Chapter 402: Ning Zhuo? A Monster?!

Lin Shanshan’s heart shuddered, caught off guard.

“Ning Zhuo’s Root Vine Entanglement Technique was so much faster than before!”

She had been confined for some time. Although she had seen the recording of Ning Zhuo’s battle with Hua Guzi, since then, Ning Zhuo and Hua Guzi had often sparred in the Martial Arena, and his mastery over spell techniques had advanced considerably.

However, the moment Linghu Jiu was entangled, his figure suddenly dissolved into nothingness.

In the next instant, he reappeared seven steps ahead.

Wood Attribute Technique — Empty Bamboo Phantom!

Linghu Jiu smiled faintly. “Brother Ning Zhuo, it’s not only you who can use Wood Attribute techniques.”

Within the Myriad Medicines Sect, there were dozens of Comprehension Diagrams related to the Five Elements. When Ning Zhuo had chosen among the Wood Attribute diagrams under Lin Shanshan’s guidance, he had picked three out of more than a dozen.

The Myriad Medicines Sect cultivated over ten thousand types of herbs, and its research into the Five Elements was profound. By employing the Five Elements, one could transform environments, simulating the most suitable growth conditions for countless herbs.

As the sect’s Senior Brother, adopted and raised by Lin Bufan since childhood, Linghu Jiu naturally mastered many techniques.

Sword in hand, Linghu Jiu continued his charge toward Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo retreated step after step, surging with mana, pushing both palms forward.

Wood Attribute Technique — Pine Waves and Verdant Tide.

The roar of pine winds rose, emerald light surging like a great tide.

The smile on Linghu Jiu’s face slightly receded. His whole body radiated a jade-like green brilliance, resilient and unyielding.

Wood Attribute Technique — Bamboo Joint Resilience!

With this technique, Linghu Jiu withstood the surging tide, his body like a sword, piercing through the emerald waves as he closed in on Ning Zhuo.

He already knew much about Ning Zhuo — that he specialized in spell attacks, and that his melee combat was only a recent development.

After all, Lin Shanshan, when sparring with Ning Zhuo, had been spirited and lively, often relaying her observations to Senior Brother Linghu Jiu when delivering his meals.

Although this Linghu Jiu was but an image projection, he still retained much of the real Linghu Jiu’s memories.

Seeing two consecutive spells fail to suppress his opponent, Ning Zhuo felt the pressure mounting in his heart.

He quickly calculated. The remaining time and space only allowed for one last spell. Which one he chose would be the key.

Wood Attribute Technique — Tree Realm Descent!

He still chose his most familiar Tree Realm Descent, a technique both offensive and defensive — truly his favorite.

In the blink of an eye, towering trees sprang forth, shooting skyward. Countless branches and vines, like serpents and pythons, surged toward Linghu Jiu from all directions.

Ning Zhuo stood high within a dense canopy, overlooking Linghu Jiu.

Tree Realm Descent was extremely practical. With it, he could reshape the battlefield, seizing the advantage of terrain.

Of course, nothing in this world was flawless.

The greatest flaw of Tree Realm Descent lay in its immense mana consumption.

Compared with his earlier techniques, its cost was fifty times that of Root Vine Entanglement and more than ten times that of Pine Waves and Verdant Tide.

With only early Foundation Establishment cultivation, an average cultivator maintaining Tree Realm Descent would exhaust themselves in just a dozen breaths.

But Ning Zhuo’s Five Elements Qi Regulation Art was of the highest grade among the Three Sects, extremely refined. His Five Elements mana was sharply distinguished yet able to transform into one another. Only because of this could he qualify to unleash and sustain this spell in actual combat.

“This boy Ning Zhuo… after such a short time, his combat power has grown this much?” Zhu Xuanji, watching the duel, could not help but tremble inwardly.

He knew Ning Zhuo well.

During the struggle within the Lava Immortal Palace and in the battle at Mist-Hidden Mountain, he had never seen Ning Zhuo unleash such formidable Wood Attribute techniques.

“Could it be… that this was what he gained from his time cultivating in Myriad Medicines Valley?”

Zhu Xuanji’s gaze flickered. “A Heaven-Tribulation’s Son truly cannot be measured by common sense!”

Linghu Jiu, trapped in the ancient forest, was finally restrained by the roots and branches swarming from all sides.

He defended with his sword while gathering mana, preparing for his next strike.

His blade whirled, blooming into a dazzling sword-flower, cutting through roots and shredding branches.

Breaking free for the moment, he sighted Ning Zhuo’s position and suddenly cast a new spell.

Water Attribute Technique — Surrounding Azure Waters.

Mana transformed into waves of greenish water, wrapping around Linghu Jiu.

This technique could defend as well as attack, while also enhancing his maneuverability as he surged toward Ning Zhuo.

Most of the vines that tried to bind him were washed aside, their force dissipated.

Ning Zhuo would not simply wait for death.

Wood Attribute Technique — Blossoms of Death!

In an instant, vines and roots sprouted buds in profusion.

After a single breath, the buds swelled. After the second, they all bloomed at once.

The vines and roots, drained of mana, withered instantly.

But the flowers detached from the vines, fluttering into the air.

The petals, razor-sharp, became countless concealed weapons, raining down upon Linghu Jiu.

This spell, taught by Hua Guzi, could be cast on the foundation of Tree Realm Descent, multiplying its might severalfold.

Linghu Jiu recognized its danger and did not dare to meet it head-on. With a low shout, he resorted to a new method.

Water Attribute Technique — Threefold Currents.

The azure waters around him swelled to three times their volume under his mana infusion.

The rushing waters propelled him with increased force. With a sudden shift, he veered sharply, plunging toward the ground, evading the storm of petals.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes shone with light as he manipulated the petal storm to relentlessly pursue him.

