Desperate Struggle

"You're asking for death."

As expected, Huang Shang became even more easily provoked after transforming. He lunged at Long Chen like a yellow whirlwind.

This was Long Chen's intention. Although he didn't know much about beast cultivators, he was certain that increasing combat power by harnessing the strength of demonic beasts would inevitably make one extremely violent and difficult to control.

While the strength of a berserk state was terrifying, combat relied entirely on instinct. Long Chen always believed that a mad bull was easier to deal with than a calm fox.

This time, Long Chen was prepared. The moment Huang Shang moved, Long Chen also reacted, kicking out directly at Huang Shang's abdomen.

"Bang!"

Long Chen's kick landed fiercely on Huang Shang's abdomen, directly repelling him. The berserk Huang Shang, like a wild beast, paid no heed to Long Chen's attack.

However, what sent a cold sweat down Long Chen's back was Huang Shang's incredible speed after going berserk. Just as Long Chen's foot touched Huang Shang's abdomen, Huang Shang's claws were already about to touch Long Chen's throat.

If Long Chen hadn't attacked first, it would have been too late to react. This was the terrifying nature of beast cultivators; once they transformed, their strength, speed, and defense would skyrocket, as if they had become a completely different person.

"Roar!"

After being repelled by Long Chen's kick, Huang Shang let out a roar similar to that of a ferocious beast, his eyes turning blood red. He crossed his claws and lunged at Long Chen.

"Breaking Wind Fist!"

Long Chen shouted and threw a punch.

"Boom!"

Long Chen's fist collided with the sharp claws, and with a loud explosion, both were sent flying back several yards.

"Such immense power!"

Long Chen gritted his teeth internally, surprised that Huang Shang possessed such a terrifying trump card. This scoundrel had hidden his strength too well.

Previously, Long Chen's Breaking Wind Fist had sent Huang Shang flying with no room for resistance. But now, with Huang Shang's berserk state, Long Chen's punch couldn't even injure him.

Huang Shang, like a furious demonic beast, pounced again the moment he retreated, his claws dancing wildly, sending gusts of wind everywhere as he lunged at Long Chen.

Long Chen gritted his teeth. The Wind Mansion Star beneath his feet operated at full power, and the seven vortexes in his dantian spun rapidly. His entire body's strength surged like a tide as he swung his fists, battling Huang Shang.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Explosions shook the heavens, and fierce winds scattered everywhere. The terrifying shockwaves, like a mighty river, forced the spectators to retreat continuously.

"Heavens, what kind of battle is this?"

"Too terrifying!"

The young men and women present had never witnessed such an intense fight before. They were already pale and trembling.

Let alone the youngsters, even the seasoned veterans were deeply shaken. No one had expected Huang Shang to be a beast cultivator with such terrifying combat power.

What shocked everyone even more was that Long Chen, once known as the capital's greatest good-for-nothing heir, could actually fight against a monster like Huang Shang.

Now, with claw shadows filling the sky and fist winds whistling, shaking the very heavens, the most astonished were Xia Changfeng and Wei Cang.

They could never have imagined that Long Chen, merely at the Qi Gathering realm, could unleash such terrifying combat power and contend with the berserk Huang Shang.

After all, Huang Shang was a secretly cultivated death warrior. Out of a thousand people, only a dozen survived the brutal training.

And Huang Shang was the most powerful among those dozen, which was why Great Xia valued and cultivated him so highly.

It could be said that Huang Shang was a killing machine built with countless resources. If Long Chen hadn't angered Xia Changfeng and Wei Cang, they wouldn't have revealed this secret weapon.

However, shock was shock. Seeing Long Chen, despite his full defense, begin to fall into a disadvantage under Huang Shang's furious, tidal wave-like attacks.

After all, Long Chen's cultivation was only at the seventh level of Qi Gathering, and he had only opened one of the Nine Stars. In terms of spiritual energy density, he was far inferior to Huang Shang.

If not for Long Chen's equally formidable physique, anyone else would have been torn to shreds by now.

"Chii!"

Huang Shang's claws grazed Long Chen's arm again. Despite his best efforts to dodge, his clothes were torn, and blood flowed freely.

Long Chen was now covered in multiple bloody gashes, his clothes soaked in blood, which made Chu Yao's heart clench.

This can't go on. Huang Shang right now is like a humanoid demonic beast with endless strength, and his claws are as sharp as steel.

Long Chen was shocked. If not for the combat experience from the Pill Emperor's soul, he would have collapsed long ago.

"Master Yun Qi, please save Long Chen!" Chu Yao pleaded, looking at Master Yun Qi.

"Wait a moment." Master Yun Qi stared at Long Chen, but did not make a move.

In fact, Master Yun Qi was also conflicted. Long Chen's achievements in pill refinement were what he admired most.

He had once advised Long Chen to focus all his energy on the Pill Dao, believing that with his talent, he would go further in that path.

But today, the combat power Long Chen displayed was astonishing. As a Pill Master, he had to admit that if Long Chen had focused all his energy on martial arts, his achievements might have surpassed those in the Pill Dao.

The reason he hadn't intervened was that he wanted to see Long Chen's limits and, through the test of life and death, forge Long Chen's will to be even stronger.

