The Attack

Under the moonlit night, insect chirping rang without end everywhere.

In a dim forest not far from Cloud Arrival Market, a figure silently appeared atop a tree. He looked around, then finally rose and leaped away.

No one really followed me. Was I overthinking it?

This person was Lin Chen.

Ever since leaving the shop, he had blended into the crowd. He had even circled the market several times, keeping watch behind him, yet he had not found anyone following him.

So be it...

However, just as he leaped down from the tree, an almost imperceptible dark glimmer shot out from the woods nearby, accurately flying toward Lin Chen.

The other party had chosen the timing with exquisite precision, striking exactly as Lin Chen landed. His old force had not yet faded, while new force had yet to arise. Faced with this sudden attack, Lin Chen had nowhere to dodge!

Clang!

In that instant of lightning and flint, spirit light flickered in Lin Chen's hand, and an earth-yellow spirit shield appeared in a flash, blocking the attack.

Lin Chen's face darkened as he looked at the silver-glinting needle tip at his feet. It was an incomparably sinister Flying Needle!

Lin Chen's gaze shifted toward the side.

In the darkness, a figure stepped out from behind a tree.

"Why did you come so late, Fellow Daoist? I've been waiting here for quite some time." The newcomer was a broad-shouldered, powerfully built Great Han with a fierce face.

He carried a Great Saber, his savage face split in a grin. There was an indescribable Killing Intent within his ice-cold smile.

This man was named Zhang Yuanlong. He was a Rogue Cultivator with a Pseudo Spirit Root of four spiritual roots. Though his aptitude was poor, he had stumbled his way into the Late Qi Refining Stage by killing others to seize all manner of Cultivation Resources, as well as cultivating evil arts.

This Time, he had heard of the transaction involving several thousand Spirit Stones, and greed had risen in his heart. He had resolved to bring others to ambush and kill Lin Chen.

However, lacking any specific tracking methods, they could only use Divine Movement Talismans to hurry ahead and lie in ambush along the direction Lin Chen would leave, gambling on their luck.

I never expected my luck to win out in the end. I'd better slaughter this kid quickly, lest the others catch up and snatch the prize.

Zhang Yuanlong stared at Lin Chen with increasingly greedy eyes, as though he were looking at a fat sheep awaiting slaughter.

Lin Chen said nothing, merely staring coldly at him.

"Rest assured, as long as Fellow Daoist hands over the several thousand Spirit Stones on your body, we... die!"

Before he could finish, Lin Chen's gaze shifted and he twisted sideways. At once, a cold gleam flashed before his eyes!

The other party had seemed to be spouting nonsense, but he had actually been drawing Lin Chen's attention and creating an opportunity for his hidden companion to launch a Sneak Attack!

Not only that, Zhang Yuanlong made his move fiercely the moment the Sneak Attack was launched, forming a pincer attack from front and rear, intending to finish everything in this single blow!

"Die!"

Zhang Yuanlong strode forward, raising the Great Saber in his hand high overhead. It emitted a sharp golden gleam before chopping viciously down at Lin Chen!

Whether in timing or angle, this slash was executed with remarkable precision, as though it had undergone specialized training.

Clearly, the other party had trained in martial arts and could flexibly bring out the power of this Great Saber, unlike other cultivators who only knew how to manipulate magic artifacts to strike enemies from afar.

Sure enough, he's a Rogue Cultivator who has gone through countless life-and-death battles. His experience in fighting techniques is exceptionally rich. He truly isn't someone Lower-level Cultivators from sects can compare to...

Feeling the fierce wind from the blade, Lin Chen could not help sighing inwardly.

But while such an attack might kill an ordinary sect cultivator, it is still far from enough to kill me...

Clang!

A brilliant spark flashed through the air.

What?

Zhang Yuanlong's expression changed. He felt an overwhelming rebounding force surge at him, not only abruptly breaking his forward assault, but also sending him staggering back again and again.

Lin Chen, meanwhile, pushed off with the tips of his feet. Borrowing the impact, he retreated repeatedly and withdrew from the range of the other party's attacks. Then, a clear breeze swirled around his Whole Body, and he shot away like an arrow leaving the bow.

Divine Movement Technique!

Lin Chen was not afraid of fighting the other party to the death. The problem is, aside from Zhang Yuanlong, he sensed that there were others present. If he recklessly fought him head-on, he was Highly Likely to be plotted against!

I need to lure out the people hiding on the other side!

Lin Chen's eyes flickered. After several leaps, he raced straight into the distance!

"You think you can escape?" Zhang Yuanlong looked at Lin Chen, who was shrouded in yellow light, and A Trace of savagery appeared on his face.

He had not expected Lin Chen to be so wealthy that he even possessed such a fine Defense Spirit Artifact. But it's okay—this item would soon become his. To Zhang Yuanlong, the wealthier Lin Chen was at this moment, the better.

Lin Chen ignored his taunt, silently calculating in his heart instead.

At my current speed, I can completely evade his attacks. Yet he isn't the least bit anxious as he follows behind me. That means...

Whoosh!

From the grass ahead, a dazzling golden light suddenly rose. In the blink of an eye, a pale golden small sword emerged, then slashed fiercely toward Lin Chen head-on!

"Kill!"

Zhang Yuanlong, close behind him, made his move again. His Whole Body's Aura condensed as he raised his Great Saber once more. His saber technique was broad and sweeping, wholly carrying the posture of fighting for his life!

