Chapter 1336: I Didn't Do It on Purpose

Upon hearing the shouts, Senior Sister Shui wore a ghastly expression. She turned to look at the cheerful youth who was yelling and could no longer hold back, spurting out a mouthful of blood.

Damn it… Everyone else's partners were reliable experts, but this guy, what the hell was he? "Come on, Bazahei…" Baza, you good-for-nothing! I’m about to be beaten to death! I told you to act, yet not only are you not entering the fight, you’re yelling from the sidelines… Do I need your cheers? I need you to fight, fight, fight! Her delicate body trembled with rage; Senior Sister Shui felt she was going mad.

During the Righteousness Hall assessment, entering one after another, the assessment alley would automatically determine cooperation. Almost everyone in the Saint Son Hall understood this; even if they didn't, they'd surely ask... We've already started dual-player mode, fighting monsters together, yet you're standing on the side, completely still, like you’re frozen. Is that how you cooperate? She had originally thought that this guy was cooperating with her to curry favor and win her affection. But now, it seemed he had no such intention... This wasn't currying favor; it was asking for her life! Otherwise, why would he attract two puppets, then not even join the fight himself?

Whoosh! Her mind exploded with frustration, wanting to curse him, but the puppet in front of her gave no chance to breathe. The first one that appeared once again slammed its fist down. The surrounding air was compressed, feeling as if it could explode at any moment. Knowing that further distraction might get her killed, Senior Sister Shui’s hair stood on end. She once again activated a secret technique, twisting her lithe body like a water snake, spinning several times in the air, and narrowly escaped the powerful punch in a disheveled state.

She stopped, panting heavily, her face even paler. Her secret technique relied on bloodline power; each use caused immense drain, requiring a long rest to recover. She hadn't used it at all during this month-long assessment... She had planned to adapt to the opponent's tactics today and pass in one go, setting a new record… She never dreamed she'd be dragged down by this idiot, fighting two puppets alone. Having used the technique twice consecutively, her stamina was already nearing its limit.

“No, if this continues, I'll be beaten to death. Am I going to give up?” Her face was pale, her delicate fists clenched, her eyes filled with unwillingness. After a month of challenges, she had finally familiarized herself with all of the opponent's moves. She had intended to use her bloodline power today to pass easily... but this outcome was something she absolutely did not want to see! Once her bloodline power was used, she wouldn't be able to return for at least a month... there were too many things that would be delayed.

“I'll make this guy lure one away... I'll find a way to take down one, and the rest will be easy!” Panting heavily, she deliberated internally. Giving up was simply unacceptable, so she had no choice but to take a risk. The guy constantly yelling "Come on!" and "Bazahei!" from the side was utterly unreliable. However, if she just lured a puppet towards him, as a partner, he would surely be attacked. As long as one could be tied down, she could figure out a way to defeat it! Then, working together against the other, perhaps... they could turn the tide of the crisis and achieve victory. Of course, luring a puppet towards him would certainly put him in danger, but there was no other way now!

“As long as this reliable guy can hold out for a dozen breaths... I can use the method I've already planned to defeat one of them. Then, saving him should be easy enough... Hmph, he caused me trouble, so a little suffering won't hurt him!” She let out a soft huff, having made up her mind. With that thought, she no longer hesitated. Her delicate body trembled slightly, swaying twice like a vibrating string. Having used some unknown movement technique, her body stretched and rebounded like a rubber band. In an instant, she vanished from her spot, reappearing moments later not far from Zhang Xuan.

“Come on…” Zhang Xuan was still cheering when he saw her suddenly appear before him, and he couldn't help but be startled. “Help me deal with one!” Seeing his bewildered expression, although angry, Senior Sister Shui knew she was technically putting him in harm's way, so she couldn't help but remind him. “Deal with?” Zhang Xuan was still wondering when he saw two puppets charge forward, and an intense oppressive sensation surged through his entire body. Thump! One of the puppets slammed its fist fiercely towards his head. “This... isn't this a foul?” Zhang Xuan was stunned. He was just watching the show, idling, and learning. Attracting a puppet to him—didn't that count as helping her pass? Wouldn't that result in disqualification?

However, seeing the speed of the puppet's attack, he knew this was no time to ponder. He dodged the attack with a swift move of his head, simultaneously looking towards the girl not far away. He saw her fighting the other puppet. She spat out a mouthful of blood, and a special power rapidly surged, as if her strength had transformed in a short time. “Just passing through an alley... is it really necessary to expend so much energy?” Knowing she must have used an even more powerful secret technique than before, Zhang Xuan shook his head. While secret techniques could vastly increase strength for a short period, they also had significant drawbacks. The damage to the body was too great; once finished, it was easy for one's spirit, true energy, and physical body to all collapse, making recovery difficult in a short time, and even potentially affecting one's lifespan. For this reason, he never used them. Of course... the main reason was that he didn't know how. The woman before him had used it several times already, spitting blood, yet she continued to use it. She was practically fighting for her life!

