“You are not breaking the rules? Are you sure?” Fang Zhengzhi pointed at the swirling vortexes of sand on the ground as he said. If not for the fact that he landed on one of them, he would have believed it.
“Of course, I mentioned that I will give you five chances to attack. However, I did not say that I would be an unmoving target. The Qian Kun Eight Wastelands is only one of my defensive techniques. If you stand outside the area of the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands, you naturally would not be affected by it and can attack as you wish!” The Third Elder gritted his teeth as he was assaulted by the pain searing through his body. He attempted to portray a relaxed demeanor.
Fang Zhengzhi wanted to curse at his words.
He had reasons to do so. By casting a Qian Kun Eight Wasteland around him, the Third Elder had sealed off all possibilities of anyone coming into close proximity to him.
He was indeed a veteran…
And he was obviously not giving any chances.
Fang Zhengzhi stood right outside the boundaries of the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands as he stared at the swirling sands. He then cast his glance back at the Third Elder, who was around ten steps away and fell into a deep thought.
“It seems like this guy is out of options!”
“How could he have any other options? However, he should be proud that the Third Elder has to use the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands against him!”
“Yes, he already looks slightly intimidated. I’m afraid he has no idea about the true strength of the Third Elder. Attaining the Saint State with both his Dao is not something a normal Saint State individual can compare to!”
The disciples of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion stared at the unmoving Fang Zhengzhi with a smirk on their faces.
The other candidates standing behind the Third Elder then exchanged glances. They were clearly surprised.
“So the Third Elder has actually attained the Saint State in both Daos?”
“It is no wonder he is an elder of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion. I wonder if this fake Kong Qing senior has any more tricks up his sleeves?”
“If one cannot get close, it might be extremely difficult to hit the Third Elder. After all, there is a huge difference between the Supernatural State and the Saint State!”
The candidates all shook their heads.
Qian Wu also stared at Fang Zhengzhi with a cold gaze as he smirked. He
If not for the fact that he was in the Heavenly Dao Pavilion and needed to conserve his energy for the third stage of the examination, he would have attacked Fang Zhengzhi straight away.
As for Yan Qing, he seemed interested in seeing how the conflict would unfold, especially how Fang Zhengzhi was going to get around the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands of the Third Elder.
“Yan Xiu, although I know that it isn’t him, he looks strangely familiar!” Nangong Mu whispered after staring at Fang Zhengzhi for a long time. He then continued, “I remember seeing the exact same back view when he is fighting against the Vice Domain Chief of the Demon Army, Ying Shan!”
“Hm, I feel that it is similar as well!” Yan Xiu nodded his head lightly.
“A person can change his appearance and presence easily. However, it is difficult to change the way he looks from the back!” Nangong Mu said in confidence.
“But… Heavenly Dao? Rebirth State? This…” A faint crimson light appeared in Yan Xiu’s eyes as he said. At the same time, he subconsciously clenched his fist.
“This is not possible. How could there be such a huge improvement after merely two months?” Nangong Mu shook his head after hearing Yan Xiu’s words.
Yan Xiu stopped speaking as the faint crimson light in his eyes grew brighter, eventually shining like two brilliant ruby crystals.
Quickly, 15 minutes have passed.
Fang Zhengzhi was still staring at the Qian Kun Eight Wasteland while he stood in silence.
The disciples of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion then stared at him mockingly. They had assumed that Fang Zhengzhi was completely out of options.
Even the four Majesties of the different countries also shook their heads.
“This guy is indeed talented. However, he still has not attained the state required to accomplish this feat. I’m afraid he needs more time before he can shine!”
“It is already commendable to force the Third Elder to use this skill. Alas, if he could practice or a few more years, he might become a powerful individual. It is a waste that he is going to lose his life today.”
“There is no helping it. The world has no lack of talents…”
They sighed regretfully after speaking those words. That was because they knew very well that the Heavenly Dao Pavilion would not let Fang Zhengzhi leave the place.
