Chapter 202: Duel of Wits

At the edge of the mountain peak, Zhou Qing stood with his hands behind his back, his voice cold as he spoke.

“I’ve already lit a bonfire at the summit and prepared firewood. Just as I told you before, if I manage to kill you today, I’ll definitely roast you and eat you.”

Feng Shui Zhenjun, who had come to this place, was initially somewhat doubtful about Zhou Qing. He was still considering whether to pursue him, but Zhou Qing’s words now directly provoked his anger. However, he did not recklessly charge forward.

By now, from Zhou Qing’s words, he could tell that all the battles they had fought on the mountain were traps set by the other, and his opponent’s strength was definitely not as weak as he had expected.

Although Feng Shui Zhenjun was eager to avenge his son, at this critical moment of life and death, he did not want to risk his own life.

The other had deliberately lured him so far from the river, precisely because he assumed he was just a weak water-dwelling demon cultivator.

Now, fighting atop the mountain, and knowing the opponent was not as weak as he had thought, the result of a duel was predictable.

With these thoughts, Feng Shui Zhenjun’s mind was made up; there was no longer any hesitation. His figure flashed as he dashed down the mountain.

“Trying to run? Too late.”

Watching Feng Shui Zhenjun sprinting down the mountain, Zhou Qing shouted, then unleashed his true strength, chasing after him like a ghost.

Under Zhou Qing’s full pursuit, it wasn’t long before he circled around the forest and blocked Feng Shui Zhenjun’s path.

He knew one thing about water-dwelling demon cultivators: those water spirits were weak to fire within the five elements.

His own Fire Spiritual Root was the most awakened and powerful among the three spiritual roots, combined with his Lingdong realm cultivation. Therefore, after luring Feng Shui Zhenjun to the summit, he was confident he could slaughter him.

Feng Shui Zhenjun had been relentlessly casting spells while chasing Zhou Qing up the mountain, so although he was not mentally exhausted, nearly half of his spiritual power had been depleted.

Seeing Zhou Qing suddenly block his path, Feng Shui Zhenjun raised his hand and pointed. A blue, foot-long little dragon shot out from his fingertip, directly charging toward Zhou Qing.

At the same time, Zhou Qing slapped his waist’s treasure pouch, pulling out a Fire Beast Stone condensed by Huo’er. With a swing of his hand, a flame appeared nearby, forming a fire beast about the size of a raccoon cat.

Once the fire beast appeared, it leapt up and bit the blue little dragon. Then, with a flash, it darted to Zhou Qing’s feet.

Because this world had certain rules, Zhou Qing’s current level of awakened Fire Spiritual Root did not allow him to directly control fire energy.

Though he could not control fire directly, he could channel the fire spirit power of his Fire Spiritual Root through this fire beast. This was why Tian Yizi had left him the residual soul of a Swift Flame Fire Beast.

Years ago, after Zhou Qing recognized the stone with his blood inside a cave atop Beque Mountain, this fire beast became his symbiotic companion.

Although his fire spirit power could not be fully unleashed due to the rules, borrowing this symbiotic fire beast achieved the same effect.

“That’s the Swift Flame Fire Beast?”

“You do have some insight.”

Feng Shui Zhenjun felt a rising sense of crisis as his full-force attack was thwarted by a fire beast. He did not rush to strike but changed his previously arrogant demeanor, his face serious as he watched the fire beast beneath Zhou Qing’s feet.

After acknowledging the other, Zhou Qing moved his intent; Huo’er’s figure blurred, becoming a fire meteor that shot toward Feng Shui Zhenjun.

Just as Huo’er was about to reach him, Feng Shui Zhenjun raised his hands and formed a water curtain in front of himself.

The water curtain stopped the fire beast, and Feng Shui Zhenjun clasped his hands, quickly forming a strange hand seal before pointing to the sky. In the blink of an eye, dark clouds gathered above.

Thunder rumbled, and a torrential downpour began.

As the rain fell, the raccoon-sized little fire beast let out a strange cry. At Zhou Qing’s command, it ceased struggling against the water curtain and leapt back onto his shoulder.

He was confident he could kill Feng Shui Zhenjun. The opponent was trapped on the mountain, not in his aquatic element, so geographically, he had no advantage and was actually at a disadvantage.

Moreover, although the demon cultivator still had some spiritual power, if Zhou Qing continued to fight, gradually depleting his energy, it would be easy to kill him once fully exhausted.

With these thoughts, Zhou Qing moved his intent again. Huo’er leapt from his shoulder, charging Feng Shui Zhenjun once more. Simultaneously, Zhou Qing formed a hand seal and pointed skyward.

“Boom—”

Thunder rolled in the sky, and at Zhou Qing’s command, a bolt of lightning shot from the clouds, striking toward Feng Shui Zhenjun.

With fire below and lightning above, Feng Shui Zhenjun’s expression changed. He thrust out a palm, and a pale blue light curtain appeared before him, blocking Huo’er.

At the same moment the lightning struck, he raised his other hand and pointed at the sky. The descending lightning strangely retracted back into the clouds.

Though Zhou Qing had never seen such an eerie sight before, he was not surprised.

Water cultivators specialized in controlling weather—summoning wind and rain, stirring clouds and calling lightning. He had never intended to kill Feng Shui Zhenjun with that single lightning strike.

“You worthless wretch, if this is all you can do, you won’t kill me today.”

“Is that so? We’ll see.”

After blocking Zhou Qing’s lightning technique, Feng Shui Zhenjun said proudly. Then, raising his hand and pointing, he returned a lightning strike toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing had no way to retract this lightning back into the clouds. He could only endure it with his protective spell.

Although it consumed much spiritual power to withstand the attack, Zhou Qing’s energy in the forest was boundless.

After weathering the lightning, Zhou Qing shifted Huo’er’s direction and charged Feng Shui Zhenjun again.

At the same time, relying on his continuous spiritual power replenishment, he summoned another lightning bolt from the sky.

“Boom—”

Like before, the second lightning bolt descended halfway before mysteriously retracting into the clouds. Huo’er’s charge was once again blocked by Feng Shui Zhenjun.