Chapter 80: Scarred Aba, Part 2
The young man known as "Scar" was unmistakably on the path of weapon spirit refinement. At the moment he summoned his Martial Spirit, even the battle hardened Huo Quan felt a chill run down his spine, as though the blade would strike him at any second.
As Huo Quan attempted to recall more about such weapon spirits, Scar could no longer hold back. After the referee signaled the start of the duel, Scar lunged at Huo Quan without hesitation, unleashing a downward slash with his battered, jagged blade. Though clearly worn and damaged, the blade gave Huo Quan the distinct impression he was facing a finely crafted weapon, prompting him to dodge at once.
But Scar didn't let up. With a twisted grin on his face, he continued his relentless pursuit, bringing his blade down repeatedly as if possessed.
Huo Quan, who was highly regarded in the dueling ring, wasn't accustomed to such an unrelenting opponent. Gold light flared in his hands as he activated his "Hard Style" technique, deflecting Scar's attack with a forceful punch. The sheer power of the blow forced Scar's blade away, but the mad glint in his eyes only intensified as he unleashed another flurry of wild slashes.
"Enough of this! You're just a Soul Elder!" Huo Quan inwardly fumed.
Both fighters were locked in a fierce exchange of blows, each unable to break through the other's defenses. The flash of steel and fists left a cascade of sparks in their wake.
"Magnificent! You're truly worthy of being the disciple of the famous Master Ye Wen!" Scar shouted with exhilaration. "To match my blade without using spirit abilities? You're leagues above those pathetic weaklings I've crushed before. Come on, Huo Quan attack me with everything you've got!"
As he finished, both his spirit rings gleamed, and arcs of red lightning crackled around his jagged blade. His slashes became faster and more intense, nearly overwhelming Huo Quan, who was forced back, dodging at high speed to avoid being struck.
"Get back here!" Scar yelled with deranged excitement, chasing after him.
The spectators were astonished. Despite not using his spirit rings, Huo Quan should have been able to overpower a Soul Elder with sheer physical prowess alone. But they saw an absurd spectacle: a Soul Elder pushing a top tier Soul Master back with nothing but his skill.
They didn't think Huo Quan was pulling his punches; his reputation and pride wouldn't allow him to hold back for a mere commoner. There was only one explanation: the commoner's skill with the blade was somehow keeping Huo Quan on the defensive.
Huo Quan was seething. Using his spirit abilities against a Soul Elder felt like admitting defeat a humiliation he refused to suffer. But now he was faced with a challenge: he couldn't deny that Scar's techniques had managed to pin him down, an affront to his pride as Ye Wen's disciple and a future master of combat technique.
"Blink Step Double Combo Modified Hard Style Piercing Gun... Cannon Fist!"
Huo Quan exploded forward with a burst of speed, instantly positioning himself behind Scar. He unleashed his self developed Cannon Fist, a combination move based on various combat techniques Ye Wen had taught him. The Cannon Fist was devastatingly powerful, able to shatter even the fifth spirit skill of a defensive Soul King if it connected.
He aimed to strike Scar's right shoulder, hoping to disable him without causing permanent damage.
But Scar's survival instincts were honed to perfection. Sensing Huo Quan's movement, he spun around at the last moment, swinging his blade upward even as Huo Quan's punch connected. Huo Quan immediately dropped to a roll to avoid being struck, dodging just in time to escape injury.
Though his attack didn't fully connect, the sheer force of the blow dislocated Scar's right shoulder, forcing him to switch his blade to his left hand as his right arm hung limp.
"Your instincts are like those of a wild beast," Huo Quan said. "Scar, surrender now. With your talent, I could recommend you to my master as a potential disciple."
Scar only glanced at his injured shoulder with an impassive look. "A monstrous technique, truly. So this is what they call the legendary 'Six Styles' that's been spreading across the continent?"
"No, this is just a glimpse of the potential of those Six Styles, fully cultivated," Huo Quan replied, barely hiding his own surprise.
On the continent, realigning a dislocated shoulder alone was something that only high level Soul Masters or specialized medical Soul Masters could typically accomplish. To his shock, Scar merely reached over, wrenched his shoulder back into place with a loud pop, and rotated it as if nothing had happened.
So he was stalling after all, Huo Quan realized. He'd assumed that only a Body Martial Spirit user could manipulate their own bones this way. But Scar a weapon spirit user had the same skill, making Huo Quan even more eager to recruit him into Tianxing Academy.
But Huo Quan knew Scar's wild and fierce personality wouldn't be easy to tame. He'd have to beat him into submission first.
"You're starting to really get on my nerves," Huo Quan said coolly. "This time, I won't hold back. Don't come crying if I break something."
"Perfect! Come on, then!" Scar yelled, charging forward with another wild swing of his blade.
Huo Quan's demeanor shifted to a focused, battle hardened stance. He pushed back each strike, steadily closing in and narrowing Scar's range of movement until he couldn't land a single blow.
Though Scar's every swing was deflected or dodged, his thrill only grew, his strikes becoming faster and more reckless.
"You won't die...yet!" Scar shouted suddenly, activating his third spirit ring. The blade crackled with crimson lightning as he unleashed a wide, blazing arc.
"Third Spirit Skill Thunder Slash!"
The sudden flash of red lightning took Huo Quan off guard. Despite his skillful control over his body, he barely had time to react. His muscles tensed as he braced himself, crossing his arms in front of him and channeling his Hard Style technique in an attempt to withstand the blow.
(End of Chapter)
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