Chapter 93: Spiritual Source Technique

The situation was completely different from what they had imagined.

The cowardly Xu Haishui’s face changed drastically. He grabbed Xu Xuehui and retreated continuously, backing up toward the edge of the roof, clearly prepared to jump and flee if things went south.

Seeing Su Li suddenly kill Ni Jianrong and defuse the crisis for Ding Longyun, Gong Xiao’s mind instantly cleared. Her anxiety gone, she focused her attacks, using her baseball bat to seriously engage the tattooed man.

The tattooed man felt a sudden surge of pressure. But the most terrifying threat was Su Li. He was terrified of suddenly being targeted by Su Li and having his head chopped off, just like Ni Jianrong.

This left him distracted. While dealing with Gong Xiao, he had to constantly watch for a sneak attack from Su Li.

After his initial roar, Chen Xiangyu spread his hands. His ten fingers suddenly mutated and elongated like a lizard’s claws. He pushed off with his feet, leaping into the air, and charged Su Li with all his might.

He possessed “Steel Skin,” making his entire body impervious to weapons. He completely ignored Su Li’s potential attacks. His hands, mutated into lizard claws—a special ability he had mastered—furiously clawed at Su Li.

Chen Xiangyu was frenzied, attacking with full force. Su Li’s figure swayed and dodged continuously, quickly retreating toward the roof exit.

Su Li hugged the wall of the exit. He heard a sharp “crack-crack” as Chen Xiangyu’s lizard claws scratched the wall. Spiderweb-like cracks appeared in the concrete, and small chips of stone flew out.

“This guy…” Su Li took a deep breath. Chen Xiangyu was terrifying. Both “Steel Skin” and “Lizard Claws” were top-tier, formidable abilities. It was fortunate that Su Li possessed “Spider Walk”; otherwise, he would be no match.

His “Spider Walk” was also a top-tier ability. Moving like a ghost, Su Li dodged every attack Chen Xiangyu launched.

In his frustration, Chen Xiangyu suddenly spun around, abandoned Su Li, and charged toward the fallen Ding Longyun.

He intended to use Su Li’s method: attack the others. If Su Li didn’t save Ding Longyun, he could kill him first. If Su Li tried to save Ding Longyun, he would be forced into a direct confrontation, unable to use “Spider Walk” to evade.

This tactic hit Su Li’s weak spot. Seeing Chen Xiangyu charge toward Ding Longyun, Su Li had no choice but to intervene. The machete in his hand swept out with a gust of wind, hacking down repeatedly.

Xu Haishui, who was clutching Xu Xuehui and retreated to the far edge of the roof, silently watched the fight. He saw Su Li abandon his evasion and charge in to stop Chen Xiangyu, clearly prioritizing Ding Longyun’s safety over his own. A trace of surprise flickered in his eyes.

He, Chen Xiangyu, and Ni Jianrong were nominally companions, but they were all utterly selfish. None of them would risk life and limb for the other. Just like him—if the situation worsened, he was prepared to jump and flee alone. Being a self-serving coward, he would never consider risking his life to save a comrade from Su Li. Saving his own skin was paramount.

Su Li’s willingness to risk danger to save Ding Longyun surprised Xu Haishui.

“They… they’re different…” Xu Haishui muttered in a voice only he could hear.

“Heh…” Chen Xiangyu’s strategy was working. He let out a savage laugh. He spun around, allowed Su Li’s machete to strike him, and then, seizing the moment, his lizard claws shot out, aiming for Su Li’s chest and abdomen.

In their previous exchanges, Su Li had continuously changed his targets, trying to find a weakness in Chen Xiangyu. He couldn’t believe “Steel Skin” perfectly protected him; that defied logic. There had to be a weakness, but he couldn’t find it.

Chen Xiangyu was impervious to attacks on his heart, head, face, eyes, abdomen, and lower body. He didn’t flinch, allowing Su Li to attack him anywhere.

How could such a monster be defeated?

Su Li watched the lizard claws close in on his chest and abdomen. He suddenly activated “Spider Walk” again. His figure blurred, circling Chen Xiangyu and moving to his rear. He extended the “Gluttony Fangs” on his left hand and stabbed them into Chen Xiangyu’s back.

The “Gluttony Fangs” were incredibly sharp. They immediately tore Chen Xiangyu’s clothes but stopped at his skin, unable to pierce it.

“Is it truly immune to all physical attacks? In that case, only Brother Ding’s ‘Soul Devour’ can defeat him. But Brother Ding is severely wounded…”

Even the “Gluttony Fangs” could not damage Chen Xiangyu’s skin. Su Li was forced to dodge again.

Chen Xiangyu’s right arm counterattacked, and the lizard claw missed again.

Su Li continuously used “Spider Walk.” While it allowed him to accelerate and move at high speed instantly, it severely depleted his stamina. He felt his heart pounding fiercely and knew he couldn’t maintain this state for much longer.

The situation was dire.

Chen Xiangyu smiled coldly, attacking relentlessly. He had also vaguely observed a pattern in Su Li’s movements.

Although Su Li moved faster than he did, the sweat visibly forming on Su Li’s forehead indicated that the technique required massive stamina consumption. Su Li couldn’t hold out much longer.

In fact, activating his “Steel Skin” also severely drained Chen Xiangyu’s energy. This “Spiritual Source Technique” was monstrous. If not for this technique, Su Li would have killed him three times over.

Now, the fight was a contest of endurance: who would collapse from exhaustion first?

For the moment, neither could truly overcome the other.

Chen Xiangyu could not land a hit on Su Li in his “Spider Walk” state, but all of Su Li’s attacks were ineffective against Chen Xiangyu.

Faced with Chen Xiangyu’s repeated lizard claw attacks, Su Li suddenly threw the machete away. His body blurred again, moving to Chen Xiangyu’s flank. This time, he didn’t use the Gluttony Fangs. Instead, he clenched his right hand into a fist and punched Chen Xiangyu squarely in the cheek.

He put all his strength into the punch. Over 1,500 jin of force exploded. With a loud “bang,” Su Li felt a sharp pain in his right hand. Under the massive force, even his knuckles strained to hold up. Chen Xiangyu’s face took the heavy blow. Although he wasn’t injured—the Steel Skin couldn’t be damaged—the 1,500 jin of force still hit his face. His body swayed, he stumbled, almost falling to the ground, and shook his head, slightly dazed by the punch.

“So that’s how it is.” Su Li’s eyes lit up. He suddenly understood.

Chen Xiangyu’s “Steel Skin” was monstrous. His skin was like steel, impervious to blades, and Su Li’s machete and Gluttony Fangs couldn’t penetrate it. However, the effect of force still remained; force did not disappear.

“Steel Skin” only made his skin like steel, indestructible. It didn’t mean he could completely absorb all force or was immune to all physical impacts.

(End of Chapter)