Chapter 358: The Noble Son of a Great Family!
Ning Zhuo sensed the situation was unfavorable and could only switch to a defensive stance.
Frost Punch!
Han Zhou's left fist shot out, bringing with it a bone-chilling cold, striking toward Ning Zhuo's chest with lightning speed.
Ning Zhuo hurriedly crossed his arms, raising a defense.
Bang.
With a muffled sound, Ning Zhuo was forced back several steps.
Han Zhou's punch was blocked, but the force of the punch still penetrated through the defense, seeping into Ning Zhuo's body.
Bitter Cold Qi!
Han Zhou pressed forward, his steps shifted, lifting his left leg high, spinning for a kick.
Old Cold Leg!
The leg wind was fierce, aiming directly at Ning Zhuo's face. Ning Zhuo sidestepped to avoid it, barely dodging, but Han Zhou quickly changed his move, his right fist like lightning, striking at Ning Zhuo's ribs.
Ning Zhuo took the punch, his stance suddenly loosening.
If it were before his special training, this would have led to his defeat. But after the training, he steeled himself, gritted his teeth, and maintained his stance, enduring several more hits without collapsing completely.
Each punch from Han Zhou was powerful, numbing Ning Zhuo's arms.
Suddenly, Han Zhou dropped low, sweeping his right leg fiercely.
Old Cold Leg!
Ning Zhuo's legs were struck, his stance unstable, staggering backward.
Han Zhou seized the opportunity, launching both fists, one aimed at Ning Zhuo's face and the other at his chest.
Ning Zhuo could only block the upper attack, but the lower one pierced through, hitting his chest, sending him flying.
He flew back a full zhang, adjusting his posture mid-air, and when he landed, his feet slid across the ground, dragging for a while.
He bent slightly, adjusting his center of gravity, but ultimately did not fall.
"Good strikes." He spat out a mouthful of blood, smiled at Han Zhou, and gave a sincere compliment.
Lin Shanshan frowned deeply when she saw Ning Zhuo spitting blood, her heart tightening with concern.
Sun Lingtong, who was watching from the Puppet Dragon, laughed lightly upon seeing this: "Xiao Zhuo, your hand-to-hand skills indeed need more practice."
Sun Lingtong was a demonic cultivator, and his training of Ning Zhuo had always been harsh.
Just spitting some blood was nothing in his eyes!
Han Zhou walked slowly toward Ning Zhuo, shaking his head slightly with a look of disappointment: "Friend Ning, if this is all you can do, today's winner will surely be me."
"Your close combat skills need improvement. This shortcoming is very obvious and will be targeted by others in the future."
Ning Zhuo nodded: "Brother Han's words are very true. My hand-to-hand combat skills have been the focus of my special training lately; they were much worse before."
"Thank you, Brother Han, for giving me a chance to test my fists."
"Now, I will need to use a portion of my true strength, so please be careful!"
Han Zhou's eyes lit up: "I await it, feel free to unleash your full power."
The next moment, Ning Zhuo took out six Puppet Floating Hands from his storage belt.
Once the Floating Hands were released, they immediately flew into the air, circling around Han Zhou.
Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and began furiously casting Five Elements spells.
Fire, metal blades, vines, earth spikes, water waves... an onslaught of spells was cast in succession, converging violently like a dazzling fireworks display at a festival.
Brilliant and deadly!
The spectators were in an uproar.
"Ning Zhuo has such mastery over the Five Elements spells! How old is he?"
"Did he start practicing spells from his mother's womb?"
"No, this isn't just simple Five Elements spells. The spells flow seamlessly, continuously cycling between creation and destruction, fully utilizing the power of each round of spells. What technique has he been cultivating to switch between the elements so effortlessly?"
Even Lin Shanshan, who knew a bit about Ning Zhuo's background, was visibly shocked.
She now realized that Ning Zhuo had held back much of his strength on the first day of training when casting spells in front of her.
"Is this what it looks like when he goes all out?" Lin Shanshan locked her gaze on the white-robed youth in the center of the arena. His focused, handsome face, illuminated by the five-colored glow of the spells, appeared even more captivating.
At this moment, Ning Zhuo's spellcasting image was deeply imprinted in Lin Shanshan's heart.
It wasn’t just her—the audience was also awestruck and would remember Ning Zhuo.
"His hand-to-hand skills may be lacking, but his spellcasting is extremely profound!"
"With this level of power alone, Cave 281 is definitely not his limit."
"He deserves a better cave residence."
"Wait, aren't you forgetting Han Zhou's Bitter Cold Qi?"
