Chapter 55

When all the black thorns were cut down, the green mantis puppet appeared in front of Xiao Feng with a whoosh, as if it were a ghost. Its front limbs moved, and two cold beams of light, like dragons, came slashing from both sides.

Xiao Feng was greatly alarmed. Without time to use any other defensive measures, he steeled his resolve, and his two arms flashed with green light, blocking the attacks to both sides.

"Stop, your Wood Spirit Technique is only at the second level; you can't use your body to withstand such attacks."

Clang! Clang! Two sounds!

Zhu Chi appeared in front of Xiao Feng with a grim expression, and with a flick of his fingers, he scattered the two cold beams of light.

Not only that, but the puppet itself was forced back several steps by a powerful force.

Jin Yu, seeing this, his eyes flashed with a fierce light. The green mantis puppet's two front limbs rubbed together again, and it seemed ready to charge forward.

But at this moment, a figure beside him moved, and Da Zhi appeared, patting him on the shoulder to stop him from continuing to control the puppet beast. He then smiled and said to Zhu Chi opposite him.

"In this round, we admit defeat. The talent for multitasking indeed suits your sect's puppet techniques. From his performance, even if you personally controlled this green mantis puppet, it wouldn't be much better. You have indeed found the most suitable successor." Zhu Chi re-evaluated the grim-faced youth and sighed deeply.

The Daoist nun surnamed Zhong, seeing this, also sighed deeply.

Xiao Feng's performance wasn't bad, but the mantis puppet controlled by the grim-faced youth was truly astonishing. With its speed, if it attacked first, most opponents wouldn't even have time to cast spells.

Could it be that in this competition, their Jiuying Mountain lineage would be completely defeated!

The Daoist nun surnamed Zhong, thinking of this, sighed bitterly and couldn't help but glance at Liu Ming beside her, feeling somewhat surprised.

At this moment, Liu Ming was not as anxious or frightened as she had imagined. He stood there calmly, as if the losses in the previous two rounds had no effect on him at all.

"Good, to still maintain a calm mind at this point is quite rare. In the final round, don't put too much pressure on yourself; just do your best!" Zhu Chi, seeing Liu Ming's composure, was taken aback for a moment and then praised him.

"Yes, Uncle Zhu, I will do my best." Liu Ming bowed and replied respectfully.

At this moment, a robust youth of about fifteen or sixteen years old walked out from the crowd of Jiuqiao Mountain, with a long blood-red scar on his forehead and two long swords on his back. When he stood in the circle, he gave off an exceptionally fierce aura.

"This aura... No, this is a body cultivator. Da Zhi, Da Shang, is he really your disciple?" The Daoist nun surnamed Zhong, sensing the aura from the robust youth, immediately changed her expression.

"Rest assured, Daoist Sister Zhong. Wu Fei was personally recruited by me during the Spirit Opening Ceremony. He is one of the few disciples who could endure the pain of the ceremony through sheer physical strength without being crushed. Although our sect is famous for puppet techniques, it's quite common for some disciples to choose the path of body cultivation." The white-haired elder stroked his beard and said with a smile, but the hint of pride in his eyes was obvious to all.

Body cultivation is not a path that ordinary spirit apprentices can choose. They must have a body far stronger than the average person and be able to endure pain that others cannot. Only after undergoing various rigorous physical training can such a person be born.

For spirit apprentices, body cultivators of the same level are almost like natural enemies. Even at the spirit master stage, body cultivators can exert special power in certain situations that ordinary spirit masters cannot. Therefore, despite the difficulty of cultivating body cultivators, major sects still try to select a few from each generation to specialize in this path.

The two disciples chosen by Da Zhi and Da Shang for this competition, although they had only recently joined the sect, each had a significant background. Otherwise, they wouldn't have dared to propose a magical duel to decide the distribution of the spirit fruits.

Zhu Chi, seeing this, could only sigh and say no more.

If he and the Daoist nun surnamed Zhong had any hope left when they saw Liu Ming's calm demeanor, it was now completely gone.

Liu Ming, sensing the fierce aura from the robust youth, frowned but then relaxed and walked forward unhurriedly.

The moment the robust youth saw Liu Ming step into the circle, his face turned fierce. He drew the two long swords from his back, muttered incantations, and his body was covered in a metallic sheen. In a blur, he grew half a head taller, and his limbs became thicker. At first glance, it seemed similar to the secret technique Liu Ming used to stimulate his potential.

Seeing this, Liu Ming's eyes flashed, and he began to chant and form seals, while black gas surged from his body.

