Chapter 29

"Damn it! The 'Jia' character charm is meant to help you survive longer on the battlefield, not to make you a 'Dao' character shield soldier!" Wen Xin Yue pressed her forehead, and her stomach started to hurt again.

Even she didn't have high hopes for Yue Heng, and she had already begun to think about how to deal with the war alone after Yue Heng's defeat.

In the center of the training ground, Yue Heng could only watch as the illusion rules teleported him over. Looking at his opponent, he said helplessly, "Bai Ming, you really want to fight me to the death! Forcing a literary duel, I'm afraid you can't bear the consequences!"

Bai Ming gritted his teeth and said, "If I win, you will be expelled from the illusion, and you won't become a Tongsheng. Even if I get a low score for forcing a literary duel, I will definitely gain enough time to become a Tongsheng! If I lose, there's no way we can reconcile. You'll still want my life outside the illusion! Since that's the case, why not take control of my own fate? Die!"

Words were few, and Bai Ming started the fight immediately. Yue Heng, who had never received martial arts or battlefield training, could only be forced to defend himself.

He quickly ran sideways, counterclockwise to the right front, so that Bai Ming's spear had to change from a thrust to a sweep, reducing its power.

If he could get close, Bai Ming would definitely suffer a great loss.

"Idiot! Watch how your Grandpa Yue will get close and chop you into mincemeat!"

While running, Yue Heng looked for the direction of the sweeping spear, slightly raising his left arm to block.

A shout rang out, and Bai Ming swung his spear, creating a crescent-shaped shadow.

Clang!

The spear tip hit Yue Heng's left-hand round shield. Under the force of the collision between the two metals, sparks flew from the shield, and the spear was deflected into the air.

Bai Ming's tiger's mouth (the part of the hand where the thumb and index finger meet) trembled, and the spear almost slipped from his grasp.

Yue Heng didn't fare much better; his left arm ached, and he almost lost control of the shield!

"Damn, the 'Spear' character charm is so strong?"

Time was short, and Yue Heng had no time to think about why a scholar could generate strength comparable to a warrior. Just the 'Spear' character charm alone was enough to make him struggle.

He gritted his teeth and, since he had the talent armor, decided to discard the shield and continue his charge with his right-hand knife, increasing his speed.

Whoosh!

The spear swept a second time, aiming at his waist. This position made Yue Heng uncomfortable; he couldn't jump that high, and rolling on the ground would likely increase the distance.

"Jia!"

Yue Heng roared in his mind, preparing to withstand the sweeping blow. He didn't believe the 'Jia' character charm was weaker than the 'Spear' character charm!

"Ah! Yue Heng actually discarded his shield and plans to withstand the sweep?" Many onlookers exclaimed.

"Idiot! You are a 'Dao' character, which enhances your understanding of the knife. Discarding the shield leaves you defenseless, and you can only be hit!" A warrior pointed at the field, scolding him with frustration.

"Can a broken armor block such a sharp spear? Discarding the shield is a mistake, and using the armor to withstand the blow is even worse. Yue Heng will definitely lose!" Another warrior said regretfully.

Wen Xin Yue was so shocked that her heart almost jumped out. But when she saw Yue Heng's body flash with a faint blue light, though it was obscured by the armor, she was very sure that Yue Heng had definitely used the 'Jia' character charm.

She was about to scold him for being foolish but swallowed her words when she saw the blue light.

They were both using character charms, and the spear was sweeping rather than thrusting, reducing its power. The 'Jia' character charm could definitely withstand the sweeping blow!

Yue Heng could use this opportunity to engage Bai Ming in close combat, a risky move for victory!

"Die!" At this moment, the effects of the dragon blood grass in Bai Ming's body had kicked in, and his strength was gradually increasing. This sweep was only slightly less powerful than a club's strike, and it might even cause internal injuries to Yue Heng!

Bang!

The spear's force hit Yue Heng's armor. Yue Heng felt the transparent talent armor on his skin distribute the force evenly across his body. He felt a momentary breathlessness, as if he were being compressed by atmospheric pressure, but there was almost no pain!

"Good opportunity!"

Yue Heng grabbed the spear shaft with his left hand and clamped it under his left arm. Although he was thrown a few steps by the sweeping spear, this ensured he controlled Bai Ming's weapon. When he landed, he was less than two meters from Bai Ming.

"Looking for death!"

Yue Heng roared and swung his ring-handled knife at Bai Ming's face.

At this moment, his anger made him think only of defeating his enemy, forgetting that Bai Ming was a living person. This was his first attempt at killing someone!

"You fell for it!"

Bai Ming laughed maniacally, dropped his spear, and quickly drew two short swords from his waist, barely blocking Yue Heng's ring-handled knife.

"I'm not a 'Spear' character! Divine Palace talent, 'Duo'!"

