‘After establishing karma, what was there to fear?’ Niu Chang chuckled audibly. It had been a considerable amount of time since Niu Chang accepted the mission assigned by the system.

Engaged in conversation with Huang Zhi, Niu Chang skillfully manipulated the immense amount of qi provided by the system.

‘This abundance of qi surpassed even that of the old man, Shen Sanhua, and the snake.' It was so plentiful that it made no discernible difference from Niu Chang's previous state.

Niu Chang breathed as usual, only now noticing a subtly refreshing fragrance wafting through the air. His gaze couldn't help but fixate on the red fruit hanging from Huang Zhi's chest.

‘What purpose does it serve? I am forbidden from cultivating on my own, so even if I were to consume this fruit, what changes could occur? If I can cultivate with the assistance of external means, I would have already advanced my own cultivation by absorbing the endless amount of qi provided by the system.'

"No better threats to offer? Come on, Little Zhi, you were more creative than this. Give it a try—I believe in you!"

Niu Chang raised his hand, offering a supportive thumbs-up and a smile.

"Cease your futile attempts. Your charm technique are useless against me," Huang Zhi retorted, its expression still as dark as charcoal.

"Oh, is that so? Then why don't you flash me a big smile? Maybe I'll fall for you? Who knows?"

Finally, Huang Zhi made its move, slashing with its tree branch hand. Yellow qi surged from its yellow branch body, propelling thin yellow needles towards Niu Chang.

Without hesitation, Niu Chang swiftly maneuvered, evading the incoming needles.

"Hmph," Huang Zhi scoffed, unleashing another barrage of needles made from thin branches.

As Niu Chang observed the needles rapidly approaching, seemingly endless, he decided it was time to test the waters.

‘Even if I wanted to deceive this creature into believing I am weak, I cannot be certain if it has already witnessed my past battles and is aware of my vulnerabilities.'

With this thought in mind, Niu Chang halted and pushed his foot against the ground, successfully avoiding the incoming needles. However, several of them still managed to hit his qi barriers.

Niu Chang realized, "It is still manageable," feeling a sense of satisfaction internally, "now I can continue with my usual routine."

Mortal beings are inherently limited by their design, possessing finite energy.

Standing his ground, Niu Chang swayed his hips with a graceful motion, akin to a seductive courtesan luring clients. A mischievous grin adorned his face as he activated the Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red.

The qi, tainted with a hint of red, partially transformed one and a half of the three rings, altering their color to a captivating crimson.

‘Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red! Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red! Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red! Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red! Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red!'

Niu Chang calmly honed his skills, diligently improving his proficiency in both Shrine Maiden Under the Sacred Tree and Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red.

Observing that its attacks were ineffective against Niu Chang's qi protection barrier, Huang Zhi snorted, questioning, "Do you believe this is sufficient to defend yourself?"

The tree branch hands of Huang Zhi swirled with yellow qi, transforming into wooden swords with sharp edges on both sides.

The swords were long and appeared more menacing than an ordinary blade, as Niu Chang could sense condensed yellow qi fluctuating just above the surface.

‘What kind of sword qi is this? A higher level of qi manipulation?'

Niu Chang was astonished, but his attention shifted when he noticed Huang Zhi charging towards him with formidable momentum, executing flawless movements without any superfluous actions.

Sensing the impending threat to his life, Niu Chang was momentarily taken aback. It wasn't because he had wasted time earlier with meaningless banter instead of improving his skills.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

[Karma Points: 0]

Niu Chang's karma points had already hit rock bottom after achieving perfection in Closed Loop Protection.

Perfection proficiency, as the name suggested, represented the highest level of mastery over a skill, encompassing both theoretical understanding and practical application. Niu Chang not only gained deeper insights into Closed Loop Protection but also learned how to control qi.

With no room left for improvement in Closed Loop Control due to perfect proficiency, it was now Niu Chang's turn to employ everything he knew and elevate this qi-emptying martial skill to a new level.

'Six rings? Perhaps nine rings or more,' Niu Chang estimated how to enhance his Closed Loop Protection to an even greater extent.

Huang Zhi's speed was astounding, not only enveloping its sword hands with advanced sword qi but also augmenting its physical attributes through refined manipulation of qi.

The assimilated yellow qi seamlessly blended with its yellow branch body.

