Zhang Yang slid out, scraping along the ground, his body caught again by the lightning, though this time it only tore his clothes instead of grazing his skin. If that lightning had any real power, he would have been in terrible shape; he probably couldn't even handle one blast on his own.

Watching Zhang Yang skim the ground, Long Feng’s Snow Whip lashed out once more. He was secretly delighted; having the lightning occupy Zhang Yang was perfect, allowing him to strike from the periphery.

This not only forced Zhang Yang onto the defensive, effectively supporting the lightning, but also minimized his own danger. Chasing down and relentlessly pressuring a master of the third layer of Inner Strength felt incredibly satisfying.

Long Feng was jubilant, yet at the same time, he felt intensely frustrated. The speed of the lightning was simply too fast; even with his Inner Strength advanced to the third level, he struggled to keep up.

Now, with toxins saturating the air, he could only keep his distance. Of the three, Zhang Yang was the most vexed by this match.

“Screeech!” The lightning, energized by the engagement, chased Zhang Yang relentlessly. It lacked sheer power, but its speed meant that a few more hits or forcing Zhang Yang into its toxic mist would secure the victory.

Being able to torment Zhang Yang now filled the lightning with a rush of excitement. “Smack!” A crisp crack echoed as the whip struck; Zhang Yang had retreated to the side, only to be driven back by the blow.

He had long since discarded his weapon. Though Long Feng was weaker in terms of pure Inner Strength, Zhang Yang dared not meet the Snow Whip head-on—not because he couldn't block it, but because doing so would leave him exposed to the lightning's attacks.

The poisonous mist grew thicker, and Zhang Yang, entangled by the lightning, found himself unable to separate from the threat. The match seemed destined for defeat under these circumstances.

This situation, this beginning, was something Zhang Yang had absolutely not anticipated. “Rise!” Driven to desperation, Zhang Yang abruptly rolled his body, sweeping up a small tree trunk nearby in the motion.

This sapling was as thick as a human thigh. With a shout, Zhang Yang ripped it clean out of the ground, wielding the entire tree as a weapon to meet the arc of Long Feng’s incoming soft whip.

The small tree snapped in two with a violent crack, sending splinters flying. The attacking lightning was forced to evade momentarily.

Zhang Yang hadn't poured his Inner Strength into the wood; naturally, the tree couldn't withstand Long Feng’s full-force blow. Furthermore, controlling the Inner Strength flow through such a long object was too draining.

With half the tree remaining, Zhang Yang found it even easier to wield than before. He swung the remaining trunk, then casually snatched a few broken branches from the debris and hurled them out as hidden projectiles.

In the darkness, Zhang Yang’s hand was swift; Long Feng didn't have time to dodge and could only hold the Snow Whip defensively before him to parry Zhang Yang’s sudden barrage of hidden attacks. The branches struck the Snow Whip, forcing Long Feng to stagger back several steps, nearly tumbling to the ground.

Zhang Yang was at the third layer of Inner Strength; Long Feng was only at the second. The gap was immense.

Zhang Yang could now force Long Feng onto the defensive purely through superior strength. This realization made Long Feng miserable.

When they had been together before, the gap hadn't been so vast. How had Zhang Yang suddenly become so powerful?

If only Long Feng knew about the 'Sacred Hand System,' Zhang Yang’s cheat device that could directly boost his Inner Strength. Completing his recent mission had added significant capability points, which increased his power faster than consuming spiritual elixirs.

Repelling Long Feng and denying him the chance to press his attack relieved some of Zhang Yang’s pressure. The branches still in his hand began to fly toward the lightning continuously.

Even without using his full power, striking the creature would certainly cause it discomfort. “Swish, swish, swish!” Within the abandoned factory, the sound of splintering wood slicing through the air was constant.

When the branches ran out, Zhang Yang smashed the remaining tree trunk with one hand and hurled the resulting splinters outward. This forced the lightning to rely solely on its agile body to evade.

By using the small tree he was demolishing, Zhang Yang finally managed to temporarily escape immediate danger and retreated quickly to the side. This area was too perilous, with the lightning’s poisonous mist still lingering.

Seeing Zhang Yang flee, the lightning hissed and chased after him. Unfortunately, its movements were far less fluid than before; it had to constantly dodge the projectiles Zhang Yang was flinging.

At this moment, it could only curse Zhang Yang internally for his despicable tactics. “Smack!” Long Feng finally regained his footing and managed to rejoin the fray to aid the lightning.

He didn't want to give up the advantageous position they had held moments ago. Defeating Zhang Yang, even with the lightning’s help, would be thrilling, especially since Zhang Yang was now a master of the third layer of Inner Strength.

“Thud!” With a dull impact, Zhang Yang reached out and snatched Long Feng’s Snow Whip directly out of his grasp. The impact jolted Zhang Yang’s arm until it felt numb.

Although a third-layer master’s entire body was a weapon, no one was foolish enough to meet an opponent’s weapon with their bare hands; Zhang Yang had no other choice. Compared to the lightning, Long Feng was clearly weaker.

Zhang Yang needed to neutralize Long Feng first before he could dedicate his full focus to the lightning. The moment the Snow Whip was caught, Long Feng sensed trouble.

A sudden, immense force pulled him forward, compelling him to release his weapon. Long Feng’s Snow Whip was now in Zhang Yang’s hands.

