The Capital's Dragon Doctor

"You're courting death," Zhou Hu snarled. He stamped his foot and lunged forward, striking out with his palm directly at Lin Feng. He was going to teach this insolent brat who didn't know his place a proper lesson.

'Does he really think he's my match just because he blocked two of my attacks?!'

SWOOSH!

As Zhou Hu swung his longsword, several sharp streams of Sword Qi erupted, shooting straight for Lin Feng's vital points.

'Releasing his Inner Strength? Just as I thought, none of the Cultivators showing up now are weak.'

CLANG! TING! CLINK!

Just as the Sword Qi was about to hit him, Lin Feng flicked his fingers repeatedly. Bursts of Inner Strength transformed into invisible jets of energy, deflecting the incoming Sword Qi with his fingertips.

He had neutralized the attack out of thin air. Simultaneously, Lin Feng's figure shot forward like a phantom, while Zhou Hu could only watch in astonishment.

He was utterly dumbfounded. He hadn't expected someone at the mere Mid Stage of Innate like Lin Feng to be this powerful. But an instant later, a savage smile crept onto his lips.

"You're courting death, daring to rush forward to your doom!"

This time, Zhou Hu tossed aside the shattered longsword in his hand and drew his true weapon. A dark gold steel spear appeared in his grasp.

The spear was pitch-black and looked to be about half a meter in length, but its dark luster gave off a strange, eerie feeling.

Zhou Hu's weapon was a low-grade Yellow-rank artifact. Although its quality was quite poor, it was still far superior to any common weapon.

Moreover, Zhou Hu condensed his Inner Strength onto the spear's shaft, making it even more resilient.

SHING!

With a flick of his wrist, Lin Feng produced several gleaming silver needles between his fingers. The needles were translucent and sparkled with a faint, flowing silver light, clearly indicating they were no ordinary items.

SWOOSH!

Seeing this, Zhou Hu didn't hold back. He swung the long spear fiercely, and in an instant, a flurry of afterimages from the spear enveloped Lin Feng.

TING!

Lin Feng no longer held back his true strength. With a series of rapid flicks from his fingers, a silver needle shot out with each motion, colliding with the afterimages of Zhou Hu's spear.

CRACK!

A crisp sound echoed. For a moment, Zhou Hu found himself suppressed by Lin Feng. But he was, after all, a master at the Early Stage of Innate Post-Tier and had his own unique advantages—close-quarters combat being his specialty.

BOOM!

A loud bang erupted as Lin Feng and Zhou Hu clashed palms. Lin Feng slid back thirty to forty feet. He was taken aback, not expecting Zhou Hu to also be protected by his Inner Strength. Furthermore, it seemed his strength surpassed that of a typical master at the Early Stage of Innate Post-Tier.

"Brat, your internal injuries are severely dragging down your speed and throwing you off balance. Do you really think you can still be my opponent?!"

Zhou Hu spoke with arrogance. He was now convinced that with Lin Feng's current level of strength, he was absolutely no match for him.

"Is that so? Then let's put it to the test."

Lin Feng gave a slight smile. His physical constitution was formidable. Even though his cultivation realm was a minor stage lower, he felt no fear. In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to test just how much his body had recovered.

WHOOSH!

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, and his entire body shot out like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. His speed was like a bolt of lightning.

The very air seemed to whine. Amidst the sharp sonic boom, Lin Feng had already arrived in front of Zhou Hu.

BANG!

Zhou Hu reacted in the nick of time, swinging his arm and throwing a punch. The fist, whistling through the air, slammed directly into Lin Feng's wrist.

SQUELCH...

Zhou Hu's eyes narrowed—his punch had hit nothing but air. Immediately after, he felt a sharp pain in his chest as a spurt of blood gushed out, instantly dyeing his clothes red.

A deep claw mark had appeared on his chest. It had all happened too quickly; Lin Feng had somehow managed to pierce Zhou Hu's chest with his sharp, claw-like fingers.

But Zhou Hu didn't panic. He was a genuine expert at the Late Innate Stage. And while this kid before him was strange, he couldn't possibly be his match.

But his assumption proved to be wrong. Lin Feng grabbed his chest again and, with a powerful tug, sent Zhou Hu flying sideways. Then, while he was still in mid-air, Lin Feng tore his robes apart.

RIIIP!

With the sound of tearing fabric, Lin Feng ripped off Zhou Hu's sleeve, causing Zhou Hu's expression to change drastically.

Although the attack hadn't injured him, it proved that his opponent's close-combat abilities were far superior to his own. This came as quite a surprise to Zhou Hu.

"Kid, I never expected you to be this skilled. It seems I have to kill you today to protect my secret!"

Zhou Hu's eyes narrowed as killing intent billowed from his body. He was now fully resolved to kill Lin Feng. The kid's potential was simply too heaven-defying; he absolutely could not be allowed to live.

Lin Feng, however, just gave a contemptuous smile. This exchange had given him a new understanding of the Late Innate Stage—it was the fundamental difference between an Innate Master and an ordinary Cultivator.

First was the speed at which True Qi circulated. In a battle at this level, once Inner Strength was used, it would consume the vital energy within the Dantian.

This caused True Qi to be consumed at a rapid rate. If it weren't for this, some Martial Artists wouldn't have to take such desperate risks to increase their strength.

The other aspect was the gap in physical prowess. When an Innate Master fought an ordinary Martial Artist, their chances of victory were much higher. This was because their physical bodies were so powerful that a single punch or kick was often enough to achieve a suppressive effect.

But Innate Masters also had their own tiers. Someone like Lin Feng, despite being at the Mid Stage of Innate, possessed true combat strength that far surpassed that of an ordinary Cultivator.

POW!

Lin Feng shot out a kick, holding nothing back this time. Zhou Hu's build was large and sturdy, a type of opponent Lin Feng actually enjoyed fighting.

"AGH!"

A pained cry escaped Zhou Hu's lips. This time, Lin Feng's kick had landed squarely on his navel, injuring him on the spot.

'How is this kid so terrifying!'

Zhou Hu stared at Lin Feng, his face pale. He never would have imagined that Lin Feng's kick could be so cunningly vicious and incredibly powerful. It had actually caused him to suffer a sudden, violent bout of diarrhea.

Lin Feng slowly drew back his right foot while Zhou Hu fell stiffly to the ground. His insides were churning with unbearable pain, as if his stomach and intestines were being violently twisted.

'How could this guy be so strong? Even I was shocked by the power of that last kick. And what frustrates me most is Lin Feng's bizarre footwork.'

'I was just outmaneuvered because of that strange footwork; otherwise, there's no way I would have lost to Lin Feng.'