"First Spirit Skill: Blue Silver Entanglement!" Seeing this, Tang San immediately unleashed Blue Silver Entanglement once more, trying to inject the paralytic poison and parasitic seeds from his Blue Silver Grass into Zhao Wuji through gaps in Zhao Wuji's defenses.
"First Spirit Skill: Hell Stab!"
Zhu Zhuqing seized the opportunity while Zhao Wuji and Lin Qing were deadlocked and used her first Spirit Skill to swiftly circle around behind Zhao Wuji.
"Second Spirit Skill: Hell Hundred Claws!" Having reached Zhao Wuji's back, Zhu Zhuqing instantly unleashed her second Spirit Skill. Her sharp claws flashed out, slashing hundreds of times at Zhao Wuji's back.
"The Seven Treasures have a name: first, strength!"
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing attack, Ning Rongrong immediately granted her a strength boost.
Blue Silver Grass vines wrapped around Zhao Wuji, but their barbs still could not pierce his skin. Zhu Zhuqing's Hell Hundred Claws likewise failed to break through his defenses, leaving only pale streaks across his back.
"You little brats, get back!" Zhao Wuji roared. He stomped forward with his right foot, and a powerful surge of Soul Power erupted from his body, shattering the Blue Silver Grass and sending Zhu Zhuqing flying backward.
"Third Spirit Skill: Gravity Enhancement!" The first purple Spirit Ring beneath Zhao Wuji's feet flashed, and gravity within a ten-meter radius around him suddenly doubled.
Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing, caught within the range, found it difficult to move under the crushing gravity. Lin Qing's spinning speed also slowed as the gravity abruptly increased.
"Second Spirit Skill: Vigorous Vajra Palm!" Zhao Wuji immediately used his second Spirit Skill again. His palms enlarged as he struck heavily at Lin Qing.
"Water Breathing: Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent!"
Seeing this, Lin Qing immediately used a variation of the Ninth Form. With a light tap of his toes, he scattered in all directions like white foam splashed up by flowing water, drifting chaotically before landing steadily on the ground.
When Zhao Wuji saw that his strike had hit nothing but air, he was instantly enraged.
"Kid, you're good at dodging, aren't you? Fourth Spirit Skill: Tracking Lock!" The second purple Spirit Ring beneath Zhao Wuji's feet flashed. At his gesture, the ring actually detached from beneath his feet and flew toward Lin Qing.
"A tracking Spirit Skill?" Lin Qing remained perfectly calm as Zhao Wuji's fourth Spirit Skill flew toward him.
"Since you want to track me, what will you do if I cannot be targeted?" Lin Qing said. "Teacher Zhao, let me show you my true strength as well!"
Lin Qing stood in place, lightly touching the ground with his blade tip as he instantly changed his sword form. "Mist Breathing: Seventh Form: Waterfall!"
Lin Qing's figure vanished, replaced by a vast expanse of mist that blanketed the entire plaza. The mist was everywhere, and Lin Qing was everywhere.
Zhao Wuji's purple Spirit Ring flew toward where Lin Qing had originally stood. But Lin Qing had already transformed into mist and hidden within it. He could neither be seen nor targeted, so naturally Zhao Wuji's Spirit Skill could not lock onto him. In the end, the ring flew back and settled beneath Zhao Wuji's feet once more.
However, Lin Qing did not sustain the mist for long. He withdrew it after only a dozen breaths or so. After all, only by playing sweet enough could he catch someone off guard.
"Huff, huff..." Lin Qing returned to his original position, gripping his Nichirin Blade as he exhaled softly and adjusted his breathing. The transition between Breathing Styles had been far too rapid just now, with almost no time to buffer, so he needed a moment to recover.
"Little monster, I have to admit it. You all—no, more precisely, you—are very strong. I can clearly sense that whether it's your combat techniques or your battle experience, you're on an entirely different level from the others," Zhao Wuji said.
At this point, the incense stick had only burned down by one-third.
"Is that so? Then thank you for the praise, Teacher Zhao," Lin Qing said.
The next moment, Lin Qing attacked again, transforming into a slender stream of water as he charged toward Zhao Wuji.
"Just as I thought. I said your battle experience far surpasses the others, and the moment I finished speaking, you came to launch a sneak attack. But it's useless!" Zhao Wuji said.
"Is that so? How would you know it's useless without trying?" Lin Qing revealed himself, now less than five meters from Zhao Wuji.
"Water Breathing: Seventh Form: Ripple Thrust!"
Lin Qing launched his attack without hesitation. Countless streams of piercing water struck toward Zhao Wuji in an instant, pouring down like a raging storm.
"First Spirit Skill: Immovable Vajra Body!"
"Third Spirit Skill: Gravity Enhancement!"
"Second Spirit Skill: Vigorous Vajra Palm!"
Zhao Wuji unleashed his first three Spirit Skills in succession, meeting Lin Qing's attack head-on.
Yet no matter how powerful Zhao Wuji's defenses were, he had only used his first three Spirit Skills. They were completely unable to withstand Lin Qing's storm-like assault.
Lin Qing's attacks battered Zhao Wuji's golden barrier, and in only three breaths, cracks began to appear across it.
Crack!
The barrier shattered with a sharp sound. Countless cracks spread across Zhao Wuji's shield as he continuously swung his massive bear paws, wearing down Lin Qing's attacks palm by palm.
Meanwhile, the other four stood nearby. The moment Tang San's Blue Silver Grass entered the area where the two were fighting, it was shattered by the powerful blade light and palm strikes. Zhu Zhuqing could not get anywhere near their battlefield either, and could only watch helplessly with her fists clenched.
Of the group, aside from Ning Rongrong, who could provide a little support through the amplification of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, no one could interfere in the battle between Lin Qing and Zhao Wuji.
Crack!
The defense of Zhao Wuji's first Spirit Skill finally shattered. He could only receive Lin Qing's attacks with his body, and in an instant, numerous wounds appeared across him.
"Damn it! Sixth Spirit Skill: Vigorous Vajra Roar!" Pressed down by Lin Qing's offensive, Zhao Wuji had no choice but to use his sixth Spirit Skill.
As the second-to-last Spirit Ring beneath Zhao Wuji's feet flashed, he thrust a palm forward, then opened his mouth wide and let out a furious roar at Lin Qing.
ROAR!
The roar covered the entire plaza. The other four were shaken so badly by it that their minds went blank, and they were sent directly out of the plaza. Afterward, aside from Tang San, who could still retain a trace of clarity, the rest were knocked unconscious by the roar.
As for Lin Qing, the roar's vibrations forced him back several steps. His head buzzed dully, echoes lingering in his ears and interrupting his attack.
"I truly didn't expect this. I, Zhao, a dignified Soul Sage, was actually forced to use my sixth Spirit Skill against a Soul Elder brat." Having been suppressed by Lin Qing the entire time, Zhao Wuji felt thoroughly humiliated. He glared at Lin Qing with an unfriendly expression. "Kid, today I'll teach you a lesson and show you what a true Soul Sage is!"
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