Chapter 143: Snapping

"The man trained by the old master lost to you?"

With disheveled hair, Guo Chuncheng stood before Baitang Jing, his contemptuous gaze sizing him up and down without a shred of reservation.

A beast-like, murderous aura rose from his body like a blazing fire.

In the outer circle, Wakatsuki Takeshi, Orochi Katsumi, and Wu Lei'an even tightened their muscles instinctively like startled small animals, stepping back repeatedly.

Though shorter in stature than Baitang Jing, his eyes—so arrogant they seemed almost listless—gave the impression that he was looking down upon the young man.

In truth, he indeed possessed the qualification for such pride.

Born to the "incarnation of martial arts," Kaku Kaioh, in the latter's one hundred and twentieth year, he had inherited the superhuman physique of his father.

Legend had it that in his youth, Kaku Kaioh disdained so-called "fist techniques" and "skills," relying purely on his own peerless, [Asia's Number One] sturdy physical body to barge forward and instantly defeat countless renowned grandmasters, reducing them to utter humiliation.

It was only later that he experienced a sudden enlightenment, plunging deep into the [principles of the fist] to finally become a generation's Kaioh, unparalleled before or since!

And Guo Chuncheng, immersed in the glory of his paternal lineage, was even more arrogant and domineering than Kaioh in his youth.

For reasons unknown, Kaku Kaioh never overly interfered with him.

Consequently, Guo Chuncheng never practiced techniques, never immersed himself in training, and certainly never restrained the desires of his flesh.

He simply allowed this uniquely gifted body to develop naturally.

Yet even with such squandering of his talent, he was still able to crush many Kaios standing at the pinnacle of the Republic's martial arts world into dust with sheer brute force and physique.

Therefore, at this moment, he naturally assumed that he was the one doing the "looking down."

But was the truth... really so?

The playful smile on Baitang Jing's face did not change in the slightest.

He watched as Bedivere, who had stirred up the trouble, walked to the outer perimeter alongside "Gawain."

Deliberately finding a spot fully covered by surveillance cameras, they came to a halt.

Faces filled with astonishment and apology.

As if he truly could not believe that a mere remark of his could provoke a clash between two powerhouses.

"Kid, I'm talking to you!"

Seeing that Baitang Jing's mind was clearly not on him, Guo Chuncheng felt a surge of anger rush straight to his head!

For a long time, constrained by his family in the Republic, arrogant though he was, he had never thrown his weight around with ordinary people.

His violence and overbearance were always directed at martial artists who transcended the masses.

But now, since he was inside the radiation training room, he could hardly be called an "ordinary person" anymore!

Guo Chuncheng's arrogant expression remained completely unchanged.

Yet a violent gale suddenly whipped up around his sides!

So tremendous was the wind force that even the radiation devices bolted to the ground were rattling noisily!

And faster than the gale was his right hand, curled into a tiger claw!

High-density air particles were compressed into milky-white pressure waves.

It was not until Guo Chuncheng's tiger claw struck Baitang Jing's neck that these pressure waves exploded with a roar!

The entire indoor stadium even shook ceaselessly under the surging currents of air.

The augmented fighters in the path of the pressure wave were blown away in droves.

"This kind of destructive power... a missile!?"

Even Bedivere, who cared little for personal martial might and whose training had only barely brought him to a state of beastification, couldn't help but click his tongue in astonishment at the sheer might of this blow.

He nearly crushed the bones of "Gawain" beside him.

Yet Guo Chuncheng, the one who had unleashed this strike, suddenly widened his eyes, his sky-defying arrogant gaze locking in disbelief.

Although his claw strike lacked any technical refinement.

His innate physical body alone was sufficient to shatter concrete walls, and after receiving the power of a Titan behemoth, even steel plates a dozen centimeters thick would not be worth a second glance!

Landing on a human body, even Orochi Katsumi from yesterday should have had his neck snapped by a single strike from him!

If he so wished, he could tear anyone open from crotch to sternum!

Yet right now...

"Unable to... break through!?"

