Jin Taiguang's counterattack, a fist radiating golden light, was easily dodged by Lin Ran with a twist of his neck.
"He can actually contract his muscles to that extent for a rebound?! Is this truly within the scope of human capability?!"
Someone knowledgeable in the field exclaimed again.
"Truly monstrous... This not only demands incredible flexibility of the torso but also an extremely fast neural response speed to even be possible..."
"Even just from this detail, it's enough to prove that Lin Ran is an absolute master in this discipline!"
As this person spoke, they couldn't help but glance at the guy who had just called Lin Ran an amateur, clearly showing their strong displeasure with his earlier remarks.
Those who had previously doubted Lin Ran were now speechless, merely offering sheepish smiles as they watched the unfolding situation in the arena.
Inside the arena.
Jin Taiguang was momentarily stunned by Lin Ran's sudden burst of power.
He never imagined that Lin Ran's punches could possess such immense force, capable of nearly sending his entire body flying.
If not for the golden fluid that flexibly generated backward propulsion, Jin Taiguang would have been sent flying elsewhere by now!
"Take another punch from me!"
With fierce determination, Jin Taiguang, utterly unwilling to accept his previous missed punch, unleashed a rapid barrage of five or six punches with astonishing speed.
Unfortunately, this time too, he failed to land a single blow.
With Lin Ran's Golden Dragon True Form awakened, his mastery of Haki and Rokushiki, coupled with his soaring physical prowess, had reached its zenith.
In this state, as long as he maintained a defensive stance and exploited Jin Taiguang's moments of exertion, he could ensure Jin Taiguang would never hit him!
However, continuing like this would eventually become rather dull...
Not only was it inefficient, but it also lacked the satisfying impact of a direct hit.
Therefore, it would be better to exchange blows directly!
After throwing nearly a dozen punches, Jin Taiguang finally, with a surge of surprise, discovered that one or two of his punches had managed to land on Lin Ran's shoulder.
This at least proved that all his efforts were not in vain and had ultimately yielded some results.
*Dong!*
However, before he could fully celebrate, Lin Ran landed an uppercut from his jaw, forcing his mouth shut tightly and nearly causing him to bite off his tongue, which he had been slow to retract.
"Ora Ora Ora Ora!"
Lin Ran had abandoned any evasive maneuvers that might slow his offensive rhythm, unleashing a furious onslaught of punches towards Jin Taiguang's body.
Trapped in Lin Ran's relentless pursuit and engulfed by the swirling fist winds, Jin Taiguang had no choice but to be forced into Lin Ran's rhythm, launching counterattacks.
"Muda Muda Muda Muda!"
Jin Taiguang also swung his fists with all his might, pushing forward against Lin Ran's tempestuous barrage of punches.
And so, these two stood their ground, engaging in a duel in the most primal and brutal manner.
One punch from you, one punch from me, one punch from you, one punch from me...
No dodging, no special techniques, no retreat, no flashy moves; only the raw impact of fists and hardened bodies.
Two clusters of brilliant gold converging, a truly spectacular sight!
This exchange of blows, akin to risking one's life, left countless spectators and fighters dumbfounded.
"My heavens... This, this, this... they're fighting for their lives!"
"It's over, these two are completely locked in... When they first clashed, it could still be considered a strategic choice."
"But now, as they've been trading blows like this, it's purely a matter of pride..."
"Indeed, even if their faces were to be smashed askew now, they wouldn't take a single step back."
"Otherwise, the sense of defeat and humiliation would be far worse than losing the match."
"Holy cow, this is just too violent! So satisfying to watch! Truly stress-relieving!"
"Indeed... And with such a high-intensity exchange, the victor will likely be decided soon. Someone will give in shortly!"
"Let's see who it will be... One is the descendant of the awakened Shining Star in their transformed state, and the other is a mythical phantom beast species that only exists in legends. It's truly hard to say..."
"Huh?! They're moving, they're moving!"
"..."
Amidst the gasps of the crowd in the stands, Jin Taiguang, who had been furiously attacking, suddenly faltered. Lin Ran landed a powerful "Cun" punch from the center, striking him in the chest and sending him flying.
Simultaneously, Lin Ran let out another high-pitched dragon's roar, lightly tapping the ground with his toes to leap into the air, assuming a predatory posture like an eagle swooping down.
The onlookers were dumbfounded.
What was happening?
Didn't Jin Taiguang seem to be fighting smoothly just moments ago while unleashing his powerful blows?
How could the situation on the field have changed so drastically in such a short instant?
The answer to this question, naturally, was known only to the two individuals in the arena.
On Jin Taiguang's side, after about seventeen or eighteen seconds of intense trading blows with Lin Ran, he had clearly begun to feel his strength waning.
The reason he endured for another half a minute was partly due to his desperate push to his limit and partly because Lin Ran had been holding back slightly.
Lin Ran's intention for doing so was to enjoy the most exhilarating combat experience possible while simultaneously accumulating the force and time needed for his subsequent moves to break through Jin Taiguang's defenses...
Such as now!
Sent flying through the air, Jin Taiguang faced Lin Ran descending from above, unable to muster any effective moves to struggle. He had no leverage to exert force, only relying on the golden fluid to gradually mitigate the impact.
While not entirely futile, the effect was still not significant enough.
Thus, by the time he could move freely, Lin Ran's large foot descended.
"Raging Dragon Piercing Heart Break!"
Lin Ran, applying his spear technique to his left foot, stomped down with all his might, hitting the bullseye directly and precisely striking Jin Taiguang's pampered and made-up face.
The pitiable Jin Taiguang, who had just managed to regain his footing with great effort, instantly lost his balance again as Lin Ran's foot slammed down, crushing his face into the ground.
"Tsk tsk, I seem to recall someone saying they wanted to step on my head earlier..."
"And now, it's the other way around?"
"Perhaps I misheard, and you were actually saying you'd offer your face for me to step on?"
"But there's one thing I must compliment you on..."
"At least the massage you gave me just now was quite good. Worth three hundred a session!"
Lin Ran squinted his eyes arrogantly, his draconic might and Haki unleashed without reservation.
Under his awakened Golden Dragon True Form, his eyes had also transformed into brilliant golden vertical pupils, exuding an even greater sense of majesty and defiance.