Chapter 6: Auction (Part 1)

The attacks of the Talisman Warrior class rely on momentum, using unparalleled strength for direct assaults. Thanks to the physical training enhanced by talismans and the power of the runes on their bodies, each Talisman Warrior is a strong fighter with exceptional durability, allowing them to attack without restraint.

Guo Shier turned his body slightly to dodge the incoming punch. He reached out, grabbed Huo Bao’s wrist, pulled hard, and stepped forward with his left foot, hooking one of Huo Bao’s legs. With a gentle twist, Huo Bao was flung aside.

Bang!

Huo Bao crashed to the ground like a starving dog. Fuming, he punched the ground fiercely. Just as he tried to get up, someone shouted, “Be careful!”

Guo Shier’s attacks continued unabated; he didn’t stop even after Huo Bao fell. He rushed over quickly. As Huo Bao tried to sit up, Guo Shier lunged with his knee, hitting him right on the head. Huo Bao fell to the ground again, his head ringing. Before he could react, a sharp blade was pressed against his neck.

“You lost!”

Huo Bao, dazed, stared at the dagger at his neck and said, “That doesn’t count! You’re cheating!”

Guo Shier retracted the dagger and stood up, asking, “Oh? Why do you say I’m cheating?”

Huo Bao got up and said, “You’re too scared to fight me head-on!”

Guo Shier laughed. “Am I stupid? To fight you head-on? You’re a Talisman Warrior, born for combat. Head-on… I’d definitely lose. But with my methods, didn’t you lose too?”

Huo Bao cried, “That doesn’t count! Not yet! Fight again!”

Luo Jie and Qi Nanshan remained silent, though the surprise in their eyes was evident. Ying Mo was equally stunned. He knew Huo Bao was just making a fuss, but Guo Shier’s tactics were truly strange—like a pre-set trap into which Huo Bao had stepped willingly. The moves were clean and precise, showing great skill. He also stayed quiet, wanting to see how Guo Shier would deal with Huo Bao again.

Hong Shi and Chen Bing watched Guo Shier in astonishment, never expecting him to actually win. As for Chen Hong, she was a supporter of Guo Shier. Not only did she applaud, but she also shouted, “Shier, go! Beat Little Leopard!”

Defeating Huo Bao in one go filled Guo Shier with confidence. He smiled and said, “Let’s go!” This time, without waiting for Huo Bao to act, he rushed forward first. Taking advantage of Huo Bao’s distraction, he rushed up to his chest, tripped him, and used his shoulder to slam into Huo Bao’s chest.

Huo Bao sneered coldly and stepped back, ready to knock Guo Shier down with a punch. But that step backward proved disastrous for him. He hadn’t expected a trap under his feet and ended up sitting on the ground with a thud. Guo Shier used the same move—kicking with his knee—directly at Huo Bao’s face. In just one strike, Huo Bao was dazed, and soon a dagger was pressed against his chin.
“You lost again!”
Huo Bao screamed in fury. Being knocked down twice in a row, both times due to his opponent’s tricks, was utterly humiliating.
Guo Shier retracted the dagger, pulled him up, and said with a smile, “Do you admit defeat?”
Huo Bao howled, “I won’t admit it… You… you’re too cunning!”
Guo Shier stepped back a few paces and said, “Then fight again!”
Huo Bao was on the verge of going mad. He felt this wasn’t a fair fight but rather a victory achieved through deception by Guo Shier. So he refused to accept defeat and wanted to continue fighting. He wanted to teach Guo Shier a lesson and show him the power of a Fuhu Warrior.
This time, Guo Shier also planned to exchange a few moves with Huo Bao. The previous two strikes were just to test whether he could shake a Fuhu Warrior’s body. If the opponent’s strength was so great that even skill couldn’t affect them, there was no need to continue fighting. Fortunately, after testing, Huo Bao kept getting hit, so he felt confident and decided to engage in a direct confrontation.
Huo Bao was so frustrated he almost cried. After all, he was still a child, very competitive, and his master was extremely powerful. He couldn’t possibly be a burden. But he never expected to lose in his own domain—how could he accept that?
In fact, Guo Shier also only had a superficial understanding of boxing and wasn’t skilled; he only knew some basic techniques and training methods. But he had decided to practice on his own and also train his four companions. To make them respect him, he needed to show off his skills first.
This time, Huo Bao had to be much more careful. Having lost twice, although his opponent had unexpected tactics, if he remained careless after two losses, it would be his own fault. He stared intently at Guo Shier. To his anger, Guo Shier remained calm, adopting the same stance as in their first fight, even saying, “Come on! Come on!”
For some reason, Huo Bao suddenly felt a surge of anger. He roared loudly. This time, he didn’t charge forward but slowly pressed forward. Despite his anger, he hadn’t lost his composure. He had a clear plan: to gradually pressure his opponent and overwhelm them with sheer strength.

Guo Shier was as steady as a mountain. He looked at Huo Bao with a serious expression, though inwardly he couldn’t help but laugh. The little leopard was forced to grit his teeth, looking ferocious—this wasn’t a battle at all; it seemed more like a desperate struggle.

