Chapter 538: Breaking Through
Chapter 538: Breaking Through
Chen Chuan's focus intensified as he raised his hands, holding the knife upwards, and the axe clashed once more. The two forces collided, causing both of them to tremble, and snowflakes and dust swirled around them.
Chang Kuanghai seemed even more excited, using the impact to lift his long axe again. Holding the handle with one hand and the end with the other, he exerted his full strength to lift the axe upwards. After a brief pause, he twisted his hands, and with a loud 'hong', he brought the axe down in a powerful chop.
Chen Chuan's gaze was deep, as he had seen a similar move from Wei Wusheng, except one used a hammer while the other wielded an axe.
Showing no intention to yield, Chen Chuan's altered tissues activated, and after a brief preparation, he spun and swung his knife. The two blades clashed, and with a loud 'hong', they seemed to explode like bombs, sending clouds of dust and smoke swirling outwards.
In the Defense Department Command Center, most of the personnel were intently watching this battle, as this split body was currently the most important target, even more critical than the standoff outside the city.
The powerful and heavy clashes and direct confrontations between the two left everyone in awe and excitement, their blood boiling.
Especially after witnessing Chang Kuanghai's intimidating display of swinging the long axe, which could sweep away an entire vehicle full of armed men, Chen Chuan had stood his ground, and now... they seemed evenly matched!
After blocking three attacks, Chen Chuan felt that this person's strength was almost on par with his own body, and with the added advantage of his weapon, the gap was negligible. His opponent's mental strength was equally robust and resilient, unyielding to shocks.
This was the first time Chen Chuan had encountered such an opponent.
With decisiveness, he loosened the constraints of his altered tissues, gaining a slight advantage in strength.
Chang Kuanghai's fighting style seemed to favor aggression. Seeing that his axe was once again blocked, he pulled back his waist and twisted the axe, aiming another slanting chop towards Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan maintained his previous combat style, horizontally blocking the axe. However, this time, instead of meeting force with force, he suddenly retreated, drawing the axe's power to the side, attempting to deflect the axe head.
Although his initial technique was unsuccessful, his time at the academy had honed his skills. Besides mental strength training in the later stages, he had sparred with Hong Fu almost daily in the early days. Now, while not an expert in techniques, he was highly proficient in their application. This move was executed without any warning, catching his opponent off guard.
However, his attempt to deflect the axe was not entirely successful, as Chang Kuanghai, sensing the shift in Chen Chuan's power, immediately adjusted his own strength, demonstrating exceptional control over his body's force.
But he was a fraction too slow, and Chen Chuan seized the opportunity, twisting his knife around the axe handle to deflect it outwards. Even if this didn't cause Chang Kuanghai to drop the axe, it was enough to deflect it.
Chang Kuanghai refused to yield, pulling back his strength and adjusting the axe. The two weapons clashed again, and Chang Kuanghai realized that Chen Chuan's power had increased since the last clash, causing the axe to deflect slightly. He hurriedly tried to stabilize himself.
Chen Chuan stepped forward, lifting the knife to deflect the axe head. If successful, he could seize the opening and break into the inner circle in the next move.
Chang Kuanghai sensed Chen Chuan's intention and shouted, exerting his strength to press the axe downwards, attempting to pin down the long knife and block the middle gate. In response to Chen Chuan's display of power, Chang Kuanghai's muscles instantly bulged, and his strength surged.
At that moment, Chen Chuan's eyes flashed, and he twisted his wrists, changing the direction of the knife. Instead of deflecting upwards, he withdrew and pressed down on the back of the axe! With a loud 'hong', the combined force of the two created a deep pit in the ground, and half of the axe head was embedded in the earth.
Chen Chuan immediately stepped forward, pressing the knife against the axe handle and moving towards Chang Kuanghai. In an instant, he was upon Chang Kuanghai, raising his knife for a strike! Although he had gained greater strength after releasing his altered tissues, he didn't opt for a direct approach. Instead, he chose to 'use softness before hardness, and curves before straightness.'
Chang Kuanghai, realizing he couldn't retract the axe in time, acted decisively, releasing the axe and blocking the knife with his crossed arms. The blade struck his arms, causing his muscles to slightly indent but couldn't penetrate.
Although the knife couldn't penetrate, the force was transmitted into his arms, and a powerful force surged in. However, his arm muscles rippled, dissipating the incoming force and minimizing the impact on his body.
Chen Chuan assessed the situation, seizing the initiative and swiftly delivering three consecutive strikes, each with a different force and seamlessly connected.
