Ning Zhuo felt a surge of surprise.

“I actually encountered a bronze shield; that’s pretty good luck.”

He was well aware of the intelligence regarding the Xuanjia Cave’s Xingyun Minor Trial, knowing that Xuanbingjia usually took the form of various weapons and tools. A shield like this was truly rare.

Of course, there were things even rarer than shields, such as large weaponry like crossbow chariots and battering rams.

Ning Zhuo then looked around and noticed that the battle environment had also changed.

The previous three battles had all taken place in a spherical area with ample space for movement.

But now, the great formation of Xuanjia Cave had condensed into an alley, drastically reducing the room to maneuver. The bronze shield in front of Ning Zhuo directly occupied most of the passage.

“Starting from the fourth round, each battle will have a specific environment.”

The alley was deep like a throat, with moss creeping over the slippery brick walls on both sides, its end disappearing into an impenetrable darkness.

The bronze shield transitioned from static to dynamic.

It launched the first attack, not a clumsy bash, but a swift glide along the ground, sweeping directly at Ning Zhuo’s lower body.

“Such speed!” Ning Zhuo’s pupils slightly contracted.

The bronze shield was so fast that it left a bronze afterimage in Ning Zhuo’s eyes.

Ning Zhuo retreated hastily.

As he backed away, the walls on both sides seemed to press in, putting more pressure on Ning Zhuo.

He couldn’t create distance!

But from the start of his retreat, Ning Zhuo knew he only needed to buy time to get into position.

Left hand holding a saber, right hand holding a sword.

Ning Zhuo let out a low cry, and the saber and sword slashed out almost simultaneously. The saber chopped down hard, hitting the shield’s surface. The sword was very fast, leaving a trace of an afterimage as it stabbed the shield’s edge.

The next moment, a piercing clang of metal exploded.

The shield’s forward momentum was momentarily halted by the saber’s force, but although the sword tip struck, it couldn’t penetrate an inch.

A recoil force struck, straining Ning Zhuo’s right arm. His wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, and shoulder immediately adapted, absorbing and dissipating the recoil.

Ning Zhuo continued to retreat, simultaneously slashing again with his left saber. His right sword, having been pulled back, regrouped for another strike.

Clang, clang, clang…

Several thrusts produced bursts of sparks.

Continuous saber chops and sword thrusts gradually neutralized the shield’s offensive.

The combined attack of saber and sword fiercely clashed, finally pushing the shield back.

Ning Zhuo leaped back a step, looking down at his saber and sword with a grim expression.

The bronze sword was severely worn, with fine cracks appearing on its blade. The edge of the bronze saber was slightly curled.

“The bronze sword has been used the most.”

“The bronze saber, however, was chopped against the shield and was countered.”

Between weapons, due to differences in construction and structure, there naturally existed a relationship of counterplay.

But Ning Zhuo knew that the greater reason lay in the wear and tear.

“Conventional weapons experience wear and tear with frequent use. Xuanbingjia certainly has this problem, perhaps even more severely.”

Xuanbingjia could change forms, and its material was quite peculiar. But deformation also meant that it wasn’t firmly fixed.

Therefore, Xuanbingjia was not durable.

“In the previous rounds, I practiced and learned extensively, using the saber and sword far more than others.”

“The saber and sword can’t be used much longer; they need repairs!”

Ning Zhuo threw his saber and sword behind him, allowing them to float and follow. He then stretched out his arms, slightly opening the ten fingers of both hands.

The bronze gauntlets each transformed into two streams of copper liquid, pouring directly into Ning Zhuo’s hands, then quickly solidified into a pair of bronze gauntlets.

Ning Zhuo swung his gauntlets, taking the initiative to attack the shield.

The shield was powerful and heavy, but Ning Zhuo was more than twice as agile as before.

Compared to a saber and sword, fists were naturally more flexible and free. After all, humans are born with two hands, and they are used most often in daily life.

Among the demonic cultivation experiences Ning Zhuo had acquired, unarmed combat skills were also the most numerous.

Ning Zhuo delivered a series of punches, his bronze fists flying into a blur, continuously attacking the shield. His footwork was agile; he stepped on the side walls, somersaulted, and constantly borrowed momentum.

He easily gained the upper hand.

It was different now!

Ning Zhuo’s memory was activated, and his close-combat martial arts advanced by leaps and bounds. Gauntlets were also a weapon he could use almost immediately, making him even more formidable.

Even if his memory and physical body didn’t perfectly match, the gauntlets themselves provided basic moves, constantly calibrating Ning Zhuo’s actions.

“In just an hour or so, my martial arts strength has at least tripled compared to before the minor trial!”

Ning Zhuo was ecstatic. As the person experiencing it, his feelings were the most profound.

Previously, his close-combat skills could only be described as having solid fundamentals, no longer a distinct weakness. However, with Ning Zhuo’s significant leaps in Five Elements magic and机关術 (Jīguān Shù, mechanism techniques), close-combat had once again become a shortcoming, an undeniable fact.

But now, his close-combat abilities were also undergoing a great leap!

The shield was struck hard by Ning Zhuo’s fists and crashed to the ground.

