45: Chapter 45 A Fierce Offensive at the Start! Chen Wu Advances Instead of Retreating

Li Meng's third move began with a long-lost softness. The Taiji arc drawn by his right hand left a Golden Trail in the air, while the warm current from the peace lock spread along his Meridians, forcing the last remaining dark green toxins to his fingertips. However, his left shoulder suddenly trembled violently—the miniature electrocution device hidden by Zhang Tao in the lining of the battle robe was remotely activated, and the current bit into his neural center like a venomous snake.

"Ugh!" The youth's movements instantly distorted, the Taiji arc forcibly turning into a fierce broken line as his right fist smashed toward Chen Wu's face with uncontrolled force. The wind from the fist contained both the "roundness" of Taiji and the "hardness" of the Genetic Medicine, forming a bizarre hybrid force that caused Grandpa Wang, who was watching the match, to suddenly sit up straight.

"This is a variant of the 'Taiji Cannon Hammer'!" The old man's dry tobacco pipe struck the bronze statue with a series of rapid taps. "It was his Master's ultimate technique in his youth, but it has been altered by the toxins to be sinister and vicious!"

Chen Wu's "Listening Energy" captured the contradiction within the fist technique—within the seemingly fierce momentum lay an imperceptible sluggishness, which was Li Meng's subconscious resistance. Liquid "Qi" condensed into a vortex in his palm. He did not retreat a single step; instead, he stepped forward into the wind of the fist, stepping exactly into the blind spot of Li Meng's center of gravity shift.

"Well done!" Chen Wu's voice was wrapped in the "Roar" energy of Baji Fist, making the ropes of the Octagon hum. His left hand locked the opponent's wrist like a steel clamp, while his right hand's "Elbow Strike" popped out at a tricky angle. The golden "Qi" flow at the tip of his elbow formed a small vortex, precisely avoiding Li Meng's ribs and striking the numbing nerve in his arm.

*Bang!*

The moment the two forces collided, Li Meng's fist suddenly lost its power, drooping like a puppet whose mechanism had been struck. But the current from the electrocution device continued to output; his left eye flashed red again, and his left leg kicked out uncontrollably, sweeping toward Chen Wu's supporting leg—this was an instinctive reaction implanted by Zhang Tao through neural interference.

The number of online viewers for the global live stream exceeded 130 million, and the slow-motion footage clearly displayed Chen Wu's response:

"Holy crap! That step was incredible! It landed right in the middle of Li Meng's center of gravity."

"The Elbow Strike angle was divine! It neutralized the attack without hurting him."

"132 million online! Zhang Tao's electrocution device is glowing!"

In the VIP box, Elder Zhou suddenly pulled out his oxygen tube and tremblingly held up a tablet. The screen was playing a video of Li Meng practicing the "Taiji Cannon Hammer" at the age of eight; the boy's fist technique was smooth and harmonious, like a stream flowing around rocks. "That is not Meng'er's fist..." The old man's tears fell onto the screen. "It was forcibly twisted!"

Chen Wu's "Qi" spread along Li Meng's arm, erupting into a warm current at the numbing nerve, temporarily blocking the conduction of the electricity. "Wake up!" His voice carried the resonance of "Qi," directly striking the other's consciousness. "This move should be used like this!"

A golden flow of "Qi" suddenly formed a Taiji diagram between the two. Chen Wu held Li Meng's wrist, guiding him to redraw a standard arc. Just as the fist was about to strike his own chest, Chen Wu's left palm gave a gentle lift. Li Meng's fist momentum suddenly changed direction, grazing past the ribs and whipping up the hem of the training uniform.

"This is the true 'Leading into Emptiness' of the 'Taiji Cannon Hammer'." Chen Wu released his hand and took half a step back. "Use energy, not just force, understand?"

Li Meng's pupils constricted violently. The current from the electrocution device was still raging, but his right hand uncontrollably repeated the previous trajectory, as if his body still remembered the true martial art.

Zhang Tao was pinned under the commentary desk by the Special Operations Team, his teeth crushing the backup controller hidden in his mouth. The moment the interference waves were completely cut off, he suddenly let out a roar like a trapped beast: "Kill him! Even if you have to die together, kill him!"

These words drifted into the Octagon like a curse, and the Genetic Medicine inside Li Meng's body suddenly erupted with its final power. The youth's muscles expanded at an abnormal speed, the cuffs of his red battle robe were torn apart, and the veins on his exposed skin bulged as if they were going to snap his bones.

