The surrounding air buzzed with energy.
"Waku waku! (Go Master! Go Master! Fight! Fight!)"
The six water spirits waved their cleaning rags up and down, pretending to be an energetic cheerleading squad.
Burry crouched beside the water spirits, lighting a cigarette and blowing out smoke:
"Starting with a spiritual energy storm right away? Water spirits, your master might end up in the infirmary at this rate."
Burry observed An with her flowing white hair.
This novice instructor had apparently been the champion of the 50th Second-Tier Mage Tournant at Beiguo Royal University.
The university's competitions were notoriously practical, having caused multiple fatalities over the years.
"I should stand further back... Wait, I'm holding the cigarette wrong..."
Burry adjusted his cigarette and preemptively took out healing potions from his Backpack Card.
An rose slightly on her toes, her blue eyes seemingly penetrating through Chen Qi's every movent.
Spiritual Energy Storm!
Starting with this move right away... Chen Qi tightened his grip on the longsword while regulating his breathing.
The Spiritual Energy Storm disrupted opponents' spiritual perception while hindering their energy manipulation.
Its only drawbacks were the massive energy consumption and stringent user requirents.
By Beiguo University's duel standards, this indeed counted as a basic opening move.
But it wasn't unbeatable... Dark energy faintly enveloped Chen Qi's sword-wielding hands and legs.
Within the spiritual turbulence, Chen Qi's White Pigeon Perception could barely predict An's movents.
Fortunately, he specialized in physical enhancent.
The core advantage of physical reinforcent was maintaining combat efficiency even amid spiritual disturbances.
Speed would decide this!
Rush tactics... Chen Qi formulated his battle plan.
Prolonged engagents against mages were suicidal.
Besides, their houseboat couldn't withstand extended high-level combat!
An remained silent, casually raising her staff to conjure a basic energy orb.
Basic Technique: Spirit Orb!
Almost instantly, a glowing projectile shot forth like artillery fire.
Combined with the Spiritual Energy Storm, it beca an invisible bullet fired from an uncocked gun!
"Faster casting than the Flower Witch... Top-tier mages really are sothing else..."
Chen Qi's eyes flashed as his spiritual perception and dynamic vision tracked the orb's trajectory.
It's curving...
An smiled faintly - normal spirit orbs traveled straight like bullets.
This simple trick worked surprisingly well against inexperienced Transcendents.
Being underestimated huh... Chen Qi kicked off the deck with an aggressive horizontal slash.
Forward Slash!
The curving orb split neatly under the Black Blade's edge.
"!"
An floated backward like dandelion fluff.
Shadow Step!
Black flas erupted from Chen Qi's feet as his speed tripled instantaneously, closing the distance like a phantom!
So fast that he reached An before she even landed on the bow!
Two ters!
One ter!
Half a ter!
You're in range... Without hesitation, Chen Qi channeled his montum into a fluid upward slash!
Rising Cut!
"Hmm?"
An's pupils dilated sharply as her heartbeat accelerated, fingers tightening around her staff.
Instinct!
BOOM! A massive energy field condensed overhead into cloud formations before crashing downward!
Spiritual Detonation! Orb Barrage!
Slowing Mist!
Magic Shield!
With a piercing shriek, their techniques collided simultaneously!
WHOOSH!
Gale-force winds swept across the deck!
"Damn it!"
Burry's cigarette twisted wildly in the turbulence as grit flew into his eyes.
What are these maniacs doing? He straightened his smoke and squinted at the aftermath.
An stood poised at the bow, staff in hand.
Hundreds of energy orbs hovered ominously overhead.
Yet a gleaming black edge had breached her defenses, resting against her throat.
The slightest motion would draw blood.
"..."
An glanced down at the lethal blade:
"Qi, you're strong. Much faster than I anticipated."
"..."
Chen Qi observed the hovering orbs.
In actual combat, beheading An would trigger the orbital bombardnt.
Still, he'd successfully closed the distance and gained a tactical advantage.
This owed partly to An's delayed reaction and restricted spell selection.
Chen Qi contemplated.
During nocturnal ambushes with Ember's Touch and Flesh Cleaver Bone Breaker active...
He might genuinely threaten An.
But under normal circumstances? No chance.
Third-tier Transcendents with unleashed abilities remained overwhelmingly superior.
He committed this sensation to mory:
"Thank you, Teacher An. I've learned much."
"I've learned too, Qi. Using Spiritual Detonation violated our basic-spells-only agreent."
An wearily rested her chin on the blade:
"For a second-tier Transcendent without spiritual core enhancent, your orb tracking was impressive."
Spiritual Core advancent...
Chen Qi exhaled deeply.
Core developnt boosted all spiritual abilities - the crucial benchmark for second-tier combatants.
His White Pigeon Perception and dynamic vision compensated for this deficiency.
Barely. Had An combined the energy storm with visual obstruction, he'd have been utterly helpless.
An yawned, casually leaning heavier on the sword:
"Qi, you could hold your own against minor gang leaders now."
Chen Qi stared at her nonchalant posture:
"Um, Teacher An..."
She showed zero concern about accidental slips.
An blinked:
"Yes?"
"My sword's poisoned."
An looked down.
"Eh?"
Vicious black energy lashed from the blade, slicing her neck!
Despite frantic defenses, blood splattered across the deck.
"OW OW OW!"
An collapsed writhing, clutching her wounded throat.
The Deepsea Water Spirits mopped up the blood.
"..."
Chen Qi handed An bandages and a healing potion.
He hadn't expected her to treat his lethal weapon like a chin rest.
The Black Blade had belonged to third-tier Captain Blackeye, its inherent darkness damage remaining potent.
Even with Flesh Cleaver Bone Breaker, the Black Blade outperford his other weapon in standard mode.
After treating An's injury, the trio sat silently by the railing, gazing at the horizon.
Perhaps exhausted from recent events, they wordlessly watched the sea.
Unnoticed, daylight faded into dusk.
Only when the lighthouse beacon ignited did Burry break the silence with an exhaled smoke ring:
"Chef, I expected our rookie instructor to pin you down and puml you senseless. Didn't think you could scrap like that."
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