A Display of Might (3)

Lin Qing patted his head and looked to the side. All four of them had been knocked unconscious by Zhao Wuji's sixth Spirit Skill, and their injuries looked quite serious. Tang San was the exception; after all, he had cultivated the Purple Demon Eyes, so his spiritual power far surpassed that of the others.

Lin Qing turned his gaze to the incense stick planted at the edge of the square. Though it felt as though they had been fighting for a long time, the incense had only burned down by nearly one-third.

"Is that so, Teacher Zhao? Then let me see what you can do. Perfect—I also want to see the gap between myself and a Soul Sage." Lin Qing straightened up, gripping his Nichirin Blade, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Good brat! How arrogant!" Zhao Wuji was so angered by Lin Qing's attitude that he laughed. He stomped hard, no longer concealing his aura as he released it in full.

Feeling Zhao Wuji's strength, Lin Qing sensed a trace of pressure. Yet rather than feeling afraid, he grew slightly excited.

"Water Breathing: First Form: Water Surface Slash!" Lin Qing launched the first attack, sending a slash at Zhao Wuji.

"Brat, that move again? It can't hurt me!" Zhao Wuji said.

He merely clenched his right hand into a fist, fully activated his Martial Soul, and shattered the attack with one punch. Water droplets scattered everywhere, splashing onto Zhao Wuji.

Yet Lin Qing paid no attention to Zhao Wuji. He stood where he was, concentrating on regulating his breathing as he smoothly switched Breathing Styles.

As Lin Qing's breathing rhythm changed, faint arcs of electricity flickered across his body. "Thunder Breathing: Second Form: Rice Spirit!"

Of all the Breathing Styles Lin Qing had mastered so far, Thunder Breathing possessed the greatest explosive power, which was why he chose it for the main battle.

Lin Qing opened his eyes, lightning flashing within them. He swung five consecutive slashes forward, and five different bolts of lightning instantly appeared before Zhao Wuji.

"First Spirit Skill: Immovable Vajra Body!"

Lin Qing's slashes were too fast, leaving Zhao Wuji no choice but to hastily use his first Spirit Skill to defend himself.

Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

Lightning flashed as electric currents surged wildly across Zhao Wuji's body. Thunder Breathing's tyrannical explosive force and penetration broke through Zhao Wuji's defense with the third bolt, while the final two blasts directly scorched his entire body black.

"Thunder Breathing: Fourth Form: Distant Thunder!"

Seeing Zhao Wuji's defense breached, Lin Qing immediately pressed the advantage. He unleashed the Fourth Form, launching a long-range surprise attack and arriving before Zhao Wuji in an instant, blade sweeping toward him.

Zhao Wuji could not react in time and could only use his bear paw to meet Lin Qing's strike.

Sizzle!

Bang!

The sound of electricity was followed by a violent explosion. Zhao Wuji was forced back several steps, and a deep wound appeared on his palm. However, Lin Qing's lightning had charred it black, so no blood dripped from it.

As for Lin Qing, although he had seized the initiative and wounded Zhao Wuji, Zhao Wuji's force had also knocked him back, drawing a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Lin Qing wiped away the blood with his left thumb, gripped his Nichirin Blade again, and prepared to attack once more.

Seeing Lin Qing's movement, Zhao Wuji immediately prepared to unleash another Spirit Skill.

"Thunder Breathing: Fourth Form: Distant Thunder!"

Lin Qing once again chose the Fourth Form for a surprise attack.

"Third Spirit Skill: Gravity Enhancement!"

"Fifth Spirit Skill: Gravity Compression!"

The third and fifth Spirit Rings beneath Zhao Wuji's feet lit up in succession as he released two Spirit Skills one after another.

The third Spirit Skill, Gravity Enhancement, increased the gravity weighing upon Lin Qing and weakened his speed. Then came the fifth Spirit Skill, Gravity Compression. Enormous force closed in from every direction, crushing Lin Qing toward the center and pinning him firmly around three meters away from Zhao Wuji.

"Brat, it's over." Only then did Zhao Wuji drag his somewhat scorched body closer to Lin Qing.

"Second Spirit Skill: Vigorous Vajra Palm!"

Zhao Wuji's second Spirit Ring flashed as he extended a pair of enormous bear paws and slammed them toward Lin Qing's chest.

"Thunder Breathing: Third Form: Gathering Flood Dragons into Thunder!" Lin Qing exerted all his strength, tightly gripping his blade and twisting his body, forcing himself to rotate beneath Zhao Wuji's Gravity Compression.

Lin Qing's body spun at high speed, countless arcs of electricity hissing from him. In the next instant, the lightning around him condensed into countless dense thunder blades, slashing in every direction and breaking through the blockade.

Zhao Wuji's attack also struck the blade Lin Qing had swung out. Palm met blade, blade met palm. Lin Qing unleashed several sword flashes in succession, while Zhao Wuji sent out several palm imprints. The sword flashes collided with the palm imprints, erupting with tremendous impact.

"Thunder Breathing: Fifth Form: Heat Lightning Realm!" Lin Qing swung his blade at high speed, unleashing a lightning slash carrying intense heat.

The lightning slash pierced through Zhao Wuji's palm imprints and struck his body. Electricity tore through Zhao Wuji's skin, while the high heat scorched his flesh, making it seem as though a faint scent of cooked meat wafted from him.

"Thunder Breathing: First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!" Lin Qing lowered his body into a sword-drawing stance. Lightning surged around him as though it could erupt at any moment.

In the next moment, Lin Qing transformed into a bolt of lightning and charged toward Zhao Wuji. The lightning was incomparably terrifying, destroying the ground along its path.

Seeing the power of Lin Qing's attack, Zhao Wuji did not dare underestimate him. He immediately acted. "Seventh Spirit Skill: Martial Soul Avatar!"

Zhao Wuji's body abruptly grew several times larger, and he directly transformed into a ferocious giant bear over five meters tall. Then his aura surged explosively, becoming more than four or five times stronger than before!

Feeling this immense power, Lin Qing understood that the strength he was currently displaying was still nowhere near enough to challenge a Soul Sage. However, if he went all out, he might be able to contend with, or even defeat, a Soul Sage. But with the strength he had shown now, at most he could fight a High-Rank Soul Emperor in his normal state.

Seeing this, Lin Qing immediately changed forms. "Thunder Breathing: Sixth Form: Thunderous Electric Roar!"

Lin Qing abruptly halted and unleashed countless bolts of electricity in every direction. Wherever the lightning touched, crackling sounds rang out.

The range of Lin Qing's lightning domain was enormous, directly covering the entire square except for the area where Xiao Wu and the other three lay, Zhao Wuji included.

Roar!

Within the lightning domain, Zhao Wuji's enlarged body gave his opponents a greater target to strike. Yet after using Martial Soul Avatar, Lin Qing's attacks could still injure him, but only enough to scorch his skin.

"Sixth Spirit Skill..."

"Wait, Teacher Zhao!" Seeing Zhao Wuji about to use another Spirit Skill, Lin Qing immediately shouted and stopped attacking, ready to defend at any moment.

"What? Brat, are you trying to toy with me, Zhao?" Though Zhao Wuji stopped moving, his expression remained gloomy.

"Teacher Zhao, the time for one incense stick has already passed!" Lin Qing pointed toward a stone at the side that his lightning had blasted into a charred remnant.

Zhao Wuji looked over and saw only blackened rubble. But upon closer inspection, there was an extremely short piece of wooden stick still embedded inside the stone.