Chapter 176 - 174: Martial Artist Battle (Part 2)

Jiang Chi didn’t say anything to recruit him.

Someone like Lou Yi, already twenty years old and practicing to such a realm, couldn’t possibly betray his original sect.

If he did betray, it would mean he’s a fickle person, and Jiang Chi might not dare to take him in.

"Forget it, letting you experience the power of a Martial Artist before you die is not a wasted life." A trace of pity appeared on Jiang Chi’s face.

The fall of a genius always stirs people.

"You talk too much nonsense." Lou Yi just felt annoyed.

If you want to fight, then fight, why so much useless chatter.

Being so directly countered by a junior, a trace of anger flashed in Jiang Chi’s eyes.

The sword tip, exuding a faint white Sword Qi, rapidly poked the air in the front several times.

The Sword Qi stirred the airflow, forming several visible arm-thick white air columns, rushing towards Lou Yi!

A Martial Artist can use Sword Qi or Sword Qi to stir the space airflow, creating a grand momentum.

However, in terms of power, it’s somewhat inferior to real close combat weapons.

It’s a tool for easily defeating the weak, only effective against those below the Great Circulation, with limited damage to masters.

Lou Yi dodged two air columns.

Then he split another with an axe, exploding it into a chaotic stream that blew his clothes rustling, with wind and sand everywhere, causing his eyes to squint involuntarily.

Seeing this, Jiang Chi stood tall, running in the air.

His garments fluttering, he arrived beside Lou Yi, like a nimble giant bird.

"It’s Lightweight Skill!" In the crowd, Xiao Qian couldn’t help but speak up.

Next to her, Tian Sushen nodded worriedly.

Compared to martial artists, speed is one of the biggest advantages of a Martial Artist.

In the world of martial arts, only the not-yielding and the fast can prevail. If you’re at a speed disadvantage, you can’t even touch the opponent, how could you win?

In the eyes of the crowd, Jiang Chi seemed to become a phantom, while Lou Yi was constrained by the air columns.

"Die!"

Jiang Chi raised his sword, a hint of fierceness flashing in his eyes, as if seeing Lou Yi’s decapitated end.

’Clang!’

The next moment, Lou Yi turned 45 degrees, guarding with his axe in front, accurately blocking Jiang Chi’s strike.

Jiang Chi, using the rebound, flew into the air with his garments fluttering, then swiftly turned back to launch a second strike.

The heavy sword was enveloped in a faint white halo, the tip exuding white Sword Qi, enhanced by True Strength.

"This time, you won’t have such good luck!"

’Clang!’

The moment Jiang Chi finished speaking, he was astonished to find his strike blocked again.

At this point, Lou Yi had moved three feet from his previous position, rotating his body 90 degrees, holding the axe in a motion identical to before.

It was as if Jiang Chi intentionally ran into it.

"How could this be!"

Unwilling, Jiang Chi used his Lightweight Skill, flitting around the scene like a ghost.

However, no matter from what position or angle he attacked Lou Yi, he was firmly blocked.

’Clang clang clang clang!’

One attacked ferociously like a storm, the other defended like an unyielding mountain, leaving the onlookers stunned.

Even if Lou Yi couldn’t match Jiang Chi today, his reputation would greatly rise.

Challenging a Martial Artist with Minor Circulation and surviving ten or so moves without defeat.

Achieving such a feat had almost never happened before, something not even recorded in the annals!

The reason Lou Yi could accomplish this relied on his Minor Achievement in the Light Body Technique and Swift Talent.

Minor Achievement in Light Body Technique made his steps agile, his preemptive judgment powerful.

And Swift Talent gave him purely explosive muscle strength, allowing him not to lag in speed.

"Good, Ah Shu is indeed powerful, this way he might have a chance!" Shi Caifeng’s beautiful eyes lit up, her gaze glued to Lou Yi.

On the scene, though Lou Yi was being pressed, as long as the opponent couldn’t break through, he might endure until a turning point.

"Difficult," Old Man Shi sighed, "Look at his axe."

Shi Caifeng took a close look, her expression changing dramatically.

The Profound Iron Axe in Lou Yi’s hand was now full of holes, crisscrossed with ridges, as if about to break at any moment.

"It’s the Sword Qi; the weapon material is the same, but one side has the enhancement of Sword Qi, increasing its strength considerably," Old Man Shi explained.

Not only he, many others on the scene also noticed this.

"Courageous indeed, but the gap between a Martial Artist and a martial artist is far greater than ordinary people imagine." The Huang Family Master shook his head in lament.

As soon as the words fell.

’Bang!’

The Profound Iron Axe in Lou Yi’s hand, under Jiang Chi’s Sword Qi upon attack, finally crumbled, turning into countless metallic fragments.

