C362 Explosive Essence Powder!(1)

Suddenly, the old man appeared, clearly familiar with Woo Zhengyang's methods, perhaps even having witnessed the recent Heavenly Martial Dao Discussing Great Association. He knew well the prowess of Woo Zhengyang, so when his Vital Spirit Giant Hand couldn't halt his advance, he drew his weapon.

It was a peculiar whip, covered in barbs like a thorny vine. The barbs were a dark green, with an oily sheen suggesting a potent poison rather than a mere magical artifact. In today's world, few practitioners use poison, and at the Shape Gathering Stage, it's even rarer. However, if someone at this level resorts to poison, it's bound to be powerful, capable of affecting even those of the same rank.

When Woo Zhengyang saw the old man's whip, his expression shifted slightly. Against a typical Shape Gathering Stage opponent, he was confident he wouldn't be easily subdued, but this old man was skilled in poison. Such practitioners might not have the highest combat strength, but they are notoriously difficult to deal with.

"Crack..."

The whip snapped in the air, sounding like a thunderclap. At the same time, a dark green mist accompanied several whip shadows flying toward Woo Zhengyang. He didn't dare be careless. His Dragon Countering Nine Steps shifted abruptly, propelling him skyward, soaring over the barrage of whip shadows. The No Life Sword descended toward the old man from above.

The long whip danced skillfully, laced with poison, preventing Woo Zhengyang from getting close. Without proximity, he couldn't use the Ink Night Sword Washing Arts. Besides this technique, Woo Zhengyang didn't really know any other sword skills, so he had to channel all his energy into this one strike.

The icy blue sword energy sliced through the air, but the old man swung his whip, protecting himself.

"Snap..."

A soft sound echoed as the sword energy shattered.

"So much for a so-called prodigy, huh? Ha ha..." the old man laughed heartily.

Woo Zhengyang felt frustrated. This guy was a Shape Gathering Stage expert using a poisoned weapon against him, a Reality Condensing Stage warrior. Yet, he was so smug about his small victory. What a character.

In mid-air, Woo Zhengyang pulled out several triangular golden flags and flung them around. The old man was clearly prepared. As soon as Woo Zhengyang took out the flags, the whip cracked loudly, stirring the surrounding energy into chaos, preventing Woo Zhengyang from setting up his array.

Seizing this moment, another giant hand of vital spirit appeared behind Woo Zhengyang, reaching for him. He had no choice but to put away the flags, striking twice to shatter the hand, landing silently on the ground.

As the old man said, the gap in their stages was hard to bridge. Woo Zhengyang wasn't afraid of the Shape Gathering Stage, but dealing with this old man easily was proving to be quite difficult.

"Well, have you realized the gap between you and the Shape Gathering Stage yet? I told you to hand over your secrets, but you insisted on fighting a losing battle," the old man taunted.

Unconsciously, Woo Zhengyang thought of the reincarnated Emperor of Cycles, Moh Lunhui. Even though he had defeated him, when it came to challenging higher levels, he couldn't compare to Moh Lunhui. With his skills, dealing with this old man would be much easier.

"This guy doesn't dare get close to me. To finish him quickly, my Martial Dao will must truly reach a higher level!" Woo Zhengyang resolved internally.

His Martial Dao heart was one of wild determination, and his obsession with martial arts was intense. He decided to use the old man as a stepping stone to further develop his newly grasped Martial Dao Concept.

The foundation of Martial Dao will lies in understanding its essence. Focusing his mind, Woo Zhengyang stood as if in a world of his own. A gentle breeze brushed his face, and the vital energy of the world moved with his breath, his heartbeat, and the rhythm of everything around him.

No matter how he moved, there was always a cycle of cause and effect. Woo Zhengyang worked hard to immerse himself in this cycle, gradually gaining control over it.

Without the aid of the golden vortex, entering that profound state was incredibly challenging for Woo Zhengyang. However, he firmly believed that if others could achieve it, so could he. Moreover, with the experience of being guided by the golden vortex before, it was much easier for him to immerse himself in it compared to others.

The old man mocked Woo Zhengyang, but when he noticed Zhengyang wasn't responding and just stood there, seemingly lost in thought, he grew cautious. After all, Zhengyang was the top contender in the Heavenly Martial Dao Discussing Great Association, so he must have some extraordinary tricks up his sleeve.

Time passed, and Zhengyang remained motionless, almost as if he had fallen asleep. The old man grew restless. He approached Zhengyang step by step, careful not to get too close. The strength of someone at the Shape Gathering Stage lies in their ability to project their vital energy. If he got too near, he would lose his advantage, and he wasn't too confident in close combat.

"Crack..."

A whip snapped, echoing like thunder, and a Vital Spirit Giant Hand simultaneously struck towards Zhengyang.