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Chapter 98: A New Challenge
Tang San took a deep breath, calming his restless energy. This series of attacks had not depleted his Mysterious Heaven Technique’s power significantly, but they had drained him mentally. He had skillfully used the Discerning Eye to control the wind element, but that was very taxing.
Wu Bingji's recent insights into the ice element had come under his guidance, so he naturally had an idea about how to counter Wu Bingji's newly acquired ice element energy compression and explosion abilities.
Wu Bingji's comprehension was exceptionally high, and his foundation was solid. His control over the ice element had significantly increased in just two days. Coupled with the gap in their cultivation, defeating him was not easy for Tang San.
In addition, Wu Bingji possessed an ice elemental physique, while Tang San did not have a wind elemental physique. The nature of the Mysterious Heaven Technique meant that no matter what tier he reached, he couldn't have an elemental physique. Of course, while this ability greatly enhanced elemental control, Tang San's future direction was not solely about elemental control. He couldn't abandon his other abilities just to maximize this one aspect.
As the ice and wind tornado gradually dissipated, Wu Bingji reappeared before everyone, his face pale and his chest heaving visibly.
He looked at Tang San incredulously, "You used my power against me?"
His most tremendous shock came from the fact that within the high-speed rotation of the tornado, he couldn't control the ice element wrapped up by the tornado. Tang San’s clever scheme had turned his own power into a part of the attack against him.
This was truly terrifying. Tang San's tactical control abilities were even more potent than he had imagined. He was now fully confident that Tang San had held back during their previous battle. If his junior brother had attacked him like this, he wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
Tang San smiled and said, "Let's call it a draw today. Senior brother, are you still giving me those five demonshard coins?"
"Here you are." Wu Bingji, far from being discouraged by his near loss to Tang San, was invigorated, immediately tossing five ice-attributed demonshard coins to Tang San.
"I'll come to see you again tonight! Can't take the money for nothing," said Wu Bingji enthusiastically.
"Okay, good." Tang San nodded as he accepted the coins.
Tang San had no aversion to guiding Wu Bingji. Wu Bingji had a good temperament, was dedicated to cultivation, and was intelligent and insightful.
With the experience of three lifetimes among talented people, Tang San never hesitated to guide such people. Moreover, humans were too weak on the Daemon Continent, and helping them become stronger was a good thing no matter how he looked at it.
Only at this moment did the other students come to their senses. They looked at Tang San and then at Wu Bingji, their faces filled with disbelief.
The day before yesterday, Tang San lost. Although he had shown great strength, he still lost! So how could it be a draw only two days later? And they could see clearly that today's eldest brother was stronger than the other day’s eldest brother. But still, it was only a draw.
“Aren't you all humbled? Have you seen what true combat is? That instant burst, and using the opponent's strength to boot, is the ultimate application of one's abilities. This is a textbook example of fighting. This match was too splendid," said Mu Enqing as he applauded.
Two practical combat lessons and Tang San had brought him surprises both times, each more impressive than the last. How to comment on this fight? He didn't know. He couldn't find any flaws or know what advice to give.
Wu Bingji's progress was apparent, especially in making his solid ice walls explode and shatter, and his integration of offense and defense showed great potential. As for the compression of ice elemental energy, Mu Enqing had never seen him do anything like that.
Such progress in just two days was certainly related to the previous battle, and it seemed to result from consulting with Tang San. This was even more impressive!
This Tang San, really...
Looking at him with new eyes didn't seem enough. He was a freak, a rarity. Could a nine-year-old child achieve this? He found it hard to believe.
"Teacher, I want to challenge Tang San," blurted Gu Li.
Chrono Crocodile, Chrono Croc Transformation. A second-tier bloodline. Among all the students, Tang San valued his bloodline power the most.
Gu Li's eyes were blazing as he looked at Tang San. He was thinking about control, the essence of control!
Is time an element? I don’t think you can call it an element. But in a sense, it's not much different, just more magical.
Gu Li had always known his Chrono Croc Transformation was powerful. His mastery over the mysteries of time control him a key figure for cultivation by the teachers from the moment he arrived here.
But precisely because of the power of the Chrono Croc Transformation, controlling time proficiently was extremely difficult for a human without a strong Chrono Crocodile bloodline.
He had arrived only a year later than Wu Bingji and was only a year younger. Yet Wu Bingji had already reached the sixth tier, while he remained at the fourth tier, his progress exceedingly slow.
Enhancing his bloodline by soaking in the blood of a demon of the same attribute was nearly impossible. Not only were members of the Chrono Crocodile clan scarce, but each Chrono Crocodile was a mighty entity. Even the power of the Redemption Society could not procure Chrono Crocodile blood for him.
Today, when he saw Wu Bingji's enhanced control over the ice element during the fight with Tang San, his thoughts stirred. Would fighting Tang San offer him some insights into mastering elemental control?
Moreover, he was confident he would not be at a disadvantage fighting Tang San. The reason was simple: his time control almost completely suppressed any elemental controller.
Come on, this has to work. Tang San, you're compressing the wind elemental energy, but what if I pause you in time for a moment? The best case scenario would be that concentrated energy turning chaotic. Worst case, it’ll just go boom! If I pause time while your wind blades are in flight, can you continue to control them? Can your spiritual power still connect? There’s no way you can do that.
So, although Tang San had fought Wu Bingji to a draw, Gu Li remained confident in himself. He believed that among everyone here, he was the one who could best counter Tang San.
Tang San looked at him, seeing the longing in Gu Li's eyes.
"You can rest for a while; I'll wait for you," Gu Li said.
Mu Enqing asked, "Tang San, are you willing to accept Gu Li's challenge?"
"Alright, no problem," replied Tang San.
Of course he agreed. His heart felt a burning desire. He had been coveting Gu Li's Chrono Croc Transformation since the very first moment he had found out about it. Now that the opportunity presented itself, he wouldn't be polite! Even without a slot for the bloodline imprint to merge, he could just give up his heavy armor ability. Compared to the Chrono Croc Transformation, the Ironhide Shield was not just a little inferior; the gap between them could not even be put into words.
Sitting cross-legged on the spot, Tang San meditated in silence, recovering the spiritual power he had just expended.
Initially, after arranging to meet Tang San, Wu Bingji had prepared to continue reflecting on his shortcomings in battle and his control over the ice element. However, upon hearing that Gu Li wanted to challenge Tang San, he immediately understood Gu Li's intentions.
He and Gu Li had fought each other before. When they were at the same tier, Wu Bingji had suffered quite a bit at Gu Li's hands. But once he acquired his ice element physique, Gu Li never stood a chance again. Gu Li's attacks couldn't break through his ice element physique. While Gu Li's time control could indeed render his ice elemental attacks chaotic and uncontrollable, the cold nature of the ice element meant that in a prolonged battle, once Gu Li's time control was exhausted, he would eventually be frozen solid by Wu Bingji.
So, what about Tang San? The wind element is much more active than the ice element and even more challenging to control. The better Tang San controls it, the more troublesome it will be if it’s disrupted. There's no doubt that Gu Li's abilities are a counter to his. So, how will Tang San face Gu Li? And how will he maintain control over the wind element?