Fang Xiu's breath caught in his throat as Liam appeared in front of him like a phantom. One heartbeat he was yards away, the next his face filled Fang Xiu's vision. The movement was too sharp, too fast and he wasn't even able to follow it with his senses.
Impossible, Fang Xiu thought, his pupils narrowing to pinpricks. He's just a mortal…
But there was no time to dwell. Liam's fist blurred toward his face. Fang Xiu reacted on instinct, raising his forearm to block.
The impact cracked like thunder. Pain shot up his arm, rattling bone and muscle, and his feet scraped backward against the cobblestones. His boots gouged deep lines before he forced himself to a stop.
The crowd gasped in unison. A Foundation Establishment cultivator had been driven back — by a single punch.
