Amory's "Fine Abyss Slash" collided with Shen Yuan's "Iron Gate Grind" in a straightforward clash.

Boom!

The surge of true energy violently collided, sending countless wisps of air sweeping outward.

The two individuals at the forefront felt their internal energy surge, their bodies uncontrollably retreating.

No one noticed that amidst the chaotic air currents, a figure was swimming upstream.

Shen Yuan's vision blurred, and without warning, a figure appeared before him. His pupils contracted—Tang Tian! Several thin streams of air cut across Tang Tian's cheek, leaving faint marks, yet he seemed oblivious.

Shen Yuan reacted swiftly; despite his depleted energy, he still raised his right palm to block Tang Tian's position.

As Shen Yuan's gaze met Tang Tian's calm eyes, a shiver ran through him—what a terrifying opponent!

Fortunately, he only knew how to use the Flash Fist...

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw Tang Tian's fist.

The fist was enveloped in a faint white glow, leaving Shen Yuan momentarily stunned—Fist Radiance!

How could a Flash Fist utilize Fist Radiance?

Bang!

The Fist Radiance surrounding the Flash Fist vanished into thin air, almost simultaneously reappearing before Shen Yuan's eyes.

Startled, Shen Yuan flipped his palm, attempting to intercept Tang Tian's punch.

When their fists met, Shen Yuan felt a sharp pain in his palm as a piercing true energy from Tang Tian's fist penetrated his defenses, causing his guard to crumble.

Shen Yuan inwardly cursed—this was bad.

Unfortunately, Tang Tian offered him no time to recover; a second punch slipped through the gap and struck Shen Yuan hard in the shoulder.

With a muffled grunt, Shen Yuan felt his shoulder throb, his internal energy dispersing, sending him careening backward like a sandbag.

Tang Tian was faster still, almost flying alongside Shen Yuan, his fist again striking like lightning.

Disbalanced, Shen Yuan watched Tang Tian's fist hurtling toward him like a meteor, bracing himself for the impact as he shut his eyes.

"I surrender!"

Bang!

Shen Yuan felt a searing pain in his face, his mind spinning, as if a heavy hammer had pinned him to the ground.

His last thought before losing consciousness was: Hadn't he already surrendered? Why was there still such a vicious attack...?

Tang Tian landed on his feet.

Panting heavily, his breath came out in gusts, his body drenched in sweat.

"Basic Tang, didn’t he already surrender?" Amory's weak voice came from behind.

As Tang Tian finally regulated his breathing, he straightened up, a radiant smile lighting up his face. "If he surrenders, how am I supposed to collect the spoils? Victors are defined by their spoils!"

"But..." Amory, of gentle disposition, faltered.

"There’s no 'but.' Go find me a rope," Tang Tian insisted.

Shivers ran down Shen Yuan's spine as he regained consciousness, his eyes meeting two faces. Amory's was filled with sympathy and pity, while Tang Tian's was dark as coal, exuding malice.

"Who do you think you are, daring to impersonate a Tianjing Academy student?" Tang Tian yelled angrily.

"I didn't abandon anything," Shen Yuan instinctively replied, still half-conscious.

Tang Tian erupted with fury: "You still want to deceive me! Which Tianjing student would be so poor as to have not a single coin to their name?"

"I..." Shen Yuan opened his mouth, at a loss for words.

"Basic Tang, he really is from Tianjing; I recognize him," Amory interjected.

Tang Tian's expression shifted to one of despair. "That makes it worse! When did Tianjing Academy students fall so low that a loss means they can't even pay for their spoils? This is an insult to the noble Tianjing!"

Shen Yuan couldn't help but smile bitterly; it turned out this guy hadn't found any spoils on him. Shen Yuan had always focused on diligent cultivation, maintaining a modest and low-profile demeanor, so he naturally carried nothing of value.

"I've decided to strip them both and hang them at the entrance of Tianjing Academy to vent my anger," Tang Tian declared ominously.

Amory was dumbfounded, stammering, "Ba... Basic Tang, that’s too cruel..."

Tang Tian glared with eyes narrowed. "Cruel? No pain, no gain!"

Shen Yuan's mouth dropped open in shock.

Only when a hand reached for him, beginning to strip him of his clothes, did Shen Yuan snap back to reality. "Wait! I'll redeem myself! I'll pay for my release!"

Panic surged through him at the thought of being stripped and hung at the Tianjing Academy entrance, causing him to shudder involuntarily.

"My anger is like a raging fire, young man. How do you plan to appease it?" Tang Tian crouched down, his face dark, looking down at him.

"What do you want?" Shen Yuan feigned calm, though his trembling voice betrayed his fear.

Amory subtly shifted to the side, sympathy etched on his face. Poor Shen Yuan, the famed iron man of Tianjing, reduced to such a pitiful state by Basic Tang!

At least he was on Basic Tang's side...

In an instant, Amory felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"We're all warriors, so let's talk soul cards," Tang Tian said, clearing his throat theatrically. "But you must consider your status; what kind of soul cards would be worthy of you? Of course, more importantly, I need to quench my anger."

