Chapter 83: Special Exam (10)
Unlike the Perfection Level Green Lotus Pupil, Su Chen could only briefly copy the techniques he had witnessed.
The Green Lotus Pupil that had reached the Extreme State could completely replicate any magic technique that had been observed, allowing continuous use as long as there was enough Green Lotus power.
However, this ability is not without limitations.
The first limitation is that the copied magic technique's effect can only be maintained in the state at the moment the original performer executed it.
This is what is called a one-to-one replica—copying something exactly, knowing only the result but not the reason.
The second limitation is that the number of spells he can copy is limited.
For example, the heretic path sword that Su Chen recorded in the ancient sword tomb in the dungeon occupied the magical capacity of his six green lotus petals.
The Jade-faced Mantis's 'Three Prisons Killing Formation' took up the position of one of these green lotus petals.
However, the capacity for these replicable magic techniques will increase as his strength grows.
So, he didn't care too much about it.
After all, if the copied magic skills or techniques are not useful, he can just discard them and leave room for the techniques he wants to copy later.
The reason Su Chen wanted to copy the white-faced spider's special ability was not that he coveted this ability so much.
He just wanted to use this method to quickly understand what her special ability entailed.
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[Hundreds of Twists and Turns]
[Effect: You can place special silk screens around your body. When the enemy touches it, it will continuously absorb the opponent's spiritual power into itself.]
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If this Thousand-Thread Silk Technique is not an exclusive ability of the special creature called the white-faced spider, then this ability would be quite beneficial for Su Chen.
Unfortunately, since Su Chen cannot spin silk, he can only use this special skill by consuming precious Green Lotus power for the transformation.
However, in this process, he could utilize the Thousand Silks to continuously absorb the spiritual power of the surrounding enemies, allowing him to function at a level almost akin to a perpetual motion machine.
But let's not delve into which is more precious to Su Chen: the power of the Green Lotus or spiritual power.
As far as the effect of recovering spiritual power during battle is concerned, Su Chen has many better methods to achieve this.
For instance, he can consume pills voraciously to approximate a similar effect.
Thus, there was no need to waste the precious power of the Green Lotus pupil at all.
That is why Su Chen deliberately copied the White-Faced Spider's unique ability in front of her.
One reason was to observe the effect of this magical power, and another was to interfere with the other party's mentality.
After all, mentality... is also a crucial factor in determining the outcome of a battle.
The White-Faced Spider was now devastated by his move.
She looked at Su Chen, who was also performing a vast number of Hundreds of Twists and Thousands of silk techniques. Her head felt as if it had been struck hard by a sledgehammer, leaving her momentarily blank.
The scene before her exceeded her understanding.
She truly could not grasp how a human cultivator could exhibit special skills that only spider creatures could perform after merely a few glances.
This strange situation created unprecedented pressure for the white-faced spider.
What she can do now, the opponent can also do.
What she can't do, he can.
If it weren't for the fact that her cultivation was much stronger than Su Chen's, she wouldn't know how she would fight a monster like him.
But even so, the White-Faced Spider had already begun to consider retreating.
Unlike the arrogant Jade-faced Mantis, the White-Faced Spider's evolution was not only due to her excellent talent; she never challenged opponents stronger than herself and always avoided putting herself in danger.
Although Su Chen didn't appear as strong as her on paper, the White-Faced Spider felt that if she continued to fight him, it remained uncertain whether she could emerge victorious.
However, she had now decided to escape.
But retreat also requires methods and strategies.
The more often she encountered situations like this, the more desperate her demeanor needed to appear.
Only in this way could Su Chen avoid seeing through her true intentions and make her escape easier.
Within the passage, the White-Faced Spider looked at Su Chen standing in the green spider web and declared sternly, "Human boy, even if you have learned my special ability, you cannot change the vast difference in strength between us!"
After her words were spoken, the White-Faced Spider took off her disguise once more.
Her fair skin, so delicate it seemed fragile, suddenly cracked.
