Chapter 338 - 326: Fighting the Bandit Cultivator (Part 2)
Chapter 338: Chapter 326: Fighting the Bandit Cultivator (Part 2)
The handsome cultivator never imagined Zhao Lin would dare to attack him first. The magic formed so quickly that in the blink of an eye, the ice blade was right before him.
In his panic, he had no time to pick up the artifact on the ground. He jerked his head aside to dodge the ice blade, rapidly forming a spell seal with his fingers and extending his Divine Sense to control the artifact and counterattack.
But Zhao Lin was faster. After a few quick steps, WHOOSH, he threw the iron ruler in his hand.
The handsome cultivator’s Divine Sense had just reached his artifact when he saw a fork-like weapon speeding toward his chest.
His folding fan couldn’t possibly block such a large weapon. A direct hit would mean shattered bones and torn tendons. His only choice was to leap back...
BOOM!
The iron ruler slammed into the ground, sending sand and pebbles flying as it buried itself halfway in the dirt.
Before the handsome cultivator could even catch his breath, he heard a rush of air from behind. Alarm bells screamed in his mind as he ducked and rolled.
SWOOSH!
With a flash of silver light, the ice blade Zhao Lin had thrown returned, whistling as it skimmed just past his back.
’Mastery-level Magic!’
The handsome cultivator broke out in a cold sweat, his face a mask of disbelief.
The Ice Blade Skill at the Minor Achievement Level could be controlled by Divine Sense to change direction, but not with such speed. Only at the Mastery level could one achieve such precise control, allowing it to turn and hover freely in mid-air.
’I seriously misjudged him!’
The handsome cultivator was filled with immense regret. He couldn’t believe that Zhao Lin, with his meager Qi Refining Third Layer cultivation, had actually mastered a magic skill to such a level.
’If I had known, I never would have let my guard down. I definitely shouldn’t have been so arrogant as to toss away my artifact.’
As Zhao Lin launched his opening gambit, he was already closing in like a lightning bolt. The distance between them shrank to less than seven zhang.
Within seven zhang, martial arts were no longer inferior to magic.
’Not good!’
The handsome cultivator still couldn’t understand how he, a master at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, was being hounded by a mere Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator, completely unable to fight back.
But his instincts screamed that he couldn’t let Zhao Lin get any closer. He hastily retreated, casting a Divine Movement Skill on himself before turning to flee.
The more battle-hardened a cultivator, the more susceptible they were to falling back on old habits, assuming a Divine Movement Skill was all it took to escape an opponent.
But how could he have known that Zhao Lin was a Martial Cultivator? The Divine Movement Skill played right into his hands.
Zhao Lin activated his Cloud Flipping Skill and closed the distance in a few short steps. With his long reach, he snatched the iron ruler from the ground and brought it down hard on the handsome cultivator.
Realizing Zhao Lin was faster than him, the handsome cultivator instantly formed a hand seal to cast another defensive spell: the Water Shield Skill.
Water-element Spiritual Qi instantly gathered around his body, forming a thick water shield.
A fish-scale pattern rippled across the shield’s surface.
BANG!
The iron ruler crashed down onto the water shield.
A weapon forged from refined gold was truly in a class of its own. Bolstered by Zhao Lin’s immense strength, the strike made the water shield tremble violently, causing a massive amount of water-element Spiritual Qi to dissipate.
The handsome cultivator’s face turned ashen. As he frantically channeled Spiritual Power into his shield, he screamed, "Song the Third, what are you waiting for? Make your move!"
"How dare you, brat!"
When the bug-eyed man saw Zhao Lin take the initiative to attack, he was stunned for a moment. Then, he curled his lip in disdain, ready to enjoy the show.
He never thought that Zhao Lin would put his companion in mortal danger within a matter of moments. He immediately took control of his artifact on the ground, sending it shooting forward.
Zhao Lin first delivered a heavy blow to the water shield, preventing the handsome man from recovering and counterattacking. Then, he half-turned, swung his iron ruler, and forcefully slapped it against the tip of the incoming halberd.
CLANG! The halberd was sent flying over a dozen zhang away.
