Chapter 79: Bamboo Horse Shatters the Battle Spirit, Gains the Incense!

On the plaza, a sudden change occurred. The Bamboo Horse burst into radiant light, abruptly turning its head, charging with the momentum of a mountain, stepping towards the position where Xiang Zhao Xing stood.

Two people on the scene immediately realized the true strength of the Bamboo Horse. One was Hu Yang, a master of mechanisms, who naturally wasn't unfamiliar with it, as the Bamboo Horse was a type of mechanical beast, and one of the most classic ones at that. A typical Bamboo Horse, even at the third tier, rarely developed a strong spirit, but the Bamboo Horse ridden by Yang Junxiong not only developed a spirit but was also exceptionally powerful.

Having followed its master through countless battles over the years, it had already evolved into a 'Battle Spirit'! In one campaign after another, the Bamboo Horse's Battle Spirit also gained formidable combat abilities, its fighting power on par with its master!

Yang Junxiong achieved mastery on the mountain, and the spiritual Battle Spirit within the Bamboo Horse also received an upgrade. It was as if both man and horse had reached mastery!

The second person who noticed something was amiss was Du Jiaojiao. Her Bright Eyes had reached Nine Turns, and when Yang Junxiong left the Bamboo Horse, a phantom of Yang Junxiong appeared on the Bamboo Horse's back. In response, two auras of mastery level appeared!

Yang Junxiong's separation from the Bamboo Horse was clearly premeditated. If Wildcat tried to stop him, the Bamboo Horse would recreate Zhao Xing, but if he went to save someone, he could take the incense into the temple.

Finally, one evening, he no longer hid and revealed his true trump card.

"Boom~" The Bamboo Horse leapt into the air, as if with the force of a thousand troops and ten thousand horses. Zong Shichang and those around him felt their breath catch, a heavy pressure enveloping them, making his legs tremble.

Fortunately, there was a temple attendant beside him who sensed the presence of the Battle Spirit and immediately pulled Zong Shichang back explosively. But the others seemed unable to react in time, or were simply pinned in place by the Bamboo Horse's imposing aura, unable to move.

Just when everyone thought Zhao Xing was in dire straits, a calm voice emerged: "Don't come back to save me, focus on hitting that big blockhead."

"Huh? Under the influence of the Battle Spirit's aura, he can still speak?" Yang Junxiong glanced over and found Zhao Xing standing tall, unaffected.

"A mere soldier dares to call itself a Battle Spirit?!" Zhao Xing's head floated with clouds, five fingers pointing to the sky, his body suddenly emitting a great thunderous light.

"Zzz~" The fingertips suddenly emitted purple lightning, swiftly combining into five strands, forming a Thunder Snare!

"Go!" The Thunder Snare flew, like a nimble Thunder Snake, directly towards the Battle Spirit.

"Kill!" The Battle Spirit's phantom raised its spear, sweeping across thousands of troops, but the Thunder Snare was incredibly agile, not entangled with the Battle Spirit, but instead wrapped around the Bamboo Horse.

"Boom!" Purple light clashed with red light, the aura of the Battle Spirit was weakened by three parts.

"Boom boom boom boom!" Five consecutive Thunder Snares struck, so fast that it was impossible to react.

The Bamboo Horse's Battle Spirit was experienced, but even after swinging five spears, only two truly disrupted the Thunder Snare. The other three were completely bypassed.

This was the subtlety of the Yin Thunder Technique, unlike the fierce Thunder Palm, Yin Thunder was extremely fast and incredibly agile. After hitting the long spear, it didn't dissipate but instead lightly bounced, wrapping around the Bamboo Horse's neck.

"Zzz~" Thunder entwined with the Bamboo Horse, instantly producing sparks, the Bamboo Horse's speed drastically reduced, its momentum halted.

"What?!" Yang Junxiong was shocked. He had anticipated Wildcat might hold back his Bamboo Horse, but never expected Zhao Xing, a mere Gathering Essence Ninth Stage Sinoong, to have a method to restrain it.