Not only that, through the Spirit Eye Technique, Lin Chen saw violent fluctuations of true qi coming from nearby. Clearly, the other party still had someone secretly casting a Trick!

The full-force strike of the three cultivators—if it landed solidly—even if Lin Chen did not die, he would be forced into a passive position. By then, defeat would only be a matter of time!

'Kill this bastard, and everything on him will be mine!'

Zhang Yuanlong bared his teeth in delight, already calculating how to divide the spoils in his heart. Yet at that moment, he saw an inexplicable cold smile appear on Lin Chen's face.

Not good!

The instincts he had honed through life-and-death battles immediately warned him that something was wrong. Zhang Yuanlong could not help quickening his pace, his blade slashing toward Lin Chen from a peculiar angle.

Then he saw a scene he would never forget.

He saw...

Lin Chen leapt into the air, then flew!

No—to be precise, his entire body swung forward like he was on a swing!

He not only dodged the great saber and vaulted over the golden sword, but also slipped past the final spell attack by the narrowest of margins!

'A flying spell? No, that's not right!'

Only upon closer inspection did Zhang Yuanlong discover that beneath the bright moonlight, Lin Chen's hand had somehow become covered in transparent silk threads, nearly impossible to detect and leaving only the faintest traces under the light!

This was—

Spirit Silk Technique!

As Lin Chen swung through the air, his gaze was dark and remote. Among his many Qi Refining Stage spells, he had always believed the Spirit Silk Technique to be the finest technique for controlling the field, especially within a dense forest.

For it could not only restrict an opponent, but also help him move while casting spells—the so-called—

Positioning!

Just like now, he had not only evaded the many attacks in one stroke, but had also instantly arrived above the sneak attacker!

Lin Chen's face was ice-cold as iron. With a beckoning gesture, a Yellow-White Flame instantly emerged in his hand!

It appeared to hold nothing extraordinary, yet the three ambushers all felt an involuntary shudder rise from the depths of their hearts.

This was the White Phosphorus Flame Technique he had developed by drawing upon the technology of his previous life!

"Farewell."

Lin Chen gave a light laugh, and the flame in his hand came crashing down!

"No!"

As it had happened too suddenly, no one present had had time to react. The sneak attacker only instinctively activated a Spirit Shield Talisman for defense, not even having time to trigger his Defense Spirit Artifact!

A white half-ring shield appeared in the air, but as sparks scattered across it, they immediately corroded hole after hole into the spirit shield.

The faint flames began spreading rapidly the instant they touched his body, blazing over him like maggots clinging to the bone! Within a few breaths, his entire body had been ignited into a Human Torch!

Not far away, Zhang Yuanlong saw this scene and felt his eyes nearly split apart!

Yet Lin Chen's counterattack was not over!

The "swing" formed by the spirit silk wrapped around the trees sent Lin Chen into a great three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin in midair, swinging him straight from before Zhang Yuanlong's eyes to behind his back.

Then, after only a few leaps, he appeared before the Pockmarked Cultivator!

The man was the cultivator who had just been responsible for the spell attack.

"Stop!" Zhang Yuanlong finally reacted, screaming madly as he spun around and rushed over. But he was still some distance away from stopping Lin Chen.

The Pockmarked Cultivator's face filled with terror as cold sweat streamed down him. He staggered back again and again, desperately activating his Defense Spirit Artifact.

Heh! Lin Chen gave a light laugh. A faint white light shone from his eyes as he continuously searched for flaws in the Defense Spirit Artifact.

"Brother, save me!" Feeling the undisguised killing intent emanating from Lin Chen, the Pockmarked Cultivator's expression changed drastically as he cried out in terror.

The Pockmarked Cultivator and Zhang Yuanlong were not merely companions in murder and arson—they were blood-related brothers.

"I'm here!" Zhang Yuanlong's face flushed red as his speed surged, charging madly toward the Pockmarked Cultivator.

Clearly, in order to save the Pockmarked Cultivator, he had even used a secret technique that damaged his own body!

"Quick, quick!" Zhang Yuanlong's face twisted savagely as the distance between the two sides rapidly closed.

'Just a few more meters, and I can—I can...'

Seeing his elder brother draw closer and closer, delight flashed across the Pockmarked Cultivator's face. But then his heart suddenly turned cold, and the strength drained swiftly from his entire body.

'What... happened?'

He lowered his head and saw that, at some unknown time, a great hole had appeared where his heart should have been, Yellow-White Flames burning around its edges.

"No!" Zhang Yuanlong roared madly. He watched helplessly as a fireball, from a tricky angle, shattered the Defense Spirit Artifact, broke through the spirit shield, and pierced straight through his brother's body!

Puff!

Raging flames flared up once more, mixed with thick white smoke, and another Human Torch immediately appeared on the field!

"No! Why, why?!" Zhang Yuanlong's eyes were bloodshot as he glared fixedly at Lin Chen.

"Why?" Lin Chen strolled as though nothing had happened, subtly widening the distance between them. "Those who kill will themselves be killed. What is there to say?"

"I'll kill you!" Zhang Yuanlong's face was distorted, as though he wished to devour someone alive!

As he spoke, spiritual light flickered around him, and an illusory suit of armor emerged over his body, protecting him within it!

Lin Chen did not answer. Without hesitation, he attacked once more.

Within a second, two red-and-blue spirit bullets rippling with spiritual energy emerged in Lin Chen's hand!

Spirit Bullet Technique—Attribute Conversion—Water-Fire Imbuement!