Chapter 83: Changing Sky |
Shock, rage, and towering hatred appeared in Shi Wenshan's eyes.
He never would have imagined that this fisherman's son he had been plotting to surround and kill would dare to strike first, intercepting and assassinating him alone in this snowy deep night!
"It's me."
Chen Qing's voice carried through the wind and snow, calm without the slightest ripple, yet colder than this frigid night, "Master Shi, the road to the Yellow Springs is long. I've come to escort you partway."
"Seeking death!"
Shi Wenshan roared furiously.
Ignoring the severe pain in his left arm, the muscles of his right arm suddenly swelled, tendons and bones ringing out with muffled thunder-like explosive sounds, like a red-hot branding iron hammer!
Boom!
This punch fell with ear-piercing shrieks!
With this punch, Shi Wenshan held almost nothing back, intending to smash this presumptuous youngster to powder.
Facing this killing blow capable of splitting stone monuments, Chen Qing's pupils contracted slightly, but he neither dodged nor avoided.
He sank his waist and settled his hips, his spine swaying like a great dragon, his organs producing low humming sounds, as if fine thunder rolled in the depths of his bone marrow.
His qi and blood surged like lead-mercury, heavy and condensed to the extreme.
This was the tremendous benefit brought by Toad Fishing Force's third realm, Thunder Sound Marrow Cleansing.
Just as that fist force was less than three feet from his head, Chen Qing moved.
His upper body slid sideways half a step at a minute angle, the movement smooth and fluid.
Simultaneously, his right arm's muscles twisted and tightened like steel wire, his forearm rising from below like a spirit ape reaching for fruit, tracing a cunning and strange arc. His five fingers together like an iron chisel, fingertips condensed with spiral hidden force capable of penetrating everything, striking later but arriving first, precisely targeting the pulse point of Shi Wenshan's right wrist.
Puff! Hiss!
Two strange sounds exploded almost simultaneously!
The first sound was Chen Qing's fingers striking Shi Wenshan's wrist, the muffled sound of spiral hidden force violently rubbing against bone and flesh.
Shi Wenshan felt a rotating, penetrating force like a red-hot steel needle instantly pierce his flesh and ruthlessly stab into his wrist pulse.
The qi and blood circulation of his entire right arm suddenly stagnated, that world-destroying fist force like a punctured balloon, its power sharply reduced by thirty percent!
The second sound was Shi Wenshan's greatly weakened right palm, still carrying residual terrifying force, scraping Chen Qing's sliding shoulder and viciously striking the blue brick wall behind him.
Rumble—!
The hard blue brick wall, as if struck head-on by a heavy hammer, instantly collapsed inward with a huge fist print over a foot deep.
Spider-web cracks spread wildly, debris mixed with snow exploding outward.
Crash!
The entire alley shook violently, accumulated snow on both high walls rustling down like a small avalanche.
Chen Qing's shoulder clothing was torn by the residual scorching palm wind, his skin experiencing burning pain, his qi and blood churning momentarily but he remained rooted, forcibly withstanding this impact, his figure only swaying slightly.
Shi Wenshan fared even worse, his wrist pulse pierced by vicious force, not only breaking his palm power but making his entire right arm numb and painful with impaired force circulation.
The severe pain in his left arm was even more unbearable, tearing at his will.
What made his heart go cold was that Chen Qing's penetrating power and cunning degree far exceeded his previous estimation!
This was definitely not the skill level of someone newly entered into transforming strength!
"Hidden deep enough!"
Shi Wenshan forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, calming down.
As master of Pine Breeze Martial Hall and a transforming strength expert for many years, he naturally wouldn't let anger cloud his judgment.
Chen Qing's ambush today was certainly not to seek death, he must have certain confidence.
Tonight, either you die or I perish! No possibility of holding back!
Thinking this, he immediately became completely focused, not daring the slightest carelessness.
Shi Wenshan's five fingers suddenly clenched slightly, crisp tendon and bone sounds exploding from his fist.
A transforming strength great achievement expert's control over the body had reached perfection.
Shi Wenshan's waist and hips suddenly twisted, his left leg like a steel whip silently sweeping along the ground, targeting Chen Qing's lower ankle.
Simultaneously, his right palm changed from striking to clawing, five fingers like hooks, carrying stone-tearing force, lightning-fast grasping toward Chen Qing's face.
One high, one low, combining hard and soft, sealing all of Chen Qing's evasion space!
Cold light exploded in Chen Qing's eyes!
Facing this upper and lower killing attack, he didn't retreat but advanced!
His foot stomped down hard, the bluestone ground cracking with a "snap," his entire body instantly crashing into Shi Wenshan's center gate.
At the moment of impact, his body incredibly contracted and spun like a spirit ape, barely avoiding the claws grasping for his face, while his right knee rose like a siege hammer, carrying fierce force, ruthlessly ramming toward Shi Wenshan's lower abdomen dantian!
