Mithril Base (Part 1)

"Brother, what's that silver-white thing?"

"It's a mithril base."

"It's made entirely from rare mithril. Mithril is one of the rare metals with the greatest affinity for magical elements in the world. Even a fist-sized piece is worth a fortune. Mithril Base Battle Armor is the Knight Temple's most core and powerful equipment. Only the finest Seventh-rank Temple Knights are qualified to wear it, and even then, they need a bit of luck."

"Oh! Then do you have one, Brother?"

"Isn't that obvious? Of course I do. But they're not commonly used in the shop. There are plenty in the warehouse. I use them on the battlefield."

"Then can you give me a set?"

"Sure. Once you finish your training, come find me and I'll give you one."

"Of course, not this kind. There's another, more advanced type of base."

"Mm-hm, okay, Brother."

The instant Gao Yingjie unleashed Radiant Body, Long Haochen felt it most clearly. He distinctly sensed the Light Element in the air surging madly toward Gao Yingjie like rivers flowing into the sea. He could even vaguely see faint, tiny specks of light.

This was the second time Long Haochen had witnessed Radiant Body. Unlike the first time, he was seeing it in battle now. Once this powerful skill was released, the caster underwent a qualitative transformation, as though his body had become an enormous light-element gem, frantically absorbing the Light Element from the outside world before releasing it again.

Wang Yuanyuan was sent flying but was not injured. That was Cai'er's contribution. Gao Yingjie could not go all out while blocking her Giant Spirit God Shield. The power of this bloodline-inherited weapon, already infinitely close to the legendary tier, had almost completely erupted. Not only did it make Gao Yingjie's body sway, but it also protected Wang Yuanyuan very effectively.

A trace of astonishment appeared on Gao Yingjie's face. His heavy sword had pierced through him, and naturally he had felt it. Although Radiant Body and the spiritual power wings behind his back had defused Cai'er's attack, that cold, razor-sharp aura had still penetrated a little into his body.

What shocked Gao Yingjie even more was that the sensation transmitted from the blade actually made him feel a sense of danger.

In almost an instant, thousands upon thousands of white lights erupted from Cai'er's chest. It was the Thousand Strike Spiritual Stove. Yet all those countless rays focused entirely on Gao Yingjie without spreading even a fraction. With such a highly concentrated attack, coupled with Cai'er thrusting her short sword again, even someone with Gao Yingjie's cultivation could not turn around.

The formidable power of Radiant Body revealed itself at this moment. The instant Gao Yingjie's expression changed, tangible golden light burst from within him and condensed into a suit of golden armor. Whether it was the Thousand Strike Spiritual Stove or Cai'er's dark-gold dagger, both produced a series of metallic clanging sounds when they struck it, yet neither could advance even an inch. The powerful recoil also sent Cai'er's body flying backward in an instant. Golden armor, golden wings—at that moment, Gao Yingjie resembled an enlarged angel. Though this angel was hardly beautiful, he was filled with majesty.

"To force me to use Radiant Body, you've already done quite well. Long Haochen, take one strike from me." Under the effect of the Saint Origin Spiritual Stove, although the others had attacked him, he could not counterattack before dealing with Long Haochen. The Saint Origin Spiritual Stove's immense value in group battles was fully displayed.

Taking one step forward, he did not even turn to look at Cai'er, who had ambushed him. The Radiant Holy Armor condensed on the foundation of Radiant Body was simply not something these Fifth Rank youngsters could break through.

Transparent, almost illusory golden flames rose up. These flames were not scorching, yet they gave off a numbing, sluggish sensation that blurred one's consciousness.

This was not the Sun Fire Yang Wenzhao had once used. It was the Seventh-rank Temple Knight skill, Light Holy Fire—using light as flame, a terrifying skill that burned more than three hundred points of Inner Spiritual Power every second. Without the Spiritual Aperture cultivated upon becoming a Sixth Rank Radiant Knight to restore such immense consumption, it was impossible to use. Put simply, an attack infused with Light Holy Fire could unleash the power of a Holy Sword even with the simplest slash. Light Holy Fire and Radiant Body were both signature skills of Seventh-rank Temple Knights. Once fused together, they represented the true strength of a Temple Knight.

At that moment, Gao Yingjie stood roughly ten meters from Long Haochen. He pointed his heavy sword at Long Haochen, and a strand of Light Holy Fire shot toward him like a bolt of silk. At the same time, a blinding golden halo erupted from Gao Yingjie's body. Cai'er behind him and Han Yu, who was not far away and continuously Accumulating Power, only felt their entire bodies grow hot before being flung far away. Han Yu's Accumulating Power was interrupted just like that.

As a Seventh Rank powerhouse, Gao Yingjie's perception was naturally far beyond that of these young people. He had an incomparably clear grasp of everything happening around him. Of course he knew Han Yu was gathering power. The reason he had not attacked from the beginning was to drain Han Yu's spiritual power. Now that Han Yu's Accumulating Power was nearing completion and had consumed over half his spiritual power, that golden halo nearly robbed him of his ability to fight. The golden halo itself had no offensive power, but wherever it passed, everyone except Long Haochen was pushed far away. What horrified them even more was that when they saw him attacking Long Haochen, Haoyue and Lin Xin had both been doing their best to cast defensive skills. Yet under the effect of the golden halo, the Elemental Shields they released silently vanished.

Lin Xin cried out, "Elemental Annihilation Halo!"

