Chapter 170: Begin the Duel

Still dare to stay on the ring?

"No, this Huang Hao is wild—fighting so hard, just stop embarrassing yourself, okay? He has no duel experience and almost got cut."

"Exactly, you kid, get down quickly, don't leave the ring missing arms or legs!"

The cultivators around shouted; this duel technique looked so low‑quality they couldn't bear to watch.

If you say the strength is weak, that's fine; we're all gathered here to watch the duel techniques, aren't we?

Fighting so badly, not exciting at all.

I want to see rivers of blood!

Yan Buji turned a deaf ear, perhaps he should have acted a bit more eager?

We'll talk after this round.

Yan Buji watched his next opponent step onto the stage, also a Lianqi Fourth Layer!

"Good, this guy looks ready to fight!"

Yan Buji looked at the opponent's sinewy flesh and wounds, concluding the person must be a cultivator who often duels.

But he isn't lacking either; also a Lianqi Fourth Layer. Though he hides his true cultivation, that doesn't mean much.

The rule on the arena is that a side wins by conceding or stepping down; using a deathblow isn't prohibited, and if you can shout faster than the referee, it's irrelevant.

But that also depends on the opponent's background; Yan Buji, not knowing the other's origins, still politely clasped his fists and said: "I am Huang Hao, how should I address you, fellow Daoist?"

"Hmph, Yan Song of some family!" the hulking man crossed his arms and said coldly.

"Duel techniques begin!!"

When the referee gave the order, Yan Buji didn't step forward directly; close combat isn't exclusive to warriors—cultivators in the Lianqi Phase also practice some fist‑and‑foot skills, to ensure some combat ability when their magical power is exhausted.

But for Yan Buji, once he makes a move it's unlikely he'll survive, and he's here to hone his duel experience, not to keep engaging in close combat after soaring and vanishing.

This is a surprise move aiming for a one‑hit win, but once the opponent has a defense it won't be that simple.

Seeing the hulking Yan Song suddenly swing his arms, magical power surged within him, and his palms instantly formed several stone spikes, which he hurled at Yan Buji with a speed faster than the ear can cover!

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

The rapidly spinning stone spikes whistled through the air; Yan Buji squinted, sidestepped two of them, then spat out Spiritual Fire from his mouth to block the remaining spike.

But immediately, Yan Buji sensed something was off.

The ground suddenly trembled, and more stone spikes erupted from below; the opponent had pre‑emptively predicted Yan Buji's landing spot, completing a spell that struck his lower body!

"Nice move!"

"This Yan Song seems to be using earth‑type techniques; although the moves are simple, they're not bad."

"Let's see how this Huang Hao dodges… what the hell?!"

Yan Buji's reaction truly dazzled many onlookers!

He actually generated a spiritual shield beneath his feet; in the instant of evasion he stepped on the edge of a stone spike, rose upward, and launched an attack from atop the spike!

He spat out a fireball, and Yan Song was stunned, having not expected it.

What a fast reaction!

But Yan Song's duel experience is indeed rich; his previous attack was so effective that he was secretly holding a defensive spell. A tawny light flashed, and an earth wall suddenly rose from the ground, completely blocking Yan Buji's fireball!

Yan Buji was speechless.

A wall of that caliber could be shattered with a single finger, yet the painstakingly cultivated Spiritual Fire has such limited power; it seems the Spiritual Fire Technique is unsuitable for direct duels.

The earth wall in front of Yan Song shattered; he stared at the opponent with a solemn face: "Your magical power is truly formidable?!"

"Hahaha, fellow Daoist, you're joking. I'm not at the point where a few minor spells would drain my magical power, right?" Yan Buji laughed.

Indeed.

Anyone with eyes can see that Yan Buji's spells are all generic, lacking any subtlety.

What does catch everyone's eye is his terrifying reaction speed in battle, making effective use of those generic spells, which isn't bad at all.

Yan Song's complexion twitched; he knew his earth‑wall technique wasn't an ordinary defensive spell—it was refined after arduous cultivation and perfectly matched to his own practice, reaching a level beyond typical defenses.

His earth‑wall technique looks identical to ordinary spells, but in fact it's tied to his magical power intensity. His current power is at Lianqi Fourth Layer; how could a cultivator at Lianqi Third Layer shatter his wall with just a fireball?

Clearly, the opponent either has a solid foundation and abundant magical power, or Yan Buji is hiding his true cultivation!

But that was expected.

"Although I don't want to use this Accumulation Device now, you have earned the right to see it."

Having said that, Yan Song surprisingly produced an iron mace from his waist, emitting a bright yellow glow. The mace bore obvious assembly marks, suggesting the opponent had just finished forging this Accumulation Device and hadn't yet refined it further; otherwise a typical Accumulation Device wouldn't show such marks.

Yan Buji raised an eyebrow.

How can a cultivator just pull out an Accumulation Device?

Should I also make an Accumulation Device just for show?

Yan Buji thought, unfortunately the two Accumulation Devices he previously obtained were used for practice and dismantled, and one was scrapped.

As for the Heart‑Protecting Mirror, its forging is still underway; it can't be completed in a short time.

However, Yan Buji knows that cultivators in the Lianqi Phase can have at most two Accumulation Devices, determined by their technique, magical power intensity, and spiritual perception.

Thus, from early to mid Lianqi, generally no cultivator would proactively forge an Accumulation Device; they wait until the later Lianqi Phase to consider it.

After all, you never know if after breaking through to Lianqi Ten Layers the previously crafted Accumulation Devices would no longer suit your current technique—what then?

Would have to spend time forging anew?

That would waste effort, right?

Someone like Yan Song, who starts forging Accumulation Devices in mid Lianqi, either has a clear cultivation goal and knows how to train his devices, setting his future path, or he may have obtained an Accumulation Diagram and suitable Spiritual Material.

Nevertheless, Accumulation Devices only reach full potency when self‑crafted; using someone else's, even with an Accumulation Diagram, cannot achieve the intended power.

Yan Buji knows that forging the Heart‑Protecting Mirror requires the Demon Blood Sea Diagram, which is extraordinarily mysterious; if he were to copy it directly to recreate the armor on the demon, it would probably be more reliable than devising an Accumulation Device plan himself.

Moreover, Accumulation Devices like Accumulation Armor have stronger protection; he currently doesn't lack offensive means, so he won't consider offensive‑type Accumulation Devices for now.

But in the blink of an eye, seeing Yansong wielding an iron halberd, a gust of yellow wind blew beneath his feet and he unexpectedly charged straight ahead, Yan Buji raised his brow.

You want to fight me in close combat, right?