"Soul cards..." Shen Yuan felt a slight relief; as a martial enthusiast, he didn't have much, but he did possess a fair number of soul cards. "What soul cards do you want?"

Seeing Shen Yuan's expression, Tang Tian grinned inwardly—what a fat sheep!

Yet he maintained a facade of indifference. "Have you heard of the Close Combat Specialist?"

"Close Combat Specialist!" Shen Yuan's eyes widened, staring at Tang Tian in disbelief, falling silent for a moment. Tang Tian, under his intense gaze, felt as if something was off with his face.

"You actually want to pursue the path of the Close Combat Specialist!" Shen Yuan's tone turned respectful. "I lost without grievance."

It sounded impressive to be a Close Combat Specialist... Tang Tian mused, perhaps Old Wei hadn't deceived him after all.

Shen Yuan was a bit excited. "If you're going for the Close Combat Specialist, the foundational skills are five types of martial techniques: agility techniques, finger techniques, palm techniques, fist techniques, and joint techniques. What cards do you have?"

Tang Tian, witnessing Shen Yuan's excitement, felt a twinge of anxiety. He pulled out three cards he had just taken from Yang Yong. "Here are three, although I plan to exchange the 'Iron Mud Finger.' I practice all five elements evenly, so I can't cultivate it."

"Oh, these two agility cards are fine. Since you practice evenly, we can swap 'Iron Mud Finger' for 'Eagle Claw Technique'; their values match, and the third-tier 'Eagle Claw Technique' is quite powerful. For palm techniques, I have 'Shattered Shadow Palm,' which emphasizes variability and is suited for close combat. Your 'Flash Fist' is good, but slightly weak; if it's third-tier, you could cultivate 'Small Collapse Fist.' For joint techniques, I have a third-tier 'Chain Technique.'"

"This combination is comprehensive. The Air-Wood Stake emphasizes footwork, while 'Eight Steps to Chase the Cicada' excels in speed, and 'Eagle Claw Technique' strikes fast. 'Shattered Shadow Palm' confuses the enemy with its deceptive changes. 'Small Collapse Fist' hits like thunder, delivering a decisive blow. The 'Chain Joint Technique' is extraordinarily powerful in close combat, with knees and elbows serving as deadly weapons!"

"That's so professional!" Tang Tian's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Impressive!" Amory genuinely admired him. Few could articulate such intricate knowledge. The various martial techniques belonged to different systems, and to be familiar with so many showed Shen Yuan's deep dedication to martial arts.

"I never expected you to have the courage to challenge the arduous path of a Close Combat Specialist; it’s truly commendable," Shen Yuan said earnestly. "I happen to have 'Shattered Shadow Palm,' 'Small Collapse Fist,' and 'Chain Joint Technique.' They are yours! Don't worry; they are all silver cards."

Tang Tian beamed, "Hmm, I misjudged you; you're a good kid after all!"

Shen Yuan's home.

"Please accept these three soul cards," Shen Yuan said solemnly, handing over the cards while Yang Yong seethed with rage beside him.

Tang Tian took the cards and, with Amory, left in high spirits.

Yang Yong couldn't contain himself. "Old Shen, why did you really give them the cards? We could have turned the tables if we acted now!"

Shen Yuan replied calmly, "And then what? Could we kill them? Such a failure, once experienced, is an everlasting shame."

Yang Yong fell silent.

Shen Yuan was right; even if they defeated Amory and Tang Tian again, given their identities, victory would seem expected, while failure would be disgraceful—any defeat would be a stain on their honor.

"Do you know what they think?" Shen Yuan said quietly. "He said that if we couldn't soothe their anger, they'd strip us and hang us at Tianjing Academy's entrance."

Yang Yong's face turned ashen, trembling as the scene Shen Yuan described flashed through his mind. He couldn't help but shout in fury, "How could they be so malicious!"

Shen Yuan patted Yang Yong's shoulder, offering comfort. "What are a few cards worth? It's just paying for peace."

Yang Yong lapsed into silence, suddenly feeling fortunate—yes, what were a few soul cards?

"And if he really practices these soul cards, heh," Shen Yuan chuckled darkly, "then he's in for a rough time!"

"Are there problems with these soul cards?" Yang Yong asked, curious.

"The soul cards are fine; even the martial techniques I selected for him are the most suitable," Shen Yuan chuckled coldly.

Yang Yong was puzzled. "Then why will he suffer?"

Shen Yuan shook his head. "You don't understand the Close Combat Specialist profession; it’s complex and requires exceptional talent to succeed. Without astonishing innate ability, it's impossible to progress. Each martial technique has distinct characteristics; theoretically, their combination is perfect. If mastered, there would be no weak points."

"But no one would pursue that path. For instance, if I major in Iron Palm, I would naturally study a fist technique like Iron Fist, which shares similarities, thus shortening my training time significantly. But if I were to learn a completely different fist technique, my training time would multiply, and what about five different martial techniques? The time required would be immense."

"Only true geniuses can become Close Combat Specialists. They can master each martial technique quickly. With Tang Tian's gifts, adding five distinct martial techniques will only make him more mediocre."

Shen Yuan squinted, speaking lightly.

Yang Yong felt an inexplicable chill in his heart.