After defeating Xie Zaiyuan, Lu Chen stayed for another match.
His opponent was Iron-Armed Luo Hong, who already had six consecutive victories.
The man was nearly thirty and had reached the perfected Meridian-Opening Realm. He stood over eight feet tall, his upper body bare, his muscles like polished slabs of rock. His arms were especially striking, almost as thick as an ordinary man's thighs, with a dark, iron-blue sheen to their skin.
He primarily practiced external body conditioning and heavy punches, excelling at head-on clashes.
In his previous six matches, he had smashed at least four opponents' weapons apart before blasting them off the platform.
Cheers erupted around the arena as Luo Hong stepped onto the platform.
"Iron-Armed Luo Hong!"
"Master Luo already has six straight wins. This pretty boy's run is probably ending here!"
"Xie Zaiyuan underestimated him in that last match. This time, it's a contest of raw strength. There's no faking that!"
Luo Hong had clearly heard the discussion below.
He walked up opposite Lu Chen and looked him over. Lu Chen had a tall, slender frame; although his shoulders and back were straight and firm, he was nowhere near as burly as Luo Hong.
"Boy, I hear you've got some power in those fists."
Luo Hong rolled his shoulders. Sinews knotted across his thick arms, and his joints crackled.
"Fist techniques are my specialty too."
"Let me test yours!"
As his words fell, he stamped his right foot forward.
Thud!
The heavy platform shuddered as though struck by a massive hammer. Its planks trembled, dust rising through the gaps. Luo Hong sank his waist and back, his spine drawing taut like a bowstring. Every muscle in his body twisted into a single cord, driving power from his waist and hips into his shoulder and elbow.
His