"Ning Zhuo is only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, but Han Zhou is at the late stage. As long as Han Zhou holds on, Ning Zhuo's mana won't last."
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
Many were sharp-eyed.
Although Ning Zhuo was going all out with his spells, suppressing Han Zhou and forcing him into a defensive position, this kind of frenzied onslaught drained his mana immensely.
Ning Zhuo was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, while Han Zhou was in the late stage, meaning the latter had a much stronger foundation.
As expected, over time, Ning Zhuo's aura rapidly weakened, and the barrage of Five Elements spells significantly diminished.
Han Zhou, who had been enduring the attacks passively, finally found an opportunity to counterattack.
Whoosh!
Bitter Cold Qi burst from his body, drastically reducing the power of the Five Elements spells.
He was like a sharp blade flying out of an ice field, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Ning Zhuo!
"Ah!" Lin Shanshan couldn't help but cry out in surprise.
The surrounding spectators also let out low gasps.
However, Lin Bufan, who had been watching the battle, felt a sinking feeling when he saw Lin Shanshan's reaction, sensing something was amiss.
As the overwhelming bitter cold enveloped him, Ning Zhuo felt as though he was in a freezing wasteland, trapped in an endless, terrifying snowstorm.
His entire body was about to freeze solid as he watched, helplessly, as Han Zhou's finger aimed straight at his forehead.
If it struck, his skull would be pierced, and he would be gravely injured!
But at the critical moment, Han Zhou shifted his aim, targeting Ning Zhuo's shoulder instead.
However, his confident full-force strike was deflected by a slick membrane of light that suddenly appeared on Ning Zhuo's body.
Han Zhou brushed past Ning Zhuo!
Oil-Slick Slip Talisman!!
The protective talisman given to Ning Zhuo by Ning Jiufan wasn't just a one-time use item.
The Oil-Slick Slip Talisman had its own spiritual intelligence, sensing when its wearer was about to take a heavy blow, it activated on its own, successfully protecting Ning Zhuo.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted once again.
"Did I sense that right?"
"A Golden Core aura! That’s a Golden Core-level talisman!"
"With such a powerful talisman, who could possibly threaten Ning Zhuo, even if he can't fight hand-to-hand?"
"If he had such a trump card, why did he bother engaging in close combat with Han Zhou earlier?"
Some people felt rather speechless.
If Ning Zhuo had used the talisman at the start, the fight would have been over long ago.
No one would have thought Han Zhou could win!
Han Zhou came from a poor background, dressed in rags, relying solely on his own techniques and hand-to-hand skills. Even if he had used various magical items, it would be extremely difficult to break through a Golden Core-level defensive talisman.
Han Zhou, knowing his own limits, examined Ning Zhuo carefully and confirmed that the Oil-Slick Slip Talisman had considerable durability.
He then voluntarily withdrew and conceded defeat.
Ning Zhuo said, "I am ashamed to say that I had to rely on a protective talisman from my elders. This was not my intention. But Brother Han's strength was so great that I could no longer suppress the talisman, and it activated on its own."
"This victory doesn't come from my own strength. Why not consider it a draw?"
Han Zhou studied Ning Zhuo earnestly, sensing his sincerity, but still shook his head: "A victory is a victory, and a loss is a loss. The talismans and magical tools you possess are all part of your strength. Relying on them to win is perfectly legitimate."
"This match, I lost."
After finishing his words, Han Zhou bowed and staggered out of the arena.
"Victory!" Lin Shanshan clenched her fists instinctively, feeling a surge of joy in her heart.
Ning Zhuo, however, sighed softly, turned around in disinterest, and left the arena as well.
The spectators exchanged thoughts, many of them regular cultivators of Xiao Zheng Peak. They began assessing Ning Zhuo's combat prowess.
"No wonder he's the son of a great family, possessing a Golden Core-level protective talisman. Who could possibly threaten him?"
"Maybe only people like Lai Wuying."
"Ordinary cultivators won't stand a chance against him. His spellcasting alone severely injured Han Zhou."
Lin Bufan withdrew his gaze, but before leaving, he noticed Lin
Shanshan following Ning Zhuo.
"A Golden Core-level protective talisman… from the Ning family of Huoshi Immortal City?"
Lin Bufan began to take Ning Zhuo seriously.
Although the other party was a junior, his background was not insignificant. Carrying a Golden Core-level protective talisman showed that he was well cared for and heavily cultivated by his family.
If even Lin Bufan took notice of Ning Zhuo, it was no wonder others did too.
Soon, the entire Wan Yao Valley was abuzz with talk about Ning Zhuo. Everyone knew of this noble son from a great family with deep background, someone not to be easily provoked!
(End of this chapter)