Niu Chang could only perceive a yellow blur hurtling towards him, and the next moment, he realized his qi barriers were being torn from both sides.

Ceasing the use of Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red, his qi returned to its pristine white state. Niu Chang focused solely on utilizing his Closed Loop Protection to absorb more qi, generating and interlocking numerous layers of protective barriers.

The closer Huang Zhi's sword hands approached Niu Chang's body, the greater the resistance of the qi barriers.

"What kind of technique is this? It can even withstand my amplified qi," Huang Zhi exclaimed, taken aback by Niu Chang's resilient qi barrier.

For those below the master stage, they could only extend their qi beyond their bodies to cover specific body parts or weapons. However, this was limited in its application.

Only upon reaching the master stage could martial artists refine their control over qi and utilize the advanced version of qi coating, known as amplified qi.

Nevertheless, countless martial artists had their own interpretations and perspectives. Thus, rather than referring to it as amplified qi, many would term it master qi, reserved solely for masters.

With advanced qi control attainable at the master stage, qi was no longer restricted to mere strengthening. It could be used to enhance the sharpness of a sword, increase the weight of a hammer, and possess countless other applications.

For Huang Zhi, its master qi allowed it to augment the sharpness of its sword hands.

On Niu Chang's side, his qi barriers followed a complex yet simple arrangement. Continuously supplying qi to the three rings, new barriers formed and assembled, originating from the deepest layer.

"Why are you standing there gawking? Don't you have something better to do?" Niu Chang raised an eyebrow and let out a dismissive snort. "Get away from me. Your foul breath is suffocating me. Have you been sucking on animals and old men's canes? It's truly repulsive."

Despite his mocking words, Niu Chang sensed the wooden sword slowly inching closer to his neck. He quickly decided to create some distance between himself and Huang Zhi.

'Phew, as long as it can't break through my qi barrier in a single attack, it's highly unlikely to harm my body.' Niu Chang breathed a sigh of relief, reminding himself of the essence of Closed Loop Protection contained in its very name.

Closed Loop. As long as the loops remained intact, it was impervious to destruction.

Taking a few steps back, Niu Chang noticed Huang Zhi following suit, regarding him with a newfound intensity. "Boy, your defensive skill has only reached this level due to the copious amount of qi continuously pouring into it."

However, this revelation didn't deter Huang Zhi from persistently attacking Niu Chang. Having already identified the biggest flaw in Closed Loop Protection, it was natural for Huang Zhi to exploit it.

"Old hag, didn't I tell you to stop talking and spare us from the stench of your breath, reeking like a rotting animal carcass?"

Niu Chang continued to retreat, trying to evade the menacing sword hands of Huang Zhi. But his efforts were in vain, as Huang Zhi proved to be overwhelmingly powerful.

The clash of Huang Zhi's sword hands and Niu Chang's qi barrier resonated, tugging at Niu Chang's heartstrings incessantly.

Niu Chang contemplated using his hand to push away Huang Zhi's sword hand, although he doubted the effectiveness of such an attempt. However, fueled by Huang Zhi's relentless attacks, he decided to give it a try.

With his right hand covered in qi barriers from Closed Loop Protection, Niu Chang cautiously pressed against the sharp edge of Huang Zhi's sword hand.

Chi.

A single touch was enough to tear through the first layer of the qi barrier, but Niu Chang persisted, pushing his right hand forward, disregarding the sound.

However, when he observed the unwavering determination on Huang Zhi's face, a sudden realization jolted his mind, prompting him to swiftly retract his right hand.

'That was close. Individuals like the old man, Shen Sanhua, and Huang Zhi possess levels of power unknown to me. If I carelessly come into contact with their qi, it could potentially invade my body and wreak havoc from within.'

"Old Cheap Zhi, how about we forget about this encounter? Let's pretend we never met each other," Niu Chang suggested.

"Now you're willing to speak kindly. Just lower your barrier, and we can still have a conversation," Huang Zhi replied calmly, yet its sword hands continued to advance.

"Of course, of course," Niu Chang nodded fervently.

"What are you waiting for?" Huang Zhi saw no change in their current situation except for Niu Chang's nod. "Are you playing games with me again?"

"How can you say that? If I put down my barrier, your sword will sever my head. So I need you to take a few steps back first."

"Boy, it seems my kindness was wasted on you. Since you disregard my goodwill, you can only blame yourself for your own stupidity."