Talismans Against Spells

Compared to his opponent's anxiety, Lin Xuan appeared completely confident—at least on the surface. As he used talismans to counter the other man's spells, he occasionally channeled spirit power to launch an Ice Bullet Technique sneak attack. Though it could not harm Yan Tianheng, it still enraged him until smoke seemed to pour from all seven orifices.

Lin Xuan's expression was especially infuriating, full of disdain, and he even tossed out a few taunts from time to time. Yan Tianheng's face grew darker and darker.

No wonder. He was the head of a family, a great expert with a seventh-level cultivation technique, yet he could do nothing to a brat with only a fourth-level cultivation technique. Naturally, his heart brimmed with frustration.

That punchable expression in particular could truly infuriate someone to death.

Was Lin Xuan really that frivolous?

Of course not!

He was doing it deliberately. Everyone knew that when fighting, a restless and irritable mind would greatly diminish one's strength. Facing an expert stronger than himself, victory was exceedingly difficult. Not only did he need the right strategy and tactics, with no room for mistakes, but psychological warfare was also extremely important.

So Lin Xuan deliberately put on that punchable look and provoked him with words. Sure enough, Yan Tianheng could no longer keep his composure.

This also showed how accurately Lin Xuan judged people. Though the Yan Family's head was ruthless and cunning, an old fox through and through, he also had a fiery temper. Angering him was not particularly difficult.

Lin Xuan did all this for victory. In truth, he was equally distressed. The reason was simple: how could he not feel the pain of using Talismans to forcibly contend against the other man's spells? He had obtained these only with great difficulty. Every one he used meant one less remaining.

What depressed Lin Xuan even more was that using low-grade Talismans five at a time like this was actually terribly wasteful.

Five low-grade Talismans could just barely cancel out one of the opponent's mid-grade spells. He had already used thirty Talismans. If those thirty had not been used separately but activated all at once, they would have long since blown his opponent apart, leaving not even bones behind.

However, that was only wishful thinking. The reason was simple: activating low-grade Talismans also required spirit power. With Lin Xuan's current cultivation, he could use at most five at once, after which he had to pause and catch his breath. Though it was brief, only two or three seconds, this little amount of time should not be underestimated. Once there was an interval before the next group of five Talismans was used, the effect became vastly different.

Because his opponent could also cast another mid-grade spell, it became a battle of attrition—whether Yan Tianheng's spirit power would run dry first, or Lin Xuan's Talismans would be exhausted first.

In fact, it was not impossible to use more than five Talismans at the same time. Lin Xuan had once read about it in a book. The Talismans needed to be refined again and linked together with a precious treasure called Spirit-Guiding Grass.

For example, it was like firecrackers. They could be set off one by one, but they could also be strung together with a fuse. With only a single ignition, they would all go off. The Spirit-Guiding Grass was equivalent to that fuse. As long as it was used to link the Talismans together, dozens, or even hundreds, could be used simultaneously.

Lin Xuan had bought so many low-grade Talismans precisely because he intended to return and find a way to obtain Spirit-Guiding Grass. Who could have known he would encounter an enemy so quickly? These Talismans had not been refined again at all, so he could only use them five at a time.

Thus, Lin Xuan was feeling terribly dejected, his heart aching at the waste. Yet on the surface, he looked utterly unconcerned and completely confident. This was a highly useful psychological tactic in battle.

At the same time, Lin Xuan was thinking that this could not continue. Although the other man's spirit power had weakened considerably, it was still far from exhausted. Was he really going to engage in a battle of attrition with him?

As for the other man, Yan Tianheng was equally uncertain and alarmed. Originally, he had thought that a brat with a fourth-level cultivation technique would be easy prey, something he could seize at will. But now he had no confidence. Just how many Talismans did this brat possess? If this continued, his own magical power would fail first.

But from another angle, this brat was simply too wealthy. His possessions were even more abundant than those of a Foundation Establishment Realm expert. Thinking of how he had once traded a Mid-Grade Pill for a cultivation technique, if he had one pill, then having a second seemed entirely possible.

If he could obtain a Mid-Grade Pill, his hopes of entering the Foundation Establishment Realm would become even greater. At that thought, intense greed flashed through Yan Tianheng's eyes. He licked his lips. It seemed he had no choice but to use that treasure.

He cast another mid-grade spell. At the same time, the Spirit Power Shield around his body flared with radiance and appeared even sturdier as he reached into his robes.

Lin Xuan frowned, a trace of gloom appearing on his face. Seeing the other man's actions, how could he not know that he was about to use a powerful move?

Naturally, Lin Xuan would not allow him to succeed at his leisure. He could no longer afford to feel stingy. He directly flung out two mid-grade Talismans he had obtained from Zhang Yu. One canceled out the Fire Bird Technique, while the other transformed into an enormous crescent blade that came chopping down at Yan Tianheng from above.

Because his next trump card required him to concentrate all his attention, Yan Tianheng had no way to deal with the gold-aspected Crescent Blade Technique slashing toward him.

Boom!

The power of a mid-grade spell was no trifling matter, far beyond what the earlier Fireball Technique could compare to. The sheer force of its collision with the Spirit Power Shield was astonishing.

Dust flew everywhere, and a deep trench was plowed into the ground. After taking the blow, Yan Tianheng's face turned white as paper, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Yet Lin Xuan inwardly lamented that it was a pity. If only the power had been a little greater. Though the Crescent Blade Technique had heavily wounded his opponent, it had ultimately failed to break through the Spirit Power Shield's defenses.

"Brat, you did well to force this old man into such a state, but now you can go die!"

Before the swirling dust had dispersed, Yan Tianheng's resentful voice rang out from within, carrying a viciousness that made one's heart tremble. Lin Xuan's heart tightened. He channeled spirit power to his fingertips while his other hand grabbed a Talisman.

However, he did not rashly attack. When the situation was unclear, acting impulsively was exceedingly foolish. He would first see what move his opponent had prepared, then make his plans and act afterward.

Though vigilant, Lin Xuan did not feel the slightest fear. His opponent had a trump card, but he likewise had hidden ultimate techniques. The Ice Needle Technique and Gold Binding Rope had yet to be used. So what if Yan Tianheng was an expert at the Great Perfection stage? Between cultivators, victory and defeat were determined not only by magical power; Spirit Tools and Talismans were equally decisive factors.