"Why would anyone concentrate all of their senses when fighting a single target?" Bai Qi silently muttered while shaking his head. Mao Xun was good, and in a regulated duel, even Bai Qi would have to depend on one of his trump cards to beat him. But Mao Xun showed the same problem as all of the other participants, he was simply just too inexperienced.

A spar, a combat match, and a true fight were three different things. And seemingly, not a single one of the participants understood that difference. In a true fight, one would not announce their moves like in a spar. Neither they would stick to using just a direct way of fighting like in a combat match. A true fight was one where both sides had and would use all of their means to become the last one standing.

And from what Bai Qi saw, none of the participants understood that. Not Hu Mu, who was an infiltrated member of a hostile region. Not the Ke clan, with their lack of commitment to fighting until their enemy fell. And definitively not Mao Xun, who even with his advantage in cultivation had not tried to at least use anything else than direct attack methods.

Senses were meant to be used not only to lock on one's opponent but to scan the surroundings. And by doing this, find a better position, some kind of opening, or for example a possible weakness. After all, there was only a counted number of geniuses that could have an absolute defense, one that covered them from all sides equally.

Granted, an active, life-threatening fight was stressful, but... That only meant that you had to think not how to survive or not just about how to win. But in place, consider both, and even more options!

Bai Qi's minimum, almost natural qi sense had caught on to the fact that the golem was a Combat Puppet, while Mao Xun fully expanded, 4th level qi sense had not.

"I have never believed that a Sect, with all of their inner infights and grudges carried over from previous generations, is needed. But seeing these guys, who are only slightly weaker than my current self, not able to even think of anything except direct combat methods..." Bai Qi shook his head again.

-

It was such a line of thought that had made Bai Qi intervene. Not directly, and using a secure mind spell transmission, but still, intervene. As one of his original life teachers had said, "You do not choose your allies, but you can choose what use they are off". Mao Xun or even all of the other participants altogether barely mattered to Bai Qi, but he had no choice but to consider them as allies. Or at least as assets to be protected.

Thus, seeing that Mao Xun was about to use a trump card that was definitively his last resort, at least judging from the Earth-tier weapon, to get absolutely no result...

"You fool, your trump card will be used for naught. You are not fighting a golem but a combat puppet, if you do not destroy it entirely, it will follow after you anyway while the controller wills it. Use your damn senses, find the connection, and sever it" Slightly harsh, but true words. And thankfully, Mao Xun had decided to follow them.

"Now, I just wonder what will Zhen Zexi do? Her means are far above what anyone would have expected, and the fact that she can control both summons and a combat puppet means a long and arduous training" Bai Qi wondered while concentrating most of his attention on the still unmoving girl.

___________________________________________________________________

Whoever had sent that message, was someone deeply knowledgeable. Mao Xun's senses caught on the thin channel that transferred both qi and commands to the construct almost right away. "How could I be so dumb as to miss something like that being the one fighting? The voice was right, I am a fool!" Mao Xun could not help but to give himself a mental slap.

Disappointed with himself or not, it was not the time to think of it anyway. The golem, no the combat puppet, had already locked on him again, and it was a matter of a couple of breaths before it closed in again.

Cutting the connection between someone and one of their weapons, skills, or items was neither easy nor hard. It was more like a contest of strength and ability between the two parties. Strenght would be required for one to overpower and sever the connection, while ability was needed to prevent it from reconnecting right away.

Thankfully Mao Xun did have an edge in cultivation, which also translated into a better, and more controlled strength. As for ability, well, it would all depend on Zhen Zexi's one. After all, Mao Xun had only seen her a couple of times, and all of them were in a peaceful, trade-like setting.

"Golden Giant's Palm!" The 'Arm' was already on his hand, and it would be dumb not to try and use it. Thus Mao Xun's released skill contained not only his remaining elemental qi but also the qi that he had sent to the gauntlet before.

*Swoosh*

A several feet sized palm emerged from his own extended one and flew towards the combat puppet. But as the latter braced to resist, the palm quickly changed directions, half-circling the hunkered down construct and exploding with all of the metal element destructiveness right on the back of its left shoulder. The place where his senses had placed the connection.

*Screech*

As the air and natural qi screamed, being ripped by waves of sharp golden qi, Mao Xun bolted forwards, expanding his aura to enclose the explosion area.

Mao Xun was prepared for a long tug of war between him and Zhen Zexi, but...

*Thump*

The puppet fell on the ground with no movement, and his aura only caught on the dissolution of the link, with no attempts to actually reconnect.

"What?!" His surprise showed both on his face and in his voice, as he turned towards the place where Zhen Zexi had been sitting since he had arrived. And found that although she was still sitting surrounded by her aura, her head had slightly turned as to meet his eyes. The porcelain-like mask that covered her upper face prevented being sure, but he could swear that he sensed how a cold glare met his.

"Not bad, stray of the Mao Household" A low and slightly sore voice, one that could not be expected from a 12-year-old girl reached his ears as she slowly stood up.

Mao Xun knew that he was angry, but he had thought that he had controlled his emotions. Still, the manner in which she referred to him, coupled with the absolute lack of fear in her actions prompted him to react stronger than he expected.

