Encirclement

Qiu Qianren was famed throughout the realm for his pair of iron palms. In terms of palm force, few in the world could surpass him save perhaps the Beggar's Clan's Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and Shaolin's Prajna Palm. Though he had been forced to meet the enemy in haste, he remained confident that a single palm strike would drive his opponent back. By then, Western Venom Ouyang Feng should have arrived as well. With the two of them joining forces, even were Wang Chongyang to return from the dead, he would likely have to keep his distance.

As their palms met, Qiu Qianren felt his force vanish like a clay ox sinking into the sea, as though there were nothing at all beneath his hand. Alarmed, he realized that his full-force strike had landed in empty space, and the recoil of his own internal energy immediately sent his blood and qi churning.

Qiu Qianren had never expected his opponent to come hurtling at him with such terrifying momentum, only for the palm force in his hands to be hollow. He suffered internal injuries in an instant, but had no time for regret. The instincts he had honed over decades in the martial world made him swiftly dodge to the side.

Though he was in midair, he forcibly shifted several feet sideways with a twist of his waist. Under normal circumstances, Qiu Qianren would have been immensely proud of this move. Across the entire realm, the number of martial artists capable of such elegant lightness skill could be counted on one hand.

But Qiu Qianren could not feel the slightest pride now, because he discovered that his opponent had not missed due to his evasion. That palm followed him like a maggot clinging to bone.

Qiu Qianren drew a deep breath