Opponent

From the moment Cisheng and Jiguang first began their spar, the old headmaster had already explained to Yan the core principle behind Jiguang's spells: controlling the speed of one's own Zi. This allowed the practitioner to become a streak of light or harden their body to steel. As for techniques like stars and constellations, those were born from cosmic contemplation. Their power depended on personal enlightenment and cultivation; mere imitation could never unleash their true strength.

The moment Cisheng stepped off the stage, Jiguang immediately leapt onto the dueling platform. He tossed a pill to Yan, telling him to take it and recover quickly. By now, Yan had regained control of his body. It seemed another grueling battle was about to begin.

Once Yan had mostly recovered, Jiguang suppressed his own cultivation to the Foundation Establishment stage. He took the initiative, transforming into a stream of light to flash behind Yan, a constellation gathered in his hand. Seeing no time to dodge, Yan also turned into flowing light, hoping to counterattack. But Jiguang simply grabbed him and yanked him back.

"Junior Brother, you can mimic my techniques, but you cannot copy the insights gained from years of practice. A crude imitation will always fall short!" Jiguang glared fiercely at Yan. "Summon the immortal from your Immortal Seed! You can't defeat me otherwise!"

At that moment, Yan suddenly lunged, fists clenched as he struck at Jiguang.

Jiguang didn't evade. The constellation in his hand expanded, countless stars swirling around him, while he himself shone with a golden light, taking the place of the central star.

A pained cry from Yan echoed around them.

"You've only grasped the surface of Master Xian's lineage's 'Divine Myriad Forms'; you haven't learned the true teachings. How can you hope to win?" Jiguang sneered contemptuously.

He moved forward, intending to press Yan further, when a pale black spear shot between them, embedding itself in the ground. A woman in dragon-scale armor stood upon the spear's shaft. "Jiguang, an Immortal Seed recovers extremely slowly. How could a single pill of yours possibly speed that up? Forcing your junior brother like this damages his Immortal fate. Where is your face as a senior brother?"

Hearing this, Jiguang reverted to his normal form and stepped down from the platform. Yan was also pushed off by a sudden, unseen force.

The woman glared furiously at Jiguang. "You..."

"Junior Sister Jian, your senior brother knows you wish to duel Junior Sister Mu Han one-on-one. I sent that brat off so as not to disturb you!" Jiguang waved a hand dismissively and left on his own.

Just as he said, not long after, a figure descended onto the dueling platform. It was Mu Han, the one who had been taught a lesson earlier by the being controlling Yan.

The atmosphere between the two plummeted to freezing the moment they saw each other. Mu Han drew a short blade; Jian Yiru tightened her grip on her spear. Neither made a reckless move.

Suddenly, Jian Yiru sidestepped, raising her spear to block. The clear, crisp sound of metal clashing rang out. Immediately, another figure emerged from her original stance, lunging forward to meet the thrusting short blade. The two engaged in a fierce close-quarters exchange. Mu Han could always ensure at least one of her incarnations attacked from a blind spot, forcing Jian Yiru into constant, reactive defense.

Cuts had already appeared on her waist, cheek, arm, and elsewhere. Realizing this couldn't continue—that endless defense meant certain defeat—she absorbed a blow from the main body, then rooted her stance. Ignoring the stabbing pain in her back, she pushed with all her might, repelling Mu Han and barely creating some distance.

After dodging another sudden attack, she decisively leapt into the air. Mist and clouds gathered. Dark, mystical scales erupted from her skin, covering her entire body. She surged forth from the suddenly dense fog, having now transformed into a dark black dragon, charging straight at Mu Han.

Although she had anticipated it, seeing the true form still sent a chill down Mu Han's spine, causing her to retreat instinctively.

This played right into Jian Yiru's scheme. The diving dragon was just an illusion. Her real body had long been gathering power. Her elongated form now circled Mu Han at a low altitude. Every brush against the sky summoned a crack of thunder. With the sky filled with clouds and mist, charging in would mean fighting on the opponent's turf.

With no time to charge a large-scale spell, there was only continuous evasion. Peering into the mist, clearly more than one figure lurked within.

