'That piece of trash couldn't even last this long?'
The black-clad man's expression was dark as he locked eyes with Zhao Xuanqi.
After a brief stare-down, he immediately turned back, intending to finish off Cai Mingliang—whose eyes were hazy and who could pass out at any moment—to eliminate any loose ends or unpredictable factors.
However, how could Zhao Xuanqi possibly stand by and watch him cut down a fellow disciple right before his eyes?
Given Cai Mingliang's status and skill, his death on this mission would undoubtedly affect the evaluation. Zhao Xuanqi had no desire for his first assignment to end like this.
Tiger Assault!
He dropped his center of gravity and shot forward like a tiger pouncing on its prey, instantly closing the distance to block the black-clad man's path.
"Quick... run..."
Lying against the wall, Cai Mingliang struggled to hang on. His body felt weak, and blood trickled from his mouth and nose. Though his vision was blurry, he fought to stay conscious. His lips twitched, as if trying to shout something to Zhao Xuanqi.
Unfortunately, his voice was too weak, and Zhao Xuanqi couldn't hear him at all.
He didn't want Zhao Xuanqi to rescue him. It would be futile; they would most likely both die here. If Zhao Xuanqi could get away, he could at least report this to the Martial Arts Hall and perhaps avenge him.
Secret Medicine Fighter. It was a personal enhancement technology from the Great Powers, and one of the cornerstones of the Six Nations' dominance.
Even the lowest-grade Secret Medicine Fighter was more than a match for any Martial Artist below the Cross-Training realm in a head-on fight.
If he stayed, Zhao Xuanqi would most likely suffer the same fate.
"If you're so eager to die, I'll kill you first! It makes no difference to me!"
A murderous glint flashed in the black-clad man's eyes. He brought his long saber around and brought it down in a vicious diagonal slash.
With a roar that tore through the air, the slash's speed and power surpassed the realm of Nine Sounds.
WHEEZE!! WHEEZE!!
A terrifying breathing sound echoed. What was most frightening was that the man's Sword Technique didn't end with a single strike. After the first slash, he abruptly twisted his leg and waist, and a second attack followed on its heels!
It was like the tide, relentless and unending!
The man seemed to turn into a spinning top, constantly rotating, each slash fierce and delivered with sweeping, open movements.
Chain Saber!
Cai Mingliang witnessed this through his blurry vision, a bitter smile touching his lips.
'It's over.'
He had been defeated by this very Continuous Ring Blade Technique moments ago. Bolstered by the physical enhancements of a Secret Medicine Fighter, once this Sword Technique latched onto you, there was no escape. The assault was relentless, and sooner or later, exhaustion would create an opening.
Moreover, Tiger Form Fist's strengths did not lie in its Body Technique or Stepping Technique, making it exceedingly difficult to escape the opponent's assault.
Six Harmonies Linked Ring Saber!
This was precisely the Sword Technique the black-clad man was using!
Qi! Power! Technique!
Waist! Legs! Arms!
These were the "Six Harmonies" of the Six Harmonies Linked Ring Saber. For this Sword Technique, Qi came first.
The Chain Saber techniques were executed in a continuous flow, demanding sustained bursts of power from the body. This required the ability to handle high-intensity exertion for extended periods, and the key to it all was breathing!
Only with powerful lung function, providing a large supply of oxygen to the body, could one guarantee sustained explosive power.
The black-clad man's lungs possessed a power far beyond that of an ordinary person, making them a perfect match for this Sword Technique. When he used it, an average Nine Sounds practitioner would be hacked apart and reveal an opening within a few exchanges. Against an opponent whose Tiger Form Fist was already poor at Body Technique, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Rushing forward was simply suicide!
'So his lungs really do have an abnormal function? It's very similar to a characteristic of the Inner Cultivation realm. The resulting boost in power is truly incalculable. Just how did he achieve it?'
Zhao Xuanqi's eyes narrowed, and his Tiger Form Stance abruptly shifted.
He held daggers in both hands, letting his arms hang low. He drew in his chest and abdomen, which made his arms appear unnaturally long. The ferocity of his Tiger Form Fist's footwork was gone, replaced by an elusive, agile movement, like an old ape leaping through a deep mountain forest.
Within the Fierce Form, the shape best suited for weapons like swords and daggers was the White Ape Form. This was the origin of the ancient martial arts concept of the "White Ape Shouldering a Sword."
Under the assault of the Six Harmonies Linked Ring Saber, Zhao Xuanqi didn't try to block at all. Instead, he used an uncanny and nimble stepping technique to dodge several slashes in a row.
"You're not using Tiger Form Fist?!"
The black-clad man shouted in surprise.
'Not Tiger Form Fist...'
Cai Mingliang took in the sight of Zhao Xuanqi's evasions, but he had held on for too long. His eyelids grew heavy, his mind clouded over, and unable to resist any longer, he closed his eyes and finally passed out.
'I can't hit him?! This isn't Tiger Form Fist! What kind of Stepping Technique is this?!'
The black-clad man slashed five times, yet not a single blow managed to touch Zhao Xuanqi!
'If my normal attacks can't hit, I'll use Sound Force!'
CRACK!!
He mixed Sound Force into his Continuous Ring Blade Technique. The moment he unleashed the Sound Force, the speed and power of his Sword Technique leaped to a new level. By mixing normal attacks with Sound Force, the varying speeds made his movements even harder to predict!
Once he used Sound Force, even Zhao Xuanqi could no longer dodge with ease.
