Chapter 114: Iron Palm

"Hahaha, little bastard, since you're looking for death, I'll grant it to you today!"

Seeing that Niu Dingtian had nowhere to press his strength yet remained unharmed, Qiu Qianren let out a snarling laugh.

After quickly retracting his right foot that had stepped into empty space, he raised his Iron Palm in a strict formation, waiting for Niu Dingtian to fall and approach, then a palm would sweep across.

Now that fear was gone, he regained much of a martial master's bearing; his footwork was indeed formidable—on the extremely slick stone beam, he could stand on a single foot as if on level ground.

"You old Lao Zama!"

Niu Dingtian sneered coldly without replying; this old Lao Zama had cleanly broken the stone beam. In desperation, he could only hold his breath, focus, stretch his body, swiftly pierce several acupoints within himself, and, like a feather, slow his falling body.

But Qiu Qianren, already safely on the ground, felt the palm wind behind him drawing nearer, realizing this man would not let him go, his heart hardened, and he roared:

"Little bastard, your horse‑stepping bullying is too much! Today I'll fight you to the death!!"

After a while,

"Clang~"

Just as Qiu Qianren hesitated, Niu Dingtian's mighty palm force erupted again from his palm, striking his left shoulder directly.

His body descended slowly, the stone beam looming before him, while beneath lay a ten‑thousand‑foot abyss; the howling cliff wind tossed Niu Dingtian's black hair, and his blue robe rustled loudly.

Niu Dingtian felt neither sorrow nor joy, his face expressionless; regardless of Qiu Qianren's desperate struggle, he simply drove the North Darkness Divine Skill with all his might.

Having said that, he awkwardly clasped his fists toward Niu Dingtian and continued, "But… even if my martial skill is higher,

relying only on myself, I would never dare to offend two of the five supreme figures at once!"

Qiu Qianren finally exhaled, thinking that as long as there's interest it's fine, but fearing that this young Niu lad, full of youthful vigor, only seeks a momentary thrill with him.

Immediately he spun sharply, activating the Iron Palm Technique; the pitch‑black Iron Palm, bearing a dark poisonous aura, thundered toward the palm Niu Dingtian had struck.

Although Lingbo Light Steps is a light‑skill footwork, it also involves channeling through acupoints to reduce the body's weight to the extreme in a short time; otherwise how could one achieve swift, soaring movements, drifting like a deity.

Even for a moment at night he feared being ripped off the cliff by Niu Dingtian.

Feeling the intense pain inside, he lay on the ground and couldn't help coughing up two mouthfuls of fresh blood.

When he approached Qiu Qianren, Niu Dingtian said nothing and spat a mouthful directly at him.

"No!"

Thinking of the terror of the North Darkness Divine Skill tonight, fear rose in his heart; even with a person between, he could still draw power, so he dared not have any contact with Niu Dingtian, instinctively trying to retract the Iron Palm and dodge the incoming body.

A rabbit that's angry still bites! At this moment he also understood that only a desperate gamble could give a sliver of hope.

Enduring the searing internal pain, he tried to utter a harsh retort to Niu Dingtian, but just as he stepped half a step forward and met the opponent's cold gaze, his body suddenly shivered.

"North Darkness!"

"Heh~"

He may be a master of a generation, but where's his courage?

If earlier he could have stood up like a man and try to deal with that poisonous Iron Palm, it would have required quite a bit of effort.

Seeing that Qiu Qianren's belly wasn't doing anything, Niu Dingtian suddenly spoke in a low tone.

Before Qiu Qianren could finish, Niu Dingtian instantly spat out the saliva he had been holding, expressionless, saying, "Speak!"

Niu Dingtian let out a strange grin and a loud shout.

The palm force slammed into his body, a mouthful of blood spurted from Qiu Qianren's mouth, and the overwhelming palm force knocked him backward, sending him flying.

"If Young Hero Niu agrees to write off tonight's affair, let me go down the mountain, and I will…"

Qiu Qianren's complexion changed drastically; the courage and momentum he had barely mustered were largely drained by that shout.

Niu Dingtian let out a cold laugh, cutting Qiu Qianren off, "That old Lao Zama really treats me like a fool!"

"Pfft~"

"North Darkness Divine Skill!"

Feeling the internal force gush out again, Qiu Qianren was terrified to the core, with no courage left for the incoming strike.

Just as Niu Dingtian's spit was about to be expelled, Qiu Qianren hurriedly shouted to stop; seeing the opponent hold back the spit, he eased his breath, his face pale, sighing lightly:

"Tonight it's my fault, I… I admit defeat! I'll compensate Young Hero Niu!"

