Chapter 4197 — The Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Joint Strike Palm

"I see..." Wei Zhao could not help but fall into brooding thought. The power of this technique combination he had already witnessed—within a jungle it was nothing short of an absolute tyrant, a combination sufficient to dominate all comers when used for adventures and trials against spirit beasts.

But if it were used to openly challenge opponents on a dueling platform, this combination possessed not the slightest advantage; on the contrary, it was naturally consigned to great passivity. Whether the Jungle Concealment Art or archery, the moment they were brought onto a platform, their effects were bound to be drastically diminished.

And if it were two against two, Huang Xiaotao would easily become the enemy's breakthrough point. Wei Zhao was hardly a defensive specialist and would find it difficult to shield her completely. Their techniques did not complement each other well either, and the situation that would likely result was this: Huang Xiaotao would not only fail to help Wei Zhao, but would become a burden to him.

Only two days remained now, and the problem of coordinating with one another had to be solved somehow. Huang Xiaotao had only just advanced to the early Golden Core stage; even if hers had also been a perfect breakthrough, her true foundation could well be imagined—among the many core inner-sect disciples she was certain to rank at the very bottom. If her techniques were then also at a disadvantage, there would truly be no way to play this game.

Seen in this light, the prospects for the inner-sect tournament remained anything but optimistic.

Wei Zhao could not help sinking into deep contemplation. This combination of himself plus Huang Xiaotao, if they wished to simply crush the opposition head-on through raw strength, would not work; and because of the weak link that was Huang Xiaotao, once drawn into a war of attrition the situation would likewise be greatly unfavorable. The only way was a swift, decisive battle.

And to achieve a swift, decisive battle, relying on his own strength alone would certainly not suffice—Huang Xiaotao's strength had to be integrated as well. Best of all, the two of them should devise a method by which each complemented the other, cooperating to unleash maximum power, striving to instantly kill one opponent right at the opening—then it would be easy going.

"Xiaotao, your heart-method mantra is of the fire element, correct?" Wei Zhao suddenly asked. He had already sensed this when he had channeled true qi into Huang Xiaotao, but he still wanted to confirm it in person.

"Mm. That's right!" Huang Xiaotao nodded.

"Mm, this is something we can work with. Let me think..." Wei Zhao closed his eyes in thought for a moment, and after half an incense stick's time suddenly opened them, his gaze blazing as he slapped his thigh and said, "That's it. This is the one!"

What he had thought of at this moment was the joint-strike heart method he had obtained from the Zhuang family back in the mortal world. If used by a single person alone, this heart method could only be reckoned as tasteless—neither meat nor bone—yet if two people coordinated in a joint strike together, it was profoundly marvelous. Not only could it perfectly stack the strength of two people, it could even achieve the astonishing effect of one plus one being greater than two, forming an even mightier combination!

So long as this joint-strike heart method was applied properly—for instance, by two capable hands of early Golden Core strength working together—the power its joint strike produced was fully comparable to the all-out blow of a late Golden Core expert. Truly formidable beyond the ordinary!

"Well? Have you thought of a good method?" Huang Xiaotao's lovely eyes sparkled again and again, filled with anticipation that Wei Zhao would once more surprise her.

"There is a method, but what I have in mind is a joint-strike heart method, and now there are only two days..." Wei Zhao could not help frowning. Although one could change one's cultivated heart method once upon the Heavenly Dao, having Huang Xiaotao cultivate it anew from nothing in only two days was simply impossible. There truly was not enough time.

Moreover, he had not yet carefully studied this joint-strike heart method; whether it could be used by Golden Core experts was still an unknown. After all, it was a heart method passed down in the mortal world, and in all likelihood, like other heart methods, it had no continuation once one reached the Heavenly Dao.

"Oh, then let's think of something else. Cultivating a heart method anew really is troublesome—if only it were a martial technique instead." Huang Xiaotao consoled him.

"That's right!" At these words Wei Zhao's eyes lit up. Having Huang Xiaotao cultivate this joint-strike heart method anew was unrealistic, but what if he created a joint-strike martial technique himself?

With the Omnipotent Heart Method and Omnipotent Martial Technique at his disposal, so long as he had something to draw upon, if Wei Zhao truly wished to create a joint-strike martial technique, it was in fact not difficult. He had created no small number of martial techniques before—only none of them had been joint-strike techniques.

Creating a joint-strike martial technique himself meant he could tailor it specifically for Huang Xiaotao, which was far easier than having her re-cultivate a heart method. Though two days was tight, if all went smoothly it should just barely suffice.

With time pressing, Wei Zhao immediately began to explore and practice according to his ideas within the cave dwelling. Though only a brief moment passed, in his mind he had already conceived a very suitable martial technique: the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Palm.

What Huang Xiaotao cultivated was a fire-element heart method, so naturally she too could unleash the Savage Fire Fist; in theory, then, she could also practice the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Palm.

Of course, Wei Zhao did not intend for Huang Xiaotao to practice the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Palm. Even if she could master it, both of them using the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Palm would merely be a simple one plus one, incapable of exceeding two—insufficient to handle the coming inner-sect tournament.

What Wei Zhao now set about practicing and creating was the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Joint Strike Palm, playing two roles himself as he ceaselessly unleashed true qi again and again, exploring and rehearsing.

Huang Xiaotao simply stood to one side watching. Though she could not understand the moves of the martial technique he was rehearsing, she was, after all, a newly advanced early Golden Core expert now, and could still sense the profundity within.

At last, after dozens upon dozens—nay, hundreds—of successive attempts, Wei Zhao slowly came to a stop.

"How is it?" Huang Xiaotao hurriedly asked.

"Not bad. This one move will do—the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Joint Strike Palm!" Wei Zhao nodded in satisfaction, then said, "Come, I will teach it to you right now!"

Having said so, Wei Zhao immediately explained it to Huang Xiaotao in careful detail, from the knack of unleashing true qi to the practice of the specific moves, teaching her hand in hand, with but one aim: that Huang Xiaotao might quickly get the hang of it in a short time.

In terms of potential and natural talent, Huang Xiaotao was in fact far above the ordinary; otherwise, given her slender background, she would never have been selected along with Su Zhaohe into the Chongtian Pavilion back then.

And this newly created move of Wei Zhao's, the Savage Fire Eight-Trigram Joint Strike Palm, had been tailored for her besides, and with him guiding her practice hand in hand, step by step pointing out the knacks, it was therefore not long before Huang Xiaotao could already manage it with ease.