Chapter 272: Retreat Umbrella

On the second day, the finals finally arrived.

The arena was packed with spectators; as soon as Yan Buji arrived, he saw a large crowd gathered in front, which seemed a bit strange.

"There are even Foundation Establishment cultivators watching the match?" Yan Buji frowned, though he thought that since Nangong Ping had revealed his intention to select attendants for the true transmission, these Foundation Establishment cultivators probably also came to see if they could make a connection or two.

He walked over and saw a few cultivators squeezing into the best spots right at the front of the arena, but that area had already been taken by a group of people.

"I told you, this is Feng Zhenchuan's viewing platform; don't come over and crowd it!"

"I just want to see more clearly!"

"You don't understand human speech, do you? Get out, get out, get out!!"

Yan Buji walked over, about to jump onto the stage.

"Hey hey, what are you squeezing in for, old man? This is Feng Zhenchuan's viewing platform; you're not allowed to come over!"

A Foundation Establishment cultivator blocked Yan Buji's path; Yan Buji clasped his hands and said, "Senior brother, I...."

"I don't want to hear your explanation; hurry up and leave. If you delay the true transmission's viewing of the duel, you won't be able to get by in the Green Mountain Gate!"

"I...."

"What 'I'? Hurry up and leave, can't you hear?"

Seeing the other party's attitude so awful, Yan Buji felt displeased, but he didn't say anything more.

After all, the strong are respected; even if it were me going up to fight, what would it matter?

It's just a monkey show, after all.

Xiao Huan, looking over from the side, shouted, "Eh? Isn't that that guy? The old man from Accumulation Device Peak!"

Feng Xiaoqing looked over and laughed, "That junior brother, don't block him; he's the main contestant in today's stage duel."

"Ah?!"

That cultivator reacted, staring in shock at Yan Buji: "You're Huang Hao?"

"Yeah, senior brother.... I'm not here to curry favor with Feng Zhenchuan." Yan Buji said.

That cultivator's face darkened, he glared at Yan Buji: "Then why didn't you say so earlier? Now I've earned Feng Zhenchuan's grudge—what am I to do?!"

"It shouldn't be that petty, should it?"

"Go, go, go, hurry up and get on stage."

"Yes."

Yan Buji narrowed his eyes, turned, and came onto the stage.

Don't fall into my hands.

Yan Buji memorized that person's appearance—this kind of indiscriminate, bootlicking dog; if he gets the chance, he'll definitely make him taste his mettle.

Liu Ruhua stood on the stage and smiled, "Junior Brother Huang."

"I've seen you, Senior Sister Liu." Yan Buji clasped his hands.

Liu Ruhua looked around; many disciples were watching, but no one dared to speak loudly, after all, quite a few people had come today.

Immediately after, she said, "I hope Junior Brother Huang can show his true strength today."

"Same for you, Senior Sister."

"Accumulation Device Peak's Huang Hao versus Technique Hall's Liu Ruhua, begin!"

With the referee's command, Yan Buji's figure suddenly vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Yan Buji, with lightning on his legs, appeared before Liu Ruhua and directly unleashed the Qi Tight Secret Technique!

"So fast! What secret technique is this...." Liu Ruhua exclaimed in shock.

Seeing that she couldn't breathe, as if she were in a vacuum, movement became difficult and she couldn't feel the earth's solidity, leaving her somewhat startled.

But immediately after, she saw Yan Buji condense a thunder spear in his hand and hurl it fiercely at her!

Boom!

"Did it succeed?"

After Yan Buji's strike, he immediately retreated.

Originally this was just a probe; no matter how ingeniously common techniques are used, Yan Buji didn't think they could trouble Liu Ruhua, who possesses painting arts.

On the contrary, this person's combat experience is truly rich; various techniques come easily, and countering after breaking his own techniques is effortless. Given that, Yan Buji didn't initially choose basic techniques to test back and forth, as that would merely give the opponent an opportunity.

