Death meant his judgment was flawed, nothing more.
Lin Xiao seemed to have entered a very special state. In his eyes, the world had transformed.
The specks of light around him represented the areas his opponent, the puppet, would attack next.
Behind him, however, was a vast expanse of these specks. He knew that if he retreated, he would be trapped in a relentless passive state, and this contest would be over.
Therefore, he would not retreat.
Advancing was his strategy.
Almost in an instant, Lin Xiao took half a step forward, a movement that widened Qi Tian's eyes.
In that fleeting moment, he sensed something different. Though the computer data hadn't registered it, he felt it.
This Lin Xiao had… entered that realm.
As Lin Xiao moved forward, his hands skillfully deflected the puppet's punches, simultaneously using the force of the blows with a supple, boneless grace. He found himself beside the puppet, delivering a palm strike, then a leg sweep, unleashing a burst of power.
His palm landed on the puppet's waist. As he swept his leg, his foot struck the puppet's knee joint.
Moreover, his burst of power, a "Cun Jin" (inch force), unleashed three waves of force in quick succession, like a surging tide.
The puppet's body, instead of flying away from the palm strike, simply lost its balance and toppled to the ground.
But…
As the puppet fell, it shattered into pieces.
The external parts looked intact, but the interior was completely pulverized.
"Good."
Qi Tian's eyes lit up. He seemed to have witnessed something extraordinary. He immediately put away his computer and began clapping enthusiastically. "Good! Worthy of Lin Xiao, worthy of the Dragon King! This deal is not a loss!"
Lin Xiao's body returned to normal as he exhaled a breath.
In the moment he delivered the palm strike, he had used only one breath.
Normally, he could hold his breath for hours, but that brief instance, just over ten seconds, had put a strain on his lungs.
Dealing with this puppet felt entirely different from facing other people.
"You really don't care about your materials, do you?" Lin Xiao said with a hint of annoyance. He subtly adjusted his breathing, ever cautious, unwilling to remain in a vulnerable state, especially when facing someone like Qi Tian.
"What's there to care about? My Artifact Sect has plenty of everything else, except not enough money and materials. If we didn't have enough materials, how could we improve? How could we become true artifact masters? How could we keep pace with the times?" Qi Tian said dismissively. "That state of yours, the 'Kong Wo Zhi Jing,' was truly remarkable. It's the first time I've seen such a realm in a young person. You're very interesting."
"'Kong Wo Zhi Jing'?" Lin Xiao was hearing the name for his state for the first time.
"It seems you haven't heard of this realm. No matter, I can give you a good lesson." Qi Tian said as he swept up the scattered debris. "This 'Kong Wo Zhi Jing' is a realm of martial arts. It's something that can only be comprehended after truly understanding one's martial path."
"Generally, once a person comprehends a domain, they can no longer comprehend the 'Kong Wo Zhi Jing.' It's usually an either-or process, and most people are like that."