How long had this kid been training to have already reached this level?
A flicker of near-tangible astonishment crossed Liu Xiong's eyes, but he had no time to dwell on it.
He reacted quickly, turning his claw into a palm and raising it to defend himself.
Bang!
Fist and palm collided in a flash, unleashing a muffled boom and a tidal wave of air.
Thud, thud!
The brief collision unleashed terrifying force, sending both men staggering backward.
But they retreated very different distances.
Liu Xiong moved back only half a step before his feet seemed to take root in the earth, steady as a rock and utterly motionless.
Hong Ming, by contrast, staggered back several steps, kicking up clouds of dust from the ground beneath his feet.
"Dark Force!"
That brief exchange let Hong Ming quickly gauge his opponent's strength.
His brow furrowed as he felt his arm go numb and ache, and his organs shudder from the impact. A trace of apprehension rose in his heart.
Just then, as if sensing the tension in Hong Ming's expression, Liu Xiong attacked again.
He lunged forward, his palm striking out once more. Inner Force surged, carrying an all-pervasive force that sealed off every avenue of escape around Hong Ming.
His moves were heavy and fierce, giving Hong Ming no chance to counterattack.
Hong Ming retreated step by step. Just as he was about to run out of room, he suddenly felt the temperature beside him drop for no apparent reason.
A faint whoosh followed beside his ear. A fist-shaped blur silently entered the corner of his eye, rapidly growing until it filled his entire field of vision.
It was Instructor Lin Zhen!
Hong Ming's heart gave a slight tremor, then delight spread across his face.
Bang!
Fist and foot collided again,