The robust youth let out a low growl, and the two long swords in his hands began to whirl like wheels. With a fierce stomp on the ground, he charged forward like a cold, fierce wind.

With a "puff," a fireball larger than a regular fireball shot out and instantly struck the wind that didn't dodge.

Most of Liu Ming's internal magic power was refined, so even with the same fireball technique, its power was clearly stronger than that of ordinary spirit apprentices.

After a loud explosion, the flames roiled, and the wind trembled slightly.

But the robust youth let out a cold snort, and the fierce wind intensified, extinguishing the flames and continuing to charge toward Liu Ming, reaching within ten zhang in the blink of an eye.

Zhu Chi and the Daoist nun surnamed Zhong, seeing the robust youth's fierce performance, exchanged glances and sighed again.

At this moment, they had no hope left for Liu Ming to win.

"Puff," "puff," two more crimson fireballs shot out from Liu Ming's hands and struck the wind again.

At such close range, even with a body far stronger than the average person, the robust youth felt his arms sink under the weight of the rolling flames, struggling to bear the burden.

The youth was startled but knew he could only advance, not retreat. With a loud shout, he used all his strength to split the flames again and leaped forward, charging at Liu Ming like a shadow.

In his imagination, an opponent who had released so many fireballs in such a short time would naturally have no time to cast any more spells. For a body cultivator, once they got close, the battle would be over.

When the robust youth really charged to Liu Ming's side after two leaps, he saw no sign of panic on his opponent's face. Instead, a hint of mockery appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Something's wrong..."

The robust youth almost immediately sensed the problem. Just as he was about to take a defensive stance, it was too late.

Liu Ming's lips moved, and his hands raised, and two more crimson fireballs shot out.

With two "bangs," the robust youth's two long swords flew out of his hands, and his body was sent flying by the impact, engulfed in the rolling flames.

"The fireball technique is at the initial mastery level, no, the speed of casting is so fast that it seems he has been at this level for some time."

This sudden turn of events made Da Zhi, watching from outside the circle, lose his voice. The wooden-crowned elder, however, immediately rushed into the circle, shook his sleeves, and extinguished the flames on the robust youth.

But the combined force of the two fireballs was not so simple. Even though Da Shang's intervention was timely, the robust youth was already scorched and unconscious on the ground.

"Good, very good. I didn't expect a mere new disciple to master the fireball technique to this extent. This loss is not unjustified. His internal magic power must have been refined; otherwise, the fireball technique of an ordinary spirit apprentice wouldn't have such great power. Daoist friends Zhu and Zhong, you have indeed kept something in reserve." The wooden-crowned elder looked at the youth on the ground with a hint of sorrow, and his gaze turned cold when he looked at Liu Ming.

"Haha, Daoist friend, you are wronging us. We didn't know when this disciple had reached this level of the fireball technique." A figure beside Liu Ming flickered, and Zhu Chi appeared, patting Liu Ming on the shoulder, his face full of joy.

The Daoist nun surnamed Zhong, looking back, also had an expression of great surprise.

Liu Ming's unexpected victory in this round was truly beyond their expectations. With this, their group would not return empty-handed. Otherwise, they wouldn't just lose the spirit fruits; the Jiuying Mountain lineage would also lose face in front of Da Zhi and Da Shang.

As for Liu Ming reaching the initial mastery level of the fireball technique and whether his internal magic power was refined, these were minor issues in comparison.

Their gazes toward Liu Ming were now full of approval and satisfaction.

"Good, two out of three. You can take one-third of the spirit fruits. However, I have another suggestion. Would the two of you be interested in another round?" After Da Zhi's disciples carried the robust youth out of the circle and suggested giving him medicine, he looked at Liu Ming again and suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Zhu Chi's face turned serious, the joy on his face disappearing.

The Daoist nun surnamed Zhong also walked up without a word, standing shoulder to shoulder with the long-haired man, focusing on the other side.

"Simple. I see that your disciple is quite capable. How about letting him fight Yu'er again! If Yu'er wins, you will leave the spirit fruits behind. If your disciple wins, the two-thirds of the spirit fruits we have will all be yours. What do you think? This seems to be to your advantage!" Da Zhi and Da Shang exchanged glances, and the white-haired elder slowly said.

"What, using two-thirds of the spirit fruits to bet on our one-third!" Zhu Chi's heart skipped a beat, truly tempted.

(Hehe, "Mo Tian Ji" is now on the Three Rivers list. Everyone with a Three Rivers vote, please go and cast your vote!)

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