Time passed gradually, and the spectators around the martial arena grew increasingly moved.
"Who would have thought Bai Ningbing could be so fierce, fighting Lord Yan Tu to a heated standstill."
"She's using her Second Transformation Ice Spike Gu to contend with Yan Tu without falling behind at all."
"Launching Gu Insect attacks while on the move—this is basic combat for any Gu Master. But Bai Ningbing executes it flawlessly."
"Without a doubt, Bai Ningbing is a genius, and her fundamentals are rock-solid. No wonder she's been undefeated all this time."
Among the crowd, Fang Yuan watched with a calm expression.
Wei Yang and Shang Xinci had also arrived, standing beside him now.
All three were disguised, hidden within the throng.
"Bai Ningbing is fighting very aggressively. Even though she's using Ice Spike Gu, the more she conjures, the greater the True Essence cost." A trace of worry surfaced on Wei Yang's face.
"After all, there is a gap in True Essence between Third Transformation and Fourth Transformation. But Yan Tu is also consuming丹火 Gu, so his True Essence is draining as well. Though Yan Tu is at the Fourth Transformation, his aptitude is only Grade B. Bai Ningbing is trying to leverage her Grade A aptitude's faster True Essence recovery to hold her own against Yan Tu's Fourth Transformation cultivation." Fang Yuan saw through Bai Ningbing's tactical thinking at a single glance.
"If that's the case, then for Bai Ningbing, today's battle is bound to be incredibly grueling," Shang Xinci sighed.
Now she too was a Gu Master. Having received Shang Yanfei's meticulous guidance, her horizons had broadened, and she could discern many things.
As the three were speaking, the situation on the field suddenly shifted.
"You little girl, jumping around quite merrily." Yan Tu's lips curled into a half-smile. He suddenly extended his right hand and, from dozens of paces away, made a grasping motion toward Bai Ningbing.
His right hand took on a claw shape, and the Gu Insect mark on his palm flashed.
Whoosh!
Flames roared forth, instantly forming a giant fiery claw that hurtled through the air toward Bai Ningbing.
The claw had only three fingers, resembling an eagle's talons, its entire form an orange-red blaze. Fire raged within it, and the moment it swept toward her, Bai Ningbing felt an intense scorching heat.
This was a Third Transformation Fire Claw Gu!
Bai Ningbing hastily activated her movement Gu, her speed surging as she pulled away to create distance.
She had prepared in advance, gathering intelligence on Yan Tu's capabilities. She knew this fire claw's range of attack was not as wide as the丹火 Gu—it could only operate within a radius of several zhang centered on Yan Tu.
But Yan Tu let out a cackling laugh and also activated his movement Gu, closing in on Bai Ningbing like a shadow.
His movement Gu was a Fourth Transformation Gu, far superior in effect to Bai Ningbing's. As a result, not only did she fail to widen the gap, but Yan Tu actually closed the distance.
The fire claw slammed down repeatedly through the air, grasping and clenching again and again.
Bai Ningbing struggled to evade. Under Yan Tu's deft manipulation, the fire claw was both nimble and unyielding.
Bai Ningbing's situation grew increasingly dire as she tumbled and rolled across the grass.
Boom.
The fire claw grazed past her and struck the ground, instantly igniting a swath of grass. Flames blazed to life, spreading outward.
Yan Tu directed his will, and the fire claw rose once more from the flames, though it appeared slightly more feeble than when first unleashed.
But as the True Essence sea level within Yan Tu's Empty Orifice dipped slightly, the fire claw was restored to its full might in the blink of an eye, its weariness swept away entirely.
Frost Arrow Gu!
Bai Ningbing steadied her formation and extended her little finger, where the Frost Arrow Gu was nestled, forming a blue pattern.
A burst of ice-blue frost erupted forth.
In the blink of an eye, the frost coalesced into a flying arrow in midair.
The arrow struck the fire claw dead-on, violently suppressing its raging flames.
The Frost Arrow Gu was also a Third Transformation Gu, obtained by Bai Ningbing at an auction. Once deployed, it immediately made its mark.
Just as the fire claw was about to be extinguished, Yan Tu's brow furrowed slightly. He surged his True Essence regardless of cost, and the fire claw showed signs of recovery once more.
But Bai Ningbing would never let him succeed.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—a volley of Ice Spike Gu shot forth.
At the same time, she secretly activated her Ice Explosion Gu.
Boom boom boom—the Ice Spike Gu struck the fire claw and detonated in rapid succession. The violent explosions completely dispersed the claw.
The Fire Claw Gu flew back. Unwilling to suffer a loss, Yan Tu hurriedly stepped forward several paces and caught it with his hand, whereupon the Fire Claw Gu transformed back into a mark.
Bai Ningbing pressed her advantage, condensing two slender ice blades—one in each hand—and charged at Yan Tu, slashing downward.
Before the blades even reached him, Yan Tu felt a sharp killing intent, like an icy wind blasting into his face.
"Fine blades!" Yan Tu let out an eerie laugh, then suddenly snorted, and two fire serpents shot from his nostrils.
The serpents were initially only the size of necklaces, but they rapidly expanded upon meeting the air, swelling at astonishing speed.
In the blink of an eye, they had become two colossal pythons, each several zhang long and as thick as buckets.
One fire serpent raised its head and coiled before Bai Ningbing, forming a serpentine formation to block her twin blades. The other circled around to the side, snaking its way behind Bai Ningbing to launch an attack from the rear.
"There it is—Lord Yan Tu's Twin Serpent Attack!"
"Sigh, that's exactly the move I fell to."
"Yan Tu's control of the twin serpents is truly exquisite. It forces you to defend on all fronts—it's devastating."
The twin fire serpents stirred a commotion among the crowd.
Bai Ningbing's expression turned grave, the fighting spirit in her blue eyes condensing like ice. The twin fire serpents brought her enormous pressure, but it only steeled her resolve further.
For a time, Bai Ningbing fought against the twin fire serpents with her dual blades, while Yan Tu stood outside the field, manipulating them with focused precision.
Yan Tu possessed the ability to split his attention three ways. Though he was only controlling these two fire serpents now, their coordinated maneuvers demanded exquisite precision and seamless synergy, which actually drained his mental energy even more.
The Fire Serpent Gu was a Fourth Transformation Gu, and under the pincer assault of two Fourth Transformation Gu, Bai Ningbing gradually found herself losing ground.