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Chapter 142: Fourth Transformation, A Drop of Rain Defeats Feng Qiu!
🕑 Added 2024-10-22 06:52:28 +0000 UTCZhao Xing's five techniques within two breaths immediately stunned the spectators, but the final effect remained to be seen.
This was because Feng Qiu made no additional response and continued charging forward with his wind technique, clearly confident in its power.
Fifty meters ahead of him, the fierce wind formed nine massive green swords.
Within twenty meters, two spinning layers of spheres appeared, rotating in opposite directions.
At ten meters, four green figures wielding large axes accompanied him.
Within five meters, four vortexes of fierce wind, like floating nebulae, formed—dense and powerful gusts awaiting command.
Under the cloud cover controlled by Zhao Xing, using Five Elements Observation and Hawk Eye, he clearly saw Feng Qiu’s intricate setup.
Strong—exceptionally strong.
Feng Qiu truly lived up to his name. His wind technique could be considered a near-perfect art.
It was comparable in power to a high-level technique.
When Zhao Xing’s Heavenly Frost descended, the nine green swords on the perimeter immediately shot upward, tearing through the white frost veil.
“Boom~”
The remaining white frost dissipated when it reached the spinning spheres, ground into nothing by their layers of rotation.
Zhao Xing’s first technique was broken, and Feng Qiu remained completely unaffected.
Next came Heavenly Fire.
Heavenly Fire, composed purely of fire elemental force, should have grown stronger upon contact with wind.
However, as it descended, it was instantly extinguished by the wind.
The second technique was also broken.
Feng Qiu’s wind technique, having surpassed the ninth transformation, crushed Zhao Xing’s Heavenly Frost and Heavenly Fire with ease.
“Heavenly Fire and Heavenly Frost aren’t enough to affect him. I need to borrow the momentum of the world, but the presence of such a strong individual in the field is blocking me,” Zhao Xing thought.
“A technique strong enough by itself can still influence the world.”
Although Zhao Xing felt the frustration of having his spells broken, he remained calm.
The first two techniques merely caused Feng Qiu minor inconvenience.
But with the third technique, Feng Qiu’s speed noticeably slowed.
The third technique was Yin Wind.
Yin Wind rose from beneath the ground, bypassing Feng Qiu’s nine-sword and twin-sphere defenses, creeping within ten meters of him.
At this moment, Feng Qiu furrowed his brow, and the four green figures wielding axes immediately slashed at the incoming wind.
Yet, the Yin Wind slipped through the gaps between the axes and blew toward Feng Qiu.
Yin Wind directly targeted the soul, and unless one had soul-protecting treasures or possessed Yin Wind countermeasures, it was nearly impossible to block.
Feng Qiu, alert as always, dispatched his four axe-wielding figures. When they failed to stop the wind, he instantly realized that it was the Yin Wind technique.
Moreover, it was a powerful version of Yin Wind!
He immediately tried to summon Yin Wind to counteract it, but nothing happened.
Even though the ten-meter distance should have given him time to react, his inability to summon Yin Wind left him vulnerable to a follow-up technique.
“It’s too late now.”
Feng Qiu halted, bracing himself with sheer willpower.
“Whoosh~”
The Yin Wind penetrated Feng Qiu’s body, making him feel as if he were seasick, the entire world spinning and nauseating.
“Feng Qiu stopped!”
“What’s going on with him?”
“He was rushing forward, having already broken two of Zhao Xing’s techniques, and suddenly he stopped?”
“What’s happening?”
The spectators were baffled.
The Yin Wind was too subtle—formless and intangible—and since it came from beneath the ground, most people hadn’t noticed what had occurred.
Among the reserve Shennongs, Li Feng was the first to realize what had happened.
“Damn, not this trick again!”
Li Feng didn’t even need to watch to guess why Feng Qiu had stopped.
Feng Qiu’s condition was exactly like Li Feng’s had been outside the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool when he had fallen into Zhao Xing’s trap—it was uncannily similar.
“Feng Qiu knows the Yin Wind technique himself. How could he not summon it for defense? Zhao Xing sure has some tricks up his sleeve, but you can’t let your guard down that much.” Li Feng felt anxious as though he were fighting Zhao Xing again himself.
“Why didn’t you summon Yin Wind for protection, Feng Qiu!”
“Feng Qiu also practices the Yin Wind technique. While it's not as powerful as his secret technique, Four Divine Winds of the Heavenly Sword, he’s reached the ninth transformation with it.”
