Despite suffering from serious injuries, Zhuge Xiang didn't take a Healing Pill to treat his wounds. Instead, he seized the opportunity to gather Qi and prepare for his Blood Thunder Slash. While accumulating Qi during battle, especially in duels, might not seem practical, the skill's attack power was undeniable.
Two breaths away from successfully storing Qi, Zhuge Xiang was on the brink of failure. At this crucial moment, the Frost Headband played a transformative role, turning the seemingly impossible into a reality.
The Frost Headband's activation visibly slowed Ji Wuxue's speed by 20%. To most observers, Ji Wuxue still appeared exceptionally fast, but for elite disciples like Lu Yuling, the impact on Ji Wuxue's speed was unmistakable.
The sudden drop in Ji Wuxue's speed left many genius disciples perplexed. Could Ji Wuxue intentionally be holding back? This was highly improbable, especially given the ferocity with which he thrust his sword into Zhuge Xiang's chest. The unmistakable truth was that Zhuge Xiang possessed a unique ability that no one else comprehended, one that affected Ji Wuxue's speed.
"Does he truly have a hidden ace?" A glint of curiosity flickered in Lu Yuling's eyes, making her truly intrigued.
Despite his grave injuries, Zhuge Xiang recognized that victory was within reach. Ji Wuxue's slowed speed indicated a clear turning point in the battle. Zhuge Xiang's rising momentum was unstoppable, and he was on the verge of achieving fame with this single battle.
Blood Thunder Slash, like a rolling storm, advanced towards Ji Wuxue with the unstoppable force of Mount Tai. Ji Wuxue's speed dropped by 20%, while Zhuge Xiang's speed surged by 50% thanks to the Bloodlust, further boosted by the Magical Artifact Boots, resulting in nearly twice the speed advantage. In the midst of this tumultuous clash, coupled with the fearsome might of the Xuelei Zhan, Ji Wuxue resembled a rabbit confronted by a wild lion in the throes of a furious assault.
The Blood Thunder Slash resonated with the fury of the wind and thunder, surging with the infusion of scarlet energy. The ghostly visages on the blood refining knife contorted, some appearing agonized, others wildly deranged, encapsulating a medley of emotions.
Ji Wuxue's expression morphed into one of terror as he confronted Zhuge Xiang's onslaught. From the beginning of the competition to this moment, Zhuge Xiang had never unleashed the Blood Thunder Slash, let alone practiced the exceedingly aggressive martial art.
Although Ji Wuxue hastily defended against Zhuge Xiang's attack with his sword, it proved challenging to block the Blood Thunder Slash, a strike that encapsulated all of Zhuge Xiang's determination and resolve.
Despite both weapons being one-star-grade, Ji Wuxue's black longsword was ill-equipped to withstand the force of Zhuge Xiang's Blood Thunder Slash. With a pitiable cry, a long, deep gash appeared on the black sword's blade as if it had been sliced through effortlessly. Zhuge Xiang swung his blade mightily, aiming directly at Ji Wuxue's chest.
Although the Blood Thunder Slash was blocked by Ji Wuxue's black longsword and didn't fully connect, the sheer force of the Blood Thunder Slash caused Ji Wuxue to let out a scream and sent him hurtling through the air. Ji Wuxue crashed into several tree roots, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he and Zhuge Xiang were sent flying together, tracing a graceful parabolic arc in the sky.
The impact had shaken their internal organs, and Ji Wuxue had sustained several broken ribs. Lying on the ground, he was clearly in no condition to continue the fight. Just before Zhuge Xiang could deliver a finishing blow, Ji Wuxue, enduring his injuries, quickly conceded defeat, shouting, "I admit defeat!"
Phew!
The scarlet blood-refining knife hovered inches from Ji Wuxue's forehead, its menacing presence unyielding. In the Shura Sect of the demonic sect, battles often ended in death, and Zhuge Xiang had nearly lost his life under Ji Wuxue's sword moments ago. However, since Ji Wuxue had now conceded, Zhuge Xiang saw no reason to ruthlessly take his life.
As he looked at the blood-refining knife poised before his forehead, feeling the intense and ferocious aura it exuded, Ji Wuxue couldn't help but shudder. Simultaneously, he felt a sense of gratitude for his quick admission of defeat; otherwise, his life might have been forfeit.
Retracting his blood-refining knife and shouldering it, Zhuge Xiang deactivated the bloodthirsty technique, a wave of weakness washing over him. He turned and left, his admiration for Ji Wuxue's decisiveness evident.
Although the battle appeared extremely perilous and filled with twists and turns, it had actually taken only seven or eight breaths since the two had exchanged moves and agreed to a three-move limit. In truth, the battle had begun with the activation of the bloodthirsty technique and had lasted no more than a dozen breaths.
While the side effects of the bloodthirsty technique left Zhuge Xiang feeling weak, he was confident that with some time to recuperate, he would regain 70% to 80% of his combat power.
The duel concluded, and the host took the stage to announce Zhuge Xiang as the winner. Simultaneously, staff members rushed to carry Ji Wuxue away for medical treatment. A genius like him naturally held great value in the eyes of the Shura Sect.
"Ding, defeated Ji Wuxue of the third level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, you gained 150 experience points, and obtained the Blade of Blocking."
