Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Chapter 533 Drill

"Withstand the first blow, and his momentum will inevitably falter for a moment. In that instant!" Shen Mo's voice suddenly turned sharp. The simulated "fire blade" vanished abruptly, but he himself, like a leech, used the recoil from Shi Tie's parry to twist his body strangely, closing in on Shi Tie's side. He pointed a finger at Shi Tie's vulnerable rib area. "Your Earthwalking Technique combined with your Charge must erupt at this moment to close the distance! Ignore his subsequent fire spells, use your axe, use your fists, and show him what true melee dominance is!"

Shi Tie's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if he were there. The ground beneath his feet sank slightly, and he was like a cannonball being fired. His giant axe cleaved into the void ahead with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks!

Although there was no physical weapon, the chilling axe wind and fierce aura sent a shiver down the spines of Wang Hu, A Tu, and the others watching from the sidelines.

"Excellent!" Shen Mo praised, his figure gracefully retreating to avoid the axe wind. "Remember this rhythm. Withstand, get close, unleash your power. His Fiery Sun Ring is a perfect combination of offense and defense; once you're close, be wary of its burning ring and sudden explosive counterattacks."

"But once you get close, your strength and your axe skills will become his most troublesome nightmare. In this battle, seven parts defense and three parts offense are crucial. Your defense must be as solid as a rock, and your offense as swift as a raging fire."

"I understand!" Shi Tie sheathed his axe, took a heavy breath, and his eyes were filled with fighting spirit. He had clearly memorized Shen Mo's tactics.

When fighting an opponent like Yan Zhuo, one must never fall into the opponent's preferred rhythm, but must drag him into the close-quarters combat that one is most familiar with, where every punch lands hard.

On the other side, under those oddly shaped dwarf trees in the courtyard, where shadows and light intertwine.

Su Xiao's figure appeared and disappeared intermittently, as if he might blend into the environment and vanish at any moment.

Shen Mo stood not far away, his eyes closed, sensing with only his divine sense.

"Ghost Shadow, a lone cultivator, early Golden Core stage. His greatest strength lies in his unpredictability and poison." Shen Mo's voice resounded directly in Su Xiao's mind, using divine sense to ensure secrecy. "His escape technique relies on shadows and some peculiar illusionary method; it's not pure shadow escape, but rather closer to mimicry and aura simulation. Your 'Traceless Step' and shadow escape emphasize 'no trace' and speed, they are two different paths."

Su Xiao paused slightly in the shadows, then replied telepathically, "This disciple senses that his aura, though concealed, carries a hint of 'unstable' and 'cold,' unlike the solidity of grass, trees, and rocks."

"That's right. That's the unique 'ethereal' characteristic of his technique, and also its weakness," Shen Mo said. "The arena environment is relatively fixed, so he can't set up too many complex traps. His biggest reliance is this strange movement technique and those ghostly daggers." Your strategy is to do the opposite.

"6

"Please give your instructions, Sect Leader."

"Don't try to outsmart him with concealment and patience," Shen Mo said slowly. "The arena is a limited space. No matter how well he hides, there will always be traces. Use your 'Shadowless' perception, combined with your 'Listening to the Wind' intuition, to find his true location. Then, force him to reveal himself and fight him head-on, as quickly and directly as possible."

"Your 'Flash of Light' and 'Instant Step' give you a superior short-range burst speed. Once you're engaged, don't give him another chance to hide. His poisonous sting is sharp, but direct combat isn't his forte."

"Remember, in a ring fight, he has even less time and patience than you do."

Su Xiao remained silent for a moment, then transmitted his voice, "Disciple understands. Use stillness to control movement, speed to attack slowness, and force their weaknesses."

"Exactly. Also, Li Xiaocao will prepare the finest Qingxin Jiedu Pills for you, to be held under your tongue just in case. His poison primarily affects the soul, so you need to constantly circulate your 'Ice Heart Mantra' to protect your spiritual center."

"Yes."

Outside Zhao Qingyan's meditation room, Shen Mo spoke with her through the door. Inside, Zhao Qingyan was using her own essence and divine sense to nurture and refine several key core array flags.

