The Hundred Beast bear charged toward Bai Xiang, its massive body enough to block out the sunlight, its heavy shadow swallowing the ground beneath it. Every swipe of its claws carried terrifying force, enough to split a tiger's body in half without effort.
But—
when it attacked…
Bai Xiang remained completely still.
He did not move an inch.
He raised his hand, and in the next moment, condensed lightning gathered before him, forming a solid electric barrier.
A sharp blue flash.
A crackling sound that tore through the silence.
The bear slammed into the barrier—
and its charge came to an abrupt halt.
Currents of lightning surged through its body, violently electrocuting it, forcing out a deafening roar that shook the entire mountain, its echoes rumbling through the forest like thunder.
But—
at the very moment Bai Xiang stabilized his defense—
two metal spears shot toward him from behind.
At blinding speed.
They tore through the air, aimed directly at his back.
In that instant—
Bai Xiang was forced to move.
He had no other choice.
The lightning barrier vanished immediately, and his body shifted fluidly, narrowly evading the spears at the last moment.
But by doing so—
an opening appeared.
The bear, freed from the pressure of the barrier, did not miss the opportunity.
It charged again, this time with even greater ferocity, its claws tearing through the air, and with every swing, sharp wind blades were unleashed—each one capable of slicing through the surrounding trees.
---
Bai Xiang was using the Lightning Wall Gu.
A Rank Two defensive Gu.
It provided tremendous defense, stronger than most defensive Gu of the same rank.
However—
it had two critical flaws.
The first—
it could only defend in one direction.
All other sides remained completely exposed.
The second—
its user had to remain completely stationary while activating it.
Because of this—
when Jian Long attacked him from behind, Bai Xiang had no choice but to cancel his defense and maneuver.
But—
this was still not enough to put him in a dangerous position.
Bai Xiang was no ordinary opponent.
His body was strong, fast, and tempered by deep combat experience.
His movements were precise, calculated, and completely devoid of hesitation.
He evaded the bear's attacks with light steps—ducking, sliding, and retreating at just the right moments.
And the bear itself was far from simple.
It possessed an air-path Gu, allowing it, with every swing of its claws, to release sharp wind blades that formed and shot forward, slicing through the air at terrifying speed, capable of tearing through flesh and bone.
And so—
the battle grew more dangerous with every passing moment.
وWhat made the situation even more complicated for Bai Xiang… was Jian Long.
From the side, the boy continued launching his metal spears without pause.
And his performance was improving noticeably with every attack.
It was not just accuracy…
It was coordination.
A growing coordination between him and the bear.
Whenever the bear attacked from the front—
Jian Long's spears came from blind angles.
Whenever Bai Xiang retreated—
attacks chased him from two directions.
And as time passed—
the rhythm became tighter.
More dangerous.
Even Bai Xiang, who had seen countless geniuses throughout his life…
felt astonished.
"This boy…"
A faint glint flashed in his eyes.
"He has sharp, innate talent."
For a moment, a thought crossed his mind—to strike him with a lightning bolt.
A single blow would be enough to end everything.
But the thought quickly disappeared.
In this chaotic situation, he was not confident in his ability to precisely control the power of the lightning.
A slight excess—
and Jian Long might be killed instantly.
And that… was not what he wanted.
As for attacking him directly, it was not an easy option either.
Jian Long's improving accuracy and his coordination with the bear made approaching him a real risk.
Any miscalculated advance could cost him an injury.
And in a battle like this, even a single injury could be decisive.
So he shifted his focus toward the larger target.
The bear.
He raised his hand, lightning gathered within it, then he released it.
A sharp bolt pierced through the air and struck the bear's body directly.
The beast roared in pain, its voice shaking the ground beneath them.
But it did not fall.
That bolt was enough to turn any other beast of its size into charcoal.
But this bear possessed a defensive Gu.
It reduced the impact of the attack, leaving only superficial burns.
Bai Xiang's eyes narrowed slightly.
He understood.
"If I strike the same spot repeatedly… it will fall."
He began gathering lightning again—another bolt.
But at the moment he was about to release it—
another metal spear shot toward him.
Coming straight at him, forcing him to retreat.
And stopping his attack once again.
Bai Xiang was not annoyed.
On the contrary, a faint smile formed on his lips—calm and cold.
His body moved fluidly as he evaded the bear's relentless assaults, bending at times, slipping aside at others, while claws and wind blades passed within a hair's breadth of him.
Amidst that continuous motion, he murmured inwardly:
"Nine…"
In his eyes, everything had already become clear.
Jian Long, despite his striking talent and rapid improvement, was still a novice lacking true combat experience.
The faint smile remained on Bai Xiang's face.
His eyes narrowed slightly, tracking every movement… every attack… every detail.
He was not in a hurry.
He was waiting.
Because this battle was already decided.
All that remained now… was a single moment.
The instant Jian Long released his next metal spear—
That would be the end.
And Jian Long would be defeated.