Six furry spider legs emerged from her back.
Not long after, a five-meter-tall, bloated white spider appeared in front of Su Chen.
And this was the true form of the White-Faced Spider.
Upon seeing the true form of the white-faced spider, Su Chen's expression remained unchanged, as if he were not surprised.
Then he took a calm breath and slowly entered the starting posture of the Dragon Roar Sky Breaking Strike Sword Technique.
Witnessing this scene, the White-Faced Spider's combat instinct, honed in a sea of corpses and blood, sensed an intense feeling of life-and-death crisis in an instant.
So much so that she, who originally wanted to frighten Su Chen and find an opportunity to flee, instantly changed her mind.
Leave! Must leave now!
Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to escape!
"Roar!"
The White-Faced Spider roared, and the numerous spider cocoons scattered throughout the subway station burst instantaneously.
Hundreds of slightly immature spider-masked men surged forth from the broken cocoons and charged toward Su Chen, who was still accumulating strength frantically.
Rustle...
Additionally, a large number of parasitic spiders erupted from the ceilings, sewer openings, and cracks in the subway passages.
The densely packed swarm soon formed a terrifying tide of spiders in the subway passage, resembling a white wave.
The sheer number was so overwhelming that it sent shivers down one's spine at the sight.
After executing this plan, the White-Faced Spider didn't even glance back at Su Chen. Instead, she turned around and fled toward the subway.
There was no doubt that her purpose was straightforward.
She aimed to use her minions to restrain Su Chen, buying herself time to escape!
Su Chen looked at the White-Faced Spider fleeing, and a green light flashed in his eyes.
In the next second, his body transformed into an afterimage, rushing toward the White-Faced Spider.
The White-Faced Spider, having already gained some distance, turned back and saw this scene. Terror gripped her, nearly causing her to stumble.
If she had not had eight legs for balance, she would likely have fallen over.
Fortunately, this was her nest, after all, and there were many tribe members within.
If Su Chen wanted to catch up with her, he must first deal with the dense swarm of parasitic spiders and the hundreds of spider-faced men.
Given the long and narrow conditions of the underground passage, even if these spider-faced men just stood there and allowed Su Chen to attack them, it would still take him some time.
She didn't believe that this delay would not provide her sufficient time to escape!
Thinking of this, the White-Faced Spider, almost sprinting towards the subway staircase, turned around and shot Su Chen a mocking glance.
It was as if she was saying, "Just stay here and play with my minions. I'm leaving first!"
But the White-Faced Spider's smile did not last long.
Just when she thought she was close to escaping, Su Chen made his move.
"Roar!"
In the noisy subway space, a deafening dragon roar erupted suddenly.
The penetrating force of the dragon's roar was so intense that the parasitic spiders within ten meters of Su Chen were decimated on the spot.
Even though some spider-faced men were not directly killed by the shock, they were still severely injured, collapsing to the ground, heads in their hands, screaming continuously.
And this was merely the noise produced by Su Chen's sword just moments before.
Su Chen exerted force, instantly transforming the sword energy around him into a silver-white dragon.
This dragon seemed invincible in the long and narrow subway passage.
Not only did it easily dismantle the thousands of silk threads laid by the White-Faced Spider, but it also crushed all the parasitic spiders and spider-faced men it encountered, fiercely pursuing the White-Faced Spider, who was already halfway up the subway stairs.
Upon witnessing this scene, the White-Faced Spider no longer dared to linger on the stairs.
She expended nearly all her strength to crawl out of the subway passage in a panic.
But just as she was about to run toward the exit leading to the surface,
A terrifying pressure descended from behind her.
The White-Faced Spider looked back in a panic, only to see a silver-white dragon twisting and surging up from the stairs below.
The sword energy and dragon seemed so real that the White-Faced Spider had the illusion of facing an ancient beast.
Watching Su Chen atop the sword dragon as he prepared to strike her with his sword,
The White-Faced Spider knew she could no longer escape.
