Are You Kidding Me?

Blood Manipulation was powerful in close combat. It could turn blood into weapons, strengthen defense with Blood Armor, and provide an all-around boost with Flowing Red Scale, but it fell far short of the powerful physique forged by Heavenly Motion.

Watching Kamo Xiansheng charge recklessly into close range, Qingxiao had only one thought left in his head: He's completely lost it.

Then Kamo Xiansheng's actions made him laugh in exasperation. "Does he think my muscles are just for show? Coming at me in close combat-how does he dare?"

Qingxiao had originally planned to kite him and wear him down, steadily depleting his health to clear the fight without taking damage. Yet Kamo Xiansheng had actually abandoned his ranged advantage to fight him up close.

In the blink of an eye, the figure was already upon him.

Facing the incoming punch, Qingxiao chose not to meet it head-on.

He slid a step sideways, easily avoiding Kamo Xiansheng's fist.

The instant he evaded the attack, Qingxiao advanced a step without the slightest hesitation. His waist and abdominal muscles drove a clean, powerful blow straight into Kamo Xiansheng's abdomen with pinpoint accuracy.

The punch carried Heavenly Motion's cursed energy, its force powerful and heavy enough to easily exorcise an ordinary Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.

Bam-!!

A deep, crushing impact thundered out, and the air abruptly rippled around the point of collision.

The expected sight of his opponent crumpling under a single punch never materialized.

The moment his fist connected, Qingxiao distinctly felt a hard, exceptionally resilient barrier stop it. His punch had been blocked.

At that moment, the same thought rose in both their minds: Are you kidding me?

Why is he so tough? That punch could exorcise even a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit outright, yet it couldn't even dent his body?

Kamo Xiansheng stiffened all over as the heavy punch struck his abdomen. Shock and lingering fear filled him, his abdominal cavity churned violently, and intense pain spread throughout his body.

Why does it hurt so much? Thank goodness! Thank goodness I used Blood Armor beforehand!

Without that layer of Blood Armor, the terrifying punch would definitely have punched straight through his abdominal cavity and shattered his internal organs.

Horrified, Kamo Xiansheng no longer dared to hold back and drove his cursed energy to its limit!

"Flowing Red Scale!"

The blood inside Kamo Xiansheng boiled and circulated at tremendous speed. Blood Manipulation enhanced every bodily function, sending his speed and strength soaring across the board as the air around him surged violently.

At the same time, blood condensed furiously in his palm, instantly forming a long, narrow, sharp crimson blade. He no longer dared to spare a single drop of blood.

He isn't a ranged sorcerer at all. I was completely blinded by his attrition tactics throughout the fight and misjudged his abilities!

His surging speed and strength steadied his stumbling figure. Nothing remained in Kamo Xiansheng's eyes but gravity and wariness.

Qingxiao withdrew his fist. Watching his opponent enter phase two, he felt nothing but resignation.

Ugh... why does every sorcerer have so many mechanics? This Blood Manipulation is way too versatile.

Declining Strength really is declining...

With Flowing Red Scale activated and the Blood Blade in hand, Kamo Xiansheng's offensive and defensive might were entirely different. Only now was Blood Manipulation's true close-combat power fully revealed before Qingxiao.

Without any further probing, he stamped hard against the ground, sending broken stones flying. His figure became a crimson afterimage as he instantly closed the distance to Qingxiao.

Gripping the Blood Blade, Kamo Xiansheng turned sideways and spun, unleashing a fierce horizontal slash!

The crimson blade tore through the air, its edge sharp enough to sever steel and shatter iron, heading straight for Qingxiao's vitals.

Qingxiao could clearly sense that Kamo Xiansheng was like a completely different person now. His speed and strength had both increased.

Qingxiao twisted at the waist and abruptly pulled back half a foot, narrowly avoiding the horizontal slash. The biting wind from the blade skimmed his clothes, slicing straight through the fabric and leaving a fleeting streak of blood in the air.

Despite missing, Kamo Xiansheng did not panic in the slightest. He already controlled the rhythm.

Carrying the momentum of his spin upward, he changed the Blood Blade's horizontal slash into an upward sweep, sending a top-down attack straight at the spot where Qingxiao would land after dodging.

In close combat, the worst thing was to fall into an opponent's rhythm.

Qingxiao knew that continuing to dodge passively would only leave him completely on the back foot, so he simply stopped retreating.

Throughout their exchange, he had not used Heavenly Motion's cursed energy to protect his body. Coating himself in cursed energy would slow him down, which would have been disadvantageous in the earlier fight. Right now, however, there was no better time to use it.

Qingxiao abruptly raised his arm and blocked the crimson blade head-on.

Clang-!!

An ear-splitting metallic crash rang out across the entire area. Sparks flew the instant the blade collided with flesh.

The powerful, sharp Blood Blade hacked hard into the skin of his forearm. His cursed energy protection had not fully spread yet and guarded only part of it, failing to cover all the flesh on the surface.

Even his formidable physique, tempered by Heavenly Motion, could not negate all the damage. His skin split instantly, revealing a distinct bloody line. The sharp blade bit into his muscle, bringing intense soreness and a dull numbness that left his entire arm tingling and stiff.

Fortunately, the cursed energy canceled out most of the force, leaving Qingxiao's follow-up attack unaffected.

Although his last attack had not been at full strength, seeing its meager results sent towering waves of shock through Kamo Xiansheng's heart:

How can he be this tough? The Blood Blade can only cut his skin and flesh-it can't damage his bones at all!

Qingxiao had gauged his opponent's condition through these two exchanges. Stinging pain kept coming from the wound on his forearm, and his expression was grave. The boost after activating Flowing Red Scale really is powerful. His attacks are fast and vicious. Should I keep kiting him until this wears off?