Through-arm boxing! Spirit Ape Striking Bell!
Before the knee strike arrived, the force-wind made Shi Wenshan's heart turn cold.
He never expected Chen Qing to be so fierce, daring to meet attack with attack, directly confronting his transforming strength great achievement center gate!
In haste, Shi Wenshan could only forcibly retract his leg, bending his knee to block while instantly tensing his lower abdomen muscles like iron, circulating transforming strength with full power to protect his vital points!
Bang!
The violent collision of knee against knee produced a muffled thunderous impact!
The enormous force made both bodies shake violently. Chen Qing felt his knee strike hard rock, the counter-shock force making his qi and blood churn.
Shi Wenshan also grunted muffledly, his hastily blocking left knee experiencing piercing pain. Though his abdomen wasn't struck directly, that heavy impact force still shook his internal organs.
At that critical moment!
Chen Qing borrowed the counter-shock force from the collision, his body like a spring compressed to the extreme, suddenly bouncing back half a step.
Just as he bounced back, his long-prepared left arm moved!
His arm muscles instantly tightened like a full-drawn bowstring, large tendons vibrating with bow-string trembling hums.
Five fingers together, fist force condensed with terrifying penetrating power, borrowing the centrifugal force of retreating and rotating, like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, lightning-fast striking toward Shi Wenshan's wide-open chest at the fatal point.
Through-arm boxing! Ape Arm Locking River!
This punch appeared unremarkable but condensed all of Chen Qing's essence, qi, and spirit, the pinnacle strike of his understanding of through-arm boxing.
Where the fist force passed, the air seemed torn by that ultimate penetrating power, producing subtle yet heart-stopping sounds.
The target pointed directly at the human body's qi and blood center, once struck solidly with force penetrating, even immortals couldn't save!
Death's shadow instantly enveloped Shi Wenshan.
His pupils rapidly contracted, his whole body's hair standing on end!
Chen Qing's punch was cunning and vicious to the extreme in speed, timing, and angle, precisely the moment when his qi and blood were shaken and defense weakest!
But he was after all transforming strength great achievement, a figure long famous in Gaolin County.
Shi Wenshan disregarded the severe pain in his left elbow and left knee, forcibly twisting his body in the impossible, using his left shoulder to meet Chen Qing's deadly punch head-on.
Simultaneously his right hand shot out, five fingers like hooks, lightning-fast, gouging toward Chen Qing's eyes.
This move was clearly to wound the enemy a thousand while losing five hundred.
Chen Qing hastily retracted his fist force, avoiding this claw, then struck out with both arms in the through-arm boxing close-combat killing move Double Peaks Piercing Ears.
Two long arms like two giant pythons strangling, carrying the wailing sound of tearing air, at incredible speed converging from both sides to strike Shi Wenshan's temples!
The speed was so fast it even pulled two blurred afterimages through the air!
Shi Wenshan's heart turned cold, how could he not know the power of Double Peaks Piercing Ears?
If struck, his head would probably explode like a watermelon!
His qi and blood surged, force pushed to the extreme, both hands like palm fans striking toward both sides.
Bang!
The moment palm met fist, Chen Qing felt his chest shake, his steps retreating backward continuously.
Seeing this, a gleam appeared in Shi Wenshan's eyes.
He had finally found a flaw and naturally wouldn't waste this golden opportunity.
Shi Wenshan roared lowly, his eye sockets seeming about to split, qi and blood churning within, whole body force bursting forth, making all his body hair stand up.
Quite the appearance of 'fury rushing to the crown.'
In almost the blink of an eye, all of Shi Wenshan's body force gathered together, joints continuously producing crisp sounds, like thunderclaps echoing.
Critical moment!
Chen Qing's eyes showed no panic, only icy calm.
That strike just now appeared dangerous, but Chen Qing had cultivated Toad Fishing Force, his internal organs completely unaffected.
His body seemed weightless like willow catkins, following the direction of Shi Wenshan's fist momentum, avoiding to the side by a hair's breadth.
Shi Wenshan's desperate punch's force-wind whistled past Chen Qing's chest, tearing his chest clothing to shreds, leaving several burning bloody marks on his skin, but ultimately failed to strike his chest solidly.
Boom!
Shi Wenshan's fist force missed, heavily smashing into the wall behind Chen Qing, another deep pit exploding open!
But he himself, because his left shoulder was locked by Chen Qing for leverage, his body was pulled into a stumble, his guard completely open.
Chen Qing's right fist clenched tight, arm muscles coiled like dragons, spine joints pushing section by section, without reservation striking toward Shi Wenshan's shocked face.
Through-arm boxing! Spirit Ape Offering Longevity!
This punch was simple and unadorned, yet fast to the extreme, heavy to the extreme!
