Chapter 369: Unlike Ning Zhuo vs. Hanzhou

The day of the Small Contention.

On the large martial arts arena, Unlike Ning Zhuo and Hanzhou stood facing each other.

There were many onlookers.

The cultivators were very familiar with Hanzhou, but for most, it was their first time seeing Unlike Ning Zhuo.

"Is he the Unlike Ning Zhuo from Fire Persimmon Immortal City?"

"In my opinion, he is unremarkable. How could he gain the favor of the Eldest Miss?!"

"Whether he is unremarkable or not, we will see the clues in this battle."

A large number of scrutinizing gazes rested on Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Among them was Lin Shanshan, who was disguised.

Since she had promised Unlike Ning Zhuo she would come to watch the battle, she kept her word. But these days, she had heard some annoying rumors, so this time she disguised herself slightly and did not use her real appearance.

Lin Shanshan blended into the crowd and was not conspicuous.

Little did she know, a gaze descended quietly, overlooking the entire martial arts arena, and accurately found Lin Shanshan in the crowd.

The owner of this gaze was none other than Lin Bufan, the Sect Master of the Myriad Medicine Sect.

He was busy with a thousand tasks, and recently, it was a very busy time; he would not have had the opportunity to learn about this gossip.

However, the people around him were eager to please and worried for their master, so they reported it while Lin Bufan was resting.

"Shanshan has never been like this toward a male cultivator since she was a child. Who is this Unlike Ning Zhuo? Go and investigate him."

After Lin Bufan gave the order, he also remembered the date of the battle between Unlike Ning Zhuo and Hanzhou.

Now, he specifically paused his work and operated the array. Far away at the Original Mountain, he could see the battles on the Small Contention Peak clearly.

"He does have a good appearance..." Lin Bufan nodded slightly at his first glance at Unlike Ning Zhuo.

He himself was handsome, and Unlike Ning Zhuo's demeanor also made him feel that the other party came from an extraordinary background, at least from a cultivation family.

Lin Bufan's first impression of Unlike Ning Zhuo was not bad.

Unlike Ning Zhuo sized up Hanzhou.

Hanzhou was thin, and his face was pale.

His face was covered with traces of wind and frost, looking exhausted and troubled. But his gaze was very calm, revealing a firm will and fearlessness toward suffering.

His hair was sparse and messy, appearing gray-white, like the remnants of melted ice and snow. It was tied loosely behind his head with a simple hemp rope, in a chaotic manner.

He wore a tattered gray robe, full of patches and tears. He wore a pair of worn-out straw sandals, making a rustling sound as he walked; the soles were long worn out, revealing his frostbitten, blue-tinted toes.

His skin was quite rough, full of frostbite and scars, and his fingers were stained with a layer of white frost.

Generally speaking, even if a cultivator was not well-off, they would keep themselves relatively clean, and their clothes would at least be tidy.

But Hanzhou was not like this; he seemed afraid that others wouldn't know he was a beggar by origin.

Unlike Ning Zhuo bowed. "Brother Hanzhou, I have been looking forward to this battle for a long time. Today, I wish to experience your Bitter Cold Scripture."

Hanzhou's voice was hoarse. "Fellow Daoist Ning, you and I have this battle due to fate; let us both do our best."

Hanzhou was quite straightforward. After saying this, he strode forward and ran toward Unlike Ning Zhuo.

He clenched his fists, and cold air scattered, forming frost flowers.

White frost spread rapidly, covering his fists with a layer.

Frost Fist!

Unlike Ning Zhuo's face was solemn. The moment Hanzhou started, he retreated almost simultaneously.

While retreating, he channeled his spells.

In an instant, green vines broke through the ground, flexible as snakes, wrapping toward Hanzhou.

Hanzhou suddenly accelerated, attempting to bypass the vines.

Unlike Ning Zhuo expanded his spiritual sense, constantly controlling the vines to grow and wrap toward Hanzhou.

Seeing he couldn't dodge, Hanzhou simply stood in place, let out a low shout, and his fist shadows flew.

His fists hit the vines, immediately freezing them. Cold air overflowed and spread rapidly to the surroundings.

Unlike Ning Zhuo had already obtained intelligence and discovered that the cold air emitted by Hanzhou contained profound mysteries; it was the Bitter Cold Qi cultivated from the Bitter Cold Scripture.

This aura was difficult to defend against and easily infiltrated a cultivator's body, eroding their flesh and spirit.

At first, this erosion was negligible.

But as time passed and it accumulated, the impact of the erosion became increasingly obvious.

If a cultivator had no good means to clear this Bitter Cold Qi, their internal injuries would become increasingly severe, and their state would decline significantly.

