185: Deadly trick? Sorry, I'm going to play it too hard.

“Dead Skill” is a term Martial Artists use for Martial Skills they cannot Cultivate.

Normally, a Martial Skill either has no threshold, or it requires various Fourth Dimension Attributes.

But some Martial Skills require “Fifth Dimension Attributes.”

This makes things difficult.

It causes some Martial Artists to be able to Cultivate it, while others cannot.

Furthermore, some Martial Skills don't require Attributes or Fifth Dimension Attributes, but instead require other Martial Skills as a foundation!

Two seemingly unrelated Martial Skills are forcefully combined into a composite Martial Skill.

Therefore, the term “Dead Skill” is not necessarily accurate; it completely depends on the individual.

If multiple Martial Artists fail to Cultivate it, they can decisively label the Martial Skill a “Dead Skill.”

But there are always Prodigies, Geniuses, or some ordinary Martial Artists who succeed in Cultivating it.

While it cannot be generalized, there is usually some truth to a Martial Skill being labeled a “Dead Skill.”

Cha Xiaodao’s bet was such a “Dead Skill.”

Moreover, it was a composite Martial Skill.

To successfully Cultivate it, a Martial Artist needed to master 'figure flickering'!

This wasn't a teleportation.

Instead, it was a movement technique where a person remained stationary but rapidly disappeared and reappeared in place, similar to a VCD skipping frames or network game lag.

At least, in Cha Xiaodao's social circle, no one knew this movement technique, nor had they even heard of it.

Everyone shook their heads at this Martial Skill.

They unanimously agreed that it was simply impossible to Cultivate.

Therefore, Cha Xiaao didn't feel bad about losing this Martial Skill at all.

What he felt bad about was… all his hard work traveling across the country.

He was finally about to finish.

But he was damn harvested by Shen Bei!

All the honors he had accumulated were given to Shen Bei!

In other words, he eagerly handed Shen Bei the title of “Three-Rank Invincible King.”

At this moment, Shen Bei glanced at the Martial Skill's name: Phantom Step.

He didn't open it in front of everyone, but simply tucked it into his embrace.

“You are more suited to Cultivate the Bridal Gown Divine Skill.”

Shen Bei teased him with a playful expression.

Pfft…

Cha Xiaodao spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Those words were too insulting!

He couldn't refute anything.

He had already lost, what else could he do?

“Three-Rank Invincible King is my title, do you acknowledge it?”

Shen Bei asked again.

Cha Xiaodao took out his phone and logged out of his video account.

He used silent action to acknowledge Shen Bei's title.

Shen Bei nodded in satisfaction, then turned and left.

The surrounding students cheered again when they saw this scene:

“My Brother Bei is awesome!”

“Holy crap, this guy must have a lot of titles, right?”

“Lingnan City Martial Arts Exam Champion, single-handedly suppressed the Dungeon, king of champions in the Freshman Exchange Competition, Captor of the Dungeon Leader, first person to kill an Eighth-Rank Vicious Beast across ranks, the first Martial Artist student to open a new map, and now he has another Three-Rank Invincible King!”

“My goodness, how am I so fortunate to be attending the same school as Shen Bei!”

“Damn it, I shouldn't have been born in the same era as Shen Bei, it's too tragic!”

...

While the students were still in shock, enthusiastically spreading the news of the challenge.

Shen Bei had already exchanged some Medicinal Pills from the resource library.

Ever since the Shepherd's Crimson incident, Lingnan City Martial Arts University's standing in the eyes of the nation had plummeted.

There were even thoughts of shutting it down and merging it.

Fortunately, Shen Bei later restored its reputation, and the resource library's supplies were still relatively abundant.

On the way back.

He happened to meet the Zha Tian Gang Four-person Group rushing in from the school gate.

Qi Chuanyu greeted Shen Bei from afar: “I heard Cha Xiaodao came? Don't be a coward, we have to fight him!”

Niu Yanben rolled up his sleeves: “I'll cheer you guys on, hey!”

Shen Bei waved his hand: “It's already done.”

Du Ziteng was stunned: “Holy crap! It's done? We rushed, but we were still one step too late.”

“Lost… or won?” Liao Zhongyang was most concerned about the result.

Mainly because Cha Xiaodao was too arrogant!

Liao Zhongyang even wanted to arm wrestle him.

Of course, the prerequisite was that he had to let himself punch for half an hour, then blast Cha Xiaodao back to his hometown with an electric cannon.

Shen Bei said with a smug expression: “Is it that hard to defeat him?”

Just a few simple words, and he stunned the Zha Tian Gang.

Du Ziteng had a sense of déjà vu, like being a Monday morning quarterback, his face showing dissatisfaction: “You, why did you have to show off! You should have waited for me to come back and fight him!”

This attempt at showing off… could only get one point, it wasn't smooth at all, Shen Bei rolled his eyes: “Stop with the useless talk, what were you guys doing?”

