Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 165 The Only Chance of Victory: Formulating a Plan

"Third, and most fatally so."

A glint of light flashed in Lund's eyes. "Your claw skills are truly beyond everyone's expectations."

Its power is at least 50% stronger than the previous two rounds!

Moreover, Philip has no idea that your claw technique has reached its pinnacle, and you can even unleash the two deadly moves of the Dorok Dark Claw Technique, unleashing claw energy from a distance to injure enemies and penetrate their internal organs.

When he prepares to end you with an "avalanche," he has already walked into your trap.

Xiren was taken aback. He hadn't expected Lund to be so perceptive, able to see through all of Xiren's trump cards and tactical intentions simply by watching from the stands.

After this meticulous analysis, Lund leaned back on the sofa, picked up his now-cold coffee, took a sip, and said, "So, in terms of your actual strength, there is no clear distinction between strong and weak."

Your victory over Philip was seen as a huge upset by the public, but in my eyes, it was simply a matter of playing to your expected level and making the most correct tactical choice by taking advantage of the information gap. Just a mediocre performance.

At this point, Lund slammed his coffee cup down on the table with a thud.

"So, tell me now, how do you compare your strengths and weaknesses against Marshall?"

Siren fell into deep thought. His brain worked at lightning speed, like a finely tuned gear, dissecting all the intelligence he had gathered about Marshall.

The room was so quiet that the only sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall.

After a long while, Xiren composed himself and slowly began to speak: "My fighting style and Marshall's are actually quite similar in essence."

We all rely on our superior physical strength to fight head-on, exchanging injuries for injuries, using the power of our techniques to suppress our opponents, find weaknesses, and then deliver a fatal blow.

"The difference lies in this. First, Marshall's physical resilience is roughly equivalent to mine. However, his internal strength is at least 20% greater than mine."

"One-twenty percent." Lund added a very precise figure in a cold voice, clearly indicating that he had also conducted an in-depth investigation into Marshall.

Xilun took a deep breath and continued, "Secondly, his 'Bear Fighting Technique' is a wide-ranging system that emphasizes frontal attacks and using offense as defense, resulting in a very aggressive fighting style."

This fighting style will be very effective at bullying those who are weaker than him on paper or who are at a disadvantage in strength.

Often, once he lands a single successful blow, his opponent is easily disrupted, loses their balance, and is then easily defeated by his relentless barrage of heavy punches.

"Third, he has participated in two major events."

Not only does he have a lot of practical experience, but he also has extremely strong mental fortitude.

Or rather, he has a very strong sense of self-confidence.

He wouldn't question his judgment in the ring; instead, he would confidently crush his opponents.

After Xilun finished speaking, he looked directly at Lund without flinching.

Lund nodded slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes: "Your analysis is very good, very objective, and you haven't become blindly arrogant just because you beat Philip."

"So, I'd like to hear from you, the challenger, are you confident you can defeat him in the ring?"

Xilun hesitated for a moment. He closed his eyes, the countless scenarios he had simulated flashing through his mind again, and finally opened them, saying with certainty, "I'm 30% sure."

Lund suddenly laughed, a wild laugh in it: "It seems we're on the same page. Tell me, how do you plan to use this pitiful 30% chance of winning?"

""

Xilun exhaled a breath of stale air and said in a deep voice, "In the first ten breaths before the start of the match."

Lund raised an eyebrow, not interrupting, signaling him to continue. He believed this young man had his own unique way of thinking.

Xiren continued, his voice turning cold and resolute: "Within these ten breaths, I will use every ounce of my strength, squeezing every muscle and bone in my body, and then, with the most ferocious fighting techniques, I will confront him head-on, regardless of the consequences!"

"Within these ten breaths, I think my explosive power should be able to briefly match his normal level."

If I can suppress him for ten breaths, I'll have a slim chance of winning.

Xiren's hands clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white from the force. "That is, to knock him off the ring!"

Lund nodded slightly, a satisfied smile playing on his lips: "It seems we were right after all. Your strength on paper is far inferior; you will undoubtedly lose in a protracted war."

Therefore, your only chance of winning is to use the rules to knock your opponent off the stage.

