Ch. 26 The Final Duel

After Ling Wufeng voluntarily surrendered, the duel between the top four naturally concluded. Lu Yuling descended from the stage to take a rest, and the next match for third place was between Ling Wufeng and Lei Potian.

Initially, Lei Potian's strength gave him a considerable advantage, and he had a high chance of defeating Ling Wufeng. However, his battle with Zhuge Xiang had left him severely weakened. Their brief engagement ended with Ling Wufeng's victory.

Lei Potian, who had been the top contender for the championship, failed to even secure a spot in the top three. It was an unexpected turn of events. Unbeknownst to him, his prior injuries played a significant role in his final loss, and the shock proved too much as he passed out.

The order of the final eight participants in the competition had been determined, leaving only the ultimate showdown to conclude the event: Zhuge Xiang versus Lu Yuling. The anticipation was palpable.

In retrospect, when Zhuge Xiang defeated Lei Potian, spectators had assumed that he would easily win the championship, given his seemingly unstoppable strength. However, Lu Yuling's recent performance had turned the tables, casting doubt on Zhuge Xiang's victory. The final clash between them promised to be the most exhilarating and closely watched battle of the tournament.

"Truth be told, when we first crossed paths, you hadn't even tapped into your true potential. In such a short time, you've made remarkable progress. Looking back now, it seems you might be the standout talent of the year," Lu Yuling remarked with anticipation in her eyes.

Standing in front of Zhuge Xiang, Lu Yuling's countenance bore a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality, no longer possessing the aloofness of the past. Zhuge Xiang's unwavering determination and their shared aspiration to become the foremost cultivator had brought them closer, fostering a camaraderie between them.

"To be honest, standing here and measuring myself against fellow geniuses like you, I feel a profound sense of achievement—a testament to my progress," Zhuge Xiang admitted, his smile, though somewhat forced and frank, revealing his candidness.

Lu Yuling reciprocated the smile. Zhuge Xiang's direct and resolute character resonated with her, and his words rang true from every perspective. His rapid advancement in just half a month, catching up to peers who had trained for half a year, was a testament to his remarkable talent.

Prideful, but not conceited—this encapsulated Zhuge Xiang's character. Seeking truth through empirical evidence, he embraced decisiveness and straightforwardness, embodying the traits expected of a disciple of the Demonic Dao sect.

The conversation between Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling made it evident that their connection ran deeper than mere acquaintances. Lu Yuling's countenance had shed its cold, distant veneer, now adorned with genuine smiles. Observing this, the disciples of the Shura Sect watching below couldn't help but speculate that Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling shared a close friendship. Zhuge Xiang's undeniable prowess had swayed many of those who had once harbored hostile sentiments toward him, leading them to reconsider their initial judgments.

"I'm eagerly anticipating our battle as well. I wonder if your Bingxin Jue and your mental fortitude can withstand my assault," Zhuge Xiang declared, his eyes locked onto Lu Yuling with unwavering determination. As he spoke, his blood-refining sword was firmly in his grip, and with a decisive motion, he activated the bloodthirsty technique. A chilling aura enveloped him, and spectral shadows materialized around him. With a swift kick, he lunged forward, slashing downward with the blood-refining blade.

His combination of Bloodlust, star-chasing boots, and a third-level Qi-nourishing realm cultivation base endowed Zhuge Xiang with incredible speed, akin to a lightning strike. The ferocious blood-refining knife, accompanied by the roaring wind, not only possessed incredible speed but also delivered a devastating blow. This exemplified Zhuge Xiang's formidable strength, offering clear evidence of his qualification for the final duel.

Yet, even at such breakneck speed, Zhuge Xiang's attack was expertly evaded by Lu Yuling. She had preemptively read his movements, and as Zhuge Xiang initiated his strike, her agile body was already in motion. Her heightened awareness allowed her to anticipate the trajectory of Zhuge Xiang's assault.

While his speed might not have been exceptionally high, it enabled him to seize the opportunity in combat. After evading Zhuge Xiang's strike, Lu Yuling raised her hand, and from her ice silk glove, slender threads extended outward. Simultaneously, her palm opened, releasing not a moth but a sparrow. However, thanks to the remarkable strength of her spider silk threads, even a sparrow would be incapable of escaping her grasp.

Having fully comprehended the power of Lu Yuling's Qingbo palm, Zhuge Xiang's eyes narrowed as he observed the silk threads supporting the technique. His reaction was swift, and the bluestone platform beneath his feet violently cracked. In an explosive burst of speed, Zhuge Xiang seemed to teleport, retreating several meters away from the area covered by Qingbo's palm. This astonishing display of evasion was executed through the skill of the violent step. Yet, despite his escape, the tendons in the soles of his feet tingled from the surges of pain.

"Indeed, this level of enlightenment is quite challenging," Zhuge Xiang reflected silently as he skillfully evaded Lu Yuling's attacks. 

