Fang Hao was confident as he registered himself in the arena for a non-lethal match between Early Qi Condensation level Disciples. That particular day, there was an elimination style individual competition for early Qi Condensation Disciples. Cultivators in the 1st to 3rd level of Qi Condensation were considered as early Qi Condensation cultivators. While Fang Hao didn't have the highest cultivation base among the participants, he wasn't that far off. However, he was one of the least experienced cultivators when it came to battle experience with spells.
He had relied on his superior physique to steamroll through the outer disciples so far. Even then, he would sometimes meet fellow disciples like the Swarthy Turtle who could put up a good fight solely based on technique. He had been an inner disciple for a little over a year, and he had never experienced a fight where the opponents could also cast spells. While his spell casting may have been very successful on the tri-horned spirit goats, inner disciples who in some cases had more than 5 years of cultivation and practice couldn't be compared to the poor ambushed goats.
Fang Hao was wearing his silver inner disciple robe, with a rough looking leather glove and a marble bracelet on his left hand. His left hand was also holding the wooden sword magic tool. After some thought, Fang Hao had refrained himself from wearing his chain-mail armor set. What if his opponent specialized in thunder and lightning spells? That much metal on his body would just make him a better target for a shock bolt spell or whatever. Besides, that much armor would have slowed him down significantly, giving his opponent a bit more time.
That extra half a breath of time could be what the opponent needed to turn the tide of battle! And he had his armadillo leather membrane barrier magic tool along with the default sect marble bracelet barrier magic tool for defense. There was no point in encumbering himself significantly for something that might become a liability to thunder spells. Surprisingly, he also had to pay 50 contribution points as a fee before he could participate in the arena. He just hoped that the winnings made up for this fee.
Fang Hao entered the specific arena for his first match as he observed his surrounding. There was a roughly hundred meter wide circular raised stage. As usual , a grumpy looking judge was seated on a creepy looking giant mosquito which was buzzing nearby. There were no cupboards for selecting their weapons like the outer disciple matches. Fang Hao climbed the stage and saw his opponent, a thin and pale looking cultivator.
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The pale thin cultivator glanced at Fang Hao's default magic tools and had a self-satisfied expression on his face though inwardly he was a bit wary looking at the rough leather glove. The grumpy old man on the buzzing giant mosquito cleared his throat and addressed the inner disciples.
“Juniors, I will repeat the basics. No killing and permanent crippling. You can give up by admitting defeat, or if you lose consciousness. In case I feel either one of you are in danger, I will stop the match and declare the winner. The rewards for winning each match is 50 contribution points. That means if you want to earn contribution points, you will have to win at least two matches. And if you come first, you will be given a bonus of two Qi Condensation pill, so work hard.”
The grumpy judge then instructed Fang Hao and his opponent to stand around 50 m away from each other, before he gave the signal allowing them to fight. Fang Hao instantly activated his marble bracelet and an protective elementary Qi barrier enveloped him like a bubble. He then activated Aura Infusion, and a silvery glow covered his lardly figure as he charged like a bull towards his opponent, releasing a flurry of wind blades from the wooden sword shaped magic tool in his left hand. He had also retrieved the iron sledgehammer from his storage pouch and wielded it in his right hand. Since he had achieved Master Proficiency in Aura Infusion, the previously unwieldy and cumbersome weapon felt light enough to be wielded comfortably in one hand.
While Fang Hao was charging to close the distance and harassing his opponent with a stream of quick Wind Blades, his opponent wasn't idle. His opponent waved his left hand, and one of his rings glowed for a bit. A sturdy looking Qi barrier enveloped him. He then withdrew a steel colored forearm long banner and waved it in a specific motion as he chanted certain incantations under his breath while backing away. By the time Fang Hao had covered half the distance between them, a translucent illusory steel gray sword was floating just outside his Qi barrier. He continued using the steel colored banner shaped magic tool and an additional floating illusory sword surrounded him. He was backing away all the time, trying to maximize the distance between himself and Fang Hao.
By now, Fang Hao had reached his opponent. His opponent had a haughty look in his eyes and started casting another spell. Fang Hao had reached him in around a breath's worth of time and was instantly harassed by the two floating illusory swords which attacked his shields. He estimated that each of those sword slashes depleted a little under a fifth of his Qi barrier! Fang Hao swiped at one of the illusory swords with his sledge hammer...and the sledgehammer passed through it!
'Damn the floating swords are incorporeal to my mundane sledgehammer. No wonder, he has such a smug look on his face as he is casting his spell.' Fang Hao was irritated by his opponents smug look and tossed his sledgehammer at his opponent. The sledgehammer passed cleanly through the intercepting illusory swords and crashed with his opponent s Qi barrier. The opponent was a bit alarmed at the cracks appearing in his Qi barrier, and hastened his spell casting. The illusory swords managed to smash Fang Hao's Qi Barrier to pieces. Devoid of his weapon, and his shield broken, Fang Hao reacted naturally as he punched one of the illusory swords with his fist.