Chapter 2837 — Finding the Weakness

Zhang Nai Pao laid his trump card before Wei Zhao, and in doing so he was telling him: you are helpless against me. You can only watch while I torment you and your little followers, and die of frustration! Of course, killing Wei Zhao had never crossed his mind. For one thing, he meant to keep Wei Zhao around as a spur to his own cultivation; for another, he wanted Zhong Yongliang to be the one to kill Wei Zhao with his own hands one day. So in this trial, Zhang Nai Pao wanted nothing more than to vent his spleen, which was also why he had set his heart on turning Wei Zhao's followers against him.

"So that's how it is." Wei Zhao understood at once. "I'd guessed as much already. The force you bounce back might carry some of your own moves or true qi folded into it, but I never imagined it would be this monstrous."

"Wei Zhao, admit defeat. I don't mind telling you, with the strength you have now, that twenty percent of the damage won't do me much harm. Besides, I carry a Small Reversion Pill on me. Before I'm dead, you'll have been bounced to death." Zhang Nai Pao said, "But if you hand over your trial spirit herbs and swallow your pride, I might consider letting you off. Otherwise, don't blame me for being unkind."

"Oh? Is that so?" Wei Zhao suddenly smiled. Looking at Zhang Nai Pao, he recovered all his usual confidence. "Thank you for telling me so much and clearing up my confusion. Now, I'm about to make my move. Are you ready?"

"Hm? Knowing all that, you still want to hit me?" Zhang Nai Pao was taken aback, staring at Wei Zhao in disbelief. He truly could not fathom how Wei Zhao, fully aware that striking him would trigger a rebound, still dared to launch an attack.

"How will I know unless I try?" Wei Zhao said.

"You don't believe what I told you?" Zhang Nai Pao found it strange. Wei Zhao did not seem like the sort of arrogant fool who could not understand plain words. There had been so many precedents already—how could Wei Zhao still be so indifferent?

"It's not that I don't believe you. It's that sometimes, who knows, a miracle might just happen!" Wei Zhao laughed. "I'm making my move now. Are you sure you want to stand right there and let me hit you?"

"Since you won't believe me, I'll have to let you try. But a friendly warning: you'd best not use your strongest move, or you'll die very quickly." Zhang Nai Pao said, "It's no great matter if you die, but Brother Liang will be disappointed. He's been preparing to finish you off with his own hands!"

"Zhong Yongliang?" Wei Zhao chuckled. "He won't get the chance!"

"Suit yourself." Zhang Nai Pao stood rooted to the spot without moving, his eyes fixed on Wei Zhao, waiting for him to strike.

"Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm—Seventh Form!" Wei Zhao circulated the mental formulas of the Frenzied Fire Fist, then suddenly struck, slamming a palm toward Zhang Nai Pao's chest!

Zhang Nai Pao neither dodged nor flinched. He simply met Wei Zhao's outstretched right palm with his chest, standing there at his ease, waiting for Wei Zhao to go flying backward!

"Bang!"

Wei Zhao's Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm landed squarely on Zhang Nai Pao's chest!

"Boom!" The instant Wei Zhao's palm connected with Zhang Nai Pao's chest, he felt an immense force rebound from his palm into his own body. Yet the moment that force struck him, it vanished without a trace, as though it had never existed at all!

It really worked! Wei Zhao silently counted himself lucky. It seemed his earlier deduction had been correct. Just as Zhang Nai Pao had said, the force he bounced back was exactly two hundred and forty percent of the force Wei Zhao had sent out, and none of Zhang Nai Pao's own true qi was mixed into it. That meant all of this true qi belonged to the Earth Rank.

So it was: the mid-grade Golden Cicada Undergarment he wore dissolved the force completely! It seemed Little Shu's words had proven true once again. Prophecy Shu truly was farsighted—before Wei Zhao set out, she had packed the mid-grade Golden Cicada Undergarment for him, and who would have thought it would prove decisive!

Now that he knew the force rebounding from Zhong Yongliang had no effect on him, Wei Zhao's heart eased. A cold smile flickered at the corner of his mouth, and he once again unleashed the Seventh Form of the Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm!

"Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm—Seventh Form—Seventh Form!" Wei Zhao unleashed the Seventh Form of the Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm twice in succession. Counting the earlier strike, that made three in all. Wei Zhao's Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm was just barely enough to finish off an early-stage Heaven Rank expert; he had once used this very move to kill Zhuge Junshi, an early-stage Heaven Rank expert from the Red Conch. So Wei Zhao simply did not unleash the Eighth Form. The Eighth Form could only be used once before Wei Zhao's strength was exhausted, whereas the Seventh Form could be unleashed three times in a row before he ran dry.

That way, the attacks stacked onto Zhang Nai Pao amounted to sixty percent of a normal Seventh Form of the Frenzied Fire Eight Trigrams Palm. Zhang Nai Pao would absolutely be gravely wounded!

Sure enough, an incredible light flashed in Zhang Nai Pao's eyes. He spat out a mouthful of blood with a "pfft" and crashed heavily to the ground, both hands clutching his chest, unable to speak! He had never imagined that Wei Zhao could unleash his martial technique three times in a row—and from the look of it, Wei Zhao seemed perfectly fine, suffering no rebound damage whatsoever, while he himself was badly hurt. It was not fatal, but it was serious enough.

This was the limit of how many times Wei Zhao could unleash his martial technique. He felt a pang of regret and sighed, but he could not use another move, not even the Sixth Form.

"Feng Shipian, Li Ciba, the two of you join forces and finish off Zhang Nai Pao!" A killing intent flickered in Wei Zhao's eyes. Zhang Nai Pao was simply too powerful—so powerful that Wei Zhao had come to fear him. Back during the trial in the Ice Palace, the trial's rules had forbidden killing, so he had spared Zhang Nai Pao's life.

But in this Xuandan Sect trial, no such rule existed. So Wei Zhao meant to root out the problem entirely and rid himself of Zhang Nai Pao, this hidden threat. Better than letting the man go back and learn some other bizarre divine art—then dealing with him would be truly difficult.

"Ah..." Feng Shipian and Li Ciba both froze. They had been watching with their blood racing, ready to cheer for Wei Zhao, because Wei Zhao seemed completely unharmed and had beaten Zhang Nai Pao until he spat blood. As far as they were concerned, Wei Zhao finishing Zhang Nai Pao was a foregone conclusion.

But then Wei Zhao suddenly ordered the two of them to join forces and kill Zhang Nai Pao, which left them both puzzled. Why wouldn't Wei Zhao do it himself? He had the upper hand—there was no need at all for them to step in and help!

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