After switching to Mammoth Form, Xun Liang pulled off a turnaround.
"Damn it!!" Bao Ligen reacted with full force, but to no avail.
Xun Liang’s tusk knife and Mammoth Form combined offense and defense, proving even more challenging than Bao Ligen who was controlling the Magic Structure [Cold Pudding].
"Such combat power, it’s really too exaggerated, isn’t it?"
"Actually able to keep Bao Ligen suppressed?!"
"Unbelievable! [Form] is really amazing, today I’ve truly gained insight."
Amid the continuous exclamations from the audience, this duel came to a close.
Bao Ligen was soundly defeated; his Fighting energy was nearly exhausted, and even 70% of [Cold Pudding]’s reserve energy was depleted.
Bao Ligen was severely injured and fell into a coma.
On the other hand, Xun Liang, after dismissing the Mammoth Form, was completely unharmed.
Although at the beginning of the duel, he couldn’t evade many area-based Combat Skills and got slightly injured. But during the time he overturned the situation, he was completely healed.
It was an upset.
Bao Ligen became the figure of a significant upset.
Even with the Magic Structure [Cold Pudding] at hand, he lost.
Xun Liang became the biggest dark horse and instantly gained fame across the nation. Using Bao Ligen as a stepping stone, he simultaneously trampled the military’s prominently promoted advanced military weapon, the Magic Structure [Cold Pudding].
His victory brought him immense prestige, making his prominence exceed that of the Dragon-man youth, and became the most talked-about figure throughout the Kingdom.
The result of this duel has far-reaching impacts.
The troubles the Dragon-man youth used to deal with suddenly vanished.
The military authorities wore a perpetually sullen face, unable to come to terms with it. The Magic Structure [Cold Pudding], which the military was heavily pushing, was unexpectedly coldly received for the first time. Sales would surely remain good, but the previous pricing wouldn’t work and must be adjusted downward.
Zi Di took advantage of the situation by launching her new alchemy product, aiming directly for the champion position of the Warm Snow Cup amidst her competitor’s weakened stance.
The Ice Sculpture King looked at the battle report, filled with emotions: "The Thunder Cloud Tribe has always been on good terms with our country, what’s their connection to Xun Liang? Investigate it for me."
The Royal Family’s Great Mage invited Lei Kuang and Xun Liang to a dinner party on the night of the duel. Lei Kuang gladly attended, but Xun Liang declined.
On the sea.
Shichijiro raised his head and downed the fine wine in his cup.
Beside him, the Thirteenth Prince stared at the intelligence in his hand, his expression somber: "[Turn Over] performed poorly, allowing pirates to attack the port and blow up the Mage Tower. This time, I’m back, Snowbird Port is my base."
"If there’s a mistake, my only foundation will be lost."
Shichijiro furrowed his brows slightly, spewing a rich wine aroma: "How did the National Ceremony’s grand duel go?"
The Thirteenth Prince handed over the intelligence in his hand: "The military fielded the Magic Structure [Cold Pudding], but the user lost to a Barbarian warrior, quite an upset."
"But your situation remains dire."
"Long Meng is nationally recognized as the top Golden Level duelist, Long Fu’s reputation continues to grow. Now there’s also the Barbarian warrior emerging, you should’ve listened to me and not wandered at sea. You should’ve hurriedly joined the duels instead."
Shichijiro let out a cold snort, rolled his eyes in displeasure: "Even if I rushed to participate, my reputation would still lag far behind Long Meng. My mentality is all or nothing, if I do something, I’ll do it big!"
Shichijiro suddenly paused while staring at the intelligence in his hand: "Da Han is near the Military Port?"
The Thirteenth Prince nodded: "Recently, the Ice Pirates have been hovering around the Military Port coastline. To prevent him from capturing this crucial city, not only have the Navy gathered, even the Army has dispatched many troops to garrison there."
Upon mentioning this, the Thirteenth Prince realized: "What do you intend to do?"
Shichijiro’s mouth twisted into a wild and wanton smile: "Previously, Feng Lian and Da Han fought, retreating gracefully with the Divine Wind Pirate Group. I also want to try the taste of a Holy Domain Level opponent, hahaha."
The Thirteenth Prince’s expression changed drastically: "Don’t be too reckless."
"Hahaha, we came to the sea precisely for adventure, didn’t we?" Shichijiro continued his laughter.
The Thirteenth Prince, being just a mortal, was unable to control Shichijiro, momentarily looked like a blackened pot.
Ice Pirates Group.
On the flagship, Qian Xing was playing a match with Da Han.
They were using small and large fish Magic Battle Chess. In a water tank-made three-dimensional chessboard, players manipulate one or multiple pieces, orchestrating devouring that triggers the chess pieces’ form mutation, constantly accumulating advantages, ultimately transforming them into victory.
The rules of piece mutations closely align with reality, containing the mysteries of the Bloodline Map.
The Deep Sea Dragon Crocodile controlled by Qian Xing had already secured an absolute advantage, chasing the Electric Eel controlled by Da Han all around.
And even if bloodline resources continued to generate within the chessboard, the Electric Eel no longer had the opportunity to devour and change its own bloodline.
Seeing victory assured, Qian Xing’s attention shifted onto the "Da Han" opposite him.
Qian Xing had a suspicion in his mind: "This isn’t your original body, is it? Da Han."
Da Han looked up and smiled: "Why do you suspect that?"
