“Keep your silly antics to yourself!” Long Xin smacked Dong Guan on the head, irritated. “Can’t you see the situation we’re in?”

“Open the betting!” Fang Rou and Baldy, however, looked visibly embarrassed. They clearly recalled how these guys started setting up wagers right before a fight when they robbed the You Long Gang previously. They hadn’t expected Dong Guan’s old habit to resurface this time.

“Ouch! That hurt!” Dong Guan rubbed his head. “Hehe! It’s just a reflexive action. Whenever I see people about to duel, I get excited, and excitement naturally makes me think of setting up bets.”

“……” Everyone around stared at Dong Guan as if he were some kind of monster.

“I heard that kid is allied with the one called Xing Chen,” someone whispered.

“No wonder,” a certain warrior agreed thoughtfully. “I heard their guild is called the You Long Gang! They only have six members.”

“Even with only six members,” a mage stated with a grave expression, “I heard from the brothers in the Tian Zhu Gang that every single one of them is an unfathomably powerful master.”

“Really?” A certain Daoist was greatly surprised. “How high their mastery is?”

“I don’t know the specifics,” the mage replied, looking confidently toward Xing Chen in the distance. “But just looking at that monster, it’s easy enough to imagine what kind of people they all are.”

“I heard he’s only the Vice Guild Master of the You Long Gang,” the warrior added.

“Such a formidable person is only the Vice Guild Master?” The Daoist looked toward Long Xin in shock. “Then their Guild Master must be even more terrifying.”

“Isn’t that obvious?” The mage asserted. “If he weren’t powerful, how could he keep that monster Xing Chen in line?”

“That makes sense,” the warrior analyzed with misplaced confidence. “I also heard their You Long Gang has one Guild Master, three Vice Guild Masters, and only two regular members. From this, it seems they assign ranks based on sheer strength.”

“Hmm, that’s plausible,” the Daoist glanced meaningfully at Dong Guan. “It seems the You Long Gang follows a doctrine of elite troops; no one without real ability can even get in.”

“Exactly,” the mage continued. “Even if someone is just a grunt, who knows what strange skills they might possess.”

“I think that kid specializes in gambling arts,” the warrior asserted with conviction.

“No doubt about it,” the Daoist agreed profoundly. “It seems his gambling skills are also monster-level. We absolutely cannot gamble with him.”

The surroundings were filled with murmurs, yet Long Xin and the others maintained their composure, their thick skins making them appear unruffled, which only added to their air of inscrutability.

“Hehe! Truly a master,” despite failing to secure a bet, Dong Guan puffed out his chest and adopted the posture of a lofty figure.

That demeanor made even those somewhat familiar with them, like Bai Ling and Baldy, uncertain. Perhaps the rumors were true; who could definitively say these unremarkable youths hiding among them possessed some strange hidden quality! Xing Chen alone had shocked them immensely. What more astounding abilities might Long Xin, Xing Chen’s leader, possess?

For a moment, the entire You Long Gang was shrouded in a mysterious aura!

Though Long Xin and his group maintained calm facades, they were inwardly quite surprised.

“Hehe! We’re famous now!” Dong Guan remarked.

“Indeed,” Long Qi retorted without warmth. “And famously so.”

“Which means bigger trouble later,” Jin Hong noted.

“We’ll take things one step at a time,” Long Xin decided.

“Trouble,” Long Zhan chuckled wryly. “If we ever manage to leave this place, I guarantee Xing Chen will be even more famous than before.”

On the field!

Feng Qing Tian stood two hundred meters away, while I remained positioned within the Thunder Formation! To simulate the actual battle against the Yellow Springs Cult Leader as closely as possible, the number of people in the Thunder Formation had been reduced to eighteen, and the magic output dialed down to the minimum. Yet, even so, the surrounding magical fluctuations were astonishing, an inexhaustible supply for me to draw upon.

Furthermore, thanks to the Thunder Formation, my Fireball spell could exceed its normal three-hundred-meter range limit and achieve precise strikes. Recall that Feng Qing Tian’s maximum attack range with the Giant Blazing Half-Moon and Xia Chao’s Blazing Soul Pursuit was only one hundred and twenty meters. Both of those ultimate skills were merely modified versions of the Half-Moon Blade and Assassination Sword techniques, drawing power from the potent lightning energy within the Thunder Formation.

Under normal circumstances, a regular warrior’s Half-Moon Sword Qi and Assassination Sword Qi maxed out at about twenty meters. But relying on the immense energy provided by the Thunder Field, these mutated sword auras, derived from the Assassination Sword technique and Half-Moon Blade, reached an exaggerated one hundred and twenty meters—an increase of over six times.

