Chapter 137: Two People Testing Each Other

This was not something that could be resisted simply by releasing one’s own demonic energy. That corrosive, aggressive force could seek out and invade the weakest points of the body. Once even a trace of it entered, its overwhelming power would continue corroding and destroying everything from within. Just like those lesser demons earlier, its victims would be reduced directly to pools of blood. It was truly terrifying.

“Leave at once, all of you!”

Miss Feixue turned toward Fan Fan, Susu, and the others. Her voice was filled with extreme anxiety and unease.

“Ordinary humans without any resistance cannot withstand this demonic energy!”

“Defensive Barrier!”

Staring in astonishment at the circular shield before her, Feixue suddenly froze.

Just as she anxiously warned everyone, Qin Xiaochuan’s relatives seemed not to have heard her at all. They waved their arms excitedly, cheering and encouraging Qin Xiaochuan on the platform. A Bu stood atop Fan Fan’s head, flapping its chubby little wings and enthusiastically responding to the female fans. As it beat its wings, it cried out, “A Bu! A Bu!” as though it were cheering for its master as well.

Around the women, a circular spiritual-energy barrier had formed, with A Bu at its center. It enclosed them tightly, protecting them from Sikong Lang’s demonic energy. Although Qin Xiaochuan was fighting Sikong Lang onstage, he still remained concerned for the safety of his family. Sensing his worry, A Bu activated the defensive barrier within its body and sheltered the people Qin Xiaochuan cared about most.

Noticing that Feixue seemed to have gone blank beside them, the adorable A Bu gave the beautiful young woman a playful wink. It seemed to understand what she was worried about and was telling her, “Don’t worry. I’m here.”

Then it once again beat its little wings with all its strength and began cheering toward its master on the arena.

“A Bu...”

Watching Sikong Lang approach with all his power gathered, Qin Xiaochuan felt no panic at all. Instead, an extraordinary calmness and serenity had settled over him. The tension and fear he had felt when he first encountered Sikong Lang were completely gone. His heart was as tranquil as a still lake reflecting the scenery beyond it, without even the slightest ripple beneath the surface.

It was strange. Even Qin Xiaochuan himself found it almost unbelievable. He had heard that after suffering severe trauma, people could become incapable of feeling pain. Perhaps fear was the same.

Before Sikong Lang could attack, Qin Xiaochuan took the initiative and charged forward. The first strike was always the strongest. Facing Sikong Lang, who had released eighty percent of his power, Qin Xiaochuan felt an inexplicable urge to test the new strength he had inherited from Grandmaster Jinghai. His blood was practically tingling with anticipation.

He wanted to launch the first attack and see exactly how powerful he had become. Ever since inheriting the immense spiritual energy within the Spiritlight Jade, he had remained in a state of continuously absorbing its power. Although he had endured the pain that came immediately after the inheritance, that did not mean he had completely absorbed all the spiritual energy within the jade. He had merely grown accustomed to the degree at which it released its power.

At this moment, only actual combat could further strengthen his body’s absorption of the Spiritlight Jade’s energy. Through repeated tempering and release, the spiritual power within him could merge more firmly with his own strength.

At the same time, he wanted to measure just how powerful Sikong Lang truly was with eighty percent of his strength released and determine whether he needed to use the hidden power Grandmaster Jinghai had given him—a second trump card against Sikong Lang.

Thinking of what Granny had told him before the trial, Qin Xiaochuan grew even calmer.

He rushed up to Sikong Lang and drove his right fist straight toward the demon’s face. The attack contained no fancy technique whatsoever. Sikong Lang blocked with his left arm, then quickly struck out with his right fist, smashing it into Qin Xiaochuan’s left arm as it guarded his chest and sending him flying.

Qin Xiaochuan landed on the arena some distance away. He rolled over, used the friction of his palm against the ground to seize his balance, and halted his retreat. Then, pushing off with the tips of his toes, he shot forward again. Borrowing the momentum of his charge, he threw another right punch at Sikong Lang’s body.

But Sikong Lang seemed to have anticipated the blow. As Qin Xiaochuan charged toward him, Sikong Lang’s body swayed and vanished from its original position. In the next instant, he suddenly appeared to Qin Xiaochuan’s left, as though he had teleported, and swung his right fist—charged with demonic power—toward Qin Xiaochuan.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Yet when Sikong Lang disappeared, Qin Xiaochuan did not panic. He had already prepared himself for Sikong Lang’s speed. Although the demon’s body had grown extraordinarily huge, his speed had not been affected in the slightest. He was even more agile than Feiyan.

