Beneath the Shang clan's battle arena, two people engaged in lively conversation, each sharing their own ideas on how they believe the gu masters in the arena could improve their fighting capabilities. Often during the conversation, Yi Huo was left impressed by Xie Ling's intuitive understanding of fighting, as the man with a high rate of accuracy could predict the winner with just a single glance before the match even began.
As they delved deeper into the multitude of fighting styles, Yi Huo felt deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a skilled and gifted cultivator. He also couldn't help but wonder how Xie had acquired such knowledge and intuition in combat.
"Observe the slump of his shoulders and the faint twitch of his left index finger. He's too eager to fight, and his thirst for blood will cloud his judgment, making it harder for him to emerge victorious," said Xie, with a sage nod of his head.
Yi Huo nodded in agreement, and offered his own insight. "But look at his opponent's back, riddled with scars. It hints at a history of slavery or cowardice, which can have a profound impact on his mental state. This makes him vulnerable to those who are domineering and assertive."
Xie shook his head in response and said, "Those scars were caused by failed killer moves. You can tell by the way they bend inward, not outward, which means they were not inflicted by others, but rather by his own Gu. This shows his hardworking spirit and deep understanding of killer moves."
Yi Huo peered closer at the scars and widened his eyes in amazement. "You have a sharp eye for detail," he remarked, "How did you pick up on that?"
Xie shrugged, "It's a skill honed from years of observation and training. Every detail holds a tale, and it takes practice to decipher it." His focus returned to the arena. "Let us now see how this contest unfolds."
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Zuo Feng and Liu Sheng faced each other in the battle arena, the audience murmuring in anticipation. Zuo, a ruthless dark path Gu master with a reputation for ending his fights efficiently, and Liu, an earth path Gu master with a talent for manipulating soil and rock.
Liu Sheng remained alert and cautious, reminding himself to watch out for Zuo Feng's Shadow Step, a maneuver that typically positioned him behind his opponents. He also kept in mind the potency of Zuo Feng's Hidden Tug Gu, which could exert a powerful tugging force in any direction.
As soon as the bell rang, Zuo Feng used his rank-2 Dark Cloud Gu, which created a dense fog around him, obscuring his movements from his opponent. Liu Sheng countered with his rank-2 Tremor Gu and a rank-1 Touch Gu, causing the ground to shake and destabilizing Zuo Feng's footing, but also giving Liu Sheng sight of anything touching the floor of the arena.
While this caused Zuo Feng to stumble lightly, he quickly regained his balance and activated his rank-2 Shadow Step Gu. In a blur of movement, he appeared behind Liu Sheng, ready to strike. But Liu Sheng appeared ready for this, unleashing his killer move 'Crushing Boulder Strike', combining the power of a rank-2 Rock Armor Gu, Stone Wall Gu, Stone Bind Gu, and Boulder Bash Gu.
The Rock Armor Gu created a tough layer of earth around Liu Sheng's body, the Stone Wall Gu along with the Stone Bind Gu reinforced his fists, and the Boulder Bash Gu charged his punch with the power of a boulder. However, As Liu Sheng's fist swung for Zuo Feng, his legs were suddenly tugged in the opposite direction, making what would have been a clear hit, only a grazing one.
At first, this looked like a success for Zuo Feng, but even the mere graze alone was enough to send him hurtling through the air. He crashed into the arena wall with a sickening thud, spewing blood from his mouth upon impact.
With what little consciousness he had left, Zuo Feng raised his hand and deployed a Message Gu to contact the fight referee, conceding his defeat.