Chapter 048: [Combat Strength, Half-Step Grandmaster!]

His legs were like steel spears, firmly planted in the ground. Inside his body, his organs trembled slightly, blood and energy surged, but his breath remained steady. In stark contrast, the man transformed into a bear-headed figure felt his entire right arm shudder, the faint sound of bone breaking echoing. Amid the mist of blood, his massive body staggered backward, leaving clear footprints in the earth, retreating seven or eight steps before coming to an uneasy halt.

Panting heavily, the man with the bear's head showed a fierce and astonished expression. His crimson eyes brimmed with disbelief. "How… how can your body be so strong?" He cursed inwardly—his own hybrid beast form was supposed to be invincible, yet this human surpassed him!

Hybrids like him relied on their physical strength; their bodies were like towers, boasting immense power. They believed brute force would overcome any skill. But Tang Mubai, clearly human, possessed even greater physical might!

"Are you a body-refining grandmaster?" The bear-headed man remembered a rumor, his pupils dilating as he stared at Tang Mubai with terror and apprehension. "Are you a grandmaster of the body-refining school?"

Among human martial artists, the body-refining grandmasters were infamous for their terrifying physique. Even without martial skills, their powerful bodies sustained by blood and energy could fight hybrid beast lords hand-to-hand. Hybrids would not stand a chance; without the aid of spiritual artifacts, they'd almost always be torn apart.

One could say that body-refining grandmasters were the "hybrids" among human martial artists!

...

"Body-refining grandmaster?" Tang Mubai heard the words, paused slightly, then grinned without replying, charging straight at the bear-headed man.

"Damned bastard!" The bear-headed man roared in anger and fear, his blood-red aura flaring even brighter. With his right hand injured, he switched to his left, meeting Tang Mubai head-on.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The air exploded with muffled booms, relentless and continuous. Fists and claws collided, unleashing waves of force that ravaged the courtyard, swirling around the two combatants—a man and a hybrid beast—spiraling endlessly.

Wherever they fought, dust and stones were swept up, transforming into whirlwinds that soared into the night sky.

Within just half a minute, Tang Mubai and the bear-headed man had clashed dozens of times.

At first, the bear-headed man was wary, but soon he noticed something strange.

Tang Mubai had immense strength but lacked the overwhelming blood energy!

The martial skills he displayed were flawless, seamless, but their power was limited.

This made the bear-headed man both shocked and delighted.

"You're not a grandmaster-level martial artist; you're only physically strong!"

"The martial arts you practice are ordinary, at best second-tier!"

As he attacked, the bear-headed man laughed aloud, exhilarated.

"Ha! Without grandmaster-level blood energy to generate true power, without advanced martial skills to unleash real might, even if your body equals a body-refining grandmaster, you can't kill me!"

The bear-headed man was ecstatic.

Tang Mubai paid him no attention.

Indeed, as the bear-headed man’s blood aura grew stronger, Tang Mubai’s attacks were all blocked outside.

This layer of blood aura was the equivalent of a martial artist’s protective energy; unless it was broken, he could do no harm.

Even with a body on par with a grandmaster, Tang Mubai could do nothing.

But!

Tang Mubai discovered that when he attacked with full force, using the power of his Tiger Roar Fist, he could disperse a small area of the blood aura!

Though the scattered area quickly recovered, Tang Mubai saw an opportunity.

A chance to defeat—and perhaps even kill—the bear-headed man!

Why had this creature been able to fight for so long without falling?

Beastly strength after transformation?

Protective blood aura like martial artists’ energy?

No, neither was the true reason.

The bear-headed man relied on the “bone pearl” hanging from his neck!

Tang Mubai already had two such "bone pearls," and thought they merely countered the pressure of master-level martial artists.

But unexpectedly, they resisted even grandmaster-level pressure!

Tang Mubai’s oppressive aura had no effect on the bear-headed man, which explained his increasing boldness as the battle continued.

But what if the bone pearl around his neck was gone?

Heh!

Tang Mubai sneered inwardly.

Continuing his assault, he began to search for an opening.

"You human brat, I admit your body is strong, your strength surpasses tens of thousands of pounds, but when you exhaust yourself, that will be your death! Ha ha ha!"

The bear-headed man taunted relentlessly.

Tang Mubai was unmoved.

His body, mind, and eyes remained vigilant, until finally—

"Now!"

A low cry echoed in his heart. Circling to the bear-headed man's side, Tang Mubai unleashed a rapid barrage aimed at the creature’s neck, scattering the blood aura and exposing the bone pearl.

Swift as lightning, he snatched the bone pearl, tearing off the elastic cord as well.

Tang Mubai retreated quickly, putting distance between himself and the bear-headed man.

"You—"

The bear-headed man was about to roar—

Boom!

Without the power from the bone pearl to resist the oppressive aura, the bear-headed man was immediately crushed by the sudden, terrifying pressure, pinned helplessly to the ground.

"No!" he cried out in horror, "No, you can't kill me, I am—"

Bang!

Like a watermelon bursting, Tang Mubai kicked the bear-headed man's head, exploding it.

[Detected life force leakage. Would you like to recover it?]

"Yes!"

[Life force +286]

His life force increased by 286.

As expected, a commander-level hybrid beast had greater vitality.

If it had been a lord-level, it would surely exceed three hundred!

Tang Mubai mused inwardly, turning to the two remaining hybrid beasts.

These two, arrows still lodged in their abdomens, were completely stunned.

They gazed blankly at the bear-headed man’s shattered head, lost in confusion.

Tang Mubai approached unnoticed.

Bang! Bang!

With two muffled blows—

[Detected life force leakage. Would you like to recover it?]

"Yes!"

[Life force +174]

[Life force +169]

He recovered another three hundred plus life force.

Tang Mubai exhaled, finally able to relax.

This battle with the commander-level hybrid beast had given Tang Mubai a deeper understanding of his power.

Grandmaster-level pressure aside, his body had reached grandmaster-level as well—specifically, the body-refining path, possessing strength exceeding ten thousand pounds!

Compared to a few days ago, when his power was only at the professional level, now he was at the master level, halfway between master and grandmaster.

In terms of martial arts realms, he was a "half-step grandmaster."

A half-step grandmaster meant just half a step from the true grandmaster.

For everyone, this "half-step" was different.

For Tang Mubai, it meant blood energy exceeding ten thousand calories!