Chapter 392: Lock-On Technique!

Yang Ling suddenly had a flash of insight. This Rong State was very likely a shared map for countless exclusive dungeons!

He had obtained the exclusive dungeon of the Devour Heaven Palace.

And now, this Zhang Daochu before him had probably obtained the exclusive dungeon of the Heavenly Will Sect!

"This guy has cultivated two Top-Tier Internal Techniques and two First-Class Martial Arts Techniques. Even his Heaven's Will Divine Blade has reached Skilled level. He probably has a firm grasp of the Thunder Blade..."

"Compared to this guy, Zhang Shuzhou, the number one in Rong State, is nowhere near his level."

Yang Ling studied the other's status panel, feeling somewhat impressed.

He had thought the gap between himself and other players was already so vast it might as well be a hundred thousand miles.

Who would have thought there was a player out there who was only two Top-Tier Internal Techniques behind him?

He was even only one First-Class Martial Arts Technique ahead.

If it weren't for the fact that he had learned the Candle Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique during his first visit to the Devour Heaven Palace's exclusive dungeon, he would have been on par with this guy in terms of First-Class Martial Arts Techniques.

"First Zhang Shuzhou, now this Zhang Daochu. I wonder if some of the number one players from other Server Regions have already broken through level 80?"

"The Divine Realm now has a full fifty million players."

"The player population in Zhao State probably barely exceeds a million, even at a generous estimate."

"I can't be sure whether these players are evenly distributed across the Server Regions."

"If some Server Regions have player populations in the millions, then it's only natural that a few extraordinary talents would emerge from among them..."

A faint sense of crisis stirred in Yang Ling's heart.

He had gone further than the players of Zhao State and Rong State, but he couldn't determine just how big the gap was between himself and the number one players of other Server Regions.

"His Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram is at Flawless Proficiency, which means he most likely cultivated this Internal Technique before coming here."

"Heavenly Will True Scripture is at Skilled level. He probably obtained it around the same time as the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram."

"As for Heavenly Will Fist and Heaven's Will Divine Blade, I can't tell whether he got those from this dungeon or if he already had them on the outside."

When it came to training Martial Arts Techniques, as long as one had enough Spirit Nurturing Pills, the progress would be terrifyingly fast.

That was a player's advantage.

On the other hand, when it came to Internal Techniques, even players had to dutifully take Foundation Consolidation Pills and spend time refining their medicinal effects before they could gain experience points.

He didn't believe Zhang Daochu could obtain large quantities of good stuff like the Devour Heaven Great Rejuvenation Pill.

So he guessed that the other party had already cultivated the Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram and the Heavenly Will True Scripture back on the outside!

At this very moment, Yun Tianqing and Zhao De were also sizing up Zhang Daochu.

Since Xie Huichen had arranged for this person to answer the challenge, it meant she believed his strength was above Yao Chunman's.

However, judging from the stunned expressions of the Phoenix Dance Mountain disciples, it seemed this person had never appeared before, and even they didn't know his origins.

"Master, might I ask who this is..."

Yao Chunman took a deep breath and gave Xie Huichen a cupped fist salute.

Xie Huichen smiled and said, "Daochu is a personal disciple I accepted just recently."

A personal disciple!? Yao Chunman and the others found it hard to believe.

Up until now, they had all thought Yao Chunman was the one who held that position.

And the various resources Yao Chunman had received were proof enough of that!

Why had another person they'd never even seen suddenly popped out of nowhere?

Yao Chunman bit her lip and said in a low voice:

"Master, I will give everything I have in this battle. Please give me the chance to fight."

Xie Huichen smiled at her and said:

"Chunman, your strength is indeed quite impressive, but Daochu's strength is no less than yours. Since your master has arranged for him to spar with the opponent, there is naturally a reason for it. You need not say anything more."

Yao Chunman said nothing further, but her fists clenched tightly within her sleeves.

A hint of unwillingness and shame burned in her eyes.

Two Devour Heaven Great Rejuvenation Pills, one Nurturing Vitality Essence Pill, and a share of Snow Spirit Marrow.

Never mind the former, just consider that last item.

It was clearly prepared for her.