“He couldn’t summon the Yin Wind because the ground advantage was suppressed.”
Inside the Cloud Gate, Cen Sanji watched quietly.
Beside him stood three young figures—Cen Sanji’s students.
Although they weren’t from the Four Great Academies, studying under Cen Sanji had its perks, such as watching expert battles up close within the Cloud Gate.
And they had Cen Sanji explaining the battles as they unfolded.
“Teacher, didn’t Zhao Xing use five techniques within two breaths? When did he cast the ground technique? And what ground technique did he use?”
“The claim of five techniques in two breaths still holds. His Mist Concealment technique was paired with a ground technique.”
Cen Sanji explained, “It’s most likely the perfected Boundless Earth Palace. This Earth Palace has been pressing down on the ground veins of the Wind and Thunder Gorge, preventing Feng Qiu from summoning Yin Wind for defense, while allowing Zhao Xing to use it himself.”
“A perfected Yin Wind and a perfected Boundless Earth Palace?” A short and dark-skinned Shennong was shocked, having already witnessed Zhao Xing use two perfected techniques.
Before he could ask more questions, Feng Qiu moved again.
The effects of the Yin Wind didn’t last long. After three breaths, Feng Qiu regained his clarity.
“I undergo the tempering of fierce winds every day. My will can’t be easily shaken by mere Yin Wind!”
“Nothing can stop me from advancing to the third stage today!”
Feng Qiu’s eyes were cold as he charged forward again, closing in on the white mist above. Overhead, thunderclouds had already gathered.
Give him three more breaths, and he would break through Zhao Xing’s defenses.
With the fierce wind filling the entire gorge, Zhao Xing would have no way to avoid it.
Swish~ The remaining 500 meters were covered in an instant, forcing the mist to retreat.
“Whoa~”
The spectators gasped in astonishment.
Feng Qiu not only stopped but even turned around!
“He… he’s charging in the opposite direction? What kind of technique is this?” Peng Ran was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the situation.
“Why are you looking at me?” Yang Yang said helplessly. “If I understood this, I wouldn’t have lost before.”
“No, wait, look!” Yu Chunwu pointed to the left side of the Earth Mirror. “There’s more mist coming up from underground!”
“Could Feng Qiu have gotten turned around?!”
...
At the Martial Division, Fu Ying stared at the Earth Mirror, growing more and more uneasy.
“What’s going on with Feng Qiu? He started off strong, breaking two techniques, but now he’s stopped and is retreating?”
“Come on, man! Don’t mess around!”
Fu Ying wished he could fly over and help Feng Qiu fight.
There were 70,000 points at stake!
If Feng Qiu lost, his Hujiao Army brothers would take a huge hit.
And Fu Ying himself would be heading toward bankruptcy.
After all, most of those 70,000 points were his!
“Zhao Xing, you’re incredible!” Chen Fang clenched his fists, silently cheering for Zhao Xing.
The reason they had placed their bets alongside Xia Jing had nothing to do with Xia Jing’s confidence—it was all because of Zhao Xing!
During the month they spent together in Supplementary Training, they had closely observed Zhao Xing’s cultivation.
Zhao Xing not only focused on farming but also on honing his techniques. The Martial artists nearby could clearly see his progress during training.
From that moment on, they realized Zhao Xing was no ordinary person. His mastery over techniques improved visibly day by day. Was that something an average person could achieve?
Even Zhou Ming, one of the judges, had publicly praised Zhao Xing and even expressed interest in learning techniques from him!
...
“Feng Qiu is going to fail mid-charge,” Zhuang Zhiqing commented as he watched the battle unfold. He shook his head, “He’s been completely misled by Zhao Xing’s techniques.”
“The Boundless Earth Palace collected the mist, which emerged from the other end of the gorge. After being affected by Yin Wind, Feng Qiu’s body turned in the wrong direction, creating an illusion of flying backward. He thinks he’s still moving forward, but from the viewers' perspective, he’s actually retreating.”
“This is the downside of specializing in a single technique. It’s not apparent against regular opponents, but when facing a master like Zhao Xing, the weakness is exposed. Who would’ve thought Zhao Xing’s combat experience would surpass Feng Qiu’s…”
Zhuang Zhiqing, who had been sleepy moments before, was now fully alert.
There was no doubt Feng Qiu’s decision to charge forward from the start had been correct. He had seized the wind advantage immediately and headed straight for Zhao Xing.
