All the other elders were also surprised as these blood runes did not seem to come from a martial art they knew. The chief elders all turned toward Chief Elder Baishen except for Chief Elder Bian who kept on overviewing the duel.
Naturally she felt everyone's gaze on her. She was the expert in term of martial arts so they all wanted some kind of explanation from her. Sadly, she did not know this art neither.
"Although I do not know this martial art, it is similar to techniques I've seen before. Apparently he condensed these runes from the blood of demonic beasts and then refined them in his own blood. As such, they resonate with his blood and will follow his intent. If he was able to manifest his Qi, he could control them more easily and each one would have attributes based on the character they are representing. Most likely, only someone versed in this technique is able to read these characters. But I sense some ominous feeling in these runes. They were made from blood so naturally they feel revolting. It's not a technique I'd like to practice at all."
"Sister Baishen, you're harsh on the boy. I know you have some grudge because of his behavior. But it's natural for cultivators to use demonic beasts for their resources." Another chief elder added.
"Sister Liu, you're mistaken. There are of course martial arts that rely on demonic beasts blood, but this one feels different. I just don't like this feeling at all. My personal feelings toward this brute have nothing to do with it."
The woman who spoke against Chief Elder Baishen looked back toward the platform. She focused her senses on Luduo Bu for some time.
"Wait! I heard that this boy was in the late 6th-grade Mortal stage, right?"
Hearing this, all the chief elders focused their intent on Luduo Bu. Using their spiritual senses, they quickly saw through his cultivation. He was a late 7th-grade Mortal now. The 6th-grade only consisted in accumulating Qi inside the Lower Dantian. You were considered to have broken through once your Qi was so rich that it overflowed naturally inside your Extraordinary Vessels. After all, vessels were both playing the role of reservoirs of Qi and regulator of it through the meridians and the body. The 7th-grade then consisted in using your Qi to strengthen and temper your vessels and meridians, preparing them for much more powerful flows of energies.
In theory, it was possible to go very fast through the 6th-grade by absorbing huge quantities of Qi. But it could be very dangerous as your body may not adapt properly. And the quality of such Qi could hinder your progress, making your energy more difficult to control.
On the other hand, apart from using natural treasures or very expensive pills, the 7th-grade was hard to advance so quickly. In less than two months, he had achieved the result of two years of cultivation. This wasn't unheard of, but still very rare.
Among the onlookers, Mei Hua and Sun Liao were both shocked as well. They were the two disciples with the best senses. Even though they had no spiritual senses, they were geniuses in alchemy and array formations. Since both these occupations required a powerful mind and sharp senses, theirs were very well developed. They both felt that these blood runes were ominous in nature. And despite not being able to perfectly pinpoint his cultivation level, it was clear for them that he was not a 6th-grade Mortal anymore.
The only one among the disciples with better senses was Cao Yun. Since the beginning of the duel, he had used his mind cultivation to pay close attention to Luduo Bu. It was what had allowed him to dodge so efficiently and to prepare for all his attacks. He had sensed that his Qi cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. With his senses, he could feel that Luduo Bu's acupoints were still closed but that his Lower Dantian was full of Qi. It meant that he was somewhere in the 7th-grade Mortal.
All these elements led Cao Yun to be sure of his supposition. Luduo Bu had been approached by a demonic cultivator. Then, he assumed that Lu Meihan was also approached by one. At least one demonic cultivator was trying to recruit members from within the Wubei Sect. Lu Meihan was easy prey as she was hurt and weak, and so was Luduo Bu. His violence and his arrogance made him a perfect mark for a demonic cultivator.
-
Once the Blood Runes were out in the open, Luduo Bu's eyes became bloodshot red. Even though the wound on his arm was still open, it was not bleeding at all. It shined a strange bright crimson, pulsating with the two Blood Runes. He still kept three Blood Runes in him. Two of them were made from demonic beasts but the last one had been made with human blood. No matter what, he would not expose it.
