Chapter 1285: I Can't Hold On Anymore

The faces of those previously knocked unconscious by Zhang Xuan flushed crimson with indignation. Although their combat prowess wasn't on par with the Ten-Crowned King, they were seasoned veterans with considerable strength. To have defeated ten opponents consecutively, yet still possess the presence of mind to feign weakness, and then admit it so openly—could they not spare them a little dignity?

However, upon reflection, with Hong Yang's strength, he wouldn't be significantly tired even after fighting twenty people consecutively, let alone ten. Could this man, who had fought them for so long and looked ready to collapse at any moment, truly possess such power?

Everyone turned their gaze to Zhang Xuan, hoping to discern from his expression if Hong Yang's words were true. Yet, they saw his eyes were vacant, his body trembled slightly, and he still appeared on the verge of fainting.

"I don't have that kind of ability..." Zhang Xuan shook his head weakly. "I can't last any longer; I'm unable to fight you..."

The life-and-death arena in this underground market strictly prohibited deception, and he certainly didn't want to invite trouble.

"That's not your decision!" Hong Yang's eyes narrowed. "No one can stop me, Hong Yang, from fighting whoever I choose!"

Hong Yang narrowed his eyes and took a step forward.

*Boom!*

The entire arena surged with true qi, and a formidable power pressed down, creating an atmosphere that suggested there was no leaving without a fight.

"You're going too far..." Zhang Xuan lifted his head, his eyes burning with indignation.

"Going too far?" Hong Yang shook his head. "Fight. If you don't use your full strength, I guarantee you'll die here!"

He smiled faintly, true qi circulating in his palm, seemingly poised to deliver an irresistible, devastating attack at any moment.

"Hong Yang is determined to fight him, so a match between the two is inevitable. Who do you think will win?"

"Is that even a question? I'm betting on Hong Yang!"

"I'm also betting on Hong Yang. He's incredibly brutal in every fight, tearing people to shreds. This time... I bet this guy will be torn into four pieces!"

"I think it'll be six pieces!"

"However many pieces, he's dead for sure..."

Hearing Hong Yang's words, the spectators in the stands flushed with excitement.

"The betting is open..."

Seeing the crowd's excitement, Zhang Jiuxiao also clenched his fists, equally thrilled. In the previous matches, the odds hadn't varied much, at most doubling. But with Hong Yang being so fierce, the payout ratio was sure to be high.

He walked a few steps to the bettor and, as expected, saw that the odds for Zhang Xuan to win were over ten to one! This meant that almost everyone had bet on Hong Yang to win; practically no one believed that the man who looked ready to faint at any moment could emerge victorious!

"I'm going to make a fortune..." His eyes gleaming, Zhang Jiuxiao immediately handed over his storage ring. "I bet eighteen hundred top-grade spirit stones on Zhang Xuan to win!"

"Betting on Zhang Xuan?"

The person running the betting station shook his head upon seeing someone actually bet on Zhang Xuan. Without saying much more, he quickly completed the transaction. If no one bet, how would they make money? It was predictable that this person's eighteen hundred spirit stones were as good as lost...

Betting among the spectators was in full swing.

On the platform, Hong Yang looked at the young man before him again. "Let's fight!"

"No, let's just forget it. I'm no match for you..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"It's not up to you now!"

Seeing Zhang Xuan still refuse, Hong Yang sneered, too impatient for further pleasantries.

*Whoosh!*

His figure blurred, appearing instantly before Zhang Xuan, a massive fist roaring as it bore down. Hong Yang was enormous, making Zhang Xuan appear like a child in comparison. With a single punch, the wind howled and air tore with a thunderous sound, seemingly capable of instantly flattening anyone it struck.

Seeing his opponent act without hesitation, Zhang Xuan felt a surge of helplessness. As expected of someone who had faced death multiple times, his sixth sense was remarkably sharp. Zhang Xuan's disguise was flawless; no one else had seen through it. Yet, Hong Yang's persistence clearly indicated he perceived Zhang Xuan's true strength was far from what he appeared.

"Fine..."

Feeling the overwhelming power of the incoming punch—so formidable that even he might be instantly killed if he didn't defend himself—Zhang Xuan sighed in resignation and stepped to one side.

*Whoosh!*

The step was small, yet it perfectly evaded the opponent's downward strike.

"Hmph!"

Before his punch's momentum faded, Hong Yang seamlessly transitioned his fist into a sweeping attack, pursuing Zhang Xuan.

"What a quick change of move..." Zhang Xuan was surprised. If it were anyone else, Zhang Xuan's subtle evasion technique would have left them unable to follow up. But this man, remarkably, changed his move on the fly with no awkwardness, as if it had been planned. This level of reaction and combat awareness surpassed even that of the former Hall Master Xing. "I'd estimate... he's at least one-third as good as me... incredible!"

After a quick assessment, Zhang Xuan was filled with astonishment. For a black-market fighter to possess one-third of his own reaction speed and adaptability was already incredibly formidable.

Realizing there was no time to dodge, Zhang Xuan forcefully exhaled, his chest contracting as he became as thin as a sheet of paper. This technique wasn't learned from his clone; it was a special martial art designed for evading close-quarters attacks. An ordinary person exhaling can contract their chest by several inches, let alone a cultivator. It involved instantly shifting the true qi from his chest into his abdominal cavity, using air pressure to collapse his chest, reducing its thickness to barely a fist's width.