The air in front of the fist was compressed to the limit, forming a visible white air cone!
Before the fist arrived, that suffocating death pressure had already yanked Shi Wenshan's graying disheveled hair backward!
Horror appeared in Shi Wenshan's eyes.
He had fallen into the trap, that was merely a flaw Chen Qing had sold!
He wanted to block, but his left shoulder was in piercing agony, his right arm had just struck out and couldn't return to defend in time!
He wanted to dodge, but his body was unbalanced, completely unable to avoid this punch.
He could only watch helplessly as that fist rapidly enlarged in his vision!
Bang!!!
A muffled sound so thunderous it made hearts skip beats exploded in the narrow alley!
Shi Wenshan's head like a watermelon struck by a heavy hammer, jerked backward violently!
His nasal bones instantly collapsed and shattered, cheekbones cracking inch by inch!
Fresh blood mixed with broken teeth fountained from his mouth and nose!
The light in his eyes instantly froze and scattered, his tall body softly sliding down the wall to the ground, dragging a glaring crimson trail in the white snow.
This transforming strength great achievement expert ultimately died.
"Huff~!"
Chen Qing quickly searched through Shi Wenshan's clothing, soon finding several stiff papers and a small porcelain bottle.
Silver notes and pills, plus a booklet.
He unhesitatingly stuffed them into his clothing.
Suddenly, urgent footsteps came from the alley entrance, particularly clear in the silent snowy night!
"Someone's coming!?"
Chen Qing's pupils contracted sharply, alarm bells ringing wildly in his heart.
His toe touched the ground hard, launching upward, alternately borrowing force from the high walls on both sides, quickly climbing onto the roof of a low residential building beside the alley.
His figure rapidly merged into the wind and snow-filled darkness, disappearing from sight.
Almost the moment Chen Qing's figure disappeared, several burly figures blocked the alley entrance.
The leader wore a black cloak over precision iron scale armor, his face cold and hard as iron, it was Colonel Pang Qinghai who should have been severely wounded and near death!
Behind him followed several sharp-breathed personal guards, including Pang Jiu.
Pang Qinghai's gaze instantly locked onto the scene in the alley.
When he saw Shi Wenshan with collapsed skull and no breath, surprise flickered across that face for the first time.
"Dead!?"
Pang Qinghai's voice was low, revealing no particular emotion.
Pang Jiu immediately stepped forward, crouching to carefully examine the corpse. After a moment he looked up, his voice grave, "My lord, left elbow and left knee both have bone fractures. Fatal wound is frontal cranial crushing collapse, killed in one blow! Force was supremely fierce and domineering, residual aura... death time extremely short, no more than half a cup of tea."
"Fierce and domineering!?"
Pang Qinghai's gaze swept over the shocking fist prints on the wall, then returned to Shi Wenshan's bloody and mangled face, his eyes sharp as knives, "Zhou Liang? No, he lacks this ruthlessness. Could it be that disciple of his?"
To kill Shi Wenshan, a transforming strength great achievement expert, was definitely no ordinary person.
He looked up, his gaze piercing through wind and snow toward the alley entrance where Chen Qing had disappeared, his expression deep and unfathomable.
"Pang Jiu, continue closing the net."
Before his words ended, Pang Qinghai moved, actually chasing in the direction Chen Qing had disappeared.
Chen Qing ran swiftly across rooftops, wind and snow like knives cutting his face with bone-piercing cold.
Just as he passed over a towering roof ridge, his pupils suddenly contracted. From Gaolin County's inner city direction, several thick smoke columns wrapped in savage flame tongues were tearing through the heavy night curtain, soaring skyward!
That crimson fire light dyed the flying snow with a layer of blood color, particularly striking against the pitch-black background.
The dead silent county city seemed thrown into boiling oil, instantly exploding.
Muffled battle cries, sharp weapon clashing sounds, screams and wails, mixed with howling wind and snow, carried from afar.
"What's happening?!"
Chen Qing's heart shook violently, nearly stopping his steps, "The inner city is where the five great families are entrenched, supposedly safe as copper walls and iron ramparts! How could such warfare ignite?"
An indescribable unease rose.
However, the moment this thought flashed through his mind.
Not good!
Every hair on Chen Qing's body stood on end, instinct overriding thought. He almost relied on muscle memory, pouring all his body's strength into his right foot, violently twisting and retreating to the left.
Whoosh!
A sharp piercing shriek tore through the wind and snow's wailing, scraping close past his ribs.
The accompanying force-wind scraped his skin painfully.
A heavy black iron spear fell like a meteor, with a "boom" deeply embedding into the bluestone slab three steps ahead of him, exploding snow and stone fragments everywhere.
Buzz buzz buzz!
The spear stuck in the ground continuously shaking, producing sounds, with white vapor drifting out.
Chen Qing whirled around, seeing a human figure treading through wind and snow, slowly approaching.