Chang Kuanghai blocked three strikes with his arms, each time cleanly and efficiently dissipating the incoming force as it entered his body. His legs remained firmly rooted, not budging an inch.
At this moment in the battle, a flash of light suddenly appeared within the rift beside them, followed by the sound of countless flapping wings. Hundreds of razor-beaked birds emerged from within.
These birds had sharp beaks and teeth, red eyes, and sharp claws. As soon as they appeared, they frantically surged forward, and the two men happened to be blocking their path.
But neither man seemed the slightest bit affected, continuing their exchange as if nothing had changed. The overflowing air currents and force were even more powerful, causing the birds that rushed too close to die in large numbers, falling like raindrops.
Chang Kuanghai suddenly clapped his hands, and the birds that had been hovering nearby exploded in mid-air, showering Chen Chuan with blood.
Chen Chuan remained unmoved. The blood that reached his skin was directly shaken off. Not missing this opportunity, he lifted his blade and thrust it forward, stabbing near the other's collarbone and piercing it.
With this strike, he intended to penetrate with a drilling force. Even if his opponent practiced horizontal power, it was highly likely that he could pierce through with a single thrust. However, after the blade entered, he initially made progress smoothly, but then encountered a tough obstacle that became increasingly difficult to penetrate. Sensing that his opponent's horizontal power might have some hidden depth, he decisively withdrew his blade.
As Chang Kuanghai saw him retreat, his fingers suddenly clenched, and ripples of waves rose from beneath his feet, gathering at his fist. Then, with a mighty punch, he struck forward.
After two steps, Chen Chuan's breathing suddenly became scorching hot. He lifted his blade and thrust it forward again, meeting the fist head-on. Once again, their bodies shook, and they both retreated, dissipating the force transmitted from each other.
Chang Kuanghai looked at his fist, where a deep gash had been opened. Beneath the curling flesh, he could see the hard finger bones, like jade. But in that instant, the flesh closed and mended, and by the time he lowered his hand, it had already healed completely.
These few exchanges seemed complex, but their offense and defense were actually extremely fast, all occurring within a few seconds, causing the field signals transmitted to the command center to be very blurry. Only vaguely could they discern that this round seemed to favor neither side.
Chen Chuan held his long blade, staring at Chang Kuanghai in front of him. It was evident that this man had no fancy techniques, only possessing remarkable strength, speed, and an indestructible body, reaching the pinnacle of purity.
Moreover, his mental state was equally restrained, maintaining extreme purity. His spiritual power did not actively attack, but it was unwavering and unyielding, like his horizontal power. During the previous attacks, each strike carried the impact of the Spirit Shattering Hammer, yet he stood firm, not wavering in the slightest.
This style of combat was difficult to counter for ordinary fighters. If you couldn't beat them, no amount of effort would make a difference.
In a 16-page book, a bar, and a glance, there was not a single mistake in the version!
However, there were indeed weaknesses to exploit.
He had noticed that although his opponent had blocked his blade with his bare hands, he remained cautious about protecting his face during the process. Some joint areas were also kept from direct contact with the blade.
After all, these areas might be enough to withstand attacks from ordinary people, but for someone with similar strength, they had to be protected. These were the exploitable areas.
As the two men stared at each other, the rift in the distance displayed some anomalies again. Another group of flying creatures from the opposite side rushed out, but with a boom, the rift suddenly expanded by about double its size, indicating that larger creatures could now pass through.
Both men didn't look in that direction, but they were both on guard. After a moment, their expressions shifted slightly, as they sensed that their spirits seemed even more active than before. Chen Chuan, in particular, felt this more intensely. Guided by the Spirit Illumination Reflection Technique, the essence he absorbed, both in quantity and speed, far exceeded what he had experienced before.
His thoughts turned, and he felt he had some understanding.
This was because the rift was gradually stabilizing, naturally becoming the primary exchange point for matter and spirit between the two worlds. The essence was a part of the other world, and it was only natural that it would seep through in large quantities.
The two men were among the first to benefit from this proximity.
Although there were still large rifts in the Ji Yang District, that particular rift was at the edge of Central City, mostly leading to the Convergence Zone, the intersection of the two worlds, rather than directly to another world. So, at this moment, they were actually the closest.
This was undoubtedly advantageous, but both men knew that it was better for one person to enjoy this benefit alone rather than sharing it with another. So, they both slowly looked up, gazing at each other.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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