Tang Hao's Passive Defense

Without another word, Qian Renxue forcefully pushed off with the tips of her toes, activating Inch Step.

"Thud, thud, thud—" Dull explosions rang out in succession as the ground, as though repeatedly hammered by a massive sledgehammer, collapsed one patch after another, leaving more than ten deep craters in an instant.

Her afterimages lingered above every crater, real and illusory intertwining, making it impossible to distinguish her true body.

Tang Hao's pupils suddenly constricted. Years of battle-honed instinct made him throw a punch on reflex, its fierce force tearing through the air with a sharp whistle.

But his fist passed straight through Qian Renxue's figure—it was an afterimage!

Where is she? Alarm bells blared in Tang Hao's heart, and a chill crept across his back.

He looked around in every direction. Just as he turned his head, a fierce gust struck from behind him, and he hurriedly crossed his arms over his head.

Bang!

Qian Renxue's leg struck Tang Hao's arms with pinpoint accuracy. The sheer weight of the blow instantly cracked the ground beneath his feet, spiderweb-like fractures spreading in every direction.

A shockwave erupted outward from the two of them, making the leaves on the surrounding trees rustle wildly.

Tang Hao felt a fierce force invade his body, followed immediately by a crafty hidden force.

He could clearly feel his blood and qi churning, his meridians going faintly numb, and even the circulation of his Soul Power becoming sluggish.

Not good! He made a snap decision and deliberately relaxed his footing, allowing himself to be sent flying by the kick.

If he stubbornly resisted and allowed that unceasing force to invade his internal organs, his combat strength would undoubtedly suffer greatly.

Qian Renxue's figure flickered as she activated Inch Step again, pursuing Tang Hao like a shadow.

Her body trailed a string of afterimages through the air. Fists, palms, elbows, and knees came one after another, every strike carrying the explosive force of Inch Power.

Unable to gain leverage in midair, Tang Hao could only block passively. Every time his arms were struck, dull impacts sounded, and his blood and qi were jolted into turmoil again and again.

He tried to curl his body up to reduce the area taking the blows, but Qian Renxue struck his waist with a spinning kick, sending him flying diagonally away. He smashed through several large trees before barely coming to a stop.

"H-How is this possible?" Tang San stood in the distance, his face pale.

His father was a Ninety-Fifth-Level Titled Douluo. Even if he could not use his martial soul, he should not have been suppressed so thoroughly!

Qian Renxue's physical strength was actually this terrifying?

"Hao!" Tang Xiao clenched his fists tightly.

He could tell that although Tang Hao was being suppressed, his immense Soul Power was protecting his vital areas, so he had not suffered serious injuries. After all, he was a Ninety-Fifth-Level Titled Douluo, and his reserves of Soul Power far surpassed those of ordinary people. He could still hold on for the moment.

"Damn, this is completely one-sided!" Li Taibai stared in astonishment from the side and shouted, "Miss, go!"

Yet he secretly muttered to himself, Qian Renxue is so strong. It'll probably be even harder for me to make a name for myself in the future. I have to earn points and improve my strength as soon as possible.

"Ah—" Tang Hao let out a low roar as the Soul Power within him suddenly erupted. A powerful shockwave spread from his body, forcibly interrupting Qian Renxue's offensive rhythm.

Qian Renxue's gaze narrowed slightly. She retreated several yards and watched him vigilantly, guarding against a possible counterattack.

Taking the opportunity, Tang Hao flew more than thirty meters above the ground and stopped there, breathing heavily.

In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, he had already consumed a tenth of the Soul Power in his body.

He had to forcefully gather his strength and drive Qian Renxue back. This woman's attacks were too bizarre, her force unending. Could it be a soul bone skill with no cooldown?

But even a soul bone skill should have intervals between uses.

"Tang Hao, as a Titled Douluo, you avoid battle and hide in the air by exploiting your ability to fly. Don't you feel ashamed?" Qian Renxue looked up at him, her eyes cold as she mocked him.

Tang Hao snorted. "I am a Titled Douluo. Flight is one of my abilities. What is there to be ashamed of?"

"Just as my hands and feet are part of my body, you cannot expect me not to use them to fight you. If you have the ability, fly up here and face me."