His strategy was sound.
Once Zhao Xing summoned his cloud, the situation would shift in his favor. The environmental techniques, except for the wind technique, would all gain an advantage, and Zhao Xing could continuously recover his energy, whereas Feng Qiu could not.
Feng Qiu needed to rely on his wind techniques to quickly defeat Zhao Xing, using momentum to overpower him. It wasn’t arrogance—this had always been Feng Qiu’s style of fighting.
He was the epitome of “one trick that dominates all.”
But this trick was no longer working.
“Zhao Xing’s six techniques within two breaths put pressure on Feng Qiu, leaving him no time to summon Yin Wind and forcing him to charge.”
“By the time he realized it, it was too late.”
“Zhao Xing’s combination of techniques has reached perfection. The Heavenly Frost and Heavenly Fire weren’t used in vain—they served to draw Feng Qiu’s attention to the sky, hiding the ground technique’s movements.”
“Feng Qiu’s response wasn’t slow, but he lacked an effective counter. If he doesn’t figure it out soon, he’ll lose without ever touching Zhao Xing.”
Stepping out of the boundary meant defeat, and at this moment, Feng Qiu was forcing the mist backward, rapidly nearing the end of the gorge. If he advanced just another hundred meters, he would step out of bounds.
“The Yin Wind disrupted his mind, and the Boundless Earth Palace gathered the mist, creating a simple ‘backward illusion’ that’s pushed Feng Qiu to the brink of elimination!”
“To think that Zhao Xing, who was just a minor official promoted to selection, possesses such extraordinary combat talent,” Cen Sanji, a ninth-rank Shennong, couldn’t help but admire Zhao Xing.
“How did Tianshi Academy pass up on such a talent? The names ‘Blind Cheng’ and ‘Clueless Ge’ were well-earned.”
Wind and Thunder Gorge.
Zhao Xing floated quietly in the mist, watching Feng Qiu gradually distance himself.
Feng Qiu was charging into the mist that Zhao Xing had created. Meanwhile, Zhao Xing observed the changes his techniques were causing in Feng Qiu’s movements.
“Start of Spring’s first phase: The east wind thaws the earth. The warmth arrives, dissolving the frost, and the thick mist rises.”
“Feng Qiu’s wind is moving through the gorge, like the east wind thawing the ground, strengthening my Mist Concealment.”
“The cold frost enhances the mist, and although Heavenly Frost was dispersed, it intensified the Yin Wind, igniting Feng Qiu’s determination.”
“The changes in nature's phenomena within the Seasonal Qi Command follow the laws of the heavens and earth. These techniques align with those laws, naturally increasing their power.”
“All living beings operate within these laws. Although this is merely the Phenological Law and not the Phenomenon Transformation, it has already influenced Feng Qiu. Small cumulative impacts have led to a significant outcome.”
Zhao Xing began to grasp the concept of borrowing the world’s momentum at a deeper level.
As Feng Qiu approached the boundary, Zhao Xing dismissed the mist.
He didn’t want Feng Qiu to lose so quickly. Feng Qiu was a rare opponent, and the one-point progress Zhao Xing needed could arrive at any moment. If the fight ended prematurely, finding the right opportunity again might take time.
“Hmm? The mist is gone. Is the fight over?” Feng Qiu thought Zhao Xing had forced him out of bounds, but after two breaths, he still hadn’t been transported away.
Feng Qiu’s expression changed. He quickly turned around, a look of disbelief in his eyes.
“What’s going on? Why is there mist behind me too?”
“Did I… did I charge in the wrong direction? How… how is that possible?”
Feng Qiu was stunned. Could the Yin Wind have affected him that much?
“Kill!”
Feng Qiu didn’t know what had happened, but he understood that the battle wasn’t over. Since it wasn’t over, he would strike again.
No matter what technique was influencing him, it was all futile against his tenth-transformation wind technique!
Tenth transformation against ninth—the advantage was his!
“Boom!”
The wind around Feng Qiu intensified, surging forward like a flood, its momentum terrifying.
“Heavenly Frost! Heavenly Fire! Yin Wind!”
Zhao Xing once again used the combination of Heavenly Frost, Heavenly Fire, and Yin Wind to hinder Feng Qiu.
This time, the power of the three techniques was even greater because the environmental factors of the Wind and Thunder Gorge had shifted subtly, favoring Zhao Xing and enhancing his spells.
