The Bronze Fan stirred up a furious assault.

With a gentle flick, wind blades whistled forth; with a vigorous shake, a wave of fire swept across the battlefield.

It darted elusively like a butterfly, covering a vast attack range.

Ning Zhuo was practically cowering behind his shield, pinned down, able only to defend with all his might.

Searing waves of fire singed his hair, and wind blades skimmed the ground, slicing at his lower body, causing injuries to his legs and feet.

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, enduring the immense pressure. “I have a shield and have blocked most of the attacks, yet I’m still under heavy pressure. What about the others?”

Indeed, just as he had expected, the sixth Xuan Bing Jia marked a qualitative leap in combat power.

Previous Xuan Bing Jia, even with the master-level realm of “no move better than a move,” were limited to their techniques, with the sharp edges or heavy blows of the bronze weapons themselves being the most dangerous.

But by the sixth one, the martial arts of the Xuan Bing Jia began to incorporate the use of magical power, allowing them to unleash light blades and sword energies.

The Xuan Bing Jia’s ability to strike from a distance rendered Ning Zhuo’s capacity to sense “power” almost useless.

The Bronze Fan’s assault was like a furious storm!

Ning Zhuo, caught in the eye of the storm, was forced to retreat step by step.

In a short time, the surface of the bronze shield was already heavily scarred. Deep gashes left by wind blades marred it, and after enduring fire waves, the shield became scorching hot.

Veins bulged on Ning Zhuo’s arms as he firmly held the shield against the onslaught, repeatedly deflecting the most fatal blows.

If it were just passive defense with the shield, Ning Zhuo’s defeat would be inevitable. But now, he still had four other bronze weapons.

Shou Zhuo Lun Zhan Zhen, activate!

The four bronze weapons rotated continuously around Ning Zhuo.

Under Ning Zhuo’s divine sense manipulation, these weapons struck alternately, constantly disrupting the Bronze Fan.

At first, the Bronze Fan’s attacks remained incessant, but gradually, as Ning Zhuo adapted to the battle and the corresponding moving formation became proficient, the disruptive effect of the four bronze weapons grew increasingly significant.

The Bronze Fan was only one weapon, and facing a siege, it had no choice but to defend.

As a result, its offensive weakened, giving Ning Zhuo a chance to catch his breath and regroup.

Ning Zhuo, of course, did not miss this golden opportunity. He gradually found his footing, activated his moving formation, launched wave after wave of attacks, and slowly evened the odds.

Wind blades, interspersed with fire waves, once again swept towards him.

Ning Zhuo raised his shield high, no longer meeting the attack head-on, but rather engaging it at a specific angle, skillfully guiding, deflecting, and rotating!

The furious power of wind and fire, guided by the shield, was largely dispersed in other directions, hitting nothing, while another part pressed against the shield’s surface, yet caused no harm to Ning Zhuo himself.

His battle gradually attracted more and more Xuan Jia Dong cultivators to watch.

“When did Ning Zhuo become so powerful?”

“In this Xing Yun Xiao Shi, only a handful of people can fight the sixth Xuan Bing Jia to a draw like this!”

“That’s an understatement. Even Jindan-level cultivators like Ao Pan aren’t as effortless as he is.”

The cultivators were momentarily dazed, recalling the scene when Ning Zhuo first encountered the first bronze weapon.

Clang, clang, clang!

The Bronze Spear acted as the main attacker, while the gauntlet, saber, and sword provided support. After several continuous strikes, they directly knocked the Bronze Fan to the ground.

Ning Zhuo lunged forward, using his shield to suppress the Bronze Fan, then refined it with both Shen Lian and Fa Lian.

“The sixth one – victory!” Ning Zhuo’s eyes gleamed, his heart soaring.

Seeing this scene, the cultivators of Xuan Jia Dong once again fell silent.

“Overall, Ning Zhuo sustained the least damage in the sixth battle.”

“The battle formation he designed is quite reasonable, completely tailored to the Xuan Bing Jia he has on hand. This formation allows him to gather strength and unleash power greater than the sum of its parts. In contrast, other cultivators used Xuan Bing Jia in turns, which is like a relay battle, but Ning Zhuo truly engaged in a group attack.”

“But this—it all seems like a dream. I still remember his awkwardness when facing the Bronze Sword; the battle was simply unbearable to watch, a huge disappointment.”

How did Ning Zhuo suddenly become so strong?!

Everyone was a bit slow to react.

They then recalled Ning Zhuo’s trial journey and quickly discovered the reason.

“Ah! I understand now. Ning Zhuo’s learning ability is truly exceptional, and he fully seized every learning opportunity, training calmly and steadily.”

“Although he stumbled and even scrambled in the initial attempts, each time he gained tremendously and grew significantly.”

“He is no longer the same! That’s why he handles the sixth Xuan Bing Jia with such ease now.”

Everyone reached a consensus on this point, looking at Ning Zhuo with newfound admiration.

In the projection, although Ning Zhuo had won, he still frowned slightly, lost in thought.