After all, wishing to shake off Su Chen and make it through the subway hall to the surface under these circumstances was undoubtedly a pipe dream.
With no way out, the White-Faced Spider was left with only one option: to fight to the death.
Thinking this, a glint of madness flashed in the White-Faced Spider's eyes.
"Don't underestimate me, you human boy!"
She turned around and immediately used her six spider legs to shield her head.
Immediately afterward, the spider legs, akin to cultivators' magical weapons, were coated with a layer of special white jade crystals.
Stacked upon one another, they formed a unique white jade shield.
At the moment the white jade shield was formed, Su Chen's sword energy dragon roared toward her.
Boom!
The sword dragon and the white shield collided with one another, instantly creating a colossal cyclone that swept around.
Following the cyclone was a terrifying sound that reverberated throughout the entire subway station!
Crash...
With this shocking motion, countless windows in the subway station shattered.
A large number of floor tiles were lifted, and countless pieces of gravel fell from the ceiling, raising clouds of dust.
The figures of Su Chen and the White-Faced Spider were obscured, making it impossible to see the outcome.
A moment later, as the smoke began to dissipate, a sharp and maniacal voice suddenly resonated through the quiet subway hall.
"Ha, hahaha! It's me, I won!"
Amid the mist and dust, the White-Faced Spider looked at Su Chen's magic sword, which had shattered into powder.
Her face was filled with the joy of surviving the disaster.
Although her six legs were also marred with cracks, compared to Su Chen, who had lost his weapon, her six legs remained functional!
Thinking this, the White-Faced Spider couldn't help but muse in her heart.
Almost there, just a little bit more.
Had his magic sword not failed to withstand his sharp sword energy at the last moment, shattering on the spot, she might have been beheaded by him.
Though luck played a significant role, luck... is also part of strength!
When a swordsman loses his weapon, what difference is there between him and a lamb to be slaughtered?
Looking at the expressionless Su Chen standing three steps in front of her, the White-Faced Spider couldn't help but declare, "Human boy, you are very strong, truly strong."
"But luck... is on my side!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the White-Faced Spider prepared to deliver the final blow.
But who would have thought that Su Chen would slowly raise his right leg and assume a familiar stance before her?
Seeing this, the smile on the White-Faced Spider's face evaporated, and horror replaced the joy in her eyes.
So much so that her spider legs, originally poised to strike, froze in mid-air, forgetting to fall.
No! How could she forget that this boy had secretly learned her leg techniques before?
It was true that his weapon had been shattered, but he could use his legs in place of a sword!
However, after a moment's panic, the White-Faced Spider quickly regained her composure.
So what if he could utilize his legs instead of a sword? She didn't believe that his flesh and blood could contend with her special leg knives, which were comparable to magical weapons!
"Die!!!"
The White-Faced Spider roared, and her six white jade spider leg knives lunged towards him fiercely.
In response, Su Chen seemed stunned, merely standing there without moving.
This led the White-Faced Spider to mistakenly believe he had given up resistance, a flicker of joy appearing in her eyes.
But had Su Chen truly surrendered?
No, he was merely waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
After all, he had expended substantial spiritual energy after numerous battles.
Thus, if he could not eliminate the White-Faced Spider in a single decisive move, he would likely find himself in real danger.
Observing the rapid advance of her leg knives, Su Chen's pupils suddenly brightened.
Green Lotus Pupil's Strong Vision Activated!
As Su Chen activated the power of the Green Lotus, a wisp of green smoke drifted from the corners of his eyes, as if two green flames were alight in his gaze.
In the next second, the White-Faced Spider's assault unfolded like a slow-motion scene before him.
The effect of Strong Vision (bullet time): this is the result of the power of the Green Lotus pupils enhancing basic vision.
Essentially, the so-called Strong Vision is a unique visual narrative formed when his current dynamic visual capture ability exceeds the attack speed of the White-Faced Spider.
Relying on this, he was afforded more time to contemplate his countermeasures.
