Celestial Human Diagram

Chapter 360 - 91: Striking the Weakness

A cloud of dust erupted from the broken wall, rolling outward. The successive sounds of impact then shot off in another direction, only to leap to the other side an instant later.

The two students, Liang and his peer, strained their eyes. Even if it weren’t for the thick cloud of dust, they still wouldn’t be able to make out the two combatants’ movements clearly. They could only rely on the sounds to gauge the battle’s intensity. A profound sense of shock washed over them. ’Is that Chen really a student like us?’

For a moment, they wondered if they had somehow missed a few classes.

Chen Chuan knew from their brief exchange that he couldn’t let Teacher Jiang press his attack. The instructor’s speed seemed to accelerate the more he attacked.

He had managed to break Teacher Jiang’s rhythm by using the stone wall, and he wasn’t about to give him another opportunity to build it up. He had to apply pressure from the front—at the very least, tie Teacher Jiang down and prevent him from leveraging his strengths.

This time, as he rushed forward, he completely unleashed the restraints on his Mutated Organization. With a sudden surge of speed and power, he met Teacher Jiang’s slashing thrust head-on and launched his own counterattack.

It was like two colossal, opposing waves colliding. Dust was churned up in layers, craters blasted open in the ground, and stone fragments flew everywhere. The two moved so fast that it seemed as if slash marks were left hanging in the thick, rising cloud of dust.

Teacher Jiang sensed the change in Chen Chuan and understood he must be using some kind of explosive technique to more efficiently utilize the effects of the potion.

He also noticed that Chen Chuan’s attacks were no longer cautious and restrained. Instead, they grew increasingly aggressive, the tempo quickening, as if trying to overwhelm his own offensive momentum.

’Oh? He figured it out this quickly?’

’No wonder his evaluation for combat decision-making was the highest possible...’

Relying on his senses, which were gradually approaching the Third Limit, Chen Chuan detected something in Teacher Jiang’s breathing rhythm and movement patterns. The man’s flickering movements with each attack weren’t just to keep his opponent from tracking his position; they were also his method of generating Power.

He needed a certain rhythmic movement to build up his Power and unleash the full force of his blade.

That first strike Teacher Jiang had landed before the battle officially started hadn’t been meaningless. It was meant to make Chen Chuan believe that even a casual blow from him carried immense power. In reality, that strike had also involved a brief movement to build up momentum, but it was all concealed beneath a seemingly relaxed and casual gait.

It was a tactical deception designed to force him into a conservative strategy—exactly what his opponent wanted.

Teacher Zheng had often told him that in a fight, you must guide and control your opponent, not be controlled by them. And from the very beginning, Teacher Jiang had been trying to do just that.

Having realized this, he knew what he had to do: stop Teacher Jiang from fully accumulating Power through his movements. So, seizing the opportunity, he pressed forward, using offense as his defense. He stuck close to his opponent, disrupting his rhythm. This way, the Power Teacher Jiang could channel would be far more limited.

Of course, that didn’t mean this reduced Power wasn’t lethal—it was just relatively weaker. As Teacher Jiang’s strength waned, his own waxed. He could build his advantage through relentless attacks, allowing him to unleash even more of his own power and speed.

The assistant teacher stared intently at the arena, utterly shocked. He never expected Chen Chuan could actually trade blows with Teacher Jiang. ’And not just that, he found a counter-strategy so quickly! But this is probably the extent of it. The potion has a time limit. Will it last three minutes? Five, maybe?’

’If this goes on any longer, a body at the Second Limit won’t be able to take it, no matter what. He’s destined to lose this fight. I just hope he doesn’t refuse to admit defeat and push himself past his breaking point. That would be bad.’

He stood ready, prepared to jump in and rescue Chen at the first sign of trouble.

Teacher Jiang calmly parried Chen Chuan’s offensive with his Foil. Chen Chuan had indeed found the right strategy, constantly interrupting and disrupting his movements, preventing him from building up his Sword Stance.

’But this probably isn’t enough.’

’I can accumulate Power not just through movement, but also through the simple act of swinging my Weapon. Granted, the fluctuations of Power from Chen Chuan’s blade are giving me some trouble, preventing a smooth and rapid build-up, but that only delays the inevitable. It won’t change the outcome.’

As he continued his relentless assault, Chen Chuan also hit his stride. His senses, growing ever sharper, detected a shift in Teacher Jiang’s aura. His power was becoming more focused and stable, like a bowstring being drawn taut, little by little.

This proved that even in such a high-tempo battle, it was difficult to completely suppress Teacher Jiang’s ability to store power. However, Chen Chuan’s strategy didn’t end there.

Before Teacher Jiang could continue, Chen Chuan suddenly mobilized the portion of his Mutated Organization he had been holding in reserve. With an abrupt explosion of power, his blade flashed in a swift, downward slash aimed straight at his opponent.

This sudden move was a complete break from his previous rhythm. Teacher Jiang knew all about Chen Chuan’s ability to switch between two sets of Mutated Organizations, but he truly hadn’t anticipated this.

Relying on his outstanding coordination, he twisted his Foil just in time to parry the blow. However, this sudden move was outside his rhythm, causing the power he had been accumulating to dissipate.

He couldn’t help but mentally award Chen Chuan high marks for that move. What was more impressive was that after this burst of speed, Chen Chuan’s follow-up attacks maintained the new, frenetic pace. He couldn’t let this continue. After a slight adjustment, he exploited an opening and thrust his Foil straight at Chen Chuan’s shoulder, aiming to stifle his assault.