Following Ji Wuxue's surrender, the system promptly delivered its announcement. One hundred fifty experience points? Zhuge Xiang was quite satisfied with this reward.
In the past, when he defeated the demon fox, which was equivalent to the third level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, he received just over 130 experience points. At that time, he was only at the first level of Qi Cultivation and had Lu Yuling's assistance. This time, he had defeated the opponent on his own at two levels higher, so receiving more experience points was entirely reasonable.
After stepping off the dueling stage, Zhuge Xiang examined the black dagger in his palm. It was approximately five inches in length, entirely black, resembling gold but not quite, and he couldn't discern the material it was crafted from. The dagger's streamlined design possessed a peculiar beauty, and it felt remarkably comfortable to hold.
Blocking Blade (three-star magic weapon): Attack 2-5, unique active: Can resist any single attack from a cultivator in the Qi refinement stage, cooldown time is 1 day.
Upon seeing the three-star magic weapon, Zhuge Xiang couldn't help but gasp. The one-star magic weapon of the blood-refining knife and the frost headband were already formidable, but a three-star magic weapon? It felt like reaching for the sky.
However, his disappointment grew when he realized the weapon's attack power was pitifully low. But when he read the description of the unique active effect of the Blocking Blade, his excitement surged once more.
Withstand any single-target attack from a cultivator in the Qi refinement stage? This effect was incredibly powerful. It was important to note that the refinement stage wasn't just about cultivating Qi; it encompassed body tempering, meridian opening, and even reaching the return to the origin phase. The fact that it could withstand any single-target attack was astounding. While it didn't directly boost Zhuge Xiang's combat capabilities, the Blocking Blade significantly enhanced his survivability.
If the cooldown time wasn't too long, and it was limited to single-target attacks, Zhuge Xiang believed that this Blocking Blade would have at least a four or five-star rating in terms of quality.
Though it didn't substantially increase his combat power, obtaining a three-star magic weapon like the Blocking Blade was an unexpected and pleasant surprise for Zhuge Xiang.
Once he stepped off the stage, both Niu Geng and Lu Yuling offered their congratulations to Zhuge Xiang for his victory. As they walked, the disciples who had gathered beneath the dueling stage naturally made way for them, granting them a clear path. This battle with Ji Wuxue had made the disciples keenly aware of Zhuge Xiang's might, and they now held him in high regard.
As the crowd parted to allow him passage, Zhuge Xiang relished a feeling he had never experienced before. Undoubtedly, he enjoyed the respect and admiration that came with strength.
Moving to a relatively secluded spot where he could oversee all the dueling fields, Zhuge Xiang began to tend to his injuries. Although weak, he had only lost slightly over 40 points of health when Ji Wuxue's sword pierced his chest. Zhuge Xiang had already recovered a small amount of health thanks to the 10% blood-sucking effect of the blood-refining knife following the Blood Thunder Slash.
He didn't rush to use a blood recovery pill, reserving it as a lifesaving measure for critical moments. Instead, he applied some golden sore medicine to his injuries and waited for the duels below.
Despite his injuries and the post-bloodthirsty technique weakness, Zhuge Xiang believed that after defeating Ji Wuxue on this dueling stage, none of the disciples could pose a threat to him. The subsequent duels with the other disciples would serve as opportunities for him to recover health through blood-sucking.
Meeting Ji Wuxue earlier turned out to be a significant advantage for Zhuge Xiang. Activating the bloodthirsty technique early provided Zhuge Xiang with ample buffer time to cope with the later period of weakness, and he could heal his injuries using the blood-stealing effect of the knife.
Had he encountered Ji Wuxue in the final duel among the top 32, it would have had a substantial impact on Zhuge Xiang. The battle between the strong and weak periods of the bloodthirsty technique would have been challenging, and the blood recovery pill would have been wasted early. Using a blood recovery pill with 100 health points when you've only lost more than 30 health points would indeed be a waste.
In the subsequent duels, no one posed a significant threat to Zhuge Xiang. Equipped with the blood-refining knife, the frost headband, and the reputation from the previous battle, the three disciples he encountered later were all at the second level of cultivation. Zhuge Xiang skillfully incapacitated these disciples with sword wounds all over their bodies. They were left with just about ten points of health each after Zhuge Xiang's random strikes.
However, the result was remarkable. The three disciples collectively yielded around 29 life points, and with the 10% blood-sucking attribute, Zhuge Xiang's loss of more than 30 health points was almost completely restored. His injuries healed almost completely, leaving only a scar from a sword wound, which would be barely noticeable.
Without facing any significant risks, Zhuge Xiang successfully qualified and became one of the top 32. The first-place winners from the other dueling rings also emerged one after another.
Among them, including Lu Yuling, who had comprehended Qi Jin five months ago, all these early disciples of the Asura Sect were strong opponents for Zhuge Xiang. However, reaching the top 32, it was evident that there were no weak opponents.
Nevertheless, Zhuge Xiang grew even more excited. Strong opponents meant high experience points. If he continued to perform as impressively as he had so far, he believed that he would soon advance to the third level of Qi Cultivation Realm. With that, Zhuge Xiang would have the confidence to secure the top spot and make a name for himself.