Even in his heavily injured state, Zhuge Xiang did not even take a Healing Pill to treat his wounds. Instead, he seized the moment to gather his Qi and unleash the Blood Thunder Slash. Although skills requiring Qi-gathering in combat—especially in a duel—were not exceptionally practical, there was no doubt that the offensive power of such skills was remarkably outstanding.
Two breaths. Normally, with Ji Wuxue's decisiveness, Zhuge Xiang would not have succeeded in gathering his Qi; he would have fallen just short. As the saying goes, a miss of a hair's breadth leads to a loss of a thousand miles. At this critical juncture, however, the function of the Frost Headband allowed Zhuge Xiang to turn the impossible into the possible...
The effect of the Frost Headband activated, visible to the naked eye. Ji Wuxue's speed plummeted by twenty percent in an instant. Though in the eyes of the vast majority, Ji Wuxue's speed remained extremely fast, the few talented disciples like Lu Yuling clearly sensed that his speed had been affected.
At the most critical of moments, right at this juncture, why had Ji Wuxue's speed dropped? The gazes of many talented disciples tightened. Would Ji Wuxue deliberately hold back? Clearly impossible, otherwise the sword he had thrust through Zhuge Xiang's chest would not have been so vicious. Thus, the result was obvious: Zhuge Xiang possessed a method beyond comprehension that affected Ji Wuxue's speed.
Does he really still have a trump card? A strange flash of light crossed her eyes as Lu Yuling wore an expression of just as I thought.
Although heavily injured, watching Ji Wuxue's speed drop while Zhuge Xiang's Blood Thunder Slash was already launched, Lu Yuling knew that victory and defeat were decided. Zhuge Xiang's momentum of rise was unstoppable, achieving fame in a single battle...
The Blood Thunder Slash, carrying rolling Blade Intent, bore down upon Ji Wuxue like Mount Tai Crushes Down. Ji Wuxue's speed was affected, dropping by twenty percent, while Zhuge Xiang had used the Bloodthirsty Technique to boost his speed by fifty percent, and his Artifact Boots to increase it by another thirty percent, granting him nearly double the speed. With the shifting tides of battle, coupled with the terrifying offensive power of the Blood Thunder Slash, Ji Wuxue at this moment faced Zhuge Xiang's burst like a rabbit confronting a mad lion unleashing its full fury.
The Blood Thunder Slash roared with the sounds of wind and thunder, infused with scarlet Qi Energy that made the grimaces on the Blood Refinement Saber look ghastly. One after another, ferocious, agonizing, or crazed ghostly faces materialized upon the Blood Refinement Saber...
Ji Wuxue's expression turned one of great shock, evidently shaken as well by this slash from Zhuge Xiang. From the start of the tournament until now, Zhuge Xiang had never used the Blood Thunder Slash. He never expected that Zhuge Xiang had not only trained the Bloodthirsty Technique to the Proficient Level, but had actually additionally practiced this martial art of utmost offensive power, the Blood Thunder Slash.
Although he hurriedly raised his sword to block Zhuge Xiang's attack in his haste, how could the Blood Thunder Slash—into which Zhuge Xiang had poured all his convictions and wagered everything—be so easily blocked?
Though the Black Longsword was also a One-Star Artifact, it struggled to withstand Zhuge Xiang's Blood Thunder Slash. With a mournful cry, a deep and long slash mark instantly appeared across the black blade. Cleaving through bamboo like a broken reed, Zhuge Xiang's blade fiercely hacked into Ji Wuxue's chest.
Although it failed to cut deeply due to the obstruction of the Black Longsword, the sheer impact of the Blood Thunder Slash caused Ji Wuxue to emit a miserable scream as he was sent flying directly backward. A crisp sound of breaking bones rang out; evidently, at least a few of his chest ribs had been cleaved apart by Zhuge Xiang. A mouthful of fresh blood spewed wildly as Ji Wuxue flew backward, tracing a poignant parabola through the air...
