356 Lady Poison Strikes (1/2)
The ”Vajra Body Defending Divine Skill” originated from Shaolin, and therefore, Jin Gang could be considered half a Shaolin disciple. Before he studied the ”Vajra Body Defending Divine Skill,” his master had warned him that there was a Chinese martial arts technique, known as the ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm,” that he had to watch out for. This technique was a nemesis to Jin Gang's hard qigong style, as it did not rely purely on physical strength, but instead, on inner power. The ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm” could direct energy across the air, penetrate through flesh and damage the inner organs.
”So, what do you think of it?” Xiao Luo snapped as he lowered his guard and glared at Jin Gang.
”Impressive! The 'Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm' is not a simple technique to master. The art was lost to the martial arts world, so where did you learn it from?” Jin Gang replied as he slowly picked himself up. It was extremely rare to find one person out of hundreds of thousands who were suitable to practice this unique art. Even the present master of the Beggars' Sect could only get a passing grasp of its principles as he only had an unfinished book to study from. If even such a renowned master could not fully comprehend the intricacies of this art, Jin Gang wondered how Mie knew every single move.
”That's for you to find out!”
Xiao Luo waved the question off and replied, ”Do you still want to fight?”
Jin Gang's face twitched in response to the challenge, and he eyed Xiao Luo, discreetly assessing his condition. It appeared that both of them had sustained similar injuries, albeit minor ones, but with the ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm,” Xiao Luo still had an effective weapon against him. His assessment did raise some doubts in his mind, leaving him feeling conflicted, but after further thought, he clenched his teeth and responded, ”Yeah, let's do it!”
He intended to test the ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm” to its limit against his ”Vajra Body Defending Divine Skill,” discovering ways to overcome his inherent weaknesses.
And, without another word, he made a quick dash toward Xiao Luo, taking care to guard against Xiao Luo's ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm.” In an aggressive frontal attack, Jin Gang slashed his iron hands left and right, spinning his body and striking high, then low. He broke Xiao Luo's outer defense like a violent gust of wind and brought the fight into close-in combat. In a series of explosive blows, he threw countless punches, slaps, and clawed-hand strikes. But, at no time did Xiao Luo call upon the ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm.”
Xiao Luo backed away steadily, parrying the blows and countering the attack whenever he found an opening. Both fighters exuded an impressive martial bearing, and their fighting mettle was unsurpassed. But Xiao Luo appeared the steadier of the two, looking calm and genuinely excited by the exchange of strikes and counter-strikes.
The ”Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palm” technique was extremely powerful, but it took a heavy toll on one's inner power. As this was not a life and death battle, Xiao Luo did not see any reason to utilize it for the time. His state of mind had strangely altered—from where there was a reluctance to fight in the beginning, he now found a sense of elation he had never experienced before.
POW! BANG! POW!
As Jin Gang continued with his relentless close combat tactics, Xiao Luo suddenly stopped retreating, and in a quick counter-attack, his hands struck out with lightning speed, instantly breaking Jin Gang's offensive. Jin Gang was taken by surprise, and as he stepped back, he was goaded by Xiao Luo's mirthless laugh.
The initiative was now with Xiao Luo, and he increased the ferocity of his attack, striking at Jin Gang with countless punches that immediately put him in full defensive mode.
But, Jin Gang would not be subdued, and both fighters went back and forth in attack and defense. Every exchange was punishing, but in the heat of battle, neither could feel the pain. As the duel intensified, the dry sandy surface showed emerging cracks, and a cloud of dust once again swirled around the fighters—evoking images of two fiery dragons locked in a fierce battle in the celestial heavens.
The NSA warriors who were watching from the roadside felt their throats dry up, and they could barely gulp down their saliva. Someone in the crowd asked, ”Are they men or beasts?”
No one could answer him for that same thought had occurred to them. It was hard to say that the two were ordinary humans when they fought like feral beasts.
”Is that the true side of Xiao Luo?”
Ji Siying's lips trembled as she pondered the question. She could tell that Xiao Luo was thoroughly relishing the blood and gore, like a man addicted to violence.
Fu Yiren, stroking her green vipers as she observed the duel, suddenly stood up from the stone slab. ”It's about time I put a stop to this fight.”
At the very moment that Fu Yiren stood up, she vanished in a puff of mysterious vapor that coalesced into the form of a dark phantom. And in the next instant, she appeared between the two fighters as if carried by a strong gust of wind. She raised her hands at both men, unleashing her inner power, and a gush of purplish fumes emanated from her palms.
”Lady poison? What the…!”