Chapter 767 Reality and Illusion

Ning Zhuo couldn't help but feel a surge of surprise.

"I'm actually lucky to have found a bronze shield."

He was well aware of the information about the Xuanjia Cave's trial of Xingyun, and knew that the Xuanbing Armor was almost always in the form of various weapons and armors, so this kind of shield was truly rare.

Of course, there are even rarer weapons than shields. For example, some large weapons, such as ballistae and battering rams.

Ning Zhuo then looked around and found that the battle environment had also changed.

The previous three battles were all fought in a spherical area with ample space to maneuver.

But now, the grand formation of Xuanjia Cave has solidified into an alley, greatly reducing the room for maneuver. And the bronze shield in front of Ning Zhuo directly occupies most of the passage.

“Starting from the fourth match, each battle will have a specific environment.”

The alley was as deep as a throat, with moss crawling all over the slippery brick walls on both sides, and at the end it disappeared into a thick, impenetrable darkness.

The bronze shield transforms stillness into movement.

It launched the first attack, not with a clumsy collision, but by skimming along the ground and sweeping straight at Ning Zhuo's lower body.

"Such speed." Ning Zhuo's pupils contracted slightly.

The bronze shield moved so fast that it left a bronze afterimage in Ning Zhuo's eyes.

Ning Zhuo hastily retreated.

The walls on both sides seemed to press in as he retreated, putting even more pressure on Ning Zhuo.

They can't create any distance!

But Ning Zhuo knew from the very beginning of his retreat that he simply needed to buy time and get into position.

Left knife, right sword.

Ning Zhuo gave a low shout, and his left saber and right sword slashed out almost simultaneously. The saber slashed down fiercely, striking the shield. The sword was fast, leaving a blur as it pierced the edge of the shield.

The next moment, a piercing metallic clang rang out.

The shield's forward momentum was momentarily halted by the force of the blade, but although the sword tip pierced through, it failed to advance an inch.

A recoil force struck, and Ning Zhuo strained his right arm. His wrist, forearm, elbow, hamstring, and shoulder immediately adapted to the situation, digesting and absorbing the recoil force.

Ning Zhuo continued to retreat, while simultaneously slashing fiercely with his left sword. After retracting his right sword, he regrouped.

Clang clang clang...

Several thrusts sent sparks flying.

With continuous slashes and thrusts, the shield's attack was gradually neutralized.

clang!

With swords and blades combined, they clashed fiercely and finally managed to drive the shield back.

Ning Zhuo jumped back a step, looked down at his sword and saber, and looked rather grim.

The bronze sword was severely worn, with even fine cracks appearing on its blade. The edge of the bronze knife was somewhat curled.

"Bronze swords were used the most."

"The bronze sword, however, is countered when it strikes the shield."

Weapons and weapons naturally have a relationship of mutual restraint due to their different construction and structure.

But Ning Zhuo knew that the main reason lay in the wear and tear.

"Conventional weapons will wear out with frequent use. Xuanbing armor is no exception, and may even be more so."

The Xuanbing Armor can change shape, and its material is quite unique. However, this deformation also means that it is not securely fixed.

Therefore, the Xuanbing Armor is not durable.

"In the previous few times, I practiced and learned a lot, and I used swords much more than others."

"The swords and knives can no longer be used; they need to be repaired!"

Ning Zhuo threw the swords behind him, letting them float and follow him, while he stretched out his arms and slightly spread his ten fingers.

The bronze gauntlets transformed into two streams of molten bronze, which were poured directly into Ning Zhuo's hands and then quickly solidified, becoming a pair of bronze gauntlets.

Ning Zhuo brandished his gauntlets, taking the initiative to attack the shield.

The shield was powerful and heavy, but Ning Zhuo was more than twice as agile as before.

Compared to swords and knives, fists are naturally more flexible and free. After all, humans are born with two hands, and we use our hands the most in daily life.

Among the demonic cultivation experiences Ning Zhuo acquired, hand-to-hand combat skills were the most numerous.

Ning Zhuo threw a series of punches, his bronze fists flashing and blurring as he relentlessly attacked the shield. He moved with agility, using the walls on either side to his advantage, flipping and maneuvering.

He easily gained the upper hand.

Things are different now!

Ning Zhuo's memories were activated, and his close-combat skills improved by leaps and bounds. Gauntlets were also a type of weapon that could be used almost immediately, which made him even more powerful.

Even if memory and physical body don't match, the boxing gloves themselves have basic moves that constantly calibrate Ning Zhuo's movements.

"In just a short time, my martial arts skills have increased at least threefold compared to before the preliminary test!"

Ning Zhuo was overjoyed; as the person directly involved, he felt it most deeply.

Previously, his close combat skills were only considered to have a solid foundation, and were no longer a significant weakness. However, with Ning Zhuo's great leaps in Five Elements magic and mechanical arts, close combat has once again become a shortcoming, which is an indisputable fact.

But now, his close-combat abilities are also making a huge leap forward!

The shield was slammed to the ground by Ning Zhuo's fists.