His strength and speed increased. But for a while, he still used his 'Bloody Cavalry'. The first attacks were hard to dodge and Cao Yun was also forced to deflect some of them and even block one. When he blocked a blow from Luduo Bu's halberd, he felt as if his arms were going to be ripped off his body. However, he endured by using his speed to quickly go away before the force got too strong for him.
In this exchange, he understood that he was unable to withstand the full strength of Luduo Bu. However, he was more perceptive and his movement technique was better. In fact, he had started to mix 'Locking the Seven and Stopping the Waves' with his own movement technique. Despite being a stealthy technique, it incorporated essential elements of all movement techniques. And fusing it with his understanding of the 'Raging Storm in Still Rock' treatise, Cao Yun had achieved a new comprehension of movement.
Gradually, his 'Shen Visualization' adapted and Cao Yun got able to dodge as effortlessly as before. This served to enrage Luduo Bu. This time, he merged his 'Bloody Cavalry' with his blood cultivation, 'Blood Runes'. With every one of his strike, the two blood runes would also shoot out. They tried to pin down Cao Yun by cutting off his retreat.
Adapting to that was very hard, but luckily the runes only reacted to Luduo Bu's martial art. By understanding his technique, it was still possible to determine where they would go.
Feeling an ominous presence behind him, Cao Yun dodged instinctively and a red flash grazed his shoulder. Even this small contact was able to send him flying. He stayed on the platform but the shock was intense. Luduo Bu had secretly taken a third Blood Rune out. As blood was trickling down his arm, Cao Yun understood that he could follow these runes with his senses. His Drop of Wrath was excited by them and it allowed him to find them more easily. As such, he let go of some restrictions on the Drop of Wrath to detect them better.
-
The fight had been going on for almost twenty minutes. Luduo Bu was always attacking with full violence. On the other hand, Cao Yun was only focusing on dodging and he was getting better and better. Hence, Luduo Bu got frustrated beyond any measure.
"Chen Guo cannot win if he just evades. Even if he wears Luduo Bu out, his Qi cultivation is higher so his stamina will be higher as well. Brother Suxian, what do you think?"
"I think you will lose your bet, Brother Luoming. Is any 5th-grade Mortal able to resist to a late 7th-grade as he does right now? This Chen Guo stood his ground until now, I highly doubt he intends to lose. He wouldn't exhaust himself if there was no way of winning, right, Sister Baishen?"
"Both of you, shut up and watch. You're going to miss something extraordinary."
Both men had great faith in their sister's discernment when it came to martial arts. So they both stopped talking and focused on the duel.
Gradually, Cao Yun's movements changed. When he dodged, he was almost still. As a matter of fact, he was using the least amount of movement necessary to dodge perfectly every attack. Finally, he had understood the concept of 'stillness within movement'. In his sea of consciousness, the Neck Star was shining more brightly than ever and was rotating at full speed. Beside it, the Horn Star seemed as happy as it was.
Dodging another attack, Cao Yun's spear shot out seven times in a row and sent seven 'Dragon's Twin Horns' and concluded with 'The Pillar Piercing the Sky'. The little vortexes went straight for Luduo Bu. He was able to block three of them and evade three others, but he took the seventh in the abdomen and the final strike in his right chest. The force was not enough to perforate his flesh, but enough to cut his skin.
These attacks were the first to draw blood from Luduo Bu. The fighter got enraged and attacked relentlessly for several minutes.
Cao Yun was able to dodge everything while giving the impression he wasn't moving at all. After every attack, he unleashed a new vortex of 'Dragon's Twin Horns'. As he kept using his technique with the new understanding of the Neck Star, words appeared in his mind, 'Imperial Throne'. All of a sudden, he changed his stance and got ready.
He had understood a new variation of the Neck Star that was coupled with the Horn Star. However, using his 'Shen Visualization', he was pretty sure that this new attack was not powerful enough to cut Luduo Bu very deep. However, the fight had the same rules as during the entrance examination. He did not have to directly beat Luduo Bu, he could also throw him off the platform.
Cao Yun waited for the right opportunity. When it came, he dodged the attack from Luduo Bu and used 'Locking the Seven and Stopping the Waves' to get behind him. For Luduo Bu, it looked as if he had disappeared. By moving at very high speed and erasing his presence, he had confused his opponent and was able to get right in his blind spot.
