Resior

Facing Resior's attack, Inori, who had long been prepared for battle, flashed aside and dodged the heavy blow.

Boom

Resior's saber struck the ground, sending shattered stones flying and carving a trench several meters long into the surface of the city wall.

Hiss

The Scarlet Scale Serpent appeared on Inori's shoulder, opened its jaws, and spat a black flame fireball at Resior.

Resior swung his saber, the Black Battle Saber wrapped in powerful black Battle Qi, and cleaved the black flame fireball straight in two.

At the same time, above Black Mountain City, Gaston and the Red-plumed Griffin were jointly fighting the Fire Dragon. The two sides were locked in a fierce aerial battle, neither able to gain the upper hand.

A short distance away, a Gale Eagle circled in the sky.

Teresa and Alisson sat on the Gale Eagle's back, watching the battle.

Teresa's face was expressionless. He did not care in the slightest who won or lost. No matter which side gained the advantage, he remained unmoved. Only when Resior appeared did his expression change, killing intent rising in his eyes.

"Teacher Alisson, can this Inori kill Resior?" Teresa asked in a low voice.

His current strength was insufficient for him to take revenge personally, but if Inori could kill Resior for him, he could accept that as well.

"In terms of strength, Inori can now contend with a Level Nine Expert," Alisson said.

After seeing Resior and Inori's first exchange, he had secretly been startled as well.

Peak Level Eight Inori, together with a Level Eight Magical Beast like the Scarlet Scale Serpent, was already fully capable of fighting someone who had just entered the Ninth Rank.

Of course, Ninth Rank experts generally had magical beasts too. Taking those into account, Inori still could not compare to a Ninth Rank expert.

Teresa's eyes lit up. "Doesn't that mean Resior is as good as dead?"

Alisson shook his head. "Don't celebrate too soon. Resior saw the Scarlet Scale Serpent and still dared to show himself and fight Inori. He clearly has something to rely on. It's hard to say who will win."

"Hmph." Teresa was somewhat displeased, but he had to admit that Alisson's analysis made sense.

As the two spoke, Inori and Resior clashed again atop the city wall.

After cleaving apart the Scarlet Scale Serpent's attack, Resior pressed toward Inori. Facing Inori and the Scarlet Scale Serpent, he showed no intention of retreating, looking utterly confident.

"Inori, I never expected you to have a Level Eight Magical Beast. But even so, I'll cripple you, take you back, and make you my slave girl!"

Resior laughed loudly, his confidence bordering on arrogance.

Humans and Beastmen had fought for many years, waging countless wars against one another.

Both sides had captured many prisoners from the other.

Many great nobles of the Oga Kingdom owned Beastmen slaves.

Oga City also had an arena where Beastmen slaves often fought to the death, a form of entertainment the nobles greatly enjoyed.

In regions ruled by Beastmen, human slaves were also popular among Beastmen nobles, especially women. Many Beastmen nobles even competed with one another to see who owned more slave girls.

As a Beastmen prince of the Noah Continent who frequently led troops into battle, Resior already possessed more than a hundred human slave girls.

There may be many slave girls in my residence, but not a single one is as highborn and powerful as Inori. If I bring her back, it will bring me tremendous glory!

Resior stared at Inori with fervent eyes, like a lion eyeing its prey.

Faced with Resior's nearly humiliating words, Inori's expression did not change, as though she had not been affected at all.

Facing the advancing Resior, she calmly drew her sword.

Inori's weapon was a Cross Longsword. It had been forged by the finest blacksmiths in the Oga Kingdom, using the kingdom's best refined iron and even a small amount of Mithril. Calling it capable of slicing through iron like mud would not do it justice.

Mithril was a top-tier material, far harder than diamond and second only to Black Jade.

After Inori infused it with Fire Attribute Battle Qi, the Cross Longsword instantly turned red-hot, like heated iron.

Inori swung her sword at the charging Resior.

The instant the Cross Longsword collided with the Black Battle Saber, the powerful Battle Qi of both combatants erupted. The ground beneath their feet immediately split with cracks that spread like a spiderweb.

"Treating Light as Heavy!" Andres was slightly startled when he saw this.

From this exchange between Inori and Resior, he could tell that both had reached the realm of Treating Light as Heavy.

He had already suspected that Inori had comprehended Treating Light as Heavy, but he had never expected Resior to have reached this realm as well.

"Andres, focus on the enemy. The young lady's strength is not something you need to worry about!" Gerant suddenly shouted at Andres, noticing that he was distracted.

Andres ignored Gerant.

I underestimated Resior. I wonder whether he has any other trump cards. I should observe a little longer.

After considering it, Andres decided to let Inori and Resior exchange a few more moves before intervening.

In the sky, Alisson, who was watching the battle, was also greatly shocked.

"I never thought both of them had comprehended Treating Light as Heavy!"

"Treating Light as Heavy? What is that?" Hearing Alisson's shocked words, Teresa hurriedly asked.

"It is a realm, perfect control over one's own strength and Battle Qi. Though it does not increase the absolute amount of physical strength or Battle Qi, it allows that power to erupt like a burst dam, greatly increasing one's actual combat strength. Though I have already reached the Ninth Rank, I have not fully comprehended this realm either."

The more Teresa heard, the more astonished he became. "So besides Battle Qi, there are also realms that can increase one's strength."

"Of course. Battle Qi is only the foundation. The further one progresses in cultivation, the more important realms become. Beyond Treating Light as Heavy lies the realm of Drawing Upon Heaven and Earth. That is the level of Saint Realm experts. Your strength was too weak before, so I did not tell you," Alisson said.

"Treating Light as Heavy, Drawing Upon Heaven and Earth..." Teresa murmured, his eyes shining.

Looking at the two fighters, Alisson said quietly, "No wonder Resior still dared to fight after seeing that Inori had the Scarlet Scale Serpent. But Inori has also comprehended Treating Light as Heavy, so she should still have the greater chance of winning."

On the city wall.

After sensing Resior's strength, Inori was also greatly surprised.

The previous intelligence had never mentioned that Resior had mastered Treating Light as Heavy.

A Level Eight Warrior who had mastered Treating Light as Heavy was enough to contend with a Level Nine Warrior.

"So this is what you rely on," Inori said in a low voice.

"I never expected you to comprehend Treating Light as Heavy too." Resior grinned, with none of his previous confidence or arrogance diminished in the slightest.

"That only makes me want you as my slave even more!"

Resior slashed repeatedly, his offensive as fierce as a raging storm.

Hmph!

Inori neither dodged nor retreated, swinging her sword to meet his attacks head-on again and again.

Hiss

While the two were exchanging blows, the Scarlet Scale Serpent seized an opening and lunged fiercely at Resior. Its jaws opened wide as it bit toward Resior's neck.

The Scarlet Scale Serpent's venom was extremely potent; even the Battle Qi of a Level Eight expert would struggle to withstand it.

After that short Beastman was bitten by the Scarlet Scale Serpent just once, his right hand had been crippled. Its venomousness was obvious.

An arm could be severed, but a neck could not.

If Resior were bitten, he would certainly die.