The leader of the Robbing Cultivators, Black Wind, flew ahead of the flying boat on his sword.
Originally, he had planned to negotiate first and exchange a few pleasantries.
He hadn't expected Shen Xuan and the others to charge straight at them.
If that was how it was...
Then he wouldn't hold back!
"Fire!"
At his command,
the attacks from all manner of Magic Artifacts, Spell Techniques, and Talismans aboard the three Robber Cultivator Flying Boats transformed into dazzling beams of light, crashing toward Shen Xuan's flying boat like a raging storm!
Beneath his mask, Black Wind's lips curled into a cold sneer.
He had just received a message from Baldy Chen.
A group of Monster Hunters had caught a whole Water Repelling Rhinoceros.
It was worth over ten thousand spirit stones.
And the Monster Hunters were only average in strength.
They were returning to Qinglong Bay Market along the Longze River.
This was a rare opportunity to rob them!
He and Baldy Chen had worked together for years.
Without a second thought, he had immediately gathered his crew and waited here to catch them like rabbits waiting for a stump.
Sure enough, they had intercepted them without a hitch.
A heaven-sent windfall!
He had never seen Monster Hunters so reckless.
Faced with three Robber Cultivator Flying Boats standing ready for battle,
they hadn't veered off to escape. Instead, they had flown straight at them.
Utter fools!
However,
what happened next made his eyes widen.
The waters of the Longze River roared and churned as Water Spiritual Power gathered into one Water Shield after another, protecting the flying boat on all sides.
This was the Water Shield Technique, a Spell Technique commonly used by Water Law Cultivators.
Only, others usually formed a single Water Shield.
How had they managed to make more than a hundred?
A Water Cloud Shield suddenly appeared at the very tip of the flying boat. It swelled in the wind, covering the entire vessel.
The assorted attacks launched by more than twenty Robbing Cultivators were all blocked by the Water Shields.
A few attacks struggled through and reached the flying boat, only to be easily neutralized by the enormous Water Cloud Shield.
"Baldy, you lied to me!"
Black Wind was a Sword Cultivator at Qi Refining Perfection.
At a glance, he could tell there was a high-level Water Law Cultivator aboard the flying boat.
And the Water Law was exceptionally well-practiced—possibly even at great mastery!
The Robbing Cultivators' attacks alone couldn't stop the flying boat.
Now, it seemed...
He was caught between a rock and a hard place!
Black Wind's face darkened.
If Shen Xuan and the others escaped easily, his men would lose heart, and he'd have a hard time leading them.
At this point, he had no choice but to act himself!
"Go!"
A golden sword beam flashed into view, piercing through seven or eight Water Shields before slamming into the Water Cloud Shield.
It was Black Wind's Flying Sword Technique, unleashed with all his might!
The golden sword beam vanished in a flash.
A Dark Gold Flying Sword had embedded itself in the Water Cloud Shield, steadily slowing the flying boat.
Shen Xuan furrowed his brow slightly.
The Water Spiritual Qi within the Water Cloud Shield was slowly dissipating.
It's only a Mid-grade Magic Artifact, after all!
Even with the support of the Water Control Technique,
it had still been stopped by Black Wind's Flying Sword.
"As expected, a Sword Cultivator at Qi Refining Perfection has fearsome attack power."
"That Flying Sword is at least Tier 1 high-grade! If I take it and sell it at auction, it'll fetch another thousand spirit stones!"
Shen Xuan could almost see a pile of glittering spirit stones waving at him.
Times were tough for everyone these days.
Who would complain about having too many spirit stones?
Shen Xuan's Divine Sense stirred.
[Water Control], [Critical Strike], [Iron Bones], [Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art]!
The waters of the Longze River seemed to answer his call, surging into enormous waves that gathered around him.
The Water-Splitting Emei Dagger in his hand suddenly released a deep, three-zhang-long radiance. Four Azure Green Ice Divine Dragons took shape, coiling around its tip.
Water Spiritual Power from within a thirty-zhang radius gathered continuously around the Ice Divine Dragons, their auras growing stronger by the moment.
"Go!"
Shen Xuan pointed at Black Wind.
The four Azure Green Ice Divine Dragons raced toward him, each fighting to be first.
An ordinary Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art could only form a single solid Ice Divine Dragon.