However, Yan Buji saw that at the explosion site, Liu Ruhua opened an oil-paper umbrella that blocked all the damage, leaving him quite speechless.

"What a formidable move, Junior Brother Huang. If I didn't have this Retreat Umbrella, I'd probably really be injured." Liu Ruhua laughed.

"Senior Sister, you have quite a few Accumulation Devices." Yan Buji chuckled.

There's nothing to be done; she had never displayed that Accumulation Device before, so Yan Buji hadn't expected it to absorb the full blast damage.

Had I known, I would have directly added Aberrant Pupil Power to see if her Retreat Umbrella could withstand it.

"To receive without returning is impolite; junior brother, take one of my moves!"

Liu Ruhua threw the Retreat Umbrella into the air; in the blink of an eye, vast magical power from her gathered toward the Retreat Umbrella.

The Retreat Umbrella opened its ribs in midair, and its canopy suddenly became enormously huge, blocking out the sky!

In the blink of an eye, black spheres suddenly condensed within the umbrella's surface.

The spheres floated in the air, emitting an unsettling aura.

"What is this?"

Yan Buji had never seen such a method; as Liu Ruhua pointed at him, the black spheres beneath the umbrella suddenly fell like rain or hail, making them hard to dodge.

Even Yan Buji found it somewhat hard to withstand; even if he pushed wind and lightning to the extreme, the black spheres condensing under Liu Ruhua's Retreat Umbrella grew more and more, like raindrops—no matter how fast, he couldn't dodge them all.

However, after blocking with his Spirit Shield, he felt no damage, and the effect on his Spirit Shield was minimal.

Instead, a black stain appeared on his Spirit Shield, which struck Yan Buji as odd.

Liu Ruhua smiled faintly; the ribs of the Retreat Umbrella suddenly emitted a dazzling red light, and as the Retreat Umbrella continually spun, a vivid red light curtain gradually formed!

"Not good!"

Within the light curtain, a barrage of red lasers suddenly shot forth; Yan Buji realized the black sphere earlier might have merely been a prelude, but he truly had no time to react before being struck by that red laser.

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, the spirit shield was shattered by the red light; the red light within the curtain fell from the sky, precisely striking Yan Buji as he tried to dodge.

"Tracking?!"

Yan Buji fled at high speed within the arena, but the red light clung like a bone‑deep maggot, impossible to evade; gritting his teeth, he activated the Ten-Flower Pupil Secret Technique.

The crimson‑gold double pupil manifested again!

Yan Buji looked up toward the evasion umbrella.

The heavenly and earthly spiritual qi instantly fell into chaos; in Liu Ruhua's shocked gaze, the red canopy formed by the evasion umbrella gradually faded, and even his own magical connection was severed by the opponent, as he stared astonished at Yan Buji's left‑eye double pupil.

"Pupil technique?!"

Such a powerful pupil technique, but how could it be possible?

It directly severed my connection with the Accumulation Device?!

Liu Ruhua still thought this move was extremely terrifying, believing Yan Buji had hidden it in preparation to seize a blade bare‑handed, and hastily recalled the evasion umbrella to her hand.

Yan Buji took advantage of the moment to dispel the red light tracking him, then stepped aside to watch his opponent.

Quite difficult to deal with!

Liu Ruhua's expression grew solemn; seeing such a formidable pupil technique for the first time, she became cautious.

And Yan Buji understood that his ability to sever the opponent's Accumulation Device connection stemmed mainly from the chaotic spiritual qi inherent in his mutated pupil eye, and the chaotic magical power resulting from cultivating the double pupil.

In fact, he did not actually sever Liu Ruhua's connection with the evasion umbrella; he merely made the magical power fluctuations on the umbrella become utterly chaotic.

If left unchecked, it would surely damage the Accumulation Device, but as long as it is recalled in time there is no problem.

The two stood facing each other for a long while, neither daring to make the first move.