However, Chen Chuan completely ignored the thrust. His slash toward Teacher Jiang didn’t alter its course in the slightest. This seemed utterly irrational. He had clearly seized the momentum; he could have parried the thrust without losing much of his advantage. Instead, letting the blow land risked mutual destruction, squandering his hard-won upper hand.

But Chen Chuan saw it differently. ’Teacher Jiang hasn’t built up his Power yet. Even if I don’t use my Second Self, I might get hurt in this exchange, but he’ll be hurt far worse.’

’Sure, a Third Limit Fighter has incredible Life Force and would probably be fine in the end. But being struck by a student—let alone trading injuries with one—is something he would never be able to accept.’

Teacher Jiang, indeed, would not allow that to happen. ’What a joke. I’m the examiner here. Getting injured by the student I’m assessing? What would become of my reputation?’

’And even if I’m unscathed, if I’m forced into a position where I have to injure an examinee, I’ll be the laughingstock of the other teachers.’ So, with no other choice, he once again retracted his attack to parry.

This shift not only broke his smooth power-storing rhythm once more, but it also further compressed the space he had to maneuver his Weapon.

Teacher Jiang was now forced completely onto the defensive. And even though Chen Chuan had just exploited his psychology, he wasn’t angry. Instead, his admiration for the student grew.

’A Fighter should use every advantage they have. Since he noticed his opponent was constrained by something, it’s only natural to hammer away at that weakness relentlessly.’

’I would’ve done the same in his place.’

’But appreciation is one thing. If this continues, there won’t be much of a fight left to have.’

’It’s not that I don’t have my own explosive techniques, but using them on a student would be too humiliating. Of course, I could just wait for Chen Chuan’s potion to wear off, but that would sound just as bad. Would people say I would have lost if the student’s enhancement hadn’t run out?’

’That’s just not acceptable.’

He started to move constantly, changing directions and using the stone pillars to obstruct Chen Chuan’s attacks. But Chen Chuan stuck to him like glue, following his every move.

As the two fighters passed, massive stone pillars collapsed one after another. The entire forest of pillars seemed like a boiling cauldron, with dust rolling in thick clouds and thunderous noises echoing everywhere.

After about a dozen breaths, the two came to a broken pillar that was already damaged and leaning precariously. As Teacher Jiang passed underneath it, he gave it a light tap with his hand.

Just as Chen Chuan moved to follow, the already shattered upper section of the pillar came RUMBLING down.

Teacher Jiang had calculated this. He didn’t expect it to stop Chen Chuan completely, only to hinder him for a moment. That was all he needed. Once he broke free from Chen Chuan’s relentless pursuit, he would have an opportunity to counterattack. Then, he could declare the fight over. ’That way, I save face and maintain my dignity as a teacher.’

Chen Chuan realized this as well, but he refused to give up. He stared at the collapsing pillar that was about to block his path. With a command of his will, his Second Self instantly merged with him. BOOM! He burst through the falling rubble, and simultaneously, an impossibly fast flash of his blade shot directly toward Teacher Jiang’s chest!

Seeing Chen Chuan’s speed increase yet again, Teacher Jiang was startled. For a split second, his skin seemed to flush red, and his speed as he retreated increased dramatically. With a slight tremor of his wrist, he flicked his Foil. Like a snake, it coiled around the body of the Snow Monarch Blade. After retreating several dozen meters, they both came to a sudden halt.

He chuckled. "Chen, the assessment is over. Not bad. I’ll give you a high score."

Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "Thank you, Teacher." He slowly withdrew his Power. The Foil coiled around the Snow Monarch Blade sprang loose, section by section, until it was once again a perfectly straight blade.

The assistant teacher finally let out the breath he had been holding. To be honest, that last moment had looked truly perilous, and he had been on the verge of intervening. Thankfully, both of them knew when to pull back. He shot Teacher Jiang a look of disapproval. ’As a teacher, he has no sense of proportion. The student might be reckless, but shouldn’t you know better?’

Just then, Teacher Jiang said, "End simulation."

The surrounding scenery vanished instantly. The collapsed stone pillars, the dust covering the ground—it all disappeared. Before them was the empty training hall once more, its specialized floor gleaming like new, so polished it reflected their figures.

Chen Chuan walked over, picked up his Sword Scabbard, and sheathed the Snow Monarch Blade. He then turned to the two instructors. "Teachers, I’ll be taking my leave now." After bidding them farewell, he gave a nod to Liang and the other student before departing.

Teacher Jiang watched him go, then raised a hand to his chest. There, on his clothes, was a minuscule puncture hole, no bigger than the eye of a needle. The tip of the blade had touched his skin. ’If that were a real fight,’ he thought, ’and Power had been channeled through that point of impact... the outcome would be hard to predict.’

’Still, I had one last resort: a shattering counter-force. It’s more than a simple disarm; a full burst of it could shatter an opponent’s Weapon, or at the very least, sever the flow of Power through it. But using that would have made me the laughingstock of the other teachers.’

He sighed internally. ’Students these days are getting more and more impressive...’ Just then, the assistant teacher’s voice cut in. "What are you two still gawking for? Liang, get over here and take your test again."

He thought for a moment. ’Hmm. On second thought, I take that back...’

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