Chen Tian and the Shang Ling Evil General simultaneously took a step forward. In an instant, two beams of light collided continuously. Chen Tian's long sword clashed with the Evil Spirit Staff, and terrifying waves of energy continuously impacted and spread. Neither Chen Tian nor the Shang Ling Evil General yielded. The Evil Spirit Staff in the Shang Ling Evil General's hand was wielded with full force. With a sweep of his left hand, Chen Tian brought his long sword horizontally in front of him. The sword body resisted the Evil Spirit Staff, and immense power was transmitted to his arm. Chen Tian unleashed his full strength, his muscles growing stronger. As the long sword and the Evil Spirit Staff collided, Chen Tian slashed his arm directly, deflecting the Evil Spirit Staff. Seizing the opportunity, Chen Tian lunged directly at the Shang Ling Evil General.
The Shang Ling Evil General reacted quickly, his hands changing their moves. The Evil Spirit Staff moved to his front. The sword body slashed at the staff's body, causing only a slight tremor. The Shang Ling Evil General increased his strength, the impact vanishing. The Evil Spirit Staff slowly spun in his hand, and Chen Tian's long sword retreated. The spinning Evil Spirit Staff became a shield, which the Shang Ling Evil General then hurled directly.
Before Chen Tian could even comprehend what was happening, he slashed his sword. The black and white long sword in his hand collided with the spinning Evil Spirit Staff. The Evil Spirit Staff spun like a luminous wheel, cutting through heaven and earth. The black stream of light was like a rainbow piercing the sun, vast and boundless.
The collision of their weapons instantly produced sparks. Chen Tian's figure retreated continuously. Chen Tian gently lowered his long sword, and the luminous wheel passed through the sword's defense. Suddenly, the long sword pierced the center of the Evil Spirit Staff's luminous wheel, and the Evil Spirit Staff's rotation slowed.
With a thought, the Shang Ling Evil General recalled the Evil Spirit Staff to his hand. Chen Tian observed this phenomenon and said, "Not bad! You've learned telekinetic weapon control."
The Shang Ling Evil General said proudly, "You humans taught me."
"Stop wasting words and tell me, where is that traitor?"
"Do you think I would tell you?"
"Sigh!"
Chen Tian knew the Shang Ling Evil General wouldn't tell him. He hadn't found the human traitor yet, which was truly tragic. One by one, the Evil Generals were released, and Chen Tian was powerless. If he could have killed that traitor, perhaps the contract time wouldn't have been expedited so soon.
A variable indeed. Chen Tian had not foreseen this. Moreover, judging by what that person had said, they had a grudge against him, which was why they targeted him. Chen Tian truly couldn't recall having any enemies and didn't understand why.
In the real world, he had no enemies at all.
Chen Tian and the Shang Ling Evil General's weapons began to glow. The battle was not over. Chen Tian was merely contemplating some matters; multitasking was simple for him.
Chen Tian's long sword defended and attacked while he pondered. Facing the Shang Ling Evil General's imposing aura, Chen Tian's long sword drew out a sword light. The Shang Ling Evil General brought down his staff, and the long sword and Evil Spirit Staff collided. With a thunderous roar, shockwaves spread, and the void trembled. This void space could barely withstand the clash between Chen Tian and the Shang Ling Evil General.
Chen Tian's long sword spun, its blade turning into a body that collided. Then, he pulled his arm, and the long sword, along the staff, lunged towards the Shang Ling Evil General's head. The Shang Ling Evil General's lips curled up, as if he had expected Chen Tian to do this. As Chen Tian approached the center, the staff in his hand…
With a cracking sound, the entire Evil Spirit Staff broke apart from its central closed loop. A black chain appeared, and the Evil Spirit Staff transformed into a nunchaku. Chen Tian's long sword slashed into the chain, and the Shang Ling Evil General continuously wrapped his hands around it, binding the long sword with the chain.
The Shang Ling Evil General laughed wildly, "Chen Tian, didn't expect this, did you! My weapon still has a third mode. You're going to die now."
"Under my Evil Spirit Chain Nunchaku, all weapons will be crushed."
The Shang Ling Evil General looked confident. Chen Tian's expression remained unfazed in the face of this situation, as if it had no effect on him.
Chen Tian said playfully, "Are you sure?"
Chen Tian rotated his palm, and the black and white long sword emitted black and white light, spinning along with it. Currents of swirling energy were transmitted from the nunchaku to the Shang Ling Evil General's arm.
The Shang Ling Evil General decisively released his nunchaku from the long sword and retreated.
Chen Tian said calmly, "Good reaction. Otherwise, your arms would be crippled."
"You... you tricked me!"
The Shang Ling Evil General, realizing he had almost been tricked, was furious. As a descendant of an ancient Evil General, to be almost tricked in battle. If it were anyone else, it would be one thing, but he was the Shang Ling Evil General, not an ordinary one.
Having experienced wars spanning epochs, his combat awareness was profound. Yet, he was almost tricked by a mere youngster, his arms nearly crippled.
Chen Tian had done it intentionally because he had calculated that the opponent's third form would be nunchaku. This wasn't difficult to guess. The closed loops on both sides would extend into spearheads. The central closed loop would either open or split. If it split, it would become twin spears, albeit very short ones. Nunchaku was the most suitable. The chain would retract into the Evil Spirit Staff.