Huo Bao closed the distance to just two steps from Guo Shier and threw a fierce punch. He refused to believe the other could still play tricks. This punch carried all of Huo Bao’s strength, with a whooshing sound as it cut through the air. Guo Shier knew he couldn’t block it head-on—his bones weren’t as strong as his opponent’s. He gently pushed upward with his hand, supporting the opponent’s arm while tilting his body slightly. With just a little force, he made Huo Bao’s punch miss, and Guo Shier was already beside him.

Huo Bao was confident, seemingly aware that his punch wouldn’t land. He suddenly twisted his waist and retracted his arm like a steel whip, swinging it back at Guo Shier. Guo Shier darted forward, escaping Huo Bao’s attack range.

This time, Guo Shier simply dodged, but his movements were limited, revolving around Huo Bao. Since Huo Bao launched attacks with all his strength each time, it gave Guo Shier many opportunities. He understood one thing: once strength was exhausted, there was little room for maneuver. Such brute force was ineffective if it missed its target.

As they fought, it was mostly Huo Bao attacking fiercely, while Guo Shier kept dodging. In less than ten minutes, Huo Bao was panting like a lost dog, his heavy breathing showing he was running out of strength.

Guo Shier’s fighting strategy was simple: exhaust his opponent’s stamina. He was good at this. After all, Huo Bao had only just become a Symbol Warrior, with limited combat techniques—mostly straightforward attacks relying on his physical strength. As long as he understood his opponent’s weaknesses, found their flaws, combined it with the evasion skills learned in his past life, and used a bit of strategic trickery, Huo Bao would be helpless against him.

When Huo Bao was exhausted, Guo Shier launched an attack, effortlessly knocking him to the ground.

Huo Bao sat on the ground and started crying.

Guo Shier was stunned. He walked over, sat down beside him, and asked, “Baozi, why are you crying?”

No one present spoke; they just watched the two of them. Luo Jie had a faint smile on his face, while Qi Nan Shan looked displeased. As for Eagle Demon, he seemed confused—how could a person in a spellcraft profession defeat a Symbol Warrior?

Huo Bao cried, “I’m useless! I can’t even beat you…”

Guo Shier was frustrated: “Do I really have to lose?” he said. “Cry just because you can’t win? Oh, it’s because I’m not a Symbol Warrior?”
Huo Bao replied, “That’s right… ugh… you… I… ugh… it’s so embarrassing… I…”
Guo Shier was sweating profusely. He asked, “Do you know why you lost?”
Chen Bing came over and sat down, along with Hong Shi and Chen Hong. They all reached out to pat Huo Bao’s shoulder to comfort him.
Huo Bao sobbed, “I don’t know why I lost!” This time he couldn’t say Guo Shier had cheated, because from start to finish, Guo Shier had been fighting him until he was completely exhausted.
Guo Shier smiled and said, “Xiao Hong, give him a handkerchief.”
Chen Hong cheerfully took out a silk handkerchief and handed it to Huo Bao, saying, “A grown man crying? Wipe your tears.”
Huo Bao’s face turned purple with embarrassment. Guo Shier said, “Losing isn’t scary. What’s scary is losing confidence, it’s scary not knowing why you lost.”
“There are three reasons you lost. The first time, you lost because you were careless—you didn’t take your opponent seriously, that’s why you lost. The second time, you lost because you were unwilling to admit defeat and didn’t reflect on why you failed earlier. The third time, you lost because you only knew to rely on physical strength to overpower your opponent, without any fighting strategy, until all your strength was exhausted.”
Guo Shier said earnestly, “Fighting requires using your brain. Especially since you’re not yet at the master level and your strength is still weak. Maybe against me… you have the strength to overpower me, but what if you encounter someone stronger than you? How will you deal with that?”
Huo Bao was sweating heavily. He remained silent for a moment, wiped away his tears, and said, “Shier, I was wrong.”
Guo Shier smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, “It’s not embarrassing for you to lose to me. After all, we’re partners. Whether we win or lose, it doesn’t matter much. But outside, winning or losing can mean the difference between life and death.”
Huo Bao agreed. He said, “Shier, I don’t understand why I can’t beat you.”
Guo Shier snapped, “Idiot! I don’t want to fight head-on with you, of course I have to find a way to avoid it! I’m not stupid. You’re a Symbol Warrior—stronger than me, with thick skin that can take hits. If I don’t dodge, wouldn’t I get killed by you?”
Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. Huo Bao said bitterly, “It’s frustrating. I can’t beat you, and I can’t stop fighting either. Sigh.”
Qi Nanshan asked, “Shier, is there anything else… I don’t know? How did you learn those skills to defeat a Symbol Warrior?”

Guo Shier smiled and said, “Fighting? It’s just a matter of being quick-eyed and quick-handed. What’s there to be surprised about?”
Luo Jie said, “Dashan, don’t argue with Shier.”
Qi Nanshan said, “Elder, just protect your precious disciple.”
Luo Jie laughed and said, “I’m not protecting him; I’m protecting you! If you can’t outargue Shier… be careful he gets angry at you.”
Qi Nanshan burst into laughter. He knew Guo Shier was sharp-tongued, and once they started arguing, he might not win. He said, “What a pity!”
Luo Jie asked, “What’s a pity about?”