His internal organs were shaken and several ribs were broken. Ji Wuxue, collapsed on the ground, clearly lacked the strength to continue fighting. Without even waiting for Zhuge Xiang to deliver a ruthless killing blow, Ji Wuxue forcibly endured his injuries, hurriedly opened his mouth, and shouted loudly, "I yield!"
Whoosh!
The scarlet Blood Refinement Saber stopped right before Ji Wuxue's brow, halting without cutting down. Duels within the Asura Sect of the Demonic Sect were bound to be life-or-death struggles. Having almost died by Ji Wuxue's sword just moments ago, Zhuge Xiang naturally would not have held back at all. However, since Ji Wuxue had already conceded defeat, Zhuge Xiang had no need to deal a fatal blow.
Looking at the Blood Refinement Saber suspended right before his brow, feeling its violent yet grim blade Qi, Ji Wuxue trembled inwardly while feeling a sense of fortune. Fortunately, he had decisively conceded defeat; otherwise, his head and body would already have been separated at this moment.
Retrieving his Blood Refinement Saber and slinging it across his back, Zhuge Xiang deactivated the Bloodthirsty Technique. A wave of weakness washed over him as Zhuge Xiang turned and walked away. He still held a fair amount of appreciation for Ji Wuxue's decisiveness.
Although this battle seemed extremely perilous and full of twists and turns, starting from their previous mutual probing strike followed by the agreement of three blows, and the subsequent activation of the Bloodthirsty Technique, the time consumed by this battle was actually merely seven or eight breaths.
Though the backlash of the Bloodthirsty Technique left Zhuge Xiang feeling weak, as long as he rested for a moment, he figured he would recover sixty to seventy percent of his combat power.
The duel ended. The host stepped onto the stage and announced Zhuge Xiang as the victor, while the staff hurriedly carried Ji Wuxue down to treat his injuries. Despite his defeat, the fierce sword techniques Ji Wuxue displayed lived up to his reputation as a genius; for a genius like him, the Asura Sect naturally held high regard.
Ding, won an over-level victory against Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer Ji Wuxue, gained 150 experience, obtained Blade of Blockade.
As Ji Wuxue conceded, the system notification arrived on schedule. 150 experience points? This still left Zhuge Xiang very satisfied.
Back then, the Fox Demon—equivalent to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer—had also granted over 130 experience points. Although Zhuge Xiang was only at the Qi Cultivation Realm First Layer at the time, killing monsters two levels higher, he had the assistance of Lu Yuling then, whereas this time he had defeated the opponent entirely on his own. It was only natural that the experience points were slightly higher.
Walking down the Duel Platform, Zhuge Xiang lowered his head to examine the black dagger that had appeared in his palm. It was about five inches long, pitch-black throughout, seeming like gold yet not gold, crafted from some unknown material. Its streamlined shape gave it an unusual aesthetic, and holding it felt extremely comfortable.
Blade of Blockade (Three-Star Artifact): Attack 2-5, Unique Active: Can block any single-target attack from a cultivator in the Refining Essence to Qi Stage, cooldown 1 day.
Seeing a Three-Star Artifact, Zhuge Xiang drew in a sharp breath. The One-Star Artifacts Blood Refinement Saber and Frost Headband were already so formidable; a Three-Star Artifact? Wasn't this letting him defy the heavens?
Yet seeing that the attack power was a pitiful mere few points, Zhuge Xiang was filled with disappointment once more. However, the moment he saw the active effect of the Blade of Blockade at the very end, his whole person grew excited again.
He could block any single-target attack from a cultivator in the Refining Essence to Qi Stage? This effect was truly ferocious indeed. One must know that the Refining Essence to Qi Stage was not merely the Qi Cultivation Realm; it was followed by the Body Tempering Realm, the Meridian Opening Realm, and even the final Return to Simplicity Realm. It could block any single-target attack? Although it did not increase Zhuge Xiang's combat capability, this Blade of Blockade vastly enhanced his survivability.
If not for the excessively long cooldown and the restriction of only blocking single-target attacks, he believed this Blade of Blockade would have been of at least four or five-star quality.