Since Feng Qiu still couldn’t summon Yin Wind from the ground for defense, he broke through the Heavenly Frost and Heavenly Fire, but once again fell victim to the Yin Wind.
When he regained his clarity, Feng Qiu looked around and saw that he was once again surrounded by mist on both sides.
Among the mist ahead, he saw shadows flickering—Zhao Xing seemed to be hiding within.
“Hmph, it must be a trick. You can’t fool me!” Feng Qiu immediately turned around and attacked in the opposite direction.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!”
The nine green swords shot into the mist, and the twin spheres spun, trying to disperse the mist upward.
Zhao Xing stood at the other end, watching as Feng Qiu desperately attacked. The mist on that side was quickly dispersed by Feng Qiu.
But it was much easier to summon the mist again.
Zhao Xing glanced up at the sky, then looked down at every corner of the Wind and Thunder Gorge, as if Feng Qiu no longer existed.
“The first three transformations of the Phenological Law borrow the power of the world to enhance spells. Heavenly Fire comes from the Start of Summer, Heavenly Frost from Frost Descent, and Mist Concealment from the Start of Spring. Though these techniques belong to different seasons, they are now interconnected. While my realm hasn’t improved, the power of my spells has.”
“When the world’s momentum builds up, the Phenomenon Transformation will naturally follow. The laws of heaven and earth govern all things—humans, beasts, objects—nothing can escape them.”
Zhao Xing closed his eyes and raised his hand, pointing forward.
“Whoosh!”
A golden light suddenly appeared above Feng Qiu, and all the mist gathered into a single raindrop.
Feng Qiu, sensing something amiss, looked up at the raindrop, his pupils widening in shock.
The seemingly ordinary raindrop fell gently.
But it easily shattered the nine green swords and crushed the twin spheres.
“How is this possible?!” Feng Qiu roared.
He exerted all his strength to resist the raindrop, summoning the twin spheres once more.
Yet, the tiny raindrop, as if weighing a thousand tons, touched the spheres and shattered them with ease.
The four green figures wielding axes surged forward, swinging their weapons at the raindrop.
“Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle~”
The green figures froze in place, then dissipated into chaotic gusts of wind.
They were unable to stop it!
The nine swords and four figures were broken.
Only his final move remained.
“Devouring Wind of the World!”
The four wind vortexes in front of Feng Qiu instantly merged into one, forming a massive vortex centered around Feng Qiu, ready to engulf the entire gorge.
But before it could expand, the raindrop had already fallen.
“Boom!”
A shockwave burst forth from the vortex, with Feng Qiu at its center.
Cen Sanji, watching this scene, narrowed his eyes.
Each transformation of a spell increases its power and effectiveness based on an accepted standard.
Feng Qiu had given his all, pushing this technique to the level of the eleventh transformation! Its power was comparable to a high-level technique’s first transformation.
But it had drained Feng Qiu’s energy because his Dao hadn’t reached that level. He had relied on compressing his wind energy to forcefully enhance the spell’s power, breaking through the limits of his technique! It was like stacking numerous third-tier fireworks together to achieve the destructive power of a fourth-tier firework.
Of course, accomplishing this wasn’t easy. Many people couldn’t pull it off even if they wanted to.
Could Zhao Xing withstand such an over-the-limit attack?
The raindrop finally dissipated, even clearing the mist where Zhao Xing stood.
However, Zhao Xing remained standing, unshaken. The Dao Protection Barrier on him glowed briefly, but he hadn’t suffered any serious injuries.
“Feng Qiu, your path has strayed,” Zhao Xing said calmly. “An eleventh-transformation wind technique is powerful, but it’s not the true Dao.”
He raised his hand again, and mist reappeared, condensing into another raindrop.
This time, the raindrop moved even faster, materializing just three meters in front of Feng Qiu.
“Go back and reflect on the Three Great Secret Techniques. Don’t just focus on techniques, and certainly don’t obsess over wind techniques. Otherwise, you’ll never advance beyond the sixth rank.”
With that, the raindrop struck Feng Qiu’s chest.
In Feng Qiu’s eyes, filled with despair and disbelief, a golden light flared up around him.
“Buzz~”
In the next moment, both Feng Qiu and Zhao Xing disappeared from the Wind and Thunder Gorge.
Promotion Battle.
Zhao Xing, victory!
Feng Qiu, defeat!
“Boom~” As the scene played out, the countless spectators watching through the Earth Mirror erupted into cheers!
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