At the instant the descending palm strike seemed spent, Zhang Zhenshan's fully extended right arm abruptly lengthened by over two inches!
Under Bai Yunfei's horrified gaze, the palm slammed solidly into his chest!
Soul Skill: Long Arm Fist!
This was the very same low-tier Soul Skill Zhang Yang had used that day. When he used it, his arm could only extend by an inch at most. Yet now, under Zhang Zhenshan's hand, it elongated by nearly three inches!
Even a low-tier Soul Skill manifested vastly different power depending on the user's strength!
With a sharp whistling sound, Bai Yunfei was thrown backward once more!
Twisting mid-air, he managed to land on his feet, but this time far more clumsily than before. He skidded backwards for four or five meters, the Flame Spear scraping along the ground for support, before finally halting.
He lifted his head, his face pale before flushing crimson. Unable to suppress it any longer, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, Bai Yunfei stared at Zhang Zhenshan approaching him with deliberate steps. A trace of bitterness surfaced in his eyes. "The gap… it's just too vast!! Whether it's combat experience or skill application, we're not even on the same level. If he weren't weakened from excessive Soul Force consumption earlier… just these two palm strikes would have ended me…"
Zhang Zhenshan subtly flexed his right hand behind his back, circulating Soul Force to soothe the backlash from forcibly altering his Soul Skill's execution. Step by deliberate step, he closed in, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Well? Understand the difference now, you insolent whelp? Possessing a few Soul Tools means nothing! Even weakened, crushing you is effortless!"
His voice rose, laced with fury. "But I won't grant you an easy death! My son died in agony, tortured beyond recognition by your hand! I will make you suffer torment worse than death! I will break every bone in your limbs, piece by piece, and leave you a mangled corpse!!!"
Spittle flew as he roared, his eyes nearly bloodshot, features twisted into a mask of pure hatred. Yet, beneath the venomous glare, a flicker of… grief remained.
Bai Yunfei watched the seemingly crazed Zhang Zhenshan stride closer, his own expression impassive as he retreated slowly. Zhang Zhenshan's pace quickened, covering the distance within a few strides.
As Bai Yunfei retreated, his eyes darted swiftly across the surroundings. Suddenly, a spark ignited in his gaze. Taking a deep breath, he channeled Soul Force. Rippling Steps activated, his body blurring left and backward in a trail of afterimages, repositioning himself two meters away.
He stopped abruptly, focusing on Zhang Zhenshan now barely three meters in front of him. His right foot lashed out!
A basketball-sized rock at his feet was sent hurtling through the air, trailing clumps of earth, directly at Zhang Zhenshan!
Zhang Zhenshan snorted coldly. Without any visible dip or rise, he simply slid half a step to the right. Yet, the instant he evaded the projectile, his pupils constricted sharply.
Behind the flying rock, Bai Yunfei surged forward! His speed surpassed the rock's trajectory! Simultaneous with Zhang Zhenshan's sidestep, Bai Yunfei thrust his spear!
As the rock flew past Zhang Zhenshan's left side, the spear's tip arrived. Zhang Zhenshan braced to dodge again, but a sudden jolt of confusion hit him—
The target wasn't him! It was the rock!
Bai Yunfei's right arm, gripping the spear, bulged with veins, muscles swelling instantly. His arm moved at blinding speed. Without a fraction of pause, he delivered two consecutive thrusts!
Triple Thrust! Triple Thrust!!
The first spear point struck the rock, causing only a slight tremor. But the second thrust, impacting instantly—
BOOM!
The explosive roar erupted right beside Zhang Zhenshan at the exact moment confusion registered in his eyes. Under his shocked gaze, brilliant flames burst from within the rock! The basketball-sized stone shattered into countless razor-sharp fragments, erupting outwards!
The detonation at point-blank range unleashed a searing shockwave, propelling a deadly hail of shrapnel!
The spread of debris was too wide to evade laterally. In that split second, Zhang Zhenshan activated Ice Glide Step, his body sliding backward at desperate speed. He crossed his arms protectively over his face while channeling Soul Force. His skin and muscles rippled unnaturally, hardening defensively.
Thwack! Thud! Crack!
