Le Bai was stronger than Zhu Zhuqing, and the direction in which he exerted force was perpendicular to hers. Her arm was uncontrollably lifted, veering away from its original attack trajectory and about to strike empty air.
"Second Soul Skill: Nether Hundred Claws!"
Zhu Zhuqing decisively followed up with her second Soul Skill. Ignoring her pushed-away right hand for the moment, she used her free left hand to rapidly claw at Le Bai under the skill's effect.
"Seven Treasures Famous—First: Strength!"
Ning Rongrong once again provided timely support, increasing Zhu Zhuqing's strength and boosting the power of her claw strike.
As for Le Bai, both his hands were occupied, and his dodging speed was slower than Zhu Zhuqing's attack. This could be called the most dangerous moment he had faced since the examination began.
However, Le Bai had no intention of bowing out just like that.
He released and condensed his Soul Power, pushing Zhu Zhuqing away while lightly jumping backward. Both feet temporarily left the ground, leaving him suspended in midair.
Zhu Zhuqing fought with all her strength against the Soul Power Le Bai had released. She did not retreat, only slowing slightly, and her claws were merely two fingers' breadth from hitting Le Bai!
Yet no matter what, those final two fingers' breadth never shortened.
For every bit Zhu Zhuqing advanced, Le Bai's body retreated by the same amount—while Zhu Zhuqing pushed forward against his Soul Power, she also gave the temporarily airborne Le Bai the force to move backward!
If Zhu Zhuqing could accelerate further, she still had a chance of crossing that distance and striking Le Bai.
However, the force driving Zhu Zhuqing forward came from her First Soul Skill, and the effect of a Soul Skill was limited. This was especially true for an Agility Attack System Soul Master's skills, which emphasized swift bursts rather than endurance.
After pushing Le Bai more than three meters, Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Skill ended, and she came to a stop.
Le Bai seized the opportunity to swiftly adjust his posture.
The advantage Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong had created vanished along with it, all their efforts wasted!
"These two girls have performed well!"
Zhao Wuji analyzed the fight as he watched. "That girl from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has excellent timing with her support, while the other one is fast, responsive, and decisive enough."
"But that alone isn't enough."
Dai Mubai, standing behind Zhao Wuji, said worriedly, "Le Bai is deliberately pretending that his explosive power is strong, but what he excels at most is actually a prolonged fight. The longer this drags on, the clearer Le Bai's advantage becomes. At this rate, I'm afraid the two of them won't last until the remaining incense burns out."
The battle developed exactly as Dai Mubai feared.
Zhu Zhuqing no longer had the strength to keep up her fierce assault. After only a slight adjustment, Le Bai immediately resumed attacking her—although this was a good chance to deal with Ning Rongrong, Le Bai worried that if Zhu Zhuqing ambushed him again, there might be the tiniest possibility of him losing.
And Ning Rongrong had no combat ability and could not run fast. Once Zhu Zhuqing was dealt with, Ning Rongrong would be a pure support whom he could take down in an instant.
At first, Zhu Zhuqing still had enough strength to fend him off, but she soon discovered that Le Bai's attacks remained steady and powerful, while she herself was gradually weakening as her Soul Power was depleted!
No! At this rate, I won't be able to hold out until the remaining incense burns out!
With that thought, Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and gave up continuing to grapple with Le Bai. She suddenly accelerated, nimbly evading his straightforward attacks, then ran to Ning Rongrong's side. "I'm no match for him! We have to find a way to stall for time!"
Ning Rongrong could see it too. Le Bai simply could not be judged by common sense. The effects that Martial Souls, Soul Power Levels, and Soul Rings had on combat ability seemed not to exist in him at all!
"All I can do is support you. The rest is up to you."
Ning Rongrong said with a grave expression.
"Whew..."
Zhu Zhuqing let out a soft breath. It seemed as though she had made some decision, and her entire body appeared a little more relaxed. "I know. Next, you might suffer a little."
"That's fine!"
Ning Rongrong struck a strong pose. "Don't let my appearance fool you—I work out regularly too!"
"That's for the best."
Watching Le Bai charge toward them, Zhu Zhuqing hoisted Ning Rongrong onto her shoulder and began fully utilizing her superior speed and agility. Abandoning all attacks, she focused entirely on moving and evading.
To Zhu Zhuqing, this was "running away"—a cowardly act of avoiding a direct contest, and the very thing she had least wanted to put into practice!
Three years ago, Dai Mubai, her fiancé in name, had silently abandoned her and fled. He had given up fighting and given up on her as well, escaping his country like a rat with its head tucked down!
Did one have to give up when there was no hope of victory?
Was fleeing the only option in a battle that could not be won?
Zhu Zhuqing did not think so. As long as she was alive, as long as her body could still move, she would never give up. Even if she died, she would not let those people have it easy!
However, after following the traces Dai Mubai had left behind all the way to Shrek, Zhu Zhuqing discovered that her fiancé in name did not seem to have given up.
His Soul Power had grown at an astonishing rate, even reaching a point where she could see the faintest glimmer of hope!
But why?
Hadn't he abandoned everything and run away back then?
Why, now that things had come to this, did it seem as though she was the one in the wrong?
Could it be that running away had been the correct choice back then, rather than struggling desperately like she had?
She did not know.
Zhu Zhuqing no longer understood what the "right" thing to do was.
"But if I'm running to achieve final victory, rather than running because I've given up..."
Maintaining her nimble movements, Zhu Zhuqing evaded Le Bai's straightforward attacks. Sweat dripped down as relief filled her face. "Then I can do it too!" (BGM: Khaki Take Off Too!)
The incense was nearly burned out.
"Hehehehe, Mu Bai, it seems your judgment was mistaken."
Zhao Wuji laughed in satisfaction. "That little girl you fancy is even more decisive than you thought. If she can't win, she runs. If she keeps running until the end, she wins."
"No, Teacher Zhao. Le Bai still isn't fighting with everything he has."
Dai Mubai's tone relaxed, and there was even a trace of gratitude when he mentioned Le Bai. "Although he hasn't held back in his attacks, Le Bai hasn't fully displayed his Soul Power Control ability."
"He can still hold something back?"
Zhao Wuji was somewhat skeptical. "With twenty-second-level Soul Power, even relying on that Spirit Power Overclocking and his extraordinary physical ability to raise it past level thirty, with an instantaneous burst approaching level forty, that should be very close to his limit, shouldn't it?"
"If it were only Spirit Power Overclocking, then it really would already be at its limit."
Dai Mubai recalled his experiences fighting Le Bai over the past three-plus years. "But Spirit Power Overclocking is merely a skill Le Bai uses to increase his Soul Power. It actually helps his combat ability far less than we thought. Le Bai's strongest traits are his physical strength and his Soul Power Control ability."
"No matter how strong that kid's body is, can it be stronger than yours after Martial Soul Possession?"
Zhao Wuji asked curiously. "I haven't really seen him fight by controlling Soul Power, either. Although it wasn't often, didn't I give you practical combat lessons a few times over the past few years? Le Bai never seemed to display the Soul Power Control ability you mentioned. I've only seen him use Spirit Power Overclocking."
"I asked him that question too."
Dai Mubai explained, "Le Bai's exact words at the time were, 'Practical combat lessons are meant to accumulate more real combat experience. There's no point in using tricky techniques.' I thought that made a lot of sense."
"No wonder every one of you acted as though you couldn't bear to use Soul Skills during practical combat lessons. So that was why."
Zhao Wuji believed him. As he looked at Le Bai, his eyes gained another measure of satisfaction. "What a Little Monster!"
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