Chapter 265 – Saber like Tiger, Spear like Dragon

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“Jejeje! Baby boy, if you can deal with little spider puppet, how about I lose to you!”

Hearing Mugu Buyu’s arrogant words, Fang Qi could only bitterly clench his teeth. “You are too conceited! Although I might not be your match, if you want to take out a single second tier puppet to deal with me, then you are not placing me in your eyes at all!”

Although the Puppet Faction was mysterious, Fang Qi had a certain understanding of Mugu Buyu’s techniques. Mugu Buyu had at least three puppets, one of them a human puppet made from the body of a peak Houtian realm master that was also the fiercest of the three.

If that human puppet was brought out, then Fang Qi would admit he was no match. But now Mugu Buyu only brought out a spider puppet to deal with him, this was simply not respecting his abilities at all.

“Earth Array – Octagonal Slaughter Path!” Fang Qi threw out his array disc, and a series of golden runes flew out from it, directly surrounding the spider puppet.

“Gather!”

Fang Qi waved an array flag, and all the golden runes tightened on the spider puppet; he wanted to kill the spider puppet trapped within the array.

The flashing golden runes fell towards the spider puppet. A brilliant golden light began to shine out from the spider puppet’s body, and a golden sphere appeared around the spider puppet, protecting it.

Peng peng peng peng peng!

“This… this gold defense is… Golden Bell Barrier, metal-attribute true essence!?”

Fang Qi was completely shocked. This golden shield was obviously a defensive power that was stronger than an earth-attribute true essence shield. Although it was said that metal-attribute true essence was rare, in truth metal-attribute true essence martial artists were much more common than thunder-attribute and wind-attribute martial artists.

But what most horrified Fang Qi was that the metal-attribute true essence was refined from inside the puppet’s body and then sent out! Not only that, but Golden Bell Barrier was a defensive martial skill! A puppet could actually use a martial skill!

“You… you… you’ve reached the ‘Essence Integration’ realm? How… how is that possible!?”

Fang Qi inexplicably panicked. Even the other direct disciples in the audience, including Ouyang Ming, Huo Yanluo, and the others had a huge change in their expressions.

Ouyang Ming took a deep breath and subconsciously clenched his fists. This was the realm of Essence Integration! Mugu Buyu’s cultivation was only a half-step into the Houtian realm, and he had reached Essence Integration!

Although the Puppet Faction was incomparably enigmatic, in the end they were still part of the Seven Profound Valleys. The other direct disciples had a certain understanding of the powers and abilities of Puppet Masters.

A Puppet Master could refine a vicious beast or powerhouse’s corpse into a puppet. The two most important factors of a potential puppet was that they had a strong body when they were living, and their bodies were also excellent carriers of true essence. If a puppet could have both of these advantages, they would naturally be incomparably powerful.

But a puppet was still a puppet, and they had clumsy combat utility. If one could not make use of their strong body or formidable true essence capacity, then their final combat potential would be extremely limited.

However, once a Puppet Master reached the Xiantian realm, or maybe a half-step into the Xiantian realm, they could achieve the Essence Integration boundary. This so-called Essence Integration allowed a puppet to retain their original true essence attribute that they had before death, and even allowed a puppet to keep the cultivation methods and martial skills they knew in life!

Such a puppet wouldn’t be much weaker than when it was alive!

The reason that Mugu Buyu was able to have the spider puppet create the Golden Bell Barrier was that the upper half’s woman body had maintained the metal-attribute true essence she had before death.

Fang Qi’s face was ashen white on the stage. This Mugu Buyu was only a half-step into the Houtian realm, but he had actually comprehended Essence Integration which usually required a cultivation at least a half-step into the Xiantian realm. Mugu Buyu was absolutely the most terrifying and monstrous talent in the Puppet Faction for the last 100 years!

Perhaps even Jiang Baoyun would lose against Mugu Buyu!

How could he have such sh*t luck, meeting two freaks in a row!

