Chapter 1617 - 833: Stress Test

The Mohist excels in defense, unafraid of danger.

In the days when the Empire still existed, the Mohists relied on the infinite possibilities touched by their Circle Realm to the point of not fearing the assault of opponents ten times greater in rank.

The more opponents there are, the more possibilities can be utilized, and the stronger the threat they can pose!

"Deflecting the opponent's attacks is just one way of application, once mastered deeply, you can even anticipate, making strategies before the opponent attacks.

Even more..."

The Heavenly Furnace paused for a moment, and before he spoke, Ji Jue fell flat on his face.

"—Just like this."

Makes everything the enemy wants to do fall into the worst consequence, rendering all their attacks not only ineffective but causing injury to themselves.

At the moment when the enemy shows hostility towards the Mohist, the worst possibility and the tiniest probability are already in the Mohist's grasp.

When Ji Jue, speaking the Federation's refined language, climbed up from the ground ready to speak, he saw the Heavenly Furnace smirk gently:

"Want to learn?"

"I want to!"

Ji Jue nodded frantically, rubbing his hands flatteringly.

In an instant, his gaze became incomparably clear and reverent—Master, I'm Ji Jue!

"Oh, then go figure it out yourself."

The Heavenly Furnace laughed heartily, finally letting out a dog-like bark.

Ji Jue's expression twitched, veins throbbed.

"This move is merely an application and development of the Circle Realm, nothing difficult; I understood it after watching someone demonstrate it twice and doing a little research."

After laughing enough, the Heavenly Furnace turned back, asking with a half-smile, "After getting hit so many times... You haven't got a clue yet, have you?"

You damn old dog truly deserve to die!

Ji Jue gritted his teeth and turned to leave, his fist had been clenched tightly and couldn't relax.

Every time he recalled this memory, it was as if he heard the dog bark again, exasperatingly angry.

Don't let me learn it, if I do, I'll smash your dog head first!

I'll let you know what the first lesson is: forgetting one's roots!

And when he snapped back to reality, he realized that he had unconsciously become lighter at heart!

This is a pressure test.

After passing the hardest adaptation period, he gradually gained experience with Ni Lin's moves and began to glimpse the use of the Circle Realm.

The key lies in choice!

Indeed, the Non-Attack Circle Realm holds infinite possibilities; in theory, if within reach, all attacks can be blocked, but the problem lies in the size of the [probability].

Theoretically, Ji Jue sneezing could stir up a storm on the other side of the world, as the probability is not zero.

And the smaller the probability, the more terrifying the spiritual quality and energy needed to achieve it.

Just like a normal person dealing with an opponent with a knife, empty-handedly grabbing a blade is never the optimal solution; the simpler method is to turn and run, creating distance.

The probability of dodging a gun line is always larger than dodging a bullet.

No matter how hard the skull is, it's not a reason to face a wolf's fangs.

Sometimes, settling for less, giving up hard defense, and opting for avoidance, deflection, and containment is more effortless and straightforward.

Just like now...

Boom!

A crack appeared on the back of Ni Lin's hand.

After Ji Jue started to change tactics, what he felt was increasingly suffocating heaviness!

Even though Ji Jue never counterattacked and only stood on the spot in passive defense, he felt the figure in front of him was becoming more blurred, unreachable.

The faster he moved, the more ethereal and distant the opponent seemed; no matter how ferociously he attacked he couldn't receive any feedback.

As a result, it became increasingly difficult to grasp the distance and scale between them.

Would this punch hit? How much force is needed to break through this layer of defense? Why would an inevitable punch be deflected so easily?

At a mere three inches away, why would it be so elusive when swung?

Bang!

Amidst the whirlwind, countless afterimages suddenly congregated into one, Ni Lin appeared, eyes crimson, hands like blades, cutting towards Ji Jue's neck!

Yet Ji Jue simply reached out his hand to meet the intersecting arms like scissors, held them down, and instantly, high-pitched shrieks erupted.

The chopping hands seemed to slice into invisible mud and glue, amidst the guidance of deflection and exhaustion, they gradually slowed, trudging forward arduously.

Until they could no longer pose a threat and were easily dodged by Ji Jue.

Once again, just a hair's breadth!

Always just a little off, always slightly awry!

Under the Wolf's keen perception, everything is so clear, yet reality always departs from one's assessment and estimation. Furthermore, the better the perception, the sharper the intuition, the more unbearable it becomes.

In the haze, the Ji Jue before him seemed to dissolve.

Like ink spreading in water, the original shape gradually scattered, no longer fixed, indescribable... Despite the enemy's figure clearly being before him, it resembled more an infinite darkness with no visible end.

It was as if fighting against a storm, battling the deep sea, the more futile one struggled, the deeper they sank.

And from beginning to end, the storm was silent, the deep sea quiet.

Ni Lin's movements came to an abrupt halt.

He appeared once more ten steps away from Ji Jue, as if he had given up—finally realizing that if this was the extent of his power, he could no longer pose any threat to the Wolf Lord.

"Please forgive me, Wolf Lord."