He might not even live.
After all, the Heavenly Dao Pavilion would not ignore the blow the Third Elder received just for a talent with good potential.
The only way Fang Zhengzhi could live was to defeat the Third Elder.
However, how could one get past this difference in power?
Two moves?
It was preposterous to even think about defeating the Third Elder with just two moves at such a distance.
The moment the last two moves were used up, one could imagine just how ferocious the Third Elder would become. On the premise that Fang Zhengzhi had nowhere to escape to, the battle was set in stone.
The mountain breeze blew.
The pristine white scholarly robes on Fang Zhengzhi’s body fluttered amongst the wind.
After another 15 minutes, when everyone already lost hope in Fang Zhengzhi, he slowly opened his eyes.
Following which, he stepped into the vicinity of the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands.
“He walked inside?”
“Is he mad?”
“Is he trying to test out just how strong the Third Elder’s Qian Kun Eight Wastelands is?”
“If that is indeed the case, this guy is really too naïve. Doesn’t he know that the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands is the materialization of when one reached the epitome of Dao?”
All the Heavenly Dao Pavilion disciples widened their eyes at this sight. They had never expected Fang Zhengzhi to walk into the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands directly.
Apart from the disciples of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, the Fifth Elder, the candidates, the four Majesties and Mu Qingfeng also did not expect this.
Even the Third Elder was also startled at this action.
However, a smile quickly appeared on the Third Elder’s face. That was because Fang Zhengzhi had already started sinking into the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands.
Furthermore, he was sinking in extremely fast.
The glowing yellow sand started churning the moment Fang Zhengzhi stepped into the area. They churned violently, quickly turning into a ferocious vortex.
The centrifugal force from the vortex was drawing Fang Zhengzhi in rapidly.
It took only a few blinks of the eye for Fang Zhengzhi’s lower body to be consumed by the churning sand. The yellow sand was now at his waist area.
However, Fang Zhengzhi did not give up.
He seemed to be muttering something rapidly under his breath as he struggled. His hands flailed around as he sunk deeper into the sand, as though trying to push himself out from the churning sand.
Though his efforts seemed to be futile.
As Fang Zhengzhi continued to struggle, he sunk deeper into the sand. It merely took a few seconds before only his head and neck was left above the ground.
“You brat, you cannot blame me for this,” The Third Elder stared at Fang Zhengzhi, who was about to be consumed by the sand as he smirked, “Show your true identity and I might let you die a painless death!”
“How naïve!” Fang Zhengzhi stuck one of his hands out from the sand and pointed a middle finger at the Third Elder as his response to his statement.
“You are a stubborn one!” The Third Elder stared at Fang Zhengzhi’s determined expression and let down his guard. However, the pain from his previous injury made him aware of the situation once again.
It was an indescribable pain.
A pain that Fang Zhengzhi had dealt.
The Third Elder bit his lips and eventually came to a decision. The moment Fang Zhengzhi was completely consumed by the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands, he would be in control of his fate.
“You broke the rules! If not for that, there was no way that I would have lost!” Fang Zhengzhi was clearly upset, though it merely took seconds before he was unable to speak anymore.
He had completely sunk into the sand.
The yellow sand continued to churn in the ferocious vortex, pivoting at the point where Fang Zhengzhi had disappeared.
“Is he dead?”
“I don’t think so, however, I’m certain that the fake Kong Qing senior will not be able to move anymore!”
“Reaching the Saint State in both Daos is truly something!”
The candidates stared at the spot where Fang Zhengzhi disappeared as they discussed how the battle would unfold.
On the other hand, the surrounding Heavenly Dao Pavilion disciples started laughing.
If one was trapped in the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands, even a Saint State individual would not be able to escape, much less a person who was merely of the Rebirth State.
Was he dead?
What difference does it make?
“Yan Xiu, what should we do?” Nangong Mu said in apprehension. He stared at the spot where Fang Zhengzhi disappeared with a worried expression.