“I… I admit defeat.” Fang Qi was heavily panting as he said these words. If he had to admit defeat, then he would admit defeat. Against someone that not even Jiang Baoyun might be able to defeat, there was no point in severely injuring himself just to look like a fool, rushing through stubbornness and having everyone look down on him.

“Mugu Buyu, victory!”

As the referee elder announced this, he also couldn’t help but gulp several times. This Mugu Buyu was just too scary. Even though there were so many geniuses and heroes that had gathered at this Total Faction Martial Meeting, he was a monster among monsters.

He had thought that this Total Faction Martial Meeting might be the grandest and best one in the last three, but now looking at it, let alone three, it might be superior to even the last 30 Martial Meetings.

During the last Total Faction Martial Meeting, the direct disciple still here that ranked the highest was the Acacia Faction’s Ouyang Ming, who had reached third place. For a 17 year old to reach third place was already extremely abnormal. At that time, the champion and second place contestant had both been over 20 years old, and had now lost the qualifications to participate.

It had been general belief that Ouyang Ming would absolutely become the champion, but then Jiang Baoyun had surpassed him, and Ouyang Ming’s chances of being number one ended.

But now, looking at this Mugu Buyu mummy fellow who had popped out of nowhere and had managed to comprehend the Essence Integration boundary, Jiang Baoyun might not even be first.

Not only that, but there was Jiang Lanjian whose strength wasn’t much worse than Jiang Baoyun’s, and there was Qin Wuxin who had reached Large Success of her Zither Heart, and also the young talented beauty of the Mirage Faction, Huan Xiaodie.

Not only that, but there was also the patiently waiting Zhang Yanzhao and the unfathomable Lin Ming.

This was truly a battle between heroes!

Not to mention first place, or top three, even fighting for the top ten would be fraught with enormous difficulty!

“Who will be the winner?”

The heart of the referee elder was filled with anticipation. He thought for a moment and then used true essence sound transmission to send this message to the referee group.

“Elder Jiang, what is the matter?” The referee group’s elders respectfully asked.

The referee elder on the martial stage was from the Sword Faction, and he had extremely keen judgment. His cultivation was also at the middle Xiantian realm, and he had a high rank; he was respected even amongst the elders.

“There will be a slight change to the original tournament schedule, there are simply too many talents. We do not need to wait until the end. There are especially a few matches in particular that I want to look at.”

“Okay. I just happen to agree with Elder Jiang’s thoughts. The first few matches are just too boring, there are a few match results that I would really like to know!”

After Fang Qi was defeated, there were a few calm games, and then another swell of controversy rose again!

“Third round, ninth match. Lin Ming against Zhang Yanzhao!”

As the referee announced this match, the audience rose in an uproar. The Seven Profound Valleys’ disciples were more calm, because whether it was Lin Ming or Zhang Yanzhao, they didn’t really care as they had no relation to them.

But the martial artists of the 36 countries and 16 martial families began to shout wildly, yelling at the top of their lungs.

Lin Ming was the representative of the 36 countries, and Zhang Yanzhao was the only child left from the 16 martial families. With these two strong fighters colliding, this would definitely be a fierce battle between two great martial artists. It was hard to say who would win!

The disciples of the 36 countries and 16 martial families were united by a common hatred when facing the Seven Profound Valleys, but now that they had to battle each other, they naturally had to engage each other for a while!

“Hehe, your Lin Ming’s lucky win streak is about to come to an end. It’s just bad luck that he’s encountered Zhang Yanzhao here.”

“Don’t talk shit! Aren’t you afraid of the wind cutting your tongue with how much nonsense you’re talking? Isn’t Fang Qi fierce? Wasn’t he defeated by Lin Ming in three moves? Your Zhang Yanzhao is at most on the same level as Fang Qi. Now that he’s facing Lin Ming, he’s just some trash that will be defeated in a second!”