"Kill!" Li Meng's voice was completely animalistic. His unfocused eyes stared fixedly at Chen Wu, and he suddenly dropped to all fours, pouncing like a true lion. His nails pierced through his gloves, revealing sharp tips that glinted with a cold light—this was the result of the Genetic Medicine modification, with a hardness comparable to alloy.

"This isn't a fight anymore!" the commentator's voice cried out. "Stop the match immediately!"

But Chen Wu stood his ground without moving. Solidified "Qi" formed a layer of flowing armor around him, the golden light rising and falling with his breath like an ancient shield. "He's still resisting." Chen Wu's "Listening Energy" captured a faint warm current at Li Meng's heart; the red light of the peace lock flickered tenaciously amidst the frenzied storm of energy. "He can still be saved."

Li Meng's pounce carried a bloody wind, his nails scraping against the "Qi" armor with a piercing sound and sending sparks flying. His attacks were completely without form, yet they carried world-destroying power. The floor of the Octagon was stamped with shallow pits, and the sponge padding of the ropes was torn apart, revealing the steel wires inside.

The live stream camera captured a Soul-stirring scene: Chen Wu was like a reef in a turbulent sea, allowing Li Meng's claws to leave white marks on his "Qi" armor while he remained standing firm. The number of online viewers soared to 135 million, and prayers in the comments fell like snowflakes:

"Brother Wu, be careful! He's not human anymore!"

"The red light of the peace lock is about to go out! Hold on, Li Meng!"

"136 million online! Why isn't the Special Operations Team entering the arena?"

Lin Xue's voice rang out urgently in Chen Wu's earpiece: "Elder Zhou had a sudden heart attack! The medical team is performing emergency resuscitation!" Her tablet showed the scene in the VIP box; the old man was clutching his chest and slumped in his wheelchair, still tightly gripping that Taiji book.

These words were like a bolt of lightning striking into Li Meng's chaotic consciousness. His attack suddenly paused, and the red light in his eyes flickered violently, as if two Souls were tearing at each other. Chen Wu seized this fleeting opportunity; his liquid "Qi" suddenly turned into threads, drilling in through the gaps in Li Meng's nails and heading straight for the peace lock at his heart.

"Your Master needs you!" Chen Wu's "Qi" merged with the warm current of the peace lock, erupting in a dazzling golden light. "Wake up!"

Li Meng let out a roar of pain, sounding both like a beast and a human. His claws stopped three centimeters from Chen Wu's throat, and the cold light on his nails gradually faded, revealing the boy's original appearance. However, the backlash of the Genetic Medicine began to take effect; his skin turned pale at a visible rate, and his lips turned purple.

Chen Wu suddenly took half a step forward, a move that violated combat common sense and caused an uproar in the arena. His "Qi" field completely enveloped Li Meng, the golden light forming a sealed Domain that completely blocked out external interference. "Baji Fist emphasizes 'Hard Hitting and Hard Advancing'," Chen Wu's voice echoed within the Domain like a reverberation in a valley, "but it's not about brute force; it's about giving the opponent a chance to turn back."

His right shoulder sank slightly, assuming the starting posture of the "Mountain-Leaning Strike," but he did not launch the attack immediately. The golden "Qi" flow spread along his spine, condensing into a rotating energy mass at his shoulder, carrying the power to split mountains yet holding back thirty percent.

"This is what I owe you." Chen Wu's gaze fell on the wound on Li Meng's forearm, where the scratches from the steel wire were still seeping blood. "During the last deduction, I miscalculated your kindness."

A whimper came from Li Meng's throat as tears mixed with blood rolled down. His right hand suddenly grabbed Chen Wu's wrist, his nails sinking deep into the skin, but he did not use force. The red light of the peace lock shone through the skin, forming a small orb of light at their point of contact, like a beating heart.

"I'm sorry... Master..." The boy's consciousness flickered between clarity and chaos. The current from the electrocution device was still sizzling, but his left hand lightly rested on Chen Wu's shoulder, assuming the starting posture of Taiji "Pressing Energy"—it was a plea for help.

Every spectator in the venue stood up at this moment, 138 million pairs of eyes watching the strange scene in the center of the Octagon: the violent "lion" and the calm Martial Artist holding hands, golden and red light interwoven into a warm cocoon. The light from the glow sticks all turned into a soft gold, like a magnificent sea of stars.

"This is the true Martial Dao..." Grandpa Wang's tobacco pipe fell to the ground. The light from the bronze statue resonated with the "Qi" field of the Octagon, and the seal characters on the base, "Hardness cannot last, softness cannot defend," glowed piercingly bright.

Chen Wu suddenly exerted force, the power of the "Mountain-Leaning Strike" passing into Li Meng's body through his arm, but it was not an attack; it was a gentle push. The golden "Qi" flow surged into the other's Meridians like a tide, working with the warm current of the peace lock to force the last remaining dark green toxins to his fingertips.