"Qianzhu Sect's Mu Qingzi is a formation master, specializing in wood-based techniques. His formations must be combined with spiritual plants and puppets to form a living formation." Shen Mo's voice clearly came through the door. "This battle may be a rare opportunity for you to prove your formation skills. However, time is limited on the arena, so it's not advisable to drag it out."

In the quiet room, Zhao Qingyan's clear, cold voice came: "This disciple also thinks so. Wood-type formations have a long life force and can be changed at will. When combined with puppets or spiritual plants, they are indeed difficult to deal with. But no matter how they change, they still have their core and nodes to operate."

"This disciple intends to use the fundamental variations of the Two Elements Dust Array, specifically the effects of 'Breaking Illusion' and 'Locking Essence,' to directly target the core of the array, severing its connection with the spirit plant puppets, and then employing the transformations of 'Trapping' and 'Killing' to achieve a swift victory."

"The approach is feasible," Shen Mo affirmed. The "Two Elements Dust Array" is of profound essence and certainly has an advantage against arrays that rely on external objects. However, it's important to note that the opponent is an array master and familiar with the changes in array formations; they might set up chain arrays or trap arrays to lure you in."

"Your method of breaking the formation must be precise and swift, like a skilled butcher dissecting an ox; recklessness is unacceptable. If you cannot break it quickly, then use formations against formations, employing the subtle changes of 'yin and yang' to interfere, assimilate, and even turn the tables."

"Your solid foundation and understanding of formations are your greatest strengths."

"I will remember," Zhao Qingyan replied, her voice full of confidence.

In addition to targeted preparations for individual battles, team coordination drills have never stopped.

Under Shen Mo's guidance, Shi Tie, Wang Hu, Zhao Qingyan, Su Xiao, Li Xiaocao, A Tu, Zhao Ming, Sun Hai, and others repeatedly practiced several basic battle formations and coordination routines that might be used in the Small Universe Realm.

From rapidly assembling formations to the division of labor in skirmishes and the order of cover during emergency evacuations, every detail was repeatedly scrutinized and refined.

Despite the tight schedule, everyone was of one mind and their teamwork became increasingly seamless.

Just as preparations for battle were in full swing at Yunqi Garden, discussions about the Golden Elixir divination form had reached a fever pitch throughout Tianyuan City, especially in well-informed restaurants and teahouses.

"Have you heard? Shi Tie from the Qingyun Sect is going up against Yan Zhuo from the Lieyang Sect! That's a formidable opponent!"

"Tsk tsk, the fire techniques of the Blazing Sun Sect are domineering. I heard that Shi Tie is a barbarian cultivator. He'll probably be burned to a crisp."

"Not necessarily. Body cultivators are not easy to deal with in close combat. It all depends on whether Shi Tie can withstand the first wave of fierce flames from Yanzhuo."

"That Su Xiao from Qingyun Sect, his opponent is Ghost Shadow!" Both of them are cunning and underhanded; this is going to be quite a show.

"Ghost Shadow has a fearsome reputation. Although Su Xiao is skilled in stealth, he is still young and his experience is probably not as good."

"Zhao Qingyan is facing off against Mu Qingzi of the Thousand Bamboo Sect. The two array masters are probably fighting elegantly, but danger lurks beneath the surface."

"These people from Qingyun Sect, their luck isn't the worst, but they're definitely not easy to beat. It seems like it'll be difficult for them to advance further."

"Heh heh, don't forget, they still have a sect leader with a thirty-year Nascent Soul stage who hasn't even made a move yet. For their disciples to cause such a commotion, the Qingyun Sect is truly bizarre!"

Amid the discussions, there were pessimists, curious individuals, and those who pondered deeply.

The name of Qingyun Sect, along with the outstanding performance of its disciples in the Foundation Establishment Battle and the Hundred Arts, has successfully attracted considerable attention and is no longer the "country bumpkin from the South" that can be ridiculed at will.

Their performance in the Golden Core battle will directly determine the final assessment of the Qingyun Sect's overall strength by outsiders.