Cultivator Hao, with his arms crossed, spoke at this moment: “I have reason to suspect that Ning Zhuo has been acting with purpose and a plan since he started the trial.”

“He is very aware of his learning ability. Even if his martial arts strength is truly insufficient, he possesses ample confidence that he can deal with Ban Ji.”

He then sighed deeply, his expression forlorn: “Ning Zhuo shows no sign of pride, clearly accustomed to this. This is the advantage of a top-tier genius in a certain aspect, something we mere mortals can hardly ever achieve in a lifetime.”

The cultivators who had secretly harbored jealousy towards Ning Zhuo now felt relieved.

When the gap became too vast, and the laggard realized that they and Ning Zhuo were completely different entities, the emotion of jealousy in their hearts naturally dissipated.

Of course, a few cultivators still felt unwilling, and asked at this moment, “So, doesn’t that make Ning Zhuo the strongest right now?”

Cultivator Hao immediately shook his head, “No, he merely possesses outstanding strength. He’s considered among the top tier of this group. In the actual combat of the third stage, he will face cultivators. Humans are full of spiritual agility, and in terms of strategy, they are incomparable to Xuan Bing Jia.”

“Ning Zhuo’s nascent battle formation is relatively shallow and might be deciphered by others.”

“Moreover, the third stage is a chaotic battle, and with the complexity of the situation, anything can happen.”

The cultivators were all discussing Ning Zhuo, while the person in question was immersed in thought, occasionally discussing with Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong, currently in the Shu Yu Zhai, had already performed the two spells of “hanging by the hair” and “stabbing the thigh with an awl,” and with the enhancement of the Luo Shu, she was giving her all, collaborating with Ning Zhuo to improve the Shou Zhuo Lun Zhan Zhen.

Real combat is the best teacher.

The recent real combat exposed many problems with the newly formed battle array and sparked countless inspirations for Sun Lingtong.

After reviewing the battle, both felt that instead of rushing to the next stage, it would be better to stabilize their foundation and fully enhance the power of the battle array. The latter choice could fully leverage Sun and Ning’s advantages and was undoubtedly more reliable.

One incense stick later.

The view before the cultivators suddenly broadened, and the formation shifted, bringing them all into the true Xuan Jia Dong.

The dome was vast and high, with no glimpse of sunlight.

Here, time, with water as its blade and stone as its anvil, had carved out a wondrous spectacle.

Crystalline stalagmites shot up from the ground, like a forest of spears. Stalactites hung down from the ceiling, like an array of lances.

The cave walls were layered with a thousand ravines, the accumulated rock patterns like solidified turbulent waves, or perhaps the forging marks left by a craftsman hammering armor plates.

The sound of dripping water was ceaseless.

Drops of bronze liquid permeated from the stalactites, falling into the small lake at the very center.

Xuan Jia Dong, Qing Liu Hu.

The lake water was dense, like a colossal emerald. Its deep bronze hue was so rich it seemed to absorb all light.

This bronze water was the main material for the Xuan Bing Jia.

The cultivators’ gaze was drawn to the lake water; they all knew the rules. Before the official start of the third stage, cultivators had the opportunity to come to the lake, refine some of the water, and obtain a blank Xuan Bing Jia!

The Xuan Bing Jia that cultivators had previously seized were not truly theirs. After the Xing Yun Xiao Shi, these all had to be returned to the Xuan Jia Dong.

But here, the Qing Liu Tong they obtained from the Bronze Lake was a gift from Xuan Jia Dong, exclusively theirs. After this Xing Yun Xiao Shi, they could all be taken away by the cultivators.

A voice from the grand formation echoed through the grotto, announcing the rules of the third stage.

Ning Zhuo listened carefully, finding that the rules had not changed.

He quickly scanned the others: Ao Pan, Tie Zheng, Lu Zeng, Xiu Zai Jiang, Ban Ji—and a pile of muddy flesh, with blades and swords stuck in it.

The flesh slowly reformed into Zhang Wangxing.

He knelt on the ground, coughing up blood continuously, his heart greatly invigorated: “Finally, I finally made it through! Before, he had always relied on tricks and cheating, which meant he had no power to retaliate against the sixth Xuan Bing Jia. He could only flee with all his might, buying himself time. He had already acquired the fifth Xuan Bing Jia and was qualified to advance to the next round, just waiting for the formation to activate.”

Ning Zhuo didn’t see Zhang Dandan and sighed in his heart, “The cultivators who made it to the third stage are pretty much what I expected.”

Ning Zhuo didn’t bother Ban Ji and immediately walked towards the lake.

The others did the same.

The most urgent task was to refine some Qing Liu Tong lake water to obtain a blank Xuan Bing Jia. The more Xuan Bing Jia a cultivator had on hand, the greater their chance of ultimate victory.

Zhang Zheng was the first to reach the lake.

His face was as solemn as iron, his feet deeply planted. His arms slowly lifted, palms downward, as he pressed virtually on the lake surface from a distance.

Magical power surged, sinking into the lake, then rolled up a large stream of Qing Liu Tong, slowly hovering in mid-air.

