Under the terrifying force of the impact, Zhou Lie was violently thrown back several steps. With each step, the immense power traveling into the ground made it tremble and crack.

Zhou Lie was forced back!

Even after activating Qi Circulation Throughout the Body and meeting the attack with the full momentum of his Mountain and River True Spirit Fist’s Force Transformation, Zhou Lie still couldn’t completely block one of Zhao Xuanqi’s heavy blows!

The terrifying momentum of his fist, like a towering mountain, had been shattered by a single palm!

The pupils of Nie Hong’an, Qi Shurong, and the others, including Melissa who stood off to the side, all contracted sharply.

’Has Zhao Xuanqi really gotten this strong? Even Zhou Lie can’t withstand his attacks?! This kind of power...’

But Zhou Lie, the one on the receiving end, was even more astonished.

’We’re both using Qi Circulation Throughout the Body, but I’ve already reached the stage of Breaking Extreme in my arms, chest, back, and legs. My physical structure has already changed, surpassing human limits and reaching a terrifying state. With the empowerment of the Mountain and River True Spirit Palm, my Force should be exceptionally powerful.’

’Yet this man can actually overwhelm me in pure explosive power. Could his Cross-Training have already reached the terrifying level of an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough?!’

In the Cross-Training stage, Qi Circulation Throughout the Body is the dividing line between a top-tier master and an ordinary one.

The difference between top-tier masters, aside from disparities in technique and fighting style, lies more importantly in the degree of their body’s Breaking Extreme.

Top-tier Secret Transmissions all include Cross-Training methods that can alter the structure of the body’s muscles, tendons, and skin to better execute the Secret Transmission’s techniques. But just as not everyone can master Qi Circulation Throughout the Body, the methods for Breaking Extreme are incredibly difficult to train, even with the support of abundant resources and formidable talent.

It is no longer just a matter of resources and talent; factors like Spirit, willpower, comprehension, and perseverance are all indispensable.

’The man before me can overpower me in pure explosive force. Has he really achieved an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough?!’

’Impossible! Absolutely impossible!’

’I’m considered a genius in my sect! I reached the state of Qi Circulation Throughout the Body at only eighteen. In the two years since, I’ve achieved Breaking Extreme in my arms, chest, back, and legs. I’m on track to achieve an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough before I turn twenty-two, cultivating my School’s Secret Transmission to the pinnacle of the Cross-Training stage. From there, I’ll break through to Inner Cultivation. At that point, I’ll be considered a master even across the entire Divine Land.’

’But my opponent, from what I know, isn’t even eighteen yet. Just achieving Qi Circulation Throughout the Body at his age is already incredible. But an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough?’

’In the last hundred years of the Divine Land’s Martial Arts Realm, I doubt anyone like that has ever appeared. A person like that could be compared to the legendary experts recorded in Martial History.’

’Could a mere Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall, even with a top-tier Secret Transmission, really produce such a true dragon?!’

Indeed, in his past life, Zhao Xuanqi’s innate constitution had been excellent, and he possessed a powerful digestive system. His talent ranked among the top three in the entire history of the Hundred Beasts Sect. But even so, in that life, he had only mastered the two Pile Skills, the Fierce Form and the Soaring Form, after he turned eighteen.

But in this life, in just one year, he had trained the body of Zhao Qi, with its poor constitution, to this incredible degree.

This was partly because the Rare Beast Materials of this world had greatly enhanced the effects of the Hundred Beasts Fist’s Secret Medicine. Another reason was that his reincarnated soul carried with it immense Martial Dao experience, saving him countless hours of exploration. His path had been almost entirely unobstructed, allowing for rapid and valiant progress.

Even limited by this body’s aptitude, in this life, he would only become stronger than he was in his last!

There was little time for Zhou Lie to think. In an instant, Zhao Xuanqi, the aggressor, had already dissipated the shock from their collision. Giving Zhou Lie no chance to react, he moved with explosive footwork and pressed his attack again!

Tiger Form! Bear Form! Ape Form! Elephant Form!

The terrifying Combat Techniques of the Fierce Form rained down, coordinated with the unpredictable Body Technique of the Soaring Form. He switched between them effortlessly, his attacks like a sudden, violent storm!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A terrifying gale of Force swept out. As fists met flesh, muffled impacts echoed violently throughout the first-floor hall. The sheer power of the shockwaves made Nie Hong’an and the others afraid to get too close, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.