Guo Chuncheng muttered to himself.

For his tiger claw had landed squarely on Baitang Jing's neck without the slightest obstruction.

No dodging, no dispersing of force, no muscular hardening.

Without even turning his head away from Bedivere, he had taken Guo Chuncheng's tiger claw purely with his fragile neck!

Not even the skin was broken.

"So, were you calling me just now?"

The bantering smile had never left the young man's lips; a moment ago it was directed at Bedivere.

And now, it was aimed at Guo Chuncheng.

Yet at this moment, as Baitang Jing glanced at him sideways, Guo Chuncheng felt only an inexplicable chill echoing deep within his heart.

He retracted his arm and involuntarily took a step back.

A step back that even his superhuman physique could not control!

At that moment, Baitang Jing gave a sharp "pop" and placed both hands upon Guo Chuncheng's shoulders.

Though Guo Chuncheng was older, under this posture and height difference, the youth instead looked like an elder bestowing earnest admonitions upon a junior.

Yet this "elder," smiling in such a mocking manner, possessed not a shred of warmth or friendliness!

"Ugh!"

Guo Chuncheng widened his eyes, feeling as though two mountains, rather than two hands, rested upon his shoulders.

The suddenly descending force was like a massive mountain range.

Sturdy, heavy... unstoppable!

"Bang!"

Before he could even react, Guo Chuncheng was driven viciously to his knees on the floor by the crushing weight upon his shoulders.

This kneeling impact even blasted a spiderweb-like depression ten meters wide into the lead-lined concrete floor!

Kneeling on both knees, the shame and rage that welled up spontaneously within Guo Chuncheng momentarily surpassed the chill in his heart!

"You mother—"

Before he could retaliate against this humiliation, he understood.

He understood that Baitang Jing was by no means a fellow who merely enjoyed degrading his opponents.

What brought him joy... was total, utter annihilation!

"Ugh!"

A force even greater than the previous "mountain range" continued to crush down without a single pause!

Guo Chuncheng gritted his teeth and exerted every ounce of his mortal strength, his face turning crimson, bulging veins threatening to burst forth.

Yet the muscles and strength with which he had rampaged through the Republic's martial arts world since childhood were as insignificant as a mayfly in the water before this pressure.

From the knees upward, as he knelt on the ground, his body was forced backward and folded against its will.

More and more bent, heavier and heavier...

Finally, "Crack!"

Amidst the bone-chilling sound of fractures, his spine was snapped alive by Baitang Jing!

His entire body was folded in half.

The soul-rending pain radiating from his waist and the hollow numbness of losing all sensation in his lower body gnawed at his heart like ants.

Deprived of spinal control, feces and urine spilled forth simultaneously.

Yet none of this was enough to wake him from his shock.

He merely stared blankly at the ceiling, savoring the agony of having twenty years of pride crushed into dust.

Having finished all this, Baitang Jing did not even shed a single drop of sweat.

He stepped forward, squatted down before Guo Chuncheng, and said with a smile.

"I've heard your story, Guo Chuncheng, son of Kaku Kaioh."

"Because your physical talent was too extraordinary, you could crush most Kaios without ever training or cultivating."

"Tsk... truly exaggerated."

Baitang Jing first clicked his tongue, then raised his fist and waved it before Guo Chuncheng's dazed eyes.

"What is this?"

"A fist... of muscle hardening."

Guo Chuncheng did not study technique, but as the son of a Kaioh, through constant exposure, he at least recognized it.

"Correct, muscle hardening."

Baitang Jing explained with a smile the very next second.

And the next second, that fist smashed directly into Guo Chuncheng's face!

"Bang!"

The spiderweb-like cracks carved into the floor by Guo Chuncheng's kneeling knees instantly doubled in size!

When Baitang Jing withdrew his blood-dripping fist from a face whose features were now mashed together,

the youth wore a sneering look of utter contempt.

"I can crush you like a bug! With a body like this, you still needed to study techniques, yet you, a good-for-nothing, still dared to act so conceited?"

"Trash."