Chapter 673

Henry waved, and Lily was immediately surrounded, people rushing toward her from all directions. Instinctively ducking, she delivered a whirlwind kick to a man approaching from the side, sending him flying. She then punched the opponents behind her, leaving three or four sprawled on the ground before she landed. Quickly glancing at Justin, she saw he was also engaged in combat. She didn't have time to observe him for long; more opponents were upon her.

Their skills weren't as refined as Lily's, but surpassed those of the Lodge family's disciples. This wasn't due to superior foundations, but to their ruthlessness. The Lodge family, a long-standing ancient kickboxing lineage, prioritized virtue cultivation before martial arts training. Their practitioners, therefore, emphasized benevolent application of their skills, employing moves that combined attack and defense.

In contrast, these opponents used viciously deadly moves. It was Lily's first encounter with such opponents. Trained by her grandfather from a young age, she had only sparred with Lodge family members. She hadn't needed to fight in these peaceful times; her last fight was when Nathaniel threatened her in an alley—her first serious engagement in years.

Lily blocked and repelled several attacks, occasionally glancing at Justin. He too was blocking and repelling opponents, though overwhelmed but not in immediate danger.

"This can't go on!" she thought.

Their opponents were relentless. A purely defensive strategy wouldn't work; their stamina would eventually fail, leading to defeat despite their superior skill. Lily made her decision: she would no longer dodge. She caught an opponent's fist, halting his momentum. His strength was considerable, yet she remained unmoved. With a furious twist, she broke his wrist.

Crack!

A sharp sound echoed, followed by the man's cry of pain. Lily flipped him over, and instantly kicked the back of his knee, forcing him to kneel. Another sharp crack echoed as he fell, unable to move.

Her actions were flawless, leaving the other opponents stunned. Even Henry, watching from the sidelines, was speechless.

"H-How is this girl so powerful?!"

Henry, though he'd abandoned kickboxing, could assess Lily's skill from her movements, speed, and technique. He hadn't taken her seriously before, dismissing her as just a child. Now, however, he needed to reassess. Her aura had shifted; her moves were decisive, clean, and precise. Most importantly, her solid foundation was evident in the power of her strikes. Justin even seemed slightly less skilled in comparison. Her attack intimidated them, freezing them in place for a moment.

Justin, having defeated his opponent, was surprised by Lily's display. He'd heard his grandfather mention Lily's exceptional talent, but had never truly believed it. Their differing training schedules and methods meant limited opportunities to spar; they'd exchanged only a few blows. Months ago, he'd considered her movements unorthodox, assuming it was due to lack of practice. But now…