Chapter 245: Strenuous
Du Wen was panting heavily. That last punch from Lin Feng had taken a lot out of him.
On the other hand, Lin Feng was calm and composed. He had gained the upper hand in their brief exchange.
"You little bastard, you're looking to die!"
Du Wen was enraged. With a roar, he lunged at Lin Feng, and the two were locked in combat once more. This time, Du Wen was faster, his attacks even more frighteningly powerful.
Lin Feng's expression was composed. He remained on high alert, continuously dodging.
He executed techniques like the Baji Fist and the Eighteen Falls of Clothing—widely known, yet extremely effective. His moves were simple and direct, but they contained an inexplicable profundity.
For a moment, Du Wen found him completely unpredictable, and his own assault was restricted as a result.
SMACK!
Du Wen threw a punch toward Lin Feng's chest, but Lin Feng had already anticipated it, his body flashing aside to evade.
Lin Feng thrust two fingers straight for Du Wen's eyes. It was an attack from such close range that even if Du Wen wanted to dodge, he would have to shut his eyes first.
SWISH!
With sharp eyes and quick hands, Du Wen grabbed Lin Feng's wrist. At the same time, his other hand chopped across. If that clawing strike landed, Lin Feng's entire hand would be crippled.
Despite this, Lin Feng remained calm. His left hand shot out abruptly, executing a Splitting Palm that sliced horizontally toward Du Wen.
Du Wen's expression changed slightly. 'Lin Feng knows the Splitting Palm too?' His body tilted slightly, dodging the attack.
Lin Feng pressed his advantage, launching a series of kicks that forced Du Wen to defend while retreating.
BAM!
The moment Du Wen retreated, Lin Feng exploited the opening. He leaped into the air and slammed a vicious whip kick into Du Wen's chest, sending him stumbling back several yards.
SPURT!
Du Wen spat out two consecutive mouthfuls of blood as he staggered backward. He stared at Lin Feng in utter shock. 'I never expected him to be this powerful. This kid's strength is far beyond what I predicted.'
"Who exactly are you? With this kind of strength, you can't be a nobody."
Du Wen asked, looking at Lin Feng. That last kick felt as if it had scrambled all of his internal organs.
His lungs burned with searing pain. Lin Feng's strength was terrifying. If he hadn't been diligent in tempering his physical body, that single kick might have truly rendered him unable to fight.
'Was this kid still holding back?'
Du Wen was reeling from the shock. He had originally believed that with his strength at the Peak of Mid-Stage Innate, he could easily crush Lin Feng.
But now, it was clear this kid was no ordinary Mid-Stage Innate master. 'This time, I've really picked a fight with the wrong person!'
He was beginning to regret it. He had assumed Lin Feng was just a lowly Mortal Martial Artist, whose strength was beneath notice, but he had been proven wrong.
This guy's strength was unfathomable. But that realization was useless now. After all, the Young Master's goal was to kill Lin Feng. Since they were fated to be enemies, there was no need for mercy.
At this thought, a vicious glint appeared in Du Wen's eyes. He gritted his teeth, straightened his posture, and his aura suddenly surged, rising to match Lin Feng's from across the distance.
"You've hidden your strength quite well."
Lin Feng stared at Du Wen. He knew Du Wen couldn't be as simple as he appeared on the surface, or he wouldn't have been so arrogant and domineering.
"You're not so bad yourself!"
Du Wen said faintly. 'In that last exchange, although Lin Feng's power was greater than mine, when it comes to actual combat strength, he's still not my opponent.'
"Then let's see who wins in the end!"
Lin Feng grinned, his eyes filled with excitement. His battle lust was soaring. It had been a long time since he had encountered an opponent as evenly matched as Du Wen.
"Fine!"
Hearing Lin Feng dare to challenge his authority, Du Wen flew into a rage. 'This kid really is looking to die. My strength is at Mid-stage Innate Perfection, only half a step away from reaching the Late Stage of Innate.'
'But that single step is as hard to cross as a great chasm. Even an exceptionally talented prodigy couldn't cross it easily.'
'I, Du Wen, refuse to believe it. It would be impressive enough for a mere teenager to last a hundred moves against me. As for defeating me...'
"Hmph, I'm going to smash your head in today."
Du Wen snorted coldly. He waved his arms, and a flurry of afterimages appeared before him as a vast aura emanated from his body.
BANG!
Du Wen's figure shot out like a phantom. He was so fast he arrived in the blink of an eye. Lin Feng's pupils constricted as a sense of crisis washed over him.
"Star Shatter!"
He swung his arms, hurtling toward Lin Feng. His fists were like cannonballs, carrying the sound of violently splitting air as they blasted toward Lin Feng's chest. The Fist Force whistled, making the surrounding air crackle.
"Excellent!"
Lin Feng let out a great shout. All the muscles in his body tensed as he kicked up from the ground, his entire person rising into the air like a feather on the wind.
'What an exquisite Lightweight Step Technique!'
Du Wen praised him silently. Lin Feng's move had truly surprised him. 'Such a bizarre and ethereal Body Technique is definitely not something an ordinary Lightweight Skill can compare to.'
'This boy... I must kill him today!'
The greed in his eyes intensified. He knew that even if he killed Lin Feng today, the Purple Reishi wouldn't fall into his hands. It would be taken by his Young Master.
'But the Lightweight Secret Technique, Fist Technique, and that low-grade Yellow-rank dagger on Lin Feng are all treasures. How could I possibly give those up?'
Du Wen's arms trembled in unison, creating a dense flurry of fist shadows that blotted out the sky as they descended upon Lin Feng.
Lin Feng's brow furrowed slightly. Tapping his toes on the floor, he moved swiftly through the hallway. He wasn't using any specific moves at the moment, relying purely on his physical conditioning and agility to skirmish with Du Wen.
He was so fast that even Du Wen couldn't keep up with his footwork. In an instant, the two of them were caught in a stalemate.
'How is this possible? How could Lin Feng possess such strength?'
Du Wen's mind was in turmoil. He was shocked by Lin Feng's strength. 'Although Lin Feng's realm is lower than mine, his combat ability isn't the slightest bit inferior.' This infuriated him, yet there was nothing he could do.
'This Lin Feng's Body Technique is simply too bizarre. Every one of his attacks is cunning and unorthodox, leaving me struggling to keep up.'
'This situation is like a cat playing with a mouse. I'm constantly on the attack, but I can't seem to inflict any fatal damage.'
Lin Feng and Du Wen continuously darted back and forth. Neither was in a hurry to press the attack, because right now, neither of them could secure a victory.
This battle had to be fought to the death, so neither was willing to make the first move. They were both waiting for the other to reveal an opening. Seizing that single opening would be enough to take down their opponent in one fell swoop.