Bai Ming's body flashed with blue light, and he suddenly became more agile. After deflecting Yue Heng's ring-handled knife, he counterattacked at a strange angle, leaving two deep marks on Yue Heng's armor and forcing him to retreat.

"The 'Duo' character charm?"

Yue Heng was startled. The oracle bone script for 'Duo' appeared in his mind, showing two warriors with their arms tightly entwined, indicating intense and close combat. Clearly, it was a character charm that enhanced close combat power.

Bai Ming had a hidden move!

"Yue Heng's opponent, Bai Ming, didn't understand the 'Spear' character but the 'Duo' character!" Lu Changyuan exclaimed, frowning with a serious expression.

"The 'Duo' character charm? The one that enhances a scholar's close combat ability?" someone nearby asked.

"Exactly! Yue Heng's close combat put him right into Bai Ming's trap!" Lu Changyuan was anxious, deeply worried about Yue Heng.

"Bai Ming deliberately hid the 'Duo' character charm to trick Yue Heng into close combat!" The onlookers exclaimed, even less hopeful for Yue Heng.

Yue Heng, injured by the two swords, hastily retreated, holding the knife with both hands, unsure how to counterattack.

"Bai Ming had a hidden move all along. He wasn't afraid of me getting close! The 'Duo' character charm enhances single combat ability, which is why he forced a literary duel with me, trying to take advantage of my lack of skills to beat me to death!"

Yue Heng felt that his talent armor was intact. The two swords had only scratched the outer metal armor but couldn't penetrate the talent armor. He was still safe.

"Die!"

Bai Ming sneered, waving his swords and thrusting them diagonally, forcing Yue Heng to jump back again.

This chase and escape made the onlookers shake their heads and boo.

Wen Xin Yue cursed in her heart, "Why are you running? Fight him head-on! Your turtle armor is so strong, why are you afraid of his 'Duo' character charm? If you fight to the death, he stabs you twice, and you cut him once. You have the turtle armor, and he doesn't. He will be the one to suffer!"

Lu Changyuan sighed, "Bai Ming, with his two swords and the 'Duo' character charm, is in high spirits. Yue Heng's morale is broken, and he has lost his only defensive shield. This literary duel, sigh..."

Bai Ming's teammates laughed, pointing at the field and proudly saying to those around them, "Look, I told you Bai Ming had a secret weapon. The 'Duo' character charm is rare, and you didn't know that! Yue Heng even dared to engage in close combat. Bai Ming won't let him off!"

A warrior sneered, "So what if he has the 'Duo' character charm? Come on, I can take ten of you! Your sword attacks are unskilled, and your knife wielder is just running in fear. You scholars are really cowards!"

Everyone laughed, and the warrior candidates jeered at the field, while the scholar candidates stretched their necks to argue, and the artisan candidates stood aside making sarcastic comments.

There was nothing else the scholars could do. These basic character charms had limited abilities. What else could they do?

"Fight!"

"Fight!"

Many candidates cheered, waving their weapons, creating a spectacular scene of swords and spears on the training ground.

Yue Heng was still running, initially out of panic.

He, a person from a civilized world, rarely even fought, let alone drew a knife to kill. Seeing Bai Ming chasing him with two swords, his instinctive reaction to run was normal.

After running, he began to consciously calculate the duration of his 'Jia' character charm and Bai Ming's 'Duo' character charm.

If they started with the same conditions when entering the illusion, the size of their Divine Palaces, the amount of talent, and the number of character charms they could use should be similar. If they fought head-on, one sword and one knife, the damage would be roughly equal, and the one who handled the details better would win.

But he was different. He originally had a Divine Palace, and after activating the second character charm, he should be at the level of a second-year student, with a larger Divine Palace, more talent, and more character charms to use!

"Ran for about a minute, the 'Jia' character charm effect hasn't disappeared... Okay, let's see how two moves go!"

Yue Heng suddenly stopped, almost colliding with the onlookers at the edge of the circular dueling area.

Clang!

Hey!

"Die!"

Sizzle!

The two clashed head-on. Bai Ming's left sword hit Yue Heng's shoulder armor but was blocked by the talent armor.

Yue Heng's knife hit Bai Ming's right sword, feeling a strong force deflect his blade, leaving only a shallow cut on the outer side of Bai Ming's thigh armor, without even leaving a mark.

How could such a sharp short sword not injure Yue Heng?

Bai Ming's expression was strange, and Yue Heng knew he was suspicious.

"The fish can't escape the hook!"

In an instant, Yue Heng decided to continue feigning weakness. He shouted at Bai Ming, "Grandson! Come chase your Grandpa Yue!"

Then he turned and ran, restoring the chase-and-run situation.

"What's going on! Is this what a forced literary duel between scholars looks like?" The onlookers were both amused and frustrated. Many had heard of scholars on the battlefield being cowardly, hiding near spirit masters, and fleeing in battle.

But this was a forced literary duel in the illusion. Could running away for a moment save him forever?

A forced literary duel, to the death!