Battle

Bang!

Chi Tianxiang raised one arm across the air, the tough cowhide on his arm directly blocking Zhongli's attack. As their eyes met, a disdainful smile appeared on his face. He said softly, "Your strength is still..."

But time would not stop just because he was talking. After Vortex Vanquisher was blocked, Zhongli immediately let go. He stomped his right foot to generate force, used his waist as a pivot to exert force again, and his left arm burst out like a spring as he threw a punch at his teacher's right ribs.

His movements flowed without pause. The overconfident Chi Tianxiang immediately sensed danger. The arm he had used to block Vortex Vanquisher was his dominant right arm, and both his arm and Vortex Vanquisher had partially obscured his vision. On top of that, he had not been taking this seriously in the first place.

So, it hit!

Struck in the weak spot along his ribs, Chi Tianxiang staggered back several steps. His cowhide defense was indeed high, but Zhongli had used a clever force. The punch had jolted his internal organs, causing a certain degree of injury.

His normal attacks were not just simple templates. Beyond the templates, he possessed abundant combat experience, such as his grasp of the human body's weak points and his control over strength.

What a troublesome little brat!

Feeling the pain in his body, Chi Tianxiang gritted his teeth and stomped hard on the ground to steady himself. Zhongli's punch had worked, but the force behind it had not been strong because Zhongli had deliberately held back.

Zhongli caught Vortex Vanquisher in midair with one hand. Using the recoil from his punch against Chi Tianxiang's ribs, he spun around and kicked out, the force behind it just as formidable.

Though he used a spear, no one said he could only attack with one in battle. A spear could not only serve as a direct weapon, but also as a feint to conceal the real attack. That was why Zhongli's punch had worked just now.

Hmph, all he knows is petty tricks. The timing of that kick is terrible. My body has already regained its balance. I only need to seize another opening and break through his weakness, then I'll put him down directly! Still too naive!

Chi Tianxiang thought this, but at that very moment, he felt an extremely dangerous sensation. That sense of crisis was behind him.

Damn, there are two of them!

I can't take that girl's blade head-on without defense!

Zhongli's kick appeared full of openings, easily exposing weaknesses, but in reality, he was exploiting his teacher's judgment. The moment Chi Tianxiang saw a weakness in his attack, he would instinctively start thinking about it, and those thoughts were the key to wasting his reaction time.

As long as he could buy Mo Yuqing 0.1 seconds, Zhongli had already succeeded!

"Second Soul Skill, Copper Head Iron Bones!"

Chi Tianxiang's second Spirit Ring flashed, and a large metallic sheen instantly appeared across his body. His muscles and cowhide became even tougher. This was his defensive Soul Skill. At the cost of twenty percent of his speed, it increased his defense by one hundred percent and his strength by thirty percent.

Clang!

Mo Yuqing's blade slashed across Chi Tianxiang's back. The cowhide covered in metallic luster was extremely hard, and her strike could not break through his defense at all. However, she reacted quickly. Realizing she could not penetrate his defense, she immediately activated her First Soul Skill and flicked her hand at Chi Tianxiang.

First Soul Skill—Flying Thunder Mark!

The purple mark struck Chi Tianxiang's back, yet he seemed not to notice it after activating Copper Head Iron Bones. Although this Soul Skill could harden the cowhide on his body, it also made him less sensitive to weak attacks. Seeing this, Mo Yuqing decisively retreated, silently preparing for the next wave of attacks.

Zhongli also pushed off with his foot during the brief moment Chi Tianxiang used his Soul Skill. He stepped off Chi Tianxiang's waist for leverage and retreated, taking the opportunity to widen the distance.

"Not a bad idea. Unfortunately, your strength is lacking."

Chi Tianxiang gave an impartial assessment.

At first, he had looked down on children with little combat experience. But once they truly fought, he realized that Zhongli's combat experience and battle instincts were absolutely above his own. This fellow was a genuine genius. Every attack carried a purpose that was difficult for others to notice.

Fortunately, Zhongli was not strong enough. If Chi Tianxiang had been replaced by an ordinary Soul Elder, there was a real chance he would have been schemed to death! And Mo Yuqing's attack power was formidable as well, with impeccable timing. Fortunately, he had reacted quickly, or he would definitely have bled.

Even now, despite using his Second Soul Skill to take that blade strike head-on, Chi Tianxiang could still feel a faint stinging pain. One could imagine just how powerful that slash had been.

Unfortunately, their strength was insufficient!

"Hah!"

Chi Tianxiang bent slightly at the waist, and the muscles in his legs instantly exerted force. Like a high-speed tank, he charged fiercely at Zhongli. His sharp bull horns resembled spears capable of piercing anything, sending a chill through anyone who looked at them.

What a pain!

Zhongli's expression shifted slightly. If he did not use more of his strength, it would be genuinely difficult to deal with such a reckless charge. Chi Tianxiang was not fast compared to Soul Emperors of the same rank, but for a One Ring Soul Master like him, he was already extremely fast.

Without displaying speed beyond what the test allowed, it would be difficult to dodge this attack. Moreover, based on the shield strength he had previously established, he could not take it head-on. Even if he explained it as refreshing his shield and doubling its strength, it still would not withstand the blow.

Should he pretend to struggle, get "hit," then just lie down and idle?

That did not seem impossible...

"Hehe..."

The corners of Zhongli's lips slowly curled upward. Facing Chi Tianxiang's charge, he rolled diagonally forward to the side, dodging the attack at precisely the right moment. At the same time, a purple figure flashed past him—it was Mo Yuqing, accelerating.

"Flying Thunder Mark!"

She flung several marks in every direction, while her attacking speed did not slow in the slightest. The moment Chi Tianxiang turned around, he saw a purple, enchanted slash coming at him. Gritting his teeth, he quickly raised his arm to block it.

Bang!

A sound like metal striking metal rang out. This blow did not cause any substantial damage. Chi Tianxiang forcefully swung his arm, directly sending Mo Yuqing flying through the air. A shield could withstand damage and provide super armor, but the strength of that super armor still depended on the person. Those who were powerful and firmly rooted naturally possessed a higher degree of super armor. If one was weak, one could still be easily knocked away, merely without taking damage.

"Interesting."

Chi Tianxiang muttered to himself. After Mo Yuqing was sent flying, Zhongli had disappeared from sight. He could not help frowning as he carefully observed his surroundings.

The sound of rushing wind suddenly came from beside him. Chi Tianxiang abruptly lowered his head and saw Zhongli, who had lowered his body to the extreme as he attacked from his blind spot. A chill rose in his heart.

This guy can actually use my blind spot to launch an attack!

Chi Tianxiang grinned and directly ignored Zhongli's attack, throwing a punch at his body. Vortex Vanquisher pierced his body, while his fist struck the shield.

Boom!

The shield shattered in an instant, and Zhongli was sent flying far away. Vortex Vanquisher also fell to one side in midair.

Chi Tianxiang looked at his arm. The sensation had clearly been somewhat off. Zhongli's body seemed excessively hard. Could that have been the feeling of a shield? No, something was wrong. The shield had not been difficult to break; with just a little force, it had shattered on its own. The sensation afterward had definitely been of striking his actual body.