Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhao Rui and Miao Miaomiao gracefully stepped onto the sparring ring, one after the other.
Once they took their positions, however, the distance between them was quite large—far greater than the typical combat distance for sparring or even official matches.
Zhao Rui was practically backed up against the edge of the ring.
It couldn’t be helped. The girl had positioned herself a little too close to the center line.
"Can you back up a bit!"
Zhao Rui complained.
Miao Miaomiao’s beautiful eyes widened, her expression one of speechlessness. ’Can’t you just step forward yourself?’
But a mont later, she understood. She shot him a look that was half-pout, half-smile, and decided not to make things difficult. With a light step, she moved back.
Zhao Rui took the opportunity to take two steps forward, making the distance between them and the edges of the ring symtrical. The setup no longer looked so awkward.
"Brother Rui, please give your guidance!"
Miao Miaomiao’s use of "Brother Rui" clearly held a teasing tone.
If he wanted to call himself "Brother" so confidently in front of her, he’d better have the skills to back it up.
Once on the ring, words were useless. Zhao Rui cupped his fist in a salute and assud the Prajna Palm stance.
Miao Miaomiao had only displayed her Martial Arts in public once, during a brief clash with Wang Dalong not long after the sester began.
Both were considered prodigies, and they had only intended to pull their punches, but even so, the intensity of their exchange left the crowd in awe.
Zhao Rui hadn’t been there to witness their prowess firsthand, but he was still astounded when he heard others describe it later.
This Miao Miaomiao wasn’t just formidable because of her Charm Skill; her Close Combat Martial Arts were also exceptionally rare and incisive.
Zhao Rui didn’t dare underestimate her in the slightest.
"Prajna Palm? Fine, I’ll use the Prajna Palm against you too!"
Miao Miaomiao let out a sharp cry. She moved in a Lotus Step, her left palm arcing as if to embrace the moon, while her right palm chopped diagonally as if to part water.
It was the second technique of the Prajna Palm: Flower in the Mirror, Moon on the Water.
Miao Miaomiao’s strange Charm Skill was formless and traceless. A single mont of inattention, and one could fall prey to her Charm Technique.
Zhao Rui focused his mind and gathered his Qi, circulating his Inner Strength throughout his body to resist the unsettling influence. He then strode forward, eting her attack with a Vajra’s Furious Gaze.
Their palms t and instantly separated. Imdiately, the afterimages of their palms overlapped like the moon’s reflection on rippling water, layered so densely they beca a blur.
"Such fast Prajna Palms! They’ve reached a level of complete mastery."
The crowd below gasped in admiration, especially the first-years. They had only recently begun learning the art and were rely proficient with the techniques.
They never expected Miao Miaomiao and Zhao Rui to be so masterful already.
After more than twenty exchanges, Zhao Rui spotted an opening. He chopped down with his palm, forcing a montary hesitation in her movents. He imdiately activated his Flying Swallow Soar, intending to disengage.
"You don’t really think my Lightweight Skill is poor, do you?"
A smile played in Miao Miaomiao’s eyes. Her figure suddenly flashed like a bolt of white lightning, and she instantly caught up to Zhao Rui. Raising a fair hand, she reached for his ankle.
Shocked, Zhao Rui abruptly executed a Thousand-Pound Fall. At the sa ti, he twisted and delivered a side kick aid directly at her approaching hand.
Miao Miaomiao, not expecting such a quick reaction, didn’t press her attack. She paused for a fraction of a second, slapped his kick away diagonally, and used the montum to take a step back. Then, she charged up a high kick and t his attack head-on.
With that, the two leaped apart.
The exchange ended in a draw.
But Zhao Rui broke out in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding. The shock of the close call had caused the Inner Strength he was using to suppress her Charm Skill to waver.
He hurriedly composed himself, calming his breathing and quelling the agitation in his heart.
"Impressive! I’m in awe!"
Zhao Rui let out a long breath and said with a smile.
"In such a hurry to admit defeat? That won’t do. I’m not done having fun yet!"
The corners of Miao Miaomiao’s mouth lifted into a slight smile. Her figure suddenly shot forward as she used that sa ghostly Lightweight Skill from before.
She fiercely attacked Zhao Rui.
Zhao Rui didn’t dare to be careless. He focused with one hundred and twenty percent of his concentration, his eyes glued to her form and her attacks.
Fortunately, the Prajna Palm was renowned for its defense. Furthermore, he had gone beyond the curriculum to open several of his acupoints, allowing his Inner Strength to erupt without any lag. One could say his palms moved in perfect sync with his thoughts.
Thanks to this, he was barely able to withstand her ferocious assault.
"Copy Thousand Shadows Enchanting Body Technique?"
"Copy!"
The situation had been too critical just now for him to get distracted. Only now did he learn that the movent technique was called the Thousand Shadows Enchanting Body Technique.
Another ’Enchanting’ skill!
’Is your master a thousand-year-old fox spirit?’ Zhao Rui couldn’t help but quip to himself.
"Again!"
Miao Miaomiao gave him no chance to breathe, her assault continuing with undiminished ferocity.
Zhao Rui quickly pushed aside his wandering thoughts and focused on defending.
"I didn’t expect Zhao Rui to last this long. Last ti he fought Luo Min, they seed about even. I thought for sure he’d be no match for Miao Miaomiao."
"Yeah, it’s surprising he’s held on for so long, and it’s a real back-and-forth. I’d say among us first-years, Zhao Rui’s strength should rank in the top four."
"I doubt it. A few others are about to break through to Level 8. Once they do, Zhao Rui won’t stand a chance."
"That’s true. But for an Outer Court Student to get this far is already incredible. I just wonder if he’ll be able to keep up in the future."
As the crowd whispered amongst themselves, the situation on the ring changed in an instant.
Under Miao Miaomiao’s relentless assault, Zhao Rui was worn down. She finally found an opening and sent him flying with a single palm strike.
Zhao Rui kipped up to his feet and clutched his chest, a wry smile on his face.
With his level of Power, he shouldn’t have been defeated so quickly. But he was at a disadvantage, having to split his focus to suppress her Charm Skill. As a result, he could only use seventy percent of his full strength.
It was only because he could sense Innate True Qi that he was able to constantly gauge the strength of her Charm Skill and avoid being completely overwheld by it.
If it had been anyone else a Level below him, forget about fighting—they probably wouldn’t have even been able to get close!
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