Qian Xing replied, "Even though there’s no trace of flaw in your aura, and the intelligence displayed during chess plays matches your original body, even our verbal exchanges haven’t given you away. But you’ve played so many rounds of Magic Battle Chess without once using the Time Divine Arts for forecasting. It’s quite inconsistent with your personality."
Da Han’s personality was domineering, with a strong desire for control. While Qian Xing, despite being a lone operator, was meticulous, a character defined by intellectual combat.
Da Han was silent for a moment, then nodded: "You figured it out, indeed, my true body has already infiltrated the heart of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom."
"And I, in essence, am just a doppelganger, created using the divine art [Past Me]."
Qian Xing chuckled lightly: "So, after winning that sea battle, you commanded the Ice-sealing Pirate Group to keep shifting along the coast of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom. Recently, you’ve been making a show of attacking the Military Port, just to draw attention and create an opportunity for your true body to infiltrate the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital."
Da Han nodded: "That’s correct, please keep it a secret."
"Of course." Qian Xing said as he manipulated his chess pieces, devouring Da Han’s electric eel, thoroughly confirming his victory in this round.
Just then, the First Officer knocked on the door and handed over an urgent military report.
"Shichijiro, huh, actually dared to issue a challenge to me... interesting." Da Han’s doppelganger looked over the report with an inexplicable smile, then ordered, "Engage."
A moment later.
Shichijiro flew all the way up, soaring into the sky.
Da Han slowly ascended, facing this audacious Golden Level.
"Da Han, let me see your mettle!"
"Since you seek death, I’ll oblige you."
Their words clashed, and they began to fight immediately.
Da Han remained stationary in the air, merely releasing the Holy Domain, reducing Shichijiro’s offensive by 80%, standing unassailable.
Shichijiro’s flying technique was outstanding, flipping around like a hawk in the sky, launching various aggressive combat skills.
Unlike Feng Lian, he was audacious, and faced with a Holy Domain Level, he opted for close combat!
After more than a dozen rounds, Da Han extended his hand, releasing an Ice Cone.
The Holy Domain Level Ice Cone shot out, aiming directly at Shichijiro’s heart.
Shichijiro surprisingly neither dodged nor evaded, willing to die just to smear the combat skill he had brewed for so long onto Da Han’s face.
Da Han retreated slightly, appearing a bit disheveled, while Shichijiro’s heart was pierced, dying tragically on the spot.
The observing pirates were in shock when suddenly Divine Light burst out from Shichijiro’s corpse, forming a pillar of light.
In the pillar of divine power, Shichijiro slowly floated up, stood upright, and suddenly opened his eyes wide.
"Hahaha, come again!" Shichijiro resurrected on the spot, his state returning to the peak of the battle, charging again at Da Han.
After another ten rounds or so, Da Han used divine arts to cut Shichijiro directly into two sections.
Shichijiro died in battle.
This time, Da Han didn’t stop, using magic-like spells to freeze Shichijiro’s bisected corpse.
But in the next moment, the Divine Light surged, connecting with each other. The two pieces of the corpse disappeared in the Divine Light, and in the next moment, a complete Shichijiro emerged in the pillar of divine power.
He was resurrected again!
Da Han’s expression changed slightly, beginning to fight with all his might.
This time, Shichijiro died even faster, only taking seven rounds.
The pillar of divine power took shape again, and Da Han chose to attack the pillar of divine power.
Even using Holy Domain level magic-like spells and divine arts consecutively couldn’t shake the pillar of divine power at all.
After resurrecting, Shichijiro became increasingly arrogant: "It’s useless, I have the blessing of the Seven Gods! Although you are Holy Domain Level, the gap between us and the gods is as vast as heaven and earth! Hahahaha."
"Troublesome." Qian Xing watched from the sidelines, his brow slightly furrowed.
Faced with an enemy that couldn’t be killed, and one that recovered completely with every resurrection, even a Holy Domain Level found it challenging.
"The most critical point is, this isn’t Da Han’s true body, but his divine art doppelganger."
"Sustaining the doppelganger requires energy consumption. If the consumption is too great, the doppelganger might collapse from reaching its limit."
Qian Xing’s concerns mirrored those of Da Han’s doppelganger.
After killing Shichijiro for the fourth time, Da Han’s doppelganger did not strike again.
He used ice to freeze the resurrected Shichijiro, limiting his actions.
"Retreat!" Da Han’s doppelganger returned to the flagship, decisively ordering a swift withdrawal from the battlefield along with his subordinates.
Qian Xing’s eyelid twitched slightly; this outcome was not unexpected for him, yet it still left him speechless.
Shichijiro was undoubtedly a very special Golden Level, managing to force Da Han’s doppelganger to retreat with a war of attrition.
Of course, a key reason for this was Da Han’s doppelganger’s concern over excessive energy consumption, which might expose a flaw in his aura, revealing it as a doppelganger and affecting the overall strategy of the true body. Therefore, as a precaution, he chose to call a truce.
But regardless of the circumstances, the result was that — Shichijiro used four lives to drive away Da Han!
Once the news spread, it caused a shockwave throughout the Ice Sculpture Kingdom!!
Although he didn’t defeat the Holy Domain Level, for a Golden Level to challenge beyond their level and achieve such a feat was already extremely rare.
With this battle, Shichijiro made a name for himself, shaking the entire nation!