This way, you don't need to actually defeat your opponent in terms of strength to win.

Xilun's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and he exhaled, saying, "But even so, it is very difficult in practice."

I wasn't absolutely certain I could suppress him for ten breaths, let alone turn my slight advantage into a victory and knock him off the stage within those ten breaths.

Once he holds out for those ten breaths, my strength will be exhausted, and he will tear me apart in an instant.

Lund stood up, walked to the window, looked at the gradually brightening sky outside, and said in a deep voice, "No, don't underestimate yourself. You have at least two advantages that he doesn't."

"First, the opponent participated in the competition twice. The first time, they won the championship with a perfect record. The second time, they also entered the finals with a crushing victory, for a total of nine consecutive wins."

If he watches your game or looks at your profile, he will almost certainly not take you seriously.

Or rather, with his arrogant confidence, he didn't think you had any chance of winning in a direct confrontation.

Underestimating his opponent was his biggest weakness.

"Secondly, Marshall's temper was extremely volatile due to his 'Bear Fighting Technique' and his own personality."

If deliberately guided or provoked before or during the match, it is entirely possible to make him lose his temper.

A beast that has lost its mind is easily overwhelmed by its own power, revealing its weaknesses.

Xilun pondered for a long time. Reason told him that this plan was still too far-fetched and had an extremely low margin for error.

But he did not back down. He simply watched Lund's retreating figure calmly and said, "Mentor, I will do my best to win."

Despite feeling that it was difficult to achieve, Xilun knew that he had no choice but to fight desperately.

Lund turned around, glanced at the clock on the wall, and said, "There are still six days until the finals. We're not without a chance."

He walked up to Xilun and looked down at him: "I want to confirm one more thing."

Your sparring skills have improved by leaps and bounds recently. Have you mastered the advanced techniques of a fighter—absolute vision?

Xilun paused, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "What is that?"

Lund patiently explained, "It's a kind of extreme exercise that combines strength with one's own senses."

In other words, why can you accurately perceive the strength and weakness of Philip's moves under his "Impenetrable Blizzard Eight Strikes" and thus find his weaknesses?

Ordinary people cannot do this unless they possess "absolute vision" that allows them to perceive the flow of energy.

Xilun shook his head and said frankly, "Master, I haven't mastered any absolute vision."

This is a special auditory ability I possess. I can hear many extremely subtle sounds, such as muscle contractions, blood flow, and even the friction of air currents.

Using this ability, I can have a very strong perception of the environment within a three-meter radius.

This was the talent he had plundered from the big-eared fox—far-seeing.

Upon hearing this, Lund frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly stepped back, measuring with his feet, until he was about three meters away from Xilun.

Then, Lund slowly raised his right hand and clenched it tightly.

He didn't exude any imposing aura, nor did he even change his breathing; he just stood there quietly.

"Then, listen to how the power in my hands is being channeled?" Lund asked.

Xilun immediately closed his eyes, channeling the Qi and blood from the "Great Ocean Whale Guiding Technique" to his ears, and focused his mind.

Listen from afar!

In an instant, the noise of the surrounding world was filtered out, and his hearing was amplified infinitely.

Within a three-meter absolute perception range, the slightest, most minute movement could be heard.

The sound was extremely difficult to detect, like the sound of undercurrents in the deep sea, which Lund deliberately suppressed beneath the skin of his palm.

But Siren still heard it.

He opened his eyes and said without hesitation, "They flow out in parallel directions, like two threads converging, and meet in the palm of my hand."

Lund was greatly shocked. He had deliberately suppressed the energy fluctuations of a third-tier mutant, and even a strong person of the same tier would find it difficult to detect his strength without careful perception. Yet, Siren had accurately described the trajectory of his energy flow simply by hearing it!

He is truly gifted!

Lund couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Your talent is truly remarkable! It's probably not much inferior to those mutated big-eared foxes in the wild, who are renowned for their hearing!"

Xilun's heart stirred slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.

Lund's expression turned extremely serious: "In that case, I'm afraid your chances of winning have increased even more."

Since you can grasp some information about the arena using your hearing, then when you develop your vision in the future, you will be able to completely control the battlefield.

He glanced at the already bright sky outside the window and said, "It's about time. Come with me."

