Experience Scroll

When Zhuge Xiang faced Yuan Kai, no one thought he had any chance of winning. Although Yuan Kai was slightly inferior to Ling Wufeng, Lei Potian, and Lu Yuling, Zhuge Xiang was severely wounded, and his own cultivation was merely at the Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer. Where could his chances possibly lie? In his heavily injured state, even if he entered the contest for the Later Top Eight, he would probably only end up at the bottom, wouldn't he?

"No matter what, he comprehended Qi Energy only half a month ago. Reaching eighth place in the Grand Tournament would already be remarkable," someone said, offering a relatively fair assessment even though nearly everyone believed Zhuge Xiang was doomed to lose.

Those words jolted many people awake. That was right—Zhuge Xiang had comprehended Qi Energy only half a month ago, yet he had fought his way through more than five thousand disciples, standing out from the masses and breaking into the top ten. Such an achievement would be enough to make anyone proud. As time went on, just how strong would Zhuge Xiang become? It would hardly be surprising if he eventually surpassed Lei Potian and the others, would it?

At that thought, many people secretly shuddered. Though he had comprehended Qi Energy late, he was a true battle-born genius. Perhaps the greatest genius of this generation was Zhuge Xiang. If it were anyone else, let alone achieving Zhuge Xiang's dazzling record within half a month of comprehending Qi Energy, they probably would not even have had time to grasp the basics of a single Martial Art.

Whatever the people below thought, Zhuge Xiang paid them no heed. Whether they believed he would lose or that his achievements were already enough, none of it could affect him. He had only one goal: defeat his opponent and become stronger.

The Mandarin Duck Twin Sabers moved with extraordinary agility in Yuan Kai's hands. Coupled with the dense barrage from both blades, their attack speed left one breathless. After all, Zhuge Xiang wielded only a single Blood Refinement Saber. With Yuan Kai's Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer cultivation added to the mix, Zhuge Xiang was suppressed from the very first exchange. Under the relentless twin-saber assault, he could only defend passively.

Facing Yuan Kai, Zhuge Xiang knew he had to unleash his full strength. Yet how to preserve his strength while ending the fight quickly required careful consideration. Though his fighting spirit blazed high, every opponent ahead was formidable. Conserving strength was essential. Wasn't even someone as strong as Lei Potian forced to activate the Bloodthirsty Technique to end battles swiftly?

"Hey, kid, you're seriously injured, so stop forcing yourself. Save some strength. Maybe you'll still be able to secure a decent ranking in the Later Top Eight matches," Yuan Kai said with a frown. Though the Mandarin Duck Twin Sabers had suppressed Zhuge Xiang, with Boots that increased movement speed by 30%, Yuan Kai simply could not defeat him in a short time. Clearly, he was unwilling to waste too much Qi Energy on Zhuge Xiang.

"I return those words to you unchanged," Zhuge Xiang replied coldly. Though he looked somewhat bedraggled as he shifted and dodged, there was not the slightest trace of panic on his face.

A battle-born genius? He's really the sort who won't shed tears until he sees the coffin. Too stubborn, Yuan Kai cursed inwardly at Zhuge Xiang's response.

He knew that people like Zhuge Xiang could be called battle-born geniuses if one put it nicely—they never gave up hope of victory. Put harshly, they were like a dog with a bone, clinging on without letting go. Even if he won this duel, Yuan Kai knew his chances against Lei Potian, Lu Yuling, and Ling Wufeng were slim. But he still wanted to try. Besides, the top four and the bottom four were entirely different tiers, and the treatment he received from the sect would differ as well.

"Hey, no matter which of us wins, the battles ahead will be extremely dangerous. How about we make an agreement too? Three moves to decide the victor?" Yuan Kai proposed. Feeling secretly helpless, he recalled the agreement between Zhuge Xiang and Ji Wuxue and did not wish to drag this out any longer.

"Fine!" Zhuge Xiang hesitated only slightly before nodding. He withdrew several steps, moving out of the Mandarin Duck Sabers' attack range.

Three moves to decide the victor again? Hearing the exchange between Zhuge Xiang and Yuan Kai, the people below began discussing it. The previous three-move agreement with Ji Wuxue had produced an intensely fierce battle. Now there was another such agreement? It seemed that even severely injured, Zhuge Xiang would still erupt with all his strength. The duel was finally reaching its truly exciting stage. Still, many people quietly wondered how many moves Zhuge Xiang could withstand from Yuan Kai.

"Mandarin Duck Saber Technique, Eighteen Consecutive Slashes!" Overjoyed that Zhuge Xiang had accepted, Yuan Kai unleashed the strongest move of the Mandarin Duck Saber Technique. One slash came faster than the last as they chopped toward Zhuge Xiang, the dense twin-saber barrage becoming even fiercer.

Three moves to decide the victor did not necessarily mean one side had to defeat the other within three moves; that would be too difficult. As long as one could suppress the opponent within three moves, or heavily injure them and make it difficult for them to turn the tide or reduce their combat power, it counted as victory. In the end, a battle decided in a few moves was a contest of who performed better during those moves.

