"You wish!"
As quick as lightning, Li Chonglou's palms, like blue dragons, struck directly at the abdomen of the man surnamed Hong. However, the latter sank his dantian, adopting a posture of a dead horse.
A live horse emphasized agility, not only reacting swiftly but also capable of dissipating force quickly like Tai Chi. A dead horse, however, was the opposite extreme!
It was similar to the ancient technique of "Chianjinzhui" (Thousands of Pounds Drop), rumored to have been derived from it, a technique suited for cultivators. Its core principle was stillness!
All one's strength was anchored to the ground, creating a powerful suction force. If the body moved, the body would be destroyed!
Li Chonglou had only heard of this martial art, but the actions of the man surnamed Hong allowed him to make a guess.
If this palm strike were to land, setting aside whether the opponent could withstand it, with such force applied, Li Chonglou would have only two choices: either seize the opportunity to kill the opponent, or be killed by him!
This was because the suction force generated by the dead horse posture was not just at the feet but at every acupoint on the body!
Li Chonglou's palm had not yet made contact, but he could feel its unique peculiarity.
Since it was merely a match, not a fight to the death, Li Chonglou naturally did not wish to complicate matters. He could only force himself to retract his energy and strength midway, sidestepping at the last moment as he approached.
"You fell for my trap!"
The man surnamed Hong suddenly laughed, his posture immediately changing without any obstruction. As Li Chonglou passed him, he struck fiercely at his back.
If this blow were successful, unless Li Chonglou could fly, he would undoubtedly be destined to fall off the stage.
The eyes of the crowd below suddenly lit up, holding their breath as they intently watched the palm of the man surnamed Hong.
Li Chonglou, as if oblivious, continued to rush forward, completely unaware of the large palm approaching his back.
Beneath the big screen, Mu Qi instinctively covered her small mouth with her hands, not even daring to take a breath.
"Brother Li!"
Time seemed to freeze and then resume. Just as everyone was anticipating and expecting Li Chonglou to take this blow, on the stage, the palm of the man surnamed Hong had already made contact.
"Success!"
As excitement flickered across his face, it was replaced by bewilderment in the next second.
This was because his palm continued to surge forward without any resistance, passing through Li Chonglou's body and taking his place.
"Huh?"
Before he could even react, he felt an irresistible force from behind. While his mind was still blank, he was already flying outwards.
"It's over!"
The man surnamed Hong knew what this meant, but being in mid-air, he was powerless.
After adjusting his posture and landing unsteadily, the surroundings fell into an eerie silence.
Silence.
An uncanny silence.
Everyone stared at the scene before them with looks of bewilderment: the one who should have been knocked off the stage stood firm on it, while the one who should have been on stage was already struck off!
"Can anyone tell me what's going on? Did my eyes deceive me just now?"
Someone muttered to himself, while another slapped his companion next to him.
"Damn it, why did you hit me?"
"I wanted to see if I was hallucinating."
"..."
Everyone looked baffled, until Wu Ying uttered that sentence.
"It's Shadow Steps! He used Shadow Steps just now!"
Only then did the crowd jolt as if lost desert travelers encountering an oasis.
"Damn! Shadow Steps? Wasn't that said to be lost?"
"No way, what's this guy's background? He even knows the legendary invincible footwork, Shadow Steps?"
Wu Ying's words were like bait tossed into a fish pond, instantly causing an uproar!
Even Uncle Quan's eyes flashed with shock.
Yes, Li Chonglou had indeed used the Shadow Steps he employed earlier against the patrol team from the General Bureau. This move was considered the pinnacle of speed burst techniques, its speed advancing proportionally to the individual's strength!
If you had a strength of level three, your Shadow Steps would manifest with a speed of level three. If you were level four, it would be the speed of level four!
Unlike some martial arts, where the power exerted might decrease as one's realm increased because it had reached its limit.
With Shadow Steps, even if you were level five or six, the speed enhancement would still be that of three levels!
Just now, let alone Wu Ying, even Uncle Quan couldn't catch Li Chonglou's figure!
Only the old veterans from the General Bureau could break it with their experience and knowledge. Most people facing Shadow Steps were at a loss.
While the crowd was still in shock, Li Chonglou quickly nominated the last challenger.
Because they hadn't reacted yet, by the time Li Chonglou confirmed his choice and notified Uncle Quan, it was too late for them to stop Li Chonglou's winning streak.
The opponent was also of level three strength. This time, there was no need for hesitation; the latter surrendered without even refusing.
Only after Uncle Quan reluctantly announced the fourth consecutive victory did Li Chonglou feel a sense of relief.
According to Wu Long, four consecutive victories would secure his spot. And so far, Li Chonglou had only revealed at most level four strength and Shadow Steps. The final round of defending his title should also be secure.
Wu Tong's ultimate move for two matches, Shadow Steps for two matches, then level four strength for another two matches, and with more points in the final round, six matches should be enough!
Moreover, in doing so, he had revealed almost none of his trump cards. By the time they realized something was amiss, he would have already changed his strategy.
This was equivalent to a perfect outcome.
As Li Chonglou mused, a smile involuntarily curved his lips. Next, he would simply pick a slightly stronger opponent and then lose the match, thereby further lowering their guard!
However, unbeknownst to him, his smile was perceived as blatant mockery by others!
It was as if he were saying that the so-called strongest young generation in the capital was nothing special!
The crowd's fists clenched tightly, and even Wu Long couldn't help but frown slightly.
"Brother Li, being so high-profile isn't good. Two fists can't fight four hands. If you become a target, you might not even score a single point in the final round."
As the strongest among the younger generation, Wu Ying's gaze also turned grim.
Just as Li Chonglou was about to select the next contestant, he suddenly raised his right hand.
"I wish to challenge."
This was the first time Li Chonglou heard his voice. It completely lacked the youthful tone of others. If one only heard his voice, they might mistake him for an old veteran who had been active for many years!
And his voice made the young people present tremble.
"Holy cow, Ying Shen is making a move!"
"With Ying Shen here, I don't believe this guy can continue his winning streak!"
"Isn't that obvious? If he can't even beat Ying Shen, wouldn't this guy be even more monstrous than Ying Shen?"
Li Chonglou and Wu Ying appeared to be around the same age. Even if their strength were comparable, it was already something difficult for the crowd to accept!