I'm Not Convinced

"Hehe, not bad!"

Mountain Breaking Claw flicked the flesh from his fingers, then took out a handkerchief and wiped away the blood.

"But it's only not bad!"

He tossed aside the handkerchief, raised a hand to dust off nonexistent dirt from his abdomen, and looked at Fang Mo with a disdainful smile.

That kick seemed not to have affected him much.

"What, are you scared? Want to surrender?"

Mountain Breaking Claw looked at Fang Mo and laughed coldly. "Don't even think about it. This is a fight to the death. It ends only when one person falls!"

"A fight to the death?"

Fang Mo's expression shifted slightly. He looked up at the host.

Sure enough, the host had no intention of stopping the match. Fang Mo looked toward the VIP rooms and immediately spotted Xu Manli standing behind the floor-to-ceiling glass of a second-floor private room. Meeting his gaze, Xu Manli visibly took a step back.

He'd been set up!

Fang Mo's heart turned cold. How could he not understand that he'd been set up?

No wonder the host hadn't explained the rules. This was a fight to the death—only when one person died would the iron cage be opened.

He had trusted Xu Manli, but he hadn't expected her not to tell him.

That retreat just now had already shown her guilty conscience. She knew!

"Kid, weren't you so arrogant?"

"Get on your knees now, and I can give you a chance to die a little more quickly!"

Mountain Breaking Claw wore a teasing grin. He did not seem to be in any hurry to kill Fang Mo; rather, he enjoyed this feeling of a cat playing with a mouse.

"What do I do? What do I do?"

Fang Mo forced himself to calm down and think of a way out. He was unwilling to die here. He still had to pursue the martial path.

"Why is it so hard just to pursue the martial path?"

"The Qin Family forced me!"

"The Fang Family forced me?"

"I refuse to accept this!"

Fang Mo felt stifled, as though his chest were about to explode. The fury filling him wanted to burst forth.

Suddenly, the Bronze Mirror in Fang Mo's mind trembled.

Above his sea of consciousness, the majestic Bronze Mirror radiated golden light that filled the sky and poured into his mind. In an instant, he felt enlightened. His understanding of the Tiger Subduing Fist rose to a new level, and golden words appeared upon it.

[Tiger Subduing Fist: Entering the Hall (1/5000)]

"It advanced!"

Fang Mo was instantly overjoyed. He had not expected to advance at such a critical moment.

Immediately afterward, formless energy surged up from every part of his body like rushing magma, crashing through his entire being.

Wherever it passed, his bones, muscles, sinews, and blood seemed to ignite, devouring the energy and transforming. His strength rose rapidly.

At the same time, his stamina swiftly recovered.

The pain in his abdomen faded, while the bleeding on the back of his hand began to stop. An itchy sensation told him it was healing.

In just a few breaths, his strength had risen by a great margin. His body brimmed with surging energy, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

He slowly raised his head and looked at his opponent, flames blazing in his eyes.

"You want me to kneel? You're not worthy!"

He stared coldly at Mountain Breaking Claw, braced himself against a pillar, and slowly stood up. He lightly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze unwavering.

"You don't know what's good for you!"

Mountain Breaking Claw's face darkened viciously as he watched Fang Mo rise. He stepped forward and charged out.

"Then I'll send you to your death!"

"Divine Eagle Nine Seizures!"

An eagle's cry split the sky as his body descended from above. His twin claws became wind-like phantoms, forming countless claw shadows that shot straight for Fang Mo's eyes.

Fang Mo's eyes were utterly calm. He suddenly stamped his foot and sharply shook both hands. A tiger's roar rang out—like a fierce tiger roaring through the forest—and his body lunged forward in an instant.

A muffled thunderclap rang across the arena as the two figures landed at the same time. Yet Mountain Breaking Claw staggered back five or six steps before steadying himself.

"How is that possible? How did you suddenly become stronger?"

Mountain Breaking Claw's hands trembled slightly, his eyes filled with shock. He could feel both his claws going numb.

"There are plenty of impossible things. How many have you even seen?"

