The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

A second after Long Yi left the protective bubble enveloping the ship, a large, murky figure in the water rushed towards him. Even with the eyesight of a powerful cultivator, Li Lang couldn't glean much detail when in the depths of the ocean.

They could only make out what was the gist of what was happening, which was Long Yi barely dodging away from the tackle, only to be holding onto the underwater creature's side. It made the oversized fish twist and turn, rapidly swimming all over the spectators.

"Are you sure this is okay? I don't know if Long Yi is able to win against something comparable to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, especially against an underwater Qi beast in their home environment."

The four superior cultivators didn't react to his words as their eyes continued to track the ongoing fight.

Stone debris began filling the water as Long Yi hammered everything he had at the foe he had mounted. It caused the Qi beast's movements to become more erratic as it desperately tried to dodge. That wasn't possible at point-blank range, though, and the creature soon realized that. Instead, it began tumbling straight downward toward the seabed. Within a few seconds, a cloud of sand was kicked up as it hit the bottom.

A split second before impact, Long Yi detached himself from the Qi beast. He desperately made some distance and took up the advantageous position on the high ground. Fighting underwater was a lot of fighting in the air. Their movements might be more inhibited by the water, but the principle was otherwise comparable.

As he narrowed his eyes, trying to peer through the cloud of sand, he slowly channeled his Terra Moon Slash into a thick spear that quickly grew in size. He was ready to nail down the oversized fish the moment it showed its head again.

It did, of course. It had nowhere else to go.

Right as the Qi beast rose from the cloud of sand, the giant pillar of stone, as thick as Long Yi himself, was launched straight down at it. It collided squarely with its forehead and instinctively crumbled into pieces, but the kinetic forces were transferred. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. The disparity between a minor cultivation realm wasn't something that was easy to overcome, especially when it came to Qi beasts who naturally had stronger physiques.

It shook off the blow and continued lunging at Long Yi, forcing him to dive out of the way. The oversized fish was smart enough not to give its opponent any openings, as it swiftly dove back into the kicked-up cloud of sand for cover.

Making clever use of the smokescreen, it repeated its attacks several times, always narrowly missing its target and receiving a pillar of stone in return.

"This—Long Yi doesn't have the power to decide the battle. Even if he may not lose anytime soon, it'll likely drag on for some time," Li Lang commented.

"That may not be so," someone other than the headmaster of Star Gem Academy finally muttered.

Li Lang cast a questioning gaze at the woman from Sword Saint Isle, only to find her smirking.

"It seems your friend has attuned to his new treasure faster than I thought."

Hearing her reasoning, Li Lang snapped his gaze back onto the fight. He squinted his eyes as he tracked the oversized sea beast's movements.

It's slowing down! Long Yi has been applying the Voracious Mire to his attacks! I should've known, seeing the affinity between his techniques and a heavenly earth.

I'll have to integrate it into my own repertoire too, sooner or later.

It soon became evident that the battle was tipping toward the side of the human. The spectators knew it, and so did the combatants.

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That was why the Qi beast then decided to change things up.

It waited and waited within the cover of the sand. Long Yi patiently waited, swimming even further up to get a better vantage point, but even then, it didn't pursue him.

An uneasy silence befell the battlefield as the calm before the storm settled in. Each second, more sand fell back onto the seabed, clearing up the obscuration little by little.

By the time the kicked-up sand fully settled, Long Yi still couldn't spot its figure. Just as he was about to back away further, the seabed beneath him crumpled inward as a large figure rapidly ascended.

Being right atop the mess, Long Yi was finally able to get a good look at his opponent. It had the appearance of a monkfish, but the size of a whale. It currently had its mouth wide open, ready to engulf Long Yi within it.

"Seniors! Isn't it time to make a move?!" Li Lang cried.

To him, there was no way his friend would be able to get out of his predicament by himself. The fight was to his advantage when he could keep it to a battle of attrition, but not when it became reliant on a decisive blow.

The clever ambush by the moonfish meant it was too late for Long Yi to dodge, and someone in the early stage didn't have the raw power to push the oversized monkfish with power in the mid-stage back—or so Li Lang thought.

The other human cultivators onboard the ship remained calm the entire time. They didn't even react when the jaws of the Qi beasts surrounded Long Yi. They simply watched.

The mountain of a man waited until the last moment to unleash his giant pillar of stone straight down at his foe. Despite having been shown his attacks couldn't make the sea creature flinch, Long Yi didn't panic either.

Combatant and spectator alike watched as the pillar of stone collided head-on against the monkfish. This time, it didn't crumble immediately. Instead, it caused a fierce shockwave from the point of contact, pushing everything back. The shocking explosive power had been so strong that even the bubble enveloping the boat wavered, as if it would pop at any time.

However, the point of contact with the Qi beast was only for a brief moment. The sea beast held on for a second before it found itself overpowered! As the pillar of stone exploded into dust, it sent the monkfish crashing down back onto the sea floor.

This development surprised Li Lang more than anyone. He thought he knew his companions best, but he was clearly proven wrong just now. As much as he wanted to ask what that was right away, he patiently waited for Long Yi to deal the finishing blow first.

Without waiting for the dust cloud to settle, the Star Gem Academy teacher rained attacks after attacks after where the Qi beast had fallen. By the time he was done, the carcass was filled with holes. He expertly stored any valuable parts from his kill into his space ring and returned to the boat.

"Li Lang, there was a beast core in that thing!" he celebrated.

"Oh? An earth-grade one, no less. We could definitely use that, but first, what was that just now? Did you have a breakthrough with your Terra Moon Slash or something?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Your attacks weren't working on it until it suddenly did when it was about to swallow you. Don't tell me you didn't notice?"

"Oh, that. I had planned that from the start. It's the new technique Wei Ping has been teaching. Didn't you learn it already?"

"What?!"

Li Lang paused as his mind retraced his steps. In recent times, he had been busy working on his long to-do list. He didn't recall anything about Wei Ping teaching a new technique at all.

"What new technique? Why did no one tell me?" Li Lang said with a frown.

"Um, it's not exactly a new technique. It's the second part of what Wei Ping previously taught us," Long Yi carefully explained, mindful of the onlookers listening in on their conversation.

His words stunned Li Lang.

The Lingering Impact Technique! Wei Ping did say he was going to go learn it on his way to recruiting new students. How did I forget?

Wait, so that just now was the second part of the Lingering Impact Technique? What part of that had anything to do with Lingering? It simply increased the explosive power of the attacks.

"Is something the matter, Headmaster Li?" the representative from Bloodtear Garden asked.

"Oh no. We should continue. I believe the heavenly water known as the Thousand Change Sea Breath is just up ahead."

Damn it, why didn't Wei Ping come to me with the new technique?!

As if she were able to read his mind, Jun Ziyan silently whispered into his ear.

"He did talk to you about it, you idiot. You were just too absorbed in your own head and were all too happy delegating everything to him and your students to notice."

Li Lang had his mouth halfway open to retort, but no words came to mind.