The two of them didn't unleash any particularly powerful abilities right away.
Instead, the moment they clashed, the Sword of Destruction and the Coiling Dragon Staff intertwined.
The staff spun and swung constantly in Qiangu Zhangting's hands, its terrifying shadows crashing down toward Chen Zhou.
Chen Zhou held his sword in both hands, never giving an inch.
Because he needed to fuse with the terrifying Soul Spirit, the Break Evil Dragon, Qiangu Zhangting's cultivation had progressed very slowly.
That was precisely why he had focused his efforts on mastering the Qiangu Clan's ancestral staff techniques and honing his combat skills.
Chen Zhou needed no explanation.
Thousands of deaths' worth of experience, coupled with guidance from a top-tier powerhouse like Neuvillette, had given him plenty of combat experience as well.
So when the two of them clashed, every move was deadly.
As the Sword of Destruction suddenly shattered, countless watery images turned into droplets of the Water of Destruction and exploded with a roar.
Qiangu Zhangting reacted quickly.
He stepped back slightly, while slamming his staff against the ground. At the same time, his First Soul Ring and Second Soul Ring lit up.
The staff in his hands suddenly grew enormous, and a giant black Break Evil Dragon on it reared its head and roared.
Its terrifying power rippled outward, directly driving back the Water of Destruction.
But the Water of Destruction exploded too, so neither the shockwave nor the destructive force reached Chen Zhou.
Watching this, Chen Zhou's eyes flickered.
He raised his hand, and a stream of water, pure to the extreme, gathered in his palm.
The next moment, the stream glided forward and took the shape of a Coiling Dragon Staff.
Seeing a Coiling Dragon Staff identical to his own, Qiangu Zhangting's emotions visibly stirred. Then fury took over.
This was a mere collateral-line disciple, someone unworthy of possessing the Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul.
Now, in the middle of their fight, his opponent had actually simulated the Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul. It was nothing less than an insult to the Qiangu Clan.
"You collateral-line scum, how dare you simulate the Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul? Are you asking to die?"
Qiangu Zhangting's voice dripped with murderous intent, but Chen Zhou couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind.
Who wasted time talking in the middle of a fight? If you could hit them, you didn't need to talk.
He flung the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand. The staff, which had looked ordinary, suddenly began to swell, then came crashing down toward the earth.
Seeing that Chen Zhou was completely ignoring him, Qiangu Zhangting gritted his teeth.
The Break Evil Dragon Martial Soul behind him roared, then surged forward.
Qiangu Zhangting stamped down hard and charged after it, Coiling Dragon Staff in hand.
The Coiling Dragon Staff and the Break Evil Dragon collided, while the Break Evil Dragon charged straight at Chen Zhou himself.
Watching the Break Evil Dragon Martial Soul rush toward him, Chen Zhou finally spoke:
"Brother Qiangu Zhangting, please calm down!"
There was a hint of helplessness in Chen Zhou's voice, which left Qiangu Zhangting momentarily stunned.
For a moment, he couldn't figure out what the other man was trying to do.
But even as he stared at the Coiling Dragon Staff, he didn't stop attacking right away.
As Chen Zhou uttered the final two words, "calm down," a dark-blue snake over three meters long burst from beneath his feet.
The terrifying dark-blue snake ignored the oncoming Break Evil Dragon entirely and rushed straight at Qiangu Zhangting without the slightest pause.
Then its massive body coiled around him, pinning him in place in an instant, his body twisted into a contorted position.
It all happened so suddenly. While Qiangu Zhangting hesitated over whether to keep attacking, the dark-blue snake had already wrapped itself around him.
The next second, Chen Zhou's hand abruptly relaxed, and the Coiling Dragon Staff he had conjured shattered with a roar.
Countless streams of the Water of Destruction surged around Chen Zhou, forming a massive suit of armor around him.
The Break Evil Dragon coiled over the armor, its body twisted as well. The surrounding evil energy slammed wildly against Chen Zhou's armor, but for the moment, it couldn't affect him at all.
Seeing this, and feeling the sound of bones breaking in his body, Qiangu Zhangting's face twisted with anger.
He hadn't expected the brat to be so underhanded, but Chen Zhou didn't hesitate for a moment.
He raised his hand and took a step forward, passing straight through the watery armor and the Break Evil Dragon curled up inside it, slipping out through a gap.
The Sword of Destruction, condensed from the Water of Destruction, appeared in his hand again, but this time it transformed into a bow.
As he slowly drew the bowstring, the Break Evil Dragon behind him tried to counterattack. The watery armor shattered once more, turning into the Water of Destruction and completely enveloping the Break Evil Dragon. For the moment, it could neither break free nor fight back.
Chen Zhou calmly raised his hand and set an arrow of the Water of Destruction against the bowstring.
As the arrow was drawn back, Qiangu Zhangting's face twisted with rage:
"How dare you treat me like this? You little brat, you're just a collateral-line disciple. Do you know what happens when you offend me? I can make you wish you were dead!"
Qiangu Zhangting gritted his teeth. The pain had twisted his expression into a mask of agony.
He glared at Chen Zhou, refusing to believe that this collateral-line disciple would dare kill him.
His opponent's strength had shocked him, but his first instinct still wasn't to beg for mercy. Instead, he cursed at the collateral-line disciple, wanting the lowly wretch to kneel before him and pledge his allegiance.
But he had clearly underestimated Chen Zhou—and the defiant streak of a young man raised in the modern world.
Chen Zhou slowly lowered his raised hand.
Seeing that Chen Zhou hadn't attacked, Qiangu Zhangting's face twisted into a vicious sneer:
"Make this beast let go of me! Do you really want to kill me? Do you know what the consequences will be?"
"What a spineless bastard. Wouldn't it be better to die outright? You just had to make me humiliate you first."
Chen Zhou's voice was perfectly calm, even tinged with indifference.
As he slowly stepped closer, water gathered around him. The terrifying current formed a giant water snake that lunged at the Break Evil Dragon trapped inside.
The next instant, the Break Evil Dragon's body exploded amid the terrifying Water of Destruction.
The Soul Spirit shattered, and its immense agony slammed into Qiangu Zhangting's mind.
He threw his head back and screamed. He tried to collapse to his knees, but the snake had him bound tight, forcing him to remain upright on his knees and preventing him from falling flat.
Watching this, Chen Zhou calmly walked over to Qiangu Zhangting.
Qiangu Zhangting's head hung low, but his eyes remained fixed on Chen Zhou, blazing with murderous hatred:
"You worthless bastard! I'll never let you get away with this! Once I'm out, I'll kill your whole family! None of the collateral-line disciples from your branch deserve to live in this world!"
"You really think Leng Yaozhu can protect you? I'm the Spirit Pagoda Master's own grandson. If I want something done, there's nothing I can't do!"
"I'll watch your parents die right in front of you, and I'll watch you break down in grief!"