"The Magic Race?"

Everyone found the name a bit novel.

"That’s right. Most legends of Divine Communication Skills can be traced back to this lineage. The Celestial Heart Sect, which Zhang Zhizhen hails from, developed from the ancient Thunder Skills of the Daoist Family. And the Qi Clan is precisely the source of those Thunder Skill legends..."

Daoist Bailong explained calmly.

’The Qi Clan is the source of the Thunder Skill? And the Thunder Skill that Zhang Zhizhen’s sect practices is actually just an evolution of the Qi Clan’s Magic?’

Zhou Yuanjue and the others narrowed their eyes slightly.

’This fight just got a lot more interesting.’

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhang Zhizhen walked calmly onto the high platform to face Ge Honglin.

"Zhang Zhizhen of the Celestial Heart Sect. I await your instruction."

Zhang Zhizhen said to Ge Honglin.

"The Celestial Heart Sect... Zhang Zhizhen. So, you’re from that sect in the Martial Arts Realm that borrowed the essence of the Thunder Skill, are you?"

"Did no one ever tell you that the secret arts your sect practices actually originate from my Qi Clan?"

A slight smile appeared on Ge Honglin’s face.

Zhang Zhizhen frowned at Ge Honglin’s words, but his expression quickly smoothed over.

"Blue is born of indigo, but surpasses it."

Zhang Zhizhen replied calmly.

"A fine ’student surpasses the master.’ I’d like to see what you’ve got. Make your move."

The smile slowly faded from Ge Honglin’s face.

WHOOSH!! WHOOSH!!

A sound like a rushing tide arose as a unique Magnetic Field Power began to radiate from Ge Honglin.

It was transparent, possessing no particular attribute or color, yet it exerted an immense pressure.

In that moment, Zhang Zhizhen felt as if he were facing a boundless sky, or a bottomless abyss. Though seemingly empty, it was overwhelmingly vast and imposing.

’What a massive magnetic field. It feels as if he has an entire ocean of it hidden inside him, surging and endless.’

This was one of the special effects of the Qi Veins possessed by the Qi Clan.

Qi Sea!! 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The Qi Veins are based on the body’s meridians, connecting all its Acupoints. These Acupoints act like storerooms, capable of holding a certain amount of Magnetic Field Power. Furthermore, the Qi Veins themselves can also store this power. As a result, members of the Qi Clan often possess more than double the Magnetic Field Power of other experts at the same level.

"Ninety-five... and nine of them are the largest..."

Zhou Yuanjue murmured.

With his keen spiritual perception, he could faintly make out a total of ninety-five "channels" of varying thickness spread throughout Ge Honglin’s body, each one flooded with immense magnetic power.

Among these ninety-five channels, nine were by far the thickest, like tree trunks, while the others were merely branches and twigs.

"The Twelve Main Meridians are the most important meridians in the human body. The Qi Veins of the Qi Clan are based on them, comprising twelve main veins. One must clear the main veins before they can open the branch veins. This Ge Honglin has already cleared nine of his main veins."

"Legend says that the ancestor of the Qi Clan, Hong, cleared all the main veins. In all the years since, the strongest members of the Qi Clan have only managed to clear ten. The final and most important two Qi Veins—the Ren and Du—have long remained uncleared by anyone. Ge Honglin’s strength is already quite impressive."

Daoist Bailong said, nodding.

Despite the mountainous pressure, Zhang Zhizhen remained serene, his eyes downcast. He entered a state of Unity of Heaven and Man, countering endless change with constancy. By continuously adjusting his magnetic field to harmonize with his surroundings, he moved with ease within the oppressive force.

"How interesting."

Ge Honglin’s expression shifted slightly. Zhou Yuanjue could clearly sense a peculiar change in the way the magnetic field circulated within his body.

The magnetic field flooded six of his Qi Veins, circulating rapidly along an incredibly profound path.

It felt as though a profound talisman had taken shape inside Ge Honglin’s body.

This was the Qi Meridian Circulation that Daoist Bailong had spoken of.

Ge Honglin’s formless, intangible magnetic field underwent a change in nature. A faint golden glow appeared on his skin, exuding an aura of solidity.

Eventually, this golden light formed a suit of sharp-angled Treasure Armor over his body. At six points on the armor’s surface, strange and distinct patterns emerged.

Furthermore, his body also began to change under the influence of this Qi Meridian Circulation.

His hair stood on end and his muscles swelled violently. His physique changed dramatically as his bodily functions were greatly enhanced, transforming him from an ordinary man into a Giant Spirit God.

Liuren Divine Armor Technique!

After completing one Qi Meridian Circulation, Ge Honglin didn’t attack. Instead, the Qi Veins in his legs flashed again as he seemed to be casting a leg-related Technique.

Zhang Zhizhen frowned. He could sense what his opponent was up to; he couldn’t just stand by and watch him stack buffs.

HAH!!

In an instant, he switched from defense to offense. Exiting his state of Unity of Heaven and Man, his muscles bulged until his physique was nearly identical to Ge Honglin’s. It was as if two Giant Spirit Gods now faced each other on the platform.

Azure, lightning-like magnetic fields coiled around his body like Divine Dragons. A Dharma Aspect of thunder and lightning enveloped him, the magnetic field stimulating every cell and organ, fully activating his body’s potential.

Thunder Skill, Thunder Body!

SWOOSH!!

Zhang Zhizhen’s body instantly vanished from his spot, like a flash of lightning, leaving only a streak of silvery-white light in the air.

’So fast!’

’Is that even a speed a normal human can achieve?’

The Spirit Guardians present who were below Spirit Level found it difficult to even track Zhang Zhizhen’s movements with their naked eyes. Many had to resort to using Secret Techniques just to enhance their visual tracking, and even then, they could barely keep up.

Zhang Zhizhen instantly flashed in front of Ge Honglin and thrust out a palm.

CRACKLE!!

This time, it wasn’t the muffled boom of compressed air, but the genuine crackle of lightning!

A vast, silvery-white magnetic field compressed in his palm. If this strike landed, the energy would instantly shatter the enemy’s defenses, penetrate deep into their body, and leave them ravaged and paralyzed.

As his palm descended, he locked on with his magnetic field. But in the next instant, his target had vanished.

It was as if Ge Honglin had foreseen the attack. Despite Zhang Zhizhen’s terrifying speed, he had already moved, his body shifting sharply to the side to evade the strike completely.

CRACK!!

The palm struck nothing but air, sending out a ripple of lightning and distorted air.

’A miss?’

’Then... I’ll just have to be faster!!’

Lightning flashed in Zhang Zhizhen’s eyes as his figure vanished once more. This time, no one below Spirit Level could clearly track his movements.

’He’s even faster!’

Thunder Palm!!

CRACKLE!!

Power and lightning exploded in tandem, bathing the area in silver light, but once again, Zhang Zhizhen’s attack hit nothing.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!!

Again and again, Zhang Zhizhen attacked, yet he couldn’t even graze the hem of his opponent’s clothes.

Meanwhile, as he dodged, the Qi Meridian Circulation in Ge Honglin’s legs continued to operate, nearing completion.

"Who do you expect to hit with an attack that obvious?"

Ge Honglin said with a laugh.

"It’s the malice."

Zhou Yuanjue, watching from the sidelines, murmured. He now understood the function of the Magic his opponent had just used.

’It’s not just the defensive power of that golden magnetic field, or the physical enhancement. The most important part is the ability to sense malice!’

"The Liuren Divine Armor... it seeks fortune and avoids calamity."

Daoist Bailong said slowly.