Using the recoil, the shield floated up, suddenly tilted upward, and with an unnatural agility, avoided Ning Zhuo’s punch, rising into the air above the alley.

“Not good.” Ning Zhuo looked up and saw the heavy shield, like the raised foreleg of a giant beast, coming down on his head!

Ning Zhuo quickly retreated and dodged.

The shield changed its trajectory in mid-air, fully utilizing the narrow terrain of the alley, forcing Ning Zhuo step by step against the wall, leaving him nowhere to evade!

Ning Zhuo could only grit his teeth, transforming his fists into palms, and directly parry the shield’s strike.

His arms sank as if trying to brace an overturning hill.

An overwhelming surge of power transmitted through him, and Ning Zhuo’s knees buckled, forcing him to a half-kneeling position on the ground.

His knees violently collided with the floor tiles, shattering them and creating a slight indentation.

Ning Zhuo’s vision momentarily darkened, and he tasted a metallic sweetness in his throat.

The next moment, Ning Zhuo let out a low roar, summoning all his strength, transforming from a single-knee kneel into a rebound. He was like a compressed spring, suddenly exploding.

The bronze shield was pushed back an inch by him!

With space created, Ning Zhuo quickly dodged and then rolled over to counterattack.

The bronze shield, however, was different from before, becoming more agile. It had clearly “adapted” to Ning Zhuo’s switch from saber and sword to gauntlets and had developed a counter-strategy.

Ning Zhuo wasn’t surprised; if gauntlets could possess such martial arts proficiency, the bronze shield, being stronger than the gauntlets, naturally could too.

“Compared to the gauntlets, the shield utilizes the environment more effectively!”

Ning Zhuo had keenly perceived the shield’s greater strength.

Fighting here with gauntlets, without knowing how to use the alley, would be a disadvantage. But the shield sometimes stuck to the wall, sometimes used its body to squeeze Ning Zhuo’s space, and sometimes used its edges to collide with the walls, once again putting Ning Zhuo at a disadvantage.

Ning Zhuo could only barely parry, sustaining continuous injuries.

His face, however, was filled with excitement, and he rejoiced inwardly: “I’ve learned, I’ve learned!”

Previously, the pressure wasn’t enough. While the gauntlets matched his physical body, Ning Zhuo himself faced countless choices from his memories, being in a state of internal struggle.

But now, the bronze shield brought immense pressure on Ning Zhuo, giving him no time to overthink. He could only rely on instinct and his innermost feelings, unconsciously choosing the moves that best suited his temperament.

Performing these moves was akin to practice. Such arduous and intense practice naturally benefited Ning Zhuo greatly.

He felt himself gradually merging with the gauntlets, his various moves becoming proficient, even effortless.

This sense of effortlessness was something he hadn’t experienced when using a saber and sword. After all, fists and feet are closer to instinct than blades.

The bronze shield suddenly accelerated, cutting through the wind, heading straight for Ning Zhuo’s face.

Ning Zhuo first dodged, then kicked off the wall bricks, turning back to strike.

With this blow, he infused his magic power, his right arm muscles bulging, swinging his gauntlet, delivering a heavy side blow to the shield.

The shield was struck and embedded itself in the wall bricks on one side, making it impossible to pull out in a hurry.

“Opportunity!” Ning Zhuo’s eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he seized the chance to attack.

Clang, clang, clang…

A series of explosions sounded, and the shield’s aura rapidly weakened.

Suddenly, one side of the shield turned into copper liquid, easily detaching itself from the wall’s confines.

The shield spun rapidly, its body shrinking slightly, and its edge deformed, transforming into a series of dense sawteeth.

The rapidly rotating sawteeth gleamed with cold light, tearing through the air, and cutting fiercely towards Ning Zhuo.

This unprecedented transformation caught Ning Zhuo off guard, leaving him in a passive position.

The bronze shield’s counterattack occurred precisely at the awkward moment when his old strength was exhausted and new strength had yet to emerge, clearly a “long-planned” move.

“The shield hitting the wall earlier was just a trap!”

Ning Zhuo instantly realized that he had fallen for a shield’s ploy.

He had no time to dodge and could only raise his hands, using his palms to counter the shield’s fierce cutting edge.

A series of sparks erupted, and at the same time, the grating sound of metal friction echoed intensely through the alley.

Ning Zhuo’s bronze gauntlets and the shield were made of the same material, so there was no difference in quality; they could temporarily block each other.

But Ning Zhuo’s strength couldn’t match the thick shield. His arms and hands were pushed apart, exposing his torso.

The shield’s serrated edge cut open Ning Zhuo’s abdomen, and the cold metal edge deeply embedded itself into his flesh! Intense pain, like a tidal wave, instantly overwhelmed Ning Zhuo, making his vision flicker black.

If this continued, he might be cut in half horizontally.

Although the Xuanjia Cave cultivators were observing and could provide timely treatment, Ning Zhuo would undoubtedly be defeated here!

Ning Zhuo’s carelessness caused the situation to rapidly deteriorate, pushing him to the brink of defeat.

