In a life-and-death duel, it's not just cultivation, divine arts, and techniques that determine combat strength—mentality and wisdom are just as crucial.
Quinn Shepherd knows this all too well.
Many experts in Dao Gate, when facing a life-and-death duel, often calm themselves before battle, burn incense, bathe, and some even meditate for three days to clear their minds of distractions, ensuring nothing interferes with their combat wisdom and letting their minds become perfectly clear.
Though Victor Bloom claims to be unmatched in High Heaven at his realm, duels there are rarely to the death.
He has far too little experience in this area—he’s practically a blank slate. The lower world may seem ‘filthy’ to him, but life-and-death battles are constant. Whether it’s figures like Dao Lord Lucas Lin or Ben Coates, high and mighty as they are, or young experts like Lynn Ling, Serena Yunxiang, and Wayne Shen, or even famous existences like the Imperial Preceptor and Emperor Evan, all have emerged through the grindstone of mortal combat.
Their battle wisdom far surpasses Victor Bloom’s.
If it were Quinn Shepherd, he would never examine the Solar-Shooting God Cannon’s parts and formation diagrams before a life-and-death duel, because it would drain his mental energy.
Quinn designed and forged the Solar-Shooting God Cannon by gathering hundreds of numerology experts and master craftsmen, essentially redesigning the foundry from the ground up. To unravel its secrets, Victor Bloom would have to memorize all of their collective wisdom in a short time—an enormous mental strain.
Such mental exhaustion inevitably leads to diminished strength and slower reactions in battle.
For a master like Quinn Shepherd, even the slightest delay in Victor Bloom’s reactions—a fraction of a second, a speck—could decide the outcome.
Victor Bloom inspected each component and pattern in the foundry, trying to deduce the Solar-Shooting God Cannon’s form and power. With tens of thousands of parts, each inscribed with different array runes and no set order, he had to rely on sheer mental strength to piece it all together—an even greater drain on his mind.
Suddenly, he felt dizzy and, realizing what was happening, quickly shut his eyes. After a moment, he opened them again and looked at Quinn Shepherd.
Quinn Shepherd smiled and nodded.
Quinn’s smile was bright and sunny, like a carefree young man. Yet in Victor’s eyes, that radiant smile seemed utterly sinister.
“Thank you, Quinn. I’ve learned a new trick.”
Victor steadied himself and walked over, trying hard to forget the array runes he’d just memorized. It was a patch job, but better than nothing.
Quinn Shepherd smiled slightly and walked out of the foundry, saying leisurely, “Victor, do you still think staying in High Heaven is so great?”
Victor Bloom shook his head. “Up in High Heaven, without real combat, it’s hard to grow. The lower world is where people truly mature. Quinn, you’re the strongest and most terrifying opponent I’ve ever met.”
The two walked side by side onto the Torr River.
Behind them, Lina the Spirit Fox, Lynn Ling, Jade, and Selena followed, stepping onto the river’s surface.
At that moment, many Daoists emerged from the foundry, led by Dao Lord Lucas Lin, following closely behind as they came to the river's surface.
Dao Lord Lucas Lin's gaze was strange; ignoring the four girls, he fixed his eyes on Quinn Shepherd and Victor Bloom walking on the river.
“Dao Lord, these two youths are both very strong!”
An old Daoist whispered, “Cult Master Quinn is formidable enough, but what about the other youth? Who is he?”
“Victor Bloom from High Heaven. I met him while visiting Little Jade Capital with my master.”
Dao Lord Lucas Lin’s eyes flashed. “He defeated me in five moves.”
The Dao Gate Daoists were shocked. Even Quinn Shepherd couldn’t claim to defeat Dao Lord Lucas Lin in five moves. Over the years, Lucas Lin had cultivated under the old Dao Lord, deepening his mastery of numerology and Dao Sword arts.
His strength was no less than the old Dao Lord’s in his prime—perhaps even greater!
Lucas Lin kept walking, leading the Daoists forward. He murmured, “His arts and techniques grow stronger against strong opponents. The stronger the foe, the greater his power. In Little Jade Capital, he defeated many. I want to see if anyone can withstand his divine arts—if anyone can force him to break through the limits of his system, so that he becomes truly unstoppable.”
“Perhaps the Human Emperor can do it.” His fighting spirit flared, but he restrained himself so as not to disturb the two.
The river flowed endlessly, time passing like water.
Quinn Shepherd and Victor Bloom didn’t stop, continuing forward until they reached the far bank, their steps never faltering.
“He’s giving me a chance to rest.”
Victor Bloom learned another trick, his heart shaken: “He brought me to the foundry to wear me out mentally and gain the upper hand. Now he’s giving me time to recover, showing he doesn’t care whether I’m exhausted, because he’s always in control! Earlier he drained my mind; now he’s applying spiritual pressure, making me feel inferior.”
Though Victor understood Quinn’s strategy, he was already caught in Quinn’s web and couldn’t escape.
