew to count in their hearts with each step Chen Ku took:

"One step... two steps..."

"Ten steps!"

"Eighteen steps!"

"Thirty-six..."

He took thirty-six steps in a row.