"Well now, playing for keeps!" Mu Han quipped with a hint of anger. Barriers appeared around her; she had begun setting them up long ago while she held the advantage. The incarnations from all directions weren't primarily for harassment—their points of origin were calculated.

Jian Yiru sensed the surrounding space was constrained. Gathering storm clouds, she aimed straight for Mu Han. This time, it wasn't lightning, but a colorless laser.

Before she could even react, her left shoulder was pierced. Though it missed her heart, the injury was still severe. Her body lurched forward involuntarily, and she fell to her knees, finding Jian Yiru's spear tip pressed against her chin.

"Well, little dragon, you win?" Her eyes held mockery and a trace of disdain before this body dissolved into an empty shadow.

Jian Yiru had expected this; that form was just an illusion as well. She was certain her previous strike was aimed at the opponent's true body—or perhaps all substantial forms—and couldn't have been dodged.

Jian Yiru reformed her true body into human shape. Vital areas of her skin were armored with scales, and her draconic horns proudly declared her lineage. Hovering in the air, she scanned the entire arena.

Mu Han's figure had vanished. A thick smoke now filled the space below. Not daring to act rashly, Jian Yiru gathered power in her hand once more. Countless spheres of light flew from her palm, scattering into the murk.

"Little dragon, this must be your true body!" The words, whispered into her ear, sent a chill down her spine. She immediately split off several incarnations to plunge into the mist together, while simultaneously hurling her spear to blast a clearing.

Seizing the opening, one incarnation shifted into a draconic form. Whipping up fierce winds, it began clearing the smoke from the newly created gap, while her true body flickered around it, intercepting various ambushes.

"Haven't you noticed something is off yet?" Another taunt from Mu Han reached Jian Yiru. Suddenly, a phantom hand clamped tightly over her chest. She gasped, struggling for breath. The mist dissipated, revealing every one of her substantial forms in the same trapped state.

"You lose!" A short blade materialized from behind, its edge pressed against her neck.

"You didn't seriously think this mist would work on me, did you?" Jian Yiru pushed the short blade aside, turned, and subdued Mu Han, her voice laced with taunts.

"Who's to say? After all, you can't be certain what you're seeing is real." The surroundings remained blurred. Jian Yiru found herself disarmed, all her substantial incarnations with their arms restrained, and the short blade having already left a thin mark on her neck.

"What a slip of a girl! If you'd said so earlier, I wouldn't have been so rough!" Mu Han removed Jian Yiru's armor, revealing a petite frame clad in simple gray robes.

Jian Yiru tried to struggle but found she couldn't muster a shred of strength. Her eyes closed weakly. When they opened again, she was already tied up within Mu Han's cavern abode. "Wait! I can concede, but you mustn't harm that junior apprentice brother! I have need of him!" Seeing the situation, Jian Yiru was forced to yield.

Mu Han played along. "What, do you fancy him? My cultivation method was, in a way, taught by the one within his Immortal Seed. I'm hardly one to repay kindness with enmity." Mu Han stroked Jian's soft waist, grinning mischievously. "But if you truly do like him, then I simply must compete!"

Jian Yiru was left speechless. She closed her eyes, unable to face this.

"Senior Sister, are... are you alright?" Yan had heard of Jian's defeat and had waited for several days outside her cavern before finally catching sight of her.

"It's nothing. Just a minor setback." Jian Yiru's complexion was poor, but seeing Yan softened her expression slightly. She nodded. "She won't trouble you anymore. Consider my promise kept. Focus on your cultivation properly, and don't go stirring up trouble."

"Senior Sister, I..." Before Yan could finish, she stopped him. "I'm tired. I need to rest for a while. If you have anything else, come back another time."

"Senior Sister, these pills aid recovery. I got them from Brother Cisheng. Sorry about... well, it seems the one in his Immortal Seed taught her a thing or two. When I get the chance, I'll definitely secure a proper cultivation method for you too!" Yan handed a small container of pills to Jian Yiru, speaking somewhat haltingly before turning to leave, not wishing to disturb her further.

"This kid." Jian Yiru held the pills, shrugged her shoulders, her weariness lessening a fraction. She let out a heavy sigh, pushed open the door, and retreated into her cavern.