Chapter 139: The Power of the Dragon-breaking Fist
Zhao Dong sized up the man in black carefully, and the more he looked, the more he felt something was amiss. The man had eyes as cold as a hawk's, a hooked nose, extremely thin lips, and a near-pallid complexion that gave off an eerie vibe. He stood silently behind Jiang Hao, squinting, seemingly indifferent, but Zhao Dong's perception was far beyond that of an ordinary person. From the first glance, he could tell this man in black was no simple character.
Jiang Hao noticed Zhao Dong as well. "So you're the so-called Zhao Dong?" he said coldly.
Zhao Dong glanced at him. "Who are you?" he replied indifferently. "Do I know you?"
Jiang Hao immediately burst into a rage. "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? I'm Jiang Hao!"
"Jiang Hao?" Zhao Dong laughed and turned to Jiang Nianyu. "Nianyu, is this your brother?"
A miserable smile crossed Jiang Nianyu's face. "He's a beast, not my brother."
Zhao Dong nodded. "I see. A brother colluding with outsiders to harm his own sister. You're really something else, you filthy animal."
Jiang Hao was boiling with fury. Staring menacingly at Zhao Dong, he turned to Sun Tiansheng beside him and bellowed, "Tiansheng, have someone kill this bastard right now! And tear out his tongue for me!"
Sun Tiansheng had already stepped away from Jiang Nianyu. He squinted, evaluating Zhao Dong, and said coldly, "What era do you think this is? Still playing the hero saving the damsel in distress? Don't you know your own limits? You should know, for others, crushing you is as easy as crushing an ant."
Zhao Dong laughed. "Really? Feel free to try and see if you can crush me today. By the way, were you the one who kidnapped Jiang Nianyu that night?"
"So you figured it out," Sun Tiansheng admitted with a faint smile. "That's right. It was all me."
Jiang Nianyu retorted angrily, "Sun Tiansheng, you lowlife! You always pretend to be so decent, but who knew you were rotten to the core!"
Sun Tiansheng shook his head. "If I wasn't bad, how could I have built Tiansheng Pharmaceutical to its current scale? Nianyu, you have only yourself to blame. Our families had a good grip on the market, but you just had to launch your Jade Beauty Cream and steal my business. Cutting off a man's livelihood is like killing his parents. How could I possibly spare you?"
Jiang Nianyu trembled with rage. "You frame your filthy acts as if you're the victim. Have you no shame?"
Sun Tiansheng chuckled, glanced at Jiang Nianyu, then turned back to Zhao Dong, smacking his lips. "Well now, Zhao, what's the point of you playing the big shot here? Now that you've shown up, you're dead for sure. Nianyu won't die, though. I'll just sell her off to Southeast Asia! Hahahaha..."
Zhao Dong shook his head, his eyes narrowing as a sinister smile touched his lips. "I'll give you a chance. Let Jiang Nianyu go, break both your legs, and I'll let you live."
As if hearing the funniest joke in the world, Sun Tiansheng burst out laughing. "You? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself? You're giving me a chance? Ptooey!"
Finished, Sun Tiansheng turned to the man in black. "Master Zhao, I'm counting on you. I'll fulfill my promises once this is done!"
The man in black nodded, his body suddenly erupting with a terrifyingly powerful aura. He took a step forward, and his imposing presence instantly enveloped Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong's heart tightened, his pupils shrinking. A fifth-level Grandmaster! I'm currently at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, so I should have the strength to fight a fifth-level Grandmaster. But the gap in our realms is significant, and my chances of winning are slim. On top of that, this man is a complete mystery, making him impossible to read. He hasn't even said a word yet... his mental fortitude must be terrifying!
The man in black stared coldly at Zhao Dong and spoke, his voice as dry and hoarse as a weathered bellows. "You're the one who defeated Xiao Hongtian?"
"Yes," Zhao Dong replied coldly. "What of it?"
The man in black let out a raspy laugh and licked his lips, a chilling, soul-searing killing intent flickering in his eyes. "Xiao Hongtian was merely at the seventh level of Inner Strength. Since you defeated him, let me see what you're capable of... Hmm, you haven't reached the Grandmaster Realm yet, have you?"
Zhao Dong neither confirmed nor denied it. "What are you trying to say?"
The man in black shook his head. "I find you quite interesting. How about this: become my servant. If you do, I'll spare your life today. If you refuse, this will be the day you die."
"You're far too confident," Zhao Dong responded coolly. "Don't think being a Grandmaster makes you invincible. You're not that strong yet."
"It seems you're overestimating yourself. That's normal; a newborn calf does not fear the tiger. Today, allow me to obliterate you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the man in black stepped forward with his right foot.
THUD!
With a dull bang, the ground beneath his foot shattered, a web of fissures spreading directly toward Zhao Dong.
His pupils constricted. So strong!
The cracks spread with lightning speed, reaching his feet in an instant. Zhao Dong sidestepped to dodge, but the man in black flickered and appeared before him in the next second, his palm striking toward Zhao Dong's chest with an eerie power.
What terrifying speed!
Zhao Dong was taken aback but instinctively threw a palm strike to counter.
BANG!
With a muffled impact, Zhao Dong staggered back several steps. His blood and qi churned within him, his face turned pale, and his entire palm went numb. Disdain and coldness filled the man's eyes. He snorted softly and advanced again.
Moving with the incredible speed of a black blade, he appeared before Zhao Dong in an instant. His fists rained down like a storm. Not to be outdone, Zhao Dong clenched his fists and retaliated fiercely. They unleashed a dizzying flurry of moves, their fists moving so fast they were nothing but a blur.