Having lost the initiative with one move, Zhou Lie was now falling behind with every exchange. He was forced back step by step under Zhao Xuanqi’s relentless assault.

However, Zhou Lie’s eyes grew increasingly calm, his expression more and more detached, as if he had shed all human emotion and vitality.

His movements and reactions also changed dramatically.

His breathing, heartbeat, muscle movements, blood circulation, and even a strange, ethereal aura and sensation all connected with the very earth beneath him.

In this state, Zhou Lie’s Force Transformation ability increased dramatically. After a few more exchanges, he was able to stand his ground. Both his combat style and his technique had miraculously ascended to another level.

He could anticipate the landing points of Zhao Xuanqi’s attacks and his patterns of Power Generation. He could even find weaknesses in Zhao Xuanqi’s Force Release. Within a few moves, he actually showed signs of regaining the upper hand!

In that moment, Zhou Lie seemed to have transformed into a deity who commanded the very earth.

’Earth sense?’

Zhao Xuanqi quickly understood. The man’s entire life frequency seemed to have entered a state of harmony with the earth, similar to the "Rong" of Inner Cultivation.

In this state, his Sensing of the earth reached a terrifying degree. After all, any Force Release from the human body is inseparable from the ground.

The earth is the foundation of all Force!

He could even predict an opponent’s attacks and movements through the vibrations in the ground!

This was one of the Secret Techniques of the Giant Spirit Sect.

True Spirit Mountain Monarch!

Through self-hypnosis, one could achieve a mysterious and profound state of harmony with the earth.

This was the true Profound Technique of the Mountain and River True Spirit Palm, the reason this top-tier Secret Transmission was said to grant the user command over mountains and rivers.

’A Spiritual Secret Technique?’

’This man’s personal strength is only average, but the profound wonder of his Secret Transmission has far exceeded my expectations.’

’He hasn’t even reached an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough. His combat experience and the momentum of his fighting style are both inferior to mine, yet he can actually fight me to a standstill like this.’

’So this is what a top-tier Secret Transmission of this era is like?’

’Interesting. Very interesting!!’

The smile on Zhao Xuanqi’s lips grew wider and more unrestrained.

’The Secret Transmission is impressive enough, but the man himself is still lacking.’

’A deity, is it?’

’If you’re vicious enough, you can even kill a god!’

His arms spread slightly, like a pair of wings. His knees bent, his chest and abdomen contracted, and the savage glint in his eyes blazed with ultimate intensity. An utterly terrifying, ferocious killing intent surged out from him like a tsunami.

At that moment, spurred by the intense killing intent in his Spirit, the two Pile Skills—the Fierce Form and the Soaring Form—completely fused into one.

He was neither bird nor beast, a being that transcended ordinary creatures.

A body like a fierce tiger, arms like wings, capable of devouring deities and consuming demons.

As if Adding Wings to a Tiger!

A killing technique of the Hundred Beasts Fist, one of the Four Fiends.

Qiongqi.

This was the strongest effect produced by the fusion of the two Pile Techniques.

This was one of Zhao Xuanqi’s true trump cards!

Using the Soaring Form’s charge and the Fierce Form’s explosive transitions was merely one of his basic burst techniques.

So fast! It was too fast!

Zhao Xuanqi attacked with a clawed palm, and even though Zhou Lie sensed the vibration in the ground, he was completely unable to react.

A phantom beast’s roar echoed in his ears. The Zhao Xuanqi before him seemed to have transformed into a mythological Exotic Beast—shaped like a tiger, yet bearing a pair of wings. Its vicious, blood-red maw gaped open. Under the crushing force of that intense killing intent, Zhou Lie’s profound spiritual state was instantly overwhelmed, vanishing without a trace.

He only had time to whip his arms back to block his chest before Zhao Xuanqi’s clawed palm slammed into them.

The fierce Force penetrated his blocking arms and struck his chest, bursting out from his back and blasting the clothes there to shreds!

Zhou Lie stumbled back again and again, blood streaming from his mouth and nose. The god-like indifference and arrogance in his eyes were gone. He whipped his head toward Melissa and roared, "Melissa! What are you waiting for?! Help me!"