Breakthrough: Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer

"What did Zhuge Xiang take out?" Seeing Zhuge Xiang tear apart the Experience Scroll and a faint glow envelop him, the people beneath the Duel Platform broke into discussion. They clearly had not expected that, even at this stage, Zhuge Xiang still seemed to have a trump card up his sleeve.

"As expected?" A flicker passed through Lu Yuling's eyes. A faint, composed smile curved her lips, tinged with anticipation. What effect would the thing Zhuge Xiang had just taken out have?

Lei Potian's face darkened. But having reached this point, he had no path of retreat left. No matter what trump card Zhuge Xiang possessed, no matter what methods he now had, Lei Potian had to defeat him. Clutching his Great Axe tightly, he controlled the Blood Sucking Vine as it swept toward Zhuge Xiang. As long as the Blood Sucking Vine could bind him, victory would be his.

At that moment, Zhuge Xiang's aura suddenly changed, as though he had broken through some critical threshold. His aura surged by a great deal in an instant. The aura that had originally been somewhat weaker than Lei Potian's now possessed the qualifications to stand against his on equal footing. His scarlet Qi Energy grew even more violent as it confronted Lei Potian from afar.

"He broke through? He actually broke through to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer? How is that possible?" Feeling the change in Zhuge Xiang's Qi Energy, Lei Potian's pupils abruptly shrank. It was definitely the aura of the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. But someone who had comprehended Qi Energy only half a month ago had actually reached the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer?

"I-I'm not mistaken, am I? Zhuge Xiang broke through to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer?" Never mind the others—even Niu Geng's eyes widened. He looked as though he were seeing Zhuge Xiang for the first time.

Having lived under the same roof as Zhuge Xiang for a year, Niu Geng believed he understood him rather well. Zhuge Xiang had always worked hard to comprehend Qi Energy and was even more diligent than most, yet his talent had never been especially outstanding. Why did he now seem like a completely different person? Could this be what they called a battle-type genius?

Even Lu Yuling could not conceal the surprise in her bright, beautiful eyes. Though she had held great expectations for Zhuge Xiang, directly raising his cultivation to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer? Yet her expression soon calmed again. It seemed that the item he had just taken out had helped him break through.

"Ding, obtained 100 experience points."

"Ding, level increased. Current level: Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. Obtained 1 Skill Point."

"Ding, successfully learned Explosive Steps."

Regardless of how astonished the others were, Zhuge Xiang would not allow himself to be distracted in battle. After breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer, he naturally received a Skill Point. Zhuge Xiang used it to learn the skill book, Explosive Steps, which required the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. A flash of enlightenment arose within him, and Zhuge Xiang automatically grasped the skill.

Explosive Steps (Entry Level): Movement Speed +100%, movement distance: five meters. Description: Gather Qi Energy beneath the feet and release it in an instantaneous burst of impact, gaining a powerful increase in speed for an instant. Consumes 10 MP. Cooldown: 10 seconds.

Seeing the details of Explosive Steps, Zhuge Xiang was overjoyed. Even at Entry Level, it could instantly increase movement speed by 100%. Though it was not a sustained enhancement like Ghost Step and lasted only an instant, the sudden burst of speed was still immensely practical in battle.

Watching the Blood Sucking Vine and Lei Potian sweep toward him, Zhuge Xiang smiled. It was a smile of absolute confidence. Raising the Blood Refinement Saber in his hand, he locked onto his opponent with his aura and gave a low shout in his heart. Explosive Steps...

Just how fast was Zhuge Xiang at this moment? At the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer, his speed was already far from slow. With Bloodthirsty Technique active, his speed had increased by 50%, while the effect of the Star Chasing Boots raised it by another 30% on that basis. Now, with Explosive Steps activated, Zhuge Xiang's burst speed increased by another 100% in an instant, though the movement distance was only five meters.

The calculation was simple. With Explosive Steps active, Zhuge Xiang's instantaneous burst speed was roughly four times that of an ordinary Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer disciple. How fast was that?

With a bang, the bluestone slabs beneath Zhuge Xiang's feet cracked apart. This showed just how powerful the instant impact of the Qi Energy beneath his feet was when Explosive Steps was activated. Zhuge Xiang turned into a blood-red shadow and, like lightning, appeared before Lei Potian in an instant.

With the speed Zhuge Xiang erupted with in that instant, he actually left an afterimage where he had stood. Disciples who had comprehended Qi Energy fared somewhat better, but those who had not comprehended Qi Energy could not even see Zhuge Xiang's moving form. It was as though Zhuge Xiang had teleported directly in front of Lei Potian.

Before that terrifying movement speed, the Blood Sucking Vine, which had not been slow to begin with, now seemed to move in slow motion. Zhuge Xiang easily slipped through the Blood Sucking Vines. Before Lei Potian, the Blood Refinement Saber in Zhuge Xiang's hand became a fierce blade of light and slashed down savagely.

