Chapter 13: Spar
In the open sky above a forest, two figures - one red and one blue - flew around freely, exchanging spells and blows that sent shockwaves rippling through the trees below.
“Sister Hong, if you want me to take you seriously you should at least use the spells that you learned from the Scripture Library!” Qiao Guiying’s pleasant voice echoed. “Your Fireball spells - even if they are cultivated to perfection - are only Normal Grade Spells. They aren’t going to hurt a Wood Disaster Cultivator like me even if I let them!”
Xiao Hong replied, “I was merely checking the feasibility of using Normal Grade Spells to stall a Cultivator of the Disaster Level. After all, I’m only at the initial stage of Divine Sea and have a limited amount of Zhenqi.”
Xiao Hong continued, “The Divine Sea initial stage is the bare minimum requirement to participate in the Trial. Which makes me one of the weakest in terms of cultivation among those that are slated to participate in the Secret Realm Trials.”
That would be true… if she were not cultivating the Celestial God Scripture. The Celestial God Scripture was a weird Scripture that - compared to other Scriptures - did not grant any ‘Special Abilities’ along with it. The Qiao Family’s cultivation method, for example, granted them incredible water-type abilities - directly evolving into a Divine Ability upon reaching the Transformation Realm.
The Celestial God Scripture did not grant any such ability. But, in exchange, it granted bullshit levels of Zhenqi quantity. In the same Realm, it would absolutely trump all other Methods in terms of Essence Quality, Quantity and Potency. It also enhanced all Zhenqi-related abilities of a cultivator - like Qi Sensing and Perception - to its limit. In other words, it was the perfect Foundation.
Xiao Hong raised her hands and made a few hand seals before pushing her right palm towards Qiao Guiying.
Instantly, her Zhenqi reacted, rushing through her meridians and into her right hand, swiftly condensing into a ball of Dark Flames that was shot instantly after its formation. The ball of Dark Flames seared through the air towards Qiao Guiying with relentless fury, transforming into a massive serpent the size of a 5-storey building! It was a massive quantity of superheated plasma condensed into the form of a Serpent!
Everywhere the Serpent flew by, green trees spontaneously burst into flames and the wet ground of the forest cracked!
The serpent was so life-like, that one could even distinguish the individual scales on the serpent. ‘Hiss!’ There was even the illusion of the Serpent’s hiss!
Qiao Guiying’s eyes widened comically and her mouth fell open, “Dark Flame Serpent Spell Art at the Great Accomplishment level?!” However, she didn’t have the time to marvel - the Serpent made of Dark Flames was already upon her.
It widened its mouth and swallowed Qiao Guiying in one bite before shooting up into the sky. At a great height, it coiled up into itself and exploded!
BOOOOM!!
The explosion was so powerful that the shockwaves from it obliterated a large number of trees, creating a whole new clearing despite the explosion happening hundreds of metres away!
Xiao Hong, however, did not relax her guard and immediately took protective measures.
“[Earth Shell]” Her Zhenqi flowed out of her palms and turned into a tortoise Shell the size of a small room. Which turned out to be a good idea since-
Swoosh! BOOM!
A powerful impact hit the Earth Shell almost instantaneously shattering it!
“Wow, Sister Hong! Your spell: Earth Shell is at the Great Accomplishment level as well! Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant! You’re an unbelievable genius!” Qiao Guiying’s voice was filled with praise. With a wide smile on her face, she exclaimed, “Not only are you an Alchemy Genius, but you’re also an absolute genius in Spell Cultivation! Your battle power is truly amazing!”
Xiao Hong’s face twitched. ‘You’re one to talk! How did a mere 3rd Disaster cultivator like you come out utterly unscathed?! And how did you casually use attributed Zhenqi to instantly shatter my Earth Shell?!’
The amount of Zhenqi she had used was equivalent to nearly half of an ordinary mid-stage Divine Sea Cultivator! Moreover, the quality of her Zhenqi was pretty much the highest quality possible in the Divine Sea Stage! So, while it wasn't an all-out attack, it definitely was not something a 3rd Disaster could bear, let alone take it head-on and come out unscathed.
Plus, with a casual move, she’d shattered the Earth Shell. Which was even more insane! The Earth Shell was one of the best Profound Rank Defensive type Spells. Add on to it the Zhenqi quality Xiao Hong had due to her Celestial God Method, the Earth Shell at Great Accomplishment became a truly powerful defensive method that Elite Disaster would find hard to break!
