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Just as life and death hung by a thread, Shawn Young suddenly felt a savage gust whip past his side—a thunderous shout split the air: "Stop—!"
The attacker's moves were brutally domineering, forcing Shawn Young to twist and leap back several steps. But his opponent stuck to him like a shadow, appearing right in front of him and swinging a massive palm at Shawn's face. Shawn threw up his hands in a flash—"Bang!" The two forces crashed together, separating instantly, and the shockwave made the air howl and echo around them!
Both Shawn Young and the newcomer steadied themselves, sizing each other up. The man wore a silver-white Tang suit, towering and broad-shouldered, with a tiger's gaze and a stern, dignified face framed by pure white hair and beard. What really shocked Shawn: the old man's palms were huge, fan-like, covered in thick calluses—clearly, this guy's hand skills were next-level!
"Kid! Not bad, your kung fu bites! But don't you think your moves are a bit too ruthless?" barked the white-haired elder, locking eyes with Shawn Young.
"In martial arts, life and death are a toss-up. If we're fighting, why hold back?" Shawn Young replied coolly. Ethan Zhao had attacked him in a rage—if Shawn wasn't skilled enough, he'd be the one flat on the ground right now, not them.
"No holding back, huh? You're a wild one, kid. Let's see if you can back up that attitude! Watch this—" The white-haired elder blurred forward, suddenly right in Shawn's face. He raised both hands: his right palm roared in with brute force, while his left swept in with a sly, shadowy wind!
Shawn Young was caught off guard. He hadn't expected this old man's kung fu to be so mystical—he could blend yin and yang energies with crazy finesse! Shawn snapped to attention, meeting every strike head-on, unleashing his "Lightning Burst" and countering with Bajiquan.
Ten moves flashed by. Shawn Young finally figured out the old man's style: balanced inside and out, mixing hard and soft, long and short! Not entirely internal, not purely external—a wild blend. The elder, after a few exchanges, was getting more and more shocked, his face growing heavy. Shawn's style was all aggression, every punch stirring up a storm! Most dangerous of all, he fought force with force, speed with speed, and every hit had ruthless finality. His punches were vicious! Even though his moves screamed yang, they hid a touch of yin—deadly stuff!
The old man's brows knotted, sweat dripping down his face in fat beads. His breathing turned ragged! Not only was his technique being countered at every turn, but his inner strength was draining fast! Shawn Young was young and fierce, his energy on a whole different level, and his attacks were relentless. If this kept up, the old man might just collapse from exhaustion!
In a split second, the white-haired elder's eyes flashed with resolve. He gritted his teeth, stomped down hard, and suddenly sprang upward—his hands transformed into stabbing fingers, lunging straight for Shawn Young's chest! The attack was bizarrely dangerous and packed a whole new level of power!
Shawn Young knew this was the moment—two titans clashing, victory or defeat decided in a heartbeat. He focused, sending a surge of qi from his dantian, flooding his body with a fierce, roaring energy. The air around him seemed to twist and tremble, and within that storm, you could almost hear the roar of dragons and tigers! Sticking to the rules of martial arts, Shawn didn't use his Taoist magic directly—there was no time for hand seals or chants in such a close, deadly fight, and he hadn't mastered the highest level of spontaneous spellcasting yet!
This was the strongest, most ferocious killer move in Xingyi Boxing—Dragon-Tiger Spirit! The crowd watching swore they saw a dragon and tiger roar out from Shawn Young's body, their faces frozen in utter shock!
The white-haired elder's face twisted in terror as Shawn Young's overwhelming force crashed into him, dissolving his attack in an instant! That raw power, loaded with pure qi, blasted straight at him—just for a heartbeat, he felt the chill of death. His body froze, eyes squeezed shut, bracing for the end!
"No—don't!" Just as Shawn Young and the elder were about to collide, several voices cried out. Two figures flashed into the arena, intercepting Shawn Young and striking out to deflect his force!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After three heavy booms, Shawn Young was still standing in the center, but his Dragon-Tiger Spirit had been neutralized by the two sudden intruders. Both were shaken by the raw force, stumbling back several steps. One even lost her balance and landed on her butt with a cute squeal! Shawn looked closer—the one who'd blocked him was Felix Eagleclaw of Huai'an, and the one who'd fallen was a breathtaking beauty in her thirties!
Her face was exquisitely delicate, her skin smooth and fair, her figure curvy and alluring, with elegant brows and a mature, intellectual charm. Most eye-catching of all, she wore a luxurious purple qipao with a high slit, showing off a pair of snow-white, shapely legs—and you could even glimpse black stockings underneath! Damn—qipao plus black stockings? Ultimate temptation!
Shawn Young's eyes sparkled—she was the very image of a stunning, domineering beauty. But after being hit by Shawn's wild force, she was left breathless and disheveled, her hair a mess, her chest heaving with every panicked breath. She looked absolutely ravaged!
"Uh—Brother Shawn, do me a favor and let it go. They're all friends here! Everything just now—it was all a misunderstanding!" Felix Eagleclaw rubbed his numb arm, speaking to Shawn Young. He was seriously shocked—Shawn's power had grown even stronger since their last fight!
"A misunderstanding? What’s going on?" Shawn Young blurted out, surprised.
"Uh—I'll explain later! Let’s all just chill out for now," Felix Eagleclaw said with a helpless shrug.
Shawn Young was seriously annoyed at being attacked by top experts one after another, but seeing he was unharmed and the others were worse off, he figured, since this was Samuel Morin’s turf and Felix Eagleclaw had stepped in, he might as well give face.
So Shawn Young nodded, then turned to the pale, shaken elder and asked, "You okay?"
"Uh—I'm fine!" The elder's face flashed with embarrassment, then he exclaimed, "That fight was unforgettable! Especially that split second, staring death in the face—I haven’t felt that in ages. Young man, you’re seriously impressive!"
"Uh—thanks for the compliment!" Shawn Young nodded politely.
"Also, I was a bit rough earlier trying to save someone—hope you don’t take it personally!" the elder added.
"Oh—it’s all good, no worries!" Shawn Young replied quickly. He was genuinely impressed by the elder’s open-mindedness and martial spirit.
"Ugh! You men are all about patting each other on the back, but here I am, numb and stuck on the ground—how is that fair?" the stunning beauty complained with a playful pout.
Shawn Young looked over as the gorgeous woman pointed at him, scolding in a sweet voice, "You’re so ruthless! Not only is your heart hard, you don’t even know how to take care of a lady! You almost wiped me out, and I’m not even married yet! How could you be so cruel to a beauty like me?"