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[!] Your passive skill, Quick Adaptation (C), has been triggered!
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Black Thunder Clap...
'A technique that uses part of your Internal Art, with the core principle being to palm slam forces together, generating a violent shockwave capable of rupturing the Twelve Meridians of an opponent,' Ji Wuye thought inwardly.
His movements transitioned into a fluid dance, each step exaggerated yet purposeful, as he slid past the Black Thunder Emperor. The air around them seemed to thicken, slowing time itself to a crawl. The Black Thunder Emperor's intense focus betrayed no awareness of Ji Wuye's presence, his entire being consumed by the impending unleashing of the powerful move.
Ji Wuye's battle-worn robe, once a pristine white, now bore the stains of dried crimson. Tattered strands danced in the heavy air, rustling like dead leaves against his sweat-soaked skin and equally blood-spattered hair. His crimson pupils glowed faintly.
"But, Senior..." Ji Wuye's words reverberated through the viscous atmosphere, stretched and distorted as if spoken from the depths of the ocean. "...did you really think I would just stand there and wait for you to finish that move?"
The faint hum of surging Qi enveloped him.
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Active Skill: Slash Breaker!
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His jian, covered with bluish Qi, already unsheathed, executed a sharp, fluid horizontal slash aimed directly at the Black Thunder Emperor's torso.
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[>> Slash Breaker (D) <<]
Type: Active Skill
A sword technique commonly used by Adventurers to slay thick-skinned monsters, imbuing the blade with concentrated mana.
(New) Upgraded capability: Now able to cleave through even the densest materials.
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The resounding crack of Ji Wuye's voice shattered the Black Thunder Emperor's trance, his eyes widening in alarm as the glinting edge of the jian seemed to materialize from the ether itself.
Caught utterly off guard, the Black Thunder Emperor could only raise his arms in a desperate attempt to guard against the imminent strike, interlocking his elbows to present a meager defense.
BANG!
The deafening impact reverberated across the stone-paved grounds of the Lower Level, sending a shockwave rippling outward like a tangible force. The already cracked surface of the masonry now bore new fissures, spiderwebbing outward and further buckling under the immense pressure of the collision.
Simultaneously, a crimson arc streaked through the air, blood splattering across the shattered stone. It marked the violent trail of the Black Thunder Emperor as he was once again sent hurtling backward.
He tumbled several zhang away, his massive frame disappearing momentarily behind a dense cloud of dust and scattered debris kicked up by the incredible force of the impact.
Once the choking haze settled, it revealed the Black Thunder Emperor—both elbows laid bare, deep crimson scoring their flesh where Ji Wuye's jian had bitten through cloth, muscle and bone.
Previously shrouded in the rebellious, crackling of Thunder Qi, his arms now bore vicious scars, the wounds so severe that they exposed the glistening inner flesh beneath the torn skin.
"Master!" The shocked cries of the Black Thunder Emperor's disciples echoed, their voices tinged with disbelief as they took in the grotesque sight.
Beads of sweat formed on ashen brows as they watched rivulets of their Master's blood drip onto the cracked stone—a jarring display that left them momentarily speechless. Even during his battle against the Kunlun Patriarch, their Master hadn't bled like this. In addition, for the first time, their Master's Black Thunder Clap had been utterly disrupted.
"You... know my martial art?" The Black Thunder Emperor's booming voice sliced through the tension like a blade, his fury momentarily tempered by a dawning realization.
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As he observed the calm and calculating demeanor of this strikingly handsome young man, a strange sensation overcame him. It felt as though he were facing an old adversary.
The timing... the relaxed posture... everything about Ji Wuye radiated the confidence of someone who had already dissected his every move.
Rising from his low stance with an audible crack of bent knees straining against his muscular frame, he stood tall once more—the sheer bulk of his towering figure accentuated by the blood-coated halberd gripped firmly in his calloused hand.
Then, as a twisted grin slowly spread across his features, he growled, the timbre of his voice taking on an almost feral edge, "Then it seems this...will be FUN!"
In an instant, the Black Thunder Emperor's imposing silhouette vanished into a blur of motion too swift for the naked eye to track, displacing the air with a deafening rush.
Meanwhile, Ji Wuye's glowing crimson pupils narrowed in focus. He had noticed the Black Thunder Emperor's wounds remained grievously unhealed despite his sudden disappearance into high-speed movement.
'Even the upgraded Slash Breaker isn't enough to cut cleanly through the body of someone at the 9th realm,' Ji Wuye muttered inwardly, a hint of disappointment tempering his stoic demeanor—though he could hardly feign surprise.
After all, how could a single attack, no matter how refined, possibly bring about the demise of one who had ascended to 9th realm?
At that moment, a transparent screen materialized before his eyes:
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[!] Your passive skill, Feline Reflexes (D), has been triggered!
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In an instant, Ji Wuye's body reacted. His bloodstained jian, the razor-sharp edge still slick with the Black Thunder Emperor's vital essence, arced into a defensive stance. His keen eyes, burning with an intense crimson glare, darted to the right, catching the blur of movement just as his opponent rematerialized from the ether.
The Black Thunder Emperor's massive frame lunged forward with startling swiftness, a wicked grin twisting his features as he wielded the crackling Thunder Qi-imbued halberd.
CLANG!
The deafening echo of metal striking metal reverberated across the battlefield as Ji Wuye's jian met the descending halberd with immense force. Sparks danced through the air, brief crimson fireflies winking in and out of existence amidst the resounding clash of two titans locked in lethal combat.
