As soon as his words fell, the war hammer was raised high again, leaving a trail of red flames, and smashed down fiercely onto the ground. The ground instantly cracked, flames bursting out everywhere. The explosion was so powerful that the nearby trees were scorched, and the air was filled with the strong smell of gunpowder.
Lin Xuanwu stepped forward again to block this attack. Though his iron rings provided strong spiritual power defense, the fiery explosion caused him to stagger, nearly unable to hold his ground. He gritted his teeth, using all his strength to shift the trajectory of the hammer strike just slightly.
"His strength is too great!" Lin Xuanwu couldn't help but growl, his sweat evaporating quickly in the scorching heat.
"Heh heh, this is just the beginning," the Ju Gouzi grinned, showing no intention of stopping. He swung the war hammer again, its flames from the bear spirit roaring, continuing to launch a relentless attack on the four.
Chu Yi knew they couldn't hold on much longer, so he quickly took a few charms from his pouch, reciting incantations, intending to counterattack with Thunderstorm and Crimson Fire charms. However, the Ju Gouzi's movements were incredibly fast, giving them no chance to catch their breath. Each strike of the hammer carried the explosive force of the Flame Glyph Bear spirit, with wide coverage and an overwhelming presence.
"It seems like you worthless fools can't even block a single blow from me. How dare you participate in the Major General Tournament?" The Ju Gouzi's words were filled with sarcasm.
"Enough!" Qing Xiu'er shouted coldly, her gaze filled with determination. Her spiritual sword surged with power, silver-white spiritual light flashing on the blade, piercing with immense penetration directly toward the Ju Gouzi's chest.
A gleam of amusement flashed in the Ju Gouzi's eyes. He didn't dodge but instead met Qing Xiu'er's attack with an extremely arrogant posture. He swung his massive hammer, the flames igniting again, trying to forcefully block the sword strike.
However, just as Qing Xiu'er's sword was about to strike the Ju Gouzi, Zhang Liya's flute sound rang out. The melodic notes echoed through the night, the spiritual power moving with the music, swirling the nearby leaves. The leaves spun in the air as though drawn by some unseen force, rushing toward the Ju Gouzi.
Though the Ju Gouzi was incredibly strong, he didn't expect this sudden interference. His movement faltered, and the attack he had prepared was delayed just enough for Qing Xiu'er to seize the moment.
"Slash!" Qing Xiu'er's sword flickered, striking the Ju Gouzi's shoulder.
The Ju Gouzi reacted quickly, hastily turning his body to avoid a fatal blow, but the sword still grazed his shoulder, tearing through his clothing, revealing the faint lines of the Flame Glyph Bear markings. With the wound, a hint of pain flashed across his face, but immediately afterward, he burst out laughing again, "Not bad! But still not enough!"
He swung his hammer violently, and a surge of flames erupted, incinerating the spiritual power leaves around him. Then, with heavy strides, he charged forward, continuing to swing his hammer, pressing toward the group.
"He's not just a brute; he's a complete violent machine!" Chu Yi gritted his teeth inwardly, quickly reciting another incantation. Several Thunderstorm and Crimson Fire charms flew toward the Ju Gouzi. However, his Flame Glyph Bear spiritual power granted him immense fire resistance, and Chu Yi's fire charms didn't cause significant damage, while the Thunderstorm charm was swiftly blocked by the hammer.
After several rounds of battle, the Ju Gouzi remained relaxed, as if all these attacks were mere play for him.
Standing there with his war hammer, his smile grew even more arrogant, the flames casting eerie shadows on his face. Just as everyone was caught in a tense standoff, a soft yet commanding voice emerged from the shadows.
"You've finally arrived."
The voice wasn't loud, but it was filled with undeniable authority, instantly freezing the atmosphere of the battlefield. Chu Yi and the others turned in unison toward the source of the voice, seeing a figure slowly step out from the darkness. It was their mentor — the Bi Hei Mentor. She still wasn't holding a sword, walking toward them with empty hands, her expression calm as if the tense situation around her didn't affect her at all.
