Chapter 246: Initiative
But in this kind of situation, whoever moved first would lose the advantage, so neither made the first move.
A slight smile touched Lin Feng's lips. He had already made up his mind. 'All I have to do now is stall,' he thought. 'As long as I can drag this out until Li Xian and the others get here to help, this will all be over.'
"Get on your knees!"
Lin Feng's fists shot forward like lightning, but Du Wen refused to be outdone, his own fists a constant blur. The two exchanged blows in a furious flurry.
Lin Feng's Fist Technique was simple and direct, while Du Wen's was the opposite—his moves were concise and brutal.
Every strike aimed for Lin Feng's vital points. He was pulling no punches, putting his full power behind each move, determined to kill Lin Feng.
Gradually, Lin Feng found himself at a disadvantage. Du Wen was, after all, an expert at the Peak of Mid-Stage Innate. Although Lin Feng's attacks were incredibly fierce, they failed to land a decisive blow.
Du Wen's fists, however, were full of raw power, each punch creating a powerful sonic boom. The force was terrifying.
Beads of sweat formed on Lin Feng's forehead. If not for his unique constitution, any other Mid-Stage Innate Martial Artist would have already died under Du Wen's assault.
BANG!
Finally, Lin Feng staggered back several yards before regaining his footing. Du Wen remained standing in place, his face ashen. His fists were trembling so hard his nails had pierced his palms, and blood dripped from his hands onto the ground. DRIP. DRIP.
"You've really pissed me off, kid. Now I'll show you my true killing blow!"
Du Wen shot Lin Feng a vicious glare and clenched his right fist, his knuckles cracking loudly.
BOOM!
With a dull thud, Du Wen stomped on the ground, his body transforming into a black streak that shot directly at Lin Feng. His speed was staggering, tearing through the very air.
Lin Feng's pupils contracted sharply. His current Body Technique was certainly strange, but it wasn't enough to dodge this terrifying strike.
This punch from Du Wen was extraordinary, far beyond what an Early Stage of Innate Martial Artist could produce. Even Lin Feng felt his scalp tingle with dread.
Lin Feng's eyes turned icy. With a flick of his wrist, a silver light flashed as a dagger appeared in his hand.
He didn't try to dodge. Instead, he bent his knees, coiling his body like a taut bowstring before shooting toward Du Wen like an arrow. He was no longer holding back, unleashing his most powerful Body Technique.
A series of afterimages flickered before Du Wen's eyes as Lin Feng rapidly closed the distance. The piercing killing intent sent a chill down Du Wen's spine.
He thought, 'I can't believe he's cultivated his Body Technique to this level! If I'd known he was this much trouble, I wouldn't have been so arrogant. Now I'm in too deep and have to face him head-on.'
BAM!
Lin Feng's dagger swept out and struck Du Wen squarely in the chest. The impact sent Du Wen flying back more than ten meters before he could steady himself. His face was flushed, his internal energy in turmoil. He was clearly injured, and not lightly.
PTUI!
Du Wen sprayed a mouthful of blood. Lin Feng's earlier side kick had slammed into his ribs, sending a wave of pain through his internal organs. 'Looks like this kid came prepared,' he thought.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng's expression grew grim. Du Wen's last attack had made him realize something. This man's combat strength was far greater than a typical Mid-Stage Innate fighter.
'It seems I was careless this time,' he thought. 'I wanted to show off in front of the women, so I didn't summon my Thunder Armor. And look where it got me—stuck in a bitter struggle.'
"You've done it now, kid. You've really pissed me off. I'm going to kill you today, no matter what!"
Du Wen wiped the blood from his lips, his eyes overflowing with malice as he stared at Lin Feng. "You little bastard," he spat venomously. 'How dare you sneak attack me? I'm going to tear you limb from limb!'
SWOOSH!
Lin Feng tapped his toes on the ground and shot into the air, lunging straight for Du Wen. 'He must have an ace up his sleeve,' he reasoned. 'Otherwise, he wouldn't be this brazen.'
His goal was clear: finish Du Wen now. Whatever ace he was hiding, it would be useless if he was dead.
"Courting death!"
Du Wen snorted coldly and launched himself into the air to meet Lin Feng's charge. He, too, planned to use this chance to cripple his opponent.
They rushed at each other from the left and right. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged over thirty blows, both pushing their martial techniques to the absolute limit. Neither held anything back; they both knew that to do so would be to lose.
They unleashed their ultimate techniques. Du Wen thrust out his palms, sending a dense web of claw-like shadows to envelop Lin Feng, who simply twisted his body to evade it.
As he completed the half-turn, he extended his palms, and the Yellow Tier Short Blade materialized in his hand. Its sharp edge sliced through the air, leaving a flurry of afterimages that rained down upon Du Wen.
Lin Feng's blade work was fierce and overbearing, but Du Wen didn't meet it head-on. Instead, he flickered away, dodging the blade's gleam. His Body Technique was so profound that Lin Feng couldn't track his true position.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, Du Wen appeared behind Lin Feng. Every pore on Lin Feng's body seemed to burst open as an intense wave of danger washed over him. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaped aside, swinging an arm around to protect himself.
THUD!
A heavy blow slammed into Lin Feng's arm. The immense force nearly knocked him off his feet.
BAM!
He threw another punch, this time putting his full power behind it. A surging wave of energy shot toward Lin Feng's chest. If that punch landed, Lin Feng's ribcage would surely collapse.
Lin Feng's eyes turned to ice. A vast, powerful torrent of energy surged wildly within him. His once-strained muscles instantly swelled, like a rubber ball being inflated.
BOOM!
The two clashed head-on once more. Du Wen had put everything into that punch, but Lin Feng didn't back down. Pushing his Body Technique to its limits, he met the blow head-on.
Violent gusts of wind radiated out from the point of impact. Both Lin Feng and Du Wen were forced back, their feet cratering the earth with every step.
Only after retreating a good seven or eight steps did the two manage to halt their momentum.
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
Both of them took several more steps back before finally steadying themselves. Neither launched another attack, but simply stood facing each other. Lin Feng's eyes were filled with killing intent, but beneath it lay a deep solemnity.
Although Du Wen's ferocious attack hadn't been fatal, the intense pain it caused hadn't lessened in the slightest.
Moreover, the punch had damaged his lungs, liver, and spleen. The injuries were serious, but not enough to take him out of the fight.