Assuming his new stance, his spear hit the ground and a powerful gale erupted. Feeling this great wall of wind, Luduo Bu turned back and only saw the 'Nine Chi Black Dragon Spear' sweeping toward him. He had no time to react. This technique was the 'Imperial Throne', a deep defensive position blowing all offenders away. But Cao Yun was not finished, he used his momentum to unleash a final 'Dragon's Twin Horns' toward Luduo Bu just as he hit the ground. This time, the vortex on his spear took on the vague shape of a dragon's horn, very similar to an elaborate antler.
Luduo Bu was incredulous. He refused to accept that Cao Yun could even blow him away. But just as he tried to stand up, the wind horn pierced into him. Raising his halberd, he tried to block. However, he blocked the horn right between two spikes. And one of them was long enough to hit him in the stomach. He got folded in two, lost his footing and flew off the platform.
Cao Yun's martial art was not powerful enough to pierce through Luduo Bu's body, but this horn still cut his abdomen and drew some blood. Finally, the wind horn dissipated in midair and Luduo Bu crashed down below. The attack had dealt minimum damage but it had won him the duel.
Luduo Bu was almost ready to jump back on the platform when a voice erupted in his mind. Only a Spirit Warrior was able of such a feat. As such, he calmed down and listened.
"Junior, calm down. Worsen your injury and play weak!"
The voice was so commanding that Luduo Bu could not refuse. As he was standing up, he wavered and fell on the ground. Using his blood cultivation, he could control his internal blood pretty well and caused a bigger hemorrhage.
Seeing this, Chief Elder Bian got furious and immediately appeared on the platform right in front of Cao Yun.
"What is the meaning of this?! Did you try to kill him with that blow?"
Shocked, Cao Yun did not know how to answer. He was clearly weaker than his opponent and yet he was the one being accused of malicious intent. What about all the blows of Luduo Bu?
Chief Elder Bian was enraged as he had a terrible opinion of Cao Yun, believing him to be a master manipulator. But other chief elders were enraged as well. The first one to appear on the platform besides Cao Yun was Chief Elder Baishen. And then Chief Elder Suxian followed. He had gone from over excited and ready to celebrate his victory to furious as well. Even Chief Elder Luoming decided to imitate his friend despite his loss.
"Chief Elder Bian, you go too far! Everyone here saw that Chen Guo had no way to hurt this brute. He struck with the intention of sending him off the platform, it's obvious there was no ill will."
"Indeed, Brother Bian. I thought you were impartial...! Is it the result of your impartiality?! Tell me, without this move, how could Chen Guo win? And didn't Luduo Bu unleash several blows that could have been lethal if Chen Guo had not dodged them? Why are you so partial toward this young man?"
This was the worst insult for Chief Elder Bian. He valued his impartiality above all else and it just got questioned publicly.
"I'll take Chen Guo into custody first and then we'll hear his side of the story."
"What?!" This time, almost all the chief elders stood up. This was outrageous! How could Chief Elder Bian be this blinded by his prejudice?! Seeing everyone against him, even someone as robust as Bian Gui began to doubt himself.
As he was wavering, a low voice came from the ground. Luduo Bu was standing up with difficulty.
"Chief Elder Bian, I'm fairly certain that Brother Chen did not attack me so viciously with ill will. Please, forgive him."
The group of Mei Hua was particularly stunned. When did Luduo Bu grow a brain? He was clearly playing the chief elder. Of course, almost everyone knew the reputation of Luduo Bu so the disciples all understood that this was just an act. Nevertheless, they got a bit confused. Could it be possible that Luduo Bu had been misunderstood?
Chan Weifeng was the man who was the most convinced of Luduo Bu's true nature. And he knew this act was something new. Someone was obviously helping him to get this strong and this conniving.
Cao Yun finally got his confirmation. There was a demonic cultivator who was pulling the strings. But if he was able to give instructions to Luduo Bu before everyone else, it meant that he was a Spirit Warrior. Could he be the same demonic cultivator who had attacked his family?!