Even though it did not increase his combat power much, this Blade of Blockade fully deserved its three-star quality. Having abruptly acquired such a three-star artifact, Zhuge Xiang was still exceptionally happy.
Stepping off the stage, Niu Geng and Lu Yuling both expressed their congratulations for Zhuge Xiang's victory. As he walked along, the disciples beneath the Duel Platform automatically parted, yielding a passageway. It was evident that the battle with Ji Wuxue had made these disciples fully recognize the strength of this dark horse, Zhuge Xiang, in a world where the strong were respected.
The crowd automatically parting to clear a path for him was a treatment Zhuge Xiang had never imagined before. Inimically, this feeling was one Zhuge Xiang liked immensely. Why had he come to the Asura Sect? His goal was very clear: to become a person above others.
Walking over to a relatively remote yet visible spot that overlooked all the arenas, Zhuge Xiang sat down, circulated his Qi Energy, and began treating his injuries as well as dealing with the weakness period. The sword through the chest that Ji Wuxue had delivered earlier, though leaving Zhuge Xiang heavily injured, had only drained a little over 40 HP. With that single Blood Thunder Slash, relying on the 10% lifesteal effect of the Blood Refinement Saber, Zhuge Xiang had already recovered a small amount of HP.
He was in no rush to use the Healing Pill; that was a life-saving item to be kept for critical moments. Improvised application of some Golden Wound Medicine stanched the injuries, and Zhuge Xiang simply waited for his upcoming duels.
Though he carried some injuries, and the weakness effect from the backlash of the Bloodthirsty Technique caused all of Zhuge Xiang's stats to drop by 15%, after defeating Ji Wuxue on this Duel Platform, there were no longer any disciples who could pose a threat to Zhuge Xiang. The remaining two or three rounds of duels meant these disciples had already become targets for Zhuge Xiang to harvest blood and recover his injuries...
All in all, encountering Ji Wuxue earlier was a hundred benefits to Zhuge Xiang with not a single harm. Opening the Bloodthirsty Technique sooner left Zhuge Xiang with enough buffer time during the subsequent weakness period, and his injuries could also be recovered utilizing the lifesteal effect of the Blood Refinement Saber.
Otherwise, had he encountered him in the final duels during the contention for the Top 32, the weakness period of the Bloodthirsty Technique would have exerted no small impact on Zhuge Xiang, and the Healing Pill would have had to be squandered early on. Indeed, using a Healing Pill capable of restoring 100 HP when having lost only a little over 30 HP would truly have been a waste...
The subsequent duels indeed saw no one capable of posing too great a threat to Zhuge Xiang. With the Blood Refinement Saber, the Frost Headband, and the prestigious renown from his previous battle, the three disciples he encountered next all possessed the cultivation of the Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer. Zhuge Xiang expended some effort to leave these disciples covered in blade wounds as they passed out unconscious. The three disciples were almost hacked to death by Zhuge Xiang's indiscriminate slashing, leaving their HP pools of over a hundred points estimated at a mere paltry dozen or so.
The effect, however, was remarkable. Harvesting the combined total of around 300 HP from the three disciples, the 10% lifesteal attribute allowed Zhuge Xiang to almost completely refill the thirty-plus HP he had lost. The injury from the sword through his chest was also nearly entirely healed; pulling apart his clothing to look would reveal nothing more than the scar of a sword wound left behind.
Through perils he emerged successful; Zhuge Xiang successfully advanced, becoming one of the Top 32. The top-ranked contenders of the other Duel Platforms also emerged successively...
Including Lu Yuling, the earliest batch of Asura Sect disciples who had comprehended Qi Energy five months ago were all formidable rivals to Zhuge Xiang. Reaching the Top 32 meant that one could say there were no weak opponents left.
However, Zhuge Xiang grew even more excited. Powerful opponents signified high experience points. If he could maintain his momentum like a broken bamboo, he believed he would soon be able to advance to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. By then, Zhuge Xiang's confidence in securing first place would grow even more unshakable.
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