"So fast!" Lei Potian's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He was clearly shaken by Zhuge Xiang's unimaginable movement speed as well.

The terrifyingly swift blade-light descended. Lei Potian had fought Monster Beasts in the Endless Mountain Range for half a year, after all. His body reacted before his thoughts could. In a rush, he raised his arm, and the broad face of the Great Axe blocked before him like a shield. Immediately afterward, an indescribable impact forced Lei Potian to stagger back seven or eight steps.

Though both were at the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer and both possessed Bloodthirsty Technique at the Proficient Level, Zhuge Xiang had attacked with all his strength while Lei Potian had only defended hastily. As one waxed and the other waned, the difference naturally showed. Not to mention Zhuge Xiang's terrifying speed—the impact of power combined with speed was not something Lei Potian could withstand in his current state.

Pressing his advantage without mercy, Zhuge Xiang saw Lei Potian forced back by his strike and drew in the Blood Refinement Saber. He lowered his center of gravity slightly, like a leopard poised to pounce. Clearly, while Lei Potian had been sent retreating and could not control his backward momentum, Zhuge Xiang decisively began gathering strength, preparing to unleash Blood Thunder Slash.

Having finally steadied himself, Lei Potian looked again at Zhuge Xiang and saw that the charging of Blood Thunder Slash was nearly complete. Even if he rushed forward now, it would be too late. Before Zhuge Xiang could launch his attack, Lei Potian shouted first, "I concede!"

In Zhuge Xiang's current state, Lei Potian knew he could not defeat him at all. In particular, Zhuge Xiang's unimaginable speed had utterly crushed his fighting spirit. Though the Blood Sucking Vine was still present, Zhuge Xiang's speed left him completely helpless. Rather than continue fighting, he might as well surrender early. More importantly, the one-minute cooldown of Bloodthirsty Technique was nearly over.

Zhuge Xiang also needed to preserve his strength for the final showdown. Hearing Lei Potian concede, he quickly dispersed his Qi Energy and deactivated Bloodthirsty Technique. Because he had leveled up, all his attributes had recovered. After leveling up, Bloodthirsty Technique had only been active for two or three breaths, so when Zhuge Xiang deactivated it, the aftereffects did not affect him much. Lei Potian, on the other hand, was already panting heavily, and the weakened period from the aftereffects clearly seemed severe.

"He won? Zhuge Xiang actually defeated Lei Potian? Am I seeing things?" As the host stepped onto the stage and announced Zhuge Xiang's victory, the spectators below erupted. This duel had been so spectacular that even the final duel might not surpass it.

"Of course. Zhuge Xiang broke through to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer in the middle of the fight, and he also has that terrifying movement technique. With that kind of speed, how could he possibly lose?" While some were stunned by Zhuge Xiang's strength, recalling the speed that had left afterimages made them feel his victory was only natural.

"Heavens! With Zhuge Xiang's current strength, first place is definitely his!" Even Lei Potian had been defeated. Lu Yuling and Ling Wufeng were presumably only about as strong as Lei Potian. Who could stop Zhuge Xiang from taking the top spot?

The crowd below buzzed with discussion, but Zhuge Xiang paid them no heed. He slowly walked down from the Duel Platform as the stabbing pain in the soles of his feet gradually faded.

Explosive Steps was powerful, but gathering Qi Energy beneath the feet and releasing it all at once placed too great an impact on the meridians in the soles. After using Explosive Steps, the meridians in the feet would feel intense stabbing pain. Fortunately, this pain quickly subsided. Presumably, that was the reason for the system skill's ten-second cooldown.

After defeating Lei Potian, Zhuge Xiang had gained only 70 experience points. There was no reward for fighting above his level, and not even an item had dropped. This left Zhuge Xiang feeling helpless. Looking at his experience bar, he saw that advancing to the Qi Cultivation Realm Fourth Layer required a full 4,600 experience points.

"Wonderful! You actually won, and you even broke through to the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. It's unbelievable!" Watching Zhuge Xiang descend from the stage, Niu Geng said joyfully. The delight on his face made it seem as though he himself had won.

"Congratulations. Winning this match means your rise to prominence is just around the corner. I'm looking forward to facing you," Lu Yuling said as she came before Zhuge Xiang.

"Oh? It seems you're certain of defeating Ling Wufeng," Zhuge Xiang said to Lu Yuling with a smile, a gleam flashing through his eyes. Since she said she looked forward to fighting him, she clearly believed she could defeat Ling Wufeng.

"The second semifinal duel: Ling Wufeng versus Lu Yuling." At that moment, the Blood Sucking Vines on the Duel Platform had already been cleared away, and the host's voice rang out.

Lu Yuling merely smiled at Zhuge Xiang without answering. Her skirt fluttered as she stepped onto the Duel Platform. At the same time, Ling Wufeng appeared. The second and final match of the semifinals had begun...