He said it made his life worse than death, and before dying he would never let him have a moment of peace!

Niu Dingtian narrowed his eyes slightly, expressionless, and slowly stepped forward another pace, his heart filled with contempt.

After a dozen breaths, his head drooped sideways; when he swallowed his last breath, his eyes bulged wildly, yet there was no sign of life.

Having said that, regardless of Qiu Qianren's murderous gaze, he spat another mouthful, landing precisely on his forehead.

"Divine Skill!"

Glancing at the feigning‑dead Qiu Qianren, Niu Dingtian said expressionlessly, meaning clearly that if he couldn't say something useful tonight, his life could not be exchanged!

Qiu Qianren, terrified, bowed his head and desperately thought, but his mind was a chaos—how could this little bastard be so indifferent? How could he not care at all?

Gradually, under the overwhelming devouring power of the North Darkness Divine Skill, Qiu Qianren became powerless to resist, his body completely limp, and though he wanted to beg for mercy, he could not utter a single full sentence.

"Heh~tui~"

Hearing Niu Dingtian's words, Qiu Qianren seemed to reflect back, his eyes showing anger, confusion, regret, and resentment, but fear was gone.

Feeling the strange substance slowly dripping from his forehead and the pungent smell, Qiu Qianren's pale face turned a steely blue.

"You…"

"…won't be ashamed of being ridiculed by the jianghu?"

Using the force Qiu Qianren had just pulled with, his body, which had fallen off the cliff, leapt up again.

Facing the pitch‑black Iron Palm, Niu Dingtian had no move or form, simply floated a palm up, thinking coldly: "That old Lao Zama only now realizes desperation, what the hell was he doing before!"

That guy had a chance earlier but didn't flee, instead staying foolishly on the broken beam to die with me; if that stone beam had fully broken, we both would have fallen to our deaths!

Now seizing the chance to settle old and new grudges together, he naturally could not be merciful.

However, because his emotions had been too intense earlier, his internal organs were increasingly painful; after calming himself, he spoke calmly:

"tui~"

"Young hero Niu, you see clearly, it's fine that you killed me; this way the mastermind gains the advantage. I was also incited by that person, I hate him to death!"

In an instant, Qiu Qianren just swooped to the cliff edge, only a step above the ground, when his right wrist suddenly tightened; looking down, he saw a belt tightly coiled around it.

This kid is definitely not going to let me off tonight! What should I do? Qiu Qianren's mind began to panic, and in the end he couldn't muster even a half sentence.

Seeing Niu Dingtian's icy, unyielding gaze, Qiu Qianren's body began to tremble uncontrollably, and he couldn't help but clutch his wound and step back half a step.

"Old bastard, you talk too much!"

When the distance between their palms was half a zhang and they were rapidly closing in, he seemed to suddenly withdraw his palm force and switched to using the North Darkness Divine Skill.

As he swooped quickly toward the ground, he raised his hand and struck a palm directly at Qiu Qianren's back of the heart.

Bad!

He really didn't expect Niu Dingtian to be so despicable! I was determined to fight you! Where's the promised North Darkness Divine Skill?

I've been scheming all my life, never thought a little brat would out‑scheme me tonight!

Hearing that, Niu Dingtian's advancing steps suddenly halted, and he stared straight at Qiu Qianren, waiting for his follow‑up.

He then crazily activated the Iron Palm Technique, ignoring the surging blood qi within his body, and hurled an Iron Palm at Niu Dingtian as if fighting for his life.

But being able to out‑scheme that old bastard once, the feeling inside was indescribably satisfying!

Staring at Qiu Qianren, Niu Dingtian said softly, "As for the mastermind you mentioned, I'll send him down to keep you company. Your sister and the Iron Palm Gang, I'll take good care of them for you."

Such a disgrace!

As the proud head of the foremost gang in Western Hunan, how could he ever endure such humiliation? He wiped the saliva from his face hard, and a cold ruthlessness flashed in Qiu Qianren's eyes.

"You have no right to negotiate terms with me!"

Recalling their earlier clash, his face filled with sorrow and anger; after wiping the blood from his mouth, he gritted his teeth and said, "Despicable! Vile! Shameless!"

As for who the mastermind is, after thinking of Yi Deng and then Yuan Yinggu, he almost guessed, but the journey is long, so he'll let him live for now; eventually he'll go collect his debt!

