Chapter 103: Astonishment—The Power of the Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist!

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Lei Hu was momentarily taken aback, furrowing his brow in puzzlement as he asked, “How do you know my ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist’?”

With a slight smile of admiration, Lu Zhe replied, “Your ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist’ is not only immensely powerful and robust, but its ever-changing techniques leave one in awe. Such a formidable martial art—who wouldn’t know of it?” He then crossed his arms over his chest and said, “I wonder if you would mind showing me a few moves so I can broaden my horizons?”

Upon hearing this, Lei Hu fell silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes to scrutinize Lu Zhe, who was clad in black with a large hood concealing his face. Inwardly, Lei Hu thought, This man’s knowledge of my secret technique suggests he is no ordinary passerby.

Taking a deep breath, Lei Hu exhaled heavily, his spirit invigorated. “Very well. Since you already know my style, I shall no longer hide it to avoid your ridicule. If you wish to witness my ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist,’ then I will not hold back.”

As he spoke the last words, his voice rose from low to loud, the final syllable resonating with full, commanding strength. At that moment, Lei Hu’s arms trembled before clenching into fists. Lu Zhe sensed the spiritual energy around him beginning to converge toward Lei Hu. Feeling the gathering aura, Lu Zhe tightened his brow, thinking to himself, I’ve heard that Lei Hu is one of the top ten masters in the Oga Empire, renowned for his thunder-based spiritual power and unparalleled speed and strength. His ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist’ is undefeated across the empire. Seeing it today, it lives up to its reputation. This could be troublesome.

Spiritual energy rapidly swirled around Lei Hu, circling just inches from his body. As it intensified, thin silver-white sparks of lightning began to appear, crackling swiftly in a furious dance around him. Gradually, these delicate arcs thickened and spread vertically, forming a spiraling vortex of thunder and lightning that enveloped him entirely.

Though it seemed to last a while, the formation of the electric whirlpool took less than a minute. As Lei Hu summoned and shaped the storm of thunder energy, Lu Zhe remained on full alert, his hands hidden beneath his sleeves clenched tightly. Sweat dripped from his forehead—whether from the cave’s heat or his anxiety, he couldn’t tell.

A group of men in white garb, standing some distance away from the duel, watched silently. Aside from two who went to assist a man Lu Zhe had kicked against the cave wall, the rest focused intently on the battle. When they saw the white lightning spiraling around Lei Hu’s clenched fists, a man in his thirties remarked to his companion, “Lei Hu is a master we specially invited for this herb gathering. I didn’t expect him to be forced to unleash his ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist.’ This black-robed fellow must have considerable background.”

His companion nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Lei Hu never uses that move lightly. Whoever this challenger is, they’re no ordinary opponent.”

The man stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Should we intervene?”

The other shook his head, waving the idea away. “Have you forgotten? Lei Hu loves battling skilled opponents and hates interference during such duels. If we break up their fight, he’d be furious—reckless even.”

The man slapped his forehead in sudden realization. “You’re right. I nearly forgot. If we meddle, we’ll be the ones in trouble. Better to watch quietly. Even if he loses, we have plenty of men here. No way this rare herb gets snatched from us.”

The electric vortex accelerated, its threads of lightning thickening until about the size of an adult’s pinky finger. Then, the growth halted, but the spinning speed increased. The storm spread vertically to nearly a person’s height, fully encasing Lei Hu from head to toe.

The whirlwind ceased its rapid rotation once Lei Hu was enveloped. Lu Zhe watched closely, noting the faint sparks flickering around Lei Hu’s body, accompanied by a constant crackling sound. The electric charge caused Lei Hu’s hair to stand on end like a hedgehog’s spikes. From afar, it looked as if he wore a garment woven from pure electricity.

After the electric armor formed, Lei Hu raised his charged right hand, nodded, and looked up at Lu Zhe. “You’ve long wished to see my ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist.’ Here it is.”

Lu Zhe fixed his gaze on Lei Hu, his brow tightening beneath the wide hood that concealed his face. At the moment the electric armor appeared, he felt an unnatural chill raise the hairs on his skin. Swallowing hard, he said calmly, “I have long heard of the greatness of the ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Shattering Fist.’ Seeing it today is truly an honor beyond words.”

Lei Hu smiled faintly and then shouted, “If that is so, prepare yourself!”

With that, he forcefully stomped his right foot against the ground, twisted his body, and lunged forward—vanishing from sight in an instant before the crowd’s astonished eyes.

“What?!” Startled, Lu Zhe quickly scanned the surroundings but found no one. Before he could recover, a sudden whooshing sound erupted from behind. His eyes widened, pupils dilating sharply.

*Smack!*

At the last moment, Lu Zhe discerned the sound came from his right side. He spun around, raising his arms to block. But the impact brought searing pain and numbness coursing through his limbs. The force was overwhelming, hurling him violently backwards.

*Whoosh! Thud!*

Lu Zhe was blasted through the air, crashing heavily into the cave wall. The impact left a large hole, and rocks tumbled down, burying him beneath the rubble.

“Ugh.”

Shaking his head, Lu Zhe struggled free from the stones, brushing off the debris. Using trembling arms to support himself, he prepared to rise. Suddenly, a fierce roar of wind came from his left side, accompanied by crackling sounds like electric currents.

Startled, Lu Zhe’s eyes grew wide again as he twisted to the left. “What—” The words barely escaped when a sharp pain struck his left abdomen, knocking him airborne once more. He was flung to the right, slamming into the cave wall again.

Far off, the elderly healer nestled within the cave watched the battle quietly. Seeing Lu Zhe being battered relentlessly without defense, his relaxed brow furrowed once more. As Lei Hu charged again, crackling with electricity, the healer murmured to himself, “This fist technique… it looks strangely familiar.”