Chapter 180: Furnace Breath
Chapter 180: Furnace Breath
Tan Wang dodged and weaved through the onslaught of Chen Chuan's sword attacks, noticing that his opponent possessed both strength and speed but lacked in technique. This allowed Tan Wang to utilize his experience to evade rather than brute force his way through.
Only when there was no choice but to engage would he use his limbs and body to counter, dissipating the force of the sword through the writhing of his muscles and the scales attached to them.
The two moved at incredible speeds, their attacks and blocks creating a continuous clashing sound without pause, as if the torrential rain was being torn apart, leaving behind a trail of scattered gaps.
Before the rain from one direction could fall back down, another explosion of water would erupt elsewhere, leaving a path of forced openings in its wake.
Amidst the thundering sky and flashing lightning, one moment their silhouettes were illuminated, only to vanish the next, leaving only the mud and grass on the ground to bear witness to their battle.
After more than ten minutes of this intense confrontation, Tan Wang began to feel uncomfortable. He had to continuously exert force to counter the sword, requiring intense focus without any room for error, which was a significant strain on his mental and physical endurance.
At the moment, the duration was still manageable, but if it were to continue any longer, as his stamina declined, maintaining his performance would become increasingly difficult, and mistakes would inevitably occur.
He inwardly cursed his miscalculation; if he had completed the gland implant surgery before coming, he could have secreted an oily substance from his scales, effectively deflecting the slashes and stabs of various sharp weapons, even bullets.
Furthermore, if he had undergone the venom gland surgery in his upper jaw beforehand, he could have ended the fight with a timely spray of toxic mist, instead of enduring such a complicated battle.
Chen Chuan's sword techniques were consistently formidable, showing no signs of change from the beginning until now, as if he could maintain this relentless assault indefinitely.
Tan Wang began to question his judgment; what kind of drug could sustain such endurance? Or was this... his true strength?
No, that was impossible.
Unbeknownst to him, the moment he started feeling anxious and doubtful, his focus began to waver, and his stamina started to decline.
Chen Chuan, on the other hand, maintained his focus on the enemy before him. For him, this was merely a matter of minutes, whereas he had spent at least an hour in the abyss, swimming against the endless darkness and oppressive environment, which was nothing compared to his previous training.
That intense training had significantly enhanced his ability to withstand pressure, ensuring that the current battle could not shake his determination, not even by a hair.
Even if his second self's overlapping time ran out, he could still continue to wield his sword resolutely until his opponent fell, or until he himself collapsed.
After another ten minutes of intense combat, Tan Wang sensed something amiss; his body occasionally seemed to lag in response, but his experience allowed him to compensate. Still, he felt something was wrong.
He attributed this to the implants.
Implants often caused a decrease in combat effectiveness due to incompatibility with the host. The Venomous Snake Sect had its own specialized implant doctors and cultivation chambers, ensuring each member had implants tailored to their bodies.
However, most of Tan Wang's original implants had been destroyed by He Xiaohang, especially those for offensive limbs. This forced him to switch to an upgraded set.
To enhance his combat prowess, he opted for an advanced version, but due to compatibility issues, his custom set was still in cultivation. As a result, he was temporarily using a generic set.
While the generic implants functioned well for short-term use, the prolonged battle now caused a sense of sluggishness.
Perhaps taking medication at this moment could temporarily alleviate the issue, but even if he had the medicine on him, the situation did not allow for such a move.
Both fighters were highly sensitive to each other's subtle movements during this intense engagement. As soon as Tan Wang's problem surfaced, Chen Chuan immediately noticed the difference. He observed that Tan Wang's rhythm had become slightly chaotic, losing the initial sense of stability.
This undoubtedly indicated one thing:
The opponent's condition was deteriorating!
Chen Chuan also realized that if he had noticed this, Tan Wang himself must have been aware of it, and would undoubtedly try to recover or find a way out.
The change might come later, or perhaps in the very next moment.
Chen Chuan heightened his focus.