The bug-eyed man felt a sickening jolt in his chest and nearly lost his connection to the artifact. Shocked to his core, he roared, "You’re a Martial Cultivator!"
No Magic Cultivator could possess such physical prowess. Considering everything he’d just seen, the truth finally dawned on him.
’Damn it. The kid was a wolf in sheep’s clothing the whole time.’
’The hunter has become the hunted.’
Zhao Lin knew time was of the essence. He had to eliminate the handsome cultivator, and fast. If they both recovered, he would be caught between them, and the tables would turn.
Seizing the opening while the bug-eyed man’s artifact was out of commission, Zhao Lin struck again with the iron ruler.
BAM! The surface of the water shield receded like a tide, the fish-scale ripples vanishing almost completely.
Before the handsome cultivator could replenish his Spiritual Power, Zhao Lin unleashed a Thunder Sound Fist.
White light flared, and thunder roared.
The Thunder Sound Fist pierced through the Water Shield and slammed squarely into the handsome cultivator’s chest.
The handsome cultivator didn’t even let out a groan. Foaming at the mouth, his body convulsing violently, he collapsed to the ground, instantly incapacitated.
"Stop!"
The bug-eyed man cast another spell, sending his Heaven-piercing Halberd hurtling toward the back of Zhao Lin’s head.
To prevent Zhao Lin from swatting it away again, the Heaven-piercing Halberd bobbed and weaved through the air.
But Zhao Lin didn’t even spare it a glance. He sent out an ultrasonic wave, locking onto the Heaven-piercing Halberd’s precise location.
Just as the Heaven-piercing Halberd reached him, he thrust his iron ruler forward. Its Hand Guard Hook slipped through an opening in the halberd’s head, producing a sharp clang of metal on metal.
Then, Zhao Lin pressed a mechanism on the ruler’s handle. The Hand Guard Hook snapped shut, clamping down firmly on the Heaven-piercing Halberd.
"My Heaven-piercing Halberd!"
The bug-eyed cultivator’s face drained of color. He desperately tried to control the artifact with his Divine Sense.
Unfortunately, the Heaven-piercing Halberd was trapped by the iron ruler. It trembled and thrashed but could not break free.
Zhao Lin let out a cold laugh. He raised a hand and aimed a chopping motion at the handsome cultivator on the ground.
Sky-splitting Slash!
With a flash of azure light, a crescent-shaped blade of energy shot out and sliced across the handsome cultivator’s neck.
The handsome cultivator’s head flew from his shoulders, rolling a good distance away.
The bug-eyed man couldn’t believe his eyes. His companion, a cultivator at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, had been killed just like that. This shouldn’t have happened even against an opponent at the Peak of Qi Refining.
But the fact was right in front of him, leaving him no room for disbelief.
Zhao Lin turned, silent, and charged toward the bug-eyed man.
Fear began to well up inside the bug-eyed man, but he was a Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivator. Even without his artifact, he had no reason to shrink back.
’I have a Mastery-level spell, too,’ he thought. ’And my cultivation is two minor realms higher than his. I just need to hold out for a little while, and he’ll surely run out of Mana.’
With this in mind, the bug-eyed man shouted, formed a spell seal, and unleashed the Golden Needle Skill.
Golden light converged, and a palm-sized golden cone shot from his hand.
He had practiced this magic for years to control his Heaven-piercing Halberd, and he, too, had reached the Mastery level with it.
After launching his offensive spell, the bug-eyed man cast a Vine Armor Skill to protect himself.
This was the advantage of having abundant Mana—the ability to maintain two spells simultaneously with power to spare.
Zhao Lin had no desire to waste Spiritual Power, so he didn’t counter with his Ice Blade Skill. Instead, he waited for the golden cone to draw near before swatting it aside with his iron ruler.
His strike was true, and the metal-element Spiritual Qi making up the cone instantly dispersed.
Seeing that he was powerless to stop Zhao Lin’s advance, the bug-eyed man felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.
He had just seen how Zhao Lin killed his companion, shattering the Water Shield with a single punch.
’My Vine Armor Skill probably can’t take a hit like that either.’
’’Where there’s life, there’s hope.’ Fleeing is the best option.’
With that thought, the bug-eyed man hesitated no longer. He turned and fled.