Chapter 358: Noble Son of a Prominent Family

Sensing the unfavorable turn, Ning Zhuo could only shift to a defensive stance.

Frost Fist!

Han Zhou's left fist shot out, bringing with it a biting chill, and with lightning speed, it headed straight for Ning Zhuo's chest.

Ning Zhuo hurriedly crossed his hands, raising a defense.

With a muffled thud, Ning Zhuo retreated several large steps.

He had parried Han Zhou's fist, but the force of the punch still penetrated his defense, seeping into Ning Zhuo's body.

Bitter Cold Qi!

Han Zhou followed closely, his steps changing. He raised his left leg high and spun, delivering a kick.

Old Cold Leg!

The wind from the kick was sharp, aiming directly for Ning Zhuo's face. Ning Zhuo evaded by turning his body, narrowly avoiding it, but Han Zhou quickly changed his move. His right fist shot out like lightning, striking Ning Zhuo's side ribs.

Ning Zhuo took a punch, and his stance suddenly loosened.

Before the special training, he would have undoubtedly succumbed to defeat. But after the training, his heart tightened. He gritted his teeth, guarding his vital points, enduring several blows, yet maintaining his stance, not completely falling apart.

Every punch from Han Zhou was incredibly powerful, numbing Ning Zhuo's arms.

Han Zhou suddenly lowered himself, sweeping his right leg forcefully.

Old Cold Leg!

Ning Zhuo's legs were hit, his body became unstable, and he staggered backward.

Han Zhou seized the opportunity, launching both fists simultaneously, one high and one low. The upper strike aimed for Ning Zhuo's face, while the lower strike targeted his chest.

Ning Zhuo only defended the upper strike, leaving the lower exposed. He was struck squarely in the chest by the force of the punch, sending him flying backward.

He flew back a distance of ten feet, adjusting his posture in mid-air. When he landed, his feet scraped against the ground tiles, dragging for a while.

He bent slightly at the waist, adjusting his center of gravity, and ultimately did not fall backward to the ground.

"Good fists and feet," he spat out a mouthful of blood, a smile on his face, expressing genuine admiration for Han Zhou.

Upon seeing Ning Zhuo spitting blood, Lin Shanshan's brow furrowed immediately, her heart clenching.

Sun Lingtong, who was watching the battle from inside the Mechanical Roaming Dragon, chuckled upon seeing this: "Little Zhuo, you really need to practice your fist and foot techniques diligently."

Sun Lingtong was a demonic cultivator, and her training of Ning Zhuo was always tough.

In her eyes, a little blood was nothing!

Han Zhou walked slowly towards Ning Zhuo, shaking his head with a look of disappointment. "Fellow Daoist Ning, if this is your only level, then the winner today will surely be me."

"Your close combat skills still need improvement. This obvious weakness will definitely be targeted by others in the future."

Ning Zhuo nodded. "Brother Han Zhou is absolutely right. Fist and foot techniques are precisely what I've been specially training in these past few days. It was even worse before."

"Thank you, Brother Han Zhou, for letting me try out my fist and foot techniques a little."

"Next, I'm going to use a part of my strength. Please be careful!"

Han Zhou's eyes lit up. "I am ready, please unleash your full power."

The next moment, Ning Zhuo took out six Mechanical Floating Hands from his storage belt.

As soon as the Floating Hands were released, they flew into the air, constantly circling around Han Zhou.

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and began to furiously cast Five Elements spells.

Flames, metal blades, vines, earth spikes, water waves... A large number of spells were unleashed in rotation, a chaotic assault of spells converging, like dazzling fireworks during a celebration.

Splendid, yet deadly!

The spectators were in an uproar.

"Ning Zhuo actually has such profound attainments in Five Elements spells! How old is he?"

"Did he start practicing spells from the womb?"

"No, this is definitely not just simple Five Elements spells. The spells rotate amongst themselves, constantly generating and counteracting each other, blending and decomposing, fully utilizing the power of each cycle of spells. What cultivation method is he practicing? It can change between the Five Elements so easily!"

Even Lin Shanshan, who knew some of Ning Zhuo's background, was shaken at this moment.

Only now did she realize that on the first day of special training, when Ning Zhuo cast spells in front of her, he had hidden a lot of his strength.

"Is this how he looks when he goes all out?" Lin Shanshan's gaze was fixed on the white-robed youth in the arena. His focused, handsome face was even more captivating under the reflection of the five-colored spell light.

For a moment, the image of Ning Zhuo casting spells was deeply etched in Lin Shanshan's heart.

It wasn't just her; the spectators also firmly remembered Ning Zhuo amidst their exclamations.

"Although his fist and foot techniques are a bit weak, his attainments in spells are quite profound!"

"With just this level of strength, Cave Dwelling 281 is definitely not his limit."

"He should deserve a better cave dwelling."

"Don't be so quick. You seem to have forgotten Han Zhou's Bitter Cold Qi."

