novelraw Chapter 96 - 75: Dragon Ascension (Part 2)
Chapter 96 - 75: Dragon Ascension (Part 2)
Back when Lu Ren abandoned the Huang Family, there were many reasons, but a major factor was surely that he couldn’t afford to offend the Gu Family, forcing him to accept the bad reputation.
He didn’t need to defeat Lu Ren to prove he was stronger. It wasn’t worth attracting trouble for a bit of empty fame, and he never cared if others said he was inferior to Lu Ren.
However, this match was critical, as it determined who would qualify for Dragon Ascension. He could not lose.
"The tournament isn’t the end for us. I want to reach Dragon Ascension, and you have a good chance too. How about we stop before either of us gets seriously hurt?"
Lu Ren said softly, not wanting a mutually destructive fight with Xu Yang, let alone a battle to the death.
Xu Yang nodded. "Alright."
Although the two didn’t get along, he had no intention of killing Lu Ren and making an enemy of the Gu Family.
Things wouldn’t be over once the tournament ended; afterward, they would enter Martial Arts Sects. It would be foolish to kill someone over a youthful spat, and besides, Lu Ren hadn’t shown any killing intent toward him.
"Watch out!"
A powerful aura erupted from Lu Ren, and his entire bearing changed in an instant.
"This is the Eighteen Scattering Hands."
He didn’t use the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist, but rather the Eighteen Forms of Scattering Hands he had learned from the Gu Family. This was also the reason he had always believed himself to be superior to Xu Yang.
When it came to killing power, a Foundation Establishment Martial Arts like the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist couldn’t compare to the Secret Martial Arts of a Noble Family.
The Gu Family’s Eighteen Scattering Hands encompassed fists, palms, claws, fingers, and legs. It was ruthless and precise, its deceptively simple techniques hiding an unimaginable killing intent.
Gu Fang’s cultivation was far below Qin Ze’s, yet she had torn through his Protective True Qi with a single palm strike and injured him. One could only imagine the power of this Martial Arts.
Xu Yang had seen Lu Ren, Gu Fang, and Gu Haoming fight on several occasions, so he was quite wary of this Martial Arts.
Without using his Wind and Thunder Strength, it would be difficult to defeat Lu Ren quickly unless he revealed his Vajra Skill.
Fortunately, he had other advantages. Lu Ren had just been through several grueling battles and was not in peak condition. It wasn’t impossible to win without revealing his Wind and Thunder Strength.
A low roar emanated from Lu Ren’s body. He lifted his shoulders, his body coiling like a great bow before springing off the ground. He vanished from his spot.
BOOM!
A fist, infused with a massive amount of True Qi, tore through the air, carrying a suffocating gale as it shot directly toward Xu Yang’s face.
There was no probing whatsoever; he attacked with his full strength from the very beginning.
’Trying to end this with a lightning-fast assault?’
Xu Yang instantly understood Lu Ren’s plan. He was brimming with energy and could easily last a hundred exchanges.
Lu Ren had consumed too much True Qi and stamina in his previous fights. He was also injured and couldn’t afford a prolonged battle. His only chance at Dragon Ascension was to end this fight in a flash.
He took a step to the side, his body spinning as he raised one leg high into the air.
It was the Bear King’s Leg Split from the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.
Like a falling axe, his leg tore through the air with a muffled roar, descending on Lu Ren’s head with the force of a collapsing mountain.
Lu Ren’s face fell.
The technique was a bit crude, but its power was astonishing. The wind from the kick alone made his cheeks sting; it was hard to imagine what would happen if it actually struck his head.
He had no choice but to abandon his attack and retreat, not daring to meet the kick head-on.
BOOM!
The entire platform shuddered violently from the impact of the kick, letting out a tremendous roar.
Lu Ren closed the distance again, thrusting a finger toward Xu Yang’s throat. The wind it generated shrieked like a blade slicing through the air.
This finger strike was infused with all of Lu Ren’s True Qi; it could likely pierce a steel plate.
Xu Yang didn’t dare to be careless, swatting his hand out as if to wave away a fly.
SMACK!
A crisp sound echoed out. This was the second time the two had clashed.
Lu Ren felt a sharp pain in his wrist, as if Xu Yang’s palm strike would shatter his bones. A good portion of the True Qi gathered in his fingertip was dispersed, and his strike went wide, grazing past Xu Yang’s ear instead of his throat.
’So tough!’ Lu Ren was inwardly shocked. ’How did he train his body to be like this?’
A good Root Bone not only meant better absorption of medicinal effects but also made tempering one’s Physique much easier than for an ordinary person.
Therefore, when clashing with peers of the same level, his body should have been stronger. But now, he was the one who was inferior. He felt as if Xu Yang’s body was made of unyielding stone, while his was mere flesh and blood. Their durability wasn’t even in the same league.
Moreover, he hadn’t sensed any True Qi. It seemed Xu Yang hadn’t used any at all, overpowering him with his physical body alone.
And indeed, Xu Yang had not used any True Qi.
His Vajra True Qi was becoming increasingly pure and domineering. So long as he wasn’t trying to kill, he wouldn’t let anyone notice the abnormality of his True Qi, lest he attract suspicion.
At the same time, Lu Ren swiftly changed techniques. The instant his finger brushed past Xu Yang’s ear, his Finger Technique transformed into a steel claw that shot toward Xu Yang’s head.
If that claw landed, it would have torn his scalp clean off.
A fierce wind howled by his ear. Xu Yang raised a hand to block. With a sharp THUD, Lu Ren once again felt the terrifying, steel-like quality of Xu Yang’s body. His wrist spasmed, and half his arm went numb.
BOOM!
At the same time, Xu Yang began his counterattack. His fist tore through the air like a great spear thrusting toward the nearby Lu Ren.
Before the fist even arrived, the sharp wind it generated gave Lu Ren goosebumps. He felt as if the punch would go straight through him.
He retreated abruptly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
THUD!
Struck as if by a hammer, Lu Ren staggered back two steps, his arms trembling. Xu Yang’s fist felt impossibly heavy.
If his Physique hadn’t been so well-tempered, that single punch might have shattered the bones in his arms.
’Such ferocious Bear-Bursting Strength. He doesn’t have a Family Secret Martial Arts, yet he’s cultivated a mere Foundation Establishment Fist Technique like the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist to such a profound level. His Comprehension is likely truly greater than mine.’
Lu Ren was deeply shaken.
That Xu Yang could force him into such a corner relying on nothing but the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist... The killing power of a Foundation Establishment Martial Arts far exceeded his imagination.