The instructors and elders exchanged glances, and their understanding deepened. They recognized the profound mastery required to execute these styles. Elder Wang nodded approvingly, while the other elders murmured amongst themselves, clearly impressed. The entire hall buzzed with excitement and awe as they witnessed this extraordinary display of martial prowess.

Zhou Ming frowned, sensing her body becoming sluggish. She knew that if Han Xue's palm strike connected, it would be a knockout. Abandoning her current technique, she swiftly made a series of hand seals and muttered, “Fire Style, First Law; Breathing Fire Ball!” Concentrating a large amount of her essence qi in her stomach, she blew it out through her fingers pressed over her mouth. The momentum of the fireball propelled her backward.

Han Xue halted her palm strike and moved backward, dodging the large fireball. Bang! The fireball exploded, caving in a portion of the stage. Amid the hot smoke, debris of dust flew between the two opponents.

“Phew! That was a close call. You almost got me there,” Zhou Ming said, wiping sweat from her brow and keeping her gaze fixed on Han Xue. She waved her hand, sweeping a soft gust of wind that cleared away the dust, revealing a charred black pit in the middle of the stage.

“Princess Ming, it takes years of practice and calmness to react that quickly to my Mount Tai’s Law. For that, I commend you. However, if this is all you’ve got, we should end this now before I disgrace a Zhou royalty on Zhou soil.” Han Xue spoke to her with a rare hint of friendliness. This was the first opponent who managed to evade her strike while using the particular law, so she respected her. However, she still believed the princess was outmatched considering their current power levels.

Hearing the first part of her statement, Zhou Ming felt a flicker of delight, but the latter part touched her ego. Flaring up, she relied on her former movement technique, the 'One-Legged Crane Movement Skill', to dash around Han Xue and blew out five crimson fireballs from five directions. “Hmpf! Let’s see how you deal with this!” she sneered.

Han Xue, calmer than ever, weaved a series of hand seals along with a secret chant and yelled, “Water Style Technique, Water Barrage!” As she flailed her palm casually, a thick bluish hue of Essence qi released from her palm and formed a spherical dome of water around her. The five fireballs landed on the barrier and were absorbed, and the dome of water broke down, dripping over the floor after neutralizing the flames.

“Is that all?” Han Xue asked, shaking her head.

Zhou Ming’s frustration flared at her opponent’s calm demeanor. “Silver Witch! Then eat this.” She unsheathed her sword, immediately infusing it with a large amount of qi. A crimson bird’s inscription ignited on the blade. From a distance, she slashed her sword, sending a long crimson tongue of flame toward Han Xue. Han Xue quickly dodged, and the floor crumbled from the strike. Like a ribbon dancer, Zhou Ming continued whipping the crimson flame at her opponent.

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However, her efforts seemed futile as Han Xue sidestepped casually, predicting the trajectory of Zhou Ming's attacks. To the onlookers, it appeared effortless, but Zhou Ming felt a growing frustration. She cursed inwardly, ‘What the hell is with that movement technique? It’s like she knows what I’m thinking. Does such a perverse technique even exist? At this rate, I can only touch her if I break through to the Houtian Realm. Ugh! Her skills are a pain in my neck.’

The elders and instructors also noticed Zhou Ming’s frustration. Han Xue’s movements seemed slow to others, but Zhou Ming’s whip appeared to be dancing around her as if she were effortlessly playing a rope-jumping exercise.

Han Xiao watched with amusement, intrigued by Han Xue’s technique.

Zhou Ming’s frustration grew as the spar continued. Finally, she spoke out, “Sister Xue Er, is evading all you’ve got? Considering talent, I think you’re quite poor compared to your trash stepbrother. Don’t you think so?”

The word "trash" seemed to hit a nerve. Han Xue flared up and yelled, “Bitch! I’ll slap that smart mouth of yours silly.” Her figure flickered, and in an instant, she was there, her palm ready to connect with Zhou Ming’s face.

Zhou Ming chose to self-detonate her weapon and hurled it toward the incoming opponent.

Han Xue swiftly changed the trajectory of her palm and slapped the sword away, sending it high above the ceiling of the hall. With a loud bang, it exploded. Elder Wang waved his arm, neutralizing the chaotic energy and tossing the fragmented metal pieces out through the roof, leaving a large hole.

‘Good! Her reflexes are superb. This batch of Class X is more impressive than they appear,’ Elder Wang assessed silently. “Your match will end in the next three breaths of time,” he announced, glancing at the incense stick.

“Apologize for your words within a breath of time, and I’ll give you one more chance,” Han Xue declared, taking a deep breath and reaching for her sword. The sheath was adorned with black and blue designs of various beasts. She held the handle with her left palm and slightly pulled it out, just a centimeter, but it was enough to completely change her demeanor. Her long, silvery hair rose and shuffled as if she were flying, and a terrifying aura exuded from her, making even Elder Wang halt his breathing.

‘What’s going on? Why am I having shortness of breath?’ Elder Wang wondered.

The disciples and instructors had rather comical expressions as they all felt a foreboding sense of death.

Han Xiao felt the same pressure, but the curse essence qi in his body came to his rescue, allowing him to regain his composure. “Hmm! Strange! Curse Eye, activate!” He weaved his hand seals and quickly activated his visual skills. His eyes turned pitch black, and his vision turned gray except for the essence Qi flowing inside each person around him. He glanced at Han Xue and saw that the cause was a drop of blood inside her heart that looked exactly like a full moon.

“Inherited Bloodline Skill!” he concluded. “It’s sealed with multiple layers of a strong Sealing Array!”

[You’re right!]

[The sword controls the seal. The more she pulls it out, the more she will unleash her bloodline potential. Plus, this is a legendary Moon Blessing Bloodline. At its peak, if she can control it, she could even fight gods and kill them.]

“Hmm, I understand. She is too weak to control that level of power,” Han Xiao responded.

[Right to the money. If she releases it beyond what she can control, the bloodline will overtake her consciousness. There is a sentient being inside that bloodline.]

“System, she has such an overpowered inherited bloodline. We’re the same, Han. Why don’t I get something like this?” he asked with a bit of fake disappointment painted on his face.

[Who says you don’t have one? Yours is even more perverse.]

Han Xiao was overjoyed. He inquired briskly, “What is it? Show it to me.”

[No need! You’re already using it. Your Malediction Physique!]

Thinking more, he asked, “Is there a chance that my other brothers and sisters have such inherited skills or bloodlines?”

[Very unlikely! Your case and hers are special or rather considered a curse to some saints in your case. And it’s the opposite for her.]