But if this Junior Brother Zhang, who had appeared out of nowhere, fought in her place...

Even if he won this sparring match, who would that Snow Spirit Marrow end up belonging to?

"Interesting. Your disciple Yao Chunman has already reached Near Perfection in Vital Qi."

"This one clearly hasn't reached that level yet. Why did you send him out to fight?"

Yun Tianqing looked at Xie Huichen with a half-smile, though a flicker of suspicion lurked deep in her eyes.

"If Chunman were to fight, she would undoubtedly win this battle without any suspense at all."

Xie Huichen said with a faint smile, "So I had Daochu spar with your disciple instead. That makes things far more interesting. Don't you want to see what my personal disciple is capable of?"

Yun Tianqing immediately chuckled:

"Very well, let me see what your personal disciple has to offer."

As the words fell, both sides took a step back, making room for the two about to face off.

Zhang Daochu quietly sized up Yang Ling, and a trace of amusement flickered in his eyes.

A personal disciple from a Second-Rate sect, even with Near Perfection in Vital Qi, how could he possibly be a match for him?

The Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram began to circulate slowly.

In an instant, both of his attributes were boosted by a full 65 points!

Yang Ling had kept the other party's status panel open the entire time.

Seeing this, he felt a bit annoyed.

This Heavenly Will Hundred Battles Diagram really was just a little bit stronger than the Vajra Bright King Technique.

Both were at Flawless Proficiency, yet the attribute boost was a whole 10 points higher.

"There's a good chance it comes with an exclusive skill too. I just wonder what it is."

Just then, Zhang Daochu's two attributes had reached 204 Strength and 205 Agility.

Suddenly, a flying dagger streaked through the air wreathed in crackling lightning, hurtling toward Yang Ling at terrifying speed.

To Yao Chunman and the others, they couldn't even tell it was a flying dagger at all.

What they saw was a bolt of lightning!

Shock rippled across everyone's faces.

Yun Tianqing and Zhao De's expressions shifted slightly.

Heaven's Will Divine Blade!? And it had already advanced to Skilled level?

Yun Tianqing's expression changed slightly, but then, perhaps by luck, she watched as her personal disciple took a preemptive step to the side, dodging the flying dagger.

The Thunder Blade tore through the air and struck a large tree dozens of meters behind Yang Ling.

A deafening boom rang out as the tree was charred black from top to bottom, with faint arcs of residual electricity still crackling across its surface.

It was only at this moment that Yao Chunman and the others recognized what martial arts technique this was!

"Thunder Blade!? That's the Thunder Blade from Heaven's Will Divine Blade!? He actually managed to master this technique!?"

Yao Chunman cried out in shock.

Everyone knew the threshold for cultivating this Martial Arts Technique was extremely high!

And this wasn't even Phoenix Dance Mountain's specialty!

Phoenix Dance Mountain practiced fist techniques! Not flying daggers!

"Hm!? He actually dodged it?"

Zhang Daochu's expression flickered, and he unleashed another Thunder Blade.

This time, he activated the exclusive skill granted only at Skilled level of the Heavenly Will True Scripture: Absolute Focus!

A strange, inexplicable force locked onto Yang Ling.

"Is that Absolute Focus?"

Yang Ling stared intently at the Thunder Blade, feeling as though it was coming at him from every direction at once.

No matter how he moved, he would eventually be hit by it.

"Absolute Focus really is a lock-on technique!"

Yang Ling made no move at all. He simply activated his Object Control skill.

His Object Control couldn't do anything to diminish the power of this Thunder Blade.

But he didn't need to control the Thunder Blade at all. All he needed to do was slightly alter its trajectory.

Yang Ling remained perfectly still, yet the Thunder Blade swept past his side, still failing to land a hit.

A hint of confusion crept into Zhang Daochu's otherwise calm eyes.

With two Thunder Blades both failing to hit Yang Ling, a flicker of displeasure crossed Xie Huichen's eyes:

"Daochu, no need to hold back."

"Yes!"

Zhang Daochu felt a slight tremor of wariness. He didn't dare take this lightly and began to seriously treat this NPC from a Second-Rate sect as a genuine opponent.

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