: Linghu Jiu vs Ning Zhuo

Author: Gu Zhenren

Date: 2024-11-15

: Linghu Jiu vs Ning Zhuo

A white mist of light quickly spread outwards, creating a space within a few breaths to serve as the battlefield.

Ning Zhuo sighed and stepped forward, moving ahead of the crowd to stand before Linghu Jiu's projection.

For Ning Zhuo, he did not like fighting unprepared battles. In his heart, warfare was perilous, and every battle had to be approached with utmost caution.

This was because, once a real fight began, it was inevitably the last resort when all other methods had been exhausted.

But the current situation was quite special. Whether it was Lin Bufan, Shen Lingshu, Zhu Xuanji, or the Five Elements God Lord, all hoped for Ning Zhuo to fight.

Forced by circumstances, Ning Zhuo, as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, had no choice but to comply.

"This battle must be won," Ning Jiufan sighed inwardly, watching Ning Zhuo's back. "Clever as you are, you must understand this isn't just a simple contest, right?"

Ning Zhuo certainly knew!

Linghu Jiu's challenge was indeed unexpected, originating from the idea of the Lonely Sword Lord's dharma body within the Brilliant Reflection Wall, rather than any arrangement by Zhu Xuanji or Lin Bufan.

But this battle still concerned the distribution of benefits from this trip and the future relationship between the Ning Clan and the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect.

If Ning Zhuo won, the Ning Clan would secure more benefits, and the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect would show more respect to the Ning Clan. The opposite was also true.

Ning Zhuo already had the intention to win, but he still had to say the usual pleasantries: "Brother Linghu, I recall our joyful times drinking together. This battle today is truly not what I desire."

Linghu Jiu, however, shook his head and said, "To be honest, dear brother, I've long wanted to spar with you. Today, I'm taking advantage of the situation. Please, give it your all!"

Linghu Jiu was quite straightforward. With a flick of his wrist, he twirled his sword and immediately lunged at Ning Zhuo.

"I'm ready to learn!" Ning Zhuo clenched his fists and charged forward.

He had never fought a Foundation Establishment cultivator wielding a weapon in such a close-quarters battle before, and he was filled with anticipation.

Sword Technique—Overflowing Cup.

Linghu Jiu's sword traced an arc through the air, forming a phantom image. Like an overflowing wine cup, it trembled and swayed with exquisite precision.

Ning Zhuo's hands sprouted blood vessels, acting as gauntlets to block the sword's edge.

Linghu Jiu did not press the attack, instead retreating lightly like a dragonfly skimming the water.

This defied common sense. Ning Zhuo was slightly surprised, thinking, *Since you're not attacking, I'll take the initiative.*

Ning Zhuo moved in aggressively, closing in on Linghu Jiu.

Linghu Jiu chuckled and said, "Dear brother, brace yourself."

Sword Technique—Fragrance in the Wine.

In an instant, his sword transformed from solid to ethereal, its intent surging like the aroma of wine, soft yet aggressive.

The attack was overwhelming!

Ning Zhuo could only retreat, retreat, and retreat again.

Linghu Jiu advanced with a few strikes but suddenly withdrew to defend.

Lin Shanshan gasped in recognition, "This is the Wine Grove Sword Technique that I created with Big Brother!"

Everyone turned to look at her.

Embarrassed, Lin Shanshan explained the origins.

Back then, Linghu Jiu was confined in the Ten Thousand Demon Cave, bored and lonely, his mind overflowing with thoughts of creating his own sword techniques.

When Lin Shanshan brought him food, Linghu Jiu showed off his creations, but this only made Lin Shanshan angry.

Because Linghu Jiu's sword techniques were all named after wine, fully revealing his intense desire for fine liquor.

Lin Shanshan disapproved of this and took the initiative to participate in the creation of the sword techniques, adding her own ideas in an attempt to persuade her big brother to quit drinking!

Wine Grove Sword Technique—Meeting a Kindred Spirit.