Bang, bang, bang... Facing Yuan Kai's Eighteen Consecutive Slashes, Zhuge Xiang staggered backward, swinging his Blood Refinement Saber and doing his utmost to block the attacks. He could barely keep up. The dense offensive clearly made Zhuge Xiang's injuries worse. He gave a muffled groan, his face turning deathly pale as a thread of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Seizing the advantage without mercy, Yuan Kai saw that Zhuge Xiang was at the end of his tether and swung his Mandarin Duck Sabers even faster. "Secret Technique, Mountain Breaking Strike!"

Strike while the iron was hot—no, take his life while he was sick. Seeing Zhuge Xiang's injuries flare up, Yuan Kai activated the Martial Art that could explosively increase his combat power in an instant. With a mournful whistle as it tore through the air, the saber in Yuan Kai's hand transformed into a bleakly beautiful streak of blade light. Clearly, he intended to use this move to secure victory in one stroke.

"Frost Headband." Seeing the attack coming, Zhuge Xiang activated the Frost Headband's slowing effect in an instant. Yuan Kai, eager for quick success and immediate gain, wanted to establish victory in one blow, and his thirst for victory had loosened his vigilance.

"It's here..." Seeing Yuan Kai's speed suddenly drop by an entire level, Lei Potian, Ling Wufeng, and Lu Yuling all narrowed their eyes. They had seen this move again—Zhuge Xiang's strange ability to instantly slow his opponent. But how exactly did he do it? No one knew. It was the unknown that most captured people's attention.

Bloodthirsty Technique!!!

The opportunity had arrived, and Zhuge Xiang acted with equal decisiveness. Almost at the very instant he activated the Frost Headband's effect, he activated the Bloodthirsty Technique. All his attributes surged by 50% in an instant, and sharp Qi Energy abruptly burst forth from his body. Yet at that very moment, Yuan Kai's Mountain Breaking Strike reached him.

"Zhuge Xiang has lost..." Many people shook their heads inwardly.

Though the Frost Headband's effect was alarming, Mountain Breaking Strike possessed far too much attack power. Combined with Yuan Kai's Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer cultivation, even after activating the Bloodthirsty Technique, Zhuge Xiang had no time to use Blood Thunder Slash in his haste. He had no means of blocking Yuan Kai's savage attack.

This was Yuan Kai's strongest attack. In terms of destructive power alone, even Zhuge Xiang in the Bloodthirsty Technique state might not have been able to block Blood Thunder Slash.

Though Zhuge Xiang had erupted at the last moment, he still seemed unable to withstand Yuan Kai's attack, so everyone believed he was certain to lose. Yet Lu Yuling stared intently at Zhuge Xiang. He had been acting all along; there was no way his final eruption would fail so easily.

Clang!!!

With a crisp ring of metal against metal, Zhuge Xiang gripped the Blood Refinement Saber, brimming with bloody aura, in his right hand and swept his left hand out. At some unknown moment, a dagger had appeared in his palm. Yuan Kai's ferocious Mountain Breaking Strike was effortlessly blocked by Zhuge Xiang's dagger—the Blade of Blockade.

Impossible!!!

Even Lei Potian would have to avoid the edge of his strongest attack, yet Zhuge Xiang, who was only at the Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer, had hastily blocked it with nothing more than a dagger. Yuan Kai's eyes widened in disbelief.

Likewise, Lei Potian, Ling Wufeng, Hua Nongying, Ji Wuxue, and everyone below the stage widened their eyes at that moment. That block had actually succeeded? It was far beyond anything they had expected. It was like a lion's full-force strike being casually blocked by a goat.

"So this is his trump card? How did he do it?" Even Lu Yuling, who had great faith in Zhuge Xiang, wore a bewildered expression.

With Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer cultivation, he had effortlessly blocked the strongest Martial Art of a Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer disciple. It completely overturned everyone's common sense.

Would Zhuge Xiang's attacks slow because of everyone's shock? Obviously not. The instant the Blade of Blockade successfully halted Yuan Kai's attack, Zhuge Xiang's Blood Refinement Saber slashed across his opponent's chest. Blood spattered, several ribs were cut clean through, and a savage saber wound appeared across Yuan Kai's chest. That bloody scene made many disciples who had only recently joined the Asura Sect cry out in alarm.

The Asura Sect was a demonic sect. Even if someone was killed in the dueling arena, they could only blame themselves for being inferior in skill. At least a hundred disciples had died in today's Grand Tournament. Before they had even become formal disciples, the sect had taught everyone a profound lesson: the Asura Sect was not like those righteous sects, where one could happily enjoy the great path of cultivation.

"I concede!" The searing pain in his chest snapped Yuan Kai back to his senses. He had actually lost focus just because his opponent had blocked his attack. Regaining clarity, Yuan Kai hurriedly shouted.

If his opponent did not concede, Zhuge Xiang would strike without mercy until they lost their ability to fight or died. He had no intention of letting a moment of softheartedness cause him to capsize in a gutter. But since Yuan Kai had conceded, there was no need to kill him, and Zhuge Xiang stopped attacking.

Ding! Defeated a Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer disciple above your level. Gained 142 experience. Obtained an Experience Scroll.