“Humph, you are just a complete sucker. Fang Qi and Huo Yanluo are worst among the seven direct disciples, they are basically just side dishes. Can they even compare with Zhang Yanzhao? Do you know what the Blood King’s Triple Murder is? The power of those three moves isn’t something that someone like you can imagine. It’s already good if Lin Ming can withstand the second saber strike!

Lin Ming and Zhang Yanzhao hadn’t even fought, but the disciples off the 36 countries and 16 martial families had already begun a savage war of words, their arguments becoming extremely heated.

Jiang Baoyun was drinking some spirit tea, and he asked with a smile, “Lanjian, your eyesight is quite good. Who do you think will win?”

Jiang Lanjian looked deeply at Jiang Baoyun. Even though Jiang Baoyun had just seen that freak Mugu Buyu and his Essence Integration ability, he was still able to maintain his calm indifference. That Jiang Baoyun could maintain this attitude meant that he was either confident against Mugu Buyu, or his Sword Heart had reached an indelible state that a normal swordsman would never be able to compare with.

“Heh, there’s no need to mention my eyesight again. I’ve already been mistaken about Lin Ming several times, and still find that I cannot understand him at all. I originally thought Lin Ming had good chances, but the Zhang Family’s Blood King’s Triple Murder is just too powerful. It was a martial skill created by a Revolving Core master. Once it’s combined with the Blood Wave Saber, the strength it can release is incomprehensible. It is said that the third saber consumes at least 40% of one’s true essence, and can shatter the earth and heavens. I wonder how Lin Ming will be able to stop that. I just cannot predict the results of this match. Who do you think will win?”

Jiang Baoyun shook his head, and only said, “Saber like tiger, spear like dragon!”

Saber like tiger, spear like dragon?

In battle between a dragon and a tiger, who was stronger? The dragon? Or the tiger?

Regardless of whether it was Lin Ming or Zhang Yanzhao, they were both martial artists that excelled in powerful attacks. If they met on the battlefield, tens of thousands would be killed. With such overwhelmingly qualified contestants, this match was truly worth watching.

The disciples of the 36 countries and 16 martial families were cheering their heads off.

As Zhang Yanzhao stepped onto the martial stage, he did not hold back anything, he immediately took out the Blood Wave Saber. Against Lin Ming, this was the only skill he could use to defeat him.

Lin Ming stood not too far away from Zhang Yanzhao, the Heavy Profound Soft Spear in his hands. This battle was contest between saber and spear. He wanted to depend on just his own spear and have a wonderful battle.

The Foundation Spear Technique against the Blood King’s Triple Murder.

Although it seemed as if Lin Ming’s spear had a major disadvantage, in his hands, the Foundation Spear Technique underwent a drastic evolution. It was no longer what it once was. Every spear strike and move contained the power of the mountains and rivers. Because of this, spear skills weren’t as important.

The two stood 100 feet apart.

Suddenly, the aura that Zhang Yanzhao had been restraining within himself suddenly exploded outward. One could see faint waves of blood rolling off of him, his murderous intent coming from all directions. It was as if that murderous intent was enough blot out the sky, and those waves of blood were enough to drown anyone underneath.

Lin Ming was also restrained. He was standing straight on the stage, just like a spear itself. His body concealed a roiling momentum that seemed to instantly pierce the heavens.

Zhang Yanzhao felt as if he could hear his own aura being broken through, and that aura he released like waves of blood was simply chopped apart by a keen blade. He laughed and said, “That I can meet an opponent like you during this Total Faction Martial Meeting is already enough! I will only use three saber moves. If I cannot win against you with them, I admit defeat!”

Zhang Yanzhao was not being arrogant. It was just that his Blood King’s Triple Murder only had three sabers within. After these three sabers were used, his true essence would be over 70% consumed. If he couldn’t defeat Lin Ming by then, then he would have basically lost the match.

Zhang Yanzhao had absolute confidence in the Blood King’s Triple Murder’s third and final saber.

“Good! Make your saber move!”

With this, Lin Ming took the eternal Iron Bridge Blocks the River stance. At that moment, his aura was just like a calm mountain, unyielding and immutable!