"Fight if you dare!" Zhang Ergou roared, charging forward.
*Clang!*
Zhang Ergou drew the Ghost Spear from his back. The iron spear hissed against the ground with a metallic cry.
Taking a step, the bluestone of the training ground cracked under his might. The ever-changing Shadow Illusion maximized his speed.
From afar, Zhang Ergou's speed seemed even faster than Yuheng's.
As Yuheng closed in, Zhang Ergou raised the Ghost Spear, Tianwen, and thrust it forward.
Yuheng snorted, his expressionless face meeting the oncoming iron spear. He gripped a ghost-head saber and directly swept upwards, striking the spear shaft.
*Bang!*
The sound of blade and spear colliding rang out, crisp and piercing.
On the training ground, both Yuheng and Zhang Ergou retreated two steps. In their first exchange, they were evenly matched.
"This Zhang Ergou is too formidable, how can he possess such fighting power?"
"Facing Yuheng, who has one foot in the Golden Core stage, he's not at a disadvantage at all."
"Tsk tsk tsk, even if Zhang Ergou loses today, he has reason to be proud."
The crowd in the stands began to discuss.
At the very front of the stands, several cultivators with imposing auras sat together, their faces filled with surprise.
These were the true disciples of the major peak lords of the Misty Sect's outer sect, their cultivation comparable to Yuheng's.
On the training ground, though Yuheng remained expressionless, his heart was greatly shaken.
As one of the combatants, he felt it most acutely.
Although their exchange was even, his slightly trembling arm betrayed him.
Glancing subtly at the long spear in Zhang Ergou's hand, Yuheng hadn't expected the seemingly ordinary black spear to hold such hidden power.
Clearly, Yuheng had underestimated the weight of the Ghost Spear Tianwen in their first move.
He gave Zhang Ergou a deep look, his brow furrowed.
He had tried his best to overestimate Zhang Ergou's strength, but it seemed he had still underestimated this newly entered disciple who was stirring up the Misty Sect's outer sect.
Sensing Zhang Ergou's extraordinary nature, Yuheng's expression turned solemn.
The rumors of Zhang Ergou's ability to fight above his level were true.
From the previous exchange, it was evident that Zhang Ergou had long since entered the Foundation Establishment stage. He was truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Tightening his grip on the saber, Yuheng now charged directly at Zhang Ergou.
Seeing this, Zhang Ergou planted his foot and pushed his Shadow Illusion to its limits, evading Yuheng's attack.
"Where do you think you're going!" Yuheng roared, his saber slashing down, aimed directly at Zhang Ergou's chest.
*Bang!*
Zhang Ergou hurriedly raised his spear to block. Yuheng's blade struck the spear shaft, sparks flying.
Shaken back five steps, Zhang Ergou finally managed to stabilize himself.
This was the strength of a true disciple; it was indeed incomparable to ordinary disciples.
Zhang Ergou's expression became more serious, his grip on the iron spear tightening.
*Bang!*
Before Zhang Ergou, who had just regained his footing, could react, Yuheng was upon him again, saber raised.
In a moment of panic, Zhang Ergou raised his spear to block. This time, his iron spear was struck from his grasp.
The spear clattered to the ground with a sharp sound, and a crack appeared in the bluestone beneath it.
With his spear gone, Zhang Ergou's speed doubled. Yuheng was immediately alarmed.
"Fire Spirit Fist!"
With a shout, Zhang Ergou unleashed his Shadow Illusion to its fullest, sending wave after wave of fist imprints towards Yuheng.
In the previous exchanges, Yuheng had been the aggressor, and Zhang Ergou had been on the defensive.
This time, he was the one attacking.
Golden flames engulfed fist imprints of various shapes as they flew towards Yuheng, each carrying considerable power.
"What kind of technique is this? Does Zhang Ergou have a fire spirit root?"
"His fist imprints are so bizarre, not only in animal shapes but also carrying flames."
"I've never heard of such a technique or skill in the Misty Sect!"
"This Zhang Ergou is too mysterious!"
On the training ground, Yuheng's face was solemn, but he wasn't overly panicked.
As an earth element spirit root cultivator, fire techniques had limited damage to him.
Yuheng calmly waved his hand, deflecting two fist imprints that came at him, and used his free hand to strike out with a palm.
A palm print of earthy yellow shot out. The fire spirit fist imprints cast by Zhang Ergou met the yellow palm print and were abruptly halted.
They could advance no further.
*Hmm?*
Seeing that his Fire Spirit Fist was ineffective, Zhang Ergou immediately retracted his fists.
"Zhang Ergou, I already overestimated you as much as possible, and yet you've still surprised me."
A fervent light appeared in Yuheng's eyes. Now, he finally considered Zhang Ergou a true opponent. After only a few exchanges,
Yuheng believed Zhang Ergou was worthy of being his adversary.
"Today, I will no longer hold back. Let us fight to our heart's content!"
Yuheng seemed to have forgotten the original purpose of his challenge.
"I'm willing to accompany you!"
Zhang Ergou responded immediately.
"Haha, good, take this!" Yuheng laughed, his previous coldness replaced by fervor.
Earthy yellow palm prints followed one after another. Zhang Ergou frantically dodged, his Shadow Illusion pushed to its limits, barely managing to evade them.
"Your movement technique is good, but it's not enough."
Yuheng nodded, his actions not ceasing.
As Zhang Ergou dodged and weaved, he mumbled incantations. If one observed closely, they would notice the training ground's ground changing.
However, not only were the spectators in the stands captivated by their battle,
but even Yuheng, who was attacking Zhang Ergou, hadn't noticed the ground's transformation.
"Are you a rabbit? Only know how to run away?"
As an earth element spirit root cultivator, Yuheng did not possess an advantage in speed.
With Zhang Ergou pushing his Shadow Illusion to its limits, he always managed to dodge Yuheng's attacks, leaving Yuheng with a sense of futility, like punching cotton.
"If I don't dodge, should I just stand here and let you hit me? Do you think I'm an idiot?" Zhang Ergou retorted sarcastically.
He dared not underestimate Yuheng. This fellow was clearly a power-type cultivator. If he took a punch or a palm strike,
he would be in serious trouble.
The best course of action was, naturally, to evade.
Of course, while dodging, Zhang Ergou was not idle. He silently recited the Divine Wood Melody incantation.
As his thoughts turned, plant roots as thick as an arm began to grow wildly beneath the bluestone of the training ground.
They were on the verge of reaching Yuheng's feet.
"Senior Brother Yu, right? I think your strength is just so-so. I heard you're a true disciple, what a disgrace to your master."
Zhang Ergou continued to taunt Yuheng.
"Verbal taunts are useless against me, Zhang Ergou. You've miscalculated if you think you can win with mere words!"
Yuheng kept pace with Zhang Ergou's movements, unleashing palm strikes as if they were free.
"Heh heh, is that so?"
Zhang Ergou suddenly stopped. Yuheng was perplexed.
When he saw thick roots breaking through the earth, Yuheng was instantly dumbfounded...