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"Loving your daughter and being foolish aren't mutually exclusive," Ning Tian said, his voice steady but sharp. "Anyway, let's get back to what we were talking about. Besides wasting time on cultivation, I've noticed your combat thinking is seriously flawed."
"Combat thinking?" Qian Renxue tilted her head, confusion flickering in her eyes.
"Let me ask you this: in a life-or-death battle, if you face an enemy who's not much weaker than you, would you fight alone or gang up on them?" Ning Tian pressed, his tone firm.
"Of course I'd fight alone," Qian Renxue replied without missing a beat. "It's the least respect I can show my opponent."
Ning Tian let out a quiet sigh. "See, that's the problem. You're being naive. This is a fight to the death, and you're talking about respect? You might honor them, but that doesn't mean they'll return the favor. If they slip away, they'll come back for revenge, stronger, maybe. What happens if they go after your mother, your grandfather, or try to destroy the Spirit Hall? What would you do if you're too weak to stop them?"
Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment, then said, "I won't let that happen." She paused, adding, "Unless that person is you."
"I've got no reason to pick a fight with the Spirit Hall," Ning Tian shot back, "but your way of handling things is dangerous."
He turned away, facing the wall as his voice grew heavier. "Here's your last lesson: don't chase beauty in battle. Don't look for honor in death. Don't just think about saving your own skin. If you want to protect what matters, ditch that knightly spirit and do whatever it takes to take down your enemies."
Qian Renxue stared at him, uncertainty clouding her face. "Have you always done it this way?" she asked, as if seeing him for the first time.
"Obviously," Ning Tian said. "Take our fight a month ago for example, if it wasn't just a spar, if it was life or death, you'd be bones in the ground by now."
He shifted, crossing his arms. "One more question: if you're up against a Spirit Master at your level using the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique with a Clear Sky Hammer, how would you fight?"
"I'd break their Chaotic Cloak and beat them," Qian Renxue said, her lips tightening with confidence.
"How?" Ning Tian raised an eyebrow. "You'd charge in with your Holy Sword? And if that doesn't work, just throw soul skills at them?"
"Isn't that how it's done?" she countered, frowning.
"Using a sword against a hammer? Brilliant," Ning Tian said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you know how I beat Tang San's Chaotic Cloak in the preliminaries?"
"With sword energy?" Qian Renxue guessed. She hadn't seen that fight, and no one had filled her in, so it seemed like a safe bet.
"You're not entirely wrong," Ning Tian admitted, "but I didn't hit his Clear Sky Hammer. I went for the ground under his feet. The Chaotic Cloak needs the user to stay rooted. Break the floor, and they lose balance; the technique collapses on its own. Plus, it's got another flaw."
He leaned forward slightly. "It caps at 81 strikes. If they've mastered it and can handle any terrain, you can use your Six-Winged Angel's aerial edge to wear them out. Dodge that last swing, and you've won."
"The same goes for other self-made soul skills or ring skills of Clear Sky Hammer." he added. "Don't just rush in headfirst or stand there trading hits like a punching bag. If you fight that way, you might as well call your martial soul 'Angel' and drop the 'Six-Winged' part. You're not even using the air to your advantage."
Qian Renxue's eyes widened as his words sank in, a sudden clarity washing over her. It was like a hidden weight had lifted. Six soul rings—two yellow, two purple, two black rose slowly from her feet. She locked eyes with him, determination burning in her gaze. "Ning Tian, let's duel again."
...
For the next few hours, the clash of combat echoed beyond the training room. She Long and Ci Xue, standing outside, could hear every strike of the fierce exchange.
The outcome didn't change much from before, Qian Renxue lost again.
"I'm not convinced," she said, breathing hard. "If this wasn't a cramped space, you couldn't beat me so easily without flying. And those bugs of yours wouldn't trap me like that."
"Good," Ning Tian replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Keep that attitude, and you'll crush any Clear Sky Hammer user in the future."
.........….
The Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament's promotion round split into two zones: the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. The thirty teams that cleared the preliminaries would compete in their home empires. The three teams already locked in for the finals including the New Heaven Dou BattleTeam, representing Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's main squad, skipped this stage.
The Heaven Dou Empire's promotion round was set in the Royal Hunting Grounds, fifty kilometers southwest of Heaven Dou City. It was a sprawling place, used by the royal family for hunting and training.
The next morning, Ning Tian gathered with Zhu Qing, Mona, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Ye Lingling, the Shi brothers, Yu Feng, and Huang Jia in Heaven Dou City. Osler was missing, he was still pushing to hit level 40. Yu Feng, though, had broken through thanks to Mona's help, he'd got his fourth soul ring and stepped up to a level 41 agility-attack Spirit Ancestor.
When the New Team Heaven Dou Battle Team reached the hunting grounds, other teams were already there, including Shrek's group. Ning Rongrong spotted Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang with them and blinked in surprise. "Wait, didn't Emperor Xue Ye ban Yu Xiaogang from leading the team? Why's he here? And the Blue Tyrant Academy dean too?"
Ning Tian glanced at Xiao Wu, exchanging a quick nod, then turned back to her. "The promotion round just needs a token to get in. There are no rules against extra tag-alongs. Yu Xiaogang's changed up his look. Long hair, new clothes and not that old robe anymore. Unless you stare, you'd hardly know it's him."
Yu Xiaogang had indeed let his hair grow out and swapped his outdated style for something fresher. Without a close look, he was tough to recognize.
At the same time, the Shrek group caught sight of them. Spotting Ning Tian among the group, Liu Erlong marched over with a fierce determination in her steps.
"Still not giving up, Dean Liu Erlong?" Ning Tian asked, his face showing clear signs of annoyance. Zhu Qing and the others had already filled him in on Liu Erlong's recent attempts to track him down.
"I won't give up until you agree to clear Xiaogang's name," Liu Erlong replied, staring at Ning Tian with a stubborn resolve. Her eyes shone with determination and a hint of naive foolishness.
'She looks like a desperate wife begging me to spare her husband,' Ning Tian thought, suppressing a sigh.
"Don't you know Yu Xiaogang's theories are wrong? That they're stolen?" Ning Tian asked, pressing a hand to his forehead in frustration.
"I know," Liu Erlong admitted, her head dipping slightly. Shadows fell over her eyes, and her shoulders shook as she clenched her teeth. "But even so, he's the man I love most."
"Honestly, I get it, someone like you, so lost in love, isn't hard to figure out. But why should I stick my neck out for a fraud like Yu Xiaogang? Even if I did try to clear his name, who's to say anyone would believe me? And even if they did, the truth would come out sooner or later," Ning Tian said, spreading his hands with a shrug.
"Even so, I can't stand seeing Xiaogang suffer every day," Liu Erlong shot back, her voice trembling with emotion.
"And if I say no?" Ning Tian replied, his tone flat and unbothered.
As he spoke, Mona stepped to his side, her eyes fixed on Liu Erlong with quiet caution.
Liu Erlong wasn't foolish enough to start trouble in the royal hunting grounds. She gritted her teeth and said, "Then I'll keep bothering you until you agree."
"Well, good luck with that," Ning Tian said dismissively. Without another word, he turned and led the New Heaven Dou Battle Team away.
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