Chapter 79: Thrilling Battle [2-in-1]
Li Ya Xin couldn’t help but feel relieved. Fortunately, the opponent’s main combat power was a Weeping Ancient Willow. Even with Space Element Spirit Plants as auxiliary, she didn’t believe its mobility could be excellent to any great extent.
As long as she could get close, it would be easy to handle.
Big Willow had long been prepared for close-range combat here. Most opponents in the previous matches excelled at long-range attacks, so Big Willow hadn’t fought entirely freely.
You know, our Big Willow was also a “violent willow.”
Seeing Big Willow eager to try, Ge Bai didn’t plan to dampen its enthusiasm. If it wanted to experience the feeling of fists clashing, then let it.
“Big Willow, fight freely. Qian Dai has your back.”
Ge Bai thought for a moment and added another sentence.
“If Qian Dai teleports, don’t be reckless either. Prepare Storm Willow Blade Hammer and aim for a one-hit kill after flashing.”
“Good!”
Hearing Ge Bai say this, Big Willow was overjoyed. It knew it could fight to its heart’s content this time.
In the time Ge Bai and Big Willow exchanged these two sentences, the Ice Armor Warrior had already rushed right up to Big Willow.
Big Willow, long prepared, infused spiritual power into its willow threads.
Its Willow Whip was almost at the Proficient stage, just one step away from entering the Profound Meaning stage.
The willow threads infused with spiritual power now had astonishing strength, not inferior at all to the Ice Armor Warrior’s Ice Blade Knife.
After rushing into attack range, the Ice Armor Warrior quickly drew its knife, feet not stopping, holding the knife single-handedly and slashing diagonally forward.
The sharp Blade Intent carried cold air, slicing through the air with a whooshing sound. This Blade Intent was not only an extension of the Ice Blade Knife skill but also the crystallization of the Ice Armor Warrior’s long-term martial arts training.
Being able to slash out Blade Intent showed it truly had some talent in martial arts.
In the audience seats, Xiao La Jiao sat up straighter upon seeing this Blade Intent. She had practiced fist techniques with King Kong for so many years and had only recently mastered Fist Intent.
Xiao La Jiao knew Ge Bai was cautious by nature, but since Ge Bai hadn’t had Qian Dai teleport Big Willow away even now, it meant she was prepared to let Big Willow and the Ice Armor Warrior have a round of close combat.
Her guess was completely right, and Xiao La Jiao couldn’t help but break into a sweat for Big Willow.
As the Blade Intent approached, Big Willow showed no weakness.
Two Willow Whips swung out in an X shape with full force. Though they didn’t look as grand as the Blade Intent, a closer look revealed afterimages at the whip tips.
A ding sound.
The Blade Intent was steadily blocked by the Willow Whip. Amid the tremors, the Blade Intent dispersed. Big Willow didn’t retreat half a step. The two willow threads that swung the Willow Whip had only minor, barely noticeable scratches, with little damage.
“Armor!”
The Ice Armor Warrior roared lowly. It clearly hadn’t expected Big Willow to block its Blade Intent so easily, showing the opponent’s close-range attack power was also impressive.
Seeing Big Willow block the Ice Armor Warrior’s Blade Intent, Li Ya Xin frowned slightly.
In previous matches, everyone had only noticed the Weeping Ancient Willow’s Wind Blades and Wind Weave Domain as long-range attacks. Even the match-deciding Storm Willow Blade Hammer was just a fleeting moment.
Big Willow’s Willow Whip looked too ordinary and hadn’t attracted attention or discussion.
Or rather, before this, no one had thought Big Willow’s Willow Whip could contend with the Transcendence Realm Ice Armor Warrior’s Ice Blade Knife.
After all, in the previous match, Big Willow hadn’t used Willow Whip much against the Mechanical Rat. Even repelling the Mechanical Rat with Willow Whip could be attributed to the Mechanical Rat not excelling in defense power.
“Armor Ice, steady yourself.”
Beast Tamer Li Ya Xin keenly noticed that the Ice Armor Warrior’s state was off right now—too excited and aggressive—and couldn’t help but remind it aloud.
Even hearing the Beast Tamer’s reminder, the Ice Armor Warrior seemed anxious, unable to suppress the evil fire in its heart.
It changed its stance, gripped the knife with both hands, and infused spiritual power into the Ice Blade Knife.
Legs slightly bent, body slightly lowered into a charging posture, it leaped forward, knife held horizontally, rushing toward the dense willow threads around Big Willow.
Clearly, the Ice Armor Warrior planned to brute-force through Big Willow’s nearly ground-sweeping dense willow threads and strike straight at the willow trunk for a decisive blow.
How could Big Willow let it have its way? It immediately redirected its spiritual power distribution, pouring a large amount into the cluster of willow threads the Ice Armor Warrior was charging into.
Snap, snap, snap…
One Willow Whip after another mercilessly lashed onto the Ice Armor Warrior’s body.