"Die!"

The axe failed to block Jiang Chi’s blade, and Jiang Chi’s sword edge kept mercilessly slicing toward Lou Yi’s neck.

Lou Yi stomped both feet on the ground, creating two deep pits, his body rapidly retreating.

Yet Jiang Chi clung like a bone-deep shadow, using Lightweight Skill to keep pace, maintaining the distance between them unchanged.

Simultaneously, his True Strength exploded a second time, the Sword Qi at the tip of the heavy sword lengthening again, exceeding two feet!

The white Sword Qi had already reached directly above Lou Yi’s neck.

With just a slight downward tilt.

Weaponless and unable to widen the distance, Lou Yi seemed to have no choice but to face decapitation.

"No!"

Old Man Shi was shocked and his body flashed with white light, ready to intervene in the battle.

"It’s too late." He shook his head, then dejectedly stopped his movements.

The distance between both sides was too great; even he couldn’t make it in time.

"No!"

Shi Caifeng roared in fury, Tian Su fainted in Xiao Qian’s arms, Wei Youdao was thunderstruck...

All of Lou Yi’s concerned onlookers fell into deep despair at this moment.

At the critical juncture.

Lou Yi crossed his fists, pressing his wrists closely together, forming an X above his head.

Just in time to block the descending Sword Qi.

"A mantis trying to stop a chariot!"

Jiang Chi laughed, not expecting Lou Yi to gift him his hands before dying.

But the next moment, his pupils suddenly dilated.

’Clang!’

Lou Yi’s crossed fists actually blocked the Sword Qi, sharp enough to slice through anything, producing a crisp metallic clash!

The white Sword Qi hung mid-air, unable to descend even a fraction of an inch.

"How is this possible!" The Huang Family Master stood up straight, disbelief written all over his face.

"He wasn’t wearing any gloves or brass knuckles on his hands, was he?" The Yuan Family Master even rubbed his eyes.

"Is this kid a human or a human-shaped spirit monster?"

Old Man Shi inadvertently pulled out a tuft of white beard, feeling nothing.

Everyone who witnessed this scene was stunned.

Their worldview was greatly shaken.

The first to bear the brunt was Jiang Chi; naturally, he was no exception, his True Strength scattering considerably at that moment.

How could Lou Yi let such a golden opportunity slip away?

All this time enduring just to wait for the opponent’s flaw.

With fists shimmering with a faint silvery light, he forcefully smashed through the Sword Qi.

His legs, already spiraled with layers of muscle, compressed sharply, then expanded in an instant.

Lou Yi’s figure shot towards Jiang Chi like a rocket, his fist raised high.

"Splitting Mountain!"

"Dragon Piercing!"

His Qi-Blood surged to the sky, channeling all his strength to a single point before exploding suddenly.

With a punch delivered, it was as if heaven and earth shattered.

Over twenty thousand pounds of force poured into Jiang Chi’s chest, visibly denting his physique.

"Ah!"

Jiang Chi screamed, his body’s white True Strength flickering like a faulty light bulb, desperately dispersing the force.

He retreated, attempting to increase the distance from his opponent.

"Petrification."

Lou Yi employed the second active of the Petrification Skill.

Instantly, dense blue lines crisscrossed his arm.

An ice-cold, bone-chilling aura spread, visibly reducing Jiang Chi’s speed.

"What kind of evil technique is this!"

Jiang Chi, shocked and furious, hadn’t expected Lou Yi to have such a move.

Contest among experts is determined in a split second.

Misjudging his own speed, Jiang Chi took another punch from Lou Yi.

Though most of the damage was absorbed by True Strength, he still coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

Lou Yi was equally astonished.

When his fist landed on Jiang Chi, he felt as if he had hit a large mass of cotton, unable to exert force.

Is this the subtle use of True Strength? Martial Artists are indeed more resilient than ordinary Martial Artists.

With this thought, Lou Yi was already preparing for a third punch.

"Die!"

Jiang Chi’s heavy sword emitted bursts of Sword Qi, thrusting fiercely at Lou Yi.

If his opponent dodged, he could seize the chance to retreat to safety. Shamelessly kite him to death if he must.

However, Lou Yi charged straight into the Sword Qi, as if ready to trade his life for a life.

Simultaneously, he moved the silvery skin of his fist to his chest.

The third punch hit Jiang Chi’s chest, the same spot as before.

"You can’t kill me!" Jiang Chi roared.

The True Strength gathered at his chest, its defensive power at its peak, confident he could block another strike.

"Armor-Piercing."

At this moment, Jiang Chi heard Lou Yi softly chant from his lips.

...