Chapter 21
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Chapter 21 – Desperate Times Never End
Despite being blocked by Mu Xiaofeng and Qin Bao Yi, the heavy sword warrior remained calm. He raised his sword to face Mu Xiaofeng head-on. A flash of green light shimmered on the warrior’s body as Mu Xiaofeng’s Yuan Qi surged, sending the warrior flying. Even with the Wind Elemental Erudite’s support, Mu Xiaofeng held the upper hand in strength.
At that moment, the Wind Elemental Erudite smiled and lightly waved his staff, casting another green light on the Dual Blade Shadow Warrior. The Shadow Warrior flashed a wry smile at Zhang Wenyu and vanished before Zhang could react. Realizing he couldn’t catch up, Zhang Wenyu shouted, “Qin Bao Yi, Qiao Zi, be careful!”
As the Dual Blade Shadow Warrior closed in, Qin Bao Yi quickly unleashed her Yuan Qi, summoning the Flame Tiger to protect herself and Qiao Zi. The Shadow Warrior halted, cautiously observing the situation. Zhang Wenyu thought, “If we don’t take out that Wind Elemental Erudite, this battle could turn against us. While the Shadow Warrior is distracted by the Flame Tiger, I’ll take out the Wind Elemental Erudite and the Sacrificial Brewer.”
With that plan in mind, Zhang Wenyu charged toward the Wind Elemental Erudite and Sacrificial Brewer, calling out to Ximo, “Ximo, Mu Xiaofeng, stay close to Qiao Zi and Qin Bao Yi. I’ll handle those two in the back.”
As Zhang Wenyu rushed forward, Ximo slowly retreated while defending against the Sword and Shield Warrior. After repelling the heavy sword warrior, Mu Xiaofeng also moved back to protect Qiao Zi and Qin Bao Yi. The Wind Elemental Erudite, still reinforcing his teammates from a distance, sneered, “Relying on that Flame Tiger to stall us? These kids are too naive.” His Yuan Qi flared, and his staff emitted a blinding light that enveloped all five of them.
Mu Xiaofeng realized the danger and shouted, “Zhang Wenyu is in trouble! We need to help him!” As Mu Xiaofeng feared, Zhang Wenyu was lured out and separated from the group, making him vulnerable to the Wind Elemental Erudite’s enhanced mobility. Zhang Wenyu found himself surrounded.
Qin Bao Yi commanded the Flame Tiger to charge forward, with Mu Xiaofeng following to rescue Zhang Wenyu. But they couldn’t keep up and could only watch as Zhang Wenyu was overwhelmed and fell. Enraged, Mu Xiaofeng’s Yuan Qi surged, and he unleashed several sword strikes, scattering the five enemies. He then rushed forward and carried Zhang Wenyu back. The five enemies wanted to pursue, but the Flame Tiger blocked their path.
Mu Xiaofeng handed Zhang Wenyu to Qiao Zi for treatment. Though seriously injured, Zhang Wenyu remained conscious. She coughed and apologized, “Mu Xiaofeng, I’m sorry. I was too impulsive and dragged you all down.” Mu Xiaofeng shook his head, sighed, and said, “Focus on healing. Leave the rest to me.” He then picked up his heavy sword, his eyes burning with anger, and pointed it at the five enemies, shouting, “You’ve hurt my brother, and I’ll make you pay in blood.”
The five enemies showed no fear and laughed. The Wind Elemental Erudite taunted, “Give up. You have no chance of winning. Hand over the water, and we’ll let you go. Otherwise, you’ll suffer.”
Mu Xiaofeng dismissed their words with disdain. After years of hard training, he was confident in his strength. He swung his heavy sword and glared at them. “You really think you’re that strong? We’re not just ordinary students.”
The Wind Elemental Erudite’s smile faded, and he grimaced. “Repeating myself isn’t ideal, but we’re taking this exam for the third time. We’ve been practicing our coordination for two years, and we’re the strongest in this exam.” His staff glowed with a soft green light that empowered his teammates. The Heavy Sword Warrior then charged at Mu Xiaofeng, intending to finish him off.
Mu Xiaofeng faced him without fear, gripping his sword with both hands. He began moving faster and faster, almost too quickly for anyone to track. Their swords clashed repeatedly, each impact sending them flying, but they kept rushing back at each other. The stalemate wore on, with neither gaining the upper hand. Mu Xiaofeng knew he needed a surprise move to win. Meanwhile, his opponent, frustrated by the lack of progress, realized he couldn’t overpower Mu Xiaofeng as easily as expected.
“It’s my turn now,” said the Sacrificial Brewer, who had been watching without acting. A twisted smile appeared on his face as he sprinkled black powder into the air. The powder crackled, creating a black mist.
“Looks like he’s the Poisonous Hand Sacrificial Brewer. This is going to be a headache,” Yumo muttered. “The Wind Elemental Erudite strengthens his team, and the Poisonous Hand Sacrificial Brewer weakens the enemy. It’s a solid strategy.”
The Wind Elemental Erudite swung his staff, summoning a fierce wind that swirled the poisonous mist toward Mu Xiaofeng and his group. The wind, laced with sharp blades, made dodging almost impossible. Mu Xiaofeng gathered his Qi into his sword and slashed, cutting the wind in half to create a narrow gap for shelter.
The Wind Elemental Erudite sneered, “You’re out of your depth.” He intensified the wind, making it clear that the sword’s Qi barrier wouldn’t last long. But Mu Xiaofeng smiled and swung his sword horizontally, forming a Qi wall. He then drove his sword into the ground with such force that the earth trembled. Though it seemed Mu Xiaofeng planned to hide behind the Qi wall, it quickly shattered under the relentless wind and poisonous mist. A violent explosion followed, sending flames and black smoke billowing.
The Wind Elemental Erudite sighed with relief, thinking, “Is it finally over? That was a tough one.” He softened the wind to clear the smoke, hoping to confirm the situation.
Suddenly, a figure burst from the smoke, moving at incredible speed with a heavy sword in hand, followed by countless tiny fireballs. Mu Xiaofeng and Qin Bao Yi emerged unscathed, catching the five enemies by surprise. They had let their guard down, assuming victory was assured, and now had no time to gather their Qi.
The Sword and Shield Warrior rushed to block Mu Xiaofeng, while the others hastily gathered their Qi to defend against the approaching wall of fire. Mu Xiaofeng’s sword struck the warrior’s shield with such force that it shattered the ground beneath him, leaving the warrior unable to move. The wall of fire then condensed into a single, dazzling point, revealing Zhang Wenyu hidden behind it. Zhang Wenyu’s ghost-like figure darted forward, delivering a vicious slash to the warrior’s waist. The blade pierced through, and a fireball followed, completely incapacitating the Sword and Shield Warrior.
Mu Xiaofeng pointed his sword at the defeated warrior and smiled. “Didn’t think we’d come out unscathed, did you? That was Qin Bao Yi’s special technique, One Flame Blindfold. It’s not just an attack; it also hides allies behind the fire.” He glanced at the Poisoner Priestess and continued, “With your Priestess focused on poison, your healing is weak. Once one of you falls, the rest will follow.”
The Wind Elemental Erudite, now realizing they were bound to lose, felt a heavy blow. The shift from the joy of victory to the grief of defeat was too much, and tears welled up. But she still couldn’t understand how Mu Xiaofeng and the others had escaped the nearly perfect poisonous wind attack.