Linghu Jiu's sword solidified again, transforming from ethereal to solid. The tip of his sword thrust forward, sharp and fierce, yet it conveyed a warm and welcoming feeling, as if inviting someone to share a drink!

Ning Zhuo failed to dodge in time and was struck in the shoulder. Fortunately, his Demonic Blood Vessel Art protected him, blocking the sharp sword edge.

Ning Zhuo broke out in a cold sweat and hastily retreated.

Linghu Jiu's sword techniques continued relentlessly, forcing Ning Zhuo into a狼狈 retreat.

Seeing this, Lin Shanshan clapped and laughed, "Well done, Big Brother! Teach that big-headed guy a lesson!"

Hearing this, Linghu Jiu's projection grew even more spirited and said with a smile, "Little Shimei, watch closely."

Wine Grove Sword Technique—Drunken Rest Among Clouds.

Linghu Jiu's sword moves suddenly became expansive and unrestrained, like a drunkard dancing without any pattern, yet the attacks grew even sharper.

Ning Zhuo couldn't discern the patterns and felt the sword edges coming from all sorts of刁钻 angles, making it hard to defend. He was struck several times in quick succession.

On a few occasions, the sword tip repeatedly hit the same spot, breaking through his blood vessel defense and drawing blood.

Ning Zhuo hurriedly retreated, using the Demonic Blood Vessel Art to heal his wounds rapidly.

By openly using a demonic technique in front of everyone, he was making a deliberate public display.

Most righteous cultivators would reprimand others for practicing demonic techniques. But when Lin Bufan saw that Zhu Xuanji remained unfazed, as if he already knew, he had no choice but to accept it as well.

Lin Shanshan's expression faltered slightly.

Seeing Ning Zhuo injured made her suddenly realize that her big brother was merely a projection, while Ning Zhuo was a living, breathing person. In a sparring match, Ning Zhuo was clearly at greater risk.

But soon, Lin Shanshan grew angry with herself, "Why should I worry about him?"

"That big-headed Ning, he clearly has a technique for close combat, yet he kept it from me all along!"

Wine Grove Sword Technique—Stopping at the Height of Enjoyment.

Linghu Jiu's sword moved like a rapid drink, fierce and relentless, as if intent on annihilating the enemy. But suddenly, at the peak of his attack, he halted abruptly, his sword stance shifting to defense, transforming into flowing, water-like sword energy to protect himself.

In doing so, he directly missed the opportunity to press his advantage. He should have pressed on to turn his advantage into victory, but he voluntarily held back.

The spectators understood the reason.

This was because the Wine Grove Sword Technique was co-created by Linghu Jiu and Lin Shanshan, and their ideas conflicted. Linghu Jiu wanted to drink, while Lin Shansha wanted him to quit. Reflected in the sword technique, this resulted in sudden shifts between offense and defense, making it unpredictable.

As Linghu Jiu retreated, Ning Zhuo took the initiative to attack.

He gradually adapted to the Wine Grove Sword Technique and began to turn the tables.

"This sword technique isn't particularly refined; it's quite分裂."

"One part is精巧严谨, while the other is疏广写意!"

Ning Zhuo exclaimed, "Brother Linghu, if you think you can defeat me with this sword technique, you're underestimating me!"

Lin Shanshan snorted inwardly, "That臭大头, he's barely stabilized his footing and already he's getting cocky. This is just the beginning! Big Brother hasn't even shown his true strength yet."

"But then again, Ning Zhuo is really clever. How long has he been at Little Struggle Peak, and he's already improved so much in close combat? I still remember when he first arrived..."

Lin Shanshan felt a暗感欣慰, recalling the past and reliving the美好时光 she had spent with Ning Zhuo.

"Pah! That臭大头 kidnapped me and publicly embarrassed my father. He's up to no good!" Lin Shanshan quickly stopped her wandering thoughts.

Wine Grove Sword Technique—Drunken Cup Shows Mercy.

