Critical Strike Talent (Request Follow Reading)

A two-meter-long river dolphin was swimming gracefully along the riverbed, but when it sensed it was surrounded by strange fish, its cute face instantly showed panic as its streamlined body accelerated, trying to flee.

Too late, though.

Hundreds of strange fish swarmed in, baring fangs, attaching themselves to the dolphin like a colony of ants, quickly devouring its flesh and blood, leaving only a skeleton slowly sinking to the riverbed.

Shen Xuan watched quietly as the strange fish finished their meal.

The next moment.

Shen Xuan shot forward at incredible speed; the terrifying water pressure and immense resistance that should have been everywhere seemed to have no effect on him.

Fifty meters per second!

Exhilarating!

At this moment, he was like a fish in water, as if returning home.

The vast Longze River had become Shen Xuan's absolute home ground.

His Divine Sense stirred slightly.

The aura he had been concealing was no longer suppressed.

A fierce, violent aura spread out in all directions, centered on Shen Xuan.

The group of strange fish suddenly sensed Shen Xuan's presence, as if encountering the most terrifying natural enemy in the world, and scattered in all directions with sharp shrieks.

Still trying to flee?

Shen Xuan smiled faintly.

The two Water-Splitting Emei Daggers were already in his hands.

Then, he activated the [Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art].

Under the enhancement of the [Water Control] and [Critical Strike] talents, the Water-Splitting Emei Daggers instantly expanded, forming crescent-shaped Ice Blades at both ends, each over three meters long, radiating a chilling cold.

The next moment, the two Water-Splitting Emei Daggers transformed into four Ice Divine Dragons, exuding a terrifying destructive aura that made one's heart tremble.

"Go!"

With Shen Xuan's shout, the four Ice Divine Dragons shot forward, almost solid, continuously devouring the Water Spiritual Qi in the river, erupting with immense Qi Flow, splitting waves and charging fiercely at the group of strange fish.

"Splash!"

With a series of loud crashes, the four Ice Divine Dragons formed from the Water-Splitting Emei Daggers swept through, their terrifying power instantly tearing the strange fish into shreds, causing the surrounding waters to shake violently.

All the strange fish that had been fleeing were turned into scattered fragments, raining down to the riverbed.

"What a pity!"

Shen Xuan sighed inwardly.

Under the enhancement of the [Water Control] and [Critical Strike] talents, using the Water-Splitting Emei Daggers to execute the [Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art] unleashed overwhelming power, blasting that valuable group of strange fish into pieces.

If he could have harvested the strange fish intact, with so many, they would have sold for at least a dozen Spirit Stones.

Schools of unknown small fish swam over, greedily devouring the fragments of the strange fish.

With the Water-Splitting Emei Daggers, plus the [Water Control] and [Critical Strike] talents, the power of the [Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art] exceeded his imagination.

Its lethal range in the river had more than doubled, reaching seven or eight zhang.

And this was in the river!

If on land, Shen Xuan estimated it could reach a hundred zhang.

"I wonder if a Late Qi Refining Stage cultivator could withstand my full effort!"

When one whale sings, the ocean falls silent. When one whale falls, all things thrive.

Shen Xuan watched quietly for a while, then stopped attacking.

He dove into shallow water, walked on the waves, returned to the riverbank, and went straight home.

In the days that followed, Shen Xuan spent his time crafting [Spring Return Talismans] to Accumulate Wealth, while also going to the bottom of the Longze River to improve his [Critical Strike] talent.

Every time he cast a spell, it increased the proficiency of his [Critical Strike] talent.

Shen Xuan was very cautious.

He always went out late at night.

Walking on the riverbank, he would first use [Breath Concealment Technique] and [Invisibility Technique] to blend his figure into the darkness.

After making a few detours to ensure no one was around, he would quietly slip to the bottom of the Longze River.

At the bottom of the Longze River, Shen Xuan would practice for half an hour each time, consuming half his spiritual power, then quietly return to the riverbank.

He would again use [Breath Concealment Technique] and [Invisibility Technique].

Only when he was near the entrance of the market would he reveal himself, register, and go home.

It took him three months to grind his Critical Strike proficiency to the Mastery level.

[Talent: Critical Strike Mastery (3/100)]

His lethal range in the water leaped to ten zhang!

Moreover, the four Ice Divine Dragons formed at both ends of the Water-Splitting Emei Dagger had already reached a state where Shen Xuan could command them with perfect ease.

