Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 335 - 72: Rotating Usage, Sequential Counting
When the 13-second countdown result was announced, Shen Qing slightly furrowed his brow, not entirely satisfied with this takeover.
According to the previous deductions, facing Shen Bailin, who is at the early stage of the Cloud Flipping Realm, with an all-encompassing cultivation system advantage and a tactical system that completely counters, and holding the Divine Weapon Silver Frost, the battle should have ended in less than 10 seconds if executed smoothly.
However, in actual combat, things naturally couldn’t be ideally perfect. Although the Shen Bailin in the Battle Array Map was just a projection, it undoubtedly possessed extremely high combat intelligence. Realizing he had fallen into a deadly trap, he began a desperate struggle for mutual destruction, channeling all his True Essence through the Ice Meteor Battle Armor into a chilling cold, significantly hindering Shen Qing’s True Essence flow. Although he ultimately couldn’t stop his opponent from killing him, he successfully delayed his opponent’s kill time.
After exiting, Shen Qing lowered his head, furrowed his brow, and tightly gripped his warhammer, feeling quite unwilling. If he had another chance, starting off with a rampage of True Essence, even using the Blood Burning Technique, despite affecting the stability of his moves, could greatly resist Shen Bailin’s cold penetration, shortening the kill time. The current result is indeed not ideal.
As he was thinking, someone forcefully patted his shoulder. He turned his head to see Shen Feihu seriously saying, "It’s really good! Truly remarkable. Without much precedent to reference, killing a top player of the same level in just 13 seconds, you have no reason to be dissatisfied with yourself."
Feeling somewhat touched by the immediate comfort, Shen Qing’s face remained stern as he retorted, "Striving for excellence is the attitude us Shen City Cultivators should have."
Shen Feihu smiled, already knowing that Shen Qing was outwardly cold but warm inside. Knowing that putting on an official front was just a shy concealing of emotions, he didn’t say much and patted his shoulder again: "Take a rest, and then quickly sort out the process and explain the important points and difficulties to me."
In his overall tactical layout, there was no real expectation for Shen Qing, the top of the Shen Family Outer Courtyard, to achieve the first place of the Outer Courtyard. His true mission was to verify the combat methods for future generations.
Before truly entering the Battle Array Map, all speculations about the speed competition were just that—speculations. No one could ensure that when the competition starts, the thoughts of the Outer Courtyard high-level would align with his, Shen Feihu’s. What if the event wasn’t a speed competition? What if the opponent wasn’t Shen Bailin? Or even if the previous predictions were all correct, what if Shen Bailin in the Battle Array Map had some unknown Divine Techniques?
Someone always has to pave the way forward, and in any army, the vanguard must be elite. In Shen Feihu’s calculations, only an elite like Shen Qing could find the shortcomings in the combat methods within a limited time. With improvements.
If it were the cannon-fodder level cultivators, even if they managed to provoke all the opponent’s methods and Divine Techniques, it wouldn’t help in a swift victory strategy. In a battle that can end in ten-odd seconds, there is no need to understand all of the opponent’s methods. What is needed to understand is the life-preserving methods the opponent can take at the brink of life and death.
For example, Shen Qing’s pioneering battle successfully tested Shen Bailin’s Protective Cold Qi. The subsequent fighters can then use techniques like the Blood Burning Technique and the Fire Armor Technique to counteract and shorten the kill time.
Moreover, a 13-second result, while not the most ideal, is already impactful enough. In such a short time frame, killing a master known for defense is likely beyond many people’s imagination limit.
One wonders what the Li Family thought after seeing this result.
——
On the other hand, Wang Jiu, not taking his eyes off Shen Qing walking down the field with a face full of regret, nodded and commented to Shen Qingming: "Exquisite, reminiscent of your ancestors’ spirit."
Shen Qingming was also incredibly amazed, taking down an ancestor known for defense within 13 seconds was astonishing, but she voiced slight dissatisfaction: "My ancestors would never swing a hammer at their own descendant’s nether regions."
Wang Jiu corrected: "In fact, Shen Kaishan once..."
"I don’t want to hear it!" Shen Qingming decisively stopped Wang Jiu’s little history lesson, "I’m just asking, when it’s my turn to take the stage, you should be able to do better, right?"
Despite her inquiries, the young girl was a bit anxious.
With the capabilities of the Celestial Divine Sword, naturally, contemporary Xiangzhou cultivators were negligible. If he personally took action, 13 seconds would be excessive, even 3 seconds would seem too long. But the issue is, Shen Qingming would be the one entering the field. The young girl was currently only at the Wind-Rising Realm, just a step away from the Cloud Surge Realm, facing an opponent two major realms higher. Winning seemed fantastical, let alone a swift victory?
"Don’t worry, no problem." Wang Jiu nodded calmly, providing the girl a sense of reassurance.
——
Shen Feihu happened to catch a glimpse of the interaction between Wang Jiu and Shen Qingming.
Though he couldn’t hear their conversation, the exchange of expressions made it clear that Shen Qing’s 13-second result seemingly hadn’t shaken their confidence in winning, at least not wavering Wang Jiu’s confidence at all.
Shen Feihu couldn’t help but silently lament; this battle truly wouldn’t be an easy one. Honestly speaking, before this Outer Courtyard competition, Shen Feihu had already simulated countless battle plans against the Li Family, confident that if there was another elite duel between the two families, it would certainly help the Shen Family Outer Courtyard fellows claim victory.