Linghu Jiu shifted to defense, and as he defended, he gained the upper hand.

Ning Zhuo was injured again, retreating in astonishment.

Zhu Xuanji suddenly chuckled and said, "This sword technique is starting to get interesting."

It turned out that Drunken Cup Shows Mercy, while appearing to be a defensive move, actually concealed offensive capabilities. It was like a carefully laid trap, luring the enemy to attack continuously.

Ning Zhuo seemed to have the advantage, but in reality, sword energy continuously seeped into his body, causing him to suffer many hidden injuries. At first glance, the sword energy was subtle, but as it accumulated, it became不容小觑.

If the earlier sword techniques showcased the conflicting ideas of Linghu Jiu and Lin Shanshan, resulting in a分裂 technique with poor practical effects, this move巧妙 unified their opposing ideas, producing unexpectedly effective results.

Wine Grove Sword Technique—Hearing Wine Through the Curtain.

Linghu Jiu's sword moves remained含蓄深邃, like hearing the aroma of wine from behind a curtain, with the招式 primarily defensive.

But Ning Zhuo sensed a隐隐强烈的威胁.

This was because he had drunk with Linghu Jiu and, at this moment, understood the psychological state behind the creation of this sword technique.

Hearing Wine Through the Curtain... Linghu Jiu's longing was blocked by the curtain. How could a thin curtain block his desire for fine wine?

Once that longing burst forth, it would be like an intense aroma of wine,扑面而来.

Ning Zhuo hastily retreated!

Linghu Jiu, seeing his sword move miss, felt both disappointed and pleased, "Ning Zhuo, dear brother, you understand me."

"Can you handle this move?"

The final move of the Wine Grove Sword Technique—Drowning Sorrows in Wine!

In an instant, Linghu Jiu retracted his sword to defend, but the sword energy surged forth,凄婉惆怅, his inner frustration无处宣泄, expressed only through the act of drinking heavily.

It was both an attack and a defense. Both a收敛 in action and a奔放 in emotion!

Ning Zhuo was struck!

Blood spurted out, and a large wound appeared on his chest.

The defense of the Demonic Blood Vessel Art was as fragile as paper.

The spectators all changed expressions.

Even Lin Bufan, a Nascent Soul-level cultivator, showed a flicker of surprise. This was because he saw the shadow of a profound secret manual in this sword technique.

"The Lonely Sword Sutra?"

Ning Zhuo retreated again and again, hastily swallowing a pill while furiously circulating the Demonic Blood Vessel Art to heal his wounds.

Although the bleeding stopped, the wound did not heal immediately. A sword energy lingered around the injury,难以驱散 in a short time, severely hindering Ning Zhuo's ability to heal himself.

"Wine Grove Sword Technique... I wonder how it compares to the blade technique I created?" Inside the Mechanical Roaming Dragon, Sun Lingtong also felt a surge of fighting spirit.

"Incredibly powerful!" Ning Zhuo praised loudly.

He wasn't discouraged at all and maintained a positive mindset.

This was because he深知 that Linghu Jiu had spent years honing his close-combat sword skills, while he himself had only practiced for a short time.

There was no comparison.

Losing was only natural!

"I've learned so much!" This exchange gave Ning Zhuo many insights and great收获.

He wished he could continue sparring with Linghu Jiu in this manner until he was defeated.

"But given the current situation, I最好得获胜."

The significance of this battle was far more than a表面上的切磋. It concerned the future of the Ning Clan and the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, as well as the赌局 between the Five Elements God Lord and the Lonely Sword Lord.

"The试探 ends here. I'm getting serious!"

"Brother Linghu, prepare yourself."

After announcing his intent, Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn as he swiftly executed a Wood Element spell.

Roots and Vines Entanglement!

Tree roots and vines materialized out of thin air, quickly entangling Linghu Jiu.

Close combat... was merely Ning Zhuo's短板. The Five Elements spells were becoming his长处!

(End of )