Qin Xiao was startled by Li Cheng’s speed. It was already too late to dodge.
Qin Xiao shielded his face with both hands, preparing to take Li Cheng’s attack head-on. It was the only option he had.
“Is this Qin Xiao scared silly? He’s actually not moving at all?”
“He’d want to move, but didn’t you see Senior Brother Li’s speed?”
“Exactly. A Golden Core cultivator can beat a mortal however he likes. The fellow probably can’t even react in time.”
The observing disciples watched Qin Xiao protect his face with both hands and stand motionless, discussing among themselves.
Before you could blink, Li Cheng’s fist struck Qin Xiao’s arms, and a powerful shockwave instantly spread outward.
Li Cheng remained standing in place, while Qin Xiao retreated over ten steps before barely managing to steady himself.
“Damn, is he really this strong?”
Qin Xiao felt as though his arms were about to snap, trembling uncontrollably.
“How is this possible? I didn’t hold back at all with that punch. How could he only retreat a few steps?”
Li Cheng looked at Qin Xiao in disbelief.
In his estimation, Qin Xiao should have already been sent flying, his arms broken, lying on the ground and wailing in agony.
“Am I seeing things? This Qin Xiao actually withstood it?”
“Could that kid have some sort of protective treasure on him?”
“I think Senior Brother Li wants to toy with him and is holding back on purpose. This is a Golden Core cultivator fighting a mortal-how could the other side possibly withstand it?”
“That makes sense. From their conversation, you can tell there’s bad blood between them. It looks like Senior Brother Li is playing a cat-and-mouse game.”
Seeing this scene, the disciples offered various guesses.
Li Cheng attacked again after his brief surprise. If Qin Xiao could take a beating, then he would beat him properly. He had been afraid of killing him with one punch; now he could let loose.
Qin Xiao was not about to take more blows for nothing. So far, being hit had hurt but caused no injury. He could trade punches instead of just enduring them.
“Exchanging blows with me? Do you even deserve to?”
Seeing Qin Xiao dare to strike back, Li Cheng sneered inwardly. Your punches are barely enough to tickle me.
Li Cheng made no effort to block Qin Xiao’s fist either. Since you like hand-to-hand combat so much, I’ll grant your wish.
Li Cheng grabbed Qin Xiao’s shoulder with his left hand while gathering Spiritual Qi into his right to strike.
Qin Xiao did the same, holding Li Cheng’s shoulder with one hand and punching with the other.
What should have been a proper duel turned into a brutal, bare-knuckle brawl.
The first punch that struck him made Li Cheng realize something was wrong. It burned with pain, but he could not stop to dwell on it and kept pounding Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao fared no better. Li Cheng’s first strike hit him squarely in the stomach, nearly making him vomit, yet his hands kept moving as he struck back frantically.
“What is going on here?”
“Has Qin Xiao lost his mind? How dare he engage in close-quarters combat with Senior Brother Li, a Golden Core expert? Even without utilizing spiritual power, a Golden Core physique is incomparable to a mortal’s. Not even a perfected secular body-refinement art can compare to a Golden Core body.”
“I get it! Senior Brother Li sees he’s a mortal and can’t be bothered with techniques or weapons. He’ll use a mortal’s way of fighting to beat him into submission. He’s breaking his spirit as well as beating him!”
The brawl bewildered the spectators, though there was no shortage of “geniuses” among them.
“What’s happening? Why can’t I shake him off? Why are his punches so heavy? Even my Dantian is starting to vibrate.”
After trading dozens of blows, both men were battered and dizzy. The intense pain made Li Cheng want to break away, but Qin Xiao had him in a death grip.
Qin Xiao was in a similar state. The pain had long since dulled his senses, but perhaps driven by adrenaline, even as he neared fainting, his fists continued to pound against Li Cheng.
After an unknown duration, Qin Xiao felt the pain recede. It was as though his body were continuously repairing itself, allowing his mind to clear somewhat.
As for Li Cheng, blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth. Pride forbade him from backing down, and he continued punching wildly.
“What in the world is that trash doing?”
Yao Kaidong watched them fight like two children. Li Cheng still had not defeated Qin Xiao after all this time, and he was deeply dissatisfied.
“Senior Brother, don’t be hasty. Perhaps Senior Brother Li is just toying with him?”
Holy Maiden Liu Xueyue hoped for the best, even if she couldn’t make sense of the situation. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Sect Leader, do you make anything of this?”
Eighth Elder Zuo Hongcai, standing beside Sect Leader Lin Tiancheng, asked pointedly.
“Elder Zuo, you’ve noticed it too?”
Lin Tiancheng had indeed spotted the anomaly. Qin Xiao’s physique appeared abnormally powerful; after trading blows with Li Cheng for so long without falling behind, the boy must have practiced an extraordinary body-refinement technique.
“Indeed. While the boy cannot cultivate, he shows remarkable talent in body-refinement. The Seventh Elder must have acquired this method during his travels and passed it down.”
Zuo Hongcai had reached the same conclusion.
The other Elders shared similar thoughts. Given their cultivation realms, they could easily read the situation on the platform and grew increasingly curious about Qin Xiao.
The Great Elder wished to send a voice transmission to Li Cheng, but with so many Elders present, interference was difficult. Furthermore, a barrier covered the stone platform, and a forced transmission would surely be detected.
As his body healed, Qin Xiao gradually grew clearheaded again. This could not go on: he did not know how long his body could keep repairing itself. He needed to finish quickly.
Li Cheng was also beginning to sway on his feet. Qin Xiao’s strikes had targeted his abdomen repeatedly, rattling his Dantian. Prolonged exposure risked damage to his core, an outcome he wished to avoid.
Both stopped at the same time, gathering strength for their hardest punch. They would become a laughingstock if they kept fighting like this.
Spiritual Qi gathered frantically around Li Cheng’s right fist, forming a visible vortex.
Qin Xiao also summoned all his strength, gathering it in his right hand to decide the match with one punch.
A moment later, both were ready. They struck at each other simultaneously.
Knowing Qin Xiao could not cultivate, Li Cheng abandoned targeting the abdomen and aimed straight for Qin Xiao’s chest. Once his heart was shattered, not even immortals could save him. True killing intent had taken hold.
Qin Xiao aimed his final strike at Li Cheng’s lower abdomen, knowing that was where the Dantian lay. Even if he could not shatter it, the impact would inflict severe injury.
Both fists landed at the exact same time.
Like kites with broken strings, both figures blasted backward, crashing onto the stone platform motionless, life and death unknown.
Seeing this outcome, Eighth Elder Zuo Hongcai swept forward onto the platform without delay to inspect their conditions.
The spectators were stunned. Had they both been badly hurt? How could a mortal and a Golden Core cultivator fight to such an outcome?
None of them had anticipated such a result, and a heavy silence descended upon the entire arena.