Chapter 766

Unlike Ning Zhuo clutched his abdomen 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.

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

The bronze shield lay on the ground, motionless. He looked at it, a flash of regret passing through 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.

Unfortunately, the wound on his abdomen did not allow him to fight for long.

Unlike Ning Zhuo used his spiritual sense to manipulate the bronze shield, immediately causing the edges of the shield to deform, transforming into dense, giant serrations.

Unlike Ning Zhuo looked at the cold light on the serrations and thought to himself, "This shield actually has this kind of offensive posture; it truly has a sinister side. I wonder who its original owner was."

Unlike Ning Zhuo sat cross-legged and 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.

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

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

Unlike Ning Zhuo keenly noticed this, a flash of gravity crossing 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!"

Unlike 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.

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

"Is he really not anxious at all?"

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

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

Some cultivators, seeing Unlike 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 Unlike Ning Zhuo, many people appeared quite incompetent.

But Unlike 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 Unlike Ning Zhuo only practiced a few times before continuing on his way.

Unlike 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 intelligence. Besides the content of the Xingyun Trial itself, there was also the situation of many participants from previous sessions.

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

Once the standard was met, they would enter the third stage. 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 Xuanbing Armor, the more powerful it is."

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

Unlike 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 combos. By the time he reached the bronze gauntlets, there began to be tactical thinking, able to adjust according to Unlike Ning Zhuo's tactics, as if someone were truly manipulating them.

And with the bronze shield, the martial arts attainment of this Xuanbing Armor went a step further—being able to 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 'entering the micro.' Being able to execute standards to a very subtle degree."

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

Unlike Ning Zhuo thought of this, and a scene from the recent battle appeared in his mind. The bronze shield could clearly have pulled itself out quickly, but it pretended to be stuck in the wall bricks, luring Unlike Ning Zhuo into a wild attack, patiently waiting for Unlike Ning Zhuo to show a flaw.

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

"I realized the profound meaning 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 Xuanbing Armor, it is above the Martial Craftsman, the realm of the Master! 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 exceptionally sharp and have huge power. It is precisely 'obtaining the form and forgetting the form,' where having no moves is better than having moves!"

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

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

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

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

Fortunately, he had grasped all the opportunities for live combat learning beforehand. If he had sought speed and saved time, he would likely have already lost when encountering the bronze shield with his weak strength.

"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 truly not good at it."

"Actually, my attainment in Five Elements spells is just standing on the shoulders of predecessors and sages; it 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, my strength has improved significantly, and I won't have come in vain!"

From this perspective, Unlike 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 using the Soul-Searching Technique also revealed its limitations."

Weapons like shields are really rarely used by cultivators!

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

Lacking this foundation, it was difficult for Unlike Ning Zhuo to get started with the shield, and he could not achieve the rapid progress he had before.

This was also one of the reasons why he practiced a little bit, stopped at the surface, and continued to break through the stages.

This could not help but make Unlike Ning Zhuo think of a cultivator, and feel envy from the bottom of his heart.

This cultivator was the Lord of Wangchuan!

"Wangchuan, this long river, has existed since the formation of the underworld. The accumulation of countless years makes the river water contain countless memories."

"If the Lord of Wangchuan masters self-forgetfulness and then enters 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 Wangchuan, you are truly too excellent; even Heaven cannot tolerate you."

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

Wangchuan Prince's Mansion.

The Lord of Wangchuan sat on the throne, maintaining the national art. Clouds and mist 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 screams of resentful souls, like miserable green pillars of 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 the direct army 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 Commander. The main force was 100,000 drowning ghosts, with webbed feet and wrapped in water plants, skilled in water warfare. 30,000 poisonous miasma ghost leeches, with a wingspan of a zhang, could spray poisonous mist.

They set out from the Rotten Poison Swamp, stepped across the Broken Ice Lake, and their target was the hub of the lower reaches of Wangchuan—Mingze Xiancheng.

The western route was a frenzy of skeletons.

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

This army had broken through the defense line of the Buried Bone Hills and was advancing at high speed along the Blood-Spattered Ancient Road, with the target being Lifeng Xiancheng.

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

His army had 80,000 burnt ghosts, nearly 10,000 molten soul ghost cavalry, and hundreds of red-roaring artillery carriages.

They had been lurking in the Boiling Water Rift Valley 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; they were the enemy army with the most fierce battle record at present.

The northern route was the 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 ghosts, 40,000 snow-resentment ghost soldiers, and more than 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 Xiancheng, took down the military hub on the border of the Wangchuan underworld, and had been resting and recuperating without moving.

In the vision of the Lord of Wangchuan, it was not just these five armies, but also the national art of the enemy country covering the armies.

Under the influence of the enemy's national art, with the five armies as bridges, they were fiercely shaking the hearts of the people and the army of the entire Wangchuan underworld!

The Lord of Wangchuan slowly closed his eyes, his hands forming complex and ancient seals. He chanted in his mouth, and every syllable triggered the angry roar of the cultivation country in the dark: "Alas! The foreign invaders are ferocious, tearing my territory! Souls grieve together, blood and fire burn together! Now holding the King's Seal, acting on behalf of Heaven! The national policy is clear—unite against the common 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 unprecedentedly fierce light.

The light pierced through the top of the Senluo Hall, turned into a dark blue pillar of light penetrating heaven and earth, and rushed straight to the top of the Nine Netherworlds!

Within the territory of the Wangchuan underworld, the shaken hearts of the army and the people were quickly stabilized.

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

The Lord of Wangchuan narrowed his eyes and bit his teeth secretly.

His King's Seal was missing, and he could only use a fake seal as a substitute, barely activating the national art to confront the Lord of Ghost Fire 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 repeated national arts of the Lord of Ghost Fire?"

"Unlike Ning Zhuo!"

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

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

Ban Ji looked at the bronze saber in front of him, first his eyes widened, then the corners of 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 raised his wolf-tooth club high, rushed forward, his arm muscles bulging, and smashed directly at the bronze saber.

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

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

Its blade, at an angle subtle to the extreme, at the moment the wolf-tooth club was about to touch the blade, "tapped" the side of the club head extremely accurately and swiftly.

Ban Ji's thunderous blow, which he had gathered all his strength to perform, was led off-target by this light tap. The huge wolf-tooth club brushed against the body of the bronze saber and smashed fiercely onto the blue brick ground.

Subsequently, the bronze saber stabbed towards Ban Ji.

Ban Ji used his spiritual sense to manipulate flying knives, chain hammers, and nunchucks to protect his body, but the three-layer defense still could not stop the bronze saber; it twisted a few times and broke through quite casually, the tip of the saber stabbing into the empty gate under Ban Ji's ribs.

Ban Ji let out a low roar of pain and staggered back, a deep and long cut already appearing under his ribs, and blood quickly stained the clothes at the wound red.

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

The bronze saber twisted a few times nonchalantly and avoided all the flying knives. It was so casual, there was no shadow of any saber moves at all, but such casual shaking truly avoided all the flying knives.

"This is 'having no moves is better than having moves'!" Ban Ji frowned, recalling what the intelligence said.

He licked his dry lips, and a sense of ominousness surged 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!"

"Sss sss sss..."

Ban Ji's muffled groans, painful roars, and the sound of gasping for cold air sounded one after another.

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

"I know the intelligence, I know the realm of the fifth bronze artifact."

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

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