After a moment, Su Chen, having finally deduced the pattern of the incoming attack, took action.
Crash!
His right leg, suddenly enveloped by a layer of purple flames, propelled his figure forward, disappearing from the spot, leaving only an afterimage behind.
Immediately after, he dodged nimbly amid the frenzied assault of the White-Faced Spider.
The White-Faced Spider's leg blades, which could effortlessly cut through steel, failed to touch him at all.
Each time, he managed to evade by a slim margin.
Not only that, but six crisp kicking sounds followed.
The White-Faced Spider was horrified to see its six-leg knives shattered into pieces by Su Chen in mere moments!
How? How is this possible?
Just as the White-Faced Spider stood aghast at his astonishing performance, a figure had soared above her, using his legs in place of a sword!
Boom!
His kick on the White-Faced Spider's head released a devastating force.
He sent the White-Faced Spider flying backward. After rolling several times on the ground, she crashed heavily into the wall behind her.
Bang!
The White-Faced Spider's body collided with the wall, creating a massive dent with numerous cracks radiating around it.
The impact was so intense that the entire second-floor hall trembled.
It took a moment for calm to return.
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[You killed a Nine Nether White-Faced Spider (3rd level of Foundation Establishment Stage) and gained 1,600 experience points, Soul Crystal Fragment (Green)*1...]
[Current experience points: 18,000]
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After landing from the air, Su Chen did not glance at the panel information that had popped up.
Instead, he examined his right leg in surprise, seemingly not anticipating that his kick would be so potent.
However, after only a brief thought, he deduced the reason.
Recall that after entering the examination room, he had been wielding an ordinary magic sword.
Yet, the quality of this magic sword was insufficient to withstand the tremendous shock force of his Water Dragon Roar.
Thus, each time he used the Water Dragon Roar, he had to deliberately suppress the sword's power to prevent damage.
But just now, when he had used his legs instead of a sword, he had instinctively pushed his magical capacities to the limit.
Although his physical form is not quite as robust as the magic sword,
the flexibility of the human body allowed the Water Dragon Roar unleashed through his legs to be exponentially more powerful than when wielded with his magical sword.
Not to mention he had subconsciously incorporated the Purple Cloud Divine Fire into this process.
This led to his astonishing feat of kicking the White-Faced Spider to death with a single strike.
Reflecting on this, Su Chen suddenly realized a problem that had previously escaped his attention.
His understanding of his own body... seemed far from sufficient.
After all, before today, he had never considered abandoning his weapons and relying solely on his body to execute the Water Dragon Roar and Purple Cloud Divine Fire.
As he pondered, Su Chen felt countless thoughts surface within his mind.
He remained there, deep in contemplation, entering a mysterious state.
These are two words often referenced by cultivators: enlightenment.
Three minutes later...
Having gained a new understanding of swordsmanship, Su Chen finally emerged from his state of enlightenment.
He looked at the corpse of the White-Faced Spider not far away and remarked, "It appears I was ensnared in a misconception. I only regarded myself as a pure sword cultivator and entirely forgot about the existence of leg techniques or boxing techniques."
"No wonder people always say that to master sword fighting, one must first practice boxing, and to practice boxing, one must first master the mind."
"If you don't understand your own body and mind, how can you grasp anything external to your being, like a spirit sword?"
---
[Due to your new understanding of swordsmanship, the skill proficiency of 'Dragon Roar Sky Breaking Strike' has improved.]
[Dragon Roar Sky Breaking Strike: Extreme State 10,000/30,000]
[Current experience points: 18,000]
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Eighteen thousand experience points—this was the reward he gained after killing the White-Faced Spider and clearing her nest.
In addition, the sudden realization provided an extra 10,000 skill experiences to Dragon Roar Sky Breaking Strike.
Now, he only needed to acquire another 3,000 experience points to attain his first 'dao-entry-level' skill.
Su Chen brimmed with anticipation for this.
Because this goal... was within reach.
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