Teng Qingshan tapped his toe and sprang sharply to the side, easily creating distance between himself and Dolgotrov.

"Coward, if you have the guts, don't run!" Dolgotrov was growing agitated.

Teng Qingshan leaped onto the rooftop. In their brief exchange, his fists were relatively unharmed. His hands, tempered by the secret method of the 'Iron Sand Palm,' possessed a hardness comparable to steel, and with his internal energy, even contact with the metal gauntlets posed no issue. The true injury lay in his upper arm.

Teng Qingshan glanced at his right upper arm; faint spots of blood had already seeped through.

Feeling the searing pain inside his arm, a sense of foreboding gripped Teng Qingshan: "This monster's body is too strong. My right arm was previously wounded by a gunshot from Sun Ze, damaging the muscle inside, and now it’s even worse. My ability to exert force is heavily affected; I have only fifty percent of my strength left."

"Flying daggers are useless against this monster," Teng Qingshan pondered in his mind.

The 'Body Crusher,' Dolgotrov, sneered, "Teng Qingshan, if you're scared, you are free to run."

This wasn't Dolgotrov feigning magnanimity; it was because—

In terms of speed, he was no match for Teng Qingshan. If Teng Qingshan wanted to escape, he couldn't stop him.

However, in terms of sheer power, Dolgotrov held no fear of Teng Qingshan. Although Teng Qingshan possessed the ultimate skill of flying daggers, the move 'Sorrowful Strike' had both advantages and disadvantages. While the shattering of the daggers offered suddenness and unpredictability in direction, the dispersal of force meant the fragments weren't overwhelmingly powerful!

Unless they struck a vulnerable spot on the face, they wouldn't affect this massive Russian. 'Body Crusher' Dolgotrov had an immensely strong physique, wore specialized combat gear, and crucially, was prepared for the 'Sorrowful Strike.' At the critical moment, a mere extension of his hand to shield his face would suffice.

As for close combat...

Teng Qingshan was a master of Xing Yi, just one step shy of the Grandmaster realm.

But this Russian giant was also terrifying. Dolgotrov possessed natural, immense strength, had once dominated the underground fighting circuits, and his body was as hard as steel. Furthermore, he practiced Ancient Yoga, blending hardness and softness. His greatest asset, however, was having coincidentally acquired the secret manual for 'Joint Techniques' in China and mastering it. This made Dolgotrov the most formidable machine in close combat, earning him the moniker 'Body Crusher' and a place among the S-level assassins of the dark world!

"Afraid?"

Teng Qingshan's fighting spirit flared. "How ridiculous!"

Since his wife's death, 'Martial Arts' had become Teng Qingshan's sole pursuit. He was agonizingly close to the Grandmaster realm, but that final step felt like a chasm. To cross it was immensely difficult. Fighting amidst life and death, however, offered a chance for sudden comprehension and self-transcendence, leading to a new level.

Meeting an equal opponent was a rare opportunity. With no personal ties holding him back, how could Teng Qingshan surrender such a chance?

"It's best you don't run. Go accompany Monkey in the grave." Dolgotrov moved like a bolt of lightning, taking five consecutive steps that cracked the ground beneath him before leaping into the air.

"Good timing."

Teng Qingshan flicked his wrist, sending a flying dagger out.

"Boom!" Dolgotrov, already anticipating it, extended a hand as wide as a paddle and effortlessly blocked the dagger, shattering it upon impact.

Before Dolgotrov could even finish his mid-air trajectory, Teng Qingshan dove down from above, charging with unstoppable momentum. His left hand twisted near his brow, while his right shot out like a cannonball, aimed directly at Dolgotrov's head.

"Hmm?" Dolgotrov remained unperturbed. His massive fist swung like an iron hammer toward Teng Qingshan's incoming strike.

"Bang!" "Bang!"...

Teng Qingshan’s left and right fists interwove furiously, one punch after another, a blur of movement too fast for the eye to track, forcing the ascending Dolgotrov crashing back down to the ground.

His Cannon Punches were fiery, swift as meteors.

The moment Dolgotrov hit the ground, he rapidly retreated.

"This guy's physique is terrifyingly robust," Teng Qingshan thought inwardly. Hitting him just now felt like striking steel padded with cotton. "His body is like iron, further enhanced by Ancient Yoga; wounding him severely will be difficult."

Teng Qingshan was shocked, but his movements showed no hesitation. Seizing the momentary advantage, he pressed his attack.

"Hoo, haa~~" Dolgotrov’s chest heaved in and out, his aura surging as he roared like a charging grizzly bear, his furious fists raining down like artillery rounds.

Crash!

Teng Qingshan drew back like a bow bent to its limit, his spine vibrating, as he unleashed his left fist.

The Collapsing Fist shot out like an arrow, possessing the momentum of a swift boat cleaving the waves!

Retreating step became a Collapsing Fist; twisting step became a Collapsing Fist; advancing step became a Collapsing Fist. Teng Qingshan moved like a winding dragon, deftly evading Dolgotrov's heavy blows while delivering crushing strikes of his own.

"Pfft." A trace of blood escaped Dolgotrov’s lip, his eyes flashing with cold light. "This wolf's Neijia is truly strong; he actually managed to injure me. I only have one final move left." Dolgotrov realized that without employing his 'Joint Techniques,' victory today would be elusive.

"This monster took eight of my Collapsing Fists and only sustained minor injuries," Teng Qingshan was equally stunned. If it were him, eight such blows would have left him severely wounded, if not incapacitated.

"Hiss—"

Dolgotrov’s fingers snagged Teng Qingshan’s left wrist.

"Haha~~" Dolgotrov used the momentum, pulling Teng Qingshan sharply toward him while instinctively executing a sweeping left kick! In underground fighting, the sweep kick was the most fearsome maneuver.