He now comprehended Ling Wufeng's dilemma better. When it came to close-quarters combat, Ling Wufeng was undoubtedly skilled. However, Ling Wufeng's throwing knife was another formidable weapon. Its unpredictable trajectories and mid-flight adjustments made it exceptionally challenging to contend with. Even Zhuge Xiang, if faced with Ling Wufeng's flying knife, would find himself in a tough situation. Lu Yuling's sharp clear-mindedness was remarkably effective in restraining the flying knife.

With a few meters of distance between Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling, they both understood the difficulties they posed to each other when engaged in serious combat. For Zhuge Xiang, Lu Yuling skillfully evaded his attacks, and if he ventured too close, the risk of her Shiba Palms was too great.

Lu Yuling, on the other hand, recognized the importance of ensnaring Zhuge Xiang within her Qingbo palms to secure victory, especially given his unmatched speed. 

The cooldown for the violent step was a mere 10 seconds. To ensure his safety, Zhuge Xiang patiently waited for the cooldown period to elapse before launching his next attack. Nevertheless, Lu Yuling effortlessly evaded both of his attacks. Without the aid of the violent step's ability, Zhuge Xiang would likely have found himself ensnared and unable to escape her grasp.

Furrowing his brows, Zhuge Xiang had already expended more than 20 seconds executing multiple violent steps. The violent steps devoured 10 points of MP energy with each use, and his total energy pool was only 130 points. Consequently, three violent steps had already consumed nearly a quarter of his energy reserve.

While the violent step was undoubtedly potent, its 10-second cooldown and substantial energy consumption posed significant limitations. Furthermore, his bloodthirsty technique could only endure for a single minute, and more than half of that time had already elapsed. Procrastination would only lead to his bloodthirsty technique dissipating, resulting in a severe weakening effect and a struggle to stand once it did.

Studying Lu Yuling intently, Zhuge Xiang observed that her clear mind enabled her to discern her own attack patterns and routes adeptly. However, her improved understanding did not translate into enhanced physical speed. Zhuge Xiang contemplated launching a series of high-intensity, high-speed attacks to capitalize on this potential weakness. Even if she could anticipate his strikes, her physical speed might not keep up with the rapid onslaught. It seemed this strategy was his best chance against Lu Yuling.

Observing the fierce combat on the stage, many spectators couldn't help but think that Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling were engaged in an arduous battle. At a glance, it appeared as though Zhuge Xiang's attacks couldn't find their mark, and Lu Yuling struggled to match his speed. Indeed, it was a challenging contest.

However, perceptive disciples like Ji Wuxue and Ling Wufeng knew better. Despite the apparent equilibrium, Lu Yuling had the upper hand in this encounter.

While Zhuge Xiang's speed remained impressive, his appearance indicated that he had expended a substantial amount of energy. It was evident that his remarkable footwork took a toll, and the limited duration of the bloodthirsty technique required him to pause intermittently. The key to victory lay in maintaining this status quo until Zhuge Xiang's bloodthirsty technique waned.

Consequently, despite the apparent stalemate in the duel arena, Lu Yuling appeared calm and composed. On the contrary, Zhuge Xiang wore a serious expression, reflecting both sides' awareness of the situation.

There was no room for delay; Zhuge Xiang had to act swiftly and decisively. He needed to unleash a flurry of high-intensity attacks, forcing Lu Yuling's body to closely mirror his movements. Regardless of her comprehension of his attacks, it would become futile if her physical abilities couldn't keep up.

Examining the remaining duration of his bloodthirsty technique, Zhuge Xiang realized he had only about half a minute left. His expression grew even more solemn as he reached into his bosom and produced a small elixir, roughly the size of a Bodhi seed, emanating a potent aura. It was the super-spiritual energy secret elixir.

The Super Spiritual Qi Secret Medicine required the first layer of the Qi Nurturing Realm to use and conferred tremendous power upon ingestion. It granted system skills a 30-second duration with no cooldown or consumption.

This super-spiritual energy secret medicine had been among the spoils obtained from the one-star mid-level demon fox they had slain earlier. It had detonated alongside the violent step skill, but Zhuge Xiang had never employed it before. Previously, his sole system skills had been Bloodlust and Blood Thunder Slash. Now, with his advancement to the third level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, Zhuge Xiang had finally unlocked the system skill of violent step.

"Lu Yuling, your mental clarity is indeed formidable. You can comprehend all of my attacks, but your own speed remains unchanged. When faced with my high-frequency assaults, I wonder if your body can keep up with my movements." Zhuge Xiang fixed a serious gaze on Lu Yuling while he spoke, and he slipped the super-spiritual energy secret elixir into his mouth.

Elixir? Lu Yuling furrowed her brow slightly upon seeing Zhuge Xiang take the pill.

There were no rules against using pills in a battle. After all, whether it was a magical weapon, martial technique, or a pill, they all constituted part of one's strength. Zhuge Xiang taking a pill at this juncture? Lu Yuling couldn't help but grow more serious. Zhuge Xiang was clearly utilizing a pill that would be advantageous in the current situation.

"Ding, after taking the super-spiritual energy secret elixir, the violent step skill needs no cooldown, and lasts for 30 seconds," the system voice chimed in.