This demonstrated what a monstrous entity the Thunder Formation was. Now, utilizing its powerful energy field, I could extend my attack range to three hundred meters. Based on the previous battle, we understood that the Yellow Springs Cult Leader’s strongest attacks were close-quarters, and the terrifying Half-Moon Sweep he unleashed at the end was executed while engaged in melee combat.

Therefore, this three-hundred-meter range was crucial in the strategy against the Yellow Springs Cult Leader. Within this zone, preventing the Cult Leader from closing the distance while launching effective attacks became the focus of the training.

“Remember, you absolutely cannot let him get close,” Han Yun Zhen stated seriously. “The Thunder Formation’s sole weakness is its inability to move easily. Once he closes in, it’s a death sentence. Understand?”

“Yes!” I nodded slightly. “We can begin.”

.....................................

Hah! At three hundred meters, Feng Qing Tian’s silhouette seemed extraordinarily small, but now, he let out a fierce roar, his body closing the distance toward me with astonishing speed!

Fireball! A basketball-sized fireball shot toward Feng Qing Tian at incredible speed, but he easily evaded it! His evasive movements were bizarre and constant, rapidly closing the gap; my fireballs could not touch him no matter what. In the blink of an eye, he rushed within a hundred meters. Then, countless chunks of basketball-sized stones were slammed toward me by his Judgement staff, much like the Yellow Springs Cult Leader once treated stones like golf balls.

Though not large in volume, their speed was equally terrifying!

“Roar! Half-Moon Guardian!” The Feng family warrior acting as defensive support swept out a half-moon arc. Though it was nowhere near the level of the previous Giant Blazing Half-Moon, under his deliberate control, the width and height of the half-moon were identical to the prior ultimate skill, save that this sword aura was pure white.

Boom! The rain of stones was swept away by the half-moon sword aura. But Feng Qing Tian’s figure had already breached the battle perimeter! He leaped into the air!

Fireball! Another basketball-sized fireball flew out but was dodged by Feng Qing Tian’s phantom-like movement!

Clang! The Judgement staff slamming down was met and blocked by the shield of the supporting Feng family warrior! Following that, the warrior even boosted Feng Qing Tian upward! This sequence mirrored the defensive and offensive coordination they displayed that day.

Without hesitation, I raised my hand and launched another Fireball, which Feng Qing Tian again evaded with an agile aerial sidestep! His ghost-like figure landed softly, only to meet another massive half-moon arc!

Hah! Good for Feng Qing Tian! With just a sidestep, his phantom form instantly traversed fifteen meters, closing the distance in an instant!

“Fireball!” A basketball-sized fireball slammed out again, but he still easily avoided it. His Judgement staff flashed like lightning, aiming straight for my head.

Clang! This time, it was blocked by the shield again!

“Stop!” Feng Qing Tian commanded.

.........................

In the arena, I felt utterly dejected. I had thrown at least a dozen fireballs, yet not a single one had struck Feng Qing Tian’s body.

“If that were the Yellow Springs Cult Leader just now, we would already be scattered ashes,” Feng Qing Tian stated sharply.

“............” I was slightly taken aback, looking at the stern Feng Qing Tian, unsure of what to say.

“You can’t blame him for that,” Han Yun Zhen interjected. “Xing Chen isn’t a professional mage, and being unable to move makes it naturally difficult to adapt to the Alliance Leader’s speed.”

“True,” Xia Ya added. “Achieving this much is already remarkable.”

“I know,” Feng Qing Tian conceded. “I wasn’t trying to blame Xing Chen.” Feng Qing Tian then looked at me. “Your aim is good, and your chosen angles are tricky, but it’s not enough. The precision is still far too low. Furthermore, the attack frequency is too slow. If you just launch Fireballs one by one, you’ll never hit me.”

“Precision lacking, attack frequency too slow!” Han Yun Zhen frowned, troubled. “But how can we improve it?”

“Right,” I mumbled helplessly. “I can’t move, and every time I swing my hand for a Fireball, it feels awkward.” I fiddled with the Ancient Jade Scepter in my hand. “This scepter just feels wrong.”

“I think I know what the problem is,” Xia Ya realized suddenly. “Xing Chen used to fight with a sword; no wonder he’s not used to this Ancient Jade.”

“Is that so?” Feng Qing Tian mused. “That is a problem. If a warrior used a sword, the magic condensation speed would slow down significantly.”

“It seems I have to lend you this treasure,” Han Yun Zhen said, pulling out a slender, long sword, silver-white throughout, with an ancient design, from her pack.