From the moment Quinn met him again, drinking at Listening Rain Pavilion, the battle had already begun!
Since then, Victor had been swept into Quinn’s rhythm. By now, Quinn’s momentum was unstoppable; if they fought, Quinn’s attack would be overwhelming and unrestrained.
“The Overlord Body truly is extraordinary.”
Victor steadied himself, his eyes flashing: “But I’m an Overlord Body too! As fellow Overlord Bodies, I won’t lose to him!”
Their steps gradually fell into sequence—Quinn stepped forward, Victor followed, moving like his shadow, creating an uncanny feeling.
The four girls following behind saw this scene: one boy walked ahead, exposing his back, while the youth behind matched his every step, never seizing the chance to strike, as if tied by an invisible rope, compelled to follow.
“Young master has fallen behind!”
Jade and Selena were shaken; it was the first time they’d seen Victor Bloom fall into disadvantage before a fight even began.
In High Heaven, Victor Bloom was dazzling, astonishing even the gods, hailed as the most gifted in five hundred years.
Down in the lower world, Victor Bloom truly lived up to his reputation.
Ben Coates of Golden Palace avoided fighting, Great Thunderclap Temple did not battle, but in Little Jade Capital, Victor challenged Lucas Lin, defeated its experts, and cleared the Three Origins and Five Qi Halls.
Now, Victor Bloom had finally met his most terrifying opponent!
Quinn Shepherd, having led Victor over a hundred miles, was shocked; Victor’s steps remained perfectly steady, showing no flaws at all!
This was nearly impossible—even Ben Coates, the thousand-year-old monster, couldn’t keep his stride so steady!
Ben Coates had mastered Great Thunderclap Temple, Dao Gate, Little Jade Capital, and Heavenly Demon arts. If Quinn Shepherd gained the upper hand and led the pace, Ben would start to stumble after just ten miles, desperately shifting his form to avoid showing any openings.
By twenty miles, Ben would begin to show flaws, unable to keep changing; at twenty-one, he’d be forced to strike first to seize the initiative, or else face certain death!
If Ben kept stubbornly following Quinn’s rhythm without attacking, then at twenty-four miles, it would be his death—Quinn would kill him with a single blow!
Yet Victor Bloom always kept pace with Quinn, perfectly steady and flawless, even when being led.
From the Torr River to here—over a hundred miles—he hadn’t revealed a single weakness!
Warren Moran said Victor’s arts are bizarre—they grow stronger against strong foes, and the stronger the opponent, the faster they lose! His divine arts are created on the spot, adapting mid-battle. Such a system is incredibly advanced—starting at the level of ‘law,’ beyond mere ‘technique’!
Quinn grew more and more excited, never looking back, striding forward faster and faster!
Victor’s cultivation method was truly wondrous—it let him leap past technique and create divine arts at the level of law. Quinn had never encountered such a system before.
He wanted to test its ultimate limit, to see how it compared to the Overlord Three-Core Art!
Quinn’s pace grew ever faster, his aura surging, flying forward like a storm—yet every step remained calm and unhurried.
Victor Bloom kept pace, his footwork steady and unbroken.
Their speed kept increasing. Suddenly, Victor’s face turned pale—then paler still. After running over a hundred miles with Quinn, he couldn’t hold back any longer and coughed up fresh blood.
Quinn didn’t stop; Victor followed, running and spitting blood again.
He kept running and coughing up blood, but still showed no flaws. If he kept this up, he’d bleed himself dry and die!
Throughout, Quinn never lifted a hand—Victor was injuring himself.
Quinn’s march was actually a duel of momentum, movement, and divine arts. Though it looked harmless, the battle had already begun—there was no room for error.
Victor’s arts relied on improvisation and creation, demanding immense brainpower.
He’d already burned through vast mental energy at the foundry. Even though Quinn had given him a chance to rest, mental exhaustion isn’t so easily replenished.
Now Victor was so exhausted he was coughing blood. If this went on, the mental strain would kill him—Quinn wouldn’t have to lift a finger!
If he kept walking, his mind would surely collapse.
Victor’s hair began to turn gray, black strands fading to white as he coughed blood and kept pace with Quinn. His mental exhaustion was now harming his body—soon, he’d die from sheer fatigue!
Suddenly, Quinn stopped and laughed. “If I kill you this way, you won’t accept it—and I won’t enjoy it. Victor, rest and recover your strength. Next time, we’ll settle it for real.”
Victor stopped, opened his mouth to speak, and suddenly collapsed with a thud, unconscious.
“A worthy and terrifying opponent,” Quinn praised, leaving the unconscious Victor behind and turning away.
Blood welled at Quinn’s lips; he quickly swallowed it. He’d nearly dragged Victor to death—but he himself was close to collapse. Still, as the Oldridge villagers said, ‘Even if you lose, don’t lose the aura’—never show weakness.