Zhang Ergou thrust the iron spear in his hand towards the black mist.
A tremendous suction force emanated from the spear, almost causing Zhang Ergou to lose his grip.
"Huh? A trap!"
Zhang Ergou immediately sensed something was amiss, but by the time he tried to pull the spear free, it was too late.
The suction pulling at the spear grew even stronger; the more he resisted, the greater the pull.
"Kid, you'll never know that this move of mine is specifically for troublesome opponents."
Jiang Tian's sinister smile crept across his face as he whispered words no one else could hear.
He rarely used this technique, as it was his trump card for survival.
Since mastering this spell, Jiang Tian had never truly used it in combat.
However, he was acutely aware of its effectiveness.
If an enemy ignored it and came into contact with it, the move became a mere nuisance, annoying but harmless.
But if the enemy, unable to bear the harassment of the black mist, actively provoked or attacked it, they would fall into its trap.
Zhang Ergou was precisely in this predicament. As he exerted more force, the suction power increased proportionally.
This bizarre phenomenon was something Zhang Ergou had never seen, or even heard of.
Zhang Ergou continued to increase his strength, intending to yank the iron spear free with brute force.
But once caught in the black mist's snare, escaping was not so simple.
Unbeknownst to Zhang Ergou, the suction force would vanish the moment he let go.
For a time, the man, the spear, and the black mist were locked in a peculiar stalemate.
"What is Zhang Ergou doing, why is he so fixated on stabbing that black mist? I can't sense any significant danger from it."
"That's the peculiarity of the black mist. Although we can't see anything unusual, look at Zhang Ergou's strained expression; it indicates considerable power."
"This senior brother speaks wisely; I agree."
The observing disciples, unable to contain their curiosity, began discussing the strange scene.
However, they naturally could not perceive the true nature of the black mist.
"Lin Yichen, among us, your cultivation is the highest. Have you not noticed anything unusual about the black mist Jiang Tian summoned?"
Xiao Qingyu tugged at Lin Yichen's sleeve, watching Zhang Ergou poke and pull, the black spear seemingly locked in a battle with the mist.
Lin Yichen's brow was furrowed. He acutely sensed the strangeness of the black mist but couldn't pinpoint what was odd about it.
"I can't say for sure, but I believe that mist is not simple."
"Nonsense, if it were simple, would Ergou be struggling so hard? It looks like Zhang Ergou's spear is stuck."
"No way, isn't Ergou just stabbing the mist with his spear? How could it get stuck?"
Lin Yueru interjected curiously.
"That's the weirdness of the black mist."
No matter how much they racked their brains, they couldn't unravel the mystery of the black mist.
"Hmph! I don't believe it!" Zhang Ergou withdrew one hand, preparing to punch the black mist.
As soon as he retracted one hand, Zhang Ergou clearly felt the peculiar suction force diminish significantly.
"Hmm?" Zhang Ergou exclaimed in confusion.
He tried reducing the force he was applying, and indeed, as he had suspected, the suction power lessened considerably.
"Haha, Jiang Tian, I never thought you were so insidious."
Zhang Ergou discovered the anomaly and chuckled softly.
However, to avoid arousing Jiang Tian's suspicion, Zhang Ergou continued to grip the iron spear with both hands, slowly dragging the black mist towards Jiang Tian.
A look of pain contorted Zhang Ergou's face, sweat pouring down his body as if he were struggling fiercely to pull the spear.
Jiang Tian, oblivious to Zhang Ergou's ploy, watched him continue to strain against the black mist and the spear, his hands moving faster as he chanted incantations.
More black mist began to drift above Zhang Ergou's head.
Zhang Ergou still appeared to be locked in a tough battle with the black mist, his hands gripping the iron spear and pulling with all his might.
His performance not only fooled Jiang Tian but also deceived the spectators.
"What's going on with Zhang Ergou? It's just a broken spear; he could just throw it away. Why is he expending so much effort?"
"What do you know? I heard Zhang Ergou carried that iron spear with him since he was in the Outer Sect. He must have a deep connection with it, so he wouldn't want it swallowed by the black mist."
"Is he perhaps an idiot? Carrying an iron spear while cultivating, isn't it heavy?"
The murmurs from below the stage were incessant. The crowd couldn't understand Zhang Ergou's actions.
If a cultivator lacked the courage to abandon their weapon, how could they aspire to conquer the continent?
The disciples scoffed at Zhang Ergou's approach, believing the best course of action was to discard the spear.
It wasn't just the inner disciples; even Zhang Ergou's close friends, like Lin Yichen and the others, thought the same.
"Why hasn't Ergou thrown away his spear yet? I've never seen him cherish it so much before."
"He's probably worried the black mist will suck his iron spear away."
"That can't be right. Given Ergou's character, he wouldn't do this for a mere spear. That kid would do anything to win."
"This is truly puzzling!"
Lin Yichen, Xiao Qingyu, Wang Teng, Lin Yueru, and Lu Xiaoyu discussed and observed the scene on the platform.
None of them noticed that while Zhang Ergou appeared to be struggling against the black mist, his feet were subtly moving.
First to the left, then to the right.
Then forward, and then back.
Yet, his distance from Jiang Tian was gradually closing. This was because Zhang Ergou's movements were incredibly slow and his steps deliberately erratic.
Jiang Tian, completely unaware of Zhang Ergou's true intentions, believed he was still fighting the black mist he had summoned, and inwardly he sneered.
"Ah, Zhang Ergou, Zhang Ergou. I never thought you'd end up like this. Aren't you supposed to be cunning and difficult to deal with? This time, I'll exhaust you to death no matter what."
With a cold laugh, Jiang Tian continued to chant incantations, causing the black mist to grow even larger.
The larger the black mist became, the greater the suction force would be if Zhang Ergou increased his strength.
Jiang Tian poured all his effort into casting the spell, his intentions going beyond merely exhausting Zhang Ergou.
Suddenly, a peculiar expression flashed across Zhang Ergou's face as he was fiercely tugging at the spear.
"What a useless spear, I don't want it anymore!"
As he spoke, Zhang Ergou released his grip on the iron spear.
Clang...
Without Zhang Ergou's resistance, the black mist naturally lost its suction force. With a loud crash, the iron spear hit the ground.
Jiang Tian was stunned.
In that fleeting moment of bewilderment, Zhang Ergou, who had already moved beside him, delivered a fierce punch to Jiang Tian's chest.
Bang!