Tie Zheng advanced closer, his cleaver wielding the force of ten thousand pounds as it chopped toward Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo took a step back, slightly extending his arm forward, allowing the bronze whip in his hand time to react.
The Bronze Long Whip undulated like a wave with Ning Zhuo’s arm and wrist, even driving the infusion of mana, causing the whip to dance with the movement.
He didn’t meet the attack head-on; the tip of the whip softly tapped and guided the cleaver gently along its outside!
Squeak — Buzz!
Amidst fierce friction, sparks scattered everywhere, the sound making one’s teeth ache incessantly.
The powerful cleaver was cleverly deflected by three degrees by the flexible curve of the whip, smashing heavily into the side of the cave wall, causing rubble to explode like rain for a moment.
"Again, like this!" Tie Zheng gritted his teeth, his heart sinking to the bottom.
This was not the first time.
His numerous attacks had amounted to nothing under the whip, all efforts dissolving into nothingness.
Huff, huff, huff...
Tie Zheng breathed heavily, panting like a bellows, the air entering his lungs as if tearing them apart, each breath bringing a burning sensation.
What worried him even more was the multiple afterimages appearing before his eyes, his spirit fatigued, making waves of hypnotic sensations increasingly intense.
Although the cleaver was strong, inducing its martial arts intent required a severe consumption.
This consumption was not only physical but even more so spiritual.
Though Tie Zheng was a Martial Cultivator, his cultivation focused on the Lower Dantian, among the spirit, energy, and soul, his soul although not the weakest link, fell far from matching his energy foundation.
Tie Zheng knew very well he couldn’t hold on for much longer. He took a risk using the cleaver to break the situation, not expecting Ning Zhuo to also wield a weapon of the same level.
Even if it was the sixth weapon, merely borrowing mana to exhibit sharpness wasn’t enough to counter the cleaver’s intent.
Tie Zheng already sensed the smell of defeat.
The current battle situation unfolded fully.
Ning Zhuo and three other cultivators jointly resisted against him, a Golden Core Cultivator.
"To turn the tide, I need to convince these three, reveal the truth of strength and weakness, and jointly attack Ning Zhuo..."
This thought flashed through Tie Zheng’s Divine Sea like a meteor, vanishing without a trace.
He opened his mouth but ended up sighing quietly in his heart, giving rise to feelings of helplessness and irritation.
Perhaps if it were Ao Pan, such a cultivator might act, but Tie Zheng’s solitary nature, accustomed to cultivating alone in the wild for many years, made such alliances and strategies out of character for him...
He wasn’t blind to the path to victory but had no interest in even attempting.
"This Ning Zhuo guy... it was likely intentional when he got injured earlier and discarded the shield!" At this stage of the battle, Tie Zheng had also glimpsed a corner of the truth.
Clang clang clang...
Various weapons clashed in midair, five figures continuously flipping, advancing and retreating.
Finally, exhaustion reached its peak, slowing down Tie Zheng’s retreating steps.
"Opportunity!" Ning Zhuo’s eyes gleamed with brilliance, stepping with the Xuan Step, his figure being carried by the Bronze Long Whip, the martial arts intent permeating his entire body, making him sway like the shadow of bamboo in the wind.
Ning Zhuo easily evaded several of Tie Zheng’s weapons, his wrist suddenly trembling vigorously.
The whip swung in midair, instantly straightening like a string, a corded power was condensed to its pinnacle before erupting, striking the blade, directly impacting the hilt!
Tie Zheng’s tiger’s mouth ruptured, blood spurted out. The cleaver in his hand was shaken loose, flying out with a clang, landing far away!
The other three cultivators rejoiced, rushing forward eagerly, one with a mischievous glint in their eyes, changing course mid-way, lunging for the cleaver.
Ning Zhuo didn’t bother at all, instead seizing the chance to launch a wild assault on Tie Zheng. The remaining two cultivators, upon seeing this, were seriously affected, becoming indecisive for a moment.
Tie Zheng, with his martial arts cultivation, possessed a resolute and tenacious spirit, certainly unwilling to concede defeat, finally reached to his waist and dropped the Beast Head Copper Ball.
The Blade Beast illuminated!
Green Flowing Copper gushed out, emitting a sharp blade glow, swiftly coalescing into the form of a blade leopard beast without eyes or ears.
Numerous blades emitted a buzzing sound, the Blade Beast turned into a bolt of bronze lightning, directly lunging at Ning Zhuo!
In its path, whether it was stalactites or stalagmites, all crumbled with a crash, turning into fine powder.
The remaining three cultivators scrambled to avoid, eager for Tie Zheng and Ning Zhuo to clash, both suffering heavy losses.
Ning Zhuo faced the Blade Beast unafraid, well aware in advance.
He pushed forward with both palms, all sorts of bronze weapons under his control flipping through the air, forming a Battle Formation.
Clang clang clang...
The Blade Beast recklessly charged into the Battle Formation the very next moment.
A string of metallic explosions, weapons and the Blade Beast clashed with full force. The Blade Beast, like a meteor, bore a compelling momentum, while the weapons coordinated to form an undulating, wave-like defense line.
Though Ning Zhuo had discarded the bronze shield, it was replaced by a stronger bronze whip.
The whip, using softness to overcome hardness, snapped and lashed repeatedly, continuously weakening the charge of the Blade Beast.
The Blade Beast felt constrained, many forceful and deep attacks were guided astray, falling onto the stone ground, uselessly consuming its combat power, with no results.
The trembling of the blade quickly diminished, even in the consistent buzz, there emerged chaotic noises.
Ning Zhuo’s sixth bronze fan, serving as the primary offensive weapon, stirred up Wind Blades and Fire Waves, continuously pressing back the Blade Beast.
This scene left the onlookers stunned.
The cultivators from the Xuan Armor Cave nearly all widened their eyes, the destructive potential they expected the Blade Beast to unleash did not appear; instead, Ning Zhuo’s last-minute Battle Formation showcased formidable defensive capabilities!
"The Blade Beast is obviously much weaker than before!"
"These types of weapons aren’t built for prolonged battles, are they?"
"No wonder Tie Zheng, since eliminating Lu Zeng and Ao Pan, never used it again."
The cultivators were enlightened.
"This means, the final victor of the Xingyun Trial is still uncertain!"
"After all, Tie Zheng is a Golden Core Cultivator..."
"At present, it seems Ning Zhuo also has a chance to win."
"No, they could also both end up severely injured, ultimately leaving benefits for the remaining three cultivators. Such scenarios have happened in previous editions as well."
The cultivators frequently exchanged remarks.
In their eyes, the outcome seemed predetermined initially, yet unexpectedly at the last moment, suspense resurfaced, undoubtedly escalating the crowd’s interest in the spectacle.
The Blade Beast slashing through the battle formation, Ning Zhuo, though evading, was still wounded, blood flowing profusely.
The Blade Beast dashing toward Ning Zhuo, his battle formation intercepting once more, each impact from the dashing light getting weakened, the buzzing of blades vibrating from eardrum rupture to shrillness, then to huskiness...
The once shining bronze luster on its body dimmed in the continuous erosion, with numerous blade curls and even nicks appearing.
Ning Zhuo’s eyes gleamed with brilliance, feeling the time was ripe, he shouted to Tie Zheng: "Daoist Tie Zheng, you and I have fought fiercely enough to this point. The sharpness of the dashing light has dulled, if we keep battling, this beast will surely be destroyed."
The Blade Beast dashing light was not part of the Mysterious Armor in the Xuan Armor Cave but was brought by Tie Zheng himself.
This meant that even if it reached the required damage level, it would not be transmitted out by the Great Array, eventually facing total destruction.
Hearing this, Tie Zheng’s eye twitched slightly, and he slowly lowered his bronze longbow.
By this time, Ning Zhuo was also in a disheveled state, blood and sweat mingled, breathing heavily, his body covered in wounds.
Yet Ning Zhuo held a robust battle spirit, the shout just now was full of vigor and vitality.
This physical and spiritual foundation caught Tie Zheng’s attention. It was hard to believe that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could possess such a solid foundational quality.
Tie Zheng, on the other hand, had his Divine Sea depleted, blood seeping from all seven orifices, multiple phantom images before his eyes, feeling drowsy, hanging on purely by will.
Tie Zheng did not worry about himself; in the Xingyun Trial within the Xuan Armor Cave, his life was assured to be preserved.
But he was really concerned about the safety of the Blade Beast dashing light.
Unlike others, Tie Zheng, having experienced numerous betrayals, trusted his Blade Beasts the most, regarding them as his most reliable companions in the world.
Tie Zheng released his weakened Divine Sense, managing with difficulty, retreating the dashing light a few steps, suddenly turning around and running back to his side, still baring its teeth at Ning Zhuo.
Tie Zheng extended his hand, gently stroking the Blade Beast’s head, as if it truly had life and was his cherished pet.
"Forget it, I concede." Tie Zheng sighed, his gaze toward Ning Zhuo carrying complex emotions.
The next moment, the Great Array activated, transporting both him and the Blade Beast out of the scene.
Without its master, the previously refined Mysterious Armor weapons became ownerless, dropping to the ground one after another.