49 Rookie Mistake [2]

EverHill ducked and dodged as he followed Cheng Xiu deeper into the woods.

Cheng Xiu smirked.

She raised her hand and closed her eyes, imagining the Sword copies attack on EverHill increase in tempo.

The damage dealt by those copies were not as powerful as the Carp Sword in Cheng Xiu's hands. This meant that in an attack that required only one strike from her, it needed three repeated attacks from the copies to do the same damage.

But that was a drawback that she could easily get rid of with her ability to control more than one copy of the sword.

Cheng Xiu gritted her teeth. Maintaining the Sword Dance and then using Weapon Weaving was consuming her Qi at a fast rate and she was not sure she would be able to hold on until she could kill EverHill.

If only she knew of a way to increase her Qi reserve before she actually lost the match.

Cheng Xiu's mind went to all the stories that she had read over the years, trying to find a clue.

The Other World was created using the stories and legends that were a part of their history so she should be able to find some clues in all the books that she spent her time reading.

Cheng Xiu frowned as she thought. Her mind went to an article that she had read about the Other World that morning.

The Other World's rules of Qi worked similar to that of the Real World.

Cheng Xiu's eyes shined as she found a path to take.

Perhaps…she could use the method that many people in the real world used to replenish their own reserves.

But…those people did it unconsciously.

Would she bring able to replicate it?

Cheng Xiu closed her eyes and concentrated. She tried to release the Qi in her body around her slowly.

Her movements slowed down as her mind stopped working on using the Weapon Weaving.

Orange sleeves fluttered as EverHill finally gained an opening against the offensive wall of the swords and dashed towards Cheng Xiu.

Cheng Xiu spun on the heel of her feet and dodged his attack, an unnatural Elegance in her disposition.

EverHill cursed when he saw the tranced expression in Cheng Xiu's eyes.

This was a passive skill that every player in the Other World had. It allowed the Player to get into the Trance state of the mind and allowed them to tap into extraordinary powers that they couldn't before.

Enlightenment.

It had a condition to be triggered though.

The player should have understood something about their Cultivation Path or the World around them.

How the hell did she reach Enlightenment in the middle of a battle!

Cheng Xiu's eyes glowed in a thin golden haze as she dodged his attacks gracefully.

EverHill attacked her more and more, frustrated at the fact that he was not able to damage her more as his spear left thin wounds on her hands and neck.

This would have been enough to bring anyone's momentum down but somehow, Cheng Xiu's wounds healed faster, like she had some sort of passive healing power.

In Cheng Xiu's mind, things had taken a calm turn.

The technique that she used was to release her own Qi into the environment and then use it to bring in fresh, natural Qi around her.

For the Blessed, this was second nature to them. It was similar to the instinctual reaction to touching a hot surface by their hand.

But Cheng Xiu attempted to do this consciously because there were a lot of people who, after having reached a Mental Capacity of B-Rank and above, the blessed were taught a way to absorb the natural Qi in their world.

Cheng Xiu felt uncomfortable as the foreign Qi pushed against her veins and attempted to rush out of her back into the wild.

Cheng Xiu dodged to the side and avoided a stab to her ribcage as she tried to think of a way to dispel the slight pain in her body.

She tried to think of a way to suppress the wild Qi.

Cheng Xiu gathered the Qi in her and surrounded the Wild Qi, trying to consume the foreign substance.

The wild Qi struggled against the wall that she created and desperately tried to escape but Cheng Xiu's Qi slowing ate away at its corners.

Cheng Xiu finally felt the pain in her eb away.

[Ding!]

[Player Selafia Veritas has discovered the use of Qi Absorption without a Cultivation Sutra!]

Cheng Xiu froze.

EverHill looked at the sky in confusion.

Qi Absorption? What was that?

[Reward: +1 to all stats.]

Cheng Xiu felt her body become lighter, and dexterous as her Qi reserve filled up again.

"Damn it!" EverHill said as he was nearly impaled in the heart by Cheng Xiu's sword.

He blocked her attack one by one and tried to suppress her with his strength but she was stronger than before.

How did that happen?

Was she holding back until now? Or did her enlightenment have anything to do with her strength? Weren't enlightenment related to your Cultivation Path though?

Previously, the experts had speculated that SelaXiu's Cultivation Path was based on speed, but now, he wasn't sure that was accurate speculation.

He frowned and his mind went to the announcement just then. Selafia. SelaXiu. Their names were so similar and they were both parts of the Chosen One Quest. Were these people actually the same person?

EverHill shook his head. How could that be? There was no way for a person to have two Player identities in the Other World. People who wanted to be reborn had to 'Soul Kill' themselves.

EverHill jumped up, bending his knees as Cheng Xiu swiped her sword in an attempt to cut his legs off.

EverHill used this momentum to lunge at Cheng Xiu with his Spear aimed at her bent back.

Cheng Xiu's eyes glinted and she rolled away from the attack.

The Spear blade lodged into the ground.

Cheng Xiu leapt towards him.

EverHill used the Spear as a balancing poll and kicked Cheng Xiu in the guts.

Cheng Xiu curled forward and her sword swiped towards EverHill's extended leg.

He let go of his hold on the spear shaft and fell to the ground.

Cheng Xiu fell to the ground from the effect of his kick.

Both of them crouched low to the ground and stared at each other.

Both of them had manic grins on their face.

"You have been holding back," EverHill said, panting.

Cheng Xiu chuckled. "I'm sorry for making you think so."

EverHill dashed leapt into the air and threw a javelin at her.

Cheng Xiu deflected the incoming attack expertly and tried to stab him in between his lungs.

EverHill used his short spear to stop her, and circled the spear, using sheer force to push Cheng Xiu's attack from his person.

The movement left Cheng Xiu's side wide open.

Taking advantage, EverHill summoned another javelin towards the exposed part.

Blood spattered onto the grass blades under their feet.