The young man wanted to dodge, but the bronze shield had intentionally set up a trap, pushing Ning Zhuo’s back against the wall, with the sawteeth embedded in his waist, leaving him no escape.

Some of the observing cultivators gasped at this scene.

Just as Ning Zhuo was on the verge of defeat, some memories in his mind suddenly became incredibly vivid.

A demonic cultivator blocked an opponent’s saber slash with a long sword. The spine of his sword suddenly “sensed” the opponent’s saber force sinking, intending to change into a parry and slice motion.

The demonic cultivator immediately twisted his wrist slightly, tilting the sword blade at an angle, guiding the enemy’s large saber’s slicing trajectory to deviate outward by half an inch. The opponent’s saber was deflected, and the demonic cultivator seized the opportunity to counterattack, piercing the opponent’s heart with one sword strike!

“Demonic cultivator, pay for my wife and children with your life!” The enemy clenched his fist and struck directly.

The demonic cultivator met it with an open palm. The instant their palms made contact, he sensed that the opponent’s punch lacked sustained power and that his center of gravity was slightly off-balance.

The demonic cultivator immediately changed his move, his palm guiding the punch’s direction backward like a swimming fish, while simultaneously turning his body to allow the force line to pass.

The enemy’s fist missed, and his center of gravity was further thrown off, causing him to lunge forward. The demonic cultivator seized the opportunity to drop his shoulder and deliver an elbow strike, hitting the enemy’s exposed ribs.

The enemy fell to the ground, spitting blood.

“I treated you like a brother, and you treat me like this?! In today’s battle, only one of us will leave alive!”

The demonic cultivator’s short halberd locked with the opponent’s hooked claws, entering a state of stalemate and grappling.

The demonic cultivator suddenly perceived that the opponent intended to unleash a sudden burst of power and knee him.

The demonic cultivator seized the opportunity, suddenly relaxed his grip and withdrew his strength, while simultaneously ducking and shifting his stance.

The enemy’s burst and knee strike missed, causing him to lose balance instead. The demonic cultivator took the opportunity to free his short halberd, striking upward from below, piercing from the enemy’s jaw into his skull.

All these memories were quite similar to Ning Zhuo’s current situation.

Ning Zhuo, without thinking, acted according to his memories. He gripped the top and bottom surfaces of the shield with his fingers and also sensed the changes in the shield’s force.

“Guide the force!”

A sharp light burst from Ning Zhuo’s eyes. He twisted his wrist, his body pressed against the wall, and like a windmill, he inverted directly, using his rotation to drive the shield’s rotation, deflecting it.

The shield embedded itself deeply into the wall, and Ning Zhuo successfully escaped the predicament!

The danger had passed!

The observing cultivators all breathed a sigh of relief.

They didn’t want Ning Zhuo to be eliminated just yet; they were eager to see the clash between Ning Zhuo and Ban Ji.

“Ning Zhuo is seriously injured; his intestines are even exposed.”

“Although he’s out of danger, the situation is still perilous.”

Many people held their breath for Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo’s face was pale, having lost a lot of blood. He pressed one hand firmly against the large gash in his abdomen, trying to keep the flesh together. With his other hand, he held up his palm, facing the bronze shield’s subsequent attacks.

He was in extreme peril, frequently rolling on the ground, retreating step by step, dodging, and completely on the defensive.

But he displayed resilience; though the scene was ugly, he never collapsed.

“Eh?” Gradually, some cultivators showed surprise, keenly sensing Ning Zhuo’s improvement.

“He made a breakthrough in battle, suddenly grasping the essence of the martial arts of virtual and real.”

“Ning Zhuo can now keenly detect changes in the bronze shield’s feints by sensing its force, discerning its next tendency.”

“This is akin to ‘pre-cognition,’ preparing in advance. So, even though he can only defend with one hand, he’s holding on.”

“Is this what a genius is?”

Everyone looked at each other in silence. Some had once thought Ning Zhuo’s last-minute practice was futile, but Ning Zhuo’s immense improvement and remarkable achievements were unfolding before their eyes.

“It took me until I was over sixty years old for my experience to accumulate enough to ‘sense’ changes in force and feel a sense of unity with the weapon in my hand!”

“How old is Ning Zhuo?”

“Terrifying comprehension! He was clearly very shallow in martial arts at the beginning.”

Cultivator Hao was also drawn in, sighing sincerely, “A genius cannot be measured by ordinary standards.”

This statement struck a chord with everyone present, leading to a moment of silence.

Sourness, helplessness, bitterness, grievance, and even jealousy… A myriad of emotions welled up in the cultivators’ hearts.

Thinking of their own hard-earned accumulations, and then looking at Ning Zhuo’s performance, comparing oneself to others truly could be infuriating.

A moment later.

Ning Zhuo slammed his fists down, driving the shield to the ground.

He stomped his foot hard, pinning the shield down, then quickly refined it.

Ning Zhuo was panting, his clothes stained with blood, but his eyes gleamed, and his spirits were invigorated.

“I have a vast amount of others’ memories, which saves me the long process of accumulation and practice.”

“Such real combat is the most valuable thing for me!”