The final battle commenced, and all spectators rose to watch. The massive martial arts arena fell silent, save for the rhythmic pulse of countless heartbeats akin to an ocean tide and the whistling of wind from the entrance.
Pang Qiang twisted his neck, his expressionless face radiating a chilling intent to kill. Peng Lin clasped his fists against his chest, and neither man moved to strike first.
"Peng Lin, if you lose, you won't blame me, will you?"
Upon hearing this, Peng Lin bristled, "Take three points from me first, and then you can boast about winning a round!"
He knew his opponent was provoking him. Perhaps it was their draw on the first day, coupled with his points lead, that gave Pang Qiang a significant psychological edge, rendering him unable to maintain composure. As soon as the words left his mouth, he spun twice and delivered a horizontal kick. The fabric of his trousers whipped out like a banner, snapping loudly in the air!
The attack was fierce, the wind from the kick whipping Pang Qiang's hair into disarray. However, in the next second, Peng Lin panicked. Pang Qiang, without dodging or blocking, suddenly lifted his lowered head, a cold smile splitting his face. He then extended his right fist, seemingly casually, but imbued with a hidden power, striking directly at Peng Lin's foot!
This punch, carrying a latent force, immediately put Peng Lin at a severe disadvantage. He stumbled back five to six steps. Before he could regain his footing, he felt a gust of wind slice across his face. A flash of a fist blurred before him, and he felt as if his jaw was about to loosen from the impact, his vision darkening as he nearly fainted.
The audience gasped. This exchange was a pure clash of strength, devoid of any unnecessary flourishes. Although they couldn't directly feel the power of the blow, they understood its terrifying force from Peng Lin's reaction.
As their exclamations continued, Pang Qiang seized the moment for another explosive surge!
A guttural growl, like that of a ferocious beast, emanated from his throat. His blood-red eyes sent a shiver down Peng Lin's spine. Before he could react, Pang Qiang's wind-propelled legs shot towards his face!
*If my head is hit again, it's completely over.*
In a flash of lightning, Peng Lin was divinely aided. His body folded like a taut bowstring. In his peripheral vision, he saw a white blur, as graceful as a startled swan, soar over his head!
The spectators erupted once more with thunderous cheers and applause. Peng Lin's eyes, however, were fixed on this fleeting chance to win.
*If I can land one more spinning kick, I can win. Don't panic, you can do it!*
With this thought, Peng Lin gathered all his strength, twisted his body, and leaped high. He launched a spinning heel kick directly at his opponent's head. But just as he thought victory was within his grasp, his gaze shifted drastically. He saw Pang Qiang, as if blessed with eyes in the back of his head, adopt a pillar-like stance with both hands, effortlessly neutralizing his kill shot and regaining the initiative!
These few rounds were fraught with peril, the scales of victory tipping back and forth, sending the audience's emotions on a roller coaster. Those with weaker hearts had already closed their eyes, awaiting the final outcome.
Pang Qiang wrapped his arms around Peng Lin's legs and began to spin like a top, using himself as the axis, seemingly intending to throw Peng Lin out of the ring. But Peng Lin wouldn't surrender so easily; victory was just a step away.
However, mere conviction without the right technique was futile. The entire arena was silent. Everyone seemed to have forgotten to breathe, time itself appearing to have frozen. Faces turned pale, some clasped their hands, others intertwined them, frozen in tension like puppets.
They seemed to be waiting for this miraculous kid to overcome his current obstacle and lead the Aishin City team to the finals.
The wind from the exit flowed in, growing stronger. Peng Lin felt as if he were in the eye of a storm, his very thoughts becoming slow and jumbled, his mind reeling from the rotational force.
But at that moment, he looked up at the ceiling, at the moving, flashing lights that were like swords of hope slicing through the darkness. Ren Yuanhao's words also echoed in his ears with the wind.
"Don't let momentary desires blind you. Sometimes, all you need is the courage to push aside what obstructs your vision, and everything will become clear."
*Since that's the case, it's worth paying a small price!*
Pang Qiang had exerted all his strength and was about to release his grip, but he never expected that in that split second, Peng Lin, with a peculiar stance that also left him extremely vulnerable, would pivot clockwise around his own held leg!
A cracking sound echoed from his ankle, causing him to grimace in pain. Fortunately, Pang Qiang had invested too much power in the spin, and this twist sent Peng Lin flying out of his grasp!
"Let me show you my self-created technique! Spiral Side Kick!"
As Peng Lin's words fell, his body launched out like a drill, propelled by centrifugal force. Simultaneously, he spun clockwise, his leg, like a tree felled by a thunderbolt, crashing directly into Pang Qiang's head. Peng Lin also fell, nearly rolling out of the ring.
The interval between their falls was only about a second. However, the referee and the audience watched intently. Before the referee could announce the result, the audience, who had been holding their breath, erupted in deafening cheers!
"He won! That miraculous kid really won!"
"Incredible! That last move was beyond comprehension!"
The stands were in an uproar, glow sticks flickering like distant stars in the universe.
The Aishin City team's area was also in a frenzy. Ye Lan and Yang Lingxue embraced tightly. In stark contrast, the Yufang City team's area was deathly silent. Leng Ziyu's face was clouded, her eyes flashing with a predatory glint.
However, the outcome was decided, and her dissatisfaction was of no avail.
On the ring, both men lay limply, almost exhausted. Peng Lin, however, panted heavily, struggling to rise from the ground, and hobbled over to Pang Qiang's side.
"Are you here to mock me too?" Pang Qiang shielded his eyes from the glaring light and said coldly.
As soon as he spoke, Peng Lin slowly extended his right hand, a faint smile on his face, and said softly, "This was a match worth remembering forever, Pang Qiang. I acknowledge you."
For some reason, Pang Qiang's long-frozen heart gave a jolt. It reminded him of a time when someone had shielded him from the scolding and anger of the orphanage administrator. However, he had been consumed by rage and blinded by fear, constantly numbing himself to the memories.
Now, this feeling, though subtle, felt like it had untied a knot that had bound him for years.
He slowly extended his own hand, clasped Peng Lin's, and spoke his mind, "Peng Lin, I remember you. This time, I didn't win honorably. Next time, I want to duel you on a bigger stage!"
"I'll be waiting!"