Ning Chuan said gravely, "This way we'll only be defeated one by one."
"Then what good ideas do you have?" Tang San asked unconvincedly.
"Our goal is to hold out for the next stick of incense, not to defeat him. That would only lead to us being defeated." Ning Chuan outlined his strategy. "Let's adjust. Ning Rongrong will be in support, I'll be in charge of the frontal assault, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing will be in charge of containment and mutual support, and Tang San will continue to hold the line and protect the support-type spirit masters. Also, I want you to remember this: our primary goal isn't to defeat Teacher Zhao, but to buy time. Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, in particular, must not be greedy. Once you land a hit, regardless of whether it has any effect, immediately move away from the target. Also, don't use Xiao Wu's second spirit skill. The mental power of a Spirit Sage is beyond your imagination. If you suffer the backlash, you'll instantly faint."
After hearing Ning Chuan's words, everyone was stunned. Even Tang San couldn't find a reason to refute.
Ning Chuan then made some simple arrangements, and soon the incense burned out. Zhao Wuji took out another stick and said, "Alright, we're ready to begin."
Before Zhao Wuji could light it, Ning Rongrong took the lead.
"Seven Treasures Transform into Glazed Glass!"
Her body spun in place, and a dazzling rainbow of light emanated from her body. A foot-long, multicolored pagoda appeared in Ning Rongrong's right palm.
"One: Power!"
"Two: Speed!"
She tapped her left hand, and three beams of colored light shot out from the first and second layers of the pagoda, sinking into the bodies of Ning Chuan, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing. Tang San was primarily responsible for restraining Zhao Wuji's movements, while Ning Rongrong could only assist three people at once. She could only provide support to Ning Chuan and the other two first, and then add to his later.
The moment the colored light entered their bodies, Ning Chuan and the other two felt a warm energy permeate their limbs. They also felt a surge of strength, their bodies felt light and their speed increased significantly.
Zhao Wuji was surprised to see Ning Rongrong's spirit. Without hesitation, he lit the incense and threw it into the ground.
Then, without summoning his spirit, he half-crouched, slamming both fists into the ground simultaneously.
Thanks to Ning Chuan's instructions, the five of them were well prepared and leaped to their feet simultaneously.
While dodging the shockwave, Ning Chuan took the lead, summoning the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword spirit, but still without revealing its spirit rings.
He charged head-on at Zhao Wuji. Seeing his strike predicted, Zhao Wuji smiled. Seeing Ning Chuan lunge, he didn't dodge, but rather slowly raised his right hand, intending to meet the blade with his bare hands.
Unexpectedly, when he was five meters away, Ning Chuan soared high into the air, and three yellow, purple, and violet spirit rings suddenly materialized. The first spirit ring illuminated, and the once three-foot-long Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword suddenly transformed into a seven- to eight-meter-long cyan lightsaber.
Ning Chuan grasped the sword with both hands and swung it down with the force of a mountain.
"Holy crap! Two thousand-year spirit rings!"
Zhao Wuji was so shocked by this sudden sight that he couldn't help but curse.
Not only him, but also Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Dai Mubai were all shocked. Tang San, in particular, was already mired in self-doubt. If it weren't for the entrance exam, he would have already withdrawn into himself.
In his haste, Zhao Wuji only had time to raise his hands to block.
But he was still slashed back by the massive azure lightsaber.
Before he could land, Tang San summoned his Blue Silver Grass spirit. Two yellow spirit rings ignited simultaneously, and thorny blue-black vines swung out, wrapping around Zhao Wuji's left leg and pulling him in.
"Xiao Wu, Zhu Qing!"
Ning Chuan commanded, and they both moved simultaneously. Xiao Wu wasn't as fast as Zhu Zhuqing, so she was yanked back by her hand. Then, leveraging the agility of her spirit, the Netherworld Spirit Cat, she caught up with Xiao Wu. Both of them simultaneously locked their legs around Zhao Wuji's waist.
The kick sent Zhao Wuji flying again. Not wanting to be smug, the two used Zhao Wuji's body to propel them back.
"Damn it!" Zhao Wuji's curse echoed through the air. With a low growl, his body suddenly expanded, nearly doubling in height and power, transforming into a humanoid grizzly bear.
Seven dazzling spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—rose simultaneously, shattering the blue silver grass that bound Zhao Wuji's legs.
"I'll start with you."
Tang San's face paled as the blue silver grass was shattered. Zhao Wuji set his sights on him. But at that moment, Ning Chuan had already charged in. From a distance of five meters, he unleashed his first spirit skill, Sword Light.
"Boy, do you really think you can pull this off?"
"First spirit skill, Acala Body!"
Zhao Wuji sneered. His first spirit ring suddenly shone brightly, emitting a powerful golden light that deflected the seven- to eight-meter-long sword blade.
Ning Chuan dispersed the sword light, but he himself advanced instead. From his left hand, a cyan sword beam stretched several feet long slashed directly at Zhao Wuji, who had just released Acala Body. Sparks flew everywhere. Although this time, Zhao Wuji wasn't sent flying like last time, it did leave a blood-red mark on his face, where the spirit had already been fully possessed.
Ding ding ding
ding! Just then, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu, seizing their opportunity, attacked. Unlike Dai Mubai's blade-like tiger claws, Zhu Zhuqing's cat claws, after possessing her spirit, were spiked. They tore at Zhao Wuji's back, creating a series of metallic scraping sounds.
Xiao Wu seized the opportunity, lowering her scorpion braid and wrapping it around Zhao Wuji's right ankle like a whip. She exerted her full strength, and while she didn't fling him away, she did manage to stagger him.
Zhao Wuji felt a burning sensation on his face. When he touched it, it was bleeding, and he was instantly enraged. His second spirit ring ignited, and two palms as big as palm leaves transformed into bear paws, striking down on the two attackers. However, Ning Chuan deflected them with another sword strike.
Bang!
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, following Ning Chuan's instructions, quickly distanced themselves.
At this moment, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass's second soul skill, Parasite, finally took effect. Clusters of thorny blue-black vines extended from Zhao Wuji's body, binding him like a dumpling in the blink of an eye.
Ning Chuan's third soul ring lit up, and his entire body turned transparent cyan.
Zhao Wuji had just broken free from Tang San's soul skill, but when he saw Ning Chuan coming towards him, he unleashed his third soul power, Gravity Squeeze, without a second thought.
Suddenly, with the exception of Dai Mubai in the distance, the bodies of Ning Chuan and the other four suddenly became heavy, their feet as if they were stuck in a quagmire, and their speed dropped significantly. However, Ning Chuan simply paused, as if nothing had happened, and passed the side effects on to Tang San.
(End of this chapter)