The Bloodthirst Technique had already reached the advanced level, and once activated, all attributes would increase by 50%. Originally, with Zhuge Xiang's abilities, he wouldn't have any difficulty in killing Zhao Feiyun if he activated the Bloodthirst Technique. However, the technique had some mild side effects. Additionally, Zhao Feiyun was also skilled in the Ghostly Steps, making it time-consuming to pursue and kill him while escaping.
Therefore, Zhuge Xiang deliberately displayed weakness in the initial stages of the battle to ensure he could eliminate Zhao Feiyun with a single strike and save the time required to activate the Bloodthirst Technique. While he could recover during the larger battle in his spare time, if his combat strength was significantly reduced during the weakened period caused by the Bloodthirst Technique, the gains would not outweigh the losses.
"Ding! Killed a cultivator at the second level of the Qi Nourishing stage. Obtained 55 EXP. Obtained Frost Headband."
As Zhao Feiyun fell, the system notification appeared as promised. Zhuge Xiang was not disappointed with the 55 EXP, as there was no bonus for killing monsters above his level. However, the drop of equipment brought him great joy. Obtaining equipment was a significant boost to his strength.
However, Zhuge Xiang was not in a hurry to look at the information on the Frost Headband. Seeing that the host and staff had come up and were about to clean up Zhao Feiyun's corpse, Zhuge Xiang hurriedly went over and took out the Blood Spirit Fruit from Zhao Feiyun's arms. He said to the host on the arena, "This Blood Spirit Fruit is the prize for my duel with him. Can I take it?"
In a duel between disciples of the same sect, the items belonging to the fallen participant were typically taken back by the sect according to the rules. However, Zhuge Xiang and Zhao Feiyun had previously stated that the Blood Spirit Fruit was a prize, and according to the rules, the sect would not confiscate the prize from such a duel.
The host had no intention of complicating matters for Zhuge Xiang. He nodded and indicated that he could take it. However, the Dharma artifacts for the boots and dagger had to be surrendered to the sect. They couldn't be considered spoils of war for Zhuge Xiang.
With the Blood Spirit Fruit in his grasp, Zhuge Xiang descended from the arena. Amid the envious gazes of numerous disciples, he handed the Blood Spirit Fruit to Niu Geng. Most of the nearly 200,000 disciples had yet to comprehend Qi Force, and they understood the value of a Blood Spirit Fruit. Consequently, their envy towards Niu Geng intensified.
"Alright, we're friends. If you're too polite, you'll seem distant. Hurry up and eat it. The most important thing is to comprehend Qi Force." Seeing that Niu Geng was so excited that he wanted to thank him, Zhuge Xiang interrupted him first.
Following Zhuge Xiang's words, Niu Geng refrained from further comments. He nodded and found a secluded spot near the martial arts arena to sit down. Placing the blood-red Blood Spirit Fruit into his mouth, he focused on his Qi Force comprehension. Zhuge Xiang, carrying the Blood Refined Saber on his back, stood guard beside Niu Geng, while simultaneously keeping an eye on the battles taking place on the distant thirty arenas.
More than 5,000 disciples had comprehended Qi Force, but the majority of them were at the first level of the Qi Nourishing stage. Only a small number had reached the second level, with one in every ten miles. As for the third level, aside from Lu Yuling, Zhuge Xiang had not encountered anyone who had reached that stage. However, he believed that among the few geniuses, at least one would have achieved the second level. It was just that he had not witnessed them stepping onto the stage thus far.
With an average distribution of more than 5,000 disciples who had comprehended Qi Force across 32 dueling platforms, each platform accommodated approximately 170 to 180 disciples. If they aimed to advance in the group and secure first place, they would likely need to engage in seven to eight consecutive battles.
There were no geniuses that he needed to pay attention to, so Zhuge Xiang retracted his gaze after taking a look. Niu Geng's face was red, which was the sign of blood essence boiling. It was obvious that he had reached the critical moment of comprehending Qi Force. Zhuge Xiang could not help him. He lowered his head and looked at it. Wrapped around Zhuge Xiang's hand was a sky-blue headband, meticulously woven from top-quality silk, adorned with intricate ice and snow patterns, exuding a magnificent allure. As he inspected it, the information regarding the Frost Headband appeared before his eyes.
Frost Headband (One-star Dharma artifact): Defense 8-10. Active skill only: Reduces the movement speed of enemies within a 10-meter radius by 20%. Lasts for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 600 seconds.
Good stuff! Zhuge Xiang could not hide his joy when he saw the information on this frost headband.
To Zhuge Xiang, what type of opponent did he fear the most? It was an adversary who practiced the Ghostly Steps. Their ethereal form and incredible speed posed a considerable challenge. If Zhao Feiyun had not cultivated the Ghostly Steps but instead focused on other martial arts, there would have been no need for Zhuge Xiang to feign weakness. The Blood Lightning Slash would have swiftly ended the battle.
While the duration of the headband's effect was limited to 10 seconds, it was already a fairly long period in the midst of a battle. A mere 10 seconds could bring about drastic changes. With the enemy's speed reduced by 20% and Zhuge Xiang's pair of Dharma artifact boots enhancing his speed by 30%, he might be able to keep up even with the Ghostly Steps.
