Chapter 23: Wu Yuan's Ultimate Power
With a thunderous stomp, a terrifying force rippled through the ground. The cobblestones paved with azure bricks shattered, and countless fragments flew in all directions. Wu Yuan rolled to reduce the impact, dodging to the other side in a flash.
"You've lost your weapon. You brought this upon yourself, now die," the man in beast hide said with a piercing gaze, his killing intent rising. Swiftly, he swung his large hammer, charging at Wu Yuan who was attempting to escape. This seemingly casual swing contained astonishing power.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Two throwing knives shot from Wu Yuan's hand toward the man in beast hide at breakneck speed.
"Hmph! Petty tricks!" The man in beast hide swung his twin hammers, dancing in mid-air as he struck down both knives at the same time.
Bang! Bang! The throwing knives, imbued with tens of thousands of catties of force, were instantly deflected, veering off to the sides. One of the throwing knives pierced through the trunk of a large tree, sending it crashing down heavily, while the other blasted a large hole in the courtyard wall. Dust billowed into the air.
The young man in beast hide was forced to slow down.
Clang~ After rolling to dispel the force, Wu Yuan seized Yang Long's machete that had been blasted to a corner. He leaped up, holding the machete firmly as he faced off against the man in beast hide some distance away.
"Do you think you can beat me just by changing your weapon?" The man in beast hide asked indifferently, leisurely wielding his twin hammers, "Weapons are external aids. Mastering a weapon requires a long period of practice."
"This is my junior brother's machete. You've only just gotten your hands on it, what can you possibly do with it?" The man in beast hide mocked, yet stared intently at Wu Yuan.
Undermining one's opponent's confidence with words was a common tactic in battles among experts. Combat was never about pure strength or techniques alone. The will to fight and the ability to make snap decisions were equally critical.
"I didn't expect to encounter a first-rate Adept in this humble Li City," Wu Yuan's voice was hoarse, his eyes laying behind the bronze mask ablaze with battle fervor. "You, are someone worth fighting with my real weapon. You deserve to face my full strength."
Crackle~ Suddenly, a soft popping sound resonated from Wu Yuan's muscles and bones. Under the shocked gaze of the man in beast hide, Wu Yuan, who was less than 1.7 meters tall, instantly grew to 1.8 meters!
"Transfiguration?" The lean young man in beast clothing was in disbelief. "You were battling me in a Transfigured state?" Transfiguration was not a foreign concept to the man in beast hide. Even if first-rate Adepts like him couldn't perform Internal Vision, they had a high level of control over their body and could slightly Transfigure, just not to the same exaggerated extent as Wu Yuan.
However, martial artists were most comfortable fighting in their normal physical state. When in a Transfigured state, a martial artist's strength was handicapped. Wu Yuan was already very strong. Now that he returned to his normal height and bone structure, his strength would spike significantly.
"So what if you undo your Transfiguration? Your increase in power is still limited! Today, you shall die!" The young man’s eyes were icy cold, "However, it's rare that I encounter an opponent like you. To express my respect, I shall also use my strongest power to eliminate you."
The man in beast hide dared not take his opponent lightly. The air whistled sharply as he swung his hammers, descending upon Wu Yuan. He was even quicker now, and the hammers exerted a more terrifying pressure than before. Furthermore, the man's hammer technique had undergone a transformation. While his previous hammer technique was bold and forceful, each strike delivering full power, it was now a relentless, continuous assault.
“The spear is my choice for group battles, but my true expertise lies in the saber!" Wu Yuan's eyes traced the approaching hammer. His battle spirit surged within him, igniting a fiery passion in his veins.
Some of the martial arts Grandmasters Wu Yuan met in the Human Federation were no less formidable than this man in beast hide, and several even surpassed him. However, Wu Yuan had never engaged in a life-or-death battle before. The exhilarating thrill left him in an unprecedented state of invigoration.
In the face of death, there lay great terror. In the face of death, an individual could trigger his biological potential, something neither ordinary training nor competition could accomplish.
Triple Power Surge! Wu Yuan's skin, tendons, fascia, and bones shuddered in unison, then aligned in harmony. With his spine serving as the core, he channeled energy relentlessly to his limbs and bones, empowering his arms and legs. His physique soared to its peak state.
Swoosh! His blade gleamed, intercepting the formidable hammers.
Boom! Despite wielding a force of 60,000 catties after employing Threefold Power Surge, the overwhelming force from the collision threatened to tear his machete from his grip, and sent his body’s qi into turmoil! His body was forcefully propelled backward, and the building he crashed into crumbled upon impact, sending wood and bricks flying in all directions.