“Ah! It’s the Blood Drinker.” I gasped in surprise. Yes, the slender long sword before me was the Blood Drinker I had seen in Legend.

“Hehe, I see you have some knowledge,” Han Yun Zhen chuckled. “I spent a fortune buying this in the Auction House. Don’t break it!”

“I didn’t realize you were hiding such a treasure,” Xia Ya laughed.

“The Blood Drinker has a function that increases accuracy, and its style is that of a longsword,” Feng Qing Tian pointed out. “It should feel more natural now, shouldn’t it?”

I took the Blood Drinker and swung it a few times lightly. It felt a bit light, but it was infinitely better than that damned Ancient Jade.

“Not bad, it feels smooth,” I exclaimed happily.

“Remember, you are a warrior,” Feng Qing Tian instructed. “Just treat the Fireball spell as you would the Assassination Sword Qi.”

“It can be used like that?” I was slightly shocked.

“Of course,” Han Yun Zhen confirmed. “Your Flame Ring is engraved with miniature Fireball runes. You can activate it just by channeling your Battle Qi, so there’s no need for incantations. This is no different from the Assassination Sword Qi.”

“No problem,” I said, suddenly energized, looking at Feng Qing Tian with a murderous glint in my eyes.

“Kid, don’t think you can turn the tables just because you swapped swords,” Feng Qing Tian warned testily.

“Hehe, that’s not up to you,” I said confidently. “If I can use the Fireball spell like the Assassination Sword Qi, then you will be in trouble.”

“Interesting. Let me see what you’re truly capable of,” Feng Qing Tian stopped wasting words and immediately ran back three hundred meters.

I, meanwhile, began attempting to channel the Fireball spell using the movement patterns of the Assassination Sword Qi.

Swish, swish, swish! I swept out three strikes in quick succession!

Whoosh! Three golden fireballs roared forth. Their speed was at least three times faster than the previous Fireballs.

“Ah! Such speed!” Xia Ya was stunned.

“It’s exactly like Blazing Soul Pursuit!” Han Yun Zhen gasped in horror.

Although I couldn't clearly see Feng Qing Tian’s expression from afar, I figured he wasn't looking so relaxed anymore.

“Begin!” Feng Qing Tian roared and immediately charged forward!

“Come on then,” I instantly channeled my Battle Qi. The Blood Drinker was enveloped in a stream of light, instantly transforming into a seven-colored light sword nearly three meters long.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Four fireballs followed almost simultaneously, piercing the air at incredible speed, aiming directly for Feng Qing Tian’s chest.

“Ah!” Apparently unprepared for the speed and ferocity of my Fireball spell, Feng Qing Tian rapidly shifted his stance to move sideways. But my next wave of fireballs was already launching. Now, as long as I kept channeling my Battle Qi, the Flame Ring would remain active. Thus, every sword swing swept out a fireball, and because I was using the drawing technique of the Assassination Sword Qi, the shape of my Fireballs was slightly distorted, turning into slightly deformed V-shaped golden-yellow orbs.

“What kind of Fireball is that?” Han Yun Zhen looked utterly terrified. “It’s practically Assassination Sword Qi.”

“The nerve of this guy, using the technique for Assassination Sword Qi to cast Fireball,” Xia Ya was dumbfounded. “How did he even think of that?”

I, however, felt a surge of exhilaration. Damn, I didn’t think this would work! This is exactly like Blade-by-Blade Assassination from Legend, except it’s a monstrous version with amplified power and extended range.

Countless spheres of light howled through the air. At this moment, I was like a heavy machine gun, the dense fireballs virtually chasing Feng Qing Tian’s erratic movements. Wherever he went, he was followed by a string of booming explosions.

Even so, my fireballs couldn't land a hit; he evaded them effortlessly in the split second before impact.

“Brother Xia, increase the output power a bit. I want to launch a few extra-large fireballs,” I ground out through clenched teeth. “I remember with the one-hundred-and-eighty-man Thunder Formation, the Fireball was a full five cubic meters.”

“What? You actually dare to mess around like that!” Xia Ya exclaimed, utterly shocked!

“I just wonder if the Alliance Leader can withstand it,” Han Yun Zhen sounded somewhat excited.

“With our current magical energy, if we boost the Formation’s power another notch, the resulting Fireballs could double in size again. If it’s only one or two of these, it shouldn't kill him,” Xia Ya assessed. “But minor injuries are unavoidable.” Xia Ya looked at the golden figure still darting around in the distance, a slight, mischievous smile spreading across his face. “It wouldn’t hurt to give the guy some pain. Xing Chen, when the magic power increases, hit him with two super-large fireballs. Remember, only two! No more than that!”

