Two figures clashed under the gaze of countless eyes, like meteors colliding, sending shockwaves of fierce energy rippling through the air. *Whoosh!* A heavy ruler cut through the air like a black lightning bolt, carrying a ferocious gust that made the very space ripple. It descended with great force towards Liu Qing, who stood motionless as if rooted to the spot. The strength was so immense that even the air beneath the ruler was driven away, and a low sonic boom echoed, sounding like an underground explosion, muffled and chilling.
The intense pressure from the fierce wind made Liu Qing’s clothes cling tightly to his skin, but his face remained impassive, undisturbed by the ruthless downward slash. As the ruler approached, only a foot away from his head, Liu Qing casually took a small step to the side.
The ruler fell with a loud thud, barely missing Liu Qing’s shoulder, accomplishing nothing. In that instant, Liu Qing’s left hand suddenly curled into a claw and struck out to the left.
The seemingly casual strike landed precisely on the ruler, releasing a powerful burst of energy that sent the ruler flying several feet away, just as Xiao Yan had intended to change his offensive. This interrupted Xiao Yan’s attack, causing a brief pause in his momentum. Liu Qing, however, seized this fleeting moment. With his palm facing down, he curled it into a sharp arc, resembling a beast’s claw. He then thrust his arm forward, sending a cold, sharp gust of wind towards Xiao Yan’s chest.
As the ruler was deflected, Xiao Yan reacted instantly. His left hand moved like lightning, clenching into a fist as profound energy rapidly condensed, then he struck out, meeting the advancing claw with a resounding crash.
*Boom!* The clash of fist and claw produced a low sonic boom, followed by a wave of energy that rippled through the air, spreading out in all directions.
*Deng deng…* Xiao Yan’s body trembled violently as he hurriedly retreated, each step causing cracks to appear on the hard floor. After a few steps, a low groan escaped his throat, and he stomped his right foot, shattering the ground beneath him.
After completely neutralizing the incoming force, Xiao Yan raised his head with a serious expression, looking at Liu Qing, who had only taken a small step back. The direct collision revealed that Liu Qing’s strength was clearly superior.
Taking a deep breath of the slightly cool air, Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the unperturbed Liu Qing. He knew that fighting such a powerful and experienced opponent would be increasingly disadvantageous the longer the battle dragged on. To maximize his chances of victory, he needed to achieve the greatest offensive effect in the shortest time possible. However, despite knowing what strategy would be most beneficial, Xiao Yan still felt a headache. Liu Qing was no ordinary opponent; any slight opening could lead to a torrent of relentless attacks. Both were waiting for the best opportunity to strike.
The most frustrating part was that Liu Qing had ample time to calmly wait for Xiao Yan’s momentum to wane, while Xiao Yan had to achieve some level of offensive success within a limited time. This put Xiao Yan at a disadvantage.
Sighing inwardly, Xiao Yan cleared his mind and tightened his grip on the ruler. He narrowed his eyes at Liu Qing, who was similarly focused on him. Suddenly, Xiao Yan leaned slightly forward, then stomped the ground, launching his entire body into a spinning motion a half-foot off the ground. As he spun, the ruler left his hand, whizzing through the air with a sharp, piercing sound, like a blurred black shadow, shooting towards Liu Qing.
Liu Qing’s eyes flickered with surprise at Xiao Yan’s sudden attack, but his expression remained calm. His hands curled into claws, and instead of retreating, he advanced, his large claws enveloped in a faint golden energy. He lunged, and his claws caught the blurred black shadow!
With the faint golden energy, Liu Qing’s claws gripped the ruler, halting it mid-air. Despite the force of the impact, which caused him to take several steps back, Liu Qing managed to neutralize the ruler’s energy. His strength was truly terrifying.
His fingers bent into an odd, yet precise arc, each finger making contact with the ruler. Several clever points of contact, combined with his powerful energy, allowed him to seemingly effortlessly catch Xiao Yan’s powerful attack. The weight of the ruler, however, made Liu Qing’s expression change. He had expected the ruler to be heavy, but upon gripping it, he was surprised to find it much heavier than his mountain-splitting spear.