In the split-second exchange between masters, Zhang Xuan's chest suddenly caved in. Hong Yang's attack missed again, but he didn't stop, instantly transforming his fist into a downward-pressing palm strike. The palm was already dangerously close to his chest; a direct hit could pierce his heart and kill him instantly.

Just as everyone believed it would be impossible to dodge this time, Zhang Xuan, whether unable to evade or genuinely depleted of strength, suddenly let his caved-in chest spring back out. Like an inflated ball, his chest met Hong Yang's palm, pushing it upwards with immense force. Hong Yang's palm was moving downwards, but Zhang Xuan's suddenly expanded chest pushed it aside. In a blink of an eye, the palm was deflected, and Zhang Xuan took a step closer, reaching out to grab his opponent. This was the very move that had proven unfailingly effective, securing him ten consecutive victories.

"Hmm?"

Hong Yang narrowed his eyes, astonished that this man, seemingly on the verge of collapse, could still counterattack from such a passive position. His previous assault might have appeared simple, but it was, in fact, his most renowned Triple Combo. Ordinary opponents, even the Ten-Crowned King, had never managed to endure past the second strike! This person not only evaded his continuous attacks but also seized the opportunity to counter. His strength, as Hong Yang had suspected, was extraordinary.

Feeling a surge of excitement, Hong Yang abruptly raised his other arm, intending to block and parry the incoming palm. Suddenly, he saw the young man directly in front of him, a strange, half-smile playing on his lips.

A jolt went through Hong Yang's mind, his body swayed, and he felt a wave of dizziness.

"Oh no, it's a Jinghong Master's ability..." His pupils contracted, and his heart was seized with dread. That smile was precisely the most famous technique of a Jinghong Master: "Hundred Charms Bloom!" Legend had it that this technique was created over ten thousand years ago by an exceptionally powerful and transcendent figure among Jinghong Masters. "A single glance creates a hundred charms; even the beauties of the six palaces lose their luster!" Anyone affected would instantly lose consciousness and combat ability.

But... wasn't this technique exclusively for women? Why could he, a man, employ it, and appear so utterly captivating?

Feeling his mind grow increasingly dizzy, Hong Yang quickly bit the tip of his tongue. Just as he felt a flicker of clarity, he saw the opponent's palm already before his eyes. Five fingers spread wide, like an insurmountable mountain, unavoidable no matter what, impossible to escape.

A crisp slap echoed, and five red, swollen finger marks instantly appeared on his face.

"You..."

Feeling a burning pain on his face, as if it had been torn in half, Hong Yang was infuriated, almost losing his mind. The Hundred-Crowned King of the underground black market had been slapped with only one move... it was an utter disgrace.

"I'll rip you apart..." With a roar, Hong Yang was about to retaliate when he saw the young man, after slapping him, stumble back seven or eight steps. Zhang Xuan seemed to have overdrawn his strength again, his body trembling ceaselessly, as if he might fall at any moment. "I told you, my body can't last," he said. "I can't fight you. Let's just forget about it; I'm really no match..."

"You..." Hong Yang was about to explode with rage. He had just delivered such a vicious slap, and now he wanted to just call it quits? There was no way he'd let him off that easily! 'No match'? If you're no match, you've almost slapped me into oblivion! If you *were* my match, wouldn't I be dead already? Could you possibly be any more of a show-off?

*Boom!*

He stomped his foot and charged forward once more. This time, he unleashed his full power, true qi bursting from his fingertips like a vast, imprisoning cage.

"Hong Yang is furious!"

"When he gets angry, someone is guaranteed to die..."

"That slap earlier was just a fluke; he won't be so lucky this time..."

The stands erupted in an uproar once more. Everyone had been momentarily stunned when Hong Yang was slapped, but now, seeing him fully unleash his power, they became excited all over again.

*Whoosh!*

The palm strike reached Zhang Xuan, like a heaven-overturning seal churning wind and rain, threatening to shatter heaven and earth. As expected of the Hundred-Crowned King, his combat power was not to be underestimated.

Facing the immense pressure, Zhang Xuan retreated again, his body twisting to evade the most powerful strike. His hand shot out, and he delivered another slap. It was the same motion, the same technique as before.

"The same move, twice against me? Dream on..." Seeing the same move again, Hong Yang gnashed his teeth in fury. With a roar, he brought his palm up to meet it. Just as their palms were about to collide, he suddenly saw the young man in front of him flash another bewitching smile. This one was even more dazzling than the last.

His vision went black again, dizziness resurfaced, and his outstretched palm froze in mid-air, rigid.

*Slap!*

A fiery pain flared on his face once more, and his body involuntarily spun twice.

"Ah..." Coming to his senses, Hong Yang frantically ran his hands through his hair. With a roar, he charged forward again, but halfway across the ring, he heard the young man opposite him sigh helplessly again. "I told you, my body can't last. I can't fight you, so let's just forget it... But you just won't listen! I really don't want to fight... I'm truly no match for you!"

"No match? Don't want to fight?" Hong Yang shivered as he touched the two rapidly swelling red palm prints on his face. *This* is what you call "can't last"? If you *could* last, wouldn't I be dead already? Could you possibly be any more of a show-off?