“Got it!”

Three hundred meters away!

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!

The sky rained fireballs, raining down like a deluge.

“Damn it, brat, is this how you cast Fireball spells?” Feng Qing Tian roared in exasperation. Unfortunately, the people on the other end couldn't hear him from such a distance. Helpless, Feng Qing Tian could only propel his body to weave frantically, but the fireballs seemed to have eyes; each one was more accurate and faster than the last. Despite pushing his movement techniques to the limit, he was constantly pursued by continuous explosions right behind him.

At this point, not only was approaching the Thunder Formation difficult, but even dodging was extremely challenging. If these fireballs got any bigger, the consequences would be dire. He recalled the super-large Fireball Xing Chen had launched at the climax of the one-hundred-and-eighty-man Thunder Formation.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Two more sharp whistling sounds ripped through the air!

Ah! Looking up! Feng Qing Tian’s face turned pale with fright! It was a fireball nearly the size of a man, flashing toward him with astonishing speed.

It’s over!

“Gale Force!” Feng Qing Tian shouted wildly, channeling his protective Battle Qi to its maximum, instantly boosting his speed as he veered sharply to the right to evade.

Boom! With a resounding crash, the super-large fireball blasted a deep crater in the ground.

“Phew! What a close call!” Before Feng Qing Tian could celebrate,

Whoosh! Another super-large fireball flashed toward him lightning-fast!

“Damn it!” Feng Qing Tian was airborne and had nowhere to push off from! He could only swing his staff, unleashing a half-moon arc in a desperate attempt to block the massive fireball.

Whoosh! Bang!

The silver-white half-moon sword aura was instantly consumed by the fiery-red super-large fireball! This was followed by a deafening impact and a wave of terrifying shockwave and scorching heat that sent him flying backward.

Brat, daring to play dirty tricks! That was the last coherent thought in Feng Qing Tian’s mind as he was sent spinning.

Outside the field!

Everyone watching clearly saw that the super-large fireball struck Feng Qing Tian with missile-like accuracy. Then they saw him blasted backward, landing hard on his back with his feet sticking up in the air, remaining motionless for a long time.

“Yes! He hit him!” The crowd gathered nearby erupted in earth-shattering cheers!

“Success,” Dong Guan exclaimed excitedly.

“That’s excellent. This proves Xing Chen’s super fireball can be utilized in actual combat,” Long Xin said, thrilled.

“No doubt about it. This time, the Yellow Springs Cult Leader is definitely dead, hahaha,” Long Zhan cheered.

“Ah! Is Brother Feng okay?” Xia Na looked worriedly. “He was hit by such a huge fireball.”

“Don’t worry,” Bai Ling reassured her. “Brother Xia knows his limits. At worst, he’s just suffered internal injuries or something.”

“I think the Young Master was doing it on purpose,” Baldy said with a strange expression, looking at Xia Ya inside the formation. “Hehe, this is going to be fun. Let’s go take a look.”

Inside the formation!

“I hit him.” I was both surprised and delighted. “Hopefully, I didn't blast him to death.”

“Relax, that guy’s skin is thick; he won’t die,” Xia Ya assured me. “But those last two shots were incredible—truly miraculous.”

“Of course. I calculated the angle, speed, and all the comprehensive factors before choosing that attack vector,” I said smugly.

“Good, good,” Han Yun Zhen said excitedly. “I didn’t realize you were so skilled; you truly are a genius.”

“Poor Young Master,” a Feng family warrior, however, looked heartbroken and rushed toward the impact site.

“Let’s go see,” Han Yun Zhen chirped happily. “I never thought the Alliance Leader would be caught off guard. Hahaha.”

“I never liked his smug look; finally, we got one over on him,” Xia Ya said with satisfaction.

Looking at the excited expressions of Xia Ya and Han Yun Zhen, I suddenly felt like I had been used.

We soon reached the spot where Feng Qing Tian had fallen!

“You! You bunch dared to ambush me!” Feng Qing Tian, though covered in dust and grime, seemed otherwise unharmed. At least there were no obvious signs of serious injury; at most, a few broken bones, some vomiting blood, and some burns. However, his appearance was certainly battered; his hair and eyebrows were scorched, and now he looked utterly enraged.

“Hehe!” Xia Ya responded with undisguised schadenfreude. “If that were the Yellow Springs Cult Leader, he’d be a corpse right now.”

“You!” Feng Qing Tian was so angry he nearly spat blood!