Seizing an opportunity, Zhao Dong aimed a punch at the man's neck. The man in black merely smirked, strangely evading the blow at the last second and slapping Zhao Dong in the abdomen.
HISS!
Zhao Dong sucked in a sharp breath, his expression changing slightly. Enduring the pain, he fiercely swung his leg at the man's waist. The man blocked with his forearm and seized Zhao Dong's leg, preparing to crush it viciously. The strength of a Grandmaster Realm expert was terrifying—enough to shatter Zhao Dong's leg.
Zhao Dong's eyes flashed. With a low growl, his fists erupted with power, hammering more than a dozen punches at the man in black like a ferocious storm. The man hadn't expected Zhao Dong's speed to increase so suddenly. The fist wind tearing through the air was already upon him. He had no choice but to release his grip and retreat five meters.
Zhao Dong twisted his neck and cracked a smile. "A fifth-level Grandmaster? Is that all you've got?"
A cold glint flashed in the man's eyes. "To have such skill before reaching the Grandmaster Realm makes you a genius, it's true. But countless geniuses have perished on the path of cultivation, and today, you will die by my hand."
The man in black shrugged, then leaped several meters into the air. Like a cannonball, he charged at Zhao Dong, his fist clenched, gathering all his Spiritual Energy.
I sense this strike is extraordinary, but I refuse to dodge. Why should a cultivator always run and hide? Only an unwavering conviction to win can carry one further down this path!
Gritting his teeth, Zhao Dong let out a low roar and gathered all his own Spiritual Energy into his right fist to meet the man's attack. The man in black fell from the sky like a steel pestle. The terrifying force of his momentum and inertia poured down upon Zhao Dong.
BOOM!
Their fists collided. A shockwave of energy spread out, and dust filled the air. Jiang Nianyu closed her eyes, her heart sinking.
Zhao Dong can't withstand this blow!
When she opened her eyes again, Zhao Dong was lying on the ground nearby, clutching his chest and spitting up blood. The man in black stood calmly with his hands behind his back, his face filled with the disdain one would show an ant.
"Just a clown. So what if you're a genius? In the face of absolute power, killing you is as easy as crushing an ant," the man said dismissively. But inwardly, he was truly shaken. Zhao Dong hadn't even reached the Grandmaster Realm, yet he had managed to take that punch head-on. It was simply unbelievable!
Zhao Dong spat out a mouthful of blood, gasping for breath. His body was in excruciating pain, as if several bones had broken. It had to be said, this fifth-level Grandmaster was incredibly strong. The fact that he could take the man's punch head-on was already an unbelievable feat.
Just then, Zhao Dong forced himself back to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stared coldly at the man, a sudden sneer on his face. "Is that the best you've got? You're done. Now it's my turn."
The man in black frowned, shocked that Zhao Dong could still stand. He snorted, "Still not dead? Then this time, I'll send you to the afterlife!"
With that, the man's palms twisted into the shape of an eagle's claws. He growled, "Nine-star Ghost Claw!"
Terrifying power condensed in his hands. Jiang Nianyu gasped in horror. "Zhao Dong, be careful! That's one of the Huaxia Twelve Claw Techniques! It can tear steel and shatter boulders! Don't take it head-on!"
Zhao Dong twisted his neck and clenched his fists, then looked coldly at the man. "Come on, you dog. Show me what you're really made of."
"You're seeking death!"
Infuriated, the man became a bolt of lightning, tearing through the air. His claws, like sharp blades, lunged straight for Zhao Dong's throat.
Zhao Dong took a deep breath as a hint of crimson appeared in the depths of his eyes. He had obtained the Dragon-breaking Fist Cultivation Technique from the Dragon Blood Stone.
Today is the perfect time to test it!
With that thought, Zhao Dong silently gathered his power. A faint dragon's roar resonated as a dark red dragon pattern appeared in the palm of his right hand.
"Dragon-breaking Fist!"
Zhao Dong roared, unleashing his punch without reservation.
The faint sound of a dragon's cry echoed. The instant his fist met the man's palm, the man's hand disintegrated into dust. The destruction continued up his wrist and then his entire arm, which exploded into a mist of blood.
"NO! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!"
The man in black let out a heart-wrenching scream as a phantom dragon, visible only to Zhao Dong, instantly devoured him. His body flew backward, clothes shredded and riddled with hundreds of wounds. His bones were shattered, and his internal organs, including his meridians, were torn to shreds.
THUD!
The man's body slammed through seven or eight trees before crashing heavily to the ground. He looked up at Zhao Dong, his mouth fell open, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he breathed his last.
A dead silence fell. Sun Tiansheng and Jiang Hao's legs gave out from under them, and they both collapsed to the ground. Their faces were deathly pale and etched with disbelief, looking as if their parents had just died as they shivered uncontrollably.
Jiang Nianyu was also stunned, gazing blankly at Zhao Dong. Did he just... kill a fifth-level Grandmaster?! A fifth-level Grandmaster was a pinnacle expert in the East Sea... when did Zhao Dong become so powerful?
Zhao Dong slowly unclenched his fist. "If I'd known it was this powerful," he muttered to himself, shaking his head, "I would have just ended you with one punch from the start."
Hearing this, both Jiang Hao and Sun Tiansheng trembled.
They looked up to see Zhao Dong's gaze fall upon them. Both screamed in terror, and Jiang Hao pissed his pants.
Zhao Dong approached them step by step. With every footfall, the color drained further from their faces, until they were as pale as paper. He squatted in front of them, a slow smile spreading across his lips.
"So, you two. How would you like to die?"