Chapter 20
Qin Bai's grin stretched wide, baring his teeth as he bellowed, "Fire Snake!" The forceful shout reverberated through the air. Strange glowing words materialized before him, pulsing with an ethereal light as they drew wisps of qi from his body like tendril sof smoke.
An engulfing blaze erupted forth, contorting itself into the unmistakable shape of a serpent's head - its maw agape, fangs bared menacingly.
The fiery construct was roughly the size of a human palm but radiated intense heat, causing the air around it to shimmer and distort.
It shot towards Ji Wuye, covering the distance of two zhang separating them, neither sluggishly nor with blinding speed due to their close proximity.
However…
[!] Your passive skill, Quick Adaptation(F), has been triggered!
A shimmering screen flickered into existence before Ji Wuye's eyes as his passive Quick Adaptation skill triggered. Time itself seemed to slow to a crawl around him.
'A skill called Fire Snake, huh...' Ji Wuye mused inwardly, his gaze coolly assessing the blazing serpent.
Based on its name and arcane appearance, it was evident this strange ability had been obtained from the Tower. A pity that Qin Bai had squandered nearly all his funds on such an unfamiliar skill.
As the fiery snake wound its way inexorably towards Ji Wuye, its form resolved into countless flickering particles, each tendril of flame etched vividly into his mind's eye.
He could easily trace its trajectory back to the source - Qin Bai's sneering visage. Though malice flashed in his opponent's eyes, Ji Wuye remained unmoved, his expression an impassive mask.
Focusing intently on the immediate threat, he rapidly calculated vectors and angles. The serpent aimed squarely for his head, no doubt hoping to gain an early advantage through shock or injury.
While its core burned with the hottest, most Qi-dense flames, it also betrayed weaknesses.
To slash directly at it and attempt to dissipate its force risked revealing that he had already formed his Lower Dantians, elevating him beyond the first realm - knowledge he wished to keep concealed for now.
Rolling to dodge was possible but would put him at a further positional disadvantage within the sect's grounds.
As for parrying, the simple wooden sword would never withstand the scorching heat, inevitably leading to burns on his palm.
Ji Wuye watched the sinuous dance of the flames, tuning his mind to their hypnotic rhythm until he noticed a fleeting opening - not a hasty flicker but an intentional, calculated lull in the serpent's movements.
By harmonizing with that timing rather than opposing force with force, he could seamlessly redirect its momentum.
A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of Ji Wuye's lips as a strategy took shape. Before facing this unorthodox 'test,' it would be prudent to maintain his low profile.
The fiery construct closed the gap with a searing rush of air -
SWOOSH!
Despite himself, Ji Wuye felt a bead of sweat trickle down his brow as the intense heat washed over his skin.
An involuntary step back, a momentary lapse of balance, and he stumbled, falling backwards to land firmly on his rear - the tip of his wooden sword angling skyward as he did so.
With an abrupt STAB of flame, the fire snake struck the upraised blade and dissipated in a blinding flare, the attack fizzling out mere inches from Ji Wuye's face.
WHOSP-!
[>>[QUICK ADAPTATION(F)]<<]
The proficiency of your passive skill has been increased by 0.01%!
[>>[QUICK ADAPTATION(F)]<<]
The proficiency of your passive skill has been increased by 0.01%!
[>>[QUICK ADAPTATION(F)]<<]
The proficiency of your passive skill has been increased by 0.01%!
Gasps of shock and confusion rippled through the gathered crowd as they witnessed Qin Bai's use of strange, hidden art - and the unexpected, almost nonchalant way Ji Wuye had deflected the blazing attack merely by falling in an apparently clumsy manner.
"What?!" Qin Bai himself was momentarily struck dumb, blinking in disbelief. But the combative haze swiftly reasserted itself and he clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Lucky bastard..." he muttered beneath his breath.
Annoyed by Ji Wuye's seeming stroke of dumb luck, Qin Bai's face flushed an angry crimson. Seizing on his opponent's moment of confusion from the dissipated fire snake, he rushed forward with reckless abandon.
"Heh! Know your place, weakling!" Qin Bai sneered, shifting into the opening stance of the Meridian March form - the same move and posture he had used to brutally attack Song Jia earlier.
His wooden blade slashed down in a vertical line as he launched himself into the air, aiming to capitalize on Ji Wuye's disadvantageous position.
"Eh?" But to Qin Bai's surprise, Ji Wuye seemed to anticipate the attack. With a slight sidestep to the right, he deftly evaded the wooden sword's whistling descent.
THUD!
Before Qin Bai could even land from his leaping strike, the seemingly clueless Ji Wuye began smoothly rising to his feet from the ground.
In a cruel twist of fate, Ji Wuye's head ended up directly beneath Qin Bai's exposed chin as the larger boy dropped awkwardly from his botched attack.
"F*ck!" Qin Bai's curses reverberated through the Outer Disciple courtyard as he foresaw his chin about to collide squarely with the crown of Ji Wuye's skull.
THUD-!
With a sickening impact, Qin Bai's body crumpled bonelessly, the wooden sword tumbling from his limp grasp to clatter uselessly on the hard-packed earth.
"Eh? Brother Qin?" Ji Wuye blinked in apparent confusion, looking perfectly unharmed as he gazed down at Qin Bai's unconscious form, eyes rolled back.
"Ji Wuye, the winner!" Wu Gao's declaration rang out, unleashing a collective gasp of disbelief from the gathered crowd before a rising tide of raucous cheers and excited chatter erupted.
"Wow! Junior Ji actually won!"
"Heheh, just as I expected from my esteemed Junior Brother!" A giggling female disciple trilled happily, seemingly unconcerned about the finer details and focused solely on the outcome.
"What in the heavens actually happened there??"
"Amazing! Brother Qin, your techniques looked so impressive. We should definitely try obtaining some of those secret art from that Tower!"
The male disciples were clearly divided - some continuing to tease Ji Wuye about his apparent beginner's luck, while others marveled admiringly at the powerful skills apparently available from the Tower.
In the midst of the celebratory hubbub, Ji Wuye found himself unexpectedly surrounded by a throng of delighted female disciples congratulating him on his victory and expressing concern for any injuries.
But his attention was quickly diverted by a subtle shift in the crowd's energy as a new presence arrived.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the Elder who had been observing from the staircase had silently departed during the ruckus.
'This should be enough to fool them for now...' A faint, satisfied smile played across Ji Wuye's lips as he contemplated the events to come.
Lost in his thoughts, the bustling sounds and animated chatter around him abruptly fell to an awed hush. Ji Wuye snapped back to alertness, his gaze falling upon a striking figure striding towards him with measured, purposeful steps.
It was a young woman who exuded an aura of quiet strength and poise. The disciples surrounding Ji Wuye immediately backed away with deferential murmurs, their expressions a mix of deep respect and thinly-veiled trepidation.
"Greetings, Senior Sister Mu!"
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