Chapter 2000 — A Vast Gap
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
As for the Earth-stage man in black, he dared not attempt a sneak attack on Wei Zhao just then; he too had first to regulate his own breath. He feared that if he went to strike, Wei Zhao would turn the ambush back upon him. So since Wei Zhao was resting and restoring himself, he seized the chance to circulate his inner method as well...
At this moment, by unspoken agreement, neither side attacked the other. The true qi within both their bodies was in disarray, and each knew that to strike now might well mean death for both; so neither did anything foolish.
After a few breaths of regulation, the Earth-stage man in black let out a long, foul breath and looked at Wei Zhao with a cold smile: "What is it, boy? You forced out a fourth-form technique just now, didn't you? Can't you stand up anymore? Your true qi is so badly depleted you've gone soft in the legs, haven't you? Haha! Then I won't be polite. You may go and die!"
Wei Zhao had no mind to waste a single instant. Even though he could heal his wounds and replenish his true qi within the jade pendant's space, that could not make up for the true qi he had lost, and the injuries inside his body could be repaired only by half. So Wei Zhao waited until the Earth-stage man in black had finished his mocking, then reluctantly returned from the jade pendant's space to reality, rose lazily from the ground, and looked at the man in black: "Oh, I was actually healed long ago. I was only sitting on the ground for a while. I thought you were finished this time. So you're not dead after all? Then let's go again!"
As he spoke, Wei Zhao came at him once more with the third form of the Furious Flame Fist. The Earth-stage man in black had only just finished regulating his breath and had not yet decided how to answer the next move, when he saw Wei Zhao bearing down on him with what looked like the "fourth form" again, and he nearly spat blood.
He thought to himself: Does this bastard have a death wish? He took such severe internal injuries trading blows head-on before, and he still comes at me head-on? Can't you exchange a couple of ordinary moves before unleashing a technique? You may not mind running short of true qi, but I do!
But think as he might, Wei Zhao's fist was already upon him, and the Earth-stage man in black could only grit his teeth and meet it, or he would likely be crippled by the blow. Against a fourth-form martial technique, even an expert at the peak of mid Mystic-stage would not dare simply stand there and take the hit; it would surely leave him maimed.
"Boom..." Another thunderous collision, and both bodies were once more blasted apart by the surging tide of true qi. Wei Zhao was flung backward as before, but this time the Earth-stage man in black was plainly worse off than in the previous two exchanges. The injuries within his body had not yet healed, so in this fresh clash of brute force he did not merely stagger back a few steps; he was driven back many steps, until he reached the corner of the wall behind him and only just caught hold of it to steady himself. This time, however, he spat out two mouthfuls of black blood...
Wei Zhao fared no better; his state was graver than the last time. He too was hurled backward, struck the ground, spat several mouthfuls of fresh blood, and then swiftly entered the jade pendant's space to heal his wounds and replenish his strength...
Yet the strength consumed and the injuries incurred each time he unleashed a technique could not be fully restored in so brief a span. Each time, Wei Zhao could recover only a small portion, while a great portion was wasted, which reminded him somewhat of that battle with You Shisan.
That time, Wei Zhao had relied on this same stubborn will to contend with You Shisan. But You Shisan's martial techniques had clearly been of an entirely different order from those of the Earth-stage man in black before him now, a difference as vast as that between heaven and earth.