Ambushed

The Old Daoist looked at the many tables and chairs arranged in the main hall, which immediately brought back memories for Chen Nian, and he recognized the place at once.

Perhaps their luck had turned, as after searching for a long time, both Zhang Lin and the Old Daoist found a Martial Dao book.

Zhang Lin found his book in the woodshed, mixed in with a bamboo basket. It was clearly intended to be used as kindling.

The book was titled "Slippery Feet"!

It was that straightforward!

Zhang Lin read through its contents. Although the name was strange, it was indeed a Martial Skill, specifically one related to movement techniques.

This Martial Skill primarily tested one's control over their vital energy, requiring them to condense it within their body and then use a special circulation method to make their movements as fast as lightning.

It contained a forbidden technique that required consuming half of one's blood to instantly escape for a hundred miles.

The Martial Dao technique the Old Daoist found was called "Star Absorbing Great Law"!

He heard it was found in the outhouse!

Which was... quite pungent!

"The previous book in the outhouse only had one page left, but this one was destined for greatness and wasn't ruined, so it can be yours to use!" the Old Daoist said, shaking his head.

"..."

Zhang Lin ignored the Old Daoist. After checking carefully and finding no additional foreign objects, he began to read.

He discovered this was also a Martial Skill!

After cultivating it, one's vital energy would gain an absorption ability, allowing them to absorb the vital energy of others for their own use.

This move was called "Devour Heaven Eat Earth"!

However, its drawback was that the more vital energy one absorbed, the more mixed their own vital energy would become, carrying the hidden danger of qi deviation!

This Martial Skill also had a powerful move, but it required a strong physique as a prerequisite.

"Stars Shift"!

It allowed the user to absorb and convert an opponent's attack into their own usable elemental energy projectiles. These couldn't be stored and could only be used on the spot.

Zhang Lin pondered for a moment and felt that "Star Absorbing Great Law" was indeed worth learning.

As for absorbing others' vital energy, he decided against it. It was too evil, and the drawbacks were too severe.

After reading it a few times, he had memorized its content!

According to the Old Daoist, anything from this place couldn't be taken out, so they could only rely on their memory!

Zhang Lin memorized the core principles of the "Slippery Feet" Martial Skill and began to attempt cultivation, wanting to see if he could grasp even a sliver of it.

If he could master this Martial Skill, his combat options would increase, and his safety would be more assured.

The Old Daoist didn't rush him. He set up a defensive formation and went outside.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Lin's eyes snapped open. He circulated the technique, using very little vital energy, and instantly teleported a short distance ahead.

"Slippery Feet" Martial Skill entry successful!

"Bang!"

Just then, the Old Daoist crashed into the room. Outside in the courtyard, and even on the roof, numerous auras appeared.

"This is bad!"

The Old Daoist crawled out of the rubble, disregarding his disheveled state, and shouted urgently.

Zhang Lin didn't need the Old Daoist to explain; he knew what had happened.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Dense, dark gray spiritual bodies of flame appeared at the door, having taken on rudimentary human forms.

Judging by their auras, their strength was equivalent to the Wild Boar Demon Zhang Lin had killed in Mass Grave Hill two days prior.

"The Netherworld Flames outside have all turned into evil spirits!"

The Old Daoist held talismans and a spirit sword, adopting a stance of readiness.

"It seems this place is also occupied!"

Zhang Lin stared at the flame spirits outside, lost in thought.

These flame spirits had cruel, bloodthirsty expressions and harbored intense hostility towards them.

Although they had surrounded them, they did not initiate an attack without cause.

However, their eagerness to fight could not be concealed.

Not long after, the flame spirits outside parted to the sides, and a tall flame spirit walked out from behind.

Compared to the other flame spirits, this tall one was larger and slightly darker in color.

Furthermore, this flame spirit's aura was stronger, possessing the same strength as the Head Mist Ghosts and Tree Demon Mist Ghosts encountered in Burial Ground of Yin.

With a wave of its right hand, the tall flame spirit signaled the swarming flame spirits to surge forward.

"Bang!"

The roof collapsed directly!

"Four Symbols: White Tiger: Thunderclap!"

Zhang Lin's blood energy erupted, emitting a powerful sonic boom.

Centered on him, the Old Daoist was enveloped, quickly forming a vacuum zone.

The falling roof was directly blown away, and the charging flaming spirit entities, the foremost ones exploded on the spot, while those slightly behind were also blown away.

A large amount of blue-white energy was absorbed!

Looking at Zhang Lin now, he had undergone the ninth Great Body Tempering, and his strength was incomparable to before.

His blood energy was even more vigorous, with faint arcs of electricity and clusters of yang fire within.

He was truly a human-shaped behemoth!

"Sizzle, sizzle..."

Outside, the flaming spirit entities emitted low sounds, one after another. Under the command of the towering flaming spirit entity, they fearlessly charged forward again!

"You hold them off for a moment, I'm going to take care of that annoying guy!"

Without waiting for the Old Daoist's reply, Zhang Lin directly activated the "Slippery Feet" movement technique and charged into the enemy's ranks.

Every time he changed position, a large number of flaming spirit entities were blown up.

Not a single one could resist!

"Four Symbols: White Tiger: Shatter Void Claw!"

Zhang Lin had already reached the front of the towering flaming spirit entity. He formed his right hand into a claw and fiercely grabbed at it.

The heatwave rolled!

Before the towering flaming spirit entity could react, its head was directly lopped off.

"Huh?"

But soon, flames surged around it, and a head was condensed again.

Then, its two arms transformed into two blades and slashed down at Zhang Lin.

He first reinforced his defense, then condensed blood energy in his hands and grabbed forward.

Catching the flaming blades barehanded!

The moment he grasped the flaming blades, he felt his soul vibrate, followed by an intense burning sensation that reached his soul.

"Pfft!"

Zhang Lin's soul flickered, and in his daze, he was sent flying, spitting out a mouthful of blood!

"Get lost!"

A group of flaming spirit entities instantly surrounded him, but Zhang Lin swept them away directly.

Another wave of blue-white energy was absorbed!

He quickly circulated his blood energy, dispelling the sensation that had invaded his soul, forcibly stabilizing his mind, and frowned at the unique flaming spirit entity in front of him.

The flames emitted by this entity could attack the soul, likely inheriting a trace of the Netherworld Ghostfire's characteristics.

And just now, he hadn't considered this.

Fortunately, the opponent's strength wasn't high; otherwise, that move would have left him dead or severely injured.

He then carefully sensed his surroundings and found that the flames emitted by the other flaming spirit entities also affected the soul, but their power was relatively weaker and could be defended against.

Generally, the soul would be strengthened to a limited extent with the improvement of one's realm.

There were also a very small number of people whose soul strength would far exceed their actual strength.

According to Zhang Lin's estimation, although the towering flaming spirit entity's strength was slightly lower, the intensity of the soul attack it emitted had already far surpassed its own strength.

Although Zhang Lin's own soul had been strengthened through body tempering, its strength was also limited.

The weak yin souls he had encountered before had relatively weak soul attacks.

Zhang Lin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, no longer daring to be careless. His blood energy erupted, and he charged forward again.

"Dong!"

There was another collision. This time, his blood energy completely dissolved the opponent's attack, and the flames were isolated, unable to break through his layers of defense!

However, his soul still felt a slight burning sensation!

The towering flaming spirit entity was directly blown up again!

"Huh?"

Suddenly, a figure rushed out from the darkness, and a vast surge of spiritual power instantly drove Zhang Lin into the ground!