The Ju Gouzi's smile instantly disappeared upon the mentor's arrival, and his demeanor became more restrained. He no longer seemed as unrestrained but still didn't completely shed his arrogance. His tone was relaxed, "Mentor, I thought you wouldn't show up."
The Bi Hei Mentor stopped, her gaze sweeping over the war hammer on his shoulder and his flame-tinged hands, slightly nodding, "It seems you've successfully fused with the 'Flame Glyph Bear' spirit beast, and your strength is advancing quickly."
The Ju Gouzi raised his war hammer and snorted disdainfully, "Of course. I, Ju Gouzi, am no ordinary person."
The Bi Hei Mentor didn't respond to his pride but instead turned to Chu Yi and the others, "This fight ends here. Ju Gouzi is not here to make things difficult for you. He's here to give you a lesson — real battle, real strength, cannot rely on techniques and small tricks."
Chu Yi and the others were stunned. Qing Xiu'er relaxed her grip on her sword slightly but frowned, "Mentor, who exactly is he?"
The Bi Hei Mentor slowly spoke, "He is the fifth person I specially arranged, and he will be your companion in the upcoming training."
"What?" The group exclaimed in unison, looking at the Ju Gouzi with disbelief.
"That's right. Starting tomorrow, all of you will leave the city for training. The goal is for each of you to successfully fuse with a beast spirit before the Major General Tournament. Ju Gouzi has already completed this task, and now it's your turn," the Bi Hei Mentor's tone was steady, carrying an undeniable sense of command.
Chu Yi's heart sank. Fusion with a beast spirit? This was a crucial step in a spirit master's growth, representing a huge leap in power. But he was still only a 1st-tier spirit master, and he was still far from stabilizing his own spiritual power. How could he complete the fusion of a beast spirit in such a short time?
"Mentor, but I haven't broken through to the 2nd-tier spirit master yet…" Chu Yi said with some difficulty. Though his spiritual power was on the verge of breakthrough, he still hadn't found that final moment.
The Bi Hei Mentor smiled faintly, as if she had already seen through his concerns. "Don't worry. Your spiritual power is already close to breaking through. The pressure of fusion with a beast spirit will actually help you break through faster."
Chu Yi's heart shook. The Bi Hei Mentor's gaze was always so precise, and he had never doubted her words. It seemed he truly was standing on the threshold of a breakthrough, only needing the right opportunity.
"Since the mentor has said so, then we have no way out," Qing Xiu'er gripped her spiritual sword, a determined light burning in her eyes. Lin Xuanwu and Zhang Liya also nodded. Although they had been battered by the Ju Gouzi's attacks and were somewhat disheveled, they understood that this training was the key to their strength.
"Ju Gouzi, you will be their guide, helping them complete the fusion of beast spirits," the Bi Hei Black Mentor said indifferently.
The Ju Gouzi grinned widely, showing all his teeth, "Heh heh, don't worry, mentor, leave it to me."
The Bi Hei Mentor's gaze shifted between the group, eventually landing on Chu Yi. "Chu Yi, the fusion of beast spirits will be more challenging for you because your spiritual power is not fully stable yet. But that's precisely why you need to seize this opportunity and force yourself to break through."
Chu Yi nodded. Though he felt the pressure, a spark of determination rose within him. Though his spiritual power was only 2 points, he would never stop moving forward, especially in this world full of geniuses and strong opponents. He had to become stronger to survive here.
"Get ready. Tomorrow, you'll enter true battle," the Bi Hei Mentor said calmly, her tone carrying a deeper meaning.
That night, Chu Yi tossed and turned, replaying the battle and the words of the Bi Hei Mentor in his mind. He knew time was running out. If he wanted to stand out in the Major General Tournament, the fusion with a beast spirit would be his first step.
As dawn broke, Chu Yi opened his eyes, his resolve solidifying. He knew his battle had only just begun.