Luo Hong Teaches You How to Efficiently Stack Shields

After an unknown amount of time, Luo Hong slowly woke amid a chorus of different voices. The intermittent stabbing pain in his head made him suck in a cold breath.

After swallowing a Healing Pill and regulating his breath for a while, Luo Hong finally felt a little better.

"This time, I was truly reckless! If my soul strength hadn't far surpassed that of ordinary people, I would have suffered badly!"

"I was too greedy. I still haven't fully grasped the true meaning of the True Scripture of the Coward. I can't casually use myself as an experiment anymore. I should find a chance to capture an Evil Cultivator... Hmm... would that be too cruel?

"Still, this proves that the soul does have a limit to how many Silver Runes it can bear."

Luo Hong had not expected the Silver Rune on a Fourth-Grade Flood Dragon Bone to place such a huge burden on his soul. It had far exceeded his estimates.

After warning himself, Luo Hong stepped out of the Spirit Gathering Array and summoned Elder Zhuo to ask about the time.

Today was the day the Minor Competition began. He could only grit his teeth and go.

"Young Master, are you really all right?" Elder Zhuo asked, his face full of worry.

Because the Spirit Wine Luo Hong brewed in his first year tasted terrible, yet he had been oblivious to it, he had listened to Liu Jing and gone to offer it to Li Huayuan, only to be harshly scolded. In a fit of anger, he had "invited" a master brewer from the mortal world to help him brew Spirit Wine.

That master brewer was Elder Zhuo. By now, not only did he spend every day in Fanghua Garden so happily that he had forgotten to leave, but he also regarded Luo Hong as the benefactor fate had sent him.

"It's nothing. I merely encountered a minor problem in cultivation." Luo Hong waved a hand and summoned his Green Light Sword, preparing to leave.

Elder Zhuo muttered internally, Young Master encounters problems in cultivation a bit too often.

Yellow Maple Valley's annual Minor Competition was held on a flat-topped mountain peak near the residences of newly admitted disciples. The reason was simple: those truly confident of winning the major competition would not participate in the Minor Competition, lest others learn the extent of their abilities.

Thus, most Minor Competitions were sparring matches between new disciples, unless someone wanted to take the opportunity to settle a private grudge.

When Luo Hong arrived at Flat Peak Mountain on his sword, figures were already darting about atop all ten arenas covered by protective formations. Fortunately, his numbered token was near the end, or he would have been disqualified for being late.

There were many disciples watching. Luo Hong began searching from a secluded corner and soon found Old Demon Han attentively observing the matches.

Luo Hong landed directly beside him. Just as he was about to greet Old Demon Han, Han Li's expression abruptly changed. He immediately retreated a step and placed a hand on his Storage Bag.

What was going on? Was there a Demon Beast behind me?!

Luo Hong was baffled.

"Senior Brother Luo, why does your soul seem so unstable?"

Han Li nervously watched Luo Hong's every movement, his gaze lingering on the Spirit Water Body Protection Talisman on Luo Hong's shoulder.

If Senior Brother Luo attacks me, I must immediately activate the Talisman Treasure. Could Not Possibly any other method of attack break through the Spirit Water Body Protection Talisman's defenses instantly.

Han Li could not be blamed for being so tense. Luo Hong's unstable soul looked far too much like the aftermath of Body Seizure, and Han Li was extremely wary of Body Seizure.

"Junior Brother Han, there is no need to worry. Your Senior Brother was merely too eager for quick results while cultivating a secret technique. It is nothing serious."

Luo Hong gave an explanation that was half true and half false.

"What a coincidence. I happen to have a set of acupuncture techniques that calm the mind and nourish the soul. It may be of help to Senior Brother."

Han Li appeared to relax, but he was actually ready to use the Shrouding Smoke Steps at any moment.

"Then please, Junior Brother Han, administer the needles quickly. I was just worried that this problem with my soul would affect my performance in the Minor Competition!"

Luo Hong generously exposed his back and sat down, demonstrating his sincerity.

A short while later, Han Li finished administering the needles. Luo Hong immediately felt that his soul injuries had healed by more than half. Not only had the intervals between the stabbing pains grown much longer, but the pain itself had also eased considerably.