Zhang Yang immediately wrapped the whip around his body. He didn't know any whip techniques, and the Snow Whip wasn't his natural weapon; using something unsuited to him was worse than not using it at all.

Stripped of his weapon, Long Feng reluctantly resorted to close-quarters combat. Upon closing the distance, he immediately recognized the colossal gulf between them and Zhang Yang.

At such close range, he couldn't even track Zhang Yang’s movements. Under these circumstances, how could he possibly contend?

If not for the lightning’s intervention, he would have been finished within a few exchanges. “Screeech!” The lightning was not having as easy a time as before either.

Long Feng offered little substantial help, and Zhang Yang continued to assail it with projectiles, forcing it into rapid evasions. “Bang!” Long Feng was finally struck by a punch from Zhang Yang, staggering back seven or eight steps before collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thump.

When he tried to rise, he found he couldn't draw forth his Inner Strength. He understood: Zhang Yang had used his own Inner Strength to seal his.

Sealing one’s Inner Strength with another’s was only possible when the disparity in power was significant, and even then, it was temporary. Otherwise, Zhang Yang wouldn’t have needed silver needles to seal his strength previously.

The effect wouldn't last long, but several minutes were enough to render him almost as helpless as a commoner, unable to provide any further support to the lightning. “Screeech!” Deprived of Long Feng’s support, the lightning grew more agitated.

The dynamic reversed: it was no longer chasing Zhang Yang, but Zhang Yang was relentlessly attacking it. The lightning began spewing its toxic mist again, but it couldn't contain Zhang Yang, and the mist served no purpose as Zhang Yang would not be foolish enough to enter its range.

“Plop!” Zhang Yang smashed a stone on the ground, scooped up a handful of gravel, and flung it outward in a gesture resembling the scattering of heavenly blossoms. The lightning was extremely agile, making it impossible for single projectiles to hit.

If that was the case, he would use a shotgun-like, wide-area assault. This reduced the individual power but vastly increased the area of effect.

Even with reduced force, a single hit from the gravel would not feel pleasant to the lightning. As expected, the lightning became more flustered, its cries growing more frantic.

Although it managed to dodge Zhang Yang’s scattershot of stones, the evasion was agonizing, bordering on rolling and scrambling. Zhang Yang’s maneuver immediately negated much of its advantage in agility.

This filled the lightning with anger and anxiety, causing it to screech incessantly. Having dealt with Long Feng and found a way to counter the lightning, Zhang—Book website The initial attack targeted the lightning’s current location, while the other blocked any potential escape route for the creature.

“Screeech!” The lightning suddenly cried out in pain. This time, it failed to dodge Zhang Yang’s scattershot and was struck by a stone.

The force was small, but the sting was sharp, causing the lightning to freeze momentarily. Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Yang lunged forward, gripping the lightning’s body.

The creature let out a final, disgruntled shriek, but its body remained surprisingly still, no longer struggling. They had lost.

The combined strength of the lightning and Long Feng could not overcome Zhang Yang. However, they felt the defeat was unfair, especially the lightning.

Its strengths had been constantly neutralized against Zhang Yang, keeping it constrained. Otherwise, the outcome of this match could easily have been different.

At the very least, the lightning had had opportunities to bite Zhang Yang earlier, and a successful bite, without Wu Ying’s timely intervention, would have spelled doom for Zhang Yang, no matter how powerful he was. “For this time, let’s call it a draw!” Zhang Yang smiled faintly, releasing the lightning.

He understood the true nature of the fight and sensed the creature's feelings as well. As soon as Zhang Yang declared a draw, the lightning ceased its noise, apparently satisfied with the result.

“A draw!” Long Feng managed a bitter smile, his face etched with deep frustration. Even if it was a draw, it was between Zhang Yang and the lightning; he had only managed to land a few sneak attacks before being quickly neutralized when he joined the fray.

He finally realized that whether against Zhang Yang or the lightning, he was significantly inferior, incapable of comparing to those two monstrous beings. “Chirp chirp chirp!” Wu Ying arrived before Long Feng at some unknown moment, seemingly trying to comfort him.

This only deepened Long Feng’s sense of helplessness. Yet, he was not discouraged.

Zhang Yang growing stronger had only ignited the fighting spirit within him. He resolved to immediately take the Essence Blood Pill upon returning; the effects of the Ginseng Pill he had taken last time were nearly fully absorbed.

He needed to catch up, to strive relentlessly. Zhang Yang hadn't been stingy with spiritual medicines, so if he still couldn't close the gap, it could only mean he hadn't worked hard enough.

“Little fellow, dispel the toxic mist, and then we’ll head back!” Zhang Yang sat down nearby to rest, not forgetting to instruct the lightning to dilute and clear the poisonous haze in the air, lest any latecomers stumble into disaster. The toxin was potent, but it couldn't sustain itself indefinitely.

In a short while, it vanished without a trace, leaving no lingering effects. In this match, Zhang Yang had exerted his full concentration, achieving victory only with external assistance.

He hadn't expected the lightning to become so formidable; it could be said that it was absolutely on par with him now. The more powerful the lightning became, the happier he was.

The lightning was his most capable assistant, and with their combined strength now, facing the Five-Crowned Golden Python would certainly not be as difficult as the last encounter. Working together, they could swiftly slay such high-level spirit beasts; Zhang Yang had full confidence in this.

…………