Chapter 558: Suppressing the Rift
Chapter 558: Suppressing the Rift
Chen Chuan's focus was primarily on Chen Bitong, when suddenly, a bright light appeared before him, causing his mental perception to blur momentarily, and he briefly lost his connection to the outside world.
Having experienced something similar before, he instantly realized that he had been drawn into a rift.
However, this didn't deter him from continuing his attack. Even as the light and the smoke from the collapsing building mixed together, he could vaguely discern the figure in front of him. Taking a step forward, he moved through the swirling smoke and flickering light, throwing a punch towards his opponent.
At that moment, a faintly glowing hand emerged from the smoke, blocking the path of his punch. As their hands were about to make contact, the incoming fist suddenly transformed into an open palm, slipping past his hand and pressing inward, attempting to push his arm back.
But his opponent was quick to react, swiftly raising his hand to block with his elbow. The collision caused a burst of qi to spill out in all directions.
With the two now in close proximity, they exchanged several rapid moves. Their movements and the release of qi continuously stirred the raging aura in the area, along with the swirling dust around them, creating a continuous roar of howling and explosions.
Just then, Chen Chuan suddenly saw a flicker in his second self, and he felt an inexplicable surge of mental power, as if it had been transmitted from a distant place.
The light in one direction seemed to brighten slightly, followed by a loud crash. Suddenly, a massive, sunken cavity of light formed there.
Not only that, but as the void appeared, Chen Bitong's spirit underwent a peculiar change, as if it had become entangled with that place, and both sides seemed to be attracting each other, with an increasing intensity of merging.
The opposing force was also growing stronger. After exchanging another move, Chen Chuan looked up and met Chen Bitong's gaze, causing his eyes to narrow.
At that moment, a cold and crazed expression appeared on half of his opponent's face, while the eye on the half-mask remained calm.
The opposing force erupted, but Chen Chuan didn't resist head-on. Instead, he cautiously retreated, and just then, another surge of aura swept in, blurring both their figures in the dust and intense light.
Chen Bitong's voice carried from the other side: "It has come for me. Captain Chen, if I do something extreme, please stop me. If I lose control, then kill me."
As he spoke, his voice started normally, but towards the end, it gradually lost its inflection and emotion, as if he were speaking on autopilot.
Chen Chuan waved his hand, brushing away the dust in front of him, and looked again. This time, he felt like he was seeing a different person. Although Chen Bitong's appearance hadn't changed, his spiritual aura seemed to have undergone a fundamental transformation.
Combining this with what he had just heard, Chen Chuan realized that this person's body might have been occupied or infected by that "It," but it wasn't completely taken over yet, so he needed to stop it immediately.
Without hesitation, Chen Chuan quickly lunged forward, reaching out to grab his opponent's abdomen, and with a swift motion, he seized his wrist, allowing the capture qi to penetrate.
Chen Bitong felt a tearing sensation within his body, as if something was churning inside him, causing his body to freeze.
However, the String Emptiness Qi instantly countered, protecting his internal organs and strengthening his muscles. With a twist of qi, the internal force was blocked, unable to tear through.
But even as he suppressed it, there was a momentary pause, and in that instant, Chen Chuan seized the opportunity to rush forward, reaching out and grabbing his opponent's wrist. With a powerful capture force, he took hold of his wrist.
Chen Bitong let out a low roar, and his inner String Emptiness Qi countered, blocking the incoming force. Simultaneously, he raised his other hand, emitting a faint glow, and punched towards Chen Chuan.
This time, however, Chen Chuan didn't dodge. He raised his hand to block, and with a loud bang, he stopped the glowing hand, not retreating even half a step!
Chen Bitong froze, his gaze dropping to meet those deep, calm eyes.
Chen Chuan withstood the punch, and at that moment, his second self almost completely faded from view, reducing his overall endurance by two-fifths. At most, he could withstand two punches, but that was more than enough!
With a swift motion, Chen Chuan clapped both of Chen Bitong's arms, and the capture force surged into him, causing his entire body to tremble. The internal force that had been guarding his body was momentarily distracted, and the Whimsical Cat inside his body let out a howl, taking advantage of the situation to churn.
Chen Chuan pulled him with force, dragging him away from the glowing void, and after retreating a few steps, he spun and threw him to the ground with a powerful back throw.
At that moment, a deep and trembling roar emerged from Chen Bitong's chest, as if he were no longer just a person but had become something else. His entire body seemed to emit that peculiar glow.
Chen Chuan remained unfazed, and with a thunderous punch, he struck his head, sending the force surging into him.