Many of Hanzhou's past opponents had been defeated under this layer of Bitter Cold Qi.

Unlike Ning Zhuo channeled his Five Elements magic power, rotating it and refining it into Fire-type.

He pointed a finger, and a pillar of fire immediately shot out.

The fire pillar was only a thin line at first, but halfway through, it expanded, swelling like a giant python. By the time it struck in front of Hanzhou, the fire pillar had expanded to the size of a pillar supporting a palace.

Hanzhou stood still, without even a dodging movement, letting the flames fall over his head and cover his entire body.

The flames burned for a moment, but the intense Bitter Cold Qi infiltrated the fire, and the fire's momentum immediately withered.

No matter how much magic power Unlike Ning Zhuo added, he couldn't make the flames expand any further.

After a few breaths, the flames originally burning on Hanzhou were reduced to mere embers, clinging to his hair tips and sleeves.

"Good Fire-type." Hanzhou commented faintly and continued to rush toward Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and cast an Earth-type spell.

For a time, yellow sand flew, sweeping across the entire martial arts arena.

The sand and soil attached to Hanzhou's body, accumulating constantly, gradually wrapping him into a mud-sculpted doll.

Earth-type spell—Mud Sculpture Technique!

But soon, large patches of white frost seeped out from the inside of the mud doll.

The white frost froze the sand into chunks, decomposed its structure, and it all fell off.

Hanzhou strode forward again, walking out of the mud sculpture in his true form. His expression was flat, his gaze firm, his look troubled, and he only said, "Good Earth-type."

Unlike Ning Zhuo was expressionless and cast a Metal-type spell.

His palms were like knives, slashing at Hanzhou in the air. Palm prints turned into golden knives in mid-air, hacking toward Hanzhou.

Hanzhou walked forward, still not dodging.

The golden knives hit him, finally making his clothes even more tattered, and wounds appeared on his flesh, dripping with some fresh blood.

"Good Metal-type!"

Hanzhou's expression became even more troubled, but his momentum soared to the extreme.

He was only passively beaten, yet he gave people a very strong impression. Unlike Ning Zhuo felt it the most deeply, and a powerful pressure filled his heart, like a giant stone pressing down.

The onlookers discussed heatedly.

"Hanzhou has shown his full fighting stance as soon as he came up."

"Although I am an onlooker, from Hanzhou's attitude, I can already feel his respect for Unlike Ning Zhuo! It is precisely because of this respect that he went all out as soon as the battle started and displayed his Suffering Body."

"Unlike Ning Zhuo's spell-casting technique is very proficient. But even the Metal-type, known for its attack, only caused some skin wounds to Hanzhou. He is in danger!"

Lin Shanshan blended into the crowd, and hearing everyone's comments, she agreed in her heart.

She couldn't help but become nervous, knowing that Hanzhou's offensive would inevitably be more fierce and violent.

This was because the "Suffering Body" was a type of body technique similar to the "Diamond Body"; the latter strengthened one's own defense, while the former allowed one's various abilities to soar by enduring external blows.

As long as Hanzhou had the strength to fight, the heavier the blows he received, the stronger he became.

"Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo's Metal-type spell has had little effect and cannot break the Suffering Body in one blow. What should he do?" Lin Shanshan was anxious.

She very much hoped that Unlike Ning Zhuo could win.

Not only because she had a lot of favor for Unlike Ning Zhuo, but also because she had put in a lot of effort to help Unlike Ning Zhuo train.

The more she put in, the more she would view things from Unlike Ning Zhuo's perspective.

Hanzhou stomped on the ground, causing the tiles of the martial arts arena to crack directly! His speed soared, like a cannonball, rushing toward Unlike Ning Zhuo.

The distance between the two sides shortened rapidly!

Unlike Ning Zhuo raced against time, pushed his palms, and cast a Water-type spell.

Three waves of water were generated out of thin air, carrying immense power to strike Hanzhou, intending to push him back.

In the first wave of water, Hanzhou's momentum was greatly reduced. But in the second wave, his strength grew to the point where he could stand his ground.

By the third wave, he rushed out directly against the current!

The more attacks he suffered, the stronger he became. Such a peculiar Suffering Body naturally had the ability to weaken the opponent's fighting will.

Hanzhou used his body as a knife, splitting the water waves, and finally killed his way to Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, his eyes shooting out sharp light. After training for several days, he was about to take this opportunity to test his training results through actual combat!

The two sides exchanged punches and kicks, engaging in close-quarters combat.

At first, the two sides were evenly matched, but soon, Hanzhou grabbed the rhythm.

His punches and kicks alternated, attacking in turns, like a storm. ===== CHAPTER 370 =====