"Ah!" Li Meng let out a roar of liberation, and a puff of black mist sprayed from his fingertips, instantly dissipating in the golden light. His body slumped down but was caught steadily by Chen Wu, the hem of his red battle robe sweeping across the blood on the ground like a ship returning to port.

The live stream captured the final scene before Li Meng closed his eyes: a faint smile of relief was on the corner of his mouth, and his left hand still maintained the posture of Taiji "Pressing Energy." The number of online viewers exceeded 140 million, and blessings in the comments flooded in like a tide:

"It's finally over... he's saved."

"Brother Wu's 'Mountain-Leaning Strike' was incredible! It could both save a person and expel toxins."

"142 million online! This is the most moving match I've ever seen."

When the referee rushed into the Octagon, Chen Wu was retying the peace lock around Li Meng's neck. The boy's breathing had stabilized, and the ferocity on his face had faded, revealing the youthfulness belonging to his age. Medical personnel arrived with a stretcher but were gently stopped by Chen Wu.

"He's fine now." Chen Wu's "Qi" formed a protective film inside Li Meng's body, repairing the damage caused by the Genetic Medicine. "He'll wake up in a few hours."

Good news came from the VIP box. Lin Xue's voice was choked with emotion: "Elder Zhou has been resuscitated! He said he'll wait for Meng'er to wake up and then teach him a new Taiji routine."

Zhang Tao was escorted past the Octagon by the Special Operations Team. When he saw the unconscious Li Meng, he suddenly let out a desperate, wild laugh: "You won't win! There are millions more of Grey Shadow's Genetic Warriors!" Before he could finish, he was struck in the mouth by a Special Operations Team helmet, and the rest of his voice turned into a muffled whimper.

Chen Wu ignored him and simply carried Li Meng onto the stretcher. The boy's fingers suddenly moved, grabbing Chen Wu's hem like a lifeline. Chen Wu's "Qi" spread along the hem, leaving a golden mark deep in his consciousness—it was the energy trajectory of Taiji "Cloud Hands," which would help him resist future mental interference.

As the stretcher was carried out of the Octagon, the entire venue erupted in thunderous applause. The audience waved their glow sticks, forming a golden corridor to escort Li Meng out. Elder Zhou's wheelchair was pushed to the side of the corridor; the old man reached out a trembling hand and gently stroked Li Meng's hair, as if touching a lost treasure found again.

"Match Result: Chen Wu wins!" The referee's voice echoed through the stadium, but no one cared about the result anymore.

Chen Wu stood in the center of the Octagon, his golden "Qi" field slowly dissipating to reveal his sweat-soaked training uniform. He bowed deeply toward the VIP box, then cupped his fists to the entire audience, and finally turned his gaze toward Grandpa Wang's bronze statue.

The seal characters on the statue's base suddenly shot out two beams of golden light, forming eight large characters on the dome: "Combining hardness and softness is the true Martial Dao."

The number of online viewers for the global live stream finally settled at 145 million. The final comments were 145 million instances of the character for "Martial," forming a golden bridge across national borders, connecting the spirit of the Eastern Martial Dao with the world's belief in justice.

The setting sun shone through the glass curtain wall of the stadium, dyeing the Octagon a warm orange-red. Chen Wu's shadow was stretched very long, forming a peculiar pattern on the ground with the blood left by Li Meng, like a healing wound.

He knew that the end of this match was just the beginning of another battle. The shadow of Grey Shadow had not yet dissipated, and the threat of Genetic Warriors still existed. But as long as the light of the Martial Dao did not go out, and as long as youths like Li Meng could find their original intentions, justice would never be absent.

As he walked out of the stadium, Chen Wu's phone received a text message from Lin Mo: "Brother Wu, Li Meng's test results are out. The peace lock and your 'Qi' combined to form an anti-toxin antibody!" It was followed by a smiley face emoji, like the boy's eyes lighting up again.

The evening breeze brushed through the streets, carrying the coolness of late summer. Chen Wu looked up at the starry sky, seemingly seeing countless golden flows of "Qi" weaving through heaven and earth like countless eyes guarding justice. He clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, knowing that his footsteps would never stop.

Because the true essence of the Martial Dao was never a once-and-for-all victory, but the courage to advance instead of retreating time and again, to protect those worth protecting, and to persist in the Dao worth persisting in. Perhaps this was the ultimate meaning of Baji Fist's "Hard Hitting and Hard Advancing"—not to defeat an opponent, but to defeat the darkness and open a path for light within despair.