A hint of smugness appeared on his face. Qian Renxue had not yet reached the Titled level, so she could not use her martial soul and was unable to fly. As long as he hid in the air and stalled for time, half an hour would pass quickly.

"Heh." Qian Renxue laughed in irritation, but a glacial gleam flashed in her eyes. "You really think I have no way to deal with this?"

The muscles throughout her body suddenly began vibrating at a high frequency in a steady rhythm.

The surrounding space actually rippled like water along with the vibration of her muscles, and the air grew increasingly heavy.

"Vibration Dance."

This was an advanced martial technique of Inch Burst. Not only could it compress the air until its buoyancy rivaled that of water, it could also disrupt an opponent's Soul Power circulation.

Qian Renxue activated Inch Step beneath her feet and actually stepped on the compressed air, leaping upward as though she were on solid ground, closing in on Tang Hao step by step.

"What?!" Tang Hao's pupils shrank sharply, and the smug expression on his face froze instantly. This woman could actually walk through the air?!

Qian Renxue suddenly borrowed force from the air and leaped forward. Her right hand drew back, terrifying force gathering around her fist. "Bounce Power!"

This was an advanced martial technique of Inch Power. Inch Power could instantly unleash one's full force without any enhancement to raw strength, but every layer of force could ignore defenses and act directly within the enemy's body. It could only be offset with several times the force. One layer of force was equivalent to striking with ten percent of one's strength; five layers meant fifty percent.

Bounce Power accumulated force through high-frequency muscle vibrations, allowing attacks several times stronger than normal. The invasive force it carried was even more tyrannical than Inch Power.

Tang Hao did not dare be careless. He threw out a punch as well, pouring the Soul Power of a Ninety-Fifth-Level Titled Douluo into his fist without reservation. The air exploded with a booming crack.

Bang!

The two fists collided, and a terrifying shockwave exploded in midair. Tang Hao felt an immense force strike him. His arm instantly went numb, and he was sent flying backward.

Qian Renxue was also pushed downward several yards by the recoil, but she used the momentum of her descent to activate Inch Step once more, chasing after him like a shadow and throwing another punch.

Tang Hao was forced to punch back in defense, the dull collisions of their fists echoing through the forest.

He kept retreating through the air. With every collision, he felt his blood and qi roil, while that crafty force spread up his arm and disrupted the circulation of his Soul Power.

He tried to use his Soul Power to disperse the force, only to find that it clung to him like maggots on bone. He had to expend several times as much Soul Power to neutralize it.

Qian Renxue's attacks grew faster and faster. The combination of Inch Step, Vibration Dance, and Bounce Power allowed her to move freely through the air, her barrage of fists raining down upon Tang Hao.

Tang Hao struggled desperately, barely able to protect his vital points. The force of the blows tore his clothes apart, and bluish-purple bruises gradually surfaced on his exposed skin.

After several dozen exchanges in midair, Tang Hao's breathing became increasingly disordered, and his combat strength had fallen by twenty percent from its peak.

Anxiety rose in his heart. At this rate, I won't even last half an hour.

A fierce light flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes. She suddenly withdrew her fist as the blood and qi within her body surged violently, condensing before her into a massive blood-colored palm print nearly ten feet wide. Distorted air coiled around it, radiating a heart-palpitating pressure.

"Blood Qi Manifestation, Blood Fiend Seal!"

She fiercely thrust the palm print forward. The blood-colored palm print carried a suffocating presence as it smashed ruthlessly toward Tang Hao.

Tang Hao's expression changed drastically. He crossed his arms over his chest as the Soul Power throughout his body circulated madly, forming a thick barrier of Soul Power.

Slap!

The Blood Fiend Seal struck the barrier solidly, shattering the Soul Power barrier in an instant.

Tang Hao was hit as if by a heavy hammer. He spat out blood and fell from the sky, crashing heavily into the ground.

Bang!

Dust billowed everywhere. Several breaths later, the smoke cleared, revealing an enormous palm print over ten feet deep in the ground.

Tang Hao struggled to his feet, blood hanging from the corner of his mouth. His face was as pale as paper, and his aura had withered...