Just as a trace of surprise arose, a shocking realization followed. After grasping the ruler, Liu Qing found that his previously smooth flow of energy suddenly became obstructed. “There’s something strange about this ruler!” the thought flashed through his mind, and he instantly released his grip. The ruler, now free, slid to the ground.
As the ruler fell, a faint, low rumble filled the air. Liu Qing frowned and looked up, seeing a blurred black shadow appear within arm’s reach. The shadow, taking advantage of Liu Qing’s momentary distraction, moved swiftly, its five fingers clenched tightly as its energy surged wildly.
“Eight Extremes Collapse!” Xiao Yan’s low, abrupt shout accompanied a powerful punch aimed at Liu Qing. The energy in the punch multiplied geometrically, and the continuous, low sonic booms sounded like fireworks in everyone’s ears.
This, the most powerful attack yet, made Liu Qing narrow his eyes. He could sense that Xiao Yan’s fierce assault was the same one that defeated Bai Cheng and Yao Sheng.
“Thinking you can defeat me with this? You’re still not there. But I am curious to see if your close combat skills can match my Great Rending Splitting Claw.” A smile appeared on Liu Qing’s face as his claws curled into a strange arc, faint golden energy swirling around his fingertips, pulsing with a cold, menacing glow.
“Great Rending Splitting Claw!” His claws, palms facing down, shot out. An almost invisible arc of energy formed in front of his claws, creating a startling sight, matching the power of Xiao Yan’s Eight Extremes Collapse.
The crowd watched in awe as the two engaged in a direct physical confrontation. They could see that both had a high level of proficiency in close combat, but they also knew that such battles were more brutal and violent compared to weapon-based duels. However, the men seemed to have no aversion to it, as evidenced by the enthusiastic red faces of the students.
Wu Hao and others tensed up, knowing that a single misstep in this type of combat could lead to a severe defeat. Although they were familiar with Xiao Yan’s close combat abilities, Liu Qing was also a master in this field.
“Xiao Yan’s close combat technique is probably not lower in rank than the Great Rending Splitting Claw, but I’m not sure if it can stand up to it in a direct clash,” said Yan Hao, observing the energy around Xiao Yan.
Lin Xiu Ya, eyes glued to the battle, shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve seen Xiao Yan use this technique before. It has a powerful initial burst, but its follow-up is weaker than the Great Rending Splitting Claw. Liu Qing’s mastery of this technique is truly refined. If he can block Xiao Yan’s attack, the counterattack might be dangerous for Xiao Yan.”
Yan Hao and Han Yue nodded, watching the battle with concern as the two clashed once more.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the powerful punch and claw collided with a resounding boom. A burst of energy, akin to a storm, surged from their point of contact. The energy waves caused the floor to crack, spider-webbing outward from under their feet. The raw, destructive power of their physical clash stunned the audience.
In the center of the arena, the punch and claw seemed to adhere to each other, with invisible energy constantly emanating from their feet. The solid floor rapidly crumbled, turning into tiny fragments, and finally, into dust.
Xiao Yan’s eyes were fixed on the expressionless Liu Qing, his arm trembling. The recoil from the clash had numbed his entire arm, and his heart sank. This time, the usually effective Eight Extremes Collapse had failed to make a significant impact. Xiao Yan could feel that the technique’s hidden energy was immediately dispersed by a stronger, more aggressive force from Liu Qing.
The energy from the Eight Extremes Collapse was rapidly dissipating, but Liu Qing’s large, vice-like grip on Xiao Yan’s fist showed no sign of loosening. “Impressive initial burst, but lacking in follow-through!” Liu Qing, stone-like, slowly spoke, smiling at Xiao Yan. “It seems it’s over!”
As he spoke, his claws suddenly pressed down, breaking through Xiao Yan’s defenses and heading straight for his chest. The claw’s energy was sharp and deadly. If it hit, Xiao Yan’s defeat would be inevitable.
But Xiao Yan was prepared. His left hand, which had been hanging down, quickly formed a seal. Smiling, he unleashed a searing blue flame from his body. The flame coalesced into an indestructible armor, enveloping Xiao Yan.
“Not necessarily!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage