Chapter 47

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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Amidst the swirling cherry blossoms, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

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As the ghostly steps reached a level of perfection, there was even an advanced technique called the Ghost Shadow Step, which not only made one faster but also had the effect of partially concealing one's form. This was the first time Zhuge Xiang had seen it, and Hua Nongying, who was in the crowd, widened her eyes in surprise.

The Blood Tempered Blade pointed diagonally at the ground, Zhuge Xiang relaxed his entire body. His posture did not seem to be in the midst of a battle but rather like he was enjoying the sunrise on a mountain peak.

However, this posture made Zhang Ying, who was hiding in the shadows, feel even more uneasy, and he dared not move rashly. This new disciple at the Fourth Layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm, for some reason, gave Zhang Ying a sense of heavy pressure.

Using the Ghost Shadow Step, Zhang Ying circled around Zhuge Xiang for nearly half a minute but still could not find the best moment to strike. Although Zhuge Xiang seemed relaxed and unguarded, his entire body seemed full of vulnerabilities. Yet, there was a strong intuition in his mind that no matter from what angle he attacked, the opponent would instantly react and counter.

"I can't keep this up. He stands there, waiting for me to make the first move, but my Ghost Shadow Step consumes a lot of qi," after circling for nearly half a minute and feeling that his qi had already been consumed by almost a third, Zhang Ying knew he couldn't continue like this. His Ghost Shadow Step was only at the initial stage of mastery, and it consumed a lot of qi. If he continued, the opponent wouldn't even need to make a move; his qi would be depleted.

Determined, Zhang Ying used the Ghost Shadow Step to position himself behind Zhuge Xiang and drew a short sword.

Ghost Fang!

As a disciple of the Asura Sect who had broken through to the Fifth Layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm, Zhang Ying had the right to choose a second martial technique. Besides the advanced Ghost Shadow Step, his second technique was this Ghost Fang. Although its attack power might not be strong, its speed was the fastest. Combined with the Ghost Shadow Step, it was the perfect technique for assassination.

Feeling the intense killing intent lock onto his back and a terrifying aura envelop him, Zhuge Xiang knew the opponent had finally decided to attack.

Almost simultaneously, Zhuge Xiang quickly turned around, and the effect of the Frost Headband activated, reducing the speed of the Ghost Shadow Step by 20%. The Blood Tempered Blade transformed into a crimson blade of light and slashed forward.

With his speed suddenly suppressed, Zhang Ying's face changed as he saw the blade of light coming at him. However, at the same time, his speed not only did not decrease but instantly increased. Instead of advancing, he retreated, pulling himself out of Zhuge Xiang's attack range.

"Does he have a way to instantly increase his speed?" Not only did the suppression effect of the Frost Headband fail, but his speed also increased. Zhuge Xiang frowned.

Although the Burst Step was very powerful, it was only effective within a five-meter radius. With the Ghost Shadow Step, the opponent had retreated beyond five meters in an instant. Even if he used the Burst Step, it wouldn't serve as a surprise attack.

However, the lack of effect from the Burst Step did not mean Zhuge Xiang had no other means. He planted the Blood Tempered Blade in the ground, reached for his waist, and drew the Hundred Tempered Bow, pulling it to full draw. The sharp tip of the Wolf Tooth Arrow locked onto the opponent, and the Piercing Arrow skill activated instantly.

Although the opponent was more than five meters away, it wasn't too far. With the Hundred Tempered Bow's 120-meter range, the speed of this arrow was no less than that of the Burst Step.

Ignoring 55 points of defense and with the Courage Medal's effect doubling his attack, even though Zhang Ying hastily twisted his body to avoid the vital areas, Zhuge Xiang's arrow still pierced through his shoulder, leaving a hole the size of a baby's fist, through which blood gushed out. Zhang Ying fell to the ground, unable to continue fighting.

"His ranged attack is even stronger than his close combat?" Seeing Zhuge Xiang's arrow pierce through Zhang Ying's shoulder and even through his one-star defensive leather armor, the surrounding people were once again stunned. They had thought his close combat skills were formidable, but they hadn't expected his ranged attack to be even stronger.

"Such a powerful attack, it seems to have an armor-piercing effect. Even a disciple at the Body Tempering Realm would not fare well against this arrow," a few Body Tempering Realm disciples watching the scene could not hide their surprise.

With the effect of the Hundred Tempered Bow, even in a Bloodlust state, Zhuge Xiang believed his Piercing Arrow could break through the defense of a two-star demon moth. With the Courage Medal's enhancement, he was even more powerful.

Although the physical defense of Body Tempering Realm disciples was strong, if one had a powerful magical weapon, breaking through their defense was not impossible. Clearly, the three-star magical weapon, the Hundred Tempered Bow, with its armor-piercing effect, could threaten some Body Tempering Realm cultivators.

"Ding, defeated a Seventh Layer Qi Cultivation Realm disciple, gained 320 experience points, obtained the Slashing Blade."

As Zhuge Xiang defeated Zhang Ying with an arrow, the system's mechanical voice announced as expected. Compared to the previous upper-class disciples he had defeated, this time he actually obtained an item, which greatly pleased Zhuge Xiang.

His decision was indeed correct. Taking advantage of the Courage Medal's effect, engaging in higher-level battles on Green Willow Peak would not only yield more experience points but also, with the higher drop rate, provide him with one or two pieces of equipment.

Reaching into his waist, Zhuge Xiang drew a weapon that was neither a sword nor a knife. It had a single edge like a sword but a long, slender blade like a knife, lacking the heaviness of a knife and instead possessing the lightness of a sword. The blade was not entirely sharp but was covered with small saw-like teeth.

Slashing Blade (Two-star Magical Weapon): Attack 32-40, Attack Speed +15, Passive: Slashing the opponent's skin can cause a bleeding effect, reducing the target's current HP by 1% per second for 20 seconds, ineffective against Body Tempering Realm and above cultivators, stackable, Durability 38/40, Weight 13.

Excellent!!! Looking at the data of the Slashing Blade, Zhuge Xiang's eyes widened. The attack might not be particularly high, but it added 15 points to attack speed and had a bleeding effect. One attack could cause the opponent to lose 20% of their HP over 20 seconds. If this happened multiple times, combined with the damage from the attack itself, no one below the Body Tempering Realm could withstand more than three attacks from the Slashing Blade.

The Courage Medal's effect lasted 300 seconds. Defeating two Seventh Layer Qi Cultivation Realm disciples took only about 60 seconds. He still had over 200 seconds left.

Holding the Slashing Blade, Zhuge Xiang's eyes gleamed with a strange light as he stared intently at the Green Willow Peak disciples. In his eyes, they had become nothing more than experience points and equipment.

"You... What do you want to do...?" The Green Willow Peak disciples at the front, intimidated by Zhuge Xiang's gaze, stepped back in fear. What kind of look was that? It was like a robber seeing a fat sheep, a pervert seeing a little girl, or a hungry wolf seeing prey. This look, combined with the terrifying strength Zhuge Xiang had just displayed, made them instinctively afraid.

"I challenge you to a duel. Is there no one brave enough to stand up?" Putting away the Hundred Tempered Bow and the Blood Tempered Blade, Zhuge Xiang pointed the Slashing Blade at the over a thousand disciples and said.

In the Asura Sect, duels were considered sacred. Higher-level disciples generally did not challenge lower-level ones, as it would be dishonorable. However, if a lower-level disciple challenged a higher-level one, no one could refuse. The Asura Sect, being a combat-oriented sect, despised cowards the most.

Now, a new disciple, a mere Fourth Layer Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator, was challenging the upper-class disciples. Could they refuse?

If they refused, they would never be able to hold their heads high in the Asura Sect again. But if they accepted? What a joke? Two Seventh Layer Qi Cultivation Realm disciples had been easily defeated by him. Who dared to step forward?

"So strong, this new disciple is not simple," a few Body Tempering Realm disciples in the crowd looked at Zhuge Xiang with strange expressions and whispered. A Fourth Layer Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator daring to challenge the upper-class disciples on their mountain peak showed great courage, and no one doubted his strength.

Outside Green Willow Peak, over a thousand disciples, all at least Third Layer Qi Cultivation Realm, looked at each other, and no one dared to step forward, especially the Sixth Layer Qi Cultivation Realm disciples, known as geniuses, who lowered their heads. They knew that if someone had to step forward, it would be them, the higher-level cultivators.

"Haha, truly absurd. With such a large number of disciples, you still have to extort 20 spirit stones from each of us on Green Bamboo Peak? You guys only bully those weaker than you. You are all scum," seeing that no one dared to step forward, Zhuge Xiang couldn't help but shout sarcastically, his voice filled with anger.

Zhuge Xiang, who came from a beggar's background, understood the sorrow of the weak. Just like the old beggar who could be bitten to death by a dog at any time, he despised those who bullied the weak. What skill was it to find superiority in the weak? If you had the skill, go bully someone stronger. Therefore, he detested the so-called unwritten rules of the Asura Sect.

"Hmph, a bunch of scum who bully the weak and fear the strong, that's all you are," Zhuge Xiang's words were full of sarcasm. He waved the Slashing Blade and, seeing the angry yet helpless expressions of the over two thousand Green Willow Peak disciples, sneered and dropped another bomb: "Since none of you are stepping forward, I won't be polite. How many of you are Fifth Layer Qi Cultivation Realm or above? All of you, step forward. Today, I will challenge all of you Fifth Layer Qi Cultivation Realm or above disciples."

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