Chapter 760: No Move Beats Having a Move

Ning Zhuo held his abdomen with his hand and slowly sat cross-legged on the ground.

The wound on his abdomen was still slowly seeping blood, and pain came in waves from time to time.

Ning Zhuo panted for a moment, his breathing gradually turning from heavy to light.

The bronze shield lay motionless on the ground. He looked at it, a flash of regret in his eyes.

He had originally wanted to continue the live combat. Under the pressure of the bronze shield, he could learn something every second and feel his own progress.

Alas, the injury on his abdomen did not allow him to fight for long.

Ning Zhuo used his spiritual sense to manipulate the bronze shield, immediately causing the edges of the shield to deform, turning into dense, huge sawteeth.

Ning Zhuo looked at the cold light on the sawteeth and thought to himself: "This shield actually has this kind of offensive posture; it is indeed quite insidious. I wonder who its original owner actually was."

Ning Zhuo sat motionless, his breathing gradually becoming long and steady.

Being inside the magic array, it was difficult for him to use spells to treat himself, nor could he swallow elixirs; he could only let his physical body recover on its own.

His wound was no longer seeping blood, and there was a tingling sensation.

Ning Zhuo knew this was his own flesh and blood growing, and the wound was healing rapidly.

But this time, the speed of the wound healing was clearly a notch slower than before.

Ning Zhuo keenly noticed this, a flash of gravity in his eyes, and he knew in his heart: "The physical body has its limits. I have been injured many times, and this time it is a serious injury; the body needs a long period of rest and recuperation to return to its peak state."

"But next, I still have many battles to fight!"

Ning Zhuo waited patiently for his injuries to heal before standing up.

With a movement of his spiritual sense, the bronze shield flew into his hand.

Ning Zhuo held the shield and practiced on the spot, which made many cultivators secretly anxious.

"Is he really not in a hurry at all?"

"He has already fallen far behind; if this continues, he will likely be eliminated."

Some also had dark thoughts: "Since Ning Zhuo looks down on our Xingyun Trial so much, then let him lose! Give this genius a profound lesson."

Some cultivators, seeing Ning Zhuo's outstanding performance, could not help but feel jealous.

Why are you so excellent, possessing such superb comprehension, and able to make such progress in such a short time? And what about me? I have worked hard to train and accumulate, spending so much time and effort, so what does that count for?

Compared to Ning Zhuo, many people appeared quite incompetent.

But Ning Zhuo's next actions caused the thoughts of those who secretly hoped he would be eliminated to fall through.

They were surprised to see that Ning Zhuo only practiced a few times before setting off again.

Ning Zhuo said to himself in his heart: "There is not much time left."

He was cautious by nature and acted steadily, so how could he ignore the situation? Before coming here, he had naturally collected relevant information. In addition to the content of the Xingyun Trial itself, there was also the situation of many participants from previous years.

Ning Zhuo was very clear: according to normal circumstances, about how long it would take for the number of cultivators who obtained the fifth Profound Weapon Armor to meet the standard.

Once the standard was met, they would enter the third round. Cultivators other than that would be automatically eliminated.

"I need to speed up my progress."

"After all, the difficulty must also be calculated in this. The later the Profound Weapon Armor, the more powerful it is."

"The Profound Weapon Armors that cultivators can encounter will be different. I must leave room for error for later."

Ning Zhuo quickly reviewed: the bronze sword at the beginning was just basic sword moves. The subsequent saber was not just basic saber moves, but also combo moves. By the time he reached the bronze gauntlets, they began to have tactical thinking, able to adjust according to Ning Zhuo's tactics, as if someone were truly controlling them.

And with the bronze shield, the martial arts attainment of this Profound Weapon Armor went a step further—it could fully utilize the terrain.

"The bronze sword and saber represent the Martial Disciple realm. Cultivators practice diligently, striving for the completeness of moves, the coordination of force, and the combination of moves. Reaching the peak of this realm is 'Subtlety'. One can execute standards to a very refined degree."

"The bronze gauntlets and shield represent the Martial Artisan realm. The cultivator's attention expands from themselves to the outside world. They think about how to be more effective against the enemy, so they will specifically design some feints, or even traps."

Thinking of this, a scene from the battle just now appeared in Ning Zhuo's mind. The bronze shield could clearly have pulled itself out quickly, but it pretended to be stuck in the wall bricks, luring Ning Zhuo into a frenzy of attacks, patiently waiting for Ning Zhuo to show a flaw.

"In the Martial Artisan realm, moves will change from the initial standard and rigid to more practical, beginning to be 'free', but still full of craftsmanship, easy to be figured out and guessed."

"I realized the mystery of reality and illusion, and can 'predict' the opponent's next move by sensing the changes in force, precisely because the bronze gauntlets had too much craftsmanship."