Except when facing Wang Jiu.
This was the only opponent for whom no matter how Shen Feihu simulated, victory was elusive. He found it difficult even to gauge the opponent’s power limits. It appeared to only have the True Essence Fluctuation strength of the Cloud Surge Realm, but the occasional display of intimidation reminded Shen Feihu of the formidable elders in his household.
Regarding this Li Family leader, Shen Feihu was entirely out of ideas; if all else failed, they could only choose to concede one spot to the Li Family.
But now wasn’t the time to think about these things; next up, the candidate for the next round must enter the field. Let’s hope he doesn’t let Shen Qing’s effort in paving the way go to waste and achieves a better result.
The second to enter was Shen Lu, known for remaining low-key in the Outer Courtyard, yet rarely dropping out of the top ten. Truly deserving the title of an Outer Courtyard operator. With a True Essence Realm at the late stage of the Cloud Surge Realm, strong and enduring Divine Sense strength, and proficient, diverse magic styles, all grant him the qualifications to be noted by people.
It’s a pity that being born in the same era as Shen Feihong and Shen Qing means that some talents are doomed to be overshadowed.
Shen Lu stood outside the field, unfazed by the attention of hundreds of eyes, his gaze fixed on Shen Bailin, who had reappeared in the center of the arena.
For so many years, he had been suffocated under the brilliant radiance of people like Shen Qing. Now, it was his time to shine.
Shen Qing had already paved the way for him, and he had diligently adjusted his tactics, which had been honed throughout the night, based on Shen Qing’s performance, fully confident that he could finish the battle in 11 seconds.
Although it was still a bit short of Shen Qing’s record of 10 seconds, as long as he could successfully achieve the great feat of 11 seconds, he would at least secure a place in the top ten, possibly even the top five in this competition.
After mentally running through all possible scenarios in the actual battle, Shen Lu nodded and extended his hand to the side: "Lend me the Divine Weapon."
Beside him, Shen Feihu was already in position and handed the Divine Weapon Silver Frost to Shen Lu.
"Good luck."
"Don’t worry." Shen Lu hefted the warhammer, feeling the unique texture of this substantial divine weapon, as if it established a bridge connecting the inside and outside, allowing his entire True Essence to extend.
Indeed, it was no wonder that Shen Zicheng cherished it as if it were his life, for even in the hands of a low-level cultivator, it could still exert extraordinary effects.
Though there was still a trace of Shen Qing’s True Essence remaining on the warhammer, making it somewhat impure, Shen Lu only needed to swing it gently twice to feel the weapon merge with his bloodline, with no impurities hindering him.
Next, he mustered his spirits, lifted the warhammer, and stepped forward to cross the arena’s boundary... then suddenly, his right hand was yanked backward, causing him to stumble a few steps.
Turning around, he saw that the Divine Weapon Silver Frost was stuck outside the circle.
He was momentarily bewildered: "What happened?"
The fellow disciples in the outer courtyard were equally puzzled, looking at each other with confusion.
Apparently, the scene represented the Divine Weapon Silver Frost being judged as an illegal blade by the Battle Array Map, barring it from entry... Yet Shen Qing had just wielded the warhammer to successfully defeat Shen Bailin in 13 seconds.
A moment later, Shen Herong hurried over to explain: "According to the Battle Array Map rules, equipment sharing is not allowed in the speed competition. Equipment that has already been used will be marked and cannot re-enter."
This statement caused an uproar: "Why is that?"
"Where did this rule come from!?"
"What the hell, what should we do now?!"
At that moment, what people were truly concerned about wasn’t the reason, but that under such rules, the meticulously prepared tactics of the outer courtyard completely fell apart! The key to swiftly defeating Shen Bailin hinged on a weapon capable of breaking the Ice Meteor Battle Armor, and all other tactical systems were based on this foundation. Now that Silver Frost was limited to single use, how could anyone else play?
Rely on one’s own cultivation and compete in speed with a famously tough Shen family ancestor?
Shen Herong shook his head and said, "This rule has always existed to encourage disciples to rely on their own efforts in cultivation. If you want a Divine Weapon, you should forge one yourself instead of hoping for others to share."
This reasoning was so lofty that it left people speechless. A few who wanted to argue were pulled back by their companions. The rules of the outer courtyard, and military orders, are as unyielding as a mountain. Arguing with superiors never ends well.
When they were entangled, Shen Feihu suddenly spoke: "Wait, everyone, don’t panic, there is still a solution."
Pausing for a moment, Shen Feihu continued: "I remember the Battle Array Map uses the Celestial Eye Array to examine the equipment of participants. However, this Celestial Eye Array was reported to have inspection flaws last year, for instance..."
As he spoke, Shen Feihu stepped forward, took out a Gold Melting Pen, and drew a straight line on Silver Frost’s hammer handle.
Afterwards, Shen Lu, standing half a step within the circle, felt his hand suddenly relax, and the warhammer stuck outside was unexpectedly allowed entry!
"This!?"
Even Shen Herong was uncertain at that moment.
Shen Feihu smiled and explained: "This is a flaw in the Celestial Eye Array. As long as you slightly modify the appearance of a Magical Treasure with items like the Gold Melting Pen or Broken Moon Soup, the Celestial Eye Array will be disturbed and unable to recognize it. Keep this Gold Melting Pen, everyone. Before entering the field, write a little on it, and it will be enough to deceive the Celestial Eye Array."
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