Dual Cultivation Wit Chapter 24: Spar! Teaching!

Chapter 24: Spar! Teaching!

A man and a woman stood opposite each other in an empty clearing.

The man wore a white robe woven with intricate black patterns. His eyes were calm and playful, as if he were merely taking a stroll through his garden.

The woman, on the other hand, wore an elegant dress that reached her knees.

Her fiery red hair whipped wildly behind her back, her face stern and her eyes focused.

"Come," Chen Xuan stated casually and gestured with a flick of his hand.

Before his voice had even faded, Huo Ling’er moved.

Her figure flashed, gliding through the air, as crimson flames erupted around her.

The flames collided in front of her. They converged into the outline of a graceful mythical bird.

A Phoenix’s cry pierced the air.

It howled towards the sky and flapped its majestic wings, soaring through the heavens and plummeting towards Chen Xuan.

In a fraction of a second, the flaming bird was already upon him, and its bloodthirsty gaze revealed its intention to devour him.

Phoenix Nirvana Art!

Though not much time had passed since Huo Ling’er acquired this spell, she was able to masterfully deploy it.

The Phoenix’s majestic silhouette reflected in Chen Xuan’s eyes.

The temperature around him rose sharply, making him feel as if he had been dropped into an active volcano.

Yet, he showed no fear.

Facing the piercing cry of the mythical creature, he calmly raised his hand and used his palm like a blade to chop at the empty space before him.

The flames instantly parted along the trajectory of his strike.

The Phoenix let out a shrill, tragic screech before its flaming body was cleaved in two.

Chen Xuan had no time to relax, though.

Another attack, this time even more ferocious, had already arrived.

Using the flames and the Phoenix as cover, Huo Ling’er had managed to slip behind him.

Flames ignited around her fists as she punched at his back.

She didn’t hold back at all, unknowingly drawing upon part of the Vulcan Holy Body’s power.

Her eyes flushed crimson, as did her face, contorting into an expression of pure ferocity.

Chen Xuan’s robe fluttered wildly as the raging wind swept past him and crushed the stones behind him.

He appeared defenseless against the sneak attack.

Yet, just as the blazing fist was about to land, he casually turned around and raised his hand.

He didn’t form a fist, but simply opened his palm, his fingers pointing towards the sky.

Bang!

The fist and the palm met.

The burning flames flared, threatening to devour the entire clearing, but in the next instant, they shattered into harmless sparks.

Chen Xuan remained utterly motionless. His hand didn’t move a single inch, let alone the rest of his body.

Huo Ling’er’s face, however, was drained of its color. Blood rushed up her throat, and she nearly coughed it up.

The overwhelming force of their collision raged through her body, forcing her to stumble back several steps.

"Using a ranged attack to conceal your true intention of closing the distance is wise," Chen Xuan ignored her heaving chest and commented, "However, you must first judge the gap in strength between you and your target."

"If you do not have the upper hand, then..." he shook his head and didn’t finish the sentence, opting to demonstrate the result with his actions.

His figure blurred.

When he reappeared, he was standing directly in Huo Ling’er’s flight trajectory.

He gently raised his hand and brought it above her before pressing his palm against her abdomen.

Huo Ling’er didn’t even have a chance to react.

Her fragile body slammed onto the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

Before she could take a breather, Chen Xuan struck her again.

"You’re a Qi Refining cultivator. How can you not have a backup when taking the initiative?"

"Do you believe that combat is a turn-based game? That your opponent will stand there and let you hit them?"

"You must always be prepared to lose the initiative and be counterattacked," he instructed kindly, though his actions remained merciless.

Again and again. Attack after attack.

Huo Ling’er was tossed around like a rag doll, unable to put up any resistance.

Chen Xuan’s harsh voice echoed periodically amid the onslaught, though it was unknown if Huo Ling’er had the mental capacity to take his lessons to heart.

--

It was only a few hours later that Huo Ling’er’s torture stopped.

"Overall, your biggest weakness is your lack of combat experience."

"You rely too much on brute force and fail to use your brain. You are currently unable to use your advantages to their fullest potential." Chen Xuan concluded, putting an end to their spar with a gesture.

He was about to continue when he keenly noticed Huo Ling’er’s seething expression and the obvious defiance in her eyes.

He shook his head with disappointment.

"Are you unwilling? You must have noticed that I only used the power of a Body Transformation cultivator during the fight."

"Yet, it only took a couple of blows to suppress you. If I had not shown mercy, you would have died within seconds!"

Huo Ling’er’s clenched jaw relaxed upon hearing his words.

She knew that Chen Xuan was telling the truth and had not used his physical strength or any skill that a Body Transformation cultivator could not possess.

Even if his actual cultivation and combat experience were high, she shouldn’t have been suppressed this easily.

It was embarrassing to say the least.

Fortunately, Huo Ling’er quickly cheered up.

She had never fought against another cultivator before arriving at the Jade Pure Sect. Her combat experience was no better than that of an ordinary mortal.

Huo Ling’er understood this, and she also understood her Master’s good intentions.

However...

"Master, is there really no way to activate this magic weapon without becoming like this?" she questioned through gritted teeth, waving her furry paws back and forth while her back remained glued to the cold stone floor.

She had previously thought of a way to use the weapon without becoming an object of ridicule. That was, she would only activate it when it was necessary.

Huo Ling’er had previously praised her wit for this discovery, feeling that her intelligence had improved since she entered the sect.

Yet, as she activated it just a moment ago, she realized what she had previously overlooked.

The panda costume limited her movements. Coupled with her current position, she found herself unable to move.

She flailed her arms and legs around and tried to get up, but all her efforts were futile.

The more this happened, the more defiant she grew and the more she struggled to get up, much to Chen Xuan’s secret amusement.

He made no move to help her. Instead, while concealing his laughter, he leaned forward and tapped her forehead.

"Your preparations are almost over. Tomorrow, the competition starts."

"You don’t have to worry. It may be a crucial moment for other disciples, but for you, it’s merely another experience." He comforted her upon seeing her trembling body, assuming she was nervous.

"Besides fighting for the rewards and the peaks’ reputation, the main purpose of the competition is to allow disciples to showcase their talents."

"Perhaps an Elder will take note of their potential, temperament, or even appearance and accept them as disciples. As for you," Chen Xuan paused.

"You lack none of these things. Your only goal should be to temper yourself."

To him, his words had hit their mark, as Huo Ling’er’s shaking body relaxed.

However, he failed to notice the sharp flash of battle intent in her eyes the moment he turned his back.

———

I’ve added some characters’ images in the character tab section.