In that moment of distraction, "Bang!" Yang Junxiong felt a heavy blow to his chest, his whole body involuntarily flying backward.

Wildcat's secret technique, Wind Guard!

Wildcat used its hind legs to fiercely kick his chest, borrowing the force of the wind, this kick was astonishingly powerful!

"Beast!" Yang Junxiong's eyes turned vicious, no longer caring about the Bamboo Horse, focusing solely on dealing with Wildcat.

The protective mirror on his chest already had some cracks, if he got distracted again, he feared Wildcat would cause serious harm.

"This..." Du Jiaojiao paused. Although she was a woman, she had a chivalrous heart, knowing Zong Shichang since childhood, seeing him in danger, she couldn't help but intervene.

But she never expected the situation to change so quickly. Yang Junxiong's Bamboo Horse Battle Spirit was ineffective!

Five Thunder Snares locked the Bamboo Horse, the Battle Spirit's aura significantly weakened.

"Battle Spirit Burn!"

"Foot Stomp Thousand Mountains!"

Seeing it trapped, the knight's phantom on the Bamboo Horse raised its long spear, the Bamboo Horse lifted its front hooves, then fiercely stomped down, raising a terrifying wave of energy.

The Battle Spirit and Bamboo Horse simultaneously unleashed their secret techniques, the wild and unrestrained knight, trying to break free from the chains.

"Bang!" One of the Thunder Snares actually broke!

"Let's see how many you can break!" Zhao Xing's eyes flashed with thunder, raising his left hand again.

He actually produced three more Thunder Snares!

Having seized so many spiritual essences, including some Yuan Method spiritual essences, the Thunder Snare had already reached Eight Turns!

"Zzz!" Three Thunder Snares swiftly locked the horse's head, pulling the proud Bamboo Horse down.

The Foot Stomp Thousand Mountains, this mid-tier secret technique, couldn't be fully unleashed before being interrupted.

"Yin Wind! Rise!"

A gust of Yin Wind blew from the ground, directly towards the Battle Spirit on the horse's back.

Previously, due to the aura barrier, the Yin Wind couldn't directly reach the Battle Spirit itself. But now, trapped by the Thunder Snare, the aura was significantly weakened, allowing the Yin Wind to penetrate.

"Whoosh~" Although it was just a gust of wind, the Battle Spirit on the Bamboo Horse seemed to be doused with a basin of cold water.

The flames of aura surrounding the Battle Spirit instantly diminished by more than half, becoming dim and dull!

The Yin Wind Magic Arts targeted the soul, although it couldn't directly destroy the Battle Spirit, its offensive was thoroughly blocked, completely losing its momentum.

"Thunder Palm!"

Taking advantage of the Bamboo Horse and Battle Spirit being trapped, Zhao Xing unleashed the third Magic Arts.

A purple palm flew out from the clouds above, initially only the size of a normal palm, but as it flew into the air, it rapidly expanded.

When it landed on the Bamboo Horse's head, it was four meters long and one meter thick!

The Thunder Palm, fiercely slapped down.

It struck the Battle Spirit's head.

"Bang!" The Bamboo Horse collapsed, the Battle Spirit roared, crashing heavily onto the plaza, imprinting a large crater.

The Seven Turn Thunder Palm, incredibly fierce, shattered half of the Battle Spirit's body.

The Thunder Method could also harm the soul, especially the fierce Yang Thunder, which had a devastating effect on such pure soul bodies.

Zhao Xing first used the Thunder Snare to weaken the Battle Spirit's aura protection, then used the Yin Wind to further weaken the Battle Spirit's strength, and now this slap, it achieved miraculous results.

"No!" Yang Junxiong's eyes widened in disbelief, rushing towards the Bamboo Horse.

That was the Battle Spirit he had nurtured through ten years of hard work on the battlefield, and now it was about to be destroyed, it was like losing his life.

"Meow!" Wildcat flashed forward, kicking Yang Junxiong away again.