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[!] Your passive skill, Deflecting Blows (C), has been triggered!
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In that infinite fraction of a second, Ji Wuye's jian seemed to almost drink in the ferocious power behind the Black Thunder Emperor's strike—absorbing and redirecting the overwhelming force.
The transparent warning flashed before his eyes, and in the same instant, the Black Thunder Emperor's massive frame was violently repelled—flung backward as if struck by an unseen colossus.
This time, however, the Black Thunder Emperor managed to maintain his white-knuckled grip on the halberd's haft.
Driving the halberd into the unyielding stone with every ounce of his considerable might, he brought his wild momentum to an abrupt, shattering halt—the ground itself buckling and deforming beneath him as he carved a massive crater into the Lower Level's once pristine masonry.
"HAHAH! INTERESTING!" The Black Thunder Emperor's booming laughter echoed across the ravaged Lower Level, though flecks of blood spilled from the corners of his mouth.
On the other hand, Ji Wuye remained an indomitable pillar of calm amidst the chaos—his stance unshaken, his expression an inscrutable mask of serene focus as he met the Black Thunder Emperor's manic gaze with smoldering crimson eyes.
"THEN!" The words tore from the Black Thunder Emperor's bloodied lips, trailing off into a guttural roar as his towering silhouette vanished once more in a blurring rush of motion.
Void Flash Step...
'A qigong technique that utilizes the Black Thunder Internal Art to momentarily convert the practitioner into pure Thunder Qi, allowing movement through the air like a bolt of lightning,' Ji Wuye recalled inwardly.
His piercing crimson gaze followed the Black Thunder Emperor's form as it flickered across the ravaged Lower Level ground—the towering figure darting from one point to the next in a dizzying display of speed and agility, like a manic child desperately trying to bewilder its opponent through sheer erratic motion.
'It works by saturating his body and the Twelve Meridians with Thunder Qi to the point of causing this lightning-fast movement. A remarkable move,' Ji Wuye continued his scrutiny.
'But unless one has fully mastered the Black Thunder Internal Art, such a practice would inevitably damage the body. Moreover, compared to Cloudsoaring Steps, this technique consumes immense amounts of Qi and becomes exhausting if overused.'
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[!] Your passive skill, Feline Reflexes (D), has been triggered!
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The familiar transparent warning flashed across Ji Wuye's vision, its pale ethereal glow reflecting in the burning depths of his crimson eyes.
In an instantaneous flux of preternatural awareness, his gaze snapped to the left—his body following the shift of focus with a fluidity that belied the raw speed of his reflexes.
He moved with decisive purpose, his jian held at the ready as the Black Thunder Emperor rematerialized from the ether, his crackling Thunder Qi-imbued halberd leading the way. The lethally sharpened tip of the halberd was aimed with murderous intent at Ji Wuye's chest, promising to impale him upon its wicked edge.
SWOOSH!
Yet before the strike could land, the Black Thunder Emperor's imposing silhouette flickered out of existence once more—vanishing like a vengeful spectre upon witnessing how effortlessly Ji Wuye had reacted to his previous attack.
However... it was futile and almost amusing how the Black Thunder Emperor himself was now acting like a coward, darting about in a manic frenzy as...
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[!] Your passive skill, Feline Reflexes (D), has been triggered!
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The familiar warning manifested before Ji Wuye's eyes yet again. Without the faintest hint of hesitation, his burning crimson gaze instinctively snapped forward, his entire body shifting with that same sublime confluence of poise and diabolical speed.
Ji Wuye's body turned with preternatural grace, his movements harmonizing seamlessly with his heightened senses as he caught sight of the Black Thunder Emperor's rapidly descending form.
Suspended in mid-air, the Black Thunder Emperor's towering frame was silhouetted against the dimly lit backdrop of Kunlun's Lower Level—a colossal demon taking winged flight as he raised his massive, crackling halberd high above his head in preparation for a devastating overhead strike.
The halberd seemed to thrum with malevolent Qi, its razor-sharp edge trailing tendrils of volatile Thunder Qi as the Black Thunder Emperor lunged downward at incredible speed—the full force of his considerable bulk and momentum channeled into a single, focused point aimed squarely at Ji Wuye's unprotected head.
Yet Ji Wuye reacted with poise and unerring precision. His stance shifted with a fluidity so subtle it masked the sheer speed of his movements, his body instinctively aligning itself to deflect the impending strike with effortless grace.
From his vantage point high above, the Black Thunder Emperor's narrowed eyes squinted even further, his glare boring into Ji Wuye with mounting frustration.
His frown deepened into a grave scowl, the simmering rage within him steadily rising. His expression darkened.
Meanwhile, Ji Wuye’s own face betrayed no hint of strain or unease.
As for why he seemed to be stalling, delaying the inevitable conclusion to their deadly dance despite having already copied—and deftly countered—the vast repertoire of the Black Thunder Emperor's martial art...
It wasn't for lack of ability to end the battle immediately, nor from any deficit in his capacity to further injure his formidable opponent just as he had done from the outset.
'Well, it's rare to encounter an opponent like him...one who not only forces me to react but also increases the proficiency of my Feline Reflexes skill,' Ji Wuye mused inwardly, the faintest ghost of a smirk beginning to curl the corners of his lips in an expression of restrained satisfaction.