The Bloodthirsty Technique had reached the level of mastery, allowing for a 50% increase in all attributes upon activation. Originally, given Zhuge Xiang's abilities, the Bloodthirsty Technique could have easily secured his victory over Zhao Feiyun. However, there was the matter of the technique's weak sequelae to consider. Furthermore, Zhao Feiyun was a practitioner of the Ghost Walk technique, which meant attempting to eliminate him while in retreat would be a time-consuming endeavor.
Hence, Zhuge Xiang had purposely feigned weakness in the early stages of their duel. His intention was to deliver a single decisive blow, preserving the time required for the Bloodthirsty Technique to activate fully. Although he could recover during lulls in the battle, being weakened due to the Bloodthirsty Technique's aftereffects would severely diminish his combat effectiveness. However, the gains far outweighed the losses.
"Ding! You've defeated a cultivator on the second level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, gained 55 experience points and acquired a Frost Headband."
Following Zhao Feiyun's defeat, the system's notification sound chimed in as promised. Zhuge Xiang felt content with the 55 experience points; after all, there were no additional bonuses for killing lower leveled opponents. His joy was apparent, for obtaining a piece of equipment greatly boosted his strength.
However, Zhuge Xiang didn't rush to examine the Frost Headband's details. Observing the officials and staff moving to attend to Zhao Feiyun's body, he approached, retrieved the Blood Spirit Fruit from Zhao Feiyun's belongings, and addressed the duel stage's host. "This Blood Spirit Fruit is the prize for our duel. May I take it?"
In duels among fellow sect members, the rules dictated that the possessions of the fallen party be returned to the sect. However, prior to the duel, Zhuge Xiang and Zhao Feiyun had agreed that the Blood Spirit Fruit was a wager, and per the rules, items obtained through such duel wagers wouldn't be confiscated by the sect.
The host, understanding the situation, nodded without intent to trouble Zhuge Xiang further. Nonetheless, items like the boots and dagger, which were magic weapons, had to be surrendered to the sect; they couldn't be considered Zhuge Xiang's spoils.
Clutching the Blood Spirit Fruit, Zhuge Xiang descended from the duel stage. Envious gazes from many disciples followed him as he handed the valuable fruit to Niu Geng. Among the nearly 200,000 spectators, most hadn't yet comprehended energy. Consequently, they were well aware of the Blood Spirit Fruit's immense value, which only fueled their envy of Niu Geng.
Zhuge Xiang addressed Niu Geng, "We're friends; being overly formal wouldn't suit us. Go ahead and consume it promptly. Absorbing its energy is the priority."
"Alright, we're friends; excessive formality might make you appear ungracious. Go ahead, eat it quickly; understanding energy is the primary goal." Zhuge Xiang interrupted Niu Geng, who seemed eager to express his gratitude.
With Zhuge Xiang's words, Niu Geng refrained from saying more and instead nodded. He found a quiet spot adjacent to the martial arts arena, where he promptly consumed the bright red Blood Spirit Fruit. Zhuge Xiang, still carrying his blood-refining knife, stood guard over Niu Geng, keeping a vigilant eye on the ongoing thirty duels on the platform.
Out of more than 5,000 disciples who had comprehended Qi, the majority resided at the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm. A smaller group of around five or six hundred had advanced to the second level. Achieving the third level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, however, remained elusive. With the exception of Lu Yuling, Zhuge Xiang had yet to encounter anyone at this level. Nevertheless, he was aware that a handful of prodigies within the sect must have achieved such a feat. Up to this point, however, he had yet to witness any of them in action.
These over 5,000 disciples with Qi comprehension were evenly distributed across thirty-two duel platforms, averaging around 170 to 180 disciples per platform. To advance to the group stage and potentially claim the top spot, they would need to engage in seven or eight battles.
Without any particularly notable talents demanding attention, Zhuge Xiang retracted his gaze from the dueling platforms. On Niu Geng's end, a flush of excitement colored his face. Looking down, he noticed a sky-blue headband clasped in Zhuge Xiang's hands. The headband appeared to be woven from fine silk and bore intricate, mysterious ice and snow patterns, lending it an exquisite appearance. Following Zhuge Xiang's gaze, information about the Frost Headband materialized before his eyes.
**Frost Headband (One-star magic weapon):**
- **Defense:** 8-10
- **Unique Active:** Can reduce the movement speed of enemy targets within a ten-meter radius by 20%, lasting for 10 seconds, with a cooldown of 600 seconds.
"Nice one!" Zhuge Xiang couldn't contain his joy upon reviewing the details of the Frost Headband.
For Zhuge Xiang, his greatest concern was facing opponents who practiced the Ghost Walk technique. The elusive figure and speed of Ghost Walk practitioners posed a significant challenge. Had Zhao Feiyun not employed the Ghost Walk but another martial art, Zhuge Xiang wouldn't have had to feign weakness. A single Blood Thunder Slash would have decided the battle long before.