Tan Wang, however, did not immediately alter his strategy. With his extensive combat experience, he patiently waited, hoping to wear down his opponent and force them to reveal an opening.
But facing an opponent devoid of impatience and recklessness, Tan Wang could not seize the opportunity he sought. Eventually, he had no choice but to take the initiative and change his approach.
As he blocked another slashing strike with his arm, he attempted to deflect the blade using muscle writhing and the hardness of his scales, as he had done before. But this time, something new happened.
In the instant his arm made contact with the blade, the veins on his arm writhed, and the skin suddenly tore open, revealing serpent-like limbs that wrapped around the blade, entangling it firmly.
Upon seeing this, Chen Chuan's expression changed, but he did not immediately try to wrest control. Instead, he released the sword handle and stepped forward, closing the distance and launching a fierce attack on Tan Wang. Tan Wang countered with a single hand, choosing to endure the blows with his body where necessary.
Although Chen Chuan possessed considerable strength, even slightly surpassing Tan Wang, the latter's highly resilient mutated muscles allowed him to easily dissipate the punches, making it difficult for Chen Chuan to inflict significant damage. The key was to control the sword, which would make the fight much easier.
After a few ineffective attacks, Chen Chuan swiftly changed his approach. When his punch aimed at Tan Wang's face was blocked, he swiftly transformed his fist into a palm strike, grabbing Tan Wang's wrist and pulling it backward. Tan Wang felt a force penetrating his wrist, and he immediately tensed and twisted his fingers to break free.
At that moment, Chen Chuan dropped his left hand, and with a sharp snap, he grabbed the middle of the blade. Twisting his waist and pulling the sword, he opened his right palm and lunged towards Tan Wang's face.
Tan Wang, still entangled with the sword, struggled to free himself, causing his center of gravity to shift forward. The incoming palm strike was incredibly fast, almost touching his face.
His serpentine eyes narrowed, sensing danger. In response, he tilted his head back, and his neck muscles writhed, elongating his neck as if folding it backward, successfully dodging the attack. He immediately followed up with a blocking move, deflecting Chen Chuan's palm.
If someone were standing behind him at this moment, they would see a faint smile spreading across his upturned face.
He was no longer in a hurry. As soon as Chen Chuan's offensive ended, he would immediately use the Venomous Snake Sect's Serpent Entanglement Technique, employing his limbs' high flexibility and modified joints to grapple and entangle his opponent. Once he had his hold, unless the opponent's strength far exceeded his own, they would only be entangled to death.
Chen Chuan also sensed that this close-quarters combat was highly disadvantageous for him. In his unarmed state, he lacked sufficient killing threat against Tan Wang.
As long as Tan Wang endured his initial onslaught, he would undoubtedly counter with his experienced close-quarters combat skills, forcing Chen Chuan into a passive position, making it difficult to dictate the battle's course.
At this moment, instead of charging headlong, he swiftly adapted, raising his knee and pushing off with his foot. When blocked by his opponent, he used the momentum to retreat, his body slightly bent, hands reaching down, grasping the hilt of the sword together. As his feet moved, his waist turned, and he suddenly flicked the sword upward.
This time, with the layer-by-layer push of the altered tissue, the force was so great that even the muddy ground beneath him sank.
Tan Wang felt a surge of powerful energy transmitted to him, and his expression changed slightly. If he didn't release the sword, he might be lifted entirely, and even if he managed to stay in place, the two forces would likely break the universal serpent limbs.
Realizing he might not be able to hold the sword, he abandoned it, releasing the serpent limbs. He spun in place and then lunged forward, pouncing on Chen Chuan's proximity, arms outstretched, ready to embrace his waist and legs.
At this moment, Chen Chuan lifted his hands, exposing an opening, and there was no time to block. As long as he entangled and embraced Chen Chuan, he could still achieve his original purpose.
