Chapter 115: Wang Jiulong Battles Tang Rixin

Outside the mountain, Tang Rixin and his men had turned pale. They had reached the entrance to move the bodies, only to discover that the massive boulder blocking the opening had been shifted aside.

The fact that the boulder had been moved meant someone had discovered the secret of the mountain and had even broken inside.

"Quickly, go and report this to Young Master Situ!" Tang Rixin’s expression shifted, and he prepared to order his subordinates.

But at that moment, a thunderous roar erupted from within the mountain—the sound of the fierce battle between Chu Tian and Situ Deng.

"Boss, Young Master Situ is still in the stone chamber. Should we... should we go and help?" one of his men asked, his voice trembling with fear at the sheer intensity of the commotion.

"Help?" Tang Rixin scoffed. "If this is an expert that even Young Master Situ cannot handle, do you honestly think we could be of any help? Follow me out of the underground palace; let’s not get caught in the crossfire."

Tang Rixin frowned and turned toward the stairs leading to the exit. The gap in strength between him and Situ Deng was like heaven and earth; if Situ Deng couldn't handle the opponent, he certainly couldn't either. Rather than going in now to cause chaos or throw his life away, it was better to guard the exit and wait for the battle to conclude.

The men glanced at one another and hurriedly followed Tang Rixin out of the palace.

Just as they stepped out of the exit, Tang Rixin prepared to give further instructions, but he suddenly spun around. With a flick of his silver hook, a sharp burst of energy sliced through the air and struck a nearby tree trunk.

Boom!

The tree, thick as a water barrel, was severed in two and toppled sideways.

Wang Jiulong’s figure flashed into view, having barely dodged the strike.

"Who are you?" Tang Rixin demanded.

"It doesn't matter who I am!" Wang Jiulong replied with a grave expression. He had been waiting at the foot of the mountain, but when Chu Tian failed to return, he had come up to search for him, only to run into Tang Rixin’s group.

"Whoever you are, your appearance here today means only one thing: death." Tang Rixin’s face darkened as he raised his silver hook once more and lunged at Wang Jiulong.

In an instant, a blade of air whistled toward him. Wang Jiulong’s pupils contracted, and he retreated sharply. Although the Heavenly Demon Fist he practiced was an incredibly domineering technique, he had only been practicing it for five days; he hadn't even reached the entry level and could not unleash its true power. No matter how mediocre Tang Rixin might be, he was still a Master of the Transformation Realm, a level of strength Wang Jiulong could not match.

It wasn't until Wang Jiulong had retreated more than ten meters that the momentum of the silver hook’s projection finally dissipated. This time, Wang Jiulong chose not to dodge.

*Heavenly Demon Fist!*

Since he could not avoid the fight, he would use Tang Rixin to practice.

Boom!

Wang Jiulong threw a punch at the shadow of the silver hook. The two forces collided, erupting in a violent shockwave. The phantom of the silver hook gradually shattered and vanished into thin air.

But Tang Rixin had already transformed into a blur, closing in on Wang Jiulong once again.

"Go to hell!" Tang Rixin’s silver hook moved like a blurred image, flashing like silver moonlight as it sought Wang Jiulong’s vital points. Any one of those strikes would have been enough to pierce through his body and leave a fatal wound.

Wang Jiulong retreated repeatedly, dodging the cold glint of the weapon.

"A mere peak Internal Energy practitioner daring to challenge a Transformation Realm Master—you truly have a death wish!" Tang Rixin sneered, his speed increasing as he thrust his hook toward Wang Jiulong’s shoulder.

Wang Jiulong’s expression changed; he was too late to dodge. But suddenly, the mental cultivation method of the Heavenly Demon Fist flashed through his mind. The Heavenly Demon Fist was a demonic martial art; to unleash it, one required the heart of a demon that dared to challenge the heavens. When throwing a punch, one had to move forward with total commitment, without a shred of hesitation.

Under Tang Rixin’s pressure, Wang Jiulong had been retreating. More importantly, his own wavering resolve had weakened his strikes and sapped his momentum.

*But what does it matter if he is a Master of the Transformation Realm? If I cannot even deal with one such master, what right do I have to pursue the peak of martial arts?*

In that moment, Wang Jiulong understood. A sudden epiphany struck him, and his aura surged violently.

*Heavenly Demon Fist!*

Instead of retreating, Wang Jiulong stepped forward and threw a punch. It did not meet the silver hook; instead, it bypassed the weapon and struck straight at Tang Rixin’s chest. It was a trade—an exchange of injury for injury. Wang Jiulong was willing to suffer the piercing of the hook just to gain the chance to land a blow on Tang Rixin.

Tang Rixin never expected Wang Jiulong to fight with such reckless, life-or-death abandon. The speed of Wang Jiulong’s punch increased sharply; even if Tang Rixin wanted to dodge, it was too late.

*Puchi!*

The silver hook pierced through Wang Jiulong’s shoulder, tearing across his chest and leaving a gaping wound of mangled flesh. Simultaneously, Wang Jiulong’s fist slammed into Tang Rixin’s chest.

*Bang!*

Tang Rixin’s ribs shattered, and his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string. He spat blood in mid-air, his face etched with disbelief. He was a master of the Transformation Realm—how could he be sent flying by a punch from a peak Internal Energy practitioner?

Yet, it was the truth. Tang Rixin crashed to the ground, feeling several ribs broken in his chest.

"Boss, are you alright?" his men rushed over to him.

Though Wang Jiulong had sent Tang Rixin flying, he was in no better shape. A long, deep gash marred his chest, and blood poured continuously from his shoulder.

In the face of life-or-death danger, Wang Jiulong had attained an epiphany. The Heavenly Demon Fist he had just unleashed possessed the power of a Transformation Realm master. Otherwise, he could never have sent Tang Rixin flying. While this did not mean he was a master of that realm yet, it meant he possessed the strength of one. This experience would make his eventual breakthrough far simpler. Furthermore, being able to fight a master while still at the peak of Internal Energy meant his future potential would be even greater.

But these were thoughts for the future. For now, Wang Jiulong faced a greater crisis.

"Kill... kill him!" Tang Rixin clutched his chest, struggling to his feet.

The men behind him rushed toward Wang Jiulong. Had Wang Jiulong been uninjured, dealing with these Internal Energy practitioners would have been simple. But now, severely wounded and hemorrhaging blood, a life-threatening danger loomed over him.