Within a few slashes, the blade's edge had already disrupted his evasive rhythm, forcing him to use Sound Force to get back in sync.
Sound Force against Sound Force!
It wasn't that Zhao Xuanqi didn't want to attack; he just couldn't find an opening. With this body's current physical state, it was already a struggle just to dodge the opponent's attacks, let alone find an opportunity to counter.
For a moment, the fight seemed to fall into a stalemate.
But this stalemate could only be temporary.
If either side's Physical Ability faltered or they revealed the slightest opening, the situation could change in an instant.
'I used Sound Force twice in the earlier fight, and I haven't had nearly enough time to recover. Normal dodging and attacking also put a heavy strain on my Physical Ability. This means, in my current state, I can probably use Sound Force four or five more times at most.'
'I don't know what his Physical Ability is like, but the abnormality in his lungs must give him incredible endurance. I'm afraid he can unleash Sound Force far more than nine times.'
'Twelve? Thirteen? Or even more?'
'How much Physical Ability did he use fighting Cai Mingliang? How much does he have left?'
Zhao Xuanqi assessed their respective situations in a flash, but no matter how he looked at it, he was clearly at a disadvantage.
Yet, the more dangerous the moment, the calmer his mind became. He was like a great beast lying in wait, patiently biding his time for the perfect opportunity.
A powerful aura emanated from him, grating on his opponent's nerves. It was a silent warning that the slightest pause, the smallest lapse in concentration, would lead to utter annihilation.
'Can't hit him! Can't hit him!'
'Two of my Sound Forces just to trade for one of his?'
'To have this kind of strength, he must be a Nine Sounds master at least, right? Even with my abnormal lungs, I have the stamina for fifteen Sound Forces at most. I already used Three Sounds at once to get a quick victory against the other guy.'
'How many did he use to kill Zheng Cang?'
'Why isn't he panicking? How much strength does he have left? Is he waiting for me to exhaust myself?'
'No, I can't let it drag on like this. I have to do something.'
Under the pressure of Zhao Xuanqi's powerful aura, and with the continuation of his own attack, the black-clad man, who should have had the upper hand, was paradoxically growing more panicked.
He didn't dare risk an all-out clash, nor did he want to. He clearly had the advantage; there had to be a better way.
As he continued to swing his long saber, his chest and abdomen swelled dramatically.
Now was the time!!
WHOOSH!!
As he brought his saber down in a slash and Zhao Xuanqi dodged, the man suddenly contracted his lungs. A blast of highly compressed air shot from his mouth like a Qi Sword, aimed straight at Zhao Xuanqi's face.
The powerful gust of air instantly struck Zhao Xuanqi's eyes, forcing them shut against his will.
This was his trump card!
The ability to use his powerful lungs to harm someone with his breath in the middle of combat was practically a Superpower.
Qi Swordsmanship!
This killing blow had helped him finish off countless opponents.
Today, another powerful foe would fall to this very technique!
'With your eyes blinded, let's see you dodge my saber now!'
A savage grin spread across the black-clad man's face as he twisted at the waist and unleashed a vicious diagonal slash!
However, though his eyes were blinded by the Qi Sword, Zhao Xuanqi showed no sign of panic. On the contrary, the hint of a smile played on his lips.
The moment the stalemate was broken was when his greatest opportunity had arrived.
'Once the continuous momentum of the Chain Saber is broken, how much of its power can possibly remain?'
His body seemed to become still.
The sound of the wind, the sound of Force Release, the sound of footsteps, his own intuition, and the image of his opponent's posture just before his eyes closed—all of it flashed through his mind, instantly reassembled by his immense Martial Dao experience.
In the darkness before his eyes, a ray of light seemed to flash.
It was a warning light from his spirit.
The cicada feels the golden wind before it stirs!!
Zhao Xuanqi suddenly bent low at the waist, and the diagonal slash sliced through the air right above him.
The next moment, he shot back up. Before his vision had fully recovered, he used the explosive, rebounding force of his core to lunge forward viciously.
His right arm moved like a supple whip, and empowered by Sound Force, it shot out in a sudden thrust.
SHLICK!!
The dagger's tip plunged directly into the black-clad man's side, and crimson blood spurted out.
"You!!!"
The black-clad man stumbled back several steps, his face instantly turning deathly pale, filled with disbelief and fear.
He didn't understand how, under those circumstances, the other party had managed to counter-attack.
He was so sure victory was in his grasp.
'Does he have a third eye? Or... is he like me, a Secret Medicine Fighter? Does he also have a special physical function?'
"You're also... a Secret Medicine Fighter?"
The black-clad man clutched the wound on his side and asked in a low voice.
"Secret Medicine Fighter? You mean having the enhanced effect of a certain bodily function ahead of time?"
"A very interesting technology, but I don't need it."
Zhao Xuanqi spoke calmly, his vision now fully restored. He stepped forward again, giving his opponent no chance to catch his breath.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!!
Three bursts of Sound Force, three strikes of the White Ape Stabbing Sword.
With his side pierced, organs damaged, and bleeding internally, the black-clad man's Physical Ability and reflexes had plummeted. How could he possibly withstand Zhao Xuanqi's onslaught?
After the three strikes, three ghastly, bloody holes had been torn into his neck, chest, and abdomen.
Blood and filth splattered on the ground.
Filled with confusion and bitter indignation, the light faded from his eyes as he collapsed heavily onto the ground.