CHAPTER 118: CHAPTER 118: FIST CLASH

At this moment, Lu Ren was like a spring compressed to the extreme, suddenly releasing at the moment of ultimate tension.

"Ah!!"

With a loud roar, Lu Ren bent his legs and twisted his waist and hips, using the stance of Shakyamuni’s Elephant Throw to lift the massive fist pressing down on him into the air.

The enormous figure of Subodhi, weighing five to six hundred pounds, seemed shaken by this immense force, stumbling back several steps.

Lu Ren’s face turned crimson as he retreated several steps, his skin a purplish red, with steam rising from his body due to the intense heat enveloping him.

He immediately tensed his body, closing his pores to prevent any further loss of moisture.

Without a water source here, allowing such evaporation could lead to dehydration and death. Moreover, lack of hydration would weaken his combat capability.

The opponent’s fists carried a shock force, but as Tie Feng’s internal organs had been pierced by the penetrating force of the Phoenix Falcon Fist, he was somewhat injured. Though his appearance was terrifying, his power was far less than imagined and within an acceptable range.

The stout arms of Subodhi were like those of an ape, extending down to the knees. To win, it required close combat, and the Phoenix Falcon Fist that Lu Ren practiced was specialized in close-quarters combat, which was undoubtedly an advantageous scenario.

The opponent’s fists were like iron hammers, truly astonishing in their swings. The real power of a hammer as a blunt instrument lay in ’shock,’ with overwhelming force and unmatched strength.

In ancient times, when mighty generals wielded heavy hammers, even opponents in heavy armor were helpless. One strike could crush the opponent’s internal organs, despite their exterior remaining unharmed.

Just as the saying goes, if hit, it could kill; even a glancing blow could injure. Even if the strike was not lethal, it could disable the opponent.

Adapted from hammer technique, the primary aspect of this fist technique was shock force. Mastery was extremely rare, typically practiced by those of towering stature and formidable physique.

Once mastered, with sheer physical strength and immense size, one would certainly become a top expert with terrifying destructive power.

Subodhi had evidently grasped the essence of shock force to an exceptionally high level.

It’s hard to imagine that the opponent, a monk dedicated to spiritual meditation cultivation who disregards physicality, had achieved such a level of fist realm.

Especially with his towering figure, over three meters tall, gained through genetic mutation, bringing about terrifying giant strength.

If Lu Ren hadn’t withstood the punch, if any error occurred in dissipating the force, he would have been crushed into mash in an instant.

A body of astonishing strength and a grandmaster of the fist, standing before the Realm of Awakened, even though his internal organs were severely injured by Lu Ren before Tie Feng, was extremely terrifying.

But it wasn’t an unwinnable situation! He just didn’t want to test the opponent’s punching power again.

"Ding, you’ve been punched by Subodhi. Your constitution skill level has increased by 5."

"Ding, you gained some understanding of the Phoenix Falcon Fist, increasing your skill level by 30."

"Ding, you..."

Ksitigarbha beside him jumped and shouted, "Are you dumb? What were you thinking taking that punch?! If I hadn’t lost my body, I’d take your place!"

Lu Ren ignored Ksitigarbha’s words; this guy’s demeanor was entirely contradicting his previous image of Ksitigarbha.

Taking a deep breath, calming his racing blood, Lu Ren temporarily shoved the system prompts aside, his eyes slowly darkening.

His spirit, under the Lamp Burning Freedom Technique, quickly condensed into a crystalline bead. Subsequently, faint sparks flickered from within this spiritual bead, a small glow rising brightly in the darkness, illuminating Lu Ren’s body and dispersing the billowing dark mist surrounding him.

"Huh?"

Subodhi watched Lu Ren, his ferocious face revealing a hint of surprise, his spirit unusually sharp, able to see things others could not.

Behind Lu Ren’s head, a faint halo formed by a weak glow appeared.

"I didn’t expect you to reach such a level in the Lamp of Freedom Observation, smooth and flawless, naturally manifesting Bright Awakening. It must have taken at least fifteen years of cultivation to achieve such success."

Subodhi praised, "Ksitigarbha indeed has a worthy successor."

Beside him, if Ksitigarbha had a face, it would surely look peculiar. Lu Ren had achieved such a degree in the Lamp of Freedom Observation after simply sitting for an afternoon meditating before a dimly lit lamp.

Ksitigarbha, observing the entire progress, was shocked, his worldview overturned, feeling an inexplicable horror. Lu Ren had nearly perfected the Lamp of Freedom Observation within half a day, seeming as if he had honed it for decades.

Had it not been for his own skeletal measurement verifying that Lu Ren had only practiced a broken Intention Sword, he would truly suspect Lu Ren was here to mock him.

Lu Ren’s expression remained unchanged, initiating an attack first to prevent the opponent from taking the opportunity to repair his internal injuries.

Subodhi wasn’t particularly concerned, or rather, having reached such a state, material things had become indifferent. He lived so long seeking the path to true Buddhahood.

Although in Ksitigarbha’s eyes he had become a Great Demon, Subodhi scoffed, rejecting his opponent’s path, believing Sakyamuni was mistaken.

Subodhi let out a low shout, his muscles, like steel, bulged, entering a state of Free Will, making his body extremely robust!

His massive dark green muscles deepened in color, especially his arms, like those of an ape, clenching into fists, transforming into enormous millstones.

Under fury, his form bore no resemblance to the serene and dignified appearance of the Buddhist Sect but instead portrayed a hellish Asura.

Though his physical transformation was astonishing, under Lu Ren’s spiritually illuminated state, he could perceive more.

Vaguely, he saw the silhouette of a four-armed figure gradually overlapping Subodhi.

This four-armed being resembled the Angry-eyed Vajra of Buddhism, yet lacked the dignity and serene presence, full of demonic energy, was a four-armed Asura, oozing evil Qi violently.

Lu Ren even faintly thought that Subodhi’s muscle-filled armpits might truly sprout extra arms.

"I see!"

Contemplated Venerable God, inviting the god.

Or perhaps this Asura was the Dharma Protector imagined by Subodhi.

Bam!

Subodhi stomped the ground, causing it to tremble lightly, moving without any form, solely relying on sheer physical strength for immense speed, rapidly accelerating in a straight line, explosively reaching astonishing speed.

In the blink of an eye, he rushed at Lu Ren, landing a hammer-like blow, abandoning all variations, overpowering and unmatched!