Chapter 731: Encirclement and Capture
Qiu Qianren was renowned across the world for his Iron Palm technique. In terms of palm strength, he was second only to the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms of the Beggar Gang and the Prajna Palm of Shaolin. Though he had to engage the enemy in haste, he was still confident that a single strike would force his opponent back. By then, Western Poison Ouyang Feng should have arrived, and with the two of them joining forces, even if Wang Chongyang were to return from the dead, he would have no choice but to retreat.
As their palms clashed, Qiu Qianren felt his strength dissipate as if it had vanished into thin air, like a mud ox sinking into the sea. His heart trembled with shock. His full-force strike had landed on empty space, and his own internal force rebounded, causing his chest to churn with turbulent blood and Qi.
He hadn’t expected that despite his opponent’s fearsome momentum, their palm strike carried a formless force. This resulted in him sustaining internal injuries in an instant. But there was no time for regret—years of experience in the martial world made him instinctively dodge to the side.
While mid-air, he twisted his waist, forcibly shifting his body several feet to the side. Under normal circumstances, Qiu Qianren would have taken pride in his maneuver. Across the martial world, one could count on one hand the number of Qinggong experts capable of such an elegant movement.
However, there was no joy in his heart this time. He realized that his opponent had not missed their mark due to his evasion. Instead, their palm followed him relentlessly, like a maggot clinging to bone.
Taking a deep breath, Qiu Qianren brought both palms to his chest, hurriedly forming a defensive stance. With his level of skill, he didn’t seek to defeat the enemy, only to protect himself. This move should have been impenetrable—yet, unexpectedly, his opponent’s palm bypassed his defense from an inconceivable angle. It seemed slow and unhurried, but in the next moment, it lightly pressed against his chest.
Qiu Qianren felt as if struck by lightning. A mouthful of fresh blood spurted from his lips as he plummeted to the ground. Fortunately, his decades of cultivation weren’t for nothing—he managed to shift just enough to avoid a fatal blow, barely preserving his life. However, his meridians were now in turmoil, his internal energy was in disarray, and he wouldn’t be able to fight for at least several months.
Though the entire exchange seemed drawn out, it had occurred in the blink of an eye. Ouyang Feng was merely a short distance behind Qiu Qianren, yet by the time he arrived, Qiu Qianren was already severely injured and falling to the ground.
Experienced and decisive, Ouyang Feng didn’t hesitate. Without sparing Qiu Qianren a glance, he immediately launched a strike with his Toad Skill at the shadowy figure.