Shi Ma pivoted on his left foot, his body twisting just in time to avoid a crushing blow aimed at his midsection. The air whistled as Xia Huanshen’s fist passed mere inches from Shi Ma’s ribs, the force of the punch creating a shockwave that rippled through the air. Shi Ma countered with a swift upward slash of his blade, the steel humming as it cut through the space between them.

Xia Huanshen twisted his torso with impossible agility, narrowly evading the blade’s edge. The abomination’s Qi flared, surging into his right arm as he launched a devastating backhand strike aimed at Shi Ma’s temple. Shi Ma ducked low, feeling the rush of wind as the attack sailed over his head. In the same motion, he dropped to one knee and drove his blade upward in a thrust aimed at Xia Huanshen’s abdomen.

The blade found its mark, sinking into the creature’s flesh with a sickening squelch. Shi Ma felt resistance as the weapon penetrated muscle and sinew, but before he could drive it deeper, Xia Huanshen’s left hand shot down, clamping around the hilt of the blade with bone-crushing force. The creature’s grip was like iron, its fingers digging into the steel as if it were clay.

With a snarl, Xia Huanshen wrenched the blade from Shi Ma’s grasp and yanked it free from his body. The wound, though deep, barely seemed to slow him down. Dark, viscous fluid oozed from the gash, but the creature’s Qi was already knitting the flesh back together, the injury closing almost as quickly as it had been inflicted.

Shi Ma sprang back, putting distance between himself and the abomination. He needed to regroup, to find an opening in Xia Huanshen’s relentless assault. But the creature gave him no quarter. With the speed of a striking serpent, Xia Huanshen was upon him again, his fists a blur as they rained down a barrage of blows. Shi Ma parried the first few strikes, his forearms aching from the impact, but the sheer force of the assault was overwhelming.

A particularly vicious punch caught Shi Ma in the ribs, the impact sending a jolt of pain through his body. He staggered, his breath hitching as he fought to remain standing. Xia Huanshen followed up with a sweeping kick aimed at Shi Ma’s legs, intending to knock him off balance. Shi Ma barely managed to leap over the kick, but the evasion left him exposed.

Xia Huanshen seized the moment, his right hand lashing out to grab Shi Ma by the throat. The grip tightened, cutting off Shi Ma’s air supply as he was lifted off the ground. Shi Ma’s vision blurred, the edges darkening as his body screamed for oxygen. Desperation fueled his next move—he gathered his Qi into a concentrated burst and unleashed it at point-blank range.

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The explosion of Qi forced Xia Huanshen to release his grip, the blast sending both combatants skidding across the ground. Shi Ma gasped for air as he scrambled to his feet, his throat bruised and raw. He knew he couldn’t afford to let up; Xia Huanshen would be on him again in seconds.

With a quick glance, Shi Ma surveyed the battlefield. The terrain was uneven, littered with the debris of their earlier clashes. There—a jagged outcrop of rock, its surface sharp and unforgiving. An idea began to form in Shi Ma’s mind, a strategy that might give him the edge he needed.

Xia Huanshen charged again, his movements fluid and precise, despite the grotesque nature of his form. Shi Ma feigned a retreat, leading the creature towards the outcrop. As they neared the rock, Shi Ma suddenly pivoted and launched himself toward Xia Huanshen, using his momentum to push the abomination back.

The unexpected move caught Xia Huanshen off guard. Shi Ma twisted his body at the last moment, leveraging his weight to slam Xia Huanshen against the jagged rock. The impact was brutal, the sharp edges digging into Xia Huanshen’s flesh, tearing through his back with a sickening rip.

Shi Ma didn’t stop. He followed up with a flurry of strikes aimed at the exposed areas of Xia Huanshen’s body. His fists and feet moved with precision, targeting vital points in rapid succession—temples, throat, solar plexus, joints. Each blow was delivered with the intent to disable, to cripple.

But Xia Huanshen was no ordinary opponent. Even as Shi Ma’s attacks landed, the creature retaliated with savage force. A backhanded strike caught Shi Ma across the face, the force of it snapping his head to the side. Stars exploded in his vision as he stumbled back, blood trickling from a cut on his cheek.

Before Shi Ma could recover, Xia Huanshen was on him again. The creature's claws raked across Shi Ma’s chest, the talons tearing through fabric and skin alike. Shi Ma gritted his teeth against the pain and retaliated with a swift elbow to Xia Huanshen’s throat, followed by a knee strike to the abdomen. The blows landed, but Xia Huanshen seemed unfazed, his eyes burning with an unholy light.

Shi Ma knew he had to end this soon. His energy was waning, each movement growing more sluggish as the battle dragged on. In a desperate gambit, Shi Ma gathered the last of his Qi into a single, concentrated point. His palm began to glow with a searing light as he channeled everything he had into one final strike.