Before Hu Xiaotian's foot could strike the snowball, it burst apart, revealing Gangbala once more. He seized Hu Xiaotian's right foot. Unruffled by the sudden change, Hu Xiaotian thrust the Greatsword in his right hand straight at Gangbala's face from point-blank range.
Holding Hu Xiaotian's right foot with his left hand, Gangbala caught the blade with his free right hand. Seeing his chest left wide open, Hu Xiaotian raised his left fist and punched him square in the chest.
His fist struck Gangbala's body as though it had hit an iron plate. Nothing changed on Gangbala's expressionless face. Seizing the instant when Hu Xiaotian attacked, he threw his whole body into Hu Xiaotian's arms. That was right-the Fan Monk had actually resorted to wrestling-style grappling.
Hu Xiaotian had never seen an expert fight at such close quarters. Their arms and legs tangled together, their bodies overlapped in midair, and they crashed heavily into the snow. The Greatsword in Hu Xiaotian's hand was utterly useless under these circumstances. He discarded it and drove his free left fist into Gangbala's face twice with heavy thuds, but Gangbala showed no reaction whatsoever. Hu Xiaotian's punches could now shatter stone tablets and split rocks, yet Gangbala seemed to have sinews of steel and bones of iron. His body felt no pain, either. Even after taking several blows in succession, his fighting strength remained completely unaffected. He wound his legs around Hu Xiaotian's body and locked his arms around his torso, entwining him like the roots of an ancient tree.
Never in his life had Hu Xiaotian been in such intimate contact with another man. They hit the snow and then tumbled down the mountainside. To avoid being hurt too badly, Hu Xiaotian imitated Gangbala and curled his body as tightly as he could. Clinging