Using the force of the recoil, the shield floated up and suddenly tilted upwards, defying common sense as it dodged Ning Zhuo's fist and arrived above the alley.

"Not good." Ning Zhuo looked up and saw the heavy shield, like the raised front hoof of a giant beast, coming down on him!

Ning Zhuo quickly retreated and dodged.

The shield changed its trajectory in mid-air, making full use of the narrow terrain of the alley, forcing Ning Zhuo step by step to the wall, leaving him with no way to escape!

Ning Zhuo could only grit his teeth, turn his fist into a palm, and withstand the shield attack head-on.

clang!

His arms sank as if he were trying to support a toppling hill.

An overwhelming force surged through him, causing Ning Zhuo's knees to buckle and forcing him to kneel on one knee.

The knee struck the floor tile violently, shattering the tile and sinking slightly into the hole.

Ning Zhuo's vision went black for a moment, and he felt a metallic taste in his throat.

The next moment, Ning Zhuo let out a low shout, mustered all his strength, and rebounded from kneeling on one knee. His whole body seemed to be compressed to the extreme, and then suddenly exploded.

He pushed the bronze shield aside by an inch!

With space available, Ning Zhuo quickly dodged and then turned around to counterattack.

The bronze shield, however, was different from before; it had become more flexible, clearly "adapting" to Ning Zhuo's change from swords to gauntlets, and had become a countermeasure.

Ning Zhuo was not surprised. He had already achieved such martial arts prowess with the gauntlets, so naturally he would have achieved the same with the bronze shield, which was even stronger than the gauntlets.

"Compared to boxing gloves, shields offer greater environmental flexibility!"

Ning Zhuo had already keenly sensed the shield's superior strength.

Fighting with gauntlets here, without knowing how to utilize the alleyways, would actually put Ning Zhuo at a disadvantage. But the shield sometimes pressed against the wall, sometimes used its body to squeeze Ning Zhuo's space, and sometimes used its edge to collide with each other between the walls, once again putting Ning Zhuo at a disadvantage.

Ning Zhuo could only barely defend himself and was injured one after another.

His face was full of excitement, and he was overjoyed: "I've learned something! I've learned something!"

Previously, the pressure wasn't enough, and the boxing gloves matched his physical body. However, Ning Zhuo himself was facing countless choices from his memories, putting him in a state of internal conflict.

But now, the bronze shield is putting immense pressure on Ning Zhuo, leaving him no time to think. He can only rely on his instincts and follow his heart, subconsciously choosing the move that best suits his personality.

Performing these moves was akin to practicing. The arduous and rigorous practice naturally benefited Ning Zhuo immensely.

He felt himself gradually becoming one with the boxing gloves, and he became more and more proficient in various moves, even able to perform some of them effortlessly.

This sense of effortless mastery is something you can't feel when using swords. After all, fists and feet are closer to instinct than swords.

The bronze shield suddenly accelerated, cutting through the wind as it hurtled straight towards Ning Zhuo's face.

Ning Zhuo first dodged, then kicked off the wall bricks and turned around to strike back.

With this strike, he channeled his magic power, his right arm muscles bulging, and he swung his gauntlet, delivering a powerful side blow to the shield.

The shield was hit and embedded in the wall bricks on one side; it couldn't be pulled out in time.

"An opportunity!" Ning Zhuo's face lit up with a glint of shrewdness, and he seized the opportunity to launch an attack.

Ding ding ding...

A series of explosions followed, and the shield's aura quickly faded.

Suddenly, one side of the shield turned into molten copper and easily broke free from the wall's restraints.

The shield spun rapidly, shrinking in size and deforming along its edge into a series of dense serrations.

As the saw teeth spun rapidly, gleaming coldly, they tore through the air and slashed fiercely at Ning Zhuo.

This change was unprecedented, and Ning Zhuo was caught off guard, finding himself in a passive position.

The bronze shield's counterattack perfectly timed his awkward moment when he had exhausted his old strength and had not yet generated new strength, clearly indicating that it had been "planned" for a long time.

"The shield hitting the wall earlier was just a trap!"

Ning Zhuo was startled in an instant, realizing that he had fallen into a trap set by a shield.

He had no time to dodge, so he could only raise his hands and use his palms to resist the violent cutting of the shield's edge.

A series of sparks flew out, and at the same time, the ear-piercing sound of metal rubbing against metal echoed violently in the alley.

Ning Zhuo's bronze gauntlets and shield were made of the same material, so there was no difference in their quality, and thus they were able to block the attack temporarily.

But Ning Zhuo's strength was no match for the thick shield. His arms and hands were pushed apart to the left and right, exposing his abdomen.

The serrated edge of the shield sliced ​​open Ning Zhuo's abdomen, the cold metal edge digging deep into his flesh! A wave of excruciating pain instantly overwhelmed Ning Zhuo, causing his vision to blur.

If this continues, he'll probably be cut in two.

Although the cultivators from Xuanjia Cave were watching and could provide timely treatment, Ning Zhuo would undoubtedly be defeated here!

Ning Zhuo made a careless mistake, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse, leaving him on the verge of defeat.

