"I’ve seen all your moves. Toppling the Peak of Gang Force from the Embracing Pill realm... you’re certainly strong. Perhaps in ten years, you’ll be able to dominate a generation! But right now, you’re still not quite there. This Cyan Wood Spirit Pill, in the end, is mine!"
Zhou Dingshan grinned, his tone filled with confidence.
He never doubted Zhang Su’s talent.
From defeating an Embracing Pill master at the Huajin realm to now besting a Gang Force expert at the Embracing Pill realm, Zhang Su was already a true Celestial Pride.
But no matter how much of a Celestial Pride he was, Zhang Su was still only at the Embracing Pill realm.
Zhang Su seemed to have closed the gap in their Cultivation with his profound foundation.
’But has he truly closed it?’
Zhou Dingshan didn’t think so.
Even for a Celestial Pride, being at a disadvantage in Cultivation meant he held no advantage in this battle.
As for the future, Zhou Dingshan couldn’t care less about it.
However strong Zhang Su might become, that was a matter for the future.
And right now, Zhou Dingshan wanted only one thing: the Cyan Wood Spirit Pill!
Zhang Su looked at Zhou Dingshan.
He didn’t think Zhou Dingshan was being arrogant or conceited.
On the contrary, Zhou Dingshan was very calm.
And it was this calmness that fueled his confidence.
"Zhou Dingshan... I am also aware of your methods. You are a disciple of the Thick Earth Peak of the Five Elements Sect, and you practice the Rock Gang Force. Rumor has it you’ve achieved Four Elements Unite, just one step away from Five Elements Unite. But that one step has you completely stuck."
"But even without completing the five elements, you used Four Elements Unite with Rock Gang Force as the core, supplemented by the other three, and fused them all into your Rock Gang Force, making its Defense Power frighteningly high."
"That must be the source of your confidence, I presume."
Zhang Su said calmly.
It wasn’t just Zhou Dingshan who had done his research.
Zhang Su had been studying Zhou Dingshan as well.
Zhou Dingshan was not surprised.
He grinned. "That’s right, you’ve done your homework. But so what? If you can’t break through my Gang Force, all your techniques are useless."
"Is that so? Since you’re so confident, I’d like to see for myself if I can break through your Gang Force."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Su gripped his sword hilt without hesitation.
SHIIING.
Zhang Su drew his sword.
Instantly, the sound of wind and thunder erupted from the dazzling sword light.
The sound was like distant, rumbling thunder and a howling gale.
The sound of wind and thunder intensified, becoming so loud it was numbing to the ears.
And it wasn’t just the sound of wind and thunder.
There were also countless sword-shadows filling the air.
With a flick of the Shadow-Stealing Sword in his hand, Zhang Su made the sword-shadows multiply—from one to two, two to four, and four to eight.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of sword-shadows had appeared on the arena platform.
The dense web of sword-shadows was accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.
Each sword-shadow was a true afterimage, left behind as the blade cut through the air at incredible speed, leaving dozens of traces in its wake.
They blanketed nearly the entire platform.
The display of power was astonishing.
Gasps of shock echoed from the stands.
The next moment, the myriad sword-shadows stabbed toward Zhou Dingshan.
The sword-shadows descended like a waterfall.
Each shadow precisely targeted one of Zhou Dingshan’s vital points.
But Zhou Dingshan showed no intention of dodging.
He stood his ground, watching the sky full of sword-shadows, his gaze holding not fear, but only calm.
VMMMMM.
The next moment, four layers of Gang Force enveloped Zhou Dingshan’s body.
The four layers of Gang Force stacked one on top of the other, like a suit of invisible armor.
But in an instant, these four layers of Gang Force merged into one.
Four Elements Unite!
The fusion of four kinds of Gang Force was not a simple layering, but a qualitative transformation.
This was the source of Zhou Dingshan’s confidence!
This Gang Force was far more terrifying than four separate layers would have been.
"Hahaha, come on! Let me see just how fast your sword really is!"
Zhou Dingshan roared with laughter.
SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH.
The sky full of sword-shadows rained down, striking Zhou Dingshan directly.
The blade’s edge collided with the Gang Force.
Instantly, Zhang Su felt as if his sword had struck an impossibly tough piece of leather.
The tip of the blade pierced the Gang Force, but its power was dissipated, layer by layer.
The layer of Gang Force dented slightly before snapping back, repelling the blade.
No matter how many times he stabbed in that single instant, it was completely ineffective.
In fact, in that brief moment, Zhang Su had already struck the same spot on Zhou Dingshan’s body more than a dozen times.
A dozen strikes on the exact same spot, each carrying the might of wind and thunder, each containing Hundredfold Pill Power.
The sword was moving too fast to track, its edge leaving a trail of afterimages in the air.
Such speed was simply unheard-of.
And yet, Zhou Dingshan was completely unharmed.
He just stood there, motionless, and said nonchalantly, "Your sword is fast, I’ll give you that. But it’s lacking in power. It’s like you’re just trying to tickle me."
His voice was calm.
"Alright, more power it is!"
Zhang Su’s technique changed.
He switched from the Fast Sword to the Twelve Layers Killing Sword.
The Fast Sword relied on speed, but against a defensive opponent like Zhou Dingshan, speed alone was not enough.
What Zhang Su needed was power—the terrifying power to shatter that thick layer of Gang Force.
And so, the Twelve Layers of Internal Strength erupted from within him.
With the Twelve Layers Killing Sword, each layer stacked upon the last in an instant. The Twelve Layers of Internal Strength were like twelve raging rivers converging into a single torrent, pouring into his Shadow-Stealing Sword.
There was also the Hundredfold Pill Power.
The unstoppable nature of his Pure Yang Force also erupted in that instant.
The Pure Yang Force was the result of a six-in-one fusion, a perfect blend of yin and yang, with power far surpassing ordinary Inner Strength.
With Hundredfold Power stacked twelve times over, the force behind this strike reached a terrifying new level.
This one strike could rival the Sixth Sword of Ye Ling’s Nine Spirits Sword Technique.
BOOM.