The frost headband was precisely what Zhuge Xiang needed at that moment. Its value surpassed that of two-star or even three-star Dharma artifacts.
Zhuge Xiang secured the frost headband around his forehead. Waves of cool air emanated from it, bringing a sense of clarity to his mind. A subtle breeze enveloped his body, rendering it difficult for others to notice.
Zhuge Xiang understood that this was the defensive effect of the headband. Attacks passing through this invisible defense would be weakened. This defensive effect resembled the blood-colored Qi Force manifested by the Bloodthirst Technique, enhancing his defense.
Just as Zhuge Xiang tied the frost headband to his forehead, a weak Qi Force appeared without any warning. He turned his head and looked at Niu Geng, who had opened his eyes at the same time. Zhuge Xiang revealed a genuine smile. "Congratulations, Niu Geng. You have finally broken through to Qi Force."
"Yes, I have to thank you for the Blood Spirit Fruit." Niu Geng looked at Zhuge Xiang gratefully and said sincerely.
What was the purpose of coming to the Asura Sect? It was to acquire formidable strength. He hoped that one day, he could return to his hometown in glory. Zhuge Xiang's Blood Spirit Fruit granted him the privilege to stay in the Asura Sect and become an official disciple. Although Niu Geng didn't express it aloud due to his straightforward nature, he deeply engraved this gratitude in his heart.
Niu Geng, having comprehended Qi Force, proceeded to locate the relevant staff for verification and registration. As for the competition? Niu Geng had no intention of participating. Despite having recently comprehended Qi Force and possessing superior abilities compared to ordinary individuals, he had not trained in any combat martial arts. Joining the competition would only invite trouble.
Soon, all the disciples on the dueling platform where Zhuge Xiang was situated had their matches. More than half of the disciples had been eliminated. Finally, it was Zhuge Xiang's turn for his second fight. Why did he mention that half of them had been eliminated? It was because in the Asura Sect, there were only victors. A draw was considered a failure.
Previously, the Bloodthirst Technique had been activated instantly, so it did not have much impact on Zhuge Xiang. Additionally, in this round, he had only encountered disciples at the first level of the Qi Nourishing stage, and he had only cultivated a set of sword techniques. Zhuge Xiang's level was suppressed, and with his Dharma artifact boots and Blood Refined Sabers, martial arts practice became futile. He easily emerged victorious, securing his third and fourth wins. He had been fortunate, as he faced no pressure at all, having encountered only disciples at the first level of the Qi Nourishing stage.
Despite the majority being disciples at the first level of the Qi Nourishing stage, after four consecutive rounds, there were only approximately 300 disciples remaining across the 32 arenas. After encountering disciples at the first level of the Qi Nourishing stage in three consecutive rounds, many people believed that Zhuge Xiang had been exceptionally fortunate. However, Zhuge Xiang was not pleased with this situation.
With the level suppression, he managed to defeat a disciple in the first level of the Qi Nourishing stage with his current strength. He only gained 10 EXP. As expected, the EXP suppression was significant when fighting against lower-level opponents. After three consecutive rounds, he had only accumulated 30 EXP. It seemed that the chances of breaking through to the third level of the Qi Nourishing stage in the big competition were becoming even slimmer.
However, as the battles progressed, the remaining disciples grew stronger. Finally, in the fifth round, Zhuge Xiang encountered a formidable opponent.
Ji Wuxue was the most popular and gifted among the 100,000 disciples. He posed a strong competition for the first place on the dueling platform. Having comprehended Qi Force five months ago, he was not much weaker than Lu Yuling. With a black sword strapped to his back, he stood on the dueling platform like an unsheathed blade.
"Your strength isn't bad, but it's a pity that you're no match for me," Ji Wuxue declared coldly. As a skilled swordsman, there was no hint of disdain or joy on his face. His words sounded like a simple statement of fact.
Before Zhuge Xiang could respond, Ji Wuxue's black sword leaped into his hand. Then, a blood-red Qi Force emanated from his body. His eyes turned terrifyingly red, as if he were possessed by the Blood Asura. His aura became even more ominous and formidable. This was the Bloodthirst Technique.
"Your Bloodthirst Technique has already reached an advanced level. While I may not be on par with you, I broke through to the third level of the Qi Nourishing stage a month ago. In terms of cultivation, you are inferior to me…" Ji Wuxue activated the Bloodthirst Technique and fixed his intense gaze on Zhuge Xiang. The black longsword in his hand transformed into a swift black lightning bolt, striking from a tricky angle that made it seemingly impossible to dodge. It was another sword technique, but not the one found in the Martial Storage Pavilion.
Although the Asura Sect stipulated that one could not cultivate a second martial art until reaching the fifth level of the Qi Nourishing stage, the sect did not intervene if disciples obtained martial arts techniques from outside training. Clearly, after cultivating the Bloodthirst Technique, Ji Wuxue had acquired another set of sharp sword techniques elsewhere.
Being at the third level of the Qi Nourishing stage, possessing formidable sword techniques, and wielding the Bloodthirst Technique, Ji Wuxue presented a serious challenge for Zhuge Xiang. This opponent far surpassed Zhao Feiyun. However, Zhuge Xiang felt even more thrilled. The stronger the opponent, the more EXP he would gain from defeating them. Moreover, the drop rate of items would also be higher. The risks and rewards were proportionate…