It felt like a teacher guiding him hand-in-hand in live combat, ensuring Ning Zhuo gained from every breath.
The successive attack of the bronze knife was diverted by the bronze sword body.
Following the momentum, the blade glided along the ground, shifting from a thrust to a slice, sweeping towards Ning Zhuo’s ankle. The shift between blade techniques was seamless and fluid.
Ning Zhuo’s pupils narrowed slightly. In a hurry, he could only withdraw his leg and leap backward.
His jump was a bit rushed, causing him to bend at the waist in mid-air, leaning forward with his upper body, lifting the bronze sword to create a brief sword screen for defense.
The bronze sword helped to adjust, allowing Ning Zhuo to barely ward off the sinister slice.
However, his pant leg was still cut open, revealing a thin slit; the hairs on Ning Zhuo’s shin stood on end, feeling a piercing chill.
Before he could steady himself, the bronze knife followed him closely like a fatal disease.
The knife’s continuous slashes formed a series of connected moves.
Wave-breaking Triple Blade!
The first blade, extremely heavy. Ning Zhuo horizontally held up his sword to block it, his arm shaking intensely with numbness, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.
The second blade shifted from a straight slash to an angled swipe, the knife edge brushing like a snake flicking its tongue, cutting towards Ning Zhuo at an odd angle. After blocking previously, Ning Zhuo was forced to lift his hand, exposing his left rib.
Seeing that he was about to get hit, Ning Zhuo could only twist awkwardly, narrowly having the back of the knife graze past his waist.
"Screech!" His clothes tore, the skin on his side slashed open, leaving a blood line.
The third blade turned from a swipe to a thrust, using the momentum of the waist twist to lightning-point at his right shoulder.
Due to the evasive rotation, Ning Zhuo’s balance was unstable, making it difficult to dodge this time.
The next moment, blood spurted, resulting in a large wound on his right shoulder, bone exposed deeply.
Ning Zhuo quickly shifted the bronze sword to his left hand, his sword dance becoming swift, bursting with full effort.
Under the bronze sword’s guidance, his swift defense actions like swinging, blocking, releasing, and pointing were all precise, blocking the subsequent attacks of the bronze knife.
However, the intense pain continued from his right shoulder, and the blood rapidly stained Ning Zhuo’s robe.
Ning Zhuo’s perception was extremely vivid: "The bronze sword is just basic sword moves; when it comes to the bronze knife, it rises a level. It’s not just basic knife moves; the moves are faster, more connected, and there are combos!"
What just happened was three basic knife moves forming a small combo.
The slash, the swipe, and the thrust connected seamlessly, the power stacking layers, the rhythm suddenly shifting, anticipating Ning Zhuo’s response, leading to damage.
Ning Zhuo felt as if he had faced three consecutive waves crashing, leaving him no breathing space.
The wound on his right shoulder had already stopped bleeding on its own.
The pain from the knife wound was also hastily subsiding.
His eyes glinted with brilliance, the multitude of experiences stored in his memory, became alive due to the intense experience just now.
The numerous demon cultivators wielding knife moves, the scenes facing knife moves, at this moment assaulted his mind, layering together, bringing him an indescribable powerful insight.
Time flowed continuously, after enduring the toughest early-stage clashes, Ning Zhuo steadied his footing.
His close combat sword skills quickly adapted to this higher level of opponent, helping Ning Zhuo to fight back and forth.
A scene similar to before was again presented in front of the cultivators.
"He’s learning in combat again!"
"His progress is truly visible to the naked eye."
"I understand!" Suddenly, a cultivator slapped his fist into his palm, "Why he could obtain the top place twice in the Confucian cultivator trial. Should be due to his strong learning ability!"
This statement immediately gained many nods of agreement.
"Indeed. Chu Xuangu’s trial was an imitation, where the Confucian scholar with greater mastery of calligraphy had more disadvantages."
"While Song Taosheng directly taught in the Confucian Temple, the Awl-Thorn Vigilance Art and the technique of suspending one’s headbeam, both learning methods, fitting Ning Zhuo’s display well."
Some cultivators also noticed his physical potential.
"His physical foundation is strong; it’s rare to see such a powerful body in the Foundation Establishment Stage."
"I feel, aside from mastering the Five Elements Technique, he’s surely also practicing the Lower Dantian Essence Sea. Maybe he’s faking, mainly cultivating the Essence Sea, practicing the Qi Sea!"
Some cultivators nodded, while others shook their heads.
"Can’t dismiss this possibility."