That force, no matter how powerful, was not without a solution.
To draw that force from that world, one needed to gather sufficient mental awareness. If the mind couldn't focus, there was no way to achieve that, unless the opponent was already a martial artist.
After this strike, Chen Bitong's head shook violently, but his body seemed to undergo a transformation. Surprisingly, his head remained unscathed under the impact of Chen Chuan's scattered palm force, but the faint light on his body dissipated for a moment.
However, in the next instant, the light reappeared on his palm, attempting to grab Chen Chuan. Chen Chuan, without hesitation, struck him with another punch, causing another pause.
Chen Chuan's eyes flashed, and in a flash, his hands separated, one on each side, grasping the man's arms. With a twist, the capture force was unleashed without restraint.
A cracking sound of twisting echoed, and his two arms were instantly broken. The bright light on his palm immediately dispersed.
Chen Chuan turned around and approached Chen Bitong's front, kneeling on top of him. His fist then landed heavily, causing a faint flash in Chen Bitong's eyes. But he was dazed by the blow, and the light vanished.
Subsequently, Chen Chuan delivered punch after punch, relentlessly striking him. Each time, he knocked back the head that tried to lift, and the thunderous boom reverberated endlessly within the rift.
After an unknown number of punches, as Chen Chuan raised his hand again, a weak voice emerged from below.
"Stop."
Chen Chuan felt his breath returning to its previous state, and the once-unstable mental waves had calmed. Most importantly...
He glanced to the side, and the hole emitting strong light had disappeared at some point.
He slowly lowered his hand and stepped back.
To his surprise, the whimsical cat had also returned from the other party's body, seemingly having consumed something. It was now peacefully asleep, and his heart couldn't help but stir slightly.
Chen Bitong lay there, struggling to catch his breath. After a few gasps, he said, "Captain Chen, what if I recover and continue fighting you?"
Chen Chuan stood there, looking at him, and said, "If I can defeat Master Chen once, I can do it a second time."
Chen Bitong's eyes showed a hint of appreciation and a touch of melancholy. After a while, his broken arms gradually healed, and he managed to sit up.
At this moment, Chen Chuan suddenly heard footsteps and the clatter of armor from a distance.
The current location should be the middle of the rift. Since someone from the former imperial court had passed by not long ago, the direction they were facing should lead to the convergence zone. The arrival of these people was undoubtedly from the former imperial court.
Indeed, after a short while, shadowy figures emerged from the dust and light. Their identities were confirmed by the weapons they carried.
These people were the samurai and soldiers who had been waiting here earlier. After several failed attempts to cross to the other side of the rift, they were no longer in a hurry to rush in, waiting for reinforcements from behind.
This rift had been identified from the beginning as leading to the interior of the central city and was the most stable among all the rifts. They would not give up this place so easily.
With the mysterious commotion in the middle of the rift, they would undoubtedly come to investigate.
Chen Chuan turned around, facing the direction from which the people were approaching. After a while, rows of armored soldiers and a few samurai gradually emerged from the light and smoke.
They immediately spotted Chen Chuan standing in front, but before they could react, a powerful mental shockwave hit them.
These soldiers were as if struck by a hammer, instantly losing consciousness. As the sound of bodies falling to the ground echoed, these newcomers quickly lay sprawled on the ground.
Chen Chuan turned back to look at Chen Bitong, who was still recovering. He glanced at the other side and then walked over.
After a few steps, he felt as if he had crossed a thin boundary. A thin mist appeared, and after a few more steps, he looked out through the fog.
It was then that he discovered that the exit of this side of the rift was located at the top of a high ridge, with a mountain path leading downward.
As he looked further into the distance, his expression became solemn. Below the mountain was a dense camp.
Despite the dense vegetation and mist in the convergence zone, he couldn't see the exact number, but the vastness suggested an immense army.
Was this... the army of the former imperial court? At this moment, a team seemed to have noticed the commotion above and was pointing upwards while some quickly made their way up the mountain.
Chen Chuan thought for a moment, then turned back to the rift.
Chen Bitong was now half-sitting, leaning against a spear stuck in the ground.
Chen Chuan walked over, spotted his wide-brimmed hat on the ground, bent down to pick it up, dusted it off, and handed it to him.
Chen Bitong took the hat and, under Chen Chuan's gaze, put it back on. He adjusted the brim and met Chen Chuan's eyes.
"Captain Chen, did you see it?" Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Master Chen, what are you trying to achieve? Can you explain now?"
...
(End of Chapter)
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