Its speed was too fast, with divine agility, making Wildcat's speed unrivaled in the Ninth Grade.

Yang Junxiong simply couldn't get past Wildcat.

"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!!!" The thunderous sound was endless, the purple palm frantically slapped down.

In the blink of an eye, the Bamboo Horse's Battle Spirit was hit several times.

The sound of thunder echoed across the Temple of Heaven Square, causing the spectators to retreat involuntarily.

In reality, many people didn't understand the battle situation, because without full Bright Eyes, they couldn't see the Battle Spirit.

But Zhao Xing's Thunder Snare and powerful palm were visible.

A mid-tier Thunder Method reaching the level of Seven or Eight Turns, its power was simply terrifying, even an ordinary thunder strike would make people jump, let alone a mid-tier fierce Thunder Method.

"What kind of Thunder Method is this, how is it so domineering?!"

"I've never seen such a Thunder Method, it can actually form a palm?!"

"Oh, I lost so miserably."

Cao Qiushui watched this scene, a deep sense of powerlessness rising in his heart. Originally, he thought his cultivation had improved greatly, perhaps closing some distance.

Now it seemed, not only had the distance not shrunk, but it was growing greater and greater.

The strong remain strong, Zhao Xing's encounters on this Spirit Mountain, who knows how many more there are compared to him.

"Bang!" The final strike shattered the Battle Spirit.

The previous divine anomaly disappeared instantly.

The light on the Bamboo Horse vanished, dropping from a third-tier upper grade to a third-tier lower grade.

Chains locked the Bamboo Horse, Thunder shattered the Battle Spirit!

After Yang Junxiong's imprint was erased, Zhao Xing lightly pulled, and the Bamboo Horse stood before him, already becoming an ownerless object.

"Pfft!" Yang Junxiong spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

He had been barely resisting Wildcat, now in great disarray, unable to resist any longer, struck by Wildcat's Thunder Claw on his chest.

"Pfft~" The flashing Thunder Claw tore through his chest armor, even leaving a blood mark on Yang Junxiong's chest.

"Bang!" Wildcat kicked with its hind legs, Yang Junxiong's body fell outside the plaza, unconscious.

The wind dissipated, the thunder scattered, leaving the plaza in silence.

Everyone watched this scene, eyes filled with shock.

Yang Junxiong, the undefeated knight who had seized the incense for two consecutive nights, was defeated just like that.

And even after revealing his trump card, he was defeated so thoroughly.

"I can understand him losing to Wildcat, but how could the Battle Spirit Bamboo Horse lose to a Sinoong who hasn't even reached mastery?" Hu Yang muttered to himself, looking at the Bamboo Horse that had lost its spirit, feeling a sense of disbelief. He knew the strength of mechanical beasts, but the result was hard to accept.

Could it be that Zhao Xing could easily defeat his mechanical beasts as well?

"This guy..." Lu Qian's eyes flashed with surprise, "How did he train, mastering all four methods, could he be proficient in all of them?"

"Sister Jiao, do we still have a chance to seize the incense?" Du Jiaojiao's eyes flashed with a hint of excitement, eager to try.

But she immediately shook her head.

"Unless Qianqian and Qing'er can elevate the power of the Great Shao by another level, working with me, maybe we can fight."

"Even if we elevate by one level, we can only fight?" Liu MuQing also shook her head, which meant there was no hope.

But she still raised her spear and leapt into the air.

Even though she knew she couldn't win, her martial heart was brave and fierce, how could she retreat before the battle?

Du Jiaojiao still wanted to try.

"Wildcat, she's trying to take your toy, kick!"

"Meow!" Just as Du Jiaojiao leapt into the air, a black shadow flew over, a fierce kick from behind, catching her off guard, Du Jiaojiao only had time to raise her spear to resist.

"Bang!" The silver spear bent, pressed against Du Jiaojiao's chest, she flew back to the ground with even greater speed, her legs aching from the impact.