Ni Lin bowed his head in apology: "I will bare my fangs."

"Couldn't ask for more, Inaya, please don't hold back."

Ji Jue laughed: "Bring it on."

Thus, in the dead silence, the sound of shattering rang out.

Right in front of Ji Jue, the already burly figure expanded once more, as if tree trunks were growing, bones proliferating, flesh and blood tearing apart.

On the human face, the features of a beast emerged.

Wolf!

Rebirth form, revealed.

All the mutated forms acting on the Chosen Ones are incomplete or out of control transformations, and all White Deer Chosen Ones corroded by the Wolf Evil will inevitably transform into wolf-like shapes.

However, Ni Lin's appearance was completely different from everything Ji Jue knew.

Before the fur of the beast appeared, it was as if flames erupted from the skull, in a stench of burnt flesh, fur burning, bones shattering, and in the flames, iron light emerged.

Flames and steel interwove, seemingly as one, forming a beast's ferocious visage.

Even more astonishing were the iron branches slowly growing out from the distorted head, like antlers, formidable and lush.

Clearly a wolf, yet with antlers like a deer. But if it were a deer, why such fierce claws and fangs?

A sharp sound of steel being rubbed together rang out, and Ni Lin clenched his hands, eight claw blades tinged with a faint crimson shot out from the gaps between his finger bones.

And immediately after, when the ten fingers spread apart, the eight blades swiftly retracted, replaced by two knives and swords shooting out from the palms.

The curve was bizarre, bent like a scythe, it was the ceremonial scythe sword worn by the White Country King's Guard when protecting the Sacrificial King!

Horned wolf, clad in scale light!

Right in front of Ji Jue, the Furnace Wolf forged by his own hands finally revealed its true form!

"Magnificent."

Ji Jue's eyes lit up, unable to hide his admiration and joy.

The so-called match made in heaven, nothing more than this!

The burning metal wolf remained silent, merely bowing its head respectfully, placing a hand over its chest in salute, and then, without hesitation, charging forward!

No more hiding or evading, no more deceit or wandering.

Like a beast finally baring its fangs, launching a straightforward assault against its opponent, a head-on clash and confrontation!

Bang!

Amidst the chilling sensation brought by the perception of murderous intent, Ji Jue finally began to retreat, doing his utmost to dodge, unable to maintain his calm demeanor.

He couldn't even maintain complete defense—merely a hasty probe in one encounter revealed that as Ni Lin's stats skyrocketed, his own chance to deflect and dissolve attacks had dropped into decimals, the chance to fully withstand attacks was even more dire.

If he wanted to hold out long enough, he had to counterattack!

No use!

A loud noise erupted, the Pan Ying struck down, leaving a chisel mark on the grim wolf's face, only for the metal to squirm and begin to repair under the flame's cover.

Not even a scratch!

When Ji Jue turned to use the Dissociation Technique, he discovered that Ni Lin's body was covered with a faintly visible eerie scale light.

Like armor, it shatters and regenerates, and it's not a creation, but a qualitative change formed by the overlap of spiritual and physical properties, a part of the rebirth form!

Hard, too hard!

And unlike the rigid toughness of typical ruins, it's extremely resilient and slippery, any careless strike would slide the blade aside...

"Is this the scale?"

Ji Jue marveled, and amidst the storm of slashes and fierce attacks, he couldn't help but laugh: "Truly impressive, even for me!"

Scale, horn, claw, fang.

The four systems of the White Deer's legacy, Ni Lin undoubtedly belonged to the Scale system.

Though the four systems have the same origin, they each focus on different aspects—Unlike the [Claw] which prefers stealth and surprise attacks, the [Fang] emphasizing technique and move, the [Horn] proficient in using weapons, the [Scale] relies more on the body forged through countless trials!

Chosen ones of the Scale system don't need to rely on swords, spears, or blades because they themselves are the weapon forged through countless trials, every part of them, teeth, hands, head, knees, feet, even fur and breath, can become tools to easily claim lives.

Depending on faction and legacy, their bodies also possess different strange transformations, some appear as frail old men, but they're immensely strong, able to throw giant elephants.

Some seem unremarkable but can freely expand and contract, slipping through narrow crevices like liquid flesh. Others can completely dissipate into shadows, shifting with light and dark.

After accepting Ji Jue's Wolf Blood Oath, the now Ni Lin has inherited the unique talent of the Furnace Wolf lineage—specifically, 'eating trash'!

Even Ni Lin, occasionally, can't help but secretly find a few alchemy creations to gnaw on to grind his teeth.

Though it sounds awkward, in essence, this talent is the ultimate extraction and conversion of spiritual and material properties, devouring external substances to strengthen oneself!

Combined with the Scale system's legacy, it's practically like adding wings to a tiger!

This is something even Ji Jue can't achieve; his Evil Demon form is too mixed, not pure enough, unable to allocate points so extremely.

But Ni Lin can comfortably use all the absorbed spiritual and material properties to reinforce himself!

So much so that as soon as he transformed, Ji Jue found himself blacking out.