Though Big Willow’s willow threads were dense, it could easily maneuver every single one—either to obstruct vision, transform into Willow Whip, or simply yield an attack gap at the last second. Not only did the threads not interfere with each other, they aided one another, exceptionally flexible.
As the Ice Armor Warrior had planned, once close, the Willow Whips’ swings would be affected, allowing it to tank through with its formidable Ice Armor defense and reserve its heaviest charged strike for Big Willow’s trunk.
But after barely enduring two whips, the Ice Armor Warrior had to abandon this fantasy.
The Willow Whips were too dense, and their attack strength too great. It could only raise its knife to slash.
Watching from behind, Li Ya Xin shook her head repeatedly. She hadn’t approved of the Ice Armor Warrior’s reckless charge in the first place, and now it was clearly lost in the heat of battle.
The Willow Whips lashing onto the Ice Armor Warrior grew heavier with each strike.
While struggling to block, the Ice Armor Warrior seized opportunities to inch forward step by step.
Yes, that forward speed and distance could only be described as inching.
One step—just one more step forward.
Amid the Willow Whips, the Ice Armor Warrior arduously lifted its head. One more step closer, and it could land its strongest Ice Blade Knife strike on this Weeping Ancient Willow’s trunk.
Yet that one step felt like an insurmountable chasm.
Big Willow also knew that letting the Ice Armor Warrior advance further would spell trouble.
At this moment, Big Willow grew even more frenzied, sparing no spiritual power and ignoring injuries, swinging Willow Whips with whistling ferocity.
Watching Big Willow’s Willow Whip momentum, Ge Bai couldn’t help but click her tongue.
She quietly opened the Spirit Plant Cultivation Manual.
Willow Whip – Proficient (927/1000)
+2. +5. +3. +6. +9…
In this moment, Big Willow’s Willow Whip wasn’t gaining just one proficiency point per strike.
Snap!
The Ice Armor Warrior, who had been standing its ground to tank, was sent retreating a step by a Willow Whip lash.
Big Willow, having swung that Willow Whip, was also stunned.
It seemed the Willow Whip’s attack power had suddenly surged. That last Willow Whip clearly carried Wind Element Spiritual Power fluctuations.
Lashing onto the Ice Armor Warrior, it inflicted not only physical damage but also tearing wounds from small Wind Blades, even eroding the Ice Armor with Wind Element Spiritual Power.
Ge Bai, who had been staring at the Spirit Plant Cultivation Manual, immediately knew what happened.
Willow Whip – Profound Meaning (7/10000)
Profound Meaning stage!
Big Willow’s Willow Whip skill had broken through to the Profound Meaning stage just like that.
You know, not to mention Transcendence Realm pet beasts—even Hegemon Level pet beasts earning praise for cultivating a Profound Meaning stage skill was rare.
Big Willow was currently only Mortal Spirit Realm level 5. Oh, no—Mortal Spirit Realm level 6.
Refining origin skills had a clear feedback effect on advancing the spirit plant’s spiritual power.
This match wasn’t over yet, but Big Willow’s gains were already substantial.
On the field, aside from Ge Bai, only the Ice Armor Warrior truly understood the power of that Willow Whip.
Its heart sank. If every subsequent Willow Whip was this strong, it probably couldn’t advance another half step.
Thinking of this, the increasingly frustrated Ice Armor Warrior poured in more spiritual power, continuously slashing.
Only now did it realize it had charged too deep—front, sides, rear, everywhere were Willow Whips ready to strike at any moment.
Unable to advance or retreat, it was like a trapped beast that had rushed into a cage.
And Big Willow wove this cage ever more solid with Willow Whip after Willow Whip.
“Armor Ice, Round Martial Slash.”
Seeing her own pet beast trapped, Li Ya Xin immediately shouted a reminder.
The Round Martial Slash she mentioned wasn’t the Ice Armor Warrior’s skill but an area martial technique—though it was indeed the best way to resolve the Ice Armor Warrior’s current predicament.
Hearing the Beast Tamer’s command, the Ice Armor Warrior sobered somewhat, endured the pain, bent its knees into a horse stance, drew the knife from the left with the blade horizontal, preparing to slash right.
Big Willow keenly noticed the opponent’s momentum shift. This opening move, though not strong in spiritual power fluctuations, had astonishing presence.
Big Willow, already rooted in the Time Soil, quickly and cautiously retreated a step.
The willow threads surrounding the Ice Armor Warrior also smoothly pulled back a distance.
Big Willow had just done all this when the Ice Armor Warrior swung the knife horizontally, pivoting on its right leg to spin in place. The Ice Blade Knife traced an arc, clearing a clean circle around itself.
The willow threads swept by the Round Martial Slash snapped and scattered outside the circle.
If Big Willow hadn’t retreated just now, this strike would have caused far more damage to the willow threads.