In the Longze River, with a slight stir of his Divine Sense, the four Ice Divine Dragons could manifest their forms.

Furthermore, these four Ice Divine Dragons seemed to have gained a spark of sentience, clinging to the ends of the Water-Splitting Emei Dagger and emitting low, soul-shaking dragon roars.

The temperature within a hundred zhang of the surrounding waters plummeted sharply.

Shen Xuan could now release and retract them at will.

He withdrew the spiritual power of the [Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art].

The four Ice Divine Dragons then receded back into concealment within the Water-Splitting Emei Dagger, ready to burst forth in attack at any moment.

Their attack speed was extremely fast.

From casting the spell to the Ice Divine Dragons appearing and shooting forward as blurry afterimages, a distance of fifteen zhang took only half a second.

It was essentially an instant cast.

With such terrifying attack power and speed, Shen Xuan was certain that an ordinary Late Qi Refining Stage cultivator, unless they activated a High-grade Defensive Magic Tool, would definitely be unable to withstand it.

At the very least, Shen Xuan himself, using his Mid-grade Defensive Magic Tool, the Water Cloud Shield, with the [Water Control] talent added, could only barely block the Water-Splitting Emei Dagger's attack from a distance of ten zhang.

That day, Shen Xuan walked out of the Talisman Crafting Room as usual.

From the inner courtyard came the hushed whispers of two women.

The other was Zhao Chunsheng's wife, Jiang Xueqi.

After Zhao Chunsheng had been conscripted for Corvée Labor, Jiang Xueqi often came to the Shen Family to keep Ding Yuyao company.

When Shen Xuan entered, he saw a trace of panic on Ding Yuyao's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Husband, Older Sister Jiang says that several cultivator corpses have appeared outside Qinglong Bay Market!"

Ding Yuyao looked toward Jiang Xueqi.

"Talisman Master Shen, yesterday, in the woods ten li outside Qinglong Bay Market, four cultivator corpses were found, completely naked and their faces unrecognizable. It's very likely that a Robbing Cultivator has set its sights on Qinglong Bay."

Hearing this, Shen Xuan's brow immediately furrowed.

The public order around Qinglong Bay Market had always been decent.

Mass robbery-murder cases were rare.

On the outskirts of the market, in the Shantytown, thousands of destitute low-level Rogue Cultivators still lived.

The woods ten li away were actually right at the edge of the Shantytown.

"Wife, don't be afraid."

"As long as we don't leave the market, nothing will happen."

"For the time being, don't go out," Shen Xuan instructed.

"Alright, This concubine will listen to Husband." Ding Yuyao nodded.

However, just a few days later, several more cultivator corpses were found at the edge of the Shantytown.

Again, they were mangled and bloody, their deaths miserable, and all their belongings stripped clean.

Jiang Xueqi's face was full of worry.

She was anxious about her husband Zhao Chunsheng, who had been conscripted for Wilderness Reclamation.

"For a Robbing Cultivator to be so blatant, something must have gone wrong with the Ding Family!"

Shen Xuan quickly advised, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, don't speak carelessly, or you'll bring trouble upon yourself!"

Jiang Xueqi was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Talisman Master Shen, I have an impertinent request."

"I want to move in here, to keep Younger Sister Yuyao company."

Hearing this, Shen Xuan was startled.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, why is that?"

"Lately, I've been having restless premonitions, an ominous feeling. If I move here to Talisman Master Shen's place, the two of us can share the same boat, which is better than fighting alone."

Shen Xuan was speechless.

He had the [Breath Concealing], [Invisibility], and [Water Control] talents to back him up, and he could slip away at any time.

Jiang Xueqi, on the surface a Mid Qi Refining Stage Monster Hunter, was no pushover in strength.

But if something happened in the market, her level of strength really wouldn't be enough to matter.

"What? Talisman Master Shen, a Qi Refining Level 5 Monster Hunter like me wants to team up with you, and you're not happy about it?"

"It's not that!" Shen Xuan thought it over.

Out of consideration for Zhao Chunsheng's face, he had no choice but to agree.

"These are High-grade [Breath Concealing Talismans], [Invisibility Talismans], [Water Control Talismans], and [Spring Return Talismans]. Fellow Daoist Jiang, please keep them safe."

Shen Xuan generously pulled out over a dozen High-quality Talismans.

"If things go south, we'll fight our way out together!"