Driven back and his ultimate move disrupted, Li Wei felt a surge of fury and humiliation. Being pushed around by a Level 7 disciple, a gadget-wielding upstart, in front of the entire sect and the Elders? Unacceptable!

  "You think that parlor trick stops me?!" Li Wei roared, abandoning finesse for raw power. He gathered his Qi again, not for a complex technique, but for a massive, straightforward blast – 'Azure Wave Palm'. He thrust both palms forward, unleashing a visible wave of concentrated blue Qi that surged across the arena towards Kai, powerful enough to shatter stone.

  The Combat Module screamed warnings. This attack was pure force, difficult to disrupt, dangerous to block directly even with the padding, and its area of effect made evasion tricky on the limited platform space. Blocking would drain Kai's remaining Qi reserves dangerously low. Dodging might put him in a bad position. [-15 Points/min rate continues. Debt increases rapidly].

  Kai knew this might be Li Wei's strongest single attack. He needed something decisive, something utterly unexpected to turn the tide. He had one last, expensive trump card in his dimension storage, saved for precisely such a desperate situation.

  Activate Short-Duration Optical Camouflage Sheet!

  [Item: Short-Duration Optical Camouflage Sheet (Mk I)]

  Description: Flexible sheet utilizing meta-materials and micro-projectors to bend light, rendering the user effectively invisible to visual spectrum for a brief period. Minor energy signature remains detectable by powerful spiritual sense.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Duration: 5 Seconds.

  Cost: 200 System Points (Acquired previously during a high-earning period, major investment).

  [Activating Optical Camouflage! Duration: 5… 4…] [-200 Points added to Debt. Debt: ~250 Points]

  As the devastating Azure Wave Palm surged towards him, Kai seemed to simply… vanish. One moment he was there, bracing for impact; the next, empty space. The wave of blue Qi blasted through where he had been standing, slamming into the far edge of the arena barrier with a thunderous crash that shook the platform, leaving scorch marks.

  Li Wei stared, dumbfounded. The crowd gasped collectively. Even the Sect Master leaned forward slightly in his seat. Where did Kai go? Teleportation? Some impossible speed technique?

  The five seconds of invisibility felt like an eternity to Kai. He hadn't teleported; he had simply sidestepped the main blast while cloaked, the light bending around him. He could still be sensed by powerful cultivators like the Elders if they focused intently, but Li Wei, caught up in his attack and the shock of Kai's disappearance, momentarily lost track of him.

  Using the Combat Module's guidance during the brief invisibility, Kai circled rapidly behind the astonished Li Wei.

  [… 3… 2… 1… Camouflage Deactivating!]

  Just as Li Wei frantically scanned the arena, trying to pinpoint Kai's location, Kai reappeared directly behind him. Before Li Wei could react, Kai channeled a significant portion of his remaining Qi into his carbon fiber bokken and delivered a powerful, two-handed strike squarely between Li Wei's shoulder blades.

  THWACK!

  Even with Li Wei's Peak Level 9 physique and Qi reinforcement, the focused blow, delivered to his unprotected back with a weapon harder than steel, was incredibly painful. Li Wei let out a sharp cry, staggering forward several steps, his Qi flow momentarily disrupted by the shock and impact. He whipped around, his face a mask of disbelief and fury, finally spotting Kai behind him.

  "You-!"

  Kai didn't give him a chance to finish. He pressed his advantage, launching another flurry of rapid strikes, forcing the injured and disoriented Li Wei further onto the defensive. The tide of the battle had dramatically, inexplicably, turned.