“I have to save him!” Yan Xiu’s eyes sparkled with a crimson brilliance as he said.
“If you act now, it will be akin to losing your chance at the Heavenly Dao Pavilion Examination, you might even… what if he isn’t…”
“What do you think the chances are?”
“Only 10 percent, apart from the back view, everything else…”
Swoosh!
Just when Yan Xiu and Nangong Mu was talking, a shadow sprung out from within the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands. It was extremely fast and strategically appeared right behind the Third Elder.
“He escaped from the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands?”
“How could this be?”
“That is the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands, a defensive spell laid out by the Third Elder. How did he do it?”
The Heavenly Pavilion disciples were powerful individuals as well. They naturally noticed the person that sprung out from the churning sands immediately and most of them could not believe their eyes.
It was Fang Zhengzhi.
A face that was exactly the same as Kong Qing as his pristine white scholar robe was now tainted with fine yellow sand. His eyes glimmered with a sapphire brilliance.
“So that is how it is!” The Third Elder seemed only slightly surprised before recollecting himself.
He naturally did not believe that Fang Zhengzhi would allow himself to be consumed by the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands just like that.
He confirmed his suspicions when Fang Zhengzhi tried to display his helplessness. He merely wanted to see what Fang Zhengzhi was planning.
So he made use of the Heaven Dao to force his way through the surging sands of the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands?
That is some tactics!
The Third Elder knew very well that this battle style would bring destruction to both parties.
He allowed himself to first be consumed into the surging sand stream to lower his opponent’s guard. Following which, he made use of the Heaven Dao to maneuver himself within the sand to conduct an ambush attack.
Although Fang Zhengzhi would be trapped within the Qian Kun Eight Wastelands, he could still adeptly use his Heaven Dao to move within that area.
As long as his ambush was successful…
The Qian Kun Eight Wastelands would be dispelled.
It was undeniable that this was a risky plan. However, it was a good one at that. Fang Zhengzhi managed to make full use of the Heaven Da within the Six Daos to accomplish this feat.
However…
Could the same tactics succeed twice?
“Moon From The Seabed!” Fang Zhengzhi’s voice rose behind the Third Elder and shook the entire Heavenly Dao Pavilion and the hearts of the disciples.
“Moon From The Seabed?”
“Is this any different from monkey stealing peaches?”
“This lad is truly shameless. He intends to use the same skill twice? Is he trying to make me feel more pain?”
The Heavenly Dao Pavilion disciples shuddered in fear upon hearing those words.
The Third Elder, on the other hand, seemed to be reminded of a painful past and his face immediately sunk.
“Once more?” The Third Elder had the urge to push Fang Zhengzhi back into the surging sands with one attack, though he managed to contain himself in the end.
Two moves. He merely had to hold his anger in for two more moves before he could attack.
He did not use his hands to defend against this attack like last time. This was because he could not be sure which part of his body was Fang Zhengzhi aiming at this time around.
The Third Elder moved. The moment Fang Zhengzhi charged forward, he also charged forward without hesitation, his trembling legs barely supporting his body.
The Third Elder seemed unaffected by the surging sands at all. He skidded lightly on top of the surging sand as though he was stepping on the flat ground.
At the same time, the Third Elder turned around and shot a playful glance at Fang Zhengzhi before sneering, “Young lad, you have used your fourth move, you have one last one left!”
“You shall not escape!” Fang Zhengzhi’s expression seemed to be frozen in time as well. It seemed as though the Third Elder escaping was something out of his expectation. He probably thought that the Third Elder would retaliate instead.
Following which, another sapphire light lit up.
The next moment…
Fang Zhengzhi once again appeared in front of the Third Elder as the sapphire brilliance surged within his eyes. He seemed extremely anxious.
“Young lad, think carefully! This is your last chance!” The Third Elder stared at Fang Zhengzhi, who was charging at him at breakneck speed, as he said. He continued to retreat as he reminded him of his precarious position.