Chapter 350: Richard Dragon!
Luke's Turn
As a person who has lived two lives and possesses a completely mature mind, Luke felt he didn't need to seriously compete with an eighteen-year-old girl. However, reality gave him a serious lesson.
After a few months, Barbara was like a different person. Her seemingly soft body contained unimaginable explosive power. The force of that one kick was nearly comparable to that of a professional boxer.
Luke let out a sigh of admiration, dusted himself off, and stood up.
At this point, if he didn't put on a display, he'd be stuck with the nickname "Soft Boy" for the rest of his life.
"Barbara, be careful."
Luke's eyes narrowed. He abruptly launched himself forward using his legs, rushing toward her.
So fast!
Barbara was shocked. She instinctively raised her hands, but instead of attacking, the opponent reached out and grabbed her wrist. A needle-like sting shot through her wrist. Her arms felt numb and painful, and they instantly lost sensation.
Luke didn't go easy on her, executing a rear-arch suplex.
Bang!
Barbara's back hit the floor of the ring. Her face went pale from the pain.
Luke wagged his index finger in front of her.
"Miss Gordon, don't judge a book by its cover. I'm not some all-show, no-go pretty boy."
The middle-aged man sitting cross-legged opened his eyes and stated soberly,
"Muscle-Splitting Hand!"
Luke smiled. "Have you seen it before, sir?"
"It's a type of Chinese Qin Na (grappling) technique, a very practical skill," he said, turning his gaze toward Barbara. "The principle of the Muscle-Splitting Hand is to use focused fingertip force to strike the meridian lines in the wrist, achieving a short-term numbing effect on both hands. Remember, the wrist is the key."
Barbara looked thoughtful. She suppressed the pain, scrambled back up, and raised her fists.
"Again!"
Luke frowned slightly. He realized a frustrating truth: the girl was not joking; she was absolutely serious.
"Barbara, be careful."
Since the opponent was determined to fight, Luke naturally played along. Feigning weakness now would only be annoying.
Barbara roared and attacked again. Her fists were angled outward, preventing Luke from grabbing her wrists. Her speed was fast, and her feet thumped against the ground with every step.
Luke narrowed his eyes. As she reached him, he suddenly threw a straight punch.
Bang!
Fist collided with forearm. Barbara's body briefly stalled, seemingly unable to withstand the punch's power. Yet, she used the backward tilt of her body to twist, launching a high kick toward Luke's head.
Luke raised his arm to block. The girl instantly changed her move, retracting her left leg and kicking forward with her right. Her legs crossed back and forth, achieving the effect of a whirlwind kick.
White leg-blurs shifted constantly, making it impossible to distinguish which was real.
Luke snorted coldly, pushing forward with his toes to escape the attack range. The moment the girl landed, he suddenly lunged, seizing her leg root with one hand and grabbing the back of her collar with the other. He tossed her into the air. She flew three meters before crashing back down onto the mat.
The landing was solid, making the girl gasp in sharp pain.
Luke hooked his finger. "Come on, keep going."
Barbara gritted her teeth and got back up. This time, she didn't rush in. Instead, she cautiously studied Luke. The previous exchange had revealed a very unpleasant truth.
Luke Shaw was not an all-show, no-go pretty boy!
His physical quality was extremely strong; his power and reaction time were significantly better than hers.
This meant that to win against him, she would have to rely entirely on experience and technique.
Hoo!
Barbara exhaled a long breath, bending her body ninety degrees forward, and charged like a wild bull. This move was a shoulder charge takedown from mixed martial arts, a common and effective grappling technique.
A hint of pity flashed in Luke's eyes. He didn't move, allowing her to wrap her arms around his waist.
Barbara was ecstatic, ready to flip Luke onto the ground, but after trying several times, she realized with terror that she couldn't move him! Damn it! She put all her strength into it and still couldn't budge him. She wasn't holding a person; she was holding a giant tree rooted deep in the ground.
"That's enough, Barbara, stop. Don't fight anymore."
The middle-aged man stood up and walked to the edge of the ring. "The foundation of fighting is the body. Your friend's physique is far superior to yours. Even if you mastered the world's most advanced grappling techniques, it would be difficult to gain any advantage against him."
The girl was indignant. She tried one more time, and after failing, cursed angrily,
"Luke Shaw, did you cheat?"
Luke ignored her and turned to the middle-aged man.
"Your name is..."
"Richard Dragon."
As expected!
Luke was enlightened. He studied him again. "I heard that the world martial arts master, Mr. O Sensei, has three inner-door disciples: the eldest, Ben Turner, nicknamed Bronze Tiger; the second, Richard Drakonov, who earned the title Dragon for his mastery of the Dragon Claw; and the third, Sandra Wu-San, the most fearsome woman in the world."
"May I ask what your relationship is with the Richard Drakonov of legend?"
The middle-aged man's expression subtly shifted, but he quickly regained his composure.
"It's old history. I didn't expect anyone to remember."
Luke genuinely sighed in admiration.
"No wonder Barbara has changed so much in just a few months. She found a good teacher."
"Mr. Dragon..."
Luke stepped back a few paces and clasped his hands together. "May I trouble you for a few pointers?"
Barbara's eyes widened. She was completely shocked.
"You want to fight Mr. Long!"
"Don't be ridiculous! You're no match for him!"
Luke laughed heartily. "Of course, I'm no match for Mr. Dragon. I know my limits. The reason I challenge him is that I want to experience the prowess of a human peak martial artist."
"An opportunity like this is rare. Since I've encountered it, how can I miss it?"
"Mr. Dragon, please!"
Richard stared intently at Luke. As someone who practices Zen principles, he had a keen sense of aura. He could vaguely sense the terrifying presence emanating from this young man.
It was a form of fear, a deep, soul-level dread that sprouted and grew within his heart, spreading like a plague.
A strange fellow!
Richard silently mused, took off his jacket, and stepped into the ring. As a peak martial artist, he feared no challenge.
"Let's begin, young man. I won't hold back."
Luke took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart. He walked step-by-step to the center of the ring. At this moment, he was facing neither an uncanny metahuman nor a difficult alien, but a peak human combatant, ranked among the top five in the world.
Richard's body was undoubtedly powerful. His understated muscles contained explosive strength, and judging from the bulging of his forehead, he seemed to have mastered the technique of harnessing his internal chi.
He mastered the world's most exquisite fighting techniques and possessed the most direct methods of killing. Every attack was potentially lethal.
If Luke were wearing the Phantom Armor, he was confident he could beat him a hundred times over. The problem was: right now, he was fighting bare-handed.
"Mr. Dragon, please teach me."
Luke clenched both fists. He stepped out with his left foot, extending his left hand forward and placing his right hand by his side.
Richard glanced at his stance and said plainly,
"The opening form of the Crushing Fist. Your teacher is Chinese!"
"I have many teachers."
Luke let out a shout, his legs crossing rapidly as he rushed straight forward.
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