The sudden turn of events left everyone stupefied.
What shocked them was not the True Dragon dharma idol, nor the spectacular clash of dharma idol against dharma idol, but the fact that under these circumstances, this kid surnamed Jiang had managed to unleash such a devastating counterattack.
Just how much power was this kid hiding?
It was clear that the young man had deliberately let
In a martial contest, striking first versus striking second might seem like a minor difference, but it actually concealed a massive advantage. Those who struck first typically seized the initiative.
And Su Hong, by striking first, had indeed seized that advantage. The flow of the battle had led nearly everyone to believe he had already won.
Yet most of them had never imagined that
Returning your own technique to strike you down was the highest form of counterattack.
I use the method you're most proud of to defeat you, to break you.
This kind of counterattack carried the greatest force and the fiercest impact.
The instant the Divine Eagle dharma idol shattered, it was as though a massive hammer had crashed directly into Su Hong's chest, sending a surge of sweetness up his throat and nearly forcing a mouthful of blood out.
This Divine Eagle dharma idol had clearly been refined and fueled by Su Hong's own vital essence, much the same as how Jiang Chen used his bloodline to drive the True Dragon dharma idol.
The difference was that Jiang Chen wielded the True Dragon dharma idol with effortless mastery, able to make the heaviest thing seem light.
Su Hong, on the other hand, clearly had not yet reached full proficiency with the Divine Eagle dharma idol. As a result, activating it consumed more of his vital essence.
When the counterattack hit, the backlash his body endured was correspondingly more severe.
Su Hong's handsome face cycled between red and white several times before he barely managed to suppress his roiling blood and stabilize his nearly collapsing dantian.
That proud body involuntarily retreated several dozen steps, putting distance between himself and Jiang Chen — clearly afraid that Jiang Chen would press his advantage.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly, his gaze still calm as still water, and glanced at Su Hong with a light remark: "If I wanted to beat you, there are plenty of ways. There's no need to kick a man when he's down."
Su Hong's anger surged upward, but he forced it back down with effort.
"Don't hold it in. If you don't want the injuries to backlash later, you'd better spit that blood out," Jiang Chen said with a mild smile.
These words were like the last straw that broke the camel's back.
Su Hong could endure no more. Another wave of blood surged up from his abdomen, shot through his throat, and sprayed outward.
His face instantly turned as pale as paper.
Jiang Chen, meanwhile, maintained his poise and composure, making no move to press his advantage at this moment.
In truth, at this point, while Su Hong wasn't entirely without options, his chances of victory had become infinitesimally small. If the other man had any sense, this would be the moment to concede.
Jiang Chen was not one to drive his opponent to utter ruin, nor did he wish to appear so lacking in grace.
Su Hong tried several times to activate his dantian and gather his strength once more, but each attempt was in vain. His dantian had not suffered fatal damage, but at this moment, he was equally unable to return to his peak state.
At his peak, even his most powerful offensive — the Divine Eagle dharma idol — had failed to suppress his opponent. For the first time, Su Hong began to doubt his own strength.
Was this opponent truly invincible?
Su Hong still held trump cards, but when weighed carefully, none of them were significantly more powerful than the Divine Eagle dharma idol.
And since he was no longer at his peak, even if he played another card, the strike would likely be no stronger than the last.
Judging from the way his opponent had shattered the Divine Eagle dharma idol, it was obvious Jiang Chen had not even exerted his full strength. At this thought, a sudden desolation filled Su Hong's heart.
A sense of helplessness welled up within him, bleak and sorrowful.
He could now confirm with near certainty that this was an opponent he could never defeat.
This conclusion came not only from his understanding of himself, but from his understanding of his opponent. The man hadn't even bothered to press his advantage. That alone proved Jiang Chen had held back considerably, and undoubtedly still had many trump cards and hidden moves waiting in reserve.
Put simply, the opponent simply hadn't considered Su Hong a threat. Otherwise, the moment the dharma idol had been shattered, Jiang Chen could have launched a relentless storm of attacks and pinned him to the stage in one overwhelming assault.
But he hadn't.
At this thought, the last shred of fighting spirit in Su Hong's heart crumbled completely.
He was not the type to give up easily, but neither was he blind. Knowing that this battle was beyond him, Su Hong let out a dejected sigh. "So be it. There are always greater heavens above, and greater men beyond. I, Su, have lost this battle. Your strength is extraordinary — may I have the honor of knowing your name, friend?"