Chapter 60

In a spiritual chamber spanning a hundred feet, the gale winds were rampant, and Beiting Wan'er's figure moved about the room like a butterfly flitting through flowers, her form elusive and hard to grasp.

This was a dedicated spiritual chamber for Beiting Wan'er in the Beiting family, constructed from high-quality spiritual wood. Not only did it gather more spiritual energy than the spiritual chambers of the Lichen Academy, but it was also much more spacious and bright, easily accommodating a hundred people for cultivation.

However, in this luxurious spiritual chamber, there were only four people.

Zhuang Wudao stood at the center, his steps closely following Beiting Wan'er's movements, his hands either forming fists or claws, continuously striking out.

Beiting Wan'er was unwilling to confront him head-on, to clash in brute strength. However, her agility was also extraordinary, swift as a fox and graceful and ethereal. With ample space to maneuver, most of his strikes fell short.

However, every time Zhuang Wudao struck, Beiting Wan'er's movements and limbs would slightly deform.

The Dragon Seizing Technique of Zhenlong Temple, one of the most revered internal martial arts in the world, was renowned for its ability to capture from a distance, not just for its mystical power to draw someone from a hundred feet away. Skillfully using the capturing force could continuously disrupt an opponent's techniques and movements, leaving them at a loss. A single mistake could lead to defeat.

However, Beiting Wan'er's foundation in her lower body was indeed remarkable, and she was proficient in evasive techniques. Although her movements were often disrupted by Zhuang Wudao's striking force, she could quickly correct herself, maintaining her graceful and steady posture. However, this made her counterattacks somewhat less effective.

Zhuang Wudao's Dragon Subduing Tiger Taming Fist, which incorporated the Yuan Magnetic Capturing Force, was still in its initial stages, riddled with flaws. He needed to be cautious of her piercing finger strikes, and thus could not easily defeat Beiting Wan'er.

"Always like this, Zhuang Wudao, you're so annoying!"

Seemingly extremely impatient, Beiting Wan'er suddenly stopped, her delicate face full of anger. Her hands were crossed in front of her chest, her index and middle fingers forming a sword, with a faint breeze swirling around them. This made Zhuang Wudao's heart race, and he became wary. Sure enough, in the next instant, hundreds of finger shadows suddenly spread out, and countless sharp wind blades erupted.

"False Unparalleled, Hundred Cuts Thousand Blades!"

Zhuang Wudao's pupils constricted, and he quickly retreated. If it were 'Yun'er,' she would surely see through the flaw in this move and easily counter it. He lacked that insight, even though he knew where Beiting Wan'er's injury was, he couldn't exploit it. However, he had his own methods.

Using the Six Harmonies Steps, he retreated at a speed almost as fast as Beiting Wan'er, moving back twenty feet to avoid the sharp wind blades. When the hundreds of wind blades began to spread out in a fan-like pattern, a glint of determination flashed in Zhuang Wudao's eyes.

"Dragon Seizing Tiger Shaking!"

Beiting Wan'er's expression changed slightly. Her figure was inevitably drawn close to Zhuang Wudao, and her movements were affected by the capturing force, causing her "Hundred Cuts Thousand Blades" to slightly deform.

At this moment, Zhuang Wudao's iron fists struck out forcefully. Although the form of the fist resembled a tiger, it was combined with the power generation method of the Great Stele Hand and the Six Harmonies Xingyi Fist's "fist and intent as one."

The sharp wind blades were almost instantly shattered upon contact. Only when they touched Beiting Wan'er's finger shadows did the momentum of the fists slightly pause. However, the next punch was still powerful and overwhelming.

With ten consecutive punches, Zhuang Wudao completely shattered Beiting Wan'er's "Hundred Cuts Thousand Blades." The last two punches were even more formidable.

Beiting Wan'er had to once again use her agile movements, resisting Zhuang Wudao's capturing force while dodging the fierce punches.

Fortunately, at this point, Zhuang Wudao's "Dragon Seizing Tiger Shaking" was already weakening, and he lacked the strength to continue, so he couldn't harm her.

However, Beiting Wan'er's eyes were even more helpless.

"Senior Brother Wudao, can you stop using this Dragon Subduing Tiger Taming Fist? You're just bullying me."

Zhuang Wudao's lips curled into a half-smile. "Why not? My fist technique is still in its initial stages, and I admit it has many flaws. Junior Sister should be able to break it easily."

Beiting Wan'er was so angry that she leaned back, her teeth clenched. She didn't take Zhuang Wudao's Dragon Subduing Tiger Taming Fist seriously. She could break it with a single move.

The problem was that Zhuang Wudao had the Bull Demon Body, which was impervious to blades, and the Great Stele Hand, which was incredibly powerful.

After reaching the Qi Condensation stage, Zhuang Wudao's strength had become even more formidable. His Bull Demon Body had reached a new level, and his strength had increased dramatically, reaching nearly 2500 pounds, almost equivalent to three elephants, more than twice that of an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator! Using the Great Stele Hand, he could reach the strength of eight elephants!

He could change his techniques at any time, transforming the twelve clumsy Dragon Strikes into the powerful "Great Stele."

Breaking his Dragon Subduing Tiger Taming Fist wasn't difficult, but it required close combat and direct contact. However, doing so would put her in Zhuang Wudao's trap, and she would likely be defeated in an instant.