Niu Yanben pulled out five wads of cash and waved them in front of Shen Bei: “Went to the provincial city, to support Zhao Long, got a small project done.”

Qi Chuanyu nodded: “It's really as Zhao Long said, you don't have to do anything, just stand behind him, it's like picking up money for free.”

Shen Bei said “Oh,” not really caring about the matter.

Taking Zhao Long's affiliated salary means you have to stand by him.

That's an equivalent exchange.

But Shen Bei was very concerned about another thing: “Have you seen Third Master?”

Liao Zhongyang shook his head: “No.”

Shen Bei warned them: “If you see him in the future, stay away from him.”

“Do you have a prejudice against Third Master?” Du Ziteng questioned: “He didn't eat your family's bean buns.”

Shen Bei gave him a look of disdain: “With your brain, if he sold you, you'd still be counting money for Third Master.”

Du Ziteng: …

It wasn't that Shen Bei looked down on them, but it had been so many days, and they still hadn't figured out who Third Master was, it was truly speechless.

They had clearly seen him in the Dungeon!

Saying they were sold and still counting money for Third Master was putting it nicely.

They might even lose their lives.

However, Shen Bei didn't say much.

He was afraid that if they knew something in advance, it would ruin everything.

Third Master must have a vast network behind him.

Ever since Luo Chenyuan's death and the Shepherd's assassination, all clues regarding the Apocalypse Cult and the Headhunter Tribe in Lingnan City had been cut off.

And Third Master, though his organization was unknown, could still be investigated.

At least, Shen Bei felt that the Nine Lives Raven and Oleg, who had not yet appeared, might be secretly planning something big.

Being able to use Third Master as a Breakthrough point to anticipate their Moves was the intelligence Shen Bei needed.

At least… it would make escaping easier.

...

Shen Bei bid farewell to the Four-person Group and returned to his villa dormitory.

He opened the Martial Skill he had won.

Upon seeing it, Shen Bei was startled.

“This isn't just any Phantom Step, it's practically a Divine Skill!”

According to the description.

Phantom Step is a very bizarre movement technique.

To put it simply, it's about using the constant flickering of one's figure to create visual confusion for the enemy.

Once Phantom Step is used, seemingly moving forward, the user is actually moving backward!

Seemingly moving backward, the user is actually moving forward!

In other words, running 100 meters directly towards an enemy, with the Phantom Step's enhancement, one could actually retreat 100 meters, creating a 200-meter distance!

This is a visual deception!

“This Martial Skill is too abnormal, isn't it?”

Shen Bei couldn't help but gasp.

He had fought two private challenges.

One was against Yu Qiuyi, winning a Martial Skill: Heart-Piercing Cannon Hammer.

But the Martial Skill he won from Cha Xiaodao this time was much more interesting than the Martial Skill: Heart-Piercing Cannon Hammer!

“I can completely make the enemy think I'm retreating, but actually appear in front of them, striking unexpectedly and leaving them defenseless!”

Shen Bei was so excited he couldn't express it, and couldn't help but roar: “Awesome!”

No more words.

Just Cultivate it!

“Wait—”

After reading the entire Martial Skill, Shen Bei was a bit confused.

To master Phantom Step, the prerequisite was to make one's figure flicker like a flashbulb.

But how to achieve this step, the Martial Skill provided no explanation!

“Is it that much of a rip-off? Half a defective product, a Dead Skill?”

Shen Bei was about to curse, then suddenly remembered something.

“Hold on—”

Shen Bei rubbed his chin, muttering to himself: “Flickering in place… I think I know how to do that!”

“Seven Stars Fist's sixth Move, Starlight Radiance!”

Shen Bei clapped his hands, and the gloom in his heart instantly dissipated: “That's right! It's Starlight Radiance!”

At this moment, Shen Bei suddenly realized.

No wonder Cha Xiaodao was willing to offer the Martial Skill as a bet.

In his opinion, this was a composite Martial Skill, a Dead Skill, completely worthless!

“It just so happens to fall into my area of expertise.”

It must be said that this incredibly awesome, extremely cool Martial Skill would be a Dead Skill in the hands of any other Martial Artist.

But by chance!

Among the Seven Stars Fist that Shen Bei Cultivated, there was a Move about how to Cultivate the flickering figure!

It directly seamlessly connected!

“You scoundrel, you still want to trick me?”

Shen Bei's lips curved into an arc: “When I Cultivate it to Major Achievement, I wonder if Cha Xiaodao will cry himself to death. Even if he dies of old age, he'll probably open his coffin from time to time and roar about the injustice, right?”

Such an important Martial Skill, the sooner he mastered it, the sooner he could play tricks with it!

He could completely stun his enemies!

After the obstacle to Cultivating Phantom Step was removed.

Shen Bei immediately started practicing!