Fang Mo replied coldly, pressed down with both hands, and charged at Mountain Breaking Claw.

"I don't believe you could suddenly grow stronger. It has to be fake—watch me defeat you!"

Mountain Breaking Claw gritted his teeth and cursed, erupting into action at the same time.

The two clashed again, fighting even more fiercely than before. Fists, kicks, palms, and claws shifted back and forth, and violent impacts rang out from time to time.

Mountain Breaking Claw kept roaring in fury, yet Fang Mo still pressed him down and beat him back, leaving none of his earlier dominance.

"What's going on? How did Iron Mask suddenly become stronger? Was he putting on an act before?"

Chu Silin watched the battle in the ring with some surprise.

Chen Song shook his head.

"Doesn't look like an act. Those injuries just now were real—he was nearly crippled. Who would dare fake something like that?"

"He must have made some kind of breakthrough!"

At that moment, Guan Lu fixed her gaze on the ring. "Didn't you notice that his Tiger Subduing Fist has clearly improved? It's much stronger than before. He likely gained some insight during the fight, and his fist technique advanced!"

"That works too? A breakthrough in the middle of battle?"

Liu Shiwu's eyes widened, filled with disbelief and confusion. "But why do I feel like both his strength and speed have improved?"

"That's just your imagination. His fist technique improved, so its displayed power is stronger. Martial training that tempers the body and cleanses the marrow requires steady accumulation and gradual progress. How could someone suddenly become stronger? What, do you think this is a game? Leveling up in one go!"

Chi Jing shot him a glance, her voice carrying a trace of mockery.

Liu Shiwu immediately looked a little embarrassed. Scratching his head, he did not dare say more. He knew Chi Jing was right—there could be no falsehood in practicing martial arts. One had to build up step by step; how could one's strength suddenly increase by so much?

Qin Yuanping nearly poured the wine onto his own face, his eyes equally full of disbelief.

"Young Master Qin, how about it? Didn't I tell you not to rush?"

A smile returned to Chen Yeming's face. "The outcome is still uncertain!"

"That's right, the outcome is still uncertain!"

Qin Yuanping calmed down again and said blandly, "He merely gained a bit of insight into his fist technique. That won't be decisive. He will definitely lose this batt—"

Before he could say the word "lose," the cup in his hand shattered once more.

He sprang to his feet, staring fixedly at the ring, his eyes filled with shock.

"I don't believe it!"

On the ring, Mountain Breaking Claw was being forced back by Fang Mo's attacks. He howled wildly, unleashing all his strength.

"Sky Rending Claw, die!"

His hands became like true eagle talons, as if they would tear the air apart.

"Tiger Step Collapsing Fist!"

Fang Mo erupted as well. His blood and qi surged through his body, and the force of Tiger Subduing Fist circulated to its limit. Both fists blasted out, directly smashing apart his opponent's twin claws. Like a tiger entering the forest, he struck Mountain Breaking Claw in the chest, sending him staggering backward.

Mountain Breaking Claw retreated several steps, spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, and laughed madly.

"Haha! Do you know I practice Iron Cloth Shirt? You can't hurt me!"

"Inch Strength Elbow Heart Top!"

Fang Mo shouted and stepped forward, following close behind. The point of his elbow drove straight at Mountain Breaking Claw.

"Come on!"

Mountain Breaking Claw roared, clenching both fists as the muscles in his chest bulged. He intended to take Fang Mo's blow head-on.

The elbow strike landed squarely on the Juque Acupoint. Combining it with Taiji's Inch Strength, Fang Mo stomped the ground, driving the force forward again and making the blow even more penetrating. Mountain Breaking Claw's face instantly turned crimson, and his body involuntarily staggered back into the iron cage.

A mouthful of blood sprayed from his mouth. His eyes were filled with utter disbelief as he said painfully through blood-stained lips.

"Im... possible... How could you... break my Iron Cloth Shirt!"

"Go ask below!"

Fang Mo barked, pouncing like a fierce tiger. His hands formed tiger claws and slammed heavily against his opponent's ear gates.

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