Through such tempering in life and death, regardless of whether Long Chen chose to be a Pill Cultivator or a Martial Cultivator in the future, the benefits would be immeasurable.

"Chii!"

Blood splattered as another claw strike hit Long Chen's chest, leaving several more bloody gashes.

"Long Chen, I won't let you die easily. I said I would tear you to shreds, bit by bit!"

Huang Shang, after a prolonged battle, had managed to suppress much of his initial frenzy and sneered.

Long Chen didn't reply. He noticed that Huang Shang's body was riddled with openings, yet his defense was astonishingly strong.

He had previously kicked Huang Shang in the groin, hitting a vital spot. To Long Chen's surprise, Huang Shang merely stumbled and then acted as if nothing had happened, his movements completely unaffected.

After fiercely clashing for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Long Chen had grasped Huang Shang's current state. His stamina and endurance were beyond human standards. If this continued, Long Chen had no chance of winning.

"Next, I'll try this!"

Long Chen suddenly shouted and unleashed a punch, meeting Huang Shang's claw head-on. He was sent flying back three zhang, facing Huang Shang from a distance.

Huang Shang didn't pursue immediately. He simply looked at Long Chen with a calm gaze, like a tiger observing its prey.

The entire arena had remained silent. However, at this moment, the spectators felt as if they were drowning and finally had a chance to catch their breath.

The previous storm-like exchange had left them breathless, their hearts in their throats. Especially the young girls, who clutched their chests tightly, fearing that Long Chen might accidentally bleed out.

"Still struggling to the death?" Huang Shang raised his hand. His fingernails, over three inches long, were stained with blood – all Long Chen's.

Long Chen's clothes were now tattered, and dozens of crisscrossing wounds marred his body, blood slowly trickling down, looking quite terrifying.

"Struggling to the death? I don't think it's reached that point yet," Long Chen shook his head. Although his body was covered in injuries, they were all superficial. They looked frightening but didn't affect him significantly.

Long Chen knew that today's battle was incredibly arduous, the most difficult of his life, but it was definitely not the last.

As long as he fought against fate, the battles he would face in the future would only become more intense. He needed that threat of death to ignite his will to survive.

To become a true martial artist, one must face the threat of life and death. Only by overcoming the fear of death can one go further on this path. This is the inevitable journey for the strong.

In the previous exchange, he had constantly teetered on the brink of death. Although he had integrated the soul of the Pill Emperor and some combat experience, a single lapse in concentration would have turned him into a corpse. Long Chen had made a tremendous resolve to do this.

He also had his own unavoidable difficulties. If he couldn't withstand such pressure, how could he face future enemies? How could he resolve his predicament? How could he avenge the shedding of blood, the stealing of bones, and the destruction of his roots?

After several near-death experiences, his intuition had become increasingly sharp, and his state of mind grew clearer. His objective had been achieved. Now was the time for a true fight to the death.

"However, since you say it's a struggle to the death, then so be it. Next, I'll show you what my 'struggle to the death' is like."

"Whoosh!"

Long Chen clasped his hands together, and a flame surged out, its heat wave spreading in all directions. He was enveloped by a pale yellow flame.

"What?"

Wei Cang shot up from his seat, his face filled with disbelief. He pointed a finger at Long Chen, unable to believe his eyes: "Pill Fire Body Protection? How is this possible?"

Besides Wei Cang, another person who was shocked was Master Yun Qi. Long Chen could actually cover his entire body with Pill Fire.

Pill Fire Body Protection was something only Pill Masters like Yun Qi and Wei Cang could achieve.

This not only required powerful Pill Fire and abundant spiritual energy but also extremely profound Soul Force as support.

Only Pill Master-level experts could achieve Pill Fire Body Protection; this was common knowledge. Usually, Pill Masters had to reach the Tendon Transformation Realm to possess enough spiritual and soul energy to barely achieve Pill Fire Body Protection.

Although, by rank, Long Chen was already a Pill Scholar, his cultivation was only at the seventh level of Qi Gathering.

Under normal circumstances, while the ranks of Pill Cultivators and Martial Cultivators weren't the same, they were closely related.

Generally, one had to be at least in the Qi Gathering Realm to become a Pill Apprentice, as only then could one condense Pill Fire.

However, condensing Pill Fire didn't automatically make one a Pill Apprentice. Only by refining a pill of acceptable quality could one qualify as a Pill Apprentice.

Most individuals referred to as Pill Apprentices were usually at the Blood Condensation Realm or above, otherwise, they wouldn't have enough spiritual energy to refine pills.

Only Pill Cultivators with exceptionally high aptitude could become Pill Apprentices in the Qi Gathering Realm. Like Long Chen and Xia Baichi, who could refine Tier 2 Pills in the Qi Gathering stage and become Pill Scholars, they could already be considered geniuses.

But even the most prodigious genius couldn't condense Pill Fire to protect their body in the Qi Gathering Realm. This defied the understanding of both men.

Long Chen stood firmly on the field, his entire body enveloped by yellow flames. His hair fluttered, his eyes shone like stars, as if a God of Fire had descended, exuding an indescribable dominance.

"I'm coming."