A force approaching 100,000 catties? Wu Yuan was astonished as he sprang from the wreckage. Before he had time to organize his thoughts, he once again met the hammers head-on, this time effortlessly fending it off.
A force of 50,000 catties? Wu Yuan immediately grasped the situation. The thin man donned in beast hide had grasped Twofold Power Surge. Although he wasn't proficient, he could still double his force during critical moments. A doubled force amounted to a staggering 100,000 catties, an utterly terrifying force.
Power Surge was a technique specifically for unleashing extraordinary strength after achieving a high degree of bodily control. Though formidable, it exacted a heavy toll on one's body. It was reserved for killing blows and not to be used lightly. Overusing it could lead to either a period of recuperation at best, or death from exhaustion at worst.
Boom! Boom! The hammer blows escalated into a frenzied assault. With power far exceeding his previous displays, the air was rent asunder, producing a shrill noise. Despite the relentless onslaught pushing him back, Wu Yuan blocked them all.
The fierce clash between the two experts caused a nearby house to collapse. The courtyard wall crumbled like paper under the shockwaves of their battle. Some of the Vicious Tiger Gang members who hadn't managed to escape watched this furious showdown with wide eyes and gaping mouths. The intensity of this fight was well beyond their wildest imagination.
In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged a total of 58 blows. The tall man in beast hide suffered two superficial slashes, but his muscles contracted to staunch the blood flow. The more they fought, the greater his astonishment grew.
Where did this guy come from? His ability is shocking. Even though I've used Power Surge five times, he’s uninjured?
His saber technique is technically flawless. Even though I'm the faster one, I was the first to sustain injuries. Were it not for my protective armor, I might already be dead. Does he genuinely possess 60,000 catties of strength, or has he attained the Rigid Yet Supple state Master spoke of?
As he contemplated his opponent’s might, fear seeped into his heart. Furthermore, after employing Power Surge five times, he felt thoroughly drained, as if his energy reserves were hollowed out. The toll on his body was too severe.
I can't defeat him. I must leave! He abruptly unleashed a hammer strike, accelerating toward Wu Yuan. But it was a feint, and he prepared to leap onto the rooftop and flee.
Wu Yuan saw through his plan. "Take this!" Wu Yuan chose to advance rather than retreat. His form blurred, his blade emanating a fearsome glow as he slashed toward the young man in beast hide. One slash followed by another, each slash stronger than the last!
"Thousand Mountains Blade!" This was the strongest saber technique Wu Yuan wielded when he stood at the pinnacle of the Human Federation. By gathering all his strength and mobilizing his musculoskeletal structure, he could instantly unleash multiple layers of blade rays. The accumulation of saber intent resembled an unassailable mountain, hence the name Thousand Mountains.
This technique placed a tremendous burden on the body and could not be exhibited lightly. In his previous life, Wu Yuan could execute up to 29 strokes in his peak state. Today, however, marked his first time displaying the Thousand Mountains Blade since transmigrating here. In an instant, seventeen blade rays flashed!
Clang! Clang! Clang! A series of weapon clashes echoed. The tall man clad in beast hide fought for his life, managing to parry the initial fifteen strikes. He avoided the sixteenth strike by inclining his neck, but the blade found purchase in the gap between his armguard and soft armor, cleaving through his shoulder and severing his entire arm.
"Ah!" The man cried out in agony, releasing his hammer and losing his momentum. Blood spurted forth from the wound.
Flee! Knowing his life hung by a thread, the man in beast hide hastily retreated. Yet the seventeenth strike didn't deviate from its course, slicing through the beast hide and the clasp of his soft armor.
His clothes were sliced into tatters, and the soft armor broke apart, causing a box to drop out from the inner layer of armor. A grievous wound marred his chest, and blood poured forth. He dared not waste time securing the wooden box.
Whoosh! Covered in blood, his upper body bared, the man in beast hide sped away into the distance, displaying astonishing swiftness.
"Your day of reckoning will soon come! Even if you flee to the three overseas continents, do not think you can evade my revenge!" seethed the man in beast hide, his voice dripping with endless hatred.
How could he not loathe his opponent? He had lost an arm, significantly diminishing his strength, and he had been stripped of a precious treasure. This journey had exacted a heavy toll!
Future retaliation? Wu Yuan's eyes gleamed with an icy chill, his aura sharp as he observed the other party depart. However, he did not pursue.
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