390 Dragon vs. Lion
Fang Huo resembled a human beast, his body bursting with muscular power and covered in brown hair as tough as stone. He roared, a lionâs cry that reverberated with raw power for dozens of meters.
Qin Huai, his white hair fluttering in the wind and eyes alight with a radiant white glow, let loose a might that stemmed from the dragon king. This power clashed with Fang Huoâs roar, shattering it. With the fifth-level bone pattern realm achieved through the nine dragons true qi technique, the dragon king within Qin Huaiâs dantian had fully matured, exhibiting power and quantity that differed from before.
Within moments, the two were within inches of each other, the hot breath from Fang Huoâs nostrils filling the air. The pounding of his blood and qi echoed like a drum in Qin Huaiâs ears.
Fang Huoâs hands and feet became blurs of motion, his punches obliterating trees and boulders becoming his makeshift weapons. The heavy stones they held felt as light as cotton, tossed casually aside. Neither had any inclination to dodge, choosing instead to shatter the large rocks before them with their fists. At the same time, shards of gravel flew in all directions, snapping trees and creating holes on the ground.
âThese two⦠theyâre like human beasts,â She Wanshan commented.
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âIf youâre facing them, donât let them get too close,â Xiang Mingfeng advised calmly, seemingly unaffected by his grief.
Yet She Wanshanâs response was softer. âI remember the beating I took from Fang Huo.â
âYou donât need to join the fight against the level-one array. You lack the battle experience this group has,â Xiang Mingfeng told She Wanshan. âAnd your heart is too kind for you to deliver a decisive blow.â His words stripped She Wanshan of his participation.
âBrother Xiang, I promise you Iâve grown. I can defend myself!â She Wanshan said forcefully.
âIâm not worried about you. Iâm worried about your comrades,â Xiang Mingfeng replied coldly. âIf your kindness kills you, thatâs one thing. But if it kills us all, thatâs not acceptable.â
She Wanshan started to object, his face reddening, but Xiang Mingfengâs determined gaze silenced him.
Meanwhileâ¦
âBerserk lion technique!â Fang Huo called, his brown fur glowing faintly gold. His aura transformed from dominant to murderous. His arm muscles bulged once more and his punches were now unleashed without restraint.
Qin Huai struggled to predict the trajectory of Fang Huoâs blows. Their speed increased, with Fang Huo forming a punch barrier that looked like a lion opening its bloody maw, consuming Qin Huai.
But the forbidden technique, poison dragon shock, countered this. The light spots on Qin Huaiâs fist detonated, shredding the terrifying punch barrier. The balance in their duel was restored.
âI think we should reserve two spots for them,â a young man in an aqua-blue robe suggested. He then cupped his fists at everyone and said, âIâm Xu Tong of the Blue Sea Pavilion. I have to see whatâs in that level-one array.â His eyes shimmered with deep blue waves, captivating the remaining future king tiers.
Battles started around them, with everyone fighting amid the stone tablet forest, their individual brilliance shining forth.
The duel between Qin Huai and Fang Huo lasted from sunrise to sunset, continuing even as the sun and moon changed places. Meanwhile, Xiang Mingfeng and the others had already completed several rounds and changed multiple opponents.
As the participants took a break for dinner, She Wanshan observed Qin Huai and Fang Huo, still locked in combat. âTheyâre still fighting,â he noted, astonished. âHow can they maintain such a high-intensity duel for so long?â
Xu Tong, too, was surprised as he enjoyed a roast cow. He already had the upper hand, having defeated six opponents in a row and confirmed the candidates for the level-one array. âI understand Fang Huo. He practices Lion Spirit Mountainâs top healing technique, allowing him to recover as fast as wild beasts. But Zhou Cunzhong seems even more at ease.â
She Wanshan nodded. âSenior Brother Xiang is right.â
Another day passed. The golden hair on Fang Huo started to darken to brown, and his muscular form began to shrink.
Qin Huai, still in his dragon king form, felt his arms starting to numb with each punch. He noticed a purple hue spreading across his skin.
Fang Huo, realizing he was at a disadvantage, ended the fight, shouting, âIâm not fighting anymore! Iâm not fighting anymore!â He had lost his temper in the battle. He knew that if he continued to fight like this, he would definitely lose.
âZhou Cunzhong, right? Iâll remember you!â He sighed and shook his hand, instantly distancing himself from Qin Huai. As he moved away, he admitted, âI canât beat you in this kind of fight. Only a life-and-death battle could turn the tide.â