C44 Counterattack

Yu Kun squared off against Chen Rui in the courtyard, arms raised defensively, his expression one of intense wariness.

Chen Rui's innate strength might have once been negligible, but now, empowered by the Martial Soul core, he posed a real threat to Yu Kun—potentially even a lethal one.

In light of this, Yu Kun had to tread carefully in his quest to acquire Chen Rui's Martial Soul core. A misstep could lead to his own demise.

"There was no deep-seated hatred between Chen Rui and me initially; it was merely his jealousy. But when he involved Chen Feng, and I had to kill Chen Feng at the Death Match Arena to save myself, our feud became unresolvable. Chen Rui's determination to bet his life on killing me is also his greatest vulnerability."

At that moment, Chen Rui, wary of a desperate Yu Kun, held back from another attack. Instead, he was gathering his strength, ready to unleash a decisive blow to obliterate Yu Kun.

Yu Kun continued to ponder his next move.

"His heart brims with rage and vengeance; this could be the opportunity I need to exploit."

With his strategy set, Yu Kun bellowed, "Chen Rui, if you kill me outside the Death Match Arena, the Flying Cloud Sect will punish you!"

"Fear of death doesn't faze me, much less punishment!" Chen Rui's wild laughter rang out. "My life won't last long after I've killed you. The Flying Cloud Sect's punishment means nothing to me!"

Yu Kun called out again, "If the Flying Cloud Sect can't punish you, they'll surely visit their wrath upon the Chen family!"

Chen Rui's laughter didn't cease. "I don't care!"

Yu Kun's gaze sharpened, and he abruptly shifted his tactic, shouting, "Of course you don't care. Because it was Chen Feng who died first, not you!"

This struck a nerve, and Chen Rui flew into a rage.

"You scum! You're a dead man! I swear I'll kill you!"

Chen Rui's roar echoed as he released the pent-up Astral Energy. Without resorting to any special moves, the sheer force of his unleashed power instantly bore down on Yu Kun, forcing him into a relentless defensive retreat.

Despite the circumstances, Yu Kun was still wounded, coughing up another mouthful of blood.

"Lucky me! Chen Rui, in his rage, has released the power he's been hoarding for so long. It's hurt me, sure, but it's not enough to kill me! Had Chen Rui fully harnessed that power and executed a deadly Martial Art, I'd be dead without a doubt! Luckily, his impulsiveness and quick temper make it unlikely for him to pull that off."

Yu Kun pondered silently, eventually letting out a breath of relief.

As long as Chen Rui remained impulsive, Yu Kun saw a chance for a counterattack! Even with Chen Rui's superior strength, Yu Kun was confident he could find a way to take him down!

With this in mind, Yu Kun continued to hurl insults, further provoking Chen Rui. Sure enough, Chen Rui took the bait, his Astral Energy dissipating as he launched a barrage of techniques at Yu Kun. In moments, the courtyard was devastated, reduced to rubble.

Yu Kun countered with Leviathan-roc Astral Energy or evaded using the Shocking Wind Step Style. Sometimes, he even withstood the attacks directly, neutralizing each one.

The local villagers had witnessed the fierce battle but none dared intervene.

Indeed, a clash between two martial experts was beyond the villagers' capacity to stop!

In an instant, the once peaceful village descended into turmoil, with many villagers fleeing to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Chen Rui swelled with pride at the sight, especially seeing Yu Kun wounded and dodging his assaults, appearing utterly pitiful.

"Do you really think this futile resistance will change anything? You're weaker than me now; you can't possibly win!" Chen Rui taunted with a wild laugh, "Prepare to join my brother in death!"

"Join him in death?"

Yu Kun stumbled, his appearance one of sheer misery, yet a mysterious smile slowly crept across his lips.

"Chen Rui! If I'm not mistaken, after using so many Martial Arts in succession, your Astral Energy must be depleted by now!"

Chen Rui sneered viciously, "You've got a keen eye! Too bad you're unaware of one thing—I've acquired the Martial Soul core. With Spirit Stones, my strength is limitless!"

Having finished speaking, Chen Rui produced a Spirit Stone, crushed it fiercely, and began to draw in its power.

Chen Rui was currently devoid of Astral Energy, but his physical form remained at the Soul Refining Stage, making him a tough opponent for Yu Kun.

Yu Kun had been biding his time for just such a moment.

"He's absorbing Astral Energy! Relying solely on his physical strength, it's impossible for him to withstand this attack, even as a Soul Refining Stage warrior! Demon Suppressing Ring, strike!"

With a commanding yell, Yu Kun channeled his Astral Energy and swiftly formed the Demon Suppressing Ring.

Invisible strands of Astral Energy coalesced into bindings, ensnaring Chen Rui in an instant.

Chen Rui was taken aback at first, then burst into maniacal laughter.

"True, I'm without Astral Energy at the moment, but I outrank you. The Demon Suppressing Ring can detain me for mere seconds! Break free!"

Chen Rui bellowed, straining to escape the Demon Suppressing Ring's grasp.

But as Yu Kun deployed the Demon Suppressing Ring, he frenetically circulated the Astral Energy within him.

In his current state, Yu Kun's internal Astral Energy was more than tenfold that of a warrior at his level. Yet, upon executing the move, his reserves were drained in an instant!

The third technique of the Great Vajra Palm, Vajra Subduing Dragon, was unleashed.

A torrent of ferocious Astral Energy blasted Chen Rui, who screamed in agony as the force catapulted him skyward. He soared dozens of meters before the might of the Vajra Subduing Dragon began to wane, and he plummeted to the earth.

Now, Chen Rui lay on the ground, his Astral Energy depleted, relying solely on his body to endure the blow. His body was battered, his bones shattered; survival seemed unlikely.

Struggling feebly, Chen Rui's face was etched with incredulity.

"How can you execute Martial Arts consecutively? Continuous circulation of Astral Energy should cause tremors, preventing you from using Martial Arts for a short time! Yet, how do you manage to keep circulating Astral Energy? To perform such formidable Martial Arts, you must gather a vast amount of Astral Energy. How could you possibly amass such immense power so swiftly?"

Yu Kun's face held a subtle smile, yet he offered no explanation.

His ability to perform these feats stemmed from the fact that he lacked a Qi Sea. Or rather, he possessed a Qi Sea but was incapable of using it to amass Astral Energy.

Yu Kun relied solely on the system to drive the Astral Energy! As a result, he could instantly summon vast amounts of it. Regardless of the ferocity of the technique, Yu Kun could execute it with seamless repetition.

But of course, Yu Kun had no intention of sharing this secret with Chen Rui.

With a casual flick of his sleeve, Yu Kun spoke with a detached tone, "I'm truly sorry, but you've lost the privilege of knowing."

Chen Rui mustered the strength to rise, intent on launching another assault, but his power was fading fast.

Ultimately, with a deep sigh filled with boundless remorse, Chen Rui closed his eyes for the last time. He was gone.

Yu Kun confirmed Chen Rui's demise. His knees weakened, nearly sending him to the ground.

This recent clash with Chen Rui had been tougher than any previous encounter. After all, his fight with Chen Feng was over in mere moments.

"At least I managed to take down Chen Feng. Now it's time to tally my gains!"

With this thought, a trace of elation began to spread across his face.