"Ning Zhuo’s background is formidable. Such a genius like him, even if not mainly cultivating the Essence Sea, must have ample means, secret techniques, aiding his extra elevation of physical foundation."
"Imagine Situ Xing, Ban Ji; they are the face of major factions in the Foundation Establishment Stage. Where the main cultivation technique misses, various secret techniques are used for enhancement, albeit at a high cost."
During everyone’s discussion, Ning Zhuo suddenly thrust forward, the sword tip hitting the bronze knife, knocking it directly onto the ground.
This was a great chance to subdue it, but Ning Zhuo did not seize the opportunity, instead deferring a step, continuing holding the sword, staying prepared.
Upon witnessing this, cultivators immediately sighed: "Here we go again! Ning Zhuo isn’t nervous at all; he’s learning here. At this rate, he’ll surely fall to the last place."
Someone seemed to discern Ning Zhuo’s intention: "I rather believe he’s made the right choice. Imagine, if he faced the bronze sword and quickly refined it, could his close combat skills improve? Likely when facing the bronze knife just now he’d fall under a small combo."
Someone chimed in: "This indeed is steady progress; Ning Zhuo is a top-tier talent with his ideas."
"But if he continues like this, unable to catch up with others, he may be eliminated in the second round for being late."
"Well, hopefully, he knows what he’s doing."
Although the cultivators were meeting Ning Zhuo for the first time, they had a natural fondness for such righteous characters. Additionally, they were eagerly waiting for the duel between Ning Zhuo and Ban Ji, missing such excitement would be genuinely regrettable.
Ning Zhuo immersed himself in learning through combat, as did the cultivators at Foundation Establishment Stage, widening the gap.
Zhang Wangxing facing a bronze knife, laughed heartily, showing no fear.
He pounded his chest: "Come, slash me!"
The bronze knife struck his body, his frame seemed like soft mud, with no bones, causing the knife to sink and wrap tight.
The bronze knife’s momentum depleted, intending to pull itself back.
Zhang Wangxing directly gripped the knife’s handle with both hands, pulling firmly. Simultaneously, his arms liquified, creating a flowing flesh that enveloped the blade.
The bronze knife struggled within the insides of Zhang Wangxing.
Splash, splash, splash...
Zhang Wangxing appeared pale, enduring wave after wave of intense pain, yet with an increasingly arrogant smile.
The bronze knife’s attack quickly waned and was soon refined by Zhang Wangxing.
Zhang Wangxing mainly practiced the "Blood and Flesh Transformation Scripture," adeptly controlling his flesh, inducing various extraordinary dramatic transformations, while also transferring bones and organs.
"The Xingyun Trial of the Nine-layered Profound Armor is only this much. Hahaha!"
Zhang Wangxing acquired three bronze artifacts in rapid succession, surpassing Ban Ji’s progress, ascending to the top among the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Wave-breaking Triple Blade!
The bronze knife’s momentum re-emerged, initiating the little combo.
Ning Zhuo’s gaze was deep and steadfast, he advanced rather than retreated, the bronze sword slightly vibrating, cutting upward against the heaviness of the first slashing blade.
"Clang——!"
Amidst the jarring clash, Ning Zhuo did not fall back. The bronze sword in his hand grazed the knife edge at a subtle angle.
The feedback force transmitted to Ning Zhuo’s arm, shoulder, it was thoroughly felt, subsequently executing a sword move, dissipating the power of the bronze knife.
The gap after the exhaustion of the first Wave-breaking Triple Blade and before the second began was caught by Ning Zhuo, effectively breaking through!
Ning Zhuo’s eyes glimmered brilliantly, the bronze sword swiftly soared, causing the bronze knife to retreat repeatedly. Just as it attempted to counter, Ning Zhuo applied relieving power, leading the knife body to contort, weak like a child, lacking its previous might.
Clang.
The bronze knife fell to the ground, this was the thirty-second time.
Unlike before, Ning Zhuo stepped on the bronze knife, mind and Mana heavily infused, directly refining it.
Ning Zhuo bent over, picked up the bronze knife.
Left Blade and Right Sword!
His breathing slowed from rapid pace.
Sweat dripped down his temples, falling onto the blade and sword.
He could not help thinking of Ban Ji: "Can I also emulate Ban Ji, perform the Left Blade and Right Sword technique? Such a move would eventually provide another method to counter him."
Elsewhere.
Ban Ji dragged a bronze wolf fang club, walking forward with an unsightly expression: "Blade and sword! Blade and sword!"
What lay before him was a pair of Double Section Stick.
"I..." Ban Ji’s eyes twitched continuously, his face flushed crimson.
Infuriated.