On the stage, Ezio stood nonchalantly staring at his opponent. His eyes were cold and were in contrast to his childish cute face. Deep blue eyes had fires in them, clashing with Tian Huang's who stood at the other side.
Tian Huang was smiling. He thought he had his prey in his net. He was trying to fight with Ezio when he asked him to bow. All along, he was aiming to fight with this bastard once again, and now he achieved his goal. But unfortunately for him. Ezio wasn't being hotheaded, but he was calculative when he proposed the fight.
Tian Huang took out the spear gifted to him by his grandfather. It was Baron Grade. When the spear appeared, the air around Tian Huang changed. The oppressive feeling started to spread from the tip of the spear he was holding. He himself was like a spear ready to pierce the heavens.
Ezio looked at his opponent and thought in his heart. "He really awakened his first signium from the Third Curtain. It is not half bad."
Ezio took out his dagger from the Mysterious Room, by fakely touching his spatial scroll. As soon as the dagger appeared, the onlookers' eyes widened with astonishment.
"It is a Quasi-Viscount Grade."
"It was true after all. He really had a Quasi-Viscount Grade."
"But what good Quasi-Viscount Grade daggers have? There is no dagger art in the sect."
"You are right. If you don't have a technique compatible with the weapon, the grade is not important at all."
"Right. And the higher the grade of the weapon, the harder it is to use. A Qi Vortex Creation Realm cultivator cannot use Viscount Grade Weapon."
"But he is Ezio."
"Yes, he has the Seamless Body. What do you fools know?"
The discussion was going on in the crowd, but these were irrelevant to the two on the stage. Staring at each other, they dashed at the same time.
Ezio fought with Tian Huang before and he knew his powers and skills. Yet the mastery Tian Huang had over spear art was several times higher than they fought before.
This was the charm of the Force Signiums. By awakening Signium from the Third Curtain, his mastery over spear art increased tremendously even though he hadn't really adjusted to this new power yet. The mastery was a bestowment of the Signium and the degree would only increase in time.
But Ezio wasn't any lesser. He had a high-tier dagger art and he was getting better at it with each passing day. Even though he would not reveal its real value to others, using it was still fine. Most people would think he learned the techniques from Abbot. Abbot would think he found it himself and wouldn't covet it. Geniuses have fortuitous encounters all the time.
Tian Huang's spear was horizontal, aiming at Ezio's heart. His eyes were ferocious.
Ezio held the dagger vertically, pointing to the ground. His dagger was held in his right hand close to his chest, and his posture was low. Akin to a wolf ready to pounce.
Wolves were smart. They would use their numbers and tactics to hunt the animals. They would target prey and follow patiently for an appropriate opportunity. When they decided it was a good time to attack, they would aim for vitals and kill in the shortest time.
But wolves were proud beasts. Especially Azure Wolf King that Ezio had inherited. The manual of the Azure Wolf King was based on speedy, sneaky, and deadly attacks mostly. But, there were some attacks for front confrontation as well.
Because Ezio was now in the open, and could not use the hidden attacks of The Azure Wolf King's Eternal Fang Art, he had to use frontal attacks. One of them being Vital Piercer.
It was the only frontal attack of the First Stage of The Azure Wolf King's Eternal Fang. Relying on explosive speed and attacking the heart or neck with a strong pierce.
In the aspect of piercing attacks, the spear was the king of all weapons. With its length and a sharp point, it was easier to pierce the enemy. But because it was longer, it was harder to control. It wasn't as nimble as a dagger.
Understanding what his opponent was up to, Tian Huang used wide-area spear attacks of the Tian Family. Thousand Spears Piercing Tiger!
"Tian Huang is a real genius. It hasn't been a week since he has awakened, yet he can still use the spear to this extent." One of the onlookers under the stage said in astonishment.
"Tian Family has hundreds of years of Spear Art inheritance. It isn't strange for them to master spear art before awakening. Most of them choose Spear-related signiums."
"You are right. Except for Tian Yan, all of them awaken with spear signiums."
"Still, I have never seen any of them using Thousand Spears Piercing Tiger with a Signium before. Isn't it a little bit overpowered?"
"Yes. I think Ezio will lose. Third Curtain Signium is not in name only."
"I betted 2 golds on Ezio!"
"Serves you right. How can a Qi Vortex Creation Realm win against a Qi Force Opening Realm."
The crowd was astonished by Tian Huang's attack, but before long they were dumbfounded by Ezio's evasions.
Countless spear shadows materialized in front of Ezio, but all of them dodged by him one by one. There were many of them, but they weren't instantaneous, and thus were dodgeable. When Ezio was next to Tian Huang, he swung his dagger to his right shoulder.
Normally this attack would aim at his opponent's neck or heart with explosive piercing. But killing was prohibited in the sect, and Ezio was against it anyway. He could also pierce his dantian, but this would cripple his opponent, and he wasn't willing to do that either.
The dagger was about to cut open Tian Huang's shoulder, but a sudden force pushed away Ezio from his side, and with a sudden piercing, the spear was on his shoulder.
"I refrained from crippling you because I was too lazy to deal with your Grandfather, but here you are attacking me viciously." Ezio thought in his heart and jumped back before Spear could touch him.
At this time, there was a Spear floating on top of Tian Huang's head. It was in motion to pierce the sky. This was the Force Signium Tian Huang had awakened. Heaven Piercing Spear!
There were two features of most of the Signiums. First, providing passive talent of the Singium's attribute. For example, increasing Spear proficiency when awakening Spear Signium.
The second was the direct use of Signium, usually explosive damage. In Tian Huang's case, it was a spear skill with a piercing boost. So long as he kept the Signium active, he would get the full boost.
For cultivators who had awakened their signiums not that long ago, activating the said Signium would allow them to utilize its full effect. Unless mastered, a deactivated signium would not give the full effect. Because it had only been a week since Tian Huang had awakened his Signium, it was practically impossible for him to master it. Thus to utilize its full power, he had to display the signium.
This was a huge disadvantage. In this case, it wasn't that important. Because Ezio already knew what Tian Huang's Force Signium was. But if it were a deathmatch in the outside world, the one who mastered their Force Signium would have the advantage of the information. Since the shown Signium would allow the opponent to know its powers to some extent.
Just by looking at the Signium, Ezio could say it was giving mastery over spear proficiency, and piercing mastery to Tian Huang.
Ezio already knew what Tian Huang could offer, thus he was prepared.
Using the minute amount of Mana Force under his feet, Ezio dashed to the Tian Huang side. Because Tian Huang attacked mercilessly, Ezio stopped caring about the consequences. Just because he was too lazy to deal with the aftermath didn't mean he was afraid of the Tian Faction.
The increase in Ezio's speed startled Tian Huang, and he wasn't able to react fast enough. Ezio used the same skill and pierced Tian Huang's shoulder. It was sure to hit, and it would make Tian Huang stay in bed for months.
***
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