This was not her intention. She had invited Zhuang Wudao here to learn from his hard cultivation and powerful fist techniques, to hone her own combat skills.

However, after the confrontation, she found herself being used as a moving punching bag for Zhuang Wudao to test his improved twelve Dragon Strikes.

This Dragon Fist technique, which incorporated the Yuan Magnetic Capturing Force, had numerous flaws and various issues, but its power was formidable, leaving her at a loss. Her pride wouldn't allow her to admit defeat easily.

At this moment, in the spiritual chamber, there were two more people. Beiting Qin stood in a corner, her eyes fixed on the two figures in the distance. Beside her was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a sallow complexion and deep, etched lines on his face.

"Indeed, no wonder Mr. Cangjue values him so much, even going to great lengths and abandoning several businesses for him. He has the qualifications!"

"Being able to consistently suppress Miss is indeed impressive."

Beiting Qin could now view Zhuang Wudao calmly.

Although the Earth Marrow could help one quickly master techniques and greatly increase strength, it couldn't make one a master of martial arts overnight.

Zhuang Wudao's ability to kill nearly two hundred people and five Qi Condensation cultivators in half an hour in Dongchuan Alley relied not only on his Bull Demon Body.

"This person has the Hard Body and has cultivated the Dragon Seizing Force, with strength equivalent to three elephants. Among peers, only a genius like Miss can suppress him."

She still didn't believe that Zhuang Wudao could match Beiting Wan'er. The reason Beiting Wan'er was being suppressed by Zhuang Wudao was partly due to her old injury, which prevented her left hand from using full strength, and partly because Zhuang Wudao had reached the Qi Condensation stage, giving him an edge in cultivation.

"When I say he is good, it's not because of his Hard Body or Dragon Seizing Force."

The middle-aged man shook his head slightly. "It's because his fist technique has already developed momentum and can achieve 'momentum and intent in harmony.' Even though it's just a雏形, it's extremely rare. Many Golden Core cultivators can't even do this."

"Momentum and intent in harmony?"

Beiting Qin looked bewildered, her eyes vacant.

"If you have the opportunity to reach the Ninth Floor of Qi Condensation, you will understand."

The middle-aged man chuckled, seemingly unwilling to explain further. "I only stumbled upon a bit of insight by chance, and I don't know much. I only know that cultivators who enter the path of martial arts place great importance on 'momentum and intent in harmony' and 'intent leading momentum.' This is the key to why martial arts can rival magical techniques—"

As they spoke, Zhuang Wudao and Beiting Wan'er's movements were as fast as lightning. In the blink of an eye, dozens of rounds had passed.

Zhuang Wudao continued to attack, while Beiting Wan'er defended.

After reaching the Qi Condensation stage, Zhuang Wudao's strength was enduring. Even using eight or nine-tenths of his power in each punch, he showed no signs of fatigue.

On the contrary, Beiting Wan'er gradually became frustrated. Suddenly, she retreated, moving thirty feet away and stopping.

"Enough, no more! It's so boring. Senior Brother Wushang, you're just bullying me. I'll wait until I recover and come back to learn your 'Snake Subduing Cat Taming' technique!"

With a cold snort, Beiting Wan'er's eyes were filled with dissatisfaction as she glared at Zhuang Wudao. Then she became curious. "You have already opened your innate spirit acupoint. What kind of mystical technique did you condense? Why didn't you use it just now?"

Zhuang Wudao straightened his robe, looking refreshed. He hadn't even broken a sweat, feeling extremely relaxed.

At this moment, a buzzing sound occasionally came from outside. Zhuang Wudao glanced at the tightly closed windows and doors but paid no attention.

The Yuecheng region experienced a beast tide once a month, and today was the day of the major beast tide, when the beasts would attack Yuecheng. On this day, the many slave miners outside Yuecheng would return to the city a day in advance, relying on the tall outer walls to avoid the beast tide.

However, the most dangerous and ferocious creatures near Yuecheng were not the beasts outside the city, but the blood-sucking mosquitoes living in the swamps of the dense forests.

Numbering in the millions, these mosquitoes, when gathered, formed a dense cloud that could block the sky. Wherever they went, all living things would be drained of blood and left as dry corpses.

At this time, even the normally fearless fierce birds dared not easily appear in the sky over Yuecheng. If they did, they would be extremely cautious and avoid getting too close.

Inside Yuecheng, there were also countermeasures. Every hundred feet within the city, a pile of "bitter wormwood" would be burned, creating a smoky haze that prevented the blood-sucking mosquitoes from landing.

However, even in the city, there were those who were unlucky. Some were drained of blood by the few mosquitoes that slipped through.

In the Beiting family, however, there was no need to worry. This was one of the safest places in Yuecheng, almost a city within a city. Even if Yuecheng were breached by the beast tide, this place would remain unscathed.

Moreover, the blood-sucking mosquitoes, though fearsome, were far less terrifying than the little demoness of the Beiting family.

"It's not that I don't want to use it, but I can't."

Zhuang Wudao shook his head slightly, looking concerned as he examined Beiting Wan'er's figure. "My innate mystical technique is still new. If I can't control my strength, I might hurt Miss Wan'er, and that would be a sin."

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