"Ning Zhuo is only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, but Han Zhou is a cultivator at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. As long as Han Zhou doesn't lose, as long as he persists, Ning Zhuo's mana will not last as long as his."

The crowd discussed animatedly.

There were still many discerning people.

Although Ning Zhuo unleashed spells with all his might, suppressing Han Zhou and forcing him to passively defend in place.

However, Ning Zhuo's wild offensive consumed an enormous amount of his own mana!

He only had the cultivation of the early stage of Foundation Establishment. In comparison, Han Zhou was at the late stage, possessing stronger reserves.

As everyone anticipated, with the passage of time, Ning Zhuo's aura rapidly weakened, and the barrage of Five Elements spells quickly diminished.

Han Zhou, who had been passively taking blows and constantly enduring, finally found an opportunity to counterattack.

A fierce chill surged outwards from within him, greatly reducing the power of the Five Elements spells.

He was like a sharp blade flying out of an ice field. In the blink of an eye, he had pierced before Ning Zhuo!

"Ah!" Lin Shanshan couldn't help but cry out in surprise.

The spectators around her also let out low gasps.

However, Lin Bufan, who had been watching the battle until now, felt a slight sinking in his heart upon seeing Lin Shanshan's reaction, a hint of an ominous premonition.

A vast aura of hardship enveloped them. Ning Zhuo felt as if he was in a world of ice and snow, trapped within a boundless and terrifying blizzard.

Ning Zhuo's entire body and mind were about to freeze. He "watched helplessly" as Han Zhou's finger, aimed directly at his glabella.

If it were to hit, his forehead would undoubtedly be pierced, leaving him severely wounded and close to death!

But at the crucial moment, Han Zhou voluntarily changed direction, only targeting Ning Zhuo's shoulder.

However, his confident full-force strike was deflected by the sudden appearance of an oily membrane shield on Ning Zhuo's body.

He brushed past Ning Zhuo!

Slick Oil Talisman!!

The spiritual talisman that Ning Jiufan had given to Ning Zhuo for self-protection was not just for single use.

The Slick Oil Talisman had a spirituality of its own. Sensing that the cultivator was about to be struck forcefully, it immediately activated on its own, successfully protecting Ning Zhuo.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then burst into an uproar again.

"Did I sense it correctly?"

"Golden Core aura! This is a Golden Core level talisman!"

"With such a trump card in hand, what does it matter if Ning Zhuo is completely clueless in fist and foot techniques?"

"Since he had such a method, why did he engage in close combat with Han Zhou before?"

Some people felt quite speechless.

If Ning Zhuo had revealed this talisman at the beginning of the battle, it would have been over long ago.

No one would have believed that Han Zhou would win!

Han Zhou, born a beggar, was clad in rags, relying solely on his cultivation method and fist and foot techniques. But even if it were other cultivators using various spiritual artifacts, it would be extremely difficult to break through a Golden Core level defensive talisman.

Han Zhou also had a good sense of self-awareness. He used his methods to thoroughly examine Ning Zhuo and confirmed that the Slick Oil Talisman was quite durable.

He then voluntarily withdrew his hand and directly admitted defeat.

Ning Zhuo, however, said, "I am ashamed. I used a protective talisman from an elder in my family. This was not my intention. It is truly because Brother Han Zhou, your strength is exceptionally powerful, preventing me from further suppressing the spiritual talisman and causing it to activate on its own."

"This battle is not a reflection of my own strength. How about we consider it a draw?"

Han Zhou's brows furrowed. He looked at Ning Zhuo carefully. He could sense the latter's full sincerity, but he still shook his head. "A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. The talismans and spiritual artifacts you possess are all part of your strength. It is perfectly reasonable to win by relying on such things."

"In this battle, I have lost!"

Having said that, Han Zhou bowed and, with faltering steps, voluntarily walked out of the practice arena.

"He won!" Lin Shanshan subconsciously clenched her fists, her heart leaping with joy.

Ning Zhuo, however, sighed, turned around dispiritedly, and also exited the practice arena.

The spectators exchanged views, many of whom were regular cultivators of Little Contention Peak. They began to evaluate the combat strength of this newcomer, Ning Zhuo.

"As expected of a young master from a large family. With a Golden Core level protective spiritual talisman, who can threaten him?"

"Perhaps only people like Lai Wuying and the others."

"Ordinary cultivators will simply not be his match. His spells are extremely proficiently cast and can seriously injure Han Zhou."

Lin Bufan withdrew his gaze. Before leaving, he saw Lin Shanshan following Ning Zhuo and walking over.

"Golden Core level protective spiritual talisman... Is it the Ning family of Fiery Persimmon Immortal City?"

Lin Bufan began to take Ning Zhuo seriously.

Although the other party was a junior, his background was not small. Possessing a Golden Core level protective spiritual talisman showed that he was cared for and being重点栽培 in his family.

Even Lin Bufan took Ning Zhuo seriously, not to mention others.

For a time, in Medicine Valley, news about Ning Zhuo spread like wildfire. Everyone knew that a young master from a large family, with a deep background, should not be easily provoked!