Trading Injury for Injury, Blood for Blood!

The two completely abandoned dodging and blocking, like cornered beasts in a fighting ring, and instead adopted a most primitive and savage method—trading injury for injury, blood for blood!

Bang! Boom! Thud!

Heart-pounding, heavy impact sounds rang out like a dense rain, each one landing squarely on the opponent's body!

Lu Jue's training clothes on his upper body had long since been completely shattered, revealing a strong yet bruised and purple physique underneath.

With every heavy blow that landed, his muscles trembled violently, and his bones hummed.

Even with the Hundred Tough Fat Armor protecting him, under such a storm of bombardment, the immense impact penetrated layer by layer, shaking his internal organs.

"Pfft!"

He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, scarlet droplets splashing onto the ground, yet his eyes remained cold and sharp. He hadn't grunted once from beginning to end!

Li Zhanting was no better off!

Although the medicinal power of the Crimson Blood Pill had granted him berserk strength and dulled most of his pain, his body was still flesh and blood. Lu Jue's heavy fists landed on his body like sledgehammers!

"Crack!"

A faint but clear sound of bone cracking rang out!

A small section of Li Zhanting's chest visibly caved in, and his ribs had clearly fractured!

But he seemed oblivious, only for his attack to momentarily falter and become sluggish. He was then submerged by an even more frenzied desire to kill and continued to roar as he charged forward!

The students watching from the stands had already turned pale, their palms cold.

The scene before them had long surpassed the scope of a competition, filled with the visual impact of gore and violence, leaving them breathless.

How could this still be considered a fight within their level of understanding?

Even the top ten students in their year usually emphasized decorum and stopped at a point of contact.

This fight, however, was like two Calamity Beasts that had broken free from their chains, unleashing their most savage power in a primal struggle!

Every collision was soul-shattering, every splash of blood was shocking!

It felt like a well-behaved child catching their first glimpse of forbidden material, a trembling mixed with an unspeakable shock. They wanted to look away but were firmly pinned in place by the raw beauty of violence, their hearts trembling.

On the field.

The two collided fiercely for over ten more moves, blood and flesh flying with each exchange of fists and kicks, and several more gruesome wounds were added to their bodies.

After one head-on clash of fists, a sharp glint flashed in Li Zhanting's blood-red eyes. He actually used his shoulder blade to take the brunt of Lu Jue's whip kick.

Ignoring the cracking of his own bones, he used the impact to forcefully surge forward and slam into Lu Jue's embrace!

Li Zhanting's blood-red eyes were almost pressed against Lu Jue's face, burning with the most frenzied flames. His fists shot out like springs!

First punch!

It landed heavily on the center of Lu Jue's chest, emitting a dull "thud"!

Second punch!

Almost without pause, it struck the same spot, with even more force! More ferocity!

Just as Lu Jue was forced back, his Blood Essence churning, his center completely exposed—

Li Zhanting's third punch arrived!

This punch's trajectory was incredibly tricky, not coming straight but with a strange upward arc, and it actually smashed into Lu Jue's temple!

"Hahaha! I found it! I found it! The vital point of your Hardening Kung Fu is in your head!?"

Li Zhanting's hoarse roar carried a hint of pathological excitement.

Just now, as the medicinal effects of the Crimson Blood Pill began to fade, his consciousness had regained a brief moment of clarity.

A previously overlooked detail suddenly surfaced!

—Since the start of the battle, even during the most frenzied exchanges, Lu Jue had consistently protected his head!

The "vital point" of Hardening Kung Fu was often hidden in concealed places like the armpit, groin, or waist, never so brazenly exposed on the head.

"What is this? The most dangerous place is the safest? Your Hardening Kung Fu is nothing special!"

"You commoners should just be trampled under our feet obediently!"

Bang!

Lu Jue flew backward like a broken puppet, crashing heavily onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

He had never practiced any Hardening Kung Fu, so naturally, there was no "vital point."

It was just that his head had less fat, making it difficult to fully utilize the protective effect of the Hundred Tough Fat Armor, thus becoming the most vulnerable part of his entire body.

In an instant, his vision went black, and his entire head felt as if it were being split open by a red-hot iron saw!

Agony!

A tidal wave of pain instantly drowned his consciousness!

He bit down hard on his tongue, the taste of blood exploding in his mouth. He used the intense pain to forcibly maintain a sliver of clarity.

His vision blurred and distorted, but fragments of memory surged uncontrollably—

At this moment, He seemed to see his own youth, repeatedly overexerting himself under the scorching sun to hone his foundation. He had finally received an acceptance letter from the Martial School, only to be doused with cold water by reality—it turned out that with a small bribe to the examiner, anyone, regardless of their aptitude, could pass with flying colors.

He saw his near-obsessive, arduous training at the Martial School. While others, relying on their family background and talent, easily broke through bottlenecks and progressed at lightning speed, he had to squeeze every minute to its limit, using double the time and sweat to bridge that vast chasm.

He saw the despair when that decree was issued a few days ago, as if the whole world collapsed beneath his feet, plunging him into an ice cave.

He saw the injustice of this world, where people like Zhang Yang and Li Zhanting, simply by virtue of their birth, could live in luxury, enjoy the best resources, and have their path in Martial Arts paved with shortcuts. Meanwhile, countless commoner disciples like him, even after shedding blood and dignity, struggled to find even a narrow crack for upward mobility.

Does it hurt?

The tearing pain in his temples still raged.

But compared to the physical wounds, the unwillingness that had long been etched into his bones truly burned his heart and corroded his soul.

If he could endure such a long journey, how could he possibly fall here!?

If he couldn't even defeat Li Zhanting, how could he face the true geniuses in the future?

How could he carve out his own path in this world firmly controlled by influential families!?

All the suppressed defiance and anger transformed into a burning will, forcefully yanking him back from the brink of unconsciousness.

"Hh"

A long exhale surged from his chest. His body, previously curled up in agony, suddenly straightened. Every vertebra let out a creaking sound as if it couldn't bear the load, yet he stood tall again with unwavering resolve.

Wavering, but ultimately not falling!

Li Zhanting's heart skipped a beat. The gaze from his opponent sent a chill down his spine. It wasn't the look of someone on the verge of collapse, but rather that of a terrifying Calamity Beast, thoroughly enraged and ready to tear everything apart.

Just then, Su Li suddenly stepped forward, blocking the two.

"Gentlemen, your bodies have reached their limit. Shall we stop here and call it a draw?"

Li Zhanting spat out a mouthful of blood: "What a joke! How could I possibly draw with this guy!"

Lu Jue wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gave Su Li a chilling smile.

"Fight!"