Wind Guard, a mid-tier Seven Turn secret technique, Wildcat itself was an exotic breed, even in its infancy after reaching mastery, its strength was astonishing.

"Meow!" Wildcat stepped with cat-like grace, its posture intimidating.

It seemed to say, whoever dares to leap into the air and fight for my toy, I'll beat them.

Wildcat's fierce demeanor was imposing, but the crowd on the plaza was filled with fear.

Two great mastery-level experts were both kicked down by Wildcat.

What kind of breed is this?!

"Can't beat it, Wildcat's speed is too fast, Yang Junxiong couldn't defend, neither can I." Du Jiaojiao, after trying once, saw the situation clearly, "It's not a matter of skill, but the innate advantage of the exotic beast."

Even Du Jiaojiao gave up, naturally no one dared to compete on the plaza.

Everyone retreated a bit, waiting for Zhao Xing, the newly crowned strongest, to speak.

Zhao Xing remained silent, and the others didn't dare to ask.

The winner takes all, now if he claimed a few sticks of incense, he could take them, if he wanted to wait, everyone could only wait with him.

Not only the opposing competitors, even 'his own people', Uncle Tiger, Uncle Cang, Yuan Bo, were all intimidated, not daring to step forward and disturb.

It was Zong Young Master who couldn't hold back his nature and asked, "Zhao Top Three, ten sticks of incense, how do you plan to distribute them? If you don't take them, no one dares to take them."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment and said, "I will share the first and second with Shen Zhui, the rest, Zong Young Master, you can distribute as you see fit."

Once dawn breaks, we have to descend the mountain, taking a few more sticks of incense doesn't have much use.

Zong Shichang had already used up his silver tickets, he couldn't take anything else to exchange with him, no need to be so mercenary, everyone had some connections.

"Alright, then I'll speak for you?"

"Yes."

Zong Shichang seized the opportunity to show off, immediately putting on a grand display.

He stood with his hands behind his back, striking a pose he thought was elegant, running to the incense below to perform Rising Wind, letting his voice spread in all directions.

"Worship incense, Zhao and I will take eight sticks, the remaining two sticks, those capable can take them!"

After speaking, Zong Shichang rolled up the eight sticks of incense in mid-air into his arms.

The others dared to be angry but didn't dare to speak.

Others didn't dare to say anything, but Du Jiaojiao was displeased, Lu Qian shouted at Zong Shichang, "Zong Eighteen, it's not even your battle achievement, why are you acting like a big-tailed wolf?!"

Unexpectedly, Zong Shichang ran over, laughing, "How could I forget you, oh, here are three incense sticks, I helped you take them down, saving you the trouble of jumping."

Seeing the situation, Lu Qian immediately said with a sarcastic tone, "Oh, you have such a good heart, still thinking of me and Sister Jiao? Afraid it's for Qing'er, right?"

Zong Shichang was exposed, his old face turned red, sneaking a glance at Liu MuQing.

Du Jiaojiao glared at Lu Qian, then cupped her hands towards Zong Shichang, "Thank you, Brother Zong, I wonder what Zhao Xing has to say about the order of entering the temple?"

Zong Shichang said, "He naturally takes the first incense, the second stick goes to Shen Zhui, oh, also the warrior who previously chased Gu Feng."

"What about after that?" Lu Qian asked.

"Naturally, I will arrange it."

"How do you plan to arrange it?"

"I want Miss Liu to be the third to enter."

"Hmph, Zong Shichang, you really have ulterior motives, still saying it's not for Qing'er!"

"..."

While they were talking, Shen Zhui also returned to the plaza.

His iron ruler and body were stained with blood, but it wasn't his own.

"Brother Shen, are you alright?"

Shen Zhui removed the bow from his back, "Fortunately, I didn't disgrace my mission, I avenged that arrow for you."

The bow warrior sees the bow as life, now that Gu Feng's longbow was taken by Shen Zhui, even if he didn't lose half his life, it wasn't far off.