The boy tried to dodge, but the bronze shield was deliberately designed to push Ning Zhuo so hard that his back slammed against the wall, and his waist was embedded with serrated edges, leaving him no room to escape.

Some of the onlookers exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this scene.

Just as Ning Zhuo was on the verge of failure, some memories in his mind suddenly became incredibly vivid.

A demonic cultivator parried his opponent's slash with his longsword. Suddenly, the spine of his sword "sensed" the opponent's blade force sinking, and he prepared to change to a slicing motion.

The demonic cultivator immediately twisted his wrist slightly, tilting the sword at an angle that deflected the enemy's slashing trajectory by half an inch. With his opponent's blade deflected, the demonic cultivator seized the opportunity to counterattack, piercing his opponent's heart with a single strike!

...

"Demonic cultivator, give me the lives of my wife and children!" The enemy clenched his fist and charged forward.

The demonic cultivator met the blow with his palm, and the instant his palm made contact, he sensed that his opponent's punch lacked power and his center of gravity was slightly unstable.

The demonic cultivator immediately changed his move, his palm moving like a swimming fish, pulling back along the direction of Ding's fist, while simultaneously turning his body to avoid its force line.

The enemy's fist missed its mark, and his center of gravity was shifted, causing him to lunge forward. Taking advantage of the situation, the demonic cultivator lowered his shoulder and delivered a follow-up elbow strike, hitting the enemy squarely in the ribs.

puff!

The enemy fell to the ground, spitting blood from his mouth.

...

"I treated you like a brother, and this is how you treat me?! In this battle today, only one person can leave alive!"

The demonic cultivator's short halberd locked onto his opponent's hook claws, resulting in a stalemate and a struggle.

The demonic cultivator suddenly sensed that his opponent was about to unleash a burst of short-range force, aiming to knee him.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the demonic cultivator suddenly relaxed his strength and withdrew his power, while simultaneously crouching and shifting his stance.

The enemy's burst of power and knee strike missed, causing him to lose his balance. Taking advantage of this, the demonic cultivator used his short halberd to break free, then swung it upwards, piercing the enemy's jaw and skull.

...

All of these memories are quite similar to Ning Zhuo's current situation.

Without a second thought, Ning Zhuo acted according to his memory. He pinched the top and bottom of the shield with his fingers and sensed the change in the force exerted on it.

"Guide with the force!"

Ning Zhuo's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He flipped his wrist, pressed his body against the wall, and stood upside down like a windmill, using the rotation to drive the rotation, causing the shield to deflect.

The shield was embedded deep into the wall, and Ning Zhuo successfully escaped!

Averting danger!

The cultivators watching the battle all breathed a sigh of relief.

They all didn't want Ning Zhuo to be eliminated now and were looking forward to the clash between Ning Zhuo and Ban Ji.

"Ning Zhuo's injuries are very serious; his intestines are sticking out."

"Although he has escaped, the situation is still very dangerous."

Many people were worried for Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo was pale, having lost a lot of blood. He pressed one hand firmly against the huge gash in his abdomen, trying to make the flesh stick together as much as possible. He held his other hand up to face the follow-up attacks from the bronze shield.

He was in grave danger, frequently rolling on the ground, retreating and dodging step by step, falling into a complete disadvantage.

But he showed resilience, and although the scene was ugly, he never fell down.

"Huh?" Some cultivators gradually showed surprise, keenly noticing Ning Zhuo's improvement.

"He broke through in the heat of battle and suddenly understood the essence of martial arts: feints and real attacks."

"Ning Zhuo can now keenly detect changes in the force of the bronze shield's feints and discern the upcoming trends."

"This is tantamount to 'foreseeing' in advance and taking precautions. Therefore, even though he could only defend with one hand, he managed to hold on."

"Is this what genius is?"

The crowd looked at each other in silence. Some people had thought that Ning Zhuo's last-minute cramming was futile, but Ning Zhuo's improvement was enormous and his achievements remarkable, all unfolding right before their eyes.

"It wasn't until I was over sixty that I accumulated enough experience to 'perceive' the changes in force and to feel as if I were one with the weapon in my hand!"

How old is Ning Zhuocai?

"A terrifying level of comprehension! At the very beginning, his martial arts skills were still very shallow."

The cultivator surnamed Hao was also drawn to the attention and exclaimed sincerely, "A genius cannot be judged by ordinary standards."

These words struck a chord with everyone present, silencing them for a moment.

Bitterness, helplessness, bitterness, grievance, and even jealousy... the cultivators felt a mix of emotions.

Thinking about all the hard work I've put in, and then looking at Ning Zhuo's performance, it's really infuriating to compare yourself to others.

A moment later.

clang.

Ning Zhuo slammed his fists down, knocking the shield to the ground.

He stomped hard on the shield, suppressing it, and then quickly refined it.

Ning Zhuo was panting heavily, his clothes stained with blood, but his eyes shone brightly and he was in high spirits.

"I have a lot of memories of other people, which saves me from the long process of accumulation and practice."

"This kind of real-world experience is the most valuable to me!"

(End of this chapter)