Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 20

[Vol. 6] Chapter 20: This Punch Still Holds Three Points of Power

Murong Yun was genuinely confused.

He had traveled the world for over a decade, encountering all sorts of skilled martial artists, and had been involved in countless battles, some of which numbered over a thousand.

Among them, there were indeed enemies skilled in body refining, capable of withstanding his punches with their hard bodies. But those were always massive, muscular men, well over eight feet tall, or giant warriors clad in strange armor.

With those enemies, the feeling of a punch landing was like striking a steel plate or a wall. No matter how hard you hit, your wrist would still ache from the shock. But with this petite, adorable girl’s body, it felt like hitting something soft with a slight bounce. How could that be possible?

Still, the first half of that punch had landed with full force, and she seemed to have taken it without issue. This meant she must have some real skill. But why did she leave herself so unguarded to take that hit? It defied all martial arts logic…

Just as Murong Yun found himself bewildered by this almost absurd turn of events, the black-haired girl’s dissatisfied voice rang out once more.

“Hey, why don’t you keep going? Show me some of those flashy martial arts techniques! Is that all you’ve got?”

Before he could react, an eerie, bone-chilling sense of danger and unease suddenly descended on him!

It was a feeling he had only experienced once before, years ago, when he and a group of strong warriors ventured into a secret realm to hunt down the fearsome beast known as Taotie. It was the suffocating, overwhelming pressure from its terrifying, mountain-like form and vast, ocean-like aura of power. That was the deepest sense of despair and fear he had ever felt. [1]

That entity was the most terrifying being he had ever encountered, almost making him unable to even entertain the thought of resistance.

Although he was only involved in fighting off the lesser creatures under the Taotie’s command, the shock of witnessing that legendary beast from a distance had left an indelible mark deep within his heart.

And now, once again, this terrifying, overwhelming pressure, far beyond what an ordinary person could bear, had reawakened that deep, lingering fear inside him. It instinctively caused Murong Yun’s palm to react, and he poured all of his stored [One-inch punch] into the punch!

“!?”

After his body instinctively reacted, Murong Yun finally realized something was wrong!

Such an attack was far beyond the acceptable standards for a sparring match. Its force was at least a hundred times greater than the initial strike. Not to mention this delicate young girl, if the earlier robust man, San Niu, had taken the blow head-on, he would likely have had his bones shattered and would have died on the spot!

Before he could even process where the sudden wave of fear had come from, Murong Yun hastily attempted to pull back. But [One-inch punch], known for its speed and forceful release, once launched, could not be taken back.

“Quick…!?”

He quickly turned around, intending to call for the guards to bring a healer for emergency treatment.

But in the next instant, what he had imagined, the sight of this black-haired girl’s bones shattering and her collapsing in helplessness, did not appear…

Instead, a powerful and violent recoil force surged from the point where his shoulder met hers, from the strange white robe, blasting outward with a tremendous force!

“Boom!!!!”

It was as if Murong Yun had been placed on a super-powerful spring that had been wound to its maximum. His body, unprepared, was thrust backward at an incredible speed!

“Boom!!!!!!”

In the stunned eyes of everyone in the courtyard, and even those still sparring in other areas, the middle-aged man in white was sent flying past the guards and slammed into the wall more than a hundred meters away on the eastern side of the courtyard, raising a huge cloud of dust.

“…?”

Everyone, including Prefect Wen Fu, looked at each other in confusion, seemingly not understanding what had just happened. All that was left in the courtyard was a vast silence. Even Ling Feng and Bai’er, still engaged in their fight nearby, couldn’t help but glance at the innocent-looking priestess with astonished eyes.

The assistant officer, overwhelmed with shock, had completely forgotten to announce the results of the match.

After a long pause, the Prefect was the first to snap out of it. He quickly stood up and ordered loudly.

“Why are you still standing there?! Go help him!”

“Uh, yes… yes, sir!”

A group of guards immediately rushed over, scrambling to carefully extract Murong Yun, who was now embedded in the wall, amidst the thick cloud of dust.

But this guy’s body is really tough. After taking the defensive counterattack from the [Feather Robe Graria] and crashing into the wall so hard, he somehow remained conscious and didn’t lose consciousness. He even quickly got back on his feet with the help of the guards.

If there’s anything more tragic about the situation, it would be the arm he used to release [One-inch punch].

The artifact’s counterattack wasn’t easy to take. Though it was just the passive effect of the skill, Murong Yun’s entire arm was twisted out of shape, like a pretzel. The palm of his hand was so mangled that it was a bloody mess, and not only were his bones damaged, but his entire arm would probably need to be amputated immediately to save his life.

With the help of the guards, the man in white limped back to his original position. The Prefect quickly stepped forward with concern, instructing the already-prepared healer to treat Murong Yun, while also observing his obviously ruined right arm, frowning slightly.

“Mr. Murong, what exactly…”

Glancing at the black-haired girl walking over from not far away, Murong Yun didn’t harbor any resentment. Though there was some unwillingness, he just gave a bitter smile and sighed softly.

“I was outclassed… I humbly accept defeat. I judged by appearance and didn’t know my place.”

Prefect Wen Fu quickly offered words of comfort.

“Mr. Murong, why say such things? This was only a sparring match. How could she have been so ruthless? I will…”

“Ah, no, Prefect.”

Understanding the situation from the recent battle, Murong Yun could only raise his uninjured arm to stop him.

“From beginning to end, that young lady never attacked me. Instead, it was my inner demons that caused me to use powers I shouldn’t have in a sparring match, which led to this unfortunate outcome…”

“Ultimately, it’s a matter of insufficient skill. Although I am deeply ashamed, Prefect, as for the upcoming exploration, I’m afraid I can’t participate…”

“Oh? You have a rather good mindset.”

The black-haired girl, who had been listening intently to their conversation, walked up to Murong Yun, who was sitting on a chair, receiving emergency treatment from a healer. Given her height, this allowed her to meet his gaze, despite their difference in stature.

“Let me take a look.”

With that, Violet lightly tapped her fingers on Murong Yun’s twisted arm. However, even this slight contact made him wince in pain, causing him to furrow his brows.

“Hey! What are you doing, little girl? Don’t delay my treatment!”

A voice scolded from nearby. It seemed to be the white-bearded old doctor. However, Violet didn’t pay him any mind, maintaining her position and remaining silent for a moment.

Seeing that Murong Yun hadn’t opposed her, Prefect Wen Fu chose to watch quietly, seemingly curious about what the black-haired girl, who had injured him, was planning to do.

Soon, Violet finished her examination, smiling and nodding slightly.

“That last strike was quite good. To be honest, if it had been a regular attack, it wouldn’t have caused this level of recoil. You instantly unleashed more than three times your physical limit. This couldn’t have been a technique you came up with by yourself… Hmm, we’ll talk about that later.”

“[Glorious Blessing]”

A bit of golden light spread from the tips of the priestess’s fingers.

Note:
[1]
The Taotie is a mythical creature in Chinese mythology, often depicted as a grotesque, gluttonous beast. It is frequently seen on ancient Chinese bronze vessels, typically as a mask-like design with large, bulging eyes and a gaping mouth.