Unexpectedly, Chen Chuan still had some strength left. He stepped back, his wrist flicked backward, and his body sank as he aimed the narrow sword hilt downward, stabbing. Tan Wang narrowed his eyes, sidestepping to dodge, and Chen Chuan's waist turned, moving his arm, his wrist twisting to follow Tan Wang's evasive direction, slashing horizontally.
Tan Wang flipped sideways, evading the strike.
Chen Chuan swiped the long sword aside, forcing Tan Wang to retreat, and once again, he slowly retracted the sword, holding it firmly with both hands, the tip pointing at his opponent.
Tan Wang's face turned slightly unpleasant, and they were back to the previous rhythm. With this, he could only choose a method he originally didn't want to use.
By stimulating the altered tissue through a specific breathing method, he temporarily enhanced his combat power. However, while he could endure it, the universal implants might not.
Even without this method, the implants might not last much longer, and he believed he had already grasped Chen Chuan's limits. With just a slight boost in combat power, he would be able to end the fight, so he opened his hands, and the valve of his body's energy suddenly opened.
Chen Chuan suddenly noticed Tan Wang's back and chest heaving rapidly, and his eyes began to fill with blood. He immediately realized that Tan Wang was stimulating his altered tissue.
This must be his opponent's final killing move, and with that, it was almost time.
He took a deep breath, activating the Furnace Breathing Method, and in an instant, all the energy accumulated over the past month was released from the altered tissue, channeled through his internal and external breathing, and transmitted to his limbs and bones.
His body instantly became scorching, and a large amount of white vapor rose from his body, mixing with the rain and swirling upward in the wind. He slightly lowered his center of gravity, and with a step forward, a slash of his sword tore through the rain!
Tan Wang was startled, as Chen Chuan's speed had increased even more than before, making it almost impossible for him to see clearly. He could only rely on his senses to dodge, but the sword light pursued like falling snow, forcing him to block with his arms. In the moment their contact, he suddenly felt a part of his body go numb, and his pupils constricted as his body rapidly retreated.
Chen Chuan stood in place, not pursuing, and with a flick of his blade, a sound of "pat-ta" echoed as an arm fell from the sky.
In that strike, he combined the Furnace Breathing Method with a heavy blade force he had never used before. As the force entered the Snow Lady Sword, the sword also began to vibrate slightly.
Tan Wang's breathing became rapid, and the wound in his muscle twitched. Losing an arm not only significantly reduced his combat power but also affected his balance. The implants, due to the continuous intense usage, became even more incompatible.
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and the world suddenly brightened like daylight. In the blurry vision, Chen Chuan held the sword, advancing with each step. His entire body seemed enveloped in swirling white vapor, his face obscured, and countless raindrops smashed onto the sword, shattering into even finer droplets.
At this moment, a thought of escaping crossed his mind, and the figure once again disappeared from its original spot. He hurriedly retreated, but his loss of balance and diminishing strength made him slower than before.
A "shing" sound echoed as a massive gash was slashed across his chest and abdomen, and he stumbled as he fell, bending over and squatting. Fresh blood and bodily fluids splattered onto the ground.
He propped himself up, clutching his stomach, and struggled to stand. He staggered and ran outside.
Chen Chuan thrust the Snow Lady Sword into the ground and strode forward, grabbing Tan Wang by the hair and pulling his face upward. He clenched his fist and slowly raised it high, saying, "Teacher Tan, do you remember when you asked me if I was willing to go to Central City as your servant..."
The raised fist suddenly descended, slamming into Tan Wang's face, sending several teeth and blood flying.
"This is my answer."
Tan Wang laughed, seemingly mocking something.
Chen Chuan saw this and struck again, punch after punch, relentlessly hitting Tan Wang's face until it became a bloody mess, completely losing consciousness. Only then did Chen Chuan release his hand, letting Tan Wang fall into a puddle of muddy rainwater.
Chen Chuan stood there, slowly regulating his breathing, and as he exhaled a wisp of white vapor, his scorching body gradually cooled. He looked up at the sky, sensing the rain's gradual weakening. This storm was almost over."
...
(End of Chapter)
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