"But next, when it comes to the fifth Profound Weapon Armor, it is above the Martial Artisan, the realm of the Master! The moves are further freed, starting from the current situation, even appearing casual, like a child's graffiti, yet because they are too targeted at the battle situation, they appear sharp and extraordinary, with huge power. It is precisely 'forgetting the form after obtaining the form', no move beats having a move!"

The Xingyun Trial of the Nine-Layer Profound Weapon Armor has been held for many sessions and can be considered a classic trial. The difficulty of these Profound Weapon Armors that cultivators encounter in the second round is progressive, and there is a reason for it.

"I was already seriously injured dealing with the bronze shield."

"The next fifth Profound Weapon Armor must be attacked with full force, and the battle must be decided quickly. A slight carelessness could lead to defeat!"

By the time he reached the bronze shield, Ning Zhuo already lacked an environment for sparring.

Fortunately, he had grasped all the opportunities for live combat learning before. If he had sought speed and saved time, in a situation where his own strength was weak, he would likely have already lost when encountering the bronze shield.

"How much weight do I have?"

"When it comes to Five Elements spells, I have some confidence. But in terms of martial arts and close combat, I am really not good at it."

"Actually, my attainments in Five Elements spells are only standing on the shoulders of predecessors and sages, and cannot be considered my own true ability."

"Only by constantly learning and trying my best is it possible to recover some disadvantages."

"Of course, even if I can't intercept Ban Ji this time, I have learned a lot, and my strength has improved a lot, so I won't have come in vain!"

From this perspective, Ning Zhuo had already seen many of the results of his previous live combat learning from the bronze shield.

"At the same time, the experience I gained through Soul Searching also revealed its limitations."

Weapons like shields are really rarely used by cultivators!

The demonic cultivators Ning Zhuo soul-searched had never used them properly, let alone studied them.

Without this foundation, it was difficult for Ning Zhuo to get started using the shield, and he could not achieve the rapid progress he had before.

This was one of the reasons why he practiced a little and then stopped, continuing to break through the levels.

This could not help but make Ning Zhuo think of a cultivator, and feel heartfelt envy.

This cultivator was the Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion!

"Wangchuan, this long river, has existed since the underworld took shape. Countless years of accumulation have made the river water contain countless memories."

"If the Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion masters 'forgetting the self' and then enters the Wangchuan, it is simply grabbing at will. What a terrifying qualitative change this is!"

"It's a pity it was destroyed by me, and fortunately it was destroyed by me."

"The tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion, you are too excellent, even Heaven cannot tolerate you."

Others envied and were jealous of Ning Zhuo's excellence, and Ning Zhuo was also envying a more excellent existence. What he didn't know was that the Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion was also "thinking" of him.

Wangchuan Prince's Mansion.

The Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion sat on the throne, maintaining the National Art. Clouds and smoke drifted in his eyes, as if he were overlooking the entire underworld from the ninth heaven.

But seeing the borders of the Wangchuan Underworld, thousands of beacon towers were burning, and the ignited phosphorus fire beacons emitted the shrill screams of resentful souls, like pillars of miserable green light, piercing the darkness of the sky.

Five armies from the Ghost Fire Underworld, like five bone-eroding sharp knives, were tearing through lines of defense and stabbing into the hinterland of Wangchuan.

The eastern route was a poisonous flow of rotten bones.

Strictly speaking, this was not a direct unit of the Ghost Fire Underworld, but a rebel army formed by winning over separatist forces within the Wangchuan Underworld.

The commander was Yin Kui, known as the Drowning Soul Poison Marshal. The main force was 100,000 drowning ghosts, with webbed feet and wrapped in water weeds, skilled in water warfare. 30,000 poisonous miasma ghost leeches, with a wingspan of a zhang, could spray poisonous mist.

They set off from the Rotten Poison Swamp, stepped over the Broken Ice Lake, and aimed directly at the hub of the lower reaches of Wangchuan—Mingze Immortal City.

The western route was a frenzy of skeletons.

Led by Zhao Haishan, a general of the Ghost Fire Underworld. The main force was 150,000 withered bone soldiers and thousands of bone-crushing chariots.

This army had already broken through the defense line of the Buried Bone Hills and was advancing at high speed along the Blood-Spattered Ancient Road, aiming for Lifeng Immortal City.

The southern route was commanded by Yan Yan, a ghost cultivator who was as famous as Zhao Haishan and was one of the generals of the Ghost Fire Underworld.

His army had 80,000 burnt-to-death ghosts, nearly 10,000 soul-melting ghost cavalry, and hundreds of red-roaring cannons.

They had been lurking in the Boiling Water Rift of the Ghost Fire Underworld for many days, suddenly moved out, and raided all the way, having already conquered three immortal cities in a row, making them the most fierce enemy army currently.