But with Shen Xuan's Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art, Ice Divine Dragons kept taking shape at the tip of his Water-Splitting Emei Dagger.
Every few breaths, four emerged.
They continuously absorbed the Water Spiritual Power of the Longze River, unleashing an endless barrage.
Within a hundred-zhang radius, everything was within range of the Ice Divine Dragons created by the Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art.
With the support of several talents, Shen Xuan's Water Condensation Edge Shaping Art was still only at the Mastery Stage, yet its power surpassed that of an ordinary cultivator who had trained it to great mastery.
In just a dozen breaths, more than a dozen Ice Divine Dragons had already flown forth, claws bared.
"Crash!"
The surging waters of the Longze River roared and churned.
The Robbing Cultivators aboard the three blocking Flying Boats turned pale as paper. They brought out Magic Artifacts and Talismans to fight off the Ice Divine Dragons radiating an aura of destruction.
"Boom!"
One thunderous crash after another rang out. The Dark Ice Blades that had transformed into Ice Divine Dragons broke through the various Magic Artifacts and Talismans, slamming into the Robber Cultivator Flying Boats!
The protective light around the three Robber Cultivator Flying Boats lasted only a few breaths before dimming and vanishing. The unending Ice Divine Dragons carved gash after gash through the boats, tearing them to pieces and sending them crashing down!
At the same time,
seven or eight Ice Divine Dragons all shot toward Black Wind.
Shen Xuan was still showing some respect to a Sword Cultivator at Qi Refining Perfection.
Black Wind's expression changed dramatically.
Only then did he realize he had made a fatal mistake.
The Water Law Monster Hunter aboard the flying boat was far stronger than he had imagined!
So strong that he couldn't resist him at all!
He slapped his waist.
A Golden Ring Magic Artifact flew in front of him, spinning rapidly.
Yet even this High-grade Defensive Magic Tool could only withstand two Ice Divine Dragons before its spiritual light dimmed and it could no longer hold.
That bought Black Wind two or three breaths.
He let out an angry shout, his body turning into a cloud of black smoke as he fled at full speed.
He didn't even have time to retrieve his Flying Sword and Golden Ring!
Shen Xuan casually collected the Flying Sword and Golden Ring, then watched Black Wind's retreating figure with a pang of regret.
If he'd been in the water, he could still have caught up.
But Black Wind knew he was a Water Law Cultivator, so he had fled into the sky.
That gave Shen Xuan pause.
The farther he was from the water, the more his strength would decline.
Shen Xuan weighed things over, then ultimately gave up the chase.
Safety came first.
There was no need to force a fight without absolute confidence.
The flying boat accelerated and swept past.
"Talisman Master Shen, don't chase a desperate enemy! Let's get back to the Market!"
"All right!"
Shen Xuan immediately withdrew the Water Cloud Shield and stood once more at the bow of the flying boat.
He had promised to bring the flying boat safely back.
Only after a while did he notice that Xia Muqing's mouth had been hanging open the entire time.
"Fellow Daoist Xia..."
Xia Muqing reached up, pressed her chin into place, then rubbed her stiff face.
"Talisman Master Shen, what exactly is your Cultivation Realm?"
"Qi Refining Level 6."
"Impossible!"
Xia Muqing looked utterly unconvinced. "I'm also at Qi Refining Level 6, and I'm a Water Law Cultivator too. Why do I feel like there's just a tiny bit of difference between us?"
Shi Xiangdong nodded. "There is a bit of a difference."
"A huge difference!" Wen Zijian declared.
Shen Xuan smiled faintly.
"The cultivation techniques and Spell Techniques I practice are all secret teachings from my sect."
"Besides, a few years ago, I suddenly awakened some Mysterious Bloodline Talents."
Xia Muqing could only accept Shen Xuan's explanation.
Everyone had their secrets.
Shen Xuan hadn't needed to explain in the first place.
"Talisman Master Shen, are you still accepting disciples?"
"Can I become your disciple?"
"Could you teach me?"
Shen Xuan looked apologetic.
"Sorry, the cultivation techniques and Spell Techniques are restricted by the sect. I can't pass them on privately."
Xia Muqing still wanted to press the matter.
Zhao Chunsheng barked, "Enough! Whatever it is, we'll discuss it back at the Market! We're not out of danger yet!"
Before you continue