Xilun didn't ask any more questions and got up to follow Lund.

The two left the hotel and boarded a steam train parked at the entrance.

The train, belching thick white smoke and roaring deafeningly, sped along the tracks toward the outskirts of Saint Laurent.

As the train traveled along, the scenery outside the window gradually changed from crowded factory chimneys to desolate countryside and rolling hills.

The gray fog thickened here, carrying a chilling aura.

The train stopped at the terminal station, and the two walked up a moss-covered stone path.

After walking for a while, an ancient and massive complex of buildings appeared ahead, hidden in the mist and among towering ancient trees.

"Sir, what brings us here?"

Xilun looked around at his surroundings and asked.

Lund explained, "There's a famous monastery here called Bath Abbey."

"Bath Abbey?" Siren repeated the name thoughtfully.

He seemed to have heard of this place from intelligence in the black market or from casual conversations among extraordinary individuals.

It is said that this place does not belong to any mainstream school of thought, but it has an extremely high status. There is also a special Heavenly Pool inside, which is used for the baptism of extraordinary people.

Lund walked ahead, his leather boots rustling on the fallen leaves.

Without turning his head, he said, "That's right. The monastery has hosted many foreign guests, including members of royalty and high-ranking extraordinary beings."

What they are best known for is the natural pool deep within the courtyard, which forms a hot spring.

That wasn't ordinary water; it contained an extremely pure and icy energy.

Lund stopped and looked back at Xiren: "The extraordinary breathing technique you practice, although you didn't explain it in detail, I can feel its domineering nature. It seems to be related to some kind of deep-sea monster."

This exercise method consumes a great deal of qi and blood, but it also craves a high-pressure and cold aquatic environment.

Perhaps soaking in the ice pool will have a miraculous effect, helping you further narrow the gap in strength between yourself and Marshall.

Xilun felt a chill run down his spine, and once again felt admiration for Lund's vision.

The "Great Ocean Whale Guidance Technique" can indeed be rapidly improved under extreme environmental pressure.

The two arrived at the heavy iron gate of the monastery.

Lund handed over his business card, which was embossed with the Iron Cross emblem in gold foil.

After the gatekeeper verified their identities, he bowed respectfully and gestured for them to continue up.

They walked through a long corridor with strange totems carved on the walls and came to the inner courtyard of the monastery.

A butler in a tailcoat, with graying hair but a sprightly demeanor, came forward, smiling and bowing slightly: "Mr. Lund, please come in."

The butler's gaze swept subtly over Siren, who was half a step behind Lund, and his smile deepened: "What a coincidence. Another knight has just arrived, also seeking a spot for his apprentice to soak."

Moreover, that apprentice seems to have some connection with this Mr. Celen.

Xilun was taken aback; his keen intuition instantly told him who it was.

Following the butler into the back lobby, a smell of sulfur and coldness hit us.

In the center of the lobby, a somewhat familiar, massive figure came into view.

Marshall.

He stood there like a mountain of flesh, wearing a large overcoat that still couldn't hide his bulging muscles.

He held his head high, his eyes revealing an arrogant condescension, not even bothering to glance at the servants around him.

When he caught sight of Xiren walking in, a smile immediately appeared on his lips, a smile full of contempt and disdain.

The butler rubbed his hands together and said apologetically, "Logically speaking, although the Ice Pool is only open to Extraordinary Individuals of the second rank and above, since the two Knights have personally come forward, there will naturally be no shortage of spots."

However, the earth's energy is indeed quite cold this year, and only one pool remains.

The steward paused for a moment, then continued, "The academy master's opinion is that, since the physical endurance of a first-tier extraordinary being is limited, they cannot fully digest the cold energy of an entire ice pool."

Why don't the two young gentlemen enter this final pool together and refine the energy within?

What are your thoughts, gentlemen?

Lund nodded slightly, his expression calm and unreadable.

Across from them, an elderly man in a gray robe with a somber face spoke up, his voice hoarse as if being rubbed on sandpaper: "We're troubling you, Headmaster. It was an unreasonable request to begin with, but since only the last pool remains, we naturally wouldn't dare to enjoy it all to ourselves."

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