Thus, the moment Sikong Lang vanished, Qin Xiaochuan released the spiritual power within his body and quietly sensed the movements around him. The Spiritlight Jade, which contained an immense amount of spiritual energy, had not only filled Qin Xiaochuan with tremendous power but had also completely transformed his body, as though he had been reborn.

Washed by the energy of the jade, his senses of touch, smell, and perception had all become extraordinarily sharp. Places he had previously overlooked—or could never have noticed at all—now fell within his awareness.

This physical transformation was another reason Qin Xiaochuan could face Sikong Lang so calmly. In terms of attack power, spiritual energy, physical defense, and perception, Qin Xiaochuan felt as though he had just opened the gates to a vast treasure house. One unknown treasure after another was being unearthed within him.

Sensing Sikong Lang’s presence to his left, Qin Xiaochuan turned his head slightly in that direction, intending to face him. But by then, Sikong Lang’s explosive fist was already swinging toward him. It was too late to dodge a blow carrying such force.

Qin Xiaochuan glanced toward the position of Sikong Lang’s face, then raised his left leg and kicked him directly in the left cheek. Borrowing the rebound from the impact, he rapidly pushed his body backward.

“Beautiful.”

Seeing Qin Xiaochuan’s instantaneous reaction, Bai Ying could not help praising him inwardly. Qin Xiaochuan had used the force of the attack against itself with perfect skill. Even at the peak of his own speed, Bai Ying was not certain he could have dodged Sikong Lang’s sudden strike so quickly, much less use the force of a kick as a rebound to retreat and avoid the dangerous blow so cleanly.

Boom!

Although Sikong Lang’s fist had missed Qin Xiaochuan, the pressure generated by it carved a deep trench through the arena and the ground below. The destructive force of that punch was astonishing. Merely the wind pressure had caused such devastation.

The entire audience was stunned. For a moment, the vast venue fell completely silent.

Seeing that his fist had missed, Sikong Lang did not stop attacking. He raised his hand, and a punch of even greater force shot toward Qin Xiaochuan as he retreated.

The enormous pressure compressed the air and exploded outward along the path of Sikong Lang’s swinging fist. A trench deeper than the previous one stretched all the way toward the spectators’ seats. At last, the compressed force erupted among the audience, blasting countless spectators into pieces.

Qin Xiaochuan leaped into the air and dodged the blow Sikong Lang had launched with a single raised hand. He landed lightly at the edge of the arena.

The moment Qin Xiaochuan was about to steady himself, Sikong Lang seized the opportunity and charged forward. He raised his right fist, preparing to strike again.

But this time, Qin Xiaochuan did not dodge. Instead, he raised both hands and assumed a stance meant to receive the blow head-on.

Could it be that Qin Xiaochuan intended to withstand the punch directly?

“Idiot! Are you trying to take that blow head-on?”

Seeing Qin Xiaochuan stop evading, Zhang Yang grew frantic. If Sikong Lang’s heavy fist struck him directly, the consequences would be disastrous. The wind pressure alone from the previous two punches had possessed such terrifying destructive power. A direct hit would certainly be fatal.

However, Sikong Lang did not throw the punch. He stopped once more.

Looking at Qin Xiaochuan, who had taken up a defensive stance, Sikong Lang said with a trace of apology, “My apologies. Attacking from this angle would not be entirely honorable.”

Hearing this, Qin Xiaochuan rose from his half-crouched position.

“...Heh. I had no idea you were a feminist.”

Although he had not been struck, the previous moment had still made Qin Xiaochuan’s heart jolt. As it turned out, just after landing, he had been preparing to dodge again when the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of Fan Fan and the others standing in the spectator seats behind him.

If he evaded, the force of Sikong Lang’s punch would strike the seats behind him directly. The resulting pressure might injure them. No matter what, he could not dodge this time. He had already prepared himself to endure the punch’s full force.

If he evaded again, Sikong Lang’s punch would likely crash into Fan Fan and the others behind him. As ordinary humans, they would have no way to resist it.

“So... so incredible!”

Watching the two fighters exchange attacks and defenses with such blinding speed, Miss Xingmeng was too astonished to speak properly. Only a battle this dazzling could be worthy of such an ultimate final.

The two men completed their attacks and defenses in an instant. It seemed that the spectators’ eyes could not keep up with their rhythm at all. Only when both of them finally stood still did Miss Xingmeng seem to awaken from a dream.