Ignoring repairing the broken willow threads with spiritual power, Big Willow seized the Ice Armor Warrior’s obvious flaw from poor skill follow-up after Round Martial Slash.
Big Willow, always seeking an opening, swiftly smashed the long-charged Storm Willow Blade Hammer onto the Ice Armor Warrior.
“Bang”
The first Storm Willow Blade Hammer of this match.
The Ice Armor Warrior, dizzy from Willow Whip after Willow Whip, never expected Big Willow to still have the spare energy to prepare such a big move.
And to seize the opening after Round Martial Slash so perfectly.
Caught off guard, the Ice Armor Warrior dumbly took the hammer with its left chest armor. Its body flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground, chest Ice Armor shattered.
From the chest, web-like cracks spread across the Ice Armor Warrior’s entire body.
Fortunately, the Ice Armor Warrior’s body structure differed from humans; its spiritual power core was in the dantian, with no heart.
Otherwise, this strike would have sent it away directly.
Even so, it felt awful, spitting out ice-blue blood profusely after falling.
“Armor Ice!”
Seeing this, Li Ya Xin anxiously shouted.
Hands clenched into fists, her right hand already slightly raised, wanting to signal the referee for surrender.
As she hesitated, the fallen Ice Armor Warrior gripped its Ice Blade Knife tightly, mobilized spiritual power, and activated Ice Snow Domain.
In this battle, relying mainly on martial techniques, the Ice Armor Warrior hadn’t consumed much spiritual power.
Normally, Ice Snow Domain would be activated after properly engaging, then skills and martial techniques unleashed within to suppress the opponent.
When had the Ice Armor Warrior ever been this desperate, using a fine Advanced Level domain skill as a blood recovery skill?
If other Ice Armor Warriors knew, they’d laugh it to death.
But at this point in the battle, it really couldn’t afford to care.
Seeing the Ice Armor Warrior struggle to rise in the Ice Snow Domain, propping itself up with its knife in place as its Ice Armor gradually recovered.
Li Ya Xin, about to surrender, pressed down her right hand, forcefully suppressing her worries.
Not lost yet.
The Ice Armor Warrior could fight another round without leaving openings this time.
Though the Ice Armor Warrior was seriously injured, Big Willow’s condition wasn’t good either.
Unlike the martial technique-focused Ice Armor Warrior, Big Willow’s every Wind Blade, Willow Whip, including the final Storm Willow Blade Hammer, required spiritual power input.
Mortal Spirit Realm spiritual power reserves were inherently inferior to Transcendence Realm.
By now, the Ice Armor Warrior might still have a third of its spiritual power left, enough for another assault.
But Big Willow’s spiritual power was truly bottoming out.
Call out Little Peach?
Ge Bai hesitated.
Per arena competition rules, spiritual power recovery, life repair, and such potions or pills couldn’t be used in the venue.
This was understandable; without such prohibitions, rich and powerful Alliance Coin players could down pills after a round if they didn’t win and go again—where would fairness be?
In such cases, not only would competitors curse, but audiences would smash the venue.
But one exception wasn’t prohibited: healing-type pet beasts using treatment or recovery skills on the field.
Especially in these spirit planter or Beast Tamer unit battles without pet beast number limits—as long as well-cultivated, 2v1 or even 3v1 was allowed, making healing auxiliary pet beasts very common.
It was just that audition contestants generally weren’t high-level, and cultivating healing pet beasts was tough, so no one had one yet.
Not even needing interstellar arena competitions—by provincial level, unless specializing in one type or only team battles, top individual battle contestants basically had one healing pet beast each.
Though one Spirit Recovery Peach could smoothly resolve Big Willow’s current plight, Ge Bai still didn’t want to call out Little Peach.
Before Jinggang No. 1 Middle School Special Recruitment, she probably wouldn’t have another chance to contract a spirit plant.
Her Big Willow and Qian Dai were already thoroughly analyzed; Little Peach should stay hidden for a better “cheat” moment later.
But seeing Big Willow fight to this point only to struggle and lose pained Ge Bai.
“Big Willow, do you have enough spiritual power left for one full-power Storm Willow Blade Hammer?”
After thinking, Ge Bai softly asked Big Willow.
“Enough.”
Big Willow responded, voice somewhat weak. It had many broken willow threads; though the trunk was unharmed, it was still seriously depleted.
“Barely, just enough.”
Big Willow added. It was unwilling but indeed at its limit now.
If the Ice Armor Warrior charged again, it had no confidence to stop it.
And taking an Ice Blade Knife with the trunk? That would leave it worse off than the Ice Armor Warrior now.
Sensing Big Willow’s weakness and low spirits, Ge Bai stepped forward and gently stroked its trunk.
“Don’t be down. You’ve done great! The opponent is very strong—our Big Willow is awesome.”
This was truly Ge Bai’s honest thought.
She hadn’t expected Big Willow to battle a Transcendence Realm close-combat expert to this extent.
“Next, rely on your partner a bit.”