"You offend me even though your combat puppet is down?! Do you think that I will not kill you?!" He growled while commanding the gauntlet to return to his Void Ring while also beginning to gather qi in both his arms and legs.

"If I did not want it to pass, you would have never severed the connection" She responded in the same manner as she had talked previously before suddenly turning away and adding "Something has arisen, so I will be leaving now. As for the puppet... Keep it if you are able"

*Step*

As she made her first step, acting as if Mao Xun wasn't even present, her protective aura cocoon disappeared. Driving Mao Xun to jump forward, using every ounce of his speed.

*Swoosh*

But he had not crossed even half of the distance that separated them, as a purple, goose-like bird with a long beak emerged from Zhen Zexi's back, and releasing drops of ink from its feathers, flow to intercept him.

*Crash*

Mao Xun sent both of his fists forward with the same 'Avalanche' technique he had used previously, but unexpectedly the one that was forced to stop, and then slid back under the bird's push. Not only his punches had failed to inflict any damage, but the bird appeared like it didn't even notice them!

"Damn you! Get back here!" Mao Xun roared while being pushed backward and watching how Zhen Zexi evenly, step-by-step was leaving the location.

"Don't worry, if you survive, I will come back later to pick my puppet. As well as the item that your companion obtained" As she ignored his roars and continued walking without turning back, Zhen Zexi did leave her last words before disappearing into the forest.

___________________________________________________________________

"What happened for her to leave? Even at the loss of her puppet?" Bai Qi inwardly wondered while raising from the ground and carefully moving towards the direction she took.

But to his surprise, just a few breaths after she entered the forest, he lost track of her.

Whatever means she had used to hide her aura would be impossible to track without breaking his own concealment, so Bai Qi could either do so or allow her to escape.

Still, if he suddenly broke out of his concealment, not only Mao Xun but even Zhen Zexi could sense it, and by doing so, understand that he had been an observer to all these events. This latter was something that should be avoided, at least if Bai Qi wanted to catch her later.

"No other way then" As he muttered, Bai Qi memorized the direction she had taken and begun moving to the outskirts of what he supposed to be Mao Xun's sense envelope.

***

To track Zhen Zexi now that she had concealed herself and moved away from the spot, Bai Qi would require to lock on her aura. And to do that, he needed to gather enough traces of it. Thankfully, the cocoon she had been using for protection was one of pure aura, and so, he would have no problems gathering it. But as Mao Xun was currently there, and judging from the ongoing battle would remain there for long, Bai Qi had first to approach without raising suspicions.

His actual plan was simple, to wander into the range in which he could sense the battle and be sensed by Mao Xun in turn, and then rush towards the spot in concern. Or interest, whatever worked better.

Thus, as soon as he reached a place from where even he barely could sense anything, he quickly took off and then stored the cloak.

***

"What is going on?!" With an alarmed expression on his face, Bai Qi rushed into the small rocky area he had left just a few minutes ago.

Mao Xun and the ink bird were still fighting, and from what it appeared, not much had changed. Mao Xun's attacks were ineffective against the bird, but neither the latter could do much except physically ram against him.

By this point, Mao Xun appeared tired, but still able to avoid being pinned against the protective formation. Which from the bird's movements seemed like its strategy for the fight. "And not a bad one, as the formation will serve as the perfect anvil" Bai Qi quickly understood the reasoning of Zhen Zexi's command. Not that he could understand why the bird wasn't using any other means of attack except ramming.

"Help me deal with this thing, otherwise everyone will be in danger" Mao Xun asked for Bai Qi's assistance right after sensing the latter's cultivation.

*Swoosh*

*Smash*

Not forgetting to act either, Mao Xun dodged the bird and landed a punch on its side as it passed.

"Sure, but what we are dealing with?" Bai Qi had neither time nor desire to start a long game. The only thing he needed was for Mao Xun to reveal Zhen Zexi's involvement, thus allowing him to track her under the guise of going after her. Not that it would be a lie, as Bai Qi truly intended to do so.

He leaped forwards while covering his fists with qi, imitating Mao Xun. But before his fist even neared the bird, Bai Qi flinched and then retreated with an angry shout - "I do not care if you want to suicide, but do not try to take me with you!"

"What do you mean?!" Mao Xun even froze on the spot from such a sudden accusation, and Bai Qi used the moment to add in a vile tone "The fucking bird is poisonous, that's what I mean!"

"Huh?!" Seeing the mouth agape Mao Xun, Bai Qi wanted to slap him.

The purple ink that formed the bird's body was nothing else than poison. From afar it was indeed not discernible but from close?

Just a few minutes ago, Bai Qi had lectured Mao Xun on his wrong use of the senses, that they should not be concentrated on one target only. But what now, try to clarify that what that not concentrated does not mean ignoring it altogether?

"Are you sure? I do not feel anything" Mao Xun avoided the bird again and spoke up while examining both himself and the bird.

"Do you know that usually poison either acts immediately or accumulates until it can do so? If you touched it with your fists and you are constantly infusing qi into them, it's obvious that the poison had no chance to act yet!" Bai Qi snarled at Mao Xun while inwardly adding "Why the heavens do I even bother explaining?!"