While the 10-second duration may appear somewhat brief, battles are dynamic, and 10 seconds proves quite valuable. Reducing an opponent's speed by 20% combined with Zhuge Xiang's pair of magic boots, which increased his speed by 30%, would likely enable him to close the gap even against Ghost Walk practitioners. This advantage held great promise, particularly in those critical moments during a fight.
The Frost Headband, for Zhuge Xiang's current state, proved to be precisely what he needed. Its worth even surpassed that of two-star or possibly even three-star magic weapons.
As he placed the Frost Headband on his forehead, a refreshing chill emanated from it, making Zhuge Xiang feel as if his mind had become significantly clearer. A subtle aura enveloped his body, almost imperceptible to others.
Zhuge Xiang recognized this as the headband's defensive effect. It created an invisible layer of defense that weakened any attacks passing through it. This effect resembled the intense energy released during the bloodthirsty technique, further enhancing his defensive capabilities.
Unexpectedly, as he adjusted the Frost Headband, a faint energy suddenly emerged. He turned to see Niu Geng, who had also opened his eyes simultaneously. A genuine smile graced Zhuge Xiang's face. "Congratulations, Niu Geng. You've finally broken through to Qi-nourishing."
Niu Geng responded with heartfelt gratitude. "Thank you for the Blood Spirit Fruit."
Zhuge Xiang had a clear purpose for joining the Shura Sect: to gain immense strength and, one day, return to the Tang Sect. It was the Blood Spirit Fruit that had allowed him to remain in the Shura Sect and become an official disciple. Though he couldn't always express his gratitude verbally, he held this debt close to his heart.
Having realized his newfound strength, Niu Geng proceeded to check in and register with the appropriate staff. As for the grand competition, he had no intention of participating. Having just achieved Qi-nourishing, he was certainly above average, but he had no training in combat martial arts. Jumping into such a contest would be inviting trouble.
Soon, all the disciples on Zhuge Xiang's dueling platform had their turns. Over half of them were eliminated, as the Shura Sect's competitions allowed only winners to proceed. Any tie resulted in all contestants being considered losers.
Zhuge Xiang's second match came quickly. The previous use of the Bloodthirsty Technique had minimal impact on him due to its instant nature. Furthermore, in this round, he faced only disciples at the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, practicing a single swordsmanship set. Zhuge Xiang's level was intentionally suppressed to make the duels more balanced. With his magic weapon boots and the blood-refining knife, traditional martial arts proved ineffective. He secured victories effortlessly, maintaining a commanding presence against disciples of lower ranks.
Despite most of his opponents being disciples at the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, Zhuge Xiang managed to eliminate four of them consecutively. Now, only around 300 disciples remained on the thirty-two dueling platforms. Many believed that Zhuge Xiang was enjoying a fortunate streak, but he was far from content with this situation.
The level suppression was evident. Zhuge Xiang received a mere 10 experience points for defeating first-level disciples, underscoring that he was pitted against lower-level opponents. This hardly boded well for his hopes of breaking through to the third level of the Qi Cultivation Realm in the Grand Competition.
However, as the competition progressed, the caliber of the remaining disciples grew stronger. In the fifth round, Zhuge Xiang encountered a formidable adversary.
Ji Wuxue, the most talked-about genius among the 100,000 disciples, a prime contender for the first place in the duel stage, had comprehended Qi five months ago, trailing only slightly behind Lu Yuling in terms of talent. He stood on the dueling platform with a black-hilted longsword that appeared as if it had been unsheathed.
"Your strength is commendable, but regrettably, you won't be a match for me," Ji Wuxue remarked coldly. He embodied the qualities of a true swordsman, his face devoid of any hint of disdain. He spoke matter-of-factly.
Before Zhuge Xiang could respond, Ji Wuxue's black longsword leaped into his grasp. Immediately, a blood-red aura emanated from his body, his eyes turned a menacing scarlet, as if possessed by a bloodthirsty demon. His presence became eerie and powerful, unmistakably the Bloodthirsty Technique.
"Your Bloodthirsty Technique has reached a level of mastery. But I'm beyond mastery." Zhuge Xiang activated the Bloodthirsty Technique as well, closely locking eyes with Ji Wuxue. The black longsword in Ji Wuxue's hand transformed into a dark streak of lightning, thrusting directly at him with a deceptively tricky angle. This was clearly a sword technique, although not the one Zhuge Xiang had learned in the Cangwu Pavilion.
Although the Shura Sect forbade the practice of a second martial art until reaching the fifth level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, they didn't interfere with martial arts skills acquired outside the sect. Zhuge Xiang had obtained another set of advanced swordsmanship elsewhere.
With his cultivation at the second level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, coupled with his proficiency in sharp swordsmanship and the Bloodthirsty Technique, Zhuge Xiang faced Ji Wuxue with a newfound seriousness. This opponent far surpassed Zhao Feiyun, but Zhuge Xiang was even more exhilarated. Confronting higher-level opponents in combat was like confronting monsters; it came with greater experience and an increased chance of item drops. The risk and reward were directly proportional in such encounters.