The northern route was a guest army of the Ghost Fire Underworld, which had taken in the female marquis from the Frost Silence Underworld.

Female Marquis Gongsun Hansha, brought 50,000 frozen-to-death ghosts, 40,000 snow-resentment ghost soldiers, and 500 ice-bone tombstones.

They detoured all the way, did not conquer the villages and immortal cities along the way, and their current movements were unknown.

The central route was the army of Wanli Yantu.

130,000 terracotta warriors, 3,000 ghost giants, 1,000 soul-splitting battering rams, and 500 soul-curse cultivators.

They attacked head-on, spent many days, conquered the Ghost Gate Immortal City, took down the military stronghold on the border of the Wangchuan Underworld, and had been resting and recuperating without moving.

In the field of vision of the Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion, it was not just these five armies, but also the enemy's National Art covering the armies.

Under the influence of the enemy's National Art, using the five armies as bridges, they were fiercely shaking the hearts of the people and the morale of the entire Wangchuan Underworld!

The Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion slowly closed his eyes, his hands forming complex and ancient seals. He chanted, and every syllable triggered the angry roar of the cultivation kingdom in the dark: "Alas! The foreign invaders are ferocious, tearing my territory! Souls grieve together, blood and fire fry together! Now holding the King's Seal, acting on behalf of Heaven! The National Policy is clear—share hatred against the enemy!"

In an instant, the national power surged and poured into the seal in front of him out of thin air.

The seal suddenly erupted with unprecedented fierce light.

The light penetrated the top of the Senluo Hall, turning into a dark blue pillar of light that pierced through heaven and earth, rushing straight to the top of the Nine Netherworlds!

Within the territory of the Wangchuan Underworld, the shaken morale and hearts of the people were quickly stabilized.

The light dissipated, the seal was full of cracks, and then it collapsed into ash.

The Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth secretly.

His King's Seal was missing, and he could only use a fake seal to replace it, barely activating the National Art to confront the Lord of the Ghost Fire Mansion from afar.

But a fake seal was a fake seal after all; it would be completely damaged and disintegrated after one use, consuming a massive amount of stored resources.

"Must find the main seal!"

"Otherwise, how can I resist the National Art of the Lord of the Ghost Fire Mansion again and again?"

"Ning Zhuo!"

"You ruined my path, and took my King's Seal, you deserve to die ten thousand times, ten thousand deaths cannot dispel my hatred!"

It was not just the Lord of the Wangchuan Mansion who was thinking of Ning Zhuo; there were others thinking of Ning Zhuo.

Ban Ji looked at the bronze saber in front of him, first his eyes widened, then his mouth split open, and he laughed out loud: "Found it, I finally found a bronze saber! Hahaha, ah hahaha..."

His bitter pursuit and expectation were realized at this moment.

Ban Ji excitedly held the mace high, rushed forward, his arm muscles bulging, making the mace aim at the bronze saber and smash down directly.

The bronze saber floated quietly in mid-air, and it was not until the mace was about to hit it that it suddenly shook.

It did not resist hard, nor did it dodge, but turned gently and naturally, like a willow leaf blown by the wind.

Its blade, at an angle subtle to the extreme, "tapped" the side of the mace head precisely and quickly at the moment the mace was about to touch the blade.

Ban Ji's thunderous blow, which required all his strength, lost its accuracy because of this light tap. The huge mace brushed against the bronze saber blade and smashed fiercely onto the blue brick ground.

Subsequently, the bronze saber stabbed at Ban Ji.

Ban Ji used his spiritual sense to manipulate flying knives, chain hammers, and nunchucks to protect his body, but the triple defense could not stop the bronze saber, which broke through quite casually after twisting a few times, the tip of the saber stabbing into Ban Ji's empty gate under his ribs.

Ban Ji roared in pain and staggered back, a deep and long cut already appearing under his ribs, blood quickly staining the clothes at the wound.

Ban Ji hurriedly reached out, grabbed the hilts of the three flying knives, and threw them out fiercely.

The bronze saber twisted casually a few times and dodged all the flying knives. It was so casual, there was no shadow of any saber moves at all, but such casual swaying did indeed dodge all the flying knives.

"This is no move beats having a move!" Ban Ji frowned, recalling what the information said.

He licked his dry lips, and a sense of ominousness rose in his heart.

"Forget it! I must get this bronze saber!" Ban Ji's eyes flashed with greedy light, and he pounced again fiercely.

Puchi!

Dang dang dang...

"Uh!"

"Uh ah!"

"Hiss hiss hiss..."

Ban Ji's muffled groans, painful roars, and gasps for air sounded one after another.

He stared dead at the bronze saber in front of him, feeling puzzled.

"I know the information, I know the realm of the fifth bronze ware."

"But, but this bronze saber is clearly beyond the norm, its strength is too fierce!"

"Who sent it back? It must not be an unknown person!"