Thinking of that woman Yuan Yinggu, Niu Dingtian felt a surge of resentment, vowing to go back and deal with that bitch! Not even a master can stop him!

"Anything else to say? If you only want to trade this little thing for your life, I'll have to act!"

"Go ahead without worry,"

But when masters spar, there's no room for distraction, especially when the opponent is stronger than one's own master.

Thinking of this, his resentment grew; clutching his wound tightly, he struggled to stand, stared fiercely at the approaching Niu Dingtian, and shouted without shame:

"Niu Dingtian! You, who proudly defeated the one who bested Northern Beggar Hong Qi Gong, why resort to such shameless tricks against me?"

"You…"

Sensing that Qiu Qianren was on the brink of death, Niu Dingtian did not immediately withdraw his power, but kept his eyes tightly shut, continuously driving the North Darkness Divine Skill.

Niu Dingtian said nothing further, his gaze cold and unflinching, and his feet slowly advanced toward him.

That old bastard struck twice tonight—once nearly taking my life, and once nearly scheming both of us into the cliff.

"Young hero Niu, don't you want to know the mastermind? I alone would never dare oppose you and the Southern Emperor! Moreover, I can't even command Divine Calculation Yuan Yinggu!"

At the same moment a faint sound rang, Niu Dingtian felt Qiu Qianren's palm slipping from his own.

"Slow!!"

Qiu Qianren, full of hatred, glared angrily at Niu Dingtian, but in the end clenched his teeth, letting the saliva flow straight down, gradually soaking his mouth edge.

Seeing that, Qiu Qianren's complexion changed; he was all too familiar with that smile, and couldn't think of anything else, hurriedly turning and swooping toward the cliff edge.

My career has just begun; I've been a turtle before the Five Absolutes for over a decade, and today it ends like this?

Just as he turned, with Niu Dingtian a zhang away from the stone beam, a "whoosh" sounded; Niu Dingtian abruptly yanked back, and the blue belt, propelled by a gust, whirled toward Qiu Qianren's right wrist.

If we keep that old bastard, tomorrow will come soon! Since we said today he'd taste fear, it must be today!

Qiu Qianren was horrified, thrust his head up, realizing survival was hopeless, and shouted fiercely, "You little brute, you overstep! I will fight you to the death!"

"Heh~tui~"

Niu Dingtian let out a roar, his eyes flashing with a chilling light that stunned.

He then fell silent, slowly closed his eyes, and kept driving the North Darkness Divine Skill.

"But just because you're a spineless thing, you dare call me shameless?"

He struggled desperately to break free from Niu Dingtian's palm, but both hands seemed completely stuck together; no matter how he struggled, it was futile.

Since we said he'd taste fear again today, missing even a bite is unacceptable! Now this old scoundrel has taken my palm, he's just a post‑autumn grasshopper, unable to hop even for a moment; I must humiliate him to vent my hatred!

Thinking of this,

After a struggle of humiliation on his face, he slowly lowered his head and resigned, "I can tell you first, but my injuries are too severe,

Young hero Niu… you come a bit closer; after I tell you who the mastermind is, you must…"

"You… spare…"

Suddenly a torrent of overwhelming internal force surged into his body, as if again deemed heretical, causing several streams of true qi to rage wildly inside; Niu Dingtian suppressed it with all his might, enduring excruciating pain as he tried to fuse it into himself.

He sensed that the opponent's body still contained something being absorbed and devoured by him; it wasn't internal force, but each bit he consumed added more vital essence, surely something good!

At this moment he hovered mid‑air, hair disheveled, his blue robe flaring, and the long‑suppressed raging fury erupted.

Thinking of somewhere, his face turned pale with horror, and without looking back, he lunged toward the ground like a feral dog, dragging the belt desperately.

Seeming to know his death was inevitable, in the final instant he suddenly ceased to fear, though his fading eyes still held deep resentment:

"Old scoundrel! Die!!"

"Boom!"

"Cough~ cough~"

He glanced sideways, sneering, "Spread the word? If you old scoundrel dies today, who will spread it?"

Seeing himself draw ever closer to Qiu Qianren, Niu Dingtian's face suddenly showed a strange smile.

"Whoosh!"

Yet in this perilous situation, his face showed no change; he calmly guided his body to glide forward slowly, seemingly indifferent to Qiu Qianren's Iron Palm at the broken beam.

Immediately withdrawing the North Darkness Divine Skill, he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of turbid qi, then slowly opened his eyes.

When a desiccated corpse came into view, his expression froze instantly.

Is this still the North Darkness Divine Skill?

(End of chapter)