Zhang Zheng continuously infused magical power, refining it rapidly.

The Qing Liu Tong gradually transformed into a shield before everyone’s eyes.

He had a saber beast and various Xuan Bing Jia, but he lacked a shield. In previous battles, he had deeply realized that a defensive weapon played a huge role.

Ao Pan, unhurried, also arrived at the lake.

He drew out his magical power, condensed it into the shape of a long whip, lashed it onto the lake water, and then scooped up a large cluster of Qing Liu Tong.

The Qing Liu Tong was absorbed by his magical power and condensed into a long whip in mid-air.

Lu Zeng was the last of the three Jindan cultivators to arrive.

He took out his natal magic treasure, the Qian Ji Ou, and surprisingly, directly tossed it into the lake.

Ban Ji and Xiu Zai Jiang walked together.

Ban Ji immediately asked, his tone impatient: “Do you have a sword?”

He already had a bronze saber, and he had finally encountered a bronze sword, but he simply couldn’t defeat it. The battle dragged on, and he entered the third stage.

Xiu Zai Jiang handed his bronze sword to Ban Ji without hesitation.

These weapons could be transferred.

At the same time, during the period of refining Qing Liu Tong, cultivators were also allowed to use means to heal their injuries.

So, for Ban Ji, this was the best time to retrieve his saber and sword and restore his saber-and-sword combined attack.

However—

Ban Ji was immediately dumbfounded when he saw the bronze sword: “Is this your bronze sword?!”

He emphasized the word “sword” with a strong pronunciation, conveying emphasis.

The bronze sword in Xiu Zai Jiang’s hand had already shrunk into a dagger.

Xiu Zai Jiang shrugged: “You know about my Tian Jin Sha. These Xuan Bing Jia aren’t suitable for me. Every time I use them, they have to endure my Jin Sha erosion.”

Ban Ji snorted, “You keep it.”

He still didn’t give up: “You were entrusted by my Ban family to assist me. Ban Jie wouldn’t have just this one arrangement; what other support does she have?”

Xiu Zai Jiang’s eyes flickered, and he slowly shook his head: “Perhaps she arranged for others, and I am just one of them.”

Ban Ji snorted again, saying nothing further.

He needed to quickly heal his injuries first, reattaching his severed fingers.

He had carefully picked up and properly stored these severed fingers, which would greatly save healing time.

Ban Ji was very pressed for time; he not only had to heal but also refine the Xuan Bing Jia.

A moment later, he flexed his hand. Although weak, he could at least hold a saber and sword.

Ban Ji looked around and saw that almost everyone was gathered around the small lake, refining Qing Liu Tong.

No one had come to assist him during his long period of healing, which deeply disappointed Ban Ji.

“I already have a bronze saber, so the blank Xuan Bing Jia I refine can only be in the form of a sword.”

“Alas, if I had a shield, it would be a huge advantage in a chaotic battle.”

Ban Ji’s gaze lingered on Ning Zhuo for a moment, then quickly shifted away.

Ning Zhuo sat cross-legged by the lake. His Xuan Bing Jia were all transformed into pieces, stored close to his body. So from the outside, Ning Zhuo appeared empty-handed, and no one knew how many Xuan Bing Jia he possessed.

Streams of Qing Liu Tong were drawn out by Ning Zhuo’s divine sense and magical power working in concert, landing on his body.

These Qing Liu Tong were refined by Ning Zhuo and added to all the Xuan Bing Jia in his possession, thoroughly repairing them.

Xuan Bing Jia are not durable and are easily worn down, but at the same time, because of their special main material, they are also extremely easy to repair.

Even if others chose to repair, it would at most be one or two pieces. For example, Ao Pan’s previous bronze long whip, he would rather let it break than repair it.

The bronze long whip was the first bronze weapon he encountered, and it was too weak.

In this situation, for him, refining a new bronze long whip that perfectly matched his cultivation technique and whip martial arts was the optimal choice.

Ning Zhuo treating all equally, showering blessings on all, was also his optimal choice.

Because he had a battle formation!

Soon, a continuous flow of Qing Liu Tong completely repaired all of Ning Zhuo’s Xuan Bing Jia.

Only then did Ning Zhuo begin to condense a new Xuan Bing Jia.

The cultivators of Xuan Jia Dong saw Ning Zhuo’s Xuan Bing Jia and immediately showed strange expressions.

This was because Ning Zhuo’s Xuan Bing Jia did not belong to any conventional weapon; it resembled a human leg!

Everyone could only sigh now: the thinking of a genius is truly different from us ordinary people.

The brief rest period quickly passed.

The power of the grand formation once again enveloped them, suppressing Jindan to Zhuji and elevating Lianqi to Zhuji. There was no longer any difference in cultivation levels among them, and the competition primarily revolved around the Xuan Bing Jia.

Tie Zheng was the first to act, slowly walking up to Ao Pan: “Shall we spar a few rounds?”

With his movement, the chaotic battle of the third stage officially began.