"Joint Technique?" Teng Qingshan felt a piercing, needle-like pain in his wrist. Instinctively, his internal energy surged, using spiral force to break the opponent’s grip, and he slickly retracted his left fist like an eel escaping water.

His left fist had barely dodged disaster when the shadow of the leg arrived.

The leg, like a massive guillotine blade, smashed into Teng Qingshan’s chest. His chest visibly caved in by three inches as he shifted to avoid the full force, but the impact still landed. A sickening crack echoed, and Teng Qingshan spat blood as he was thrown flying.

"Not good." Teng Qingshan landed hard, his face deathly pale.

The earth trembled!

Dolgotrov, like a high-speed steamroller, roared with laughter and charged forward.

Teng Qingshan’s eyes turned crimson. Still prone, he plunged both hands into the concrete ground, his ten fingers digging deep into the cement. With a violent push from his feet, he launched himself forward like a stone ejected from a catapult. His right fist swung in a wide arc, striking toward Dolgotrov.

"Haha..." Dolgotrov responded with a fierce kick aimed at Teng Qingshan.

"Thud!" Teng Qingshan turned his right fist into a palm strike, impacting the bone of Dolgotrov’s lower leg. He felt a jarring pain in his palm, but Teng Qingshan used the rebound force, driving his right palm into Dolgotrov's chest.

Almost simultaneously, Teng Qingshan’s face flushed violently. Centering the power in his waist and hips, he twisted, channeling nearly all his muscle power into his left fist. The muscles along his entire left arm bulged, veins throbbing, the speed of this left punch nearly double that of his right, traveling almost in a straight line toward Dolgotrov’s chest.

"Argh~~" Dolgotrov bellowed, driving a terrible, heavy punch toward Teng Qingshan’s head. If that blow truly landed, Teng Qingshan would certainly die!

"Forward momentum, fearlessness..."

In the moment that would decide victory or defeat, Teng Qingshan grasped the true essence of this Cannon Punch. Power resonated through every bone in his left arm, vibrating from shoulder to fist.

"Roar~~" A low, faint tiger's roar unexpectedly sounded.

"Whoosh!"

Like a shell leaving a barrel, Teng Qingshan’s left fist streaked like a fiery comet directly into Dolgotrov’s chest. The immense force instantly shattered the steel-rein-like sternum, rupturing his internal organs, instantly severing his life force.

Dolgotrov’s body jerked; the momentum of his punch aimed at Teng Qingshan’s head dissipated, landing harmlessly on the surface of Teng Qingshan's skull without even breaking the skin.

"This..."

Disbelief flickered in Dolgotrov's eyes; he couldn't fathom being killed by a single punch given his defense. His gaze dimmed, and he collapsed heavily.

"Pfft." Teng Qingshan couldn't help coughing up another mouthful of blood. Dolgotrov’s sweep kick had fractured two of his ribs and deeply injured his viscera. Under such circumstances, Teng Qingshan could not sustain a prolonged fight, which is why he pushed for a decisive blow, unleashing his strongest and riskiest technique—

The Tiger Cannon Fist!

Among the Five Elements Fists of Xing Yi, Chopping Fist is like an axe, Collapsing Fist like an arrow, Drilling Fist like a cone, Horizontal Fist like a beam, and Cannon Fist, as its name suggests, is like artillery fire. Cannon Fist is supposed to be the most powerful of the Five Elements. The 'Tiger Cannon Fist,' integrating the Tiger Form with the Cannon Fist, possessed even greater power. It was a supreme Xing Yi secret passed down through the overseas Teng lineage.

While the Tiger Cannon Fist held supreme power, it had a critical drawback: after unleashing this ultimate strike, one could not instantly transition to a defensive stance. If the enemy survived, they could easily seize the opportunity to kill the attacker!

Originally, even with the terrifying might of the Tiger Cannon Fist, it shouldn't have been enough to kill a monster like Dolgotrov. Who knew that at the razor's edge of life and death, Teng Qingshan had brushed against the threshold of the Xing Yi 'Grandmaster Realm'!

Xing Yi—form following intent—intent is primary, form secondary. The hallmark of reaching the Grandmaster realm is the ability to perfectly utilize the power of every muscle and every bone, pushing bone strength to its absolute limit, where vibration can inexplicably manifest the roar of an animal. Just now, striking with the Tiger Cannon Fist, a faint 'Tiger Roar' had sounded.

"What was that just now..." Teng Qingshan’s eyes brightened, an unconcealed joy washing over his face. Since his wife died, he hadn't felt this exhilarated. The goal of all Neijia experts was the Grandmaster realm! To perfectly control the power of every muscle and sinew, internal energy flowing through every meridian, allowing even a single punch or kick to generate the sound of a dragon's roar or a tiger's growl. Though Teng Qingshan had only summoned that faint sound during his strongest strike, the Tiger Cannon Fist, he hadn't truly crossed the threshold.

"That feeling..." Teng Qingshan remembered the martial intent behind that strike with perfect clarity.

Recalling that essence, a smile involuntarily spread across his face. His breathing faltered, and a sharp pain in his chest forced him to cough.

He scanned his surroundings. "I am severely injured; I can't stay here." The cunning rabbit has three burrows; Teng Qingshan had made contingency plans for enemies, securing several safe houses throughout Yangzhou City. He didn't enter any building. Pressing a hand to his chest, he sprinted toward the adjacent courtyard wall, vaulted over it with a single push, and was gone.

He left behind only the devastation of the courtyard, where the two S-level assassins, 'Sharpshooter' Sun Ze and 'Body Crusher' Dolgotrov, lay motionless, their lives extinguished.