"Good bow, Brother Shen is mighty."

In this situation, Zhao Xing only mentioned being injured by Gu Feng's dark arrow during the day, intending to let him delay Gu Feng.

Unexpectedly, he put in such effort, directly snatching Gu Feng's bow.

A bow warrior's bow being taken, it's either death or ruin.

Shen Zhui re-strapped the bow on his back, "How did the incense competition turn out, has it started?"

Zhao Xing smiled, "It's already over, just waiting for Brother Shen to enter the temple."

"Ah? It's over?"

In some bewilderment, Shen Zhui accepted the incense stick Zhao Xing handed over.

"Brother Shen, please enter the temple for the first incense."

Shen Zhui shook his head, "No, I originally missed the appointment, now I haven't helped much, the first incense should be yours."

At the Chen Festival, Zhao Xing was willing to share half of his two pears, Shen Zhui always remembered this, he felt indebted to Zhao Xing, how could he take the first incense?

"Alright, then I'll go in first, Brother Shen second."

Zhao Xing, Wildcat, and Shen Zhui, two people and one beast, all had mastery-level combat power, after deciding the order of entering the temple, no one dared to oppose.

After descending the Temple of Heaven, the first eight people entered the temple in order.

They were Zhao Xing, Shen Zhui, Liu MuQing, Du Jiaojiao, Lu Qian, Zong Shichang, Uncle Cang, and Uncle Tiger.

The other two incense sticks were taken by Hu Yang and Cao Qiushui.

As for the rest, they could only wait for the second wave of incense.

Inside the temple.

"Sinoong attendant Zhao Xing, seeks the true lord's manifestation."

Whoosh~

Mist swirled, the surroundings darkened, as if a giant shadow appeared before Zhao Xing.

"You seek the true lord's manifestation, what do you wish for?"

Zhao Xing cupped his hands, "I seek a superior spiritual essence."

"Having obtained the first incense, you are destined for this opportunity, I will send you over, whether you can grasp it depends on yourself."

"Thank you, True Lord."

Another gust of mist blew over, taking Wildcat, as well as the Bamboo Horse and other items, all enveloped in mist, Zhao Xing felt himself no longer in the same place.

Looking again, he found himself on the edge of a cliff.

"Meow~" Wildcat called out, eyes filled with confusion, how did they suddenly appear here?

"Is there a superior spiritual essence here?" Zhao Xing was also puzzled, he hadn't felt the 'heart's blood surge' response.

Looking around, a familiar feeling arose.

"This location... isn't it where Yang Junxiong came before?"

When Zhao Xing was farming at the foot of the mountain, he had seen Yang Junxiong riding the Bamboo Horse, jumping around the mountain.

Zhao Xing found himself at this location as well.

"Could it be that Yang Junxiong was looking for that superior spiritual essence?"

Seeking the superior spiritual essence through the first incense doesn't mean it's directly handed to you, or told the location, or given the method to obtain it.

Zhao Xing was able to find the Qi Yun Golden Cup because he first discovered the location, already found the superior spiritual essence, but had no method to obtain it.

The fifth incense asked about the method of acquisition, and the premise was passing the test.

"Yang Junxiong searched for two nights, could it be he didn't get it?"

"It seems obtaining this superior spiritual essence is a bit difficult." Zhao Xing thought.

In a few more hours, they would all have to descend the mountain.

He wouldn't have another chance to seek the incense.

"Yang Junxiong was jumping around the mountain with the Bamboo Horse."

Zhao Xing turned around, riding on the Bamboo Horse, "I'll give it a try too."

The Bamboo Horse could help people leap into the air, although it couldn't fly for long, it could jump quite far.

Even though it had fallen in grade, its auxiliary functions were still there, just without the Battle Spirit.

"Drive!" Zhao Xing clamped his legs, the Bamboo Horse immediately generated wind under its feet, running towards the cliff, with the Bamboo Horse jumping, his body soared into the air.

(End of Chapter)