At the very moment the two Golden Dragons clashed!
A thunderous roar tore through the heavens and earth as if a blast ripped through half the sky, slicing the dark curtain of clouds in half, from which a golden lightning bolt flashed through the crack.
Raindrops poured down like beads from a broken string.
The two figures, locked in combat, were also flung apart by the raindrops, crashing heavily to the ground.
Qiao Feng felt a surge of shock as he landed, turning his eyes toward the source of the alarming scream, Duan Zhengchun, his expression a mix of surprise and doubt, "Azhu!?"
Azhu, who had disguised herself as Duan Zhengchun, could only miserably tear off the mask on her face, soaked and turned to mush by the rain, revealing her true face and causing Qiao Feng’s heart to tremor violently, nearly sapping all his strength in fright.
"Azhu, how could you be impersonating Duan Zhengchun? Why are you here?"
Qiao Feng demanded, filled with a dreadful hindsight. He had put his full power into that last palm strike; in the Martial Arts world, a first-class hero could not take such a blow without returning it, let alone the delicate little Azhu.
Had it not been for the sudden intervention of the Black Wind Village Chief, Azhu would surely have perished, and he would have been left with a lifetime of regret.
"Brother Qiao! Actually, actually I, just like AZi, am one of Duan Zhengchun’s daughters."
Azhu looked at Qiao Feng with tears streaming down her face, her gaze filled with pain, "Besides, as Duan Zhengchun is the Prince Zhen Nan from the Dali Royal Family, if you were to kill him, with the Dali filled with experts like clouds, and if by some chance one of them mastered the Six Meridian Divine Sword comes seeking revenge, you, being all alone, what would you do?"
"Azhu... you, you’re really Duan Zhengchun’s daughter?"
Qiao Feng stared in disbelief, his eyes widened.
"Enough! The two of you stop blathering here, I haven’t had enough with just one palm strike, come again!"
Jiang Dali snapped, interrupting their needless chatter.
Qiao Feng was startled and turned to look at Jiang Dali, questioning, "Hero, did you know about Azhu’s background all along?"
Jiang Dali laughed heartily, "What difference does it make if I knew or not? The truth is, I caught that playboy Duan Zhengchun a long time ago, so obviously, I knew the man who appeared just now couldn’t be Duan Zhengchun."
As these words were spoken, Azhu’s expression changed immediately as she looked at Jiang Dali, opening her mouth to speak, but found herself unable to voice any reprimand toward this brash individual.
If it hadn’t been for his unexpected appearance, she might now be eternally separated from her Brother Qiao, leaving him in immense pain.
And although this man had captured her father without taking his life, regardless of his ulterior motives, her father was for the moment not in mortal danger.
"So you did know all along."
Qiao Feng frowned, his expression one of suspicion as he stared at Jiang Dali, "You claim to be the Leader, and you just happened to appear at the right time to stop me from killing Duan Zhengchun and inadvertently saved Azhu. Who exactly are you and what is your purpose?"
Jiang Dali grinned slyly, looking up at the rumbling sky.
All of a sudden, he stretched out his hand and ripped off the Black Cloak already soaked and stuck to his body, revealing his layered, robust muscles. Flexing his body, his skin turned a shade of Green Gold, and he smiled broadly.
"If you want to know, you’ll have to defeat me first! Weren’t you always looking for a fight with the Leader? Well, here I am right in front of you, why aren’t you fighting? Come on!!"
Jiang Dali unleashed a palm strike that transformed into a Golden Dragon tearing through the rain curtain, furiously charging at Qiao Feng.
Qiao Feng snorted coldly, his movements unrushed as he suddenly turned and delivered a palm strike.
His palm moved like a long whip, deceptively slow yet swift, striking at a supremely intricate angle, hitting Jiang Dali’s Qi Force, which was yet to peak, with a powerful blow.
Jiang Dali felt a jolt in his palms as if they had been struck by a whip wielded by a giant. The Powerful Palm Force tore apart, sending pain through his arms as his body spun like a top, flying away before crashing heavily to the ground.
The ground caved into a crater, with water and mud splattering everywhere.
"A brilliant Divine Dragon Tail!"
Jiang Dali, still in shock, looked at his arms flushed red and then at Qiao Feng, who stood with an aura deep and towering as if unshaken by anything around him.
Besides Dongfang Bubai, no one had ever managed to repel Jiang Dali with a direct exchange of blows.
And the defeat by Dongfang Bubai was due to a realm advantage, and not a grand offensive move, but a tiny embroidery needle.
Having successfully delivered the blow, Qiao Feng did not pursue further, displaying an extraordinary forbearance and generosity, and responded by raising his hand, "The Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms are the secret technique of the Beggar Gang. They were originally the Dragon Subduing Twenty-Eight Palm, which I modified into Eighteen Palms to enhance their mighty and overpowering force.
But it seems to me that the hero hasn’t fully showcased his skills with the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. I wonder if you are still holding back?
If you only use this palm technique, it wouldn’t be hard for me to defeat you."
"Ha ha ha, ’not hard’ you say. You’re right; I should not have used the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms against you, but rather my own Palm Technique!"
Jiang Dali’s eyes bulged as he suddenly flexed his arms, letting out a fierce shout.
From his Central Elixir Field and Lower Elixir Field, two currents of opposing True Qi suddenly surged backward, fueling a cataclysmic energy.
A terrifying, destructive aura erupted from Jiang Dali, sending his Inner Strength throughout his body. His bones cracked and popped in a succession of loud snaps, and he suddenly grew three feet taller, muscles bulging, garments bursting into shreds, resembling a Vajra descending upon the earth, his monstrous and chilling Momentum shooting straight to the heavens.
Another thunderous blast, like an exploding shell above their heads, as this steel giant stood before them, looking as if the Demon King himself had descended, causing both Qiao Feng and Azhu’s hearts to tighten sharply.