During the treatment, Han Li had also ruled out the possibility that Luo Hong had suffered Body Seizure. Feeling somewhat ashamed, he handed Luo Hong a Healing Pill.

"Senior Brother Luo, since you are injured, it would be best to drink less wine."

"Junior Brother Han, you Don't Know. If I go a day without drinking, I'll die."

Unfortunately, Luo Hong was telling the truth, but Han Li took it as a joke.

Before long, the Foundation Establishment stage senior presiding over the Minor Competition called Luo Hong's number.

"Junior Brother Han, watch closely and see what your Senior Brother can do."

Han Li nodded slightly. He also wanted to know the true strength of this Senior Brother Luo, whose cultivation and aptitude were similar to his own.

After stepping onto the arena, Luo Hong took a look at his opponent. Though they wore the same robes, the strong air of the jianghu about the other man immediately told Luo Hong how to fight him.

"Do you both understand the rules of the Minor Competition?"

"This disciple understands." "This disciple understands!"

The Minor Competition followed the same rules as the major competition. Talismans and single-use consumables were prohibited, as were Pills that temporarily boosted one's strength. Crippling an opponent or taking a life was also forbidden.

After all, the Minor Competition was a rehearsal for the major competition, whose purpose was to select recipients of the Foundation Establishment Pill. Magic Artifacts were not banned only because otherwise, there would be no way to fight.

The internal contests of Yellow Maple Valley were far less intense than the Ascension Competition. Even so, Luo Hong immediately summoned the Spirit Turtle Shield at the start, then cast a Spirit Water Shield around himself, layering it outside the Spirit Turtle Shield.

Good habits had to be cultivated in daily life.

As expected, the Jianghu Qi Disciple gripped a Crimson Longsword and charged at Luo Hong using martial arts footwork.

The Spiritual Qi on the Crimson Longsword was not especially dense. At most, it was a high-grade Magic Artifact. Luo Hong ignored it, cast a Vajra Technique over himself, and greatly increased his defenses once more.

At that moment, the Jianghu Qi Disciple closed in and unleashed a combo of a left downward slash, a rightward slash, and a swift left thrust. Every attack was blocked by Luo Hong's thick layers of shields.

When it was Luo Hong's turn to counterattack, he flicked the middle fingers of both hands, firing Water Bullets one after another.

After a continuous series of explosions, the Jianghu Qi Disciple was merely panting from swinging his sword so much. His body remained completely unharmed.

During the following sword strikes, the Jianghu Qi Disciple clearly felt that his opponent's shields had become tougher. Perhaps he did not know that the dispersed Water Bullets had temporarily altered the concentration of Water Spiritual Qi in the surroundings.

Realizing that conventional methods Could Not Possibly break through Luo Hong's impenetrable defenses, the Jianghu Qi Disciple retreated and prepared to unleash a powerful sword technique.

Luo Hong did not hurry to interrupt his opponent's buildup. The Magic Art between his hands shifted rapidly, eventually forming a ball of Spiritual Qi that he tossed into the sky.

In an instant, white clouds churned, and spiritual rain rich in Water Spiritual Qi began to drizzle down.

Only then did Luo Hong truly launch his attack. His hands formed another series of seals, and he actually cast two intermediate low-grade Water Snake Techniques at once.

The Jianghu Qi Disciple was clearly cultivating a Fire Element Art, so his prepared killing move was naturally fire-elemental as well. In the Water Spiritual Qi-rich environment created by the Minor Rain Cloud Technique, it was heavily suppressed.

In contrast, the two water snakes Luo Hong formed from Magic Power were a full size larger than normal.

When they collided, the difference was immediately clear.

Entangled by the water snakes, the Jianghu Qi Disciple cleanly admitted defeat and stepped down from the arena.

Luo Hong easily won the following matches with the same routine. As long as his opponents could not break his defenses quickly, he would suppress them with a Minor Rain Cloud Technique and follow up with a full set of Water Element Spells.

Han Li watched from below the arena and nodded repeatedly.

Always stack shields when facing an enemy. I've learned it, Senior Brother Luo.