Shaking his head, he was about to wonder how to express his goodwill when he saw the puppet before him roar again and charge fiercely. Missing its punch made it very angry. “Hold on, you're her assessment target, not mine. You're attacking the wrong person…” Extending a single finger, Zhang Xuan pressed against the puppet's charging head, making it struggle desperately, unable to move forward. At the same time, he began lecturing it earnestly. “Who designed this passageway? The puppets' eyesight must be terrible! I just followed in to see how she'd be assessed and pass. The assessment hasn't even started, yet you're swinging your fist and roaring at me. What are you doing?”

Roar! Roar! Blocked by a single finger, the puppet was filled with rage. Explosive energy surged all around it, its entire body's power circulated to its limit, and its arms swung rapidly like flywheels. However, with its head held by Zhang Xuan's single finger, no matter how fast its arms swung, they couldn't harm him in the slightest. Instead, it felt quite cool, like a fan. “This shouldn't count as making a move, so it's not a violation, right…?” Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction. The puppet attacked him, but he didn't retaliate; he simply held it in place. This shouldn't be judged as disrupting the assessment. Otherwise, if he were disqualified because of this, wouldn't his trip be in vain?

After controlling this puppet, he once again looked towards the girl and the other puppet who were still fighting. Senior Sister Shui, who had used the secret technique, looked terrible, but her strength had soared considerably, especially her attack power, which was nearly double what it had been before. Boom, boom, boom! Before, she had dodged various attacks, looking for opportunities to counter. Now, she was clashing head-on with her opponent, causing the surrounding air to explode and the formation array to tremble slightly.

“This secret technique is strong, but... her forte is water-attributed cultivation techniques. Clashing head-on with this technique is counterproductive…” Zhang Xuan frowned. His current understanding of combat, even without the Library of Heaven's Path and Eye of Insight, was definitely at the Grandmaster level. This girl, cultivating a water-attributed art – water, which embraces all things – was instead using it to clash head-on... She had clearly violated the most fundamental principles. “Although this might defeat the puppet quickly, she would also suffer backlash from the cultivation technique, and even her confidence would be shaken…” For cultivators, confidence in their own techniques was paramount. She cultivated gentle water techniques, yet through special means, she was clashing head-on, like steel... She was clearly fighting against her own core beliefs. Even if she could defeat the puppet, it would mean losing her convictions and perseverance, causing immense harm.

“Since I've seen it, it wouldn't be right to just ignore it…” After a moment of hesitation, he shook his head and couldn't help but speak up: “Uh... Senior Sister Shui, you can't do it like that!” Ultimately, he was still too soft-hearted. But... he was just such a kind and caring person; there was truly no changing that.

“Can't do it?” Senior Sister Shui, gritting her teeth and fighting the puppet, couldn't help but be startled. She had expected that after luring a puppet over, he would definitely be chased around in a panic. She never imagined his voice would be so clear, and that he'd even tell *her* she couldn't do it... What couldn't *she*, a woman, do? That word should apply to *you* instead! She scoffed internally, but still turned her head to glance in the direction of the voice. Her body stiffened. The puppet that had almost made her spit blood was currently leaning its head against the young man's finger, flailing its arms like a shrew, its legs continuously running, carving a large pit in the ground, yet unable to reach him. What was going on? When it was fighting me just now, wasn't it incredibly fierce? How come it's acting like a pampered lover now? Could it be that this unremarkable-looking guy, who was only at the Aperature realm initial stage, wasn't here to cause trouble, but was actually... an expert?

Whoosh! Too shocked to speak, the nearby puppet didn't wait for her and attacked again. Without time to think, she could only meet the attack. Because she was too rushed and unprepared, she was forced to retreat several steps.

“What about me... can't I do?” Feeling a tightness in her chest and her blood boiling, Senior Sister Shui gritted her teeth, holding back a mouthful of blood. “Clashing head-on with the puppet is the wrong approach. With your strength, you can defeat it without doing that!” Whoosh! The fierce wind swept past again, and Senior Sister Shui was struck by the puppet's fist wind, leaving a bloody mark on her face and causing a stinging pain. Her figure flickered twice, dodging the attack. Gritting her teeth, she could no longer hold back: “How do I fight then?”

“Uh... if I instruct you, it wouldn't count as a violation, right?” “No…” Senior Sister Shui swayed with anger. In dual-player mode, two people fighting together isn't a violation, so guidance certainly wouldn't be! “That's good then…” He breathed a sigh of relief. Just as Zhang Xuan was about to share his combat techniques, he heard the puppet in front of him let out a furious roar, no longer able to hold back. It had actually broken free from the power of his finger and charged towards him.

“What are you roaring about? Can't you see I'm busy?” With a displeased expression, Zhang Xuan smacked it. The puppet's head spun twice on its neck before flying off directly. Thud! It fell to the ground, twitching continuously, having lost its combat ability.

“This…” He hadn't expected that a casual slap would send the guy's head flying. His eyes widened, and the corner of Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched with embarrassment: “Looks like I used too much force. I really didn't mean to…”