Chen Tian had chosen to attack knowing this would happen. Once the Shang Ling Evil General's nunchaku chain entangled Chen Tian's long sword, Chen Tian could transmit the swirling energy from his long sword through the chain to the Shang Ling Evil General's arm. This swirling energy could cripple the Shang Ling Evil General's arm.
Chen Tian had calculated this scenario for a long time before arriving at this conclusion. Unfortunately, the Shang Ling Evil General had sensed it. Indeed, the more powerful the being, the stronger their sense of danger.
Chen Tian smiled faintly, "You won't be so lucky next time."
Chen Tian's calculated scenarios were not limited to just one. He would trick him again. When it came to trickery, no one dared claim to be second to Chen Tian. After all, Chen Tian in the cultivation world was an old trickster, a particularly devious one. Chen Tian had inherited the memories, and naturally, this knack for trickery was also inherited. But it had to be said, this was quite beneficial for combat. Tricking others once felt great, tricking them continuously felt even better.
Attacking from unexpected angles, making one difficult to defend against.
"Unorthodox methods!"
The Shang Ling Evil General knew Chen Tian's methods were not honorable. So what? This was a battle. As long as one could win, any method could be used. If Chen Tian could trick others, why couldn't the Shang Ling Evil General?
The Shang Ling Evil General decided to trick Chen Tian to death. The nunchaku in the Shang Ling Evil General's hand reassembled, and the Evil Spirit Staff reappeared in his hand. The Shang Ling Evil General said, "One last clash. If we can't decide it, we'll go all out in the next round. In the next round, I will definitely slay you!"
"That's what I intend!"
Chen Tian's words acknowledged the Shang Ling Evil General's intention. Their weapon proficiency didn't clash at all; merely a clash of combat consciousness was meaningless, as neither could find the other's flaws or weaknesses. The Shang Ling Evil General knew Chen Tian must have weaknesses, but they were hidden too well to be found.
Chen Tian battled while calculating in his mind, discarding all scenarios where he was at a disadvantage and keeping only those where he was at an equal footing or had an advantage. Chen Tian had mastered all combat styles. It would be a miracle if the Shang Ling Evil General could find Chen Tian's weakness.
Chen Tian and the Shang Ling Evil General charged at each other. Their figures transformed into two beams of light, colliding in the void, entwining like light streams, resplendent and dazzling. The entire void was filled with the light streams of their speed. Their speed increased, and shockwaves emanated from the light streams, causing cracks to appear in the void space.
The collision between Chen Tian and the Shang Ling Evil General was truly terrifying. A massive explosion resounded, and both Chen Tian and the Shang Ling Evil General were sent flying hundreds of meters. Chen Tian's face was pale, his left arm had exploded, and light flowed over it, continuously healing.
On the Shang Ling Evil General's side, a sword mark appeared on his chest. Black energy and blood flowed from the wound. Black energy permeated from the Shang Ling Evil General's body, covering the sword mark, and the wound on his chest slowly healed.
Chen Tian said coldly, "It seems it still comes down to the last round!"
"Yes! But let's see who recovers first!"
Neither side dared to attack now; it was a race to recover. The previous weapon clashes had been an exchange of blows at full force. Without timely treatment, it would be detrimental to the subsequent battle.
In the next round, both sides would engage in a clash of divine abilities and magic, a collision of innate divine eyes that could destroy heaven and earth, incomparable to weapon combat. Whoever recovered from their injuries first would be able to attack earlier, finishing off the opponent while they were still recovering. Even if they couldn't finish them off, they could severely wound them.
Green light flowed over Chen Tian's arm, accompanied by silver airflow, and his arm regenerated, slowly healing. On the Shang Ling Evil General's side, the sword mark was gradually repaired and disappeared. The terrifying sword energy within was directly erased by the influence of the evil spirit energy.
Chen Tian looked at the Shang Ling Evil General's recovery speed and realized it was not good. The Shang Ling Evil General was recovering faster than him.
Chen Tian was thinking of a solution. He was using wood elemental energy and healing skills to recover, but his recovery speed was still inferior to the Shang Ling Evil General's evil spirit energy.
The Shang Ling Evil General's origin was from the Evil Spirit race, and his entire body was composed of evil spirit energy. His recovery speed was much faster than Chen Tian's. Chen Tian's internal energy was mixed, and it required time to fully integrate. Chen Tian didn't have that capability now.
More than half of the Shang Ling Evil General's chest sword mark had recovered, while Chen Tian's arm had only recovered about thirty percent. The difference was clear at a glance.
The Shang Ling Evil General was internally excited and accelerated the healing of his evil spirit energy. Chen Tian's recovery was inferior to his. Once he recovered, he would unleash an attack to interrupt Chen Tian's recovery. In the next round of engagement, Chen Tian would lose at least twenty to thirty percent of his strength.
With that reduced strength, the Shang Ling Evil General was confident he could slay Chen Tian here.
Chen Tian naturally understood the Shang Ling Evil General's intentions. He then shook his head, a mischievous smile appearing on his face.
"I'm sorry, my apologies!"
Chen Tian murmured inwardly. No one knew what he was plotting.
After a period of recovery, the void space had no concept of time. The Shang Ling Evil General's chest had healed. He shook his entire body, and his aura exploded, strong and overbearing. Black energy permeated above the Shang Ling Evil General's head.
"Hahaha! Chen Tian, die! Now you'll take my move, and I won't let you recover."
Killing intent filled the Shang Ling Evil General's eyes. All the evil spirit energy in his body surged into his dragon claws.