Elemental Annihilation Halo could instantly disintegrate any magic below the Seventh Rank, turning it back into magical elements and returning it to nature. It was extremely effective against summoning-type demon powerhouses.

Yet the Elemental Annihilation Halo Gao Yingjie had unleashed also possessed powerful force, like a Repelling Fire Ring. Even more exquisite was its selectivity. It had deliberately left only Long Haochen behind to bear his attack alone.

Only at this moment did the young members of the Soldier Grade One Demon Hunt Squad truly witness what a powerhouse was.

Without the help of his companions, Long Haochen stood alone and helpless. Yet he remained calm. The Holy Spirit Shield was also magic, and it vanished amid the Elemental Annihilation. All he could do now was block head-on.

Taking a deep breath, the golden liquid halo surrounding the Saint Origin Spiritual Stove in Long Haochen's chest began trembling violently. His arms beneath his clothes instantly turned brilliant gold, and golden liquid flowed out, spreading over both his hands in an instant.

He assumed a bow stance—Divine Obstruction.

There was no possibility of dodging. He could only grit his teeth and endure it.

"Pfft."

Light Holy Fire struck the Holy Spirit Shield, dyeing it a deep gold almost instantly. If he had truly been facing an enemy, Gao Yingjie would only have needed to let the Light Holy Fire spread at once to reduce his opponent to ashes. But he was merely testing these young people's strength, so naturally he would not strike too heavily. Of all of them, Long Haochen, the team leader, interested him the most. The champion of this Demon Hunt Squad Selection Tournament—where exactly was his limit?

Carefully controlling the Light Holy Fire, Gao Yingjie would immediately end his attack the instant Long Haochen showed any sign of being unable to withstand it.

The Holy Spirit Shield's defensive power was quite impressive, even stronger than Long Haochen's former Radiant Shield. Yet Light Holy Fire seemed completely unaffected by its resistance. It spread through in an instant and invaded Long Haochen's hands.

This time, there was no fierce impact. However, that pure Light Element burned through him with unstoppable force. Only upon truly touching it could one feel its heat. That was a vast, righteous, peaceful heat. When Long Haochen's own liquid spiritual power encountered Light Holy Fire, it actually seemed to become its fuel. Though the Light Holy Fire had only spread to his hands, Long Haochen felt as though his entire body had ignited.

The Saint Origin Spiritual Stove in his chest visibly dimmed, and the liquid spiritual power within his body began to pulse uneasily. Yet Long Haochen discovered in surprise that, with his perception, he could not sense any danger at all.

Long Haochen sensed no danger, but at that very instant, Gao Yingjie did.

The moment he used the Elemental Annihilation Halo to disperse all magic and force away the other members of the Demon Hunt Squad, and Light Holy Fire struck Long Haochen's Holy Spirit Shield, an overwhelming killing intent erupted behind him.

Cai'er's pale purple hair fluttered without wind, spreading out behind her head. Her vacant eyes had completely turned gray. A layer of dark-blue radiance spread from within her body, while the dark-gold dagger in her hand vanished. Her fair, almost bloodless hands slowly opened to either side as she raised her arms.

Outside the dark-blue radiance, the air within a five-meter radius had completely turned gray in that instant.

Others might not have been able to sense what that grayness was, but Gao Yingjie discovered in horror that what came from behind him was killing intent that was nearly tangible.

Even though he was clad in Radiant Holy Armor evolved from Radiant Body, and even with Light Holy Fire burning around him, he still felt a chill run down his back. That towering killing intent made someone filled with the aura of light feel a trace of deathly stillness.

What... what was this?

Almost immediately, Gao Yingjie spun around and saw the strange scene unfolding around Cai'er.

This girl appeared to be blind. How could she emit such a terrifying aura? This had already completely surpassed her own Fifth Rank cultivation!

Fortunately, Long Haochen's Saint Origin Spiritual Stove had automatically ended after being struck by his Light Holy Fire. Otherwise, Gao Yingjie would have been facing even greater trouble now.

The icy sensation made Gao Yingjie feel as though he had fallen into hell. If he had been facing an enemy, he would undoubtedly have chosen to attack without hesitation at the first possible moment. But the person standing before him was not an enemy. Her terrifying killing intent was expanding at an astonishing speed, and the gray area around her body was continuously growing.

At that very moment, every member of the Soldier Grade One Demon Hunt Squad erupted madly like springs compressed to their limits.

Having recovered, Wang Yuanyuan leaped into the air again. An incomparably sharp silver radiance burst from the Giant Spirit God Shield in her hand. Massive spiritual power fluctuations mixed with an ancient, savage aura rapidly surged upward, and even her large eyes gained a hint of silver.

The enormous Gate of Living Beings finally opened at that moment. This time, it was no sheep. More than thirty long, pitch-black tentacles appeared first, shooting outward. Wherever they passed, the air twisted violently. A round, plump body squeezed out from the Gate of Living Beings.

The Evil Eye above Han Yu's head had originally been preparing to attack Gao Yingjie, but the instant that enormous body squeezed out from the Gate of Living Beings, it trembled violently and darted behind Han Yu.

Sigh, Old Three hasn't relaxed at all during the New Year. Writing nonstop isn't the problem—the problem is that Tangtang got sick and has been running a fever since the first day of the new year. She only started getting better today. Is it because I'm getting older? Why can't I feel any New Year atmosphere at all?