Chapter 349: Influence
Had this been an ordinary Ancient Martial Artist, they would have been severely wounded, if not killed.
But his opponent had only sustained minor injuries that didn't even affect his combat prowess. This made Lin Feng, already wary, even more vigilant.
"You think you've lost your chance to pin me down? Now, die!"
The man lunged forward, shooting out like a cannonball. He aimed straight for Lin Feng's throat, needing to end this fight as quickly as possible!
Lin Feng's brow furrowed. He hadn't expected this guy to be so relentless. 'If that's how it is, then I'll have to go all out today.'
No longer holding back, he spread his arms. His clothes instantly billowed as a powerful wave of Inner Strength erupted from his Dantian, shielding his vitals in an instant!
Seeing the Inner Strength erupt from Lin Feng, the man's brow twitched. The sheer power of Lin Feng's Inner Strength surpassed his understanding of a Peak Late-Stage Innate Martial Artist!
"Today, you won't be escaping from me!"
The man roared through gritted teeth, then swung his left arm at Lin Feng. The muscles on his body bulged like coiling dragons, radiating an indescribable sense of pressure.
BOOM!
Lin Feng and the man collided. A violent force swept out, sending ripples through the air.
Lin Feng was sent flying several meters, while the man only staggered back three or four steps in a disheveled state before regaining his footing.
"Kid, I really underestimated you. I didn't think you'd be this strong. But let me tell you, the gulf between us is still insurmountable!"
The man's eyes went wide as he stared at Lin Feng, his gaze filled with venomous hatred.
He couldn't believe his surprise attack had failed. Instead, the kid had used the force of the impact to put some distance between them.
"Hmph! Enough with the trash talk. If you're going to fight, then fight. Stop your damn whining!"
Lin Feng's indifferent voice rang out, his face a mask of impatience. This stoked the man's anger once again. 'This kid is really asking for a beating!'
The man took a deep breath, a cold glint in his eyes. Lin Feng's constant provocations and his ability to seize every opportunity to press his advantage had pushed the man's anger to its peak.
Before, he was only acting against Lin Feng to complete the task his young master had given him. But now, he truly wanted to kill him.
'If word of what happened today gets out, how will I ever show my face in the Hidden Clan again?'
He shot his legs out and pounced at Lin Feng, his arms swinging like iron claws to tear him apart. His movements were fast and fierce, just like a starving wolf.
Lin Feng didn't dare to be careless. He could feel that the man was now using actual techniques.
'This is one of his killing moves. If I don't show him something real, I'll definitely lose to this attack.'
"You'll pay a price for underestimating me!"
With a flick of his wrist, Lin Feng sent the Short Blade in his hand spinning. It then carved a half-circle through the air as he thrust it toward the man's neck.
But the man showed no intention of dodging or defending. Instead, he continued his own attack on Lin Feng. It seemed he had anticipated this move and already had a counter for it.
"You're not worthy of killing me!"
Just as Lin Feng's Short Blade was about to pierce the man's neck, he raised one hand and blocked the strike with an arrowhead he'd picked up at some point!
The tremendous impact split the webbing of his thumb, but the man seemed not to care at all. He continued his frenzied attack—his main objective was to engage in close-quarters combat!
SWOOSH!
Lin Feng sidestepped the man's attack, but he never expected his opponent to press on relentlessly. The man actually took the brunt of Lin Feng's attack and, seizing the opportunity, slapped his right palm onto Lin Feng's shoulder.
Caught completely off guard, Lin Feng was sent flying backward, landing hard several meters away.
Only then did he realize his shoulder was already swelling up. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. The impact had been so jarring he could barely lift his arm!
That single strike from the man had left Lin Feng's shoulder numb and sore. If the attack had been any stronger, his left shoulder would have been rendered completely useless for fighting.
"Heh heh, how do you like that? See how strong I am now? It's not too late to beg for mercy."
"Heh, you think too highly of yourself."
Lin Feng snorted, his expression turning serious. He slowly extended his right arm, holding his index and middle fingers together like a sword, and pointed forward.
The fingers sliced through the air, appearing before the man's chest in the blink of an eye. The man could only watch, wide-eyed, as the attack closed in.
BAM!
A muffled thud echoed. Though Lin Feng had only used two fingers, the man felt as if his chest had been struck by a hammer.
Excruciating pain instantly shot through his entire chest. At the same time, a boundless sense of humiliation washed over him, driving him to the brink of madness.
He never imagined a simple sword-finger strike could possess such power!
Lin Feng's arm trembled slightly. 'This man's strength is incredible,' he thought. 'That last strike was a genuine killing move, but he still managed to withstand it.'
That attack had contained seventy to eighty percent of Lin Feng's power. Even a steel plate might not have been able to withstand it, let alone a person.
Lin Feng's gaze was icy, his lips pursed. A cold light glinted in his eyes. They had reached a complete stalemate; neither could gain the upper hand.
"Let's see how many more tricks you have up your sleeve!"
Suddenly, the man's figure blurred as he shot toward Lin Feng, swinging both arms in a powerful strike!
Although he currently had the upper hand, he knew that this was futile. His only hope of victory was to whittle down Lin Feng's fighting strength to its absolute minimum.
He had seen that Lin Feng's Body Technique was strange and elusive. A drawn-out entanglement would be a major disadvantage for him. Therefore, he chose to attack proactively. After all, his own Body Technique was considered top-tier among Martial Artists.
As long as he could wear Lin Feng down, he was confident that with his strength, victory was practically guaranteed. Plus, they were out in the middle of nowhere. If he timed it right, he would definitely be the one to walk away alive.
"Die!"
The man threw a punch straight at Lin Feng's torso. He had put eighty percent of his strength into this strike.