Xiao Hong even suspected that this woman had the power of a Great Disaster Expert! And it was likely the strength of a genius Great Disaster!
Xiao Hong took a deep breath, her eyes burning with battle intent, “Again!”
Qiao Guiying nodded and shot away. “You attack first Sister Hong.”
Xiao Hong agreed and raised her hand, making nine complicated hand seals.
“Spirit Transformation Art: Level 1!”
Woom!
Instantly, Xiao Hong’s aura soared, directly doubling all her attributes other than Zhenqi's quantity!
Without wasting a single breath, she directly used the Dark Flame Serpent again. A massive ball of black-coloured flames condensed in her hand before surging towards Qiao Guiying with an unstoppable momentum!
The black flames formed into a massive serpent - one that was almost 50% larger! Its blood-red eyes stared at Qiao Guiying with terrible malice as it opened its mouth and vomited out a thick pillar of black flames.
Qiao Guiying raised her eyebrows. She gracefully raised her hands and executed a few hand seals. A transparent spherical barrier made of water encased her.
Bwoosh!
The scorching hot pillar of black flames assaulted Qiao Guiying’s barrier, generating tremendous amounts of steam that diffused in the air, reducing the visibility to near zero. But that hindered neither of them, thanks to their Divine Sense.
The steam rippled for a bit before a deep blue figure shot out of the steam, blasting it apart. Qiao Guying made a few casual gestures in the air and an even more massive azure-coloured Flood Dragon appeared and hurtled through the air towards the Dark Flame Serpent, while Qiao Guying herself blitzed through the air towards Xiao Hong.
Xiao Hong knew she would lose instantly if she let Qiao Guiying close. So, she stepped upon the air beneath her with an unusual grace. In her vision, an illusory constellation made of stars seemed to have appeared with her as the centre.
As soon as she stepped forward, her figure was shrouded in a layer of hazy starlight and disappeared.
Star Shifting Steps!
Just as she disappeared a giant palm made of ice slammed down on her position. The giant palm which had missed continued on its way and slammed into the forest obliterating dozens of trees, like weeds under a weed whacker.
At the same time, the Azure Flood Dragon had collided with the Dark Flame Serpent resulting in a powerful steam explosion which tore trees up by their roots, shredded and swept them far into the distance, beyond what the eye could see.
Xiao Hong’s eyes blazed as she made even more hand seals. She did not dare to hold back this time and pumped 60 percent of her Qi to summon the largest Dark Flame Serpent she had in her life. The giant Serpent which was nearly double the size of the first one, seared through the air while sending pillars of flames, volleys of fireballs, and tornadoes made flames towards Qiao Guiying, who seemed to effortlessly navigate through them, while causally swatting aside those that she couldn’t.
As she approached the Dark Flame Serpent, she made a hand seal. With a shrill sword cry, an icy blue Flying Sword sliced through the air towards the Dark Flame Serpent manifested by Xiao Hong’s spell. The Flying Sword reached the Serpent in an instant and innumerable strands of sword qi formed a wide net that sliced through the Dark Flame Serpent, completely destroying it.
Xiao Hong suddenly felt a sense of danger and instinctively executed the Star Shifting Steps and disappeared. And just in time too - as a particularly thin strand of Sword Qi had sneaked up to her, slicing through the air with a terrific speed.
Xiao Hong reappeared, only to disappear again as another strand of Sword Qi sliced through the air!
This process repeated over and over until Xiao Hong yelled out, “I give! I give up!
Xiao Hong who was panting from the drain on her Zhenqi almost cursed out, ‘Fuck! You’re telling me she is a fucking 3rd Disaster?! I call bullshit!’
Looking at Qiao Guiying who hadn’t even broken a sweat, she began to doubt life. ‘Is my system broken? It clearly shows my battle power at the peak of the 5th Disaster! Even if the system considers my Spirit, Body and Essence to calculate, I would still be able to rival a 5th Disaster opponent solely depending upon Essence - even if at a great disadvantage!
‘Yet, Sister Ying is still thrashing me so casually!!’ Xiao Hong flew down and sat on the ground. She leaned back, putting her weight on her arms, still panting. ‘Are all Disciples of Immortal Families so terrifying? I might have to re-evaluate my projection of their strength if that is the case.'