Scarlet and pink petals cascaded between brown trunks and green leaves, breathtakingly beautiful — yet within this beauty lurked lethal ferocity. Linghu Jiu struggled to shake them off, while Lin Shanshan, watching, was so tense she held her breath.

Encased in azure waters, Linghu Jiu struck the ground with the momentum of his charge.

The second fold.

He abruptly changed direction again, ascending diagonally.

The trailing petal storm, whistling ceaselessly, struck the forest floor, piercing through roots and transforming the earth into a crimson, flower-filled swamp.

Less than thirty percent of the petals remained, but precisely because they came last, they endured.

“I must shift my approach.” Ning Zhuo continued directing the storm of petals while simultaneously preparing another technique.

His sparring with Hua Guzi had borne fruit.

Now, he was able to maintain one spell while beginning another, his mind divided into two.

Wood Attribute Technique — Fragrant Blossom Evasion!

Ning Zhuo’s figure vanished, leaving behind only fragrance and scattered petals.

Linghu Jiu struck empty air.

But the petal storm still pursued.

The third fold.

Exhausting his final shift, Linghu Jiu burst into the skies, overlooking the battlefield.

Seeing Ning Zhuo evade yet again, Lin Shanshan’s heart soured. She thought bitterly: “How many more techniques did Hua Guzi teach Ning Zhuo? She even passed him her signature skills?”

“The two of them were enemies not long ago.”

“Hmph. That vixen Hua Guzi! And Ning Zhuo… this blockhead, too eager to learn everything!”

She reevaluated the battle.

Linghu Jiu’s Wood and Water techniques complemented each other — both offensive and defensive, with refined mobility. Ning Zhuo, though only displaying Wood Attribute, fought on par. At this rate, the duel would turn into a war of attrition, a tug-of-war.

It would come down to whose mana reserves endured longer.

On that front, Linghu Jiu had the edge. Yet Ning Zhuo was not without pills. If he continuously consumed medicine, he too could prolong the battle.

“Otherwise, the outcome depends on which one of them makes a mistake — that will decide everything.”

The course Lin Shanshan predicted was clear to both Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu.

High above, Linghu Jiu called out, “Brother Ning Zhuo, this is but a sparring match, not a battle of life and death. Why not fight boldly? To drag this on would be unseemly.”

After all, Lin Bufan and Shen Lingshu, such great cultivators, were watching.

Ning Zhuo nodded. Since his true goal was to explore the Radiant Reflection Wall, this duel was only a prelude. He responded, “Brother speaks true. I shall obey.”

Though his voice carried, his true body remained concealed.

Linghu Jiu laughed heartily. “Then, Brother Ning Zhuo, take this move of mine!”

He spread his arms, fingers extended, breathing deeply. Mana surged wildly, condensing into a massive tidal wave.

Water Attribute Technique — Water Strikes Three Thousand!

The tidal wave crashed into the ancient forest.

Boom.

The first strike.

Most of the great trees toppled.

Ning Zhuo hurriedly poured mana, forcing new ones to grow.

Boom.

The second strike.

The newly grown trees broke under the torrent, their trunks and branches swept away.

Ning Zhuo sighed inwardly, realizing Linghu Jiu was overpowering him with sheer strength, relying on his superior cultivation.

Resolute, he ceased sustaining the technique, avoiding a disastrous mana clash.

Boom.

The third strike.

The last remaining trees all fell, the battlefield becoming a small lake.

With no cover of trees, Ning Zhuo was forced into view.

The terrain advantage was gone. Just as Ning Zhuo could reshape the field, Linghu Jiu could do the same.

Ning Zhuo admitted to himself: “Compared to Wood Attribute, Linghu Jiu seems even more skilled in Water Attribute.”

“Brother Ning Zhuo, here I come!” Linghu Jiu dove from the skies, unstoppable.

Ning Zhuo’s face changed slightly. He cast spell after spell of the Five Elements, retreating as he resisted.

Linghu Jiu no longer used the Wine Forest Sword Art — wherever his sword went, it was unstoppable.

Ning Zhuo was battered, unable to counterattack. After thirty breaths, his body bore many wounds, blood flowing freely.

Linghu Jiu snorted coldly. “What are you thinking, Brother Ning Zhuo? Use your mechanical creations already.”

Ning Jiufan also frowned. Ning Zhuo’s strength lay in mechanisms, yet he still refused to use them. To face Linghu Jiu like this was arrogance — truly unwise!

But Ning Zhuo suddenly smiled. “Brother, was your Water Strikes Three Thousand cast like this?”

Pointing at the waters beneath, he drew with his finger.

In the next instant, the waters surged like dragons and serpents, dozens rising skyward, lashing at Linghu Jiu.

Caught off guard, Linghu Jiu hastily defended with sword light.

Boom.

The first strike.

Linghu Jiu staggered back.

Boom.

The second strike.

His sword light shattered.

The water dispersed.

The third strike failed to form.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes gleamed with joy. “Ah, I made a mistake earlier. Now… this should be right!”

Water Attribute — Water Strikes Three Thousand!

Hundreds of torrents erupted, driving Linghu Jiu backward.

Lin Shanshan gasped. “This isn’t Water Strikes Three Thousand… no, wait, it really is!”

The spell was supposed to be three massive waves. Yet Ning Zhuo’s version looked like vines of Root Vine Entanglement, dragons and serpents entwined. But their combined strikes still came in threes, embodying the essence of Water Strikes Three Thousand!

Hence her words sounded contradictory.

The spectators, however, were all shaken.

“Comprehending a spell in the midst of battle! How can this be?”

“Ning Zhuo’s comprehension is truly monstrous!”

“Monster!!”