Agony flared across his body from multiple impacts. Dread washed over Zhang Zhenshan. "Mere flying shrapnel… and it holds such force?!"
The barrage lasted only a breath. Zhang Zhenshan's backward momentum continued. He lowered his arms—
Only to be met by a blinding crimson glow!
Bai Yunfei's eyes blazed with killing intent. The tip of the Flame Spear radiated a fiery red aura, encased in swirling scarlet flames, driving straight towards Zhang Zhenshan's heart!
For the first time, genuine terror flashed across Zhang Zhenshan's face. The scarlet spear was less than three inches from his chest! Retreating desperately, evasion was impossible. In a fraction of a heartbeat, grim resolve hardened his features.
His left hand shot out, intercepting the spear's path just before it struck home. His palm slammed against the shaft below the lethal tip, fingers clamping down vise-tight!
Rotating his palm, muscles in his left arm exploding with power, he violently shoved the spearhead upwards and diagonally! Simultaneously, his footwork shifted, propelling him diagonally away!
But before his grip fully released, the Flame Spear's razor edge sliced through his palm. As he finally let go and leapt back, a thin arc of blood sprayed the air.
Zhang Zhenshan's terror intensified. Without pause, he retreated dozens of meters in the blink of an eye, stopping only when he saw Bai Yunfei wasn't pursuing. He stood there, chest heaving with ragged gasps.
"Impossible! Impossible!! He's only Mid-stage Soul Master! How could he unleash such an attack?!" Zhang Zhenshan's mind screamed, his eyes locked onto Bai Yunfei. "Even if that spear is an Earth Tier Soul Tool… even if it concentrates fire energy to explode… that level of power requires at least Late-stage Soul Spirit strength! How is he capable of this?!"
He raised his trembling left hand. The Frost Silk Gauntlet – a High Grade Human Tier artifact – now bore a long, jagged tear!
Beneath the rent glove, a deep gash sliced from palm to the base of his thumb, bone visible beneath. Despite instantly channeling Soul Force to heal, blood flowed freely, soaking the once-white gauntlet a deep crimson. Worse, the edges of the wound were lightly charred. A searing, invasive heat radiated upward from the injury. Only by pouring frigid Soul Force against it did the burning sensation slowly subside.
Staring at the sluggishly bleeding wound, Zhang Zhenshan glanced fearfully at the Flame Spear in Bai Yunfei's hand, a sliver of relief cutting through the terror. "Thank the heavens I reacted at the last instant… Never again! I must never let that spear tip touch me! If that explosion had triggered while it was inside me…" The thought conjured a primal fear, deepening his dread of the weapon.
Dozens of meters away, Bai Yunfei gripped his violently trembling right arm with his left hand, teeth clenched. He flooded the limb with Soul Force, only releasing a quiet sigh as the excruciating pain dulled slightly. His gaze, too, remained fixed murderously on Zhang Zhenshan.
Secretly, Bai Yunfei felt relief that shock had driven Zhang Zhenshan so far back. Had Zhang Zhenshan counterattacked immediately after deflecting the spear thrust, Bai Yunfei would have been utterly vulnerable.
Before launching this desperate chain of attacks, he had steeled himself for the possibility of failure and further injury.
"A pity… The spear striking his palm didn't trigger the explosion effect. If it had… this fight would be over!" Watching his opponent seemingly tend to his wound, a flicker of disappointment crossed Bai Yunfei's eyes. "Three consecutive Triple Thrusts… plus activating the Flame Spear's explosion… and it only wounded him lightly. Now he'll be hyper-vigilant against the spear… Which means… it must be that way."
Even as Bai Yunfei's thoughts raced, Zhang Zhenshan, calming slightly, immediately noticed Bai Yunfei's condition. "He didn't pursue… and his posture… his right arm is injured! Yes! Whatever forbidden method he used to unleash such power, his Soul Master body couldn't bear the strain! Damnation! I wasted a perfect counterattack opportunity!"
Consumed by furious regret, Zhang Zhenshan refused to grant another moment's respite. Fist clenching, murderous intent blazing in his eyes, he charged at Bai Yunfei once more!