In terms of mastery over cold weapons alone, Su Xiao, bolstered by her family's heritage, would at least be worthy of an E-rank spear technique skill.
However, as mentioned before, the system did not acknowledge it.
Therefore, Su Xiao's skill slots did not even have an F-rank basic spear technique.
Moreover, the effects of the system's skills were not simply comparable to real-world martial arts.
Once a spear technique skill was mastered, it would, through some incomprehensible means, forcibly elevate the skill user's understanding of the weapon and amplify its power.
This was utterly supernatural.
During the previous few hours, Su Xiao, lost in the heat of battle, had not noticed.
She had progressed from being a novice easily disarmed by Chen Luo in a single move to a state where she could exchange hundreds of blows with him in an instant.
The improvement of skills brought about tangible and undeniable effects.
This was especially true for skills with the word "basic" in their name.
Once upgraded to S-rank, the active effects were completely discarded, forming a passive buff akin to a talent.
Su Xiao had not even realized that after truly acquiring this S-rank basic spear technique skill, the combat power evaluation on her system panel had gradually begun to blur.
Following a certain inexplicable impulse in her heart, Su Xiao once again condensed a dragon-patterned ice spear in her hand.
Now, no longer under the fierce assault of Chen Luo, the quieted Su Xiao suddenly realized that the spear in her hand seemed to have become an extension of her limbs.
And a great deal of knowledge about spears flowed into her mind from an unknown source.
Following the impulse that surged within her, Su Xiao thrust the spear in her hand forward abruptly!
*Hum!*
The ice-forged spear instantly became a phantom, its sharp tip creating countless frost lotuses in the arena.
The frost energy quietly merged with the will of the spear, and Su Xiao's eyes instantly shifted from gray to ice blue.
"This is! Tian Zhen Chi Zou!"
*Boom!*
The myriad ice lotuses that flashed in the arena instantly condensed into a single colossal lotus.
Endless sharpness and coldness proclaimed the most genuine power.
Just the leakage of its aura left indelible marks on the stone slabs beneath.
If this ice lotus were to fully erupt, the City Lord's mansion would likely be completely annihilated.
However, Su Xiao's consciousness was completely immersed in a special profound meaning, and she didn't even notice the notification sound that echoed in her ears.
[Based on player Su Xiao's comprehension and profession bonus, influenced by player Chen Luo's ??? talent, you have entered a state of enlightenment.]
[Proficiency met! Resonance met! Will check passed!]
[Your S-rank skill "Basic Spear Technique" has advanced to SS-rank "Ice Spear Killing Art!"]
The moment she acquired the SS-rank skill, on her system panel, Su Xiao's combat power evaluation finally became clear again, and the designation had quietly changed to "Purgatory Level."
*Clap! Clap!*
Amidst the applause, a light veil net woven from golden flowing fire suddenly appeared above the ice lotus.
This seemingly thin net of flames gently descended, poised to cover the erupting ice lotus.
As the flame veil passed, frost and spear intent silently dissolved.
But Su Xiao, immersed in a state of joyful enlightenment at the center of the ice lotus, seemed to feel no danger, still rapidly wielding her spear.
Chen Luo shook the two small disciples hanging from his arms and said helplessly:
"Alright, alright, I'll wake up this big sister first, and then we'll go back inside to eat."
The two little ones, dressed in red and blue dresses respectively, were happily swinging from Chen Luo's arms, like a pair of blooming twin lotuses.
Ever since Chen Luo rescued them from the residential area, the two little ones had become very attached to him.
After not seeing Chen Luo for a week, they had truly missed him.
But upon hearing Chen Luo's words, the two little ones blinked their big eyes and obediently nodded their small heads.
Chen Luo smiled, put them down, and after ruffling their small heads, looked back into the arena.
"Hmm, it seems the skill upgrade is complete. This should just be the afterglow, I can wake her up now."
"Seventh Art! Yan Huo Ren Jian!"
*Whoosh!*
The seemingly thin and harmless flame veil descended lightly and slowly.
But the ice lotus and spear intent that were being annihilated demonstrated the destructive power it contained.
As the flame veil was about to completely engulf the ice lotus and then cover Su Xiao,
Chen Luo merely watched everything unfold, making no move to stop it.
Silently,
The net woven from flames completely annihilated the ice lotus.
And Su Xiao's consciousness also began to gradually return.
But the moment her consciousness returned, what she saw was the flame veil already close at hand.
The light veil woven from flames shimmered with bright and warm colors, but it also contained an undeniable power.
Su Xiao watched with her own eyes as the spear constructed from frost power instantly turned into smoke upon contact with the veil.
A sense of horror suddenly surged within her.
But as the flame veil wrapped around from all directions, Su Xiao had nowhere to escape!