Chapter 1618: Chapter 1920: Masters Clash (Part 3)
The iron sword was destroyed, yet the man in black showed no intention of halting his attack. Instead, he quickened his pace, closing in on Ling Chen, using the broken sword in his hand to stab towards Ling Chen’s vital parts. However, just as the broken blade was about to approach, the man in black suddenly loosened his five fingers, releasing the sword which flew straight towards Ling Chen’s body.
Seeing this, the well-prepared Ling Chen bent backwards, his body forming a bow shape as the broken sword flew right over him.
Without the iron sword in his opponent’s hand, and with a sharp Wave-cutting Sword in his own, Ling Chen undoubtedly felt he had the advantage. Yet, as soon as this thought emerged, Ling Chen realized his thinking was overly simplistic.
Without the iron sword, the man in black stepped forward boldly, launching frenzied punches at his body. Furthermore, the opponent seemed intent on limiting the use of the Wave-cutting Sword, maintaining close combat, preventing Ling Chen from wielding it effectively. Each time Ling Chen attempted to increase the distance, the opponent would quickly close the gap, taking the initiative, leaving Ling Chen with only defensive options, without any chance for counterattack.
Damn! Ling Chen cursed under his breath. This opponent was too difficult to handle. He had assumed the battle would turn to his advantage. However, the opponent forcefully suppressed his advantage, converting it into a disadvantage. Although he held a long sword, such close combat was ill-suited for it.
Punching? Ling Chen never even considered it—he wasn’t naive. The opponent’s strategy was to force him to sheathe his sword, and if he followed, it would play right into the foe’s hands, making the situation increasingly dire for him.
The opponent was well aware of the power of the Wave-cutting Sword. Should Ling Chen find an opening, the one to suffer would be the man in black himself. Yet, the man in black persistently attacked, maintaining control, seemingly holding the advantage yet taking numerous risks.
Ling Chen knew that if he could withstand the opponent’s fierce assault, he would find an opportunity for counterattack. No matter how strong the man in black was, it was impossible to sustain such high-intensity attacks indefinitely; he would eventually need a breather. That would be Ling Chen’s chance.
Admittedly though, without an iron sword in his hand, the man in black’s attacks still took their toll on Ling Chen, each punch heavily laden with Power, numbing his arms. He worried he might not last, fearing the Wave-cutting Sword might slip from his grasp.
After several minutes, the man in black’s fluid assault finally slowed slightly, with a rhythm that was starting to unravel. Witnessing this, Ling Chen felt a rush of joy—here was the opportunity! Seizing the moment, his steadily retreating body suddenly lunged forward, thrusting the long sword through the opponent’s defenses, aiming straight for his body.
As the sword thrust out, the man in black’s movements suddenly accelerated, as though he had anticipated Ling Chen’s action. Seeing him dodge the sword edge, reaching single-handedly towards Ling Chen, Ling Chen’s lips curled into a sly smile.
Halfway through delivering the sword, Ling Chen tapped the ground with his feet, halting his advance and swiftly retreating, causing the man in black’s attack to miss its mark.
Indeed! Ling Chen secretly chuckled, having guessed that the opponent intentionally left an opening, trying to draw him into attacking. He had prepared in advance, and this sword thrust was merely to hoodwink the opponent; he never actually intended to strike.
The man in black frowned upon realizing he had been played, and his offense quickly became fierce again, akin to a torrential storm, enveloping Ling Chen in oppressive intensity.
For a moment, Ling Chen felt his breath stifling, fighting while retreating.
At that moment, a blinding light suddenly shone over, catching the attention of both Ling Chen and the man in black. Turning their heads, they saw an Audi sedan driving in from the direction of the residential area’s entrance. Glancing at the license plate, Ling Chen discovered it was Nanrong Hao’s vehicle.
Likely startled by the combat outside, Nanrong Hao hurriedly hit the brakes, bringing the car to a halt. Upon recognizing Ling Chen, his face changed, hurriedly poking his head out of the car, exclaiming, "Chen, you..."
Before Nanrong Hao could finish, the man in black suddenly flicked his wrist, sending a gleaming projectile flying directly towards Nanrong Hao’s head. Given Nanrong Hao’s skill, he couldn’t possibly withstand or even dodge the attack.
Seeing this, Ling Chen reacted instinctively, immediately throwing the Wave-cutting Sword, deflecting the flying dagger in mid-air, narrowly saving Nanrong Hao’s life.
"What are you waiting for? Go!" Ling Chen exclaimed sharply, prompting Nanrong Hao, sitting inside the car, to finally snap out of it, hurriedly stepping on the accelerator, driving the Audi sedan forward. Watching Nanrong Hao leave, Ling Chen let out a breath of relief, knowing that his presence just added trouble and posed significant danger to his life.
With Nanrong Hao gone, Ling Chen and the man in black exchanged stares once more.
"Kill!"
Without the Wave-cutting Sword, Ling Chen had no choice but to rely on his fists for combat. He thrust a punch, immediately seizing the initiative, launching several attacking punches consecutively.
Explosion!
Clenching his teeth, he executed his most powerful technique instantaneously. In an instant, an invisible Qi Force erupted, akin to haze, gradually forming around Ling Chen.
A punch! A straightforward punch, yet the man in black’s eyes froze. Although Ling Chen’s punch appeared simple, a visible Qi Force enveloped the area surrounding his fist.
Bam!
The man in black took a step back, gathering his Inner Strength, directly countering Ling Chen’s punch.
At the moment their fists collided, something seemed to explode in between, generating a strong air wave that forcefully propelled both their bodies apart.
After retreating seven or eight steps, Ling Chen finally steadied his footing and looked up to see the man in black having only retreated four or five steps before steadying himself. Instantly, a stark contrast was evident.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Ling Chen stared directly at the man in black, utterly shocked inside. This guy...was insanely tough! Even after deploying his most potent technique, he still couldn’t drive the opponent back. If it continued like this, wouldn’t he be doomed?
His ’Explosion’ skill allowed him to project Qi Force externally, generating formidable strength. Against myriad powerful foes in the past, this move had always been infallible. Yet, the man in black showed no fear of his explosion, managing to withstand it solely through his own prowess.
Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!
Frowning, Ling Chen understood that the explosion skill couldn’t last long, and it brought significant exhaustion to his body. Unable to shake the opponent off, the likely result was perishing right there.
"You are quite a formidable opponent!"
In a flash of thought, the man in black finally spoke, his tone still icy.
"Thanks for the compliment," Ling Chen responded coolly, all the while desperately strategizing in his mind.
