Chapter 79 - [Bonus ]River Tactic

Cheng Xiu pulled out her sword and spun it around. She let her mind wander, and released the Qi in her body to the Wild Qi in the forest.

She could feel the Qi Pet sneak around below her feet.

She also began gathering Qi in her palm to cast a Qi Illusion as soon as the match began.

Cheng Xiu observed the woman in front of her.

Immortal Frost wore deep blue Martial Robes, with golden embroidery. Her hair was a deeper blue, with golden highlights.

Cheng Xiu was sure that the frame of Frost's body was similar to her own and there was a familiarity to her facial features, even though Cheng Xiu could not think of where she would have seen it.

[Ding!]

[No Ailments to the Physical body detected.

Avatar at 100% efficiency]

[Battle Countdown

3

2

1

Go!]

Cheng Xiu stepped back, away from the Frost.

They stood still for a moment.

Black Phoenix eyes clashed with deep Blue ones. Both assessed each other's momentum.

Frost moved forward, sending an ice dagger towards Cheng Xiu.

Cheng Xiu dodged to the side and forwards, her blade held in front of her.

"Sword Dance!"

Two swords appeared beside her, spinning in a slow pattern.

Frost sent more ice blades at her, aimed at her critical striking points.

Cheng Xiu dodged again and again.

Frost used their continued exchange to lure her towards the dense forest.

Cheng Xiu frowned. She could understand what her opponent was trying to do. Veer the enemy towards the position that you want them in and then put them in a weak spot. But she couldn't think of anything in the woods behind her that would give Frost that kind of an advantage immediately.

Her mind went through what she knew about the Viridian forest, trying to think of a reason that Frost would want her to go into the woods.

It couldn't be the woods themselves, Cheng Xiu concluded. The trees would be a great cover for Cheng Xiu and Frost would have lesser chance of attacking her because of it.

Frost had witnessed her fight with immortal EverHill where she had used the dense woods to her advantage. And Cheng Xiu was not gullible enough as to believe that a woman who was stronger than EverHill, and Crow would be less intelligent than them, especially with the calm and reserved demeanour that the Blue-clad woman carried with her.

Cheng Xiu's mind returned to all the fights she had in the Viridian forest so far, to think of another reason.

Another ice blade came to her neck.

Cheng Xiu dodged to the side.

The ice blades got lodged onto the tree trunks and the ground around them.

Cheng Xiu's eyes glinted in interest. She could use them later to her advantage if they won't melt easily.

Cheng Xiu had the sword copies fly towards Frost, attacking her from both sides.

Two ice swords appeared to fight them.

Cheng Xiu watched on with curiosity as Frost's ice blade actually withheld the onslot from the copies. She hadn't realised the strength that Frost's ice possessed until then. For it to protect the woman from such powerful weapons, those ice weren't just made from water. Then again she should have realised that, as the woman did not carry anything that resembled a gourd with her.

Cheng Xiu observed Frost's movements as they moved closer to the treeline.

Frost took out water from her sleeves and weaved it around her as a semi-shield, protecting her from the few stabs that the Sword copies were able to take, inspite of the ice swords that tried their best to stop them.

Cheng Xiu understood how Frost was able to create the weapons now and what she wanted Cheng Xiu to do by luring her into the forest.

Find a water source.

Cheng Xiu was not that surprised by the development. It must be taking Frost's Qi reserves to keep the ice sword's strength stable against real swordblades. And having more access to water would mean that she reserve her Qi better, it would also give her more resources to suppress her with. Cheng Xiu also thought of the possibility that she might be able to absorb the natural Qi present around the water source.

Cheng Xiu could already think of two water sources in the viridian forest that she was aware of. One was the river in the meadow, where she fought the Emperor Forest Spirit, and the Treemen. And it was not that far from where they stood at this point.

There was also a lake in the far south, but that was farther away than the river source. It would not be easy to make it to that place while fighting your enemy without them figuring out what you had planned half way through.

And Frost would not underestimate her like that. The Experts were experts because they could adapt better.

The best water source would be the River, even then it was a gamble as the chances that Cheng xiu wouldn't guess what Frost was trying to do were slim to none.

Cheng Xiu was not sure how she felt at the moment. She was able to read Frost's thinking so easily. It could be that cheng Xiu had become an expert at fighting experts and now, she could guess their way of thinking better or maybe there was more to Frost's plan than just lure her to the riverside without her knowledge and try to kill her.

At least, Cheng Xiu hoped there was. She would admit that she had a standard for her opponents now, thanks to the enemies she faught with so far. It might be an arrogant way of thinking to have, but she couldn't help it.

Cheng Xiu frowned at her own thoughts. This kind of thinking was something that she should avoid. Frost might have a way to utalise this to her advantage.

Cheng Xiu brought her thoughts back to the present. She needed to build a trap for the expert, as a just in case.

Cheng Xiu fell to the ground and rolled away from the daggers that nearly pierced her entire upper body.

A small smile graced her lips as a slight shadow wrapped around her leg.

Cheng Xiu jumped to her feet and faced the expert again, one leg to the front while the other pointed to the side.

Frost assessed her stance. Cheng Xiu seemed to be favouring her right leg more than her left.

That was a new development. Was she injured? That was not possible. The Arena made sure that the players were at 100% fighting capacity before beginning the match